Impunity Watch: Asia

Sri Lanka Rejects Human Rights Probe

By Alishba I. Kassim
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - The Sri Lankan government continues to reject calls to probe for human rights violations amidst allegations that an unprecedented number of civilians perished in the battle against Tamil separatists.

Media Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said "those who give various civilian casualty figures and call for these probes must have ulterior motives." He further went onto say that the government was conducting its own analysis but declined to give any figures. "Our officials knew how many people were in the (war zone) area and we are taking a tally on the number of people now in the IDP (internally displaced persons) camps."

Several groups such as Amnesty International have been calling for independent probes but are being met with resistance. Amnesty also urged the United Nations to reveal its own estimates of civilian casualties. Sam Zarifi, the group’s Asia Pacific director accused both sides of human rights violations and war crimes and repeated a request for an independent and international probe.

Last week Sri Lankan officials managed to garner enough South Asian support at the Geneva council session to pass a resolution describing the conflict as "a domestic matter that doesn’t warrant outside interference." In a following controversial development, the council supported the Sri Lankan government’s decision to provide international NGOs and human rights agencies with limited access "as may be appropriate" to refugee camps.

Undoubtedly these developments have frustrated international organizations that are now unable to accurately assess the human rights violation in Sri Lanka and therefore are unable to respond appropriately.

It makes one wonder, when civilian victims are at issue, shouldn’t one accept all the aid and support available?

For more information, please see:

The Nation - Sri Lanka Rejects Probe after Crushing Tigers - June 01, 2009

Guardian - UN Rejects Call for Human Rights Inquiry - May 28, 2009

Straits Time - Sri Lanka Rejects Rights Probe - May 31, 2009   

 Press Trust of India - Sri Lanka Rejects Demands for Probe - May 31, 2009 

Global Recession Hinders Human Rights in Central Asia

By Hyo-Jin Paik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan – When Central Asian countries did not answer questions from Amnesty International over the past year, experts concluded that governments in those countries have set aside human rights over economic issues. 

However, Amnesty’s Europe and Central Asia Director Nicola Duckworth said, “You cannot separate human rights out from other…problems that exist, because human rights…rests at the base of the solution for problems, whether it is political, or whether it is economic.”

Consequently, in its annual report, Amnesty International found that the largest number of human rights issues are unresolved in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.   All dissent is suppressed in both countries, and while human rights activists are able to work in other Central Asian countries like Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, such is impossible in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.

Further, although death penalty was abolished in Uzbekistan in January 2009, no one knows how many people were actually executed or are serving life imprisonment, leaving surviving family members wondering whether or not their loved ones are alive.  Moreover, Uzbek refugees are often forced to return to their homeland where they risk human rights violations, and human rights activists working in Uzbekistan are harassed and persecuted.

 Protesters in Uzbekistan (Source: Front Line)

Impunity by the Turkmenistani government is prevalent as well.  In both countries, justice fails because there is no system to ensure rule of law in that there are obstacles, such as difficulty in obtaining a lawyer, failure of prosecutors to pursue investigations, low penalty for convicted officials, and fear of reprisals by the victims. 

Some attribute the reason for repression to the fact that countries like Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan are still strongly depended on Russia, and Central Asian countries have adopted the worst from its neighbors. 

Ann Bayevsky of Hudson Institute has criticized the United Nations for its failure to address the problem saying, “They [UN Human Rights Council] just eradicated human rights investigations in [Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan] because human rights abusers hold the balance of power.”

For more information, please see:

ABC News – Amnesty: Recession Leading to Repression – 28 May 2009

Amnesty International – Amnesty International Report 2009 Europe and Central Asia – 28 May 2009

Human Rights Watch – Uzbekistan: Stop Detention, Harassment of Activists – 29 May 2009

Trend News – Amnesty International: Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan leading black list of Central Asia countries – 29 May 2009

Voice of America - Amnesty International Scores Russian Human Rights Record – 28 May 2009

Voice of America – UN Body Criticized for Not Fighting for Human Rights – 22 May 2009

 

No "Impunity" in Nepal?

By Alishba I. Kassim
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

KATHMANDU, Nepal - In the primary Nepali dictionary, there is no word for impunity. This is particularly relevant today as Nepal is the process of formulating a new constitution. Previous constitutions have not dealt with human rights extensively, nor addressed specific areas of impunity. Local human rights groups have been urging the government to promote accountability and acknowledge and address the widespread human rights violations in the country's new constitution by guaranteeing important rights.

Nepal has been home to rampant human rights violations against men, women, and children throughout its history. Although Nepal is party to several international treatises on human rights, the country is slow to act upon them.

Newly elected Prime Minister Madhav Kumar opined that the role of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal is insignificant. He further accused the OHCHR of "paying attention to political events and neglecting major human rights violations." He also only extended its tenure for three months even though three years were requested.

The Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Kedernath Upadhaya, in response commented that the rights body alone cannot guarantee human rights without the help of the government and political parties. The Chairman's comment is particularly relevant on the eve of writing a new Nepali constitution. The situation in Nepal, as of now, looks bleak since there is a marked communication barrier between human rights agencies, the government, and local political parties.

Perhaps they can start with introducing the word impunity into their dictionaries and their constitution.

For more information, please see:

KantipurOnline - OHCHR Insignificant in Nepal - May 27, 2009

Gulf News -  Amnesty International Report on Asia - May 28, 2009

Republica - OHCHR in Nepal Extended by Three Months - May 29, 2009 

Asia Foundation - Impunity in Nepal  - September 1999

Journalist on Filipino Military “Hit List”

By Hyo-Jin Paik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

MANILA, Philippines – A freelance journalist Carlos Conde, who regularly writes for The New York Times and the International Herald Tribune, has been named as an enemy target in a list titled “order of battle” compiled by the Filipino Army.  The list names individuals who are not doing anything illegal, but are nevertheless killed with impunity.

 

“Why my name is included in the ‘order of battle’ is a mystery,” said Conde.  “[T]his [list] has caused anxiety and fear in my family, because, as we all know, an ‘order of battle’ in the Philippines is a veritable hit list.”

Carols H. Conde (Source: Asia Sentinel)

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) said that the Filipino government's failure to end the culture of impunity against journalists and the media has given the country a reputation for being one of the most dangerous countries for journalists in the world.

Since President Gloria Arroyo took power in 2001, more than 60 journalists have been killed.  Six out of the seven journalists killed in the Philippines in 2008 were murdered, and two journalists escaped murder attempts in February of this year.  Most recently, on May 20, 2009, a journalist was shot and wounded in Zamboanga Sibugay, a southern province of the Philippines.  The Committee to Protect Journalist released a report in March stating that 24 murder cases of journalists remain unsolved in the Philippines, which is one of the world’s highest number of media killings.

“The Government of Gloria Arroyo-Macapagal (sic) must accept responsibility not just for its silence on impunity against journalists but for actively encouraging suspicion and violence against the Philippines media community,” said IFJ’s Asia-Pacific Director Jacqueline Park.

Conde suspects that his time as one of the coordinators of National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, during which he staged local campaigns protesting against murders of journalists, may be the reason for his inclusion in the hit list.  Media rights activist groups are urging the Filipino government to immediately clarify this situation.

For more information, please see:

Asia Sentinel – A Filipino Journalist and a Hit List – 19 May 2009

Committee to Protect Journalists – Philippine Journalist alleges he is on military ‘hit list’ – 20 May 2009

GMA News – Gov’t urged to explain journalist’s inclusion in Army ‘hit list’ – 28 May 2009

Reporters Without Borders – A journalist on army target list, another shot, possibly by soldier – 22 May 2009

Evidence of Human Rights Abuses Uncovered in Northern Burma

By Hyo-Jin Paik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

KACHIN, Burma – Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) found new evidence of human rights violations in Burma.  CSW said they heard horrifying, first-hand testimonies of rape, religious discrimination, land confiscation, and human trafficking of ethnic minorities in Kachin State of northern Burma.

Benedict Rogers, CSW’s East Asia Team Leader, said ethnic Kachin people, especially women, live in constant fear of the Burmese soldiers, yet no one dares to intervene.  Rogers also said that despite the ceasefire between the ruling junta and the Kachin Independent Organization, people of Kachin continue to suffer severe restriction, discrimination, and military impunity.

Villagers fleeing Burma Army troops (Source: AP)

CSW report included an account of a local pastor who was forced by the Burmese military to make a speech at a public rally denouncing human rights campaigners and claiming complete religious freedom.  Furthermore, CSW spoke with a 21-year old student who was raped and strangled by Burma Army soldiers.  The rape victim did file a complaint and requested investigation, but no action was ever taken.  She merely received 100,000 Kyats for medical care, a rice bag, and cooking oil.

“Many rape cases in Kachin State go unreported because victims are afraid and [too] ashamed to report it. There are many more cases we don’t know about,” said Rogers. He added, “No women are safe in Kachin State.”

Kachin Development Networking Group’s Chairman Awng Wa, who works inside Burma, described the current situation by stating that, “You can hear of rape cases everywhere, if there is a military camp set up.  But no one dares to complain because they are afraid that it could create… more repression.”  The Chairman further added, “Land confiscation and forced labor are common too.” 

According to Rogers, the Kachin people feel forgotten by the international community.  He said, “It is time that their voices are heard, and that the international community responded to the political, social, humanitarian and environmental disaster in northern…Burma.”

For more information, please see:

Chinland Guardian – CSW: Chin and Kachin Face Brutalities in Burma – 25 May 2009

The Christian Post – CSW Uncovers More Evidence of Human Rights Abuses in Burma – 25 May 2009

Christian Today – SCW uncovers more evidence of human rights abuses in Burma – 25 May 2009

Mizzima News – Junta violations severe in Northern Burma: CSW – 25 May 2009

100 Human Skulls Found in India

By Alishba I. Kassim 
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

ALIGARH, India - Nearly 100 human skulls were found in a dried up pond in the Northern Indian city of Aligarh. The remains belonged to people whose bodies the police were unable to identify.

The discovery was made by children playing in the pond after it had dried up. The children located several skulls, after which police officials were notified. Police officials recovered approximately 98 more skulls alongside other bones and human remains. The bodies appear to have been there for at least a decade.

Local officials commented that the bodies most likely belonged to victims of road accidents, inconclusive shootings, and the like, and the police disposed off the bodies in the pond in order to avoid having to organize cremations. Aligarh city police chief, Maan Singh Chauhan, said he suspected this had been going on for two decades and many junior-rank officials could be responsible.

Several human rights groups in India are appalled at this recent discovery and have accused the police of being callous. A senior official of the Uttar Pradesh State Human Rights Organization, Asish Shukla, said "even dead bodies deserve honorable cremation after post mortem...It seems the dead bodies were just thrown in the pond, denying them the respect they deserve."

In a region that is known to house rampant human rights violations where even the living are often accorded no respect, it comes as no surprise that the dead are treated the same.

For more information, please see:

CNN - 100 Skulls Found in Indian Pond - 25 May 2009

AOL News - Skulls Found in India - 25 May 2009

ABC News - 100 Human Skulls Found in India - 25 May 2009

Most Wanted Suspect Arrested in China for Trafficking Children

By Hyo-Jin Paik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BEIJING, China– China’s Ministry of Public Security arrested Zhang Weizhu, one of the most wanted criminals for human trafficking in China.  Zhang is the third suspect to be arrested after the Chinese police launched a nationwide campaign against human trafficking in April.

Despite the efforts by the Chinese police, the parents of kidnapped children claim that the government efforts are not enough to curb this growing social problem.  The parents are prevented by the police and neighborhood security committees from staging protests to bring attention to the problem.  A parent of a missing child with the surname Mo said, “On the day we planned to hold the protest, the police kept watch at the bus terminal and intercepted us.” 

Parents who try to report their missing children to the authorities are often met with refusal by the police, and the local media has failed to publicize information regarding the abducted children.  A mother with the surname Deng said, “The TV station demanded a note from the police station proving that our child was really missing.”  She added, “But the police station said this was a big criminal case and…cannot be publicized.  They said it would have a bad effect on society.”

 Young Chinese girl in Anhui Province (Source: AFP)

Nevertheless, Zhang Xinfeng, the Vice-Minister of Public Security, released a statement urging all authorities to continue their efforts in cracking down on the human trafficking rings and to compile a DNA database to identify the missing children.

There is apparently a huge market for children in China, and both boys and girls are being trafficked.  260 children were freed after the Chinese police solved 312 child trafficking cases since the campaign started in April, and there is a reward of 50,000 yuan ($7,326.55) for information leading to the arrest of the suspects on the top 10 most wanted list.

For more information, please see:

China View - China arrests most-wanted suspect in human trafficking cases – 22 May 2009

People’s Daily Online – Vice police chief vows to strike against human trafficking – 15 May 2009

Radio Free Asia – China Vows Action on Trafficking – 21 May 2009

Shanghai Daily – Police net third trafficker – 22 May 2009

Pakistan's Human Shield: Civilians

By Alishba I. Kassim
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

PESHAWAR, Pakistan- The fierce battle against the Taliban in Pakistan has taken to the streets. As the Pakistani military advances towards Mingora; the stronghold of the Taliban in Swat, the number of civilian casualties has exponentially increased. Civilians on ground and international agencies blame the Taliban and the army equally.

In response to the Pakistani military's advancement, the Taliban have heavily mined Mingora and prevented many civilians from fleeing. The UN based Human Rights Watch said that the Taliban were using innocent civilians as "human shields" to deter attack. Human Rights Watch further reported that the Pakistani army itself was not taking precautionary measures when conducting aerial and artillery attacks which has resulted in even more civilian casualties.

Defense and political analyst, Talat Masood, reported that the Pakistani army was engaged in a frontal combat; something even the US troops did not engage in extensively in Afghanistan. As a result of this fight, the enemy is vulnerable and in close firing range from the army.

The civilians are just as close.

For more information, please see:

AFP - Pakistani Troops Fight the Taliban on the Streets - 18 May 2009
Daily KOS -A FailSafe Plan to Reduce Civillian Casualties - 21 May 2009
South Asia News - Pakistanis Angered over Civillian Deaths - 19 May 2009

Malaysia Deports Five Filipino Terror Suspects

By Hyo-Jin Paik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

MANILA, Philippines– Five members of Abu Sayyaf who have been sought after for alleged high-profile kidnappings and bomb attacks are currently under the custody of Philippine National Police.  The five men were deported from Malaysia where they have been jailed in the recent years for violating Malaysian immigration law.

Abu Sayyaf is an al-Qaida-linked militant group known for beheadings and bomb attacks.  It is the smallest but the most violent Muslim militant group in the Philippines. Abu Sayyaf is said to have received funds from al-Qaida and is on the U.S. list of terrorist organizations.  U.S.-backed Filipino troops have been trying to wipe out this militant group comprised of about 400 fighters. 

In 2009, Abu Sayyaf began a kidnapping spree in efforts to raise money for activities.  On Monday, Philippine police recovered the severed head of Abu Sayyaf’s latest victim, a Filipino farmer who was kidnapped and then beheaded when his family failed to pay the requested ransom of 25 million pesos ($535,000). 

An advocacy group, International Christian Concern's Regional Manager for East Asia, Natalia Rain said, "Imagine living in a state where you know you may be seized from your home at any moment and have your fate thrust into the hands of radical terrorists.”  Rain added, “The brazenness of men who would behead an elderly man for his impoverished family's failure to pay an outrageous ransom should wake us up to the horrifying reality of this thirty-year conflict.”

The arrested suspects are alleged to have been involved with kidnappings of 10 European tourist and 11 Asian workers from a resort in Malaysia, and are linked to a 2002 bomb attack in a department store in southern Philippines. One of the suspects is also believed to have been involved in an unspecified past terrorist attack that targeted American tourists in the Philippines.

Currently, Abu Sayyaf  is holding captive an Italian Red Cross worker, Sri Lankan peace advocate, and school teachers.

For more information, please see:

BosNewsLife - Al-Qaeda-linked Group Beheads Kidnapped Christian Farmer – 19 May 2009

Global Nation - 5 Abu Sayyaf suspects deported from Malaysia – 20 May 2009

GMANews.TV - 4 Sayyaf members nabbed in Malaysia now under PNP custody  – 20 May 2009

Monsters and Critic - Five suspected Philippine militants deported from Malaysia – 20 May 2009

MSNBC - Filipino militants behead kidnapped farmer: police – 18 May 2009            

Taiwan News - Malaysia turns over 5 Filipino terror suspects – 20 May 2009

Pakistan's Refugee Crisis

By Alishba I. Kassim
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

SWAT VALLEY, Pakistan - Almost 1.5 million people have registered for international assistance, fighting began in the Swat Valley region in Pakistan about three weeks ago. The total number of displaced people stands at about 2 million with the numbers steadily rising. The UNHCR spokesperson said that "it's been a long time since there has been a displacement this big."

The Swat Valley in Pakistan used to be a popular tourist attraction, but recently came under the strong control of the Taliban who imposed Sharia law in the region, and began advancing towards the capital. In response the Pakistani army launched an aerial attack, and have since then moved forward with a ground offensive, targeted at driving the militants out of the region.

The fighting has caused a mass refugee exodus, and has resulted in heavy civilian casualties.

Currently 1.30 million people are living in camps, while almost 1.04 million people are still without any shelter. Although the government of Pakistan in conjunction with the UNHCR is working hard to provide relief to the displaced citizens, the numbers are constantly rising and the situation is becoming dire as observed by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres. "It's like trying to catch something that's moving ahead of us because the number of people on the move every day is so big and the response is never enough."

Emergency aid and relief is being sent over to Pakistan, but more will be needed in order to sustain the fight against the Taliban. The growing needs of the displaced people are steadily increasing in a crisis many compare to the Rwandan genocide.

For more information, please see:

Guardian - Swat Valley Refugee Crisis - 19 May 2009

CBS News - Pakistan Refugee Influx - 18 May 2009

DAWN News - UNHCR Warns of Humanitarian Crisis - 16 May 2009