Impunity Watch: Asia

Pakistani Newlyweds Fear Honor Killings

By Shayne R. Burnham
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

KARACHI, Pakistan - Pervez Chachar and his wife, Humera Kambo, are the latest example of the prevalence of “honor killings” as a tradition and custom.  Chachar and his wife have been living in a room at a local police station for the past four months.  They fear that their families would kill them.

Chachar stated, “I know they will kill her and I have to protect her.”

When Kambo’s family first learned that she married without their permission, Kambo was abducted by her family and Chachar was beaten.  They were angered that she married a man from a rival tribe.

Generally in rural Pakistani society, actions such as marriage without the permission of the family are justification for death.  Other acts by daughters that are deemed shameful include supposed illicit relationships, for marrying men of their choice and for divorcing abusive husbands.  Additionally, being raped also brings shame to the family.

After the killings of 5 teenagers buried alive who wanted to choose their own husbands, a Pakistani lawmaker defended the tradition.

“These are centuries-old traditions and I will continue to defend them,” said Israr Ullah Zehri.  “Only those who indulge in immoral acts should be afraid.”

Zehri also told Parliament that traditions in the Baluch province helped to stop obscenity.  Most stated that the executions were “barbaric” while others said that such matters ought to be left to the people of the province.

The United Nations has estimated that 5,000 people, the majority of which are women, are killed as a result of honor killings in South Asia and the Middle East.  Many go unreported and without punishment.

In a report, Amnesty International stated, “While recognizing the importance of cultural diversity, [we] stand resolutely in defense of the universality of human rights, particularly the most fundamental rights to life and freedom from torture and ill-treatment.  The role of the state is to ensure the full protection of these rights, where necessary mediating ‘tradition’ through education and the law.”

For more information, please see:

Amnesty International - Pakistan: Honour Killings of Girls and Women - 1 September 1999

Associated Press - Pakistani Lawmaker Defends Honor Killings - 30 August 2008

Reuters - Pakistani Newlyweds Live in Fear of Honor Killing - 22 January 2009

Thailand Blocks The Economist Magazine Again

By Pei Hu
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BANGKOK, Thailand – The latest issue of The Economist magazine, a British owned current-affairs magazine, will not be circulating in Thailand due to its coverage on the Thai navy’s treatment of illegal migrants from Myanmar. This is the second time that The Economist was blocked in Thailand in the month of January alone.

The article, titled “A Sad Slide Backwards” criticized the Thai Prime Minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva and the Thai navy for the treatment of thousands of Muslim Rohingya migrants from Myanmar. The report claimed that 500 of these migrants were cast out to sea in boats without engines and with little or no food.

"Our distributor in Thailand has decided not to distribute The Economist this week due to our coverage being sensitive," Ian Fok a Hong Kong spokesman said.

Just a week earlier, in The Economist’s January 24 issue, an article titled “The Trouble with Harry” reported on an Australian writer that was sentenced to three years in jail for defaming the Thai monarchy was not allowed to be distributed. A staff member of Asia Books confirmed that the issue would not be put onto newsstands and claimed she did know the reason. The staff member also declined to give her name because she was not authorized to speak to the media.

Thailand has one of the most stringent lese majeste laws in the world where a person can be jailed up to 15 years for insults or threats to “the king, the queen, and their heir to the throne or the Regent.”

With the rise of internet users in Thailand, many bloggers would write about the Thai monarchy.  The Thai authorities have censored more than 2,000 websites due to the growing internet coverage of the royal family.

Persecutions under the lese majeste laws have been increasingly more common. Many of the charges are used for partisan political purposes.  

The Economist itself has also fell victim to lese-majeste laws in the past.  In December, an article questioning the Thai king’s role in public life was banned. In 2002, a survey about Thailand was also banned.  

For more information, please see:

APF – Economist magazine curbs distribution in Thailand– 26 January 2009

BBC – Thailand Bans Economist Magazine– 26 January 2009

Reuters – Economist Magazine Blocked in Thailand Again– 30 January 2009

Burma Sends 19 North Koreans to Thailand

By Pei Hu
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

NAYPYIDAW, Burma – 19 North Koreans that were arrested in Burma for trying to defect to South Korea through Burma and Thailand were released by Burmese authorities.  Of the group, 15 were women and there was one seven-year-old boy. Instead of being jailed or deported back to North Korea, the refugees are now in detained in Thailand.

On December 2, 2008, Burmese authorities detained 19 North Koreans refugees near the Thai border for illegal entry.  Initially, Burma was going to try the North Korean refugees who can face up to three years in jail for illegal entry. However, refugee sympathizers and NGOs pressured the Burmese government to release the North Korean refugees and not to send them back to North Korea.

Burmese officials offered no comment on this issue. Burma has been trying to renovate strained ties with North Korea that was restored in 2007.

A Thai immigration official told Korea Times that the North Korean refugees surrendered to Thai authorities right away and said, "They were asking for political asylum in South Korea."

He continued, "The South Korean embassy in Bangkok would have to notify us that their asylum applications were accepted, and then there must be an NGO group to give these refugees further assistance to reach their goal."

Thailand does not formally recognize asylum seekers as refugees. However, Thai officials turnover many asylum seekers to NGOs and refugees groups that help asylum seekers settle in another country.

Thousands of North Koreans have fled North Korea due to property and political oppression.  Many of these refugees travel through China or Southeast Asia before seeking asylum in South Korea. South Korea is currently home to about 14,000 North Korean defectors. 

For more information, please see:

BBC – Burma Frees North Korean Refugees – 1 January 2009

Irrawaddy –19 North Koreans Arrested at Thai-Burmese Border – 22 December 2008

Korea Times – Burma Sends 19 North Koreans to Thailand – 4 January 2009

Human Rights Abuses Against the Ethnic Chin in Myanmar

By Ariel Lin
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

YANGON, Myanmar - Chin, an ethnic group living in Myanmar’s western Chin state.  About 90 percent of Chin is Christian, account for about one percent of Myanmar's 57 million people.  The Chin National Front (CNF) rebel group is still fighting the junta. The recent Human Rights Watch report shows a wide range of human rights abuses carried out by the Myanmar Junta.  The abuses include forced labor, arbitrary arrests and detention, torture, religious repression and other restrictions on fundamental freedoms.  According to the report, tens of thousands of Chin flee across the border to India, and some of them were forced to return home.  Human Rights Watch called the Indian government to extend protection to Chin who have fled to the country to escape ongoing abuse in Myanmar. 

The report is based on extensive research and interviews carried out from 2005 to 2008.  Human Rights Watch interviewed Chin who are currently living in Chin state, and who fled the country permanently, most in recent years.  A Chin man who fled to India told the group, "They tortured me and put me in jail for one week. They beat me on my head and ears -- I still have a hearing problem. Then the army forced me to work at road construction and repair the army camp."

Elaine Pearson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch said ethnic groups like the Chin have borne the brunt of abusive military rule in Burma for too long.  "It is time for this brutal treatment to stop and for the army to be held to account for its actions. India should step forward to protect those desperately seeking sanctuary," she adds. 

Amy Alexander, a Human Rights Watch consultant, told at a press conference the Myanmar Junta targeted anyone suspected of links to the CNF.  Religious suppression was also rampant in Chin State, the only predominantly Christian state in mainly Buddhist Myanmar.  "The military government regularly interferes with worship services... and also destroys religious symbols and buildings," she says.

For more information, please see:

AP - Report: Myanmar's Chin people persecuted - 27 January 2009

AFP - Myanmar abusing Christian Chin minority: rights group - 27 January 2009

BBC - Burma's 'abused Chin need help' - 28 January 2009

Human Rights Watch - Burma/India: End Abuses in Chin State - 28 January 2009

"Strike Hard" Campaign in Tibet

By Ariel Lin
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BEIJING, China - Chinese authorities launched a 42-day "strike hard" campaign in Tibet since Jan. 18, 2009.  According to the Chinese-language state-run Lhasa Evening News, "Within three days of the launch of the winter "Strike Hard" campaign, the Lhasa municipal public security bureau had deployed 600 officers and around 160 police vehicles, and had conducted raids on seven housing blocks, 2,922 rented houses, 14 guest house and hotels, 18 bars and three Internet cafés in Lhasa."

The authorities in Lhasa had rounded up and interrogated 5,766 Tibetans in the first three days of the campaign.  Dharamsala-based Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) contends that the main objective of the campaign is probably to find participants in last year's Lhasa unrest.  TCHRD assistant director Jampa Monlam said that police questioning is focused on last year's March 14 demonstrations that turned into rioting in Lhasa.  "They are asking people where they were during the March 14 incident in Lhasa, whether they have an alibi, and so on. If you can't prove where you were during that time, you will probably be detained."

In addition, all visitors are required to apply for a temporary residence permit from the police if they wishes to stay for more than three days and less than a month in Lhasa, TCHRD said.

"Strike hard" campaign was first launched in China in 1983 to fight corruptions and crimes.  However, the motive of launching this campaign in China and in Tibet is very different.  The motive of launching such campaign in Tibet is to intimidate and eliminate those supporting Tibetan independence and human rights activists in Tibet.

For more information, please see:

Punjab Newsline - China grills 5766 Tibetans under winter "Strike Hard" campaign in Lhasa - 23 January 2009

Radio Free Asia - China 'Strikes Hard' in Tibet - 26 January 2009

Tibetan Review - 5,766 rounded up in Lhasa under winter ‘strike hard’ move - 26 January 2009

World News - 5766 Tibetan people questioned in winter 'Strike Hard' campaign - 24 January 2009

Sri Lankan Military Declares "Safety Zone" for Trapped Civilians

By Shayne R. Burnham
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - The Sri Lankan military declared a "safety zone" for the 250,000 civilians trapped in the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)'s stronghold.  The military offensives have backed the LTTE into the town of Mullaitivu, located in Sri Lanka's northeastern province. 

Air force planes dropped thousands of leaflets to urge civilians to travel to the safety zone where the army will then transport them into government territory away from warfare.  The safety zone is a 14 square mile zone located in rebel territory. 

Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said, "We will not fire into that area."

The government says that it has set up temporary shelters in the Vavuniya area, south of the fighting.

The war between the Tiger rebels and the government have raised serious human rights concerns regarding the displaced civilians.  Human Rights Watch has accused the Tigers of preventing the freedom of movement of the people.  On the other hand, the Tigers claim that they protect the civilians who follow them of their own free will.

There is no way to confirm accounts since people are restricted people from going in and out of the area.

A day after the military declared a safe zone, the pro-rebel Tamil website, TamilNet, said that the army shelled a hospital, killing at least five civilians, in the Tiger controlled territory.

The military denied the allegations, stating that there was no need to fire at the hospital and that the statement was merely propaganda.

The LTTE have been fighting for decades to establish an independent homeland for the minority Tamils who claim they have suffered oppression by the Sri Lankan government and majority.  There have been over 270,000 deaths as a result of the violence.

The United Nations calls upon the Tigers to allow free passage to civilians and to UN staff to allow aid inside the territory.

For more information, please see:

Associated Press - 250,000 Tamil Civilians Urged to Flee to Safety - 21 January 2009

BBC - Civilians 'Die in Lanka Shelling' - 22 January 2009

New York Times - Sri Lanka Presses Rebels, but at a Mounting Cost - 22 January 2009

U.S. Investigation of Airstrikes in Afghanistan Flawed

By Shayne R. Burnham
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

AFGHANISTAN - Human Rights Watch claims that the U.S. investigation into the August 2008 air strikes on western Afghanistan was "deeply flawed" and thereby casts doubt over the military's commitment to reduce civilian casualties.

On October 1, 2008, the Department of Defense published a summary of a report by Brigadier General Michael Callan of the August air strikes in Azizabad. 

Following the summary, Human Rights Watch conducted its own investigations into the matter. 

"The weaknesses in the Callan Report Summary call into question the depth of the Defense Department's commitment to institute reforms that would reduce civilian casualties," Human Rights Watch said in a letter to U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

Separate investigations were conducted by the United Nations (UN), the Afghani government, and the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission.  Their investigations concluded that about 78 to 92 civilians were killed, whereas the Callan summary only reported five to seven.

After receiving much criticism by the UN and Afghani government, and the release of video footage demonstrating a high number of civilian deaths, the U.S. conducted its own investigation led by General Callan. 

As a result, the Callan summary accepted that 33 civilians were killed, failing to recognize the numbers arrived at by the UN and government of Afghanistan and the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commision; criticized their methodology; failing to acknowledge flaws in their own assessments, and; disimissing villager testimony.

The UN backs the government of Afghanistan.

"This is a matter of grave concern to the United Nations.  I have repeatedly made clear that the safety and welfare of civilians must be considered above all else during the planning and conduct of all military operations.  The impact of such operations undermines the trust and confidence of the Afghan people in efforts to build a just, peaceful and law-abiding state," stated Kai Eide, the UN special envoy to Afghanistan.

Human Rights Watch, Asia Director Brad Adams stated, "There was great hope in Afghanistan that the Callan report would provide a credible and detailed analysis of the Azizabad airstrikes, place blame where it gell, lead to appropriate disciplinary action, and result in operational changes that would avoid such tragedies in the future.  Unfortunately, this has not happened."

This year, there is an expected 30,000 increase in U.S. troops in Afghanistan and the civilian death toll could increase if military procedures remain unchanged.

For more information, please see:

Guardian - Afghanistan Demands End to NATO Air Strikes on Villagers - 26 August 2008

Human Rights Watch - Afghanistan:  U.S. Investigation of Airstrike Deaths 'Deeply Flawed' - 15 January 2009

Human Rights Watch - Troops in Contact:  Air Strikes and Civilian Deaths in Afghanistan - 8 September 2008

Reuters - U.S. Probe into Afghan Civil Deaths "Flawed" - 15 January 2009

Australian Writer Imprisoned for Insulting Thai Monarchy

By Pei Hu
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BANGKOK, Thailand - Under Thailand's lese-majeste laws, Australian writer Harry Nicoladies was sentenced to three years in jail for insulting the Thai monarchy. Nicolaides’ sentence was reduced from six years to three years due to his guilty plea.

Nicolaides was arrested in August 2008 and he admitted to insulting the royal family but said he was unaware that he was committing an offense. The judge found Nicolaides guilty and told the court "[Nicolaides] has written a book that slandered the king, the crown prince and Thailand and the monarchy."

Nicolaides’ charge stems from a self-published novel called Verisimilitude he wrote four years ago. The novel alluded to the crown prince of Thailand mistreating one of his mistresses. Verisimilitude was not widely circulated as it just sold seven copies and the only known existing copy is sitting on the self of the Thai National Library, freely available to the public.

Thailand has one of the most stringent lese-majeste laws in the world. Lese-majeste laws prohibit anyone in Thailand from insulting the royal family and carried up to a 15 year jail sentence. A growing number of people are being investigated and charged under these laws.

Giles Ungpakor a political commentator told reporters that "Lese majeste is being used to destroy free speech." Critics of Thailand's lese-majeste say the law is frequently abused by politicians because the complaint can be filed by anyone no matter or trivial the alleged insult is.

According to Jonathan Head, a BBC correspondent in Bangkok, Nicolaides has a good chance of getting pardoned by the King because he is a repentant foreigner. In the meantime, Nicolaides describes his time in jail "like a bad dream."

 

For more information, please see:

 

BBC – Writer Jailed for Thai ‘Insult’– 19 January 2009

 

IW – Australian Author Denied Bail in Thailand– 13 December 2008

 

Reuters – Thai Political Analyst Charged with Insulting King– 20 January 2009

 

RSF – In Major Free Speech Violation, Australian Writer Gets 3 Years in Prison for Lese Majeste– 19 January 2009

 

BBC - Picture of Harry Nicolaides

Bangladesh to Accept Illegal Migrants to Thailand

By Pei Hu
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

DHAKA, Bangladesh– India and Bangladeshi officials are cooperating to repatriate illegal migrants, also known as “boatpeople,” that made unsuccessful attempts to migrate to Thailand by sea. In the past two years, Thai officials have detained more than 5,000 boatpeople.

Allegations of the Thai navy of sending the boatpeople out into the high seas in boats without engines and with little or no food have caught international attention.  In response, the Thai Prime Minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, has said reports of abandonment at sea are “exaggerated” but promised an investigation team to probe the allegations.

Indian coastguards have rescued more than 300 boatpeople near Andaman Islands, and the Indonesian coastguard has rescued more than 200 more. Survivors say that over 500 migrants are still missing.

Some of the boatpeople are originally from Bangladesh. Many of the refugees are Rohingya Muslims originally from Arakan province in Burma. The Rohingya people face persecution and discrimination in Burma. Many of these illegal migrants seek work in Thailand and Malaysia.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Yeakub Ali said the Bangladeshi government is taking measures to repatriate the Burmese nationals that have been rescued out at sea. However, Bangladesh is more reluctant to accept Rohingya refugees. About 200,000 Rohingyas live in refugee camps in Southern Bangladeshand many have acquired Bangladesh citizenship.

Meanwhile the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) is demanding for the release of 126 Rohingya Muslims that are still in Thai custody. Earlier this week the Thai government denied UNHCR access to the detainees.

For more information, please see:

BBC – Bangladesh Accepts 57 Boat People – 22 January 2009

Economist - Thailand's Burmese People Cast Adrift - 22 January 2009

IW - Thailand Mistreats Illegal Immigrants - 15 January 2009

Xinhua – Bangladesh to Bring Home Nationals Rescued in Indian Sea Coast - 30 December 2008–

International Writers Called for Liu Xiaobo's Release

By Ariel Lin
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BEIJING, China - An international writers' organization has called on the Chinese government to release dissident Liu Xiaobo.  More than 300 writers, including Salman Rushdie, Margaret Atwood, Chinese novelists Ha Jin and Jung Chang, signed the call for Liu's release, writers group International PEN said. 

Liu was arrested last month after he issued an online petition called Charter 08. Around 300 Chinese dissidents and intellectuals signed the text.  Despite censors repeatedly removing references to the charter from websites, supporters say that 7,000 more have added their names.  Charter 08 called for greater rights for Chinese, direct elections and political and fiscal reforms.

Since the issue of Charter 08, Chinese authority constantly harassed some of the Charter signatories.  But Liu is the only signatory to have been detained for an extended period.  Police appear to believe that he took a lead in drafting the document. Others say they have been questioned repeatedly regarding the Charter and Liu's role in its preparation.

Under Chinese laws, Liu Xiaobo could be held under "residential surveillance" for a maximum of six months.  He is not allowed to leave his residence or meet people without prior police approval during this time.  The Chinese authority has not yet made public any information concerning the charges against him. 

Liu was not allowed to meet his lawyer or family, except during the New Year's Day lunch (with his wife and two police officers).  "He was unshaven, and to me he looked a little thinner," Liu's wife, Liu Xia, said. "We could only really discuss family matters during lunch."  He does not have the right of access to a judge to challenge the grounds of his detention, unless his detention exceeds the six-month limit.

"The use of such detention without formal arrest or charge against peaceful activists is arbitrary and in violation of international human rights standards, including the rights to liberty, security of person and fair trial," said Roseann Rife, Deputy Director of Amnesty International’s Asia Pacific Programme.

For more information, please see:

Amnesty International - China urged to release scholar Liu Xiaobo from 'residential surveillance' - 07 January 2009

Guardian - Authors lobby for Chinese dissident's release - 21 January 2009

BBC - Authors urge Liu Xiaobo release - 21 January 2009

Reuters - Writers call for China dissident's release - 21 January 2009