Impunity Watch: Africa

Human Rights Watch Issues Report on Zimbabwe's Inability to Implement Reforms

By Jennifer M. Haralambides
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

Zimbabwe - Human Rights Watch has issued a report declaring that South African leaders need to press Zimbabwe's power-sharing government to end the ongoing human rights violations and to implement legal reforms.

 

This report, titled "False Dawn: The Zimbabwe Power-Sharing Government's Failure to Deliver Human Rights Improvements," focuses on the new government's lack of progress in the many areas of human rights where reform is needed.

More than six months after the formation of a transitional, power-sharing government in Zimbabwe between the Zimbabwe African National Union–Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) and two factions of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), there has been little progress in instituting any promised human rights reforms and in demonstrating respect for the rule of law.

Human Rights Watch reports that his transitional government has demonstrated a lack of political will to create change. Police, prosecuting authorities, and court officials who are aligned with ZANU-PF continue to conduct politically motivated prosecutions of MDC legislators and activists.  MDC is the former opposition party and is now a partner in the government. 

Local sources say that President Zuma, who was inaugurated six months ago, has failed to satisfy the expectations of both the public and the politicians alike because no agreements have been reached from the negotiations between President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF and the two MDC's led by Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara.

"Southern African leaders should stop looking at Zimbabwe through rose-colored glasses...The region's leaders need to press Zimbabwe openly and publicly for human rights reforms to prevent the country from backsliding into state-sponsored violence and chaos," said Georgette Gagnon, the Africa director at Human Rights Watch (HRW).

In order to fulfill the demands of human rights groups, heads of state from members of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) are holding a summit meeting in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, on September 7th, 2009.  At the summit meeting they are exptected to assess Zimbabwe's compliance with a number of rulings by the SADC Tribunal on illegal actions.  President Zuma of South Africa, SADC's current chairman, is also expected to update leaders on the progress made by the power-sharing government.

"Without these necessary changes, Zimbabwe's inclusive government will continue to be built on sand," says Gagnon.

The HWR report recommends a range of fundamental reforms that the power-sharing government should undertake to improve the human rights situation in Zimbabwe.

For more information, please see:

Human Rights Watch - False Dawn: The Zimbabwe Power-Sharing Government's Failure to Deliver Human Rights Improvements - 31 August 2009

Reuters - SADC: Press Zimbabwe to Implement Human Rights Reforms - 31 August 2009

The Zimbabwe Times - Mutambara is Correct on Zuma's Role - 31 August 2009 

Civilian Peacekeepers Kidnapped in Darfur

By Jennifer M. Haralambides
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

DARFUR, Sudan - Two civilians working with the joint UN-African Union (UNAMID) peacekeeping mission in Darfur went missing after a raid on their residences.  Sources say they were kidnapped at gunpoint. 

Noureddine Menzi, a spokesman for the United Nations-African Union (UNAU) peacekeeping forces, said that early Saturday morning a gunmen stormed into the town of Zalingei and seized a man and a woman.  He says this is the first kidnapping of staff members who work for the peacekeeping force.  The nationality of the hostages or there captors is still yet to be verified, although sources close to the case say the man was Nigerian and the woman was a Zimbabwean.

Abdel Wahid al-Nur, the leader of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), lives in Zalingei.  SLM is one of Darfur's main rebel groups responsible for contributing to the violence in the region.  Al-Nur, criticized the kidnapping and also denied that the SLM was involved in any way.  He said it showed the weakness of the peacekeeping mission. 

The UN-AU force has contacted the kidnappers, and the outgoing political chief, Rodolphe Adada, has appealed for the release of the captives.   Sources say that Adada had previously angered Western diplomats by calling the situation in Darfur, "a low-intensity conflict."

Human rights groups describe the situation in Darfur as genocide.  The UN puts the death toll up to 300,000 over the six years of fighting between rebel groups and government forces.  Clashes between rival ethnic groups break out frequently in Sudan, and the UN says at least 1,000 people have been killed in the wake of inter-tribal violence this year alone.

For more information, please see:

AFP - Darfur Peacekeepers Say 2 Civilians Kidnapped - 29 August 2009

AP - Darfur Peacekeepers Say 2 Civilians Kidnapped - 29 August 2009

BBC - Two Peacekeepers Seized in Sudan - 29 August 2009

VOA - Peacekeepers Kidnapped in Sudan - 29 August 2009

Sweet Sixteen Marriages in Malawi Protested

By Kylie M Tsudama
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

LILONGWE, Malawi - A bill that was recently passed in the Malawi legislature allows 16 year olds to marry with parental consent.  Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika is facing pressure from civil society groups to scrap the bill.

(Source:Google Images)

Parliament amended the Constitution.  This new legislation is an improvement on the law it replaced which allowed oarental consent to marriage at the age of 15.  Clause 9 in the Constitution (Amendment) Bill passed with over two-thirds support, although some Members of Parliament (MPs) from both the support and the opposition voted against it before it went through.

Article I of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Children defines the word "child" as "every human being below the age of 18."  Activists are calling for the minimum age to be raised to 18 while some MPs asked the Minister of Justice to consider changing the marriage age to 18 or even 21.

MP Lifred Nawena said marriage at 16 goes against the government policy of youth education.  MP Chimango Mughogho said marriage requires girls to give birth and they are not mature enough at 16.

Minister of Justice Peter Mutharika, however, sees the increase in age as a positive.  He will not take a position on the matter saying only that Malawians should decide together how to move forward.

"Eighteen would be fine but 21 might be too old.  We could say 18 with parental consent or 21 without, but that is a matter of policy," he said.  "Let the people and all the stakeholders, including boys and girls, debate the issue and agree on whether the marriage age should be 18, 21, or 25 as some people are proposing.  After the consensus, the matter will go back to parliament."

People interviewed after the vote all agree that Parliament could have raised the age to 18 and that it would have been the appropriate age, as it is the minimum age when one can vote and make one's own decisions.

Gender and children's rights activists have called on the country's leadership to protect and ensure girls' rights not to marry so young to protect them from maternal death.  MacBain Mkandawire, Executive Director of NGO Youth Net and Counseling, says mental and physical health will be sacrificed if allowed to marry at 16.

Marriage at 16 is contrary to the government's policy to educate the youth and reduce maternal deaths.

For more information, please see:

Angola Press - Protests at Proposed Law Backing Sweet 16 Marriages - 29 August 2009

Catholic Information Service for Africa - Malawi: Protests at Proposed Law Backing Sweet 16 Marriages - 28 August 2009

Daily Times - Law Commission Defends Marriage Age - 26 August 2009

Africa News - Malawi: Marriage Age Pegged at 16 - 03 August 2009

Update: Trial for Charles Taylor Still in Progress

By Kylie M Tsudama
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

THE HAGUE, Netherlands - Charles Taylor claimed in court this week that he had the international community's approval to grant Sam Bockarie's political asylum in 1999.  He also claimed that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) leaders decided unanimously that Bockarie's political asylum in Liberia would be the best for Sierra Leone's peace process.

"Bockarie did not voluntarily leave Sierra Leone.  ECOWAS extracted Bockarie from Sierra Leone.  That's how he left.  He did not leave Sierra Leone voluntarily.  He came to Liberia in December of 1999.  People did not know the inside story.  But this is what happened.  It was an ECOWAS extraction, they took him out of Sierra Leone, he had no choice," Taylor testified.

Among Taylor's claims the United States government is said to have made an agreement to provide military training and scholarship for Bockarie during his asylum.  Taylor said he was surprised when the United Nations and the United States opposed Bockarie being in Liberia.

Taylor said once Bockarie and his men got Liberian citizenship he recruited them to join his Anti Terrorist Unit (ATU).  The ATU was an elite security force that protected Taylor and was headed by his son, Chuckie Taylor, who was convicted of crimes of torture committed in Liberia.

In regard to military and financial support that Taylor allegedly gave to Sierra Leonean rebels in exchange for diamonds, he contends that the expert who testified was unfairly biased against him.  Taylor said that Ian Smillie had previously accused him of diamond-for-arms trade when he was appointed an expert by the UN Secretary General.  Taylor said questions to the Secretary General regarding Smillie's appointment went unanswered.

"I had concerns about pople who had made allegations against Liberia being on the panel.  You have already prejudiced the report by doing that," he said.

Taylor called the 2000 UN Expert Panel Report "disgraceful" and said it was full of "disinformation," maintaining that the report is biased.

Today is the fourth day Taylor has been responding to allegations made against him in that report.

For more information, please see:

CharlesTaylorTrial.org - United Nations Panel is at the Heart of Case Against Taylor, he says - 26 August 2009

CharlesTaylorTrial.org - Charles Taylor Dismisses United Nations Report on Sierra Leone as 'Disgraceful' - 25 August 2009

CharlesTaylorTrial.org - Taylor Says UN Report on Diamonds and Guns was Biased Against Him; CIA Helped his Rebel Group - 24 August 2009

CharlesTaylorTrial.org - International Community Sanctioned RUF Commander Sam Bockarie's Relocation to Liberia; ECOWAS Leaders Changed Rebel Leadership in Sierra Leone, Not Taylor Acting Alone - 23 August 2009

French Man Escapes from Islamist Radicals

Jennifer M. Haralambides
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

MOGADISHU, Somalia - A French security adviser seized by Islamist militants in Somalia discloses the details of how he escaped from his captors with out a struggle while they slept.

 

Marc Aubriere and his colleague were kidnapped from the Sahafi Hotel on July 14th in Mogadishu last month.  They were in Africa as part of a team who stationed to train troops from the country's United Nations-backed interim government.  This government is battling Islamist rebels for control of the country.

He escaped while his captors, Hizbul-Islam rebels, slept.  Rumors surrounded the escape claiming that Aubriere killed three militants as he fled, although he denies the claims.  France's foreign ministry also denies that any of the rebels were killed during the escape.

"I escaped at midnight last night.  The guards were very tired and sleepy.  I didn't kill anyone or injur anyone while escaping," said Aubriere.

Although French sources claim that France did not pay a ransom for Aubriere's release, the reports are conflicting.  Aubriere said that he was treated fairly while he was being held by his captors. 

The other man who was captured with Aubriere is still being held by a different Islamist faction, the al-Shabab.  Both groups control much of southern Somalia, although sources analysts say that the al-Shabab is notorious for being the more radical of the two groups.  Both groups have links to al-Qaeda. 

For more information, please see:

ABC.com - Hostage Escapes from Somali Militants - 26 August 2009

BBC - Somalia Hostage Tells of Escape - 26 August 2009

ITN - French Hostage Tells of Escape - 26 August 2009

VOA - French Hostage Freed in Somalia - 26 August 2009

Junta Leader May Run for President

By Kylie M Tsudama
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

CONAKRY, Guinea - Guinea junta leader Captain Moussa Dadis Camara may run for President of the West African country during its next election cycle.

Camara took power when former President Lansana Conte died in December.  When he took power he promised that he would step down in order to hold elections later this year.  Elections have been postponed until 2010.

It is yet to be announced whether or not Camara will be running.

(Source:AFP)

"I have nothing more to say, except that I might or might not stand," he said.  "We shall follow your advice.  We shall do what you have requested."

On Saturday hundreds of Camara supporters rallied in Conakry to ask him to remove his military uniform and stand in the presidential election.  Camara's run for the presidency would be another move in this year's push toward more power by West African leaders.

Guinean opposition parties, unions, and civil groups joined Sunday to urge people to oppose Camara's candidacy should he choose to run.  Camara says, however, "it is they who don't understand anything about democracy" if they want to stop him from running for president.

"It is for Guineans alone to freely choose their leaders without internal or external pressure or discrimination," said The National Council for Democracy and Development (CNDD) junta.  "Therefore any member of the CNDD, of the government including the prime minister and any other citizens, is free to put forward their candidacy for the national election if they so desire."

A statement from the US embassy expressed disappointment and concern, saying that any junta member's candidacy "would undermine the transparency and credibility of the elections."

Elections are currently set for January 31, 2010.  Legislative elections will be held on March 26.

For more information, please see:

IRIN - Guinea: 'Yesterday was Better than Today' - 25 August 2009

AFP - Guinea Junta Chief May Run in Polls - 24 August 2009

BBC - Guinea Leader 'May Contest Poll' - 24 August 2009

VOA - Guinea Military Ruler May Run for President - 24 August 2009

Reuters - Guinea Rejects U.S. Call for Junta-Free Election - 23 August 2009

Rebel Groups in Darfur Establish a Unified Front

By Jennifer M. Haralambides
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

DARFUR, Sudan - Four prominent Darfur rebel groups have agreed to establish a unified front after a U.S.-sponsored negotiation in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa over the weekend.

(Young Darfur girl with her sleeping brother, source: Daily Nation)

Although the four factions: the United Resistance Front (URF), the Sudan Liberation Movement - Abdulwahid, the Sudan Liberation Movement - Unity, and the Sudan Liberation Movement - Abdulshafi have not yet agreed on specific ways to facilitate peace within the groups, they have agreed on a road map to unify their struggle and engage in peace talks.

The U.S. special envoy to Darfur, Scott Gration mediated the agreement between the factions and was present during the signing.  He called rebel unity a prerequisite for political talks on stopping the war that has lasted for over six years, killing an estimated 300,000 people. 

"It's a remarkable achievement," said Gration.  "What I've seen with these groups is that they are working so hard to ensure that we learn from past attempts to reunify, to get peace; and this time to make it lasting and durable," he continued.

The rebel factions have created a committee in order to continue to deal with the remaining issues which have been the cause of conflict between the groups.  One major issue that remains is that of leadership.  Initially they planned to elect their "unity leadership" in Addis Ababa, although there is no concrete final agreement on the leadership post as of yet.

Even though the peace talks are a step in the right direction, Ahmed Abdulshafi Toba, chairman of Sudan Liberation Movement - Abdulshafi said the unity talks do not include a ceasefire.  Also, one of the main rebel groups, Justice for Equality and Movement (JEM) did not take part in the unity talks due to their previous disagreements with U.S. envoy Gration.

There are currently 30 different rebel groups in Sudan fighting for their cut in the oil industry and for fair representation in the national political system.

For more information, please see:

All Africa - Sudan: U.S., Africa Step Up Darfur Peace Drive - 24 August 2009

Daily Nation - Darfur Rebel Factions Unite for Peace Talks - 24 August 2009

VOA - Four Darfur Rebel Groups Reach Unity Deal - 23 August 2009

AFP - US Envoy Pledges to Help Darfur Rebels Unite - 22 August 2009

Civilians Killed in Mogadishu During Ramadan

By Jennifer M. Haralambides
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

MOGADISHU, Somalia - At least five civilians were killed in the Somali capital during an exchange of fire that broke out on Saturday night. 

The fighting occurred in southern Mogadishu's Hodan and Holwadag neighborhoods between rebels and government forces, who were backed by African peacekeepers.  Some of Saturday's fighting was centered on a strategic road linking the capital with the town of Afgoye.  Each side of the conflict accused the other of starting the fighting.

Residents of the neighborhoods say that the fighting has died down since Saturday, although the hard-line Islamist rebel leader Hasan Dahir Aweys has vowed to intensify the war against the Somali government and the African peacekeepers.  He declared his intentions to continue the violence during Ramadan, against President Sheikh Sharif Ahmand's call for a ceasefire during the holy month.

"We will not accept that ceasefire call.  This holy month will be a triumphant time for mujahideen and we will fight the enemy," said Aweys.

The radical leader also accused African Peacekeepers of having recently deployed additional troops in the capital city.

"They deployed more troops to worsen the security situation in Somalia, but we will never stop fighting them until they leave our soil alone," continued Aweys.

President Ahmed's United Nations-backed government is viewed as the countries best hope for a return to stability after almost 20 years of conflict, although it holds only small pockets of the capital and parts of the south.

Aweys claims there are efforts under way to unify his group, Hizb Al-Islam and the al-Qaeda inspired rebel faction known as the Shebab.  Both groups are the two main factions in the insurgency bent on taking over President Ahmed and ousting the African Union forces from the country.

 This violence follows Friday's battles between the same groups, where more than 20 people were killed in Mogadishu.  So far, thousands of civilians have been killed and more than a million driven from their homes from the fighting that has taken place over the past two years.

For more information, please see:

AFP - Six Civilians Killed in Somali Capital - 23 August 2009

BBC - 'Several Dead' in Somali Clashes - 23 August 2009

Reuters - Somali Insurgents Reject Ramadan Ceasefire Call - 23 August 2009

VOA - 5 Killed in Mogadishu Fighting - 23 August 2009

Nigerian Militants Surrender Weapons as Part of Amnesty Plan

By Kylie M Tsudama
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

President Yar'Adua and Boyloaf (Source: BBC)

YENAGOA, Nigeria - Rocket launchers, gunboats, guns and bullets were surrendered by a top militant commander and nearly 1,000 of his followers on Saturday.

The government's amnesty plan began two weeks ago and this was the biggest move since the program's inception. 

Militants in Yenagoa, capital of the Bayelsa state, cheered and danced as they turned their weapons over to the government.

Ebikabowei "Boyloaf" Victor Ben, state commander for MEND, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, and 25 commanders under his leadership delivered weapons to the police. 

MEND, the largest armed group in the region, has said that it will not participate in the program as a group but that Boyloaf was free to surrender.  MEND has announced that it will end its ceasefire on September 15.  It has also suspended talks about an amnesty program with the government.

"In the midst of such sheer deceit, MEND will be compelled to resume with ferocious attacks on the oil industry at the end of our ceasefire on September 15, 2009," the group said in a statement.

The event at the peace park had a red carpet laid out for dignitaries.  There were covered bleachers surrounding the park.  Boyloaf came wearing a hat that read "Bayelsa Peace Day" and spoke to the crowd.

"We have kept to our word to follow the part of peace.  The government should on its own part keep to the bargain of promises made," he said.  He also apologized to the families who have suffered losses from the struggle.

Timiebi Koripamo-Agary, the spokeswoman for the presidential panel on amnesty, has said that the administration learned from past mistakes and the government would not pay for surrendered weapons this time.

"Instead, we are asking the boys what they want - to further their education, learn a trade, or take a microloan for a small business," she said.

Officials admit that so far participation is disappointing.

"They are still worried about their safety, but they are now seeing the government means very well for them and that we will ensure their safety," said Koripamo-Agary.

President Umaru Yar'Adua offered unconditional pardons to all militants who participate in the program.

For more information, please see:

AP - Nigerian Militants Give Up Weapons to Police - 22 August 2009

BBC - Nigeria Rebels Hand Over Weapons - 22 August 2009

Reuters UK - Nigerian Militant Group to End Ceasefire on Sept. 15 - 22 August 2009

VOA - Nigeria's Amnesty Program Makes Slow Progress - 21 August 2009

Reuters - Nigeria Oil Militants Disarm Slowly - 20 August 2009

Impunity Watch - Nigerian Government Released 60 Day Amnesty Plan - 27 June 2009

Somali Fighting Killed More than 20

By Dahee Nam
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Africa

MOGADISHU, Somalia – At least 20 people have been killed in heavy fighting between Somali Islamist insurgents and government forces in the capital city of Mogadishu.  Most of the dead were civilians, witnesses said.

Heavy battles broke out after Islamist insurgents launched a pre-dawn raid Friday against government forces and African Union (AU) peacekeepers in the southern part of the capital.  The clashes soon spread to neighboring districts.

"Hundreds of well-armed insurgents came to our district with minibuses and pick-up trucks and immediately they started firing towards the government troops and an AU base," a local resident told the BBC.

Mortars from both sides slammed into the city’s main market as traders were setting up their stalls for the day, causing severe civilian casualty. 

According to the city's ambulance services, at least 20 dead and 40 wounded people were taken to the town's various hospitals.  The toll was expected to increase as the fighting continued through the morning.

"Everyone is traumatized by the bombs because they're hitting heavily populated parts of town," local resident Ibrahim Moalim said.

Al-Shabab spokesman Sheik Ali Mohamud Rage said the raid was to retaliate against the AU troops for rolling into rebel-controlled areas earlier this week.  The AU said the patrol was a routine military exercise, but the Islamist insurgents regarded it as provocative.

For more information, please see:

AFP - Nine Civilians Killed by Mortar Bombs in Mogadishu - 21 August 2009

AP - 24 Dead in Somalia Violence, Witnesses Say - 21 August 2009

BBC - Somali Insurgents in Deadly Raid - 21 August 2009

Reuters - Fighting Kills 22 in Somali Capital Mogadishu - 21 August 2009