• Arab League observer quits Syria

    Jan 12
    An Arab League observer has quit from the mission in Syria, labelling it a “farce” and accused President Assad’s regime of war crimes.

    Anwar Malek, an Algerian observer part of an Arab League mission sent to country told Al-Jazeera,
    "I withdrew from the Arab observers mission because I found myself serving the regime, and not part of an independent observer group."
    "The mission was a farce and the observers have been fooled. The regime orchestrated it and fabricated most of what we saw to stop the Arab League from taking action against the regime,"
    "What I saw was a humanitarian disaster. The regime isn't committing one war crime but a series of crimes against its people. Children are killed and they are starved and terrorised."
    “I have seen it with my own eyes. I could not shed my humanity in such situations and claim independence and objectivity.”
    Malek went on to charge that Assad’s regime was playing "dirty,"
    "It even began killing its supporters to convince the Arab observers that it is carrying out its duties and to gain their sympathy."

    The statements from Mr Malek came as Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State commented,
    “We cannot permit President Assad and his regime to have impunity."
    The mission is due to deliver its final report on January 19th.

    Earlier this week, President Assad used his fourth public speech since the uprisings began to blame “foreign conspiracies” for the unrest in the country and blamed it on “terrorism”. He then vowed to “strike with an iron fist against terrorists”.


    The United Nations now says the death toll in Syria exceeds 5,000,with 400 people having been killed since the Arab League mission in the country began.
  • Myanmar agrees ceasefire with Karen rebels

    A ceasefire agreement was signed between the government of Myanmar, and the ethnic Karen rebels on Thursday.

    Speaking to Reuters, the deputy leader of the Karen National Union delegation, Saw David Htaw, said,

    “We have never been more confident in our talks.”

    “According to the changing situation everywhere, peace talks are unavoidable now; this is something we have to pass through without fail."

    "The people have experienced the horrors of war a long time. I’m sure they’ll be very glad to hear this news. I hope they’ll be able to fully enjoy the sweet taste of peace this time.”

    The rebels have been fighting for greater autonomy for over 60 years.

    The country's majority ethnic Burman have maintained key positions in government and the civil service, as well as dominating the army, since Burma became independent from Britain in 1948.

     

  • Video of marines desecrating Afghan bodies will be 'fully investigated' - US military

    Responding to a video that has emerged showing US marines urinating over the bodies of three, apparently lifeless Afghans, the US military said it was "deeply troubled by the video" and promised a full investigation.

    In a statement, the Marine Corps headquarters at the Pentagon said,

    "The actions portrayed are not consistent with our core values and are not indicative of the character of the Marines in our Corps. This matter will be fully investigated."

    The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), led by NATO, said it "strongly condemns the actions depicted in the video, which appear to have been conducted by a small group of US individuals, who apparently are no longer serving in Afghanistan".

    Afghanistan's president, Hamid Karzai, also condemned the video, describing the act as "simply inhuman and condemnable in the strongest possible terms".

    A statement released by Karzai's office read,

    "The government of Afghanistan is deeply disturbed by a video that shows American soldiers desecrating dead bodies of three Afghans."

    "This act by American soldiers is simply inhuman and condemnable in the strongest possible terms. We expressly ask the US government to urgently investigate the video and apply the most severe punishment to anyone found guilty in this crime."

     

    The source of the video is unknown.
  • 2012 Bahrain Grand Prix under pressure
    Formula 1 has come under criticism from human rights groups for its decision to carry on with the 2012 Bahrain Grand Prix, scheduled to take place on Aprill 22nd.

    Last year’s Bahrain Grand Prix was cancelled after the country was rocked by anti-government protests, which saw a brutal crackdown by the state.

    Nabeel Rajab, vice president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, said,
    "We will campaign for … drivers and teams to boycott. The government wants Formula One to tell the outside world that everything is back to normal. Formula One, if they come, they are helping the government to say [it is normal]. We would prefer it if they didn't take part. I am sure the drivers and teams respect human rights."
    His call was backed by Mariwan Hama-Saeed, of New York-based Human Rights Watch, who said,
    "[The FIA] should consider the serious abuse of human rights in Bahrain and the fact that to this day authorities continue to suppress pro-democracy protests."
    "I doubt that Formula 1 can be a success in a country where serious human rights abuses have been committed. The political situation is unstable and polarised in Bahrain. We are very concerned about the government's commitment to implement meaningful reform."
    Formula 1 teams are also reported to be unhappy with attending the race, with Mercedes – which runs its own team and supplies engine to two others – and Formula 1’s sole tyre supplier Pirelli rumoured to have expressed their dissatisfaction to the sport’s governing body. 

    In 2011, Formula 1 driver Mark Webber spoke out against the decision to go to Bahrain, commenting,
    "It would have sent a very clear message about F1’s position on something as fundamental as human rights and how it deals with moral issues.
    “It’s obvious that the parties involved have struggled to reach a decision but sadly I feel that they still haven’t made the right one. Like it or not, F1 and sport in general isn’t above having a social responsibility and conscience. I hope F1 is able to return to Bahrain eventually but now isn’t the right time.
    See our earlier post: Criticism of Formula One on aborted Bahrain race (15 June 2011)

    Also see:

    The myth of sports and repressive regimes (03 Aug 2011)

    A force for good or ill? Cricket and Sri Lanka today     (08 July 2011)

    Why a sports boycott is essential for justice     (02 July 2011)

    Impossible to ignore     (21 June 2011)

    The link between Sport and Politics (20 June 2011)
  • US opposed Bashir’s Libya trip
    The United States confirmed that they were opposed to Sudan’s President Omar Al-Bashir travelling to Libya, as he is wanted on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court.

    Speaking to reporters on Monday, State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland acknowledged that the issue was raised with Libyan officials, but the US only learnt about the trip relatively late.

    She told reporters,
     “The Libyan Government knows our view that we oppose invitations, facilitation, or support for travel by President Bashir because he’s a subject of an ICC arrest warrant.

    We have a long policy of urging other nations to do the same, and obviously we have long supported efforts to bring those responsible for genocide and crimes against humanity and war crimes to justice.”
    Nuland did however note that “this is a first time as a free government they’ve had to encounter these issues, they’ve been sort of outside this statute for some time”.

    Several other African states have been come under criticism over their failure to arrest Bashir on visits, with both Chad and Malawi being referred to the UN Security Council.

    See our earlier post: Sudan’s Bashir visits Libya (08 Jan 2012)
  • Scotland's independence referendum plans afoot

     

    Bannockburn, Scotland. Photograph Getty

    The UK government has published a draft order that would give the Scottish parliament the power to call for a referendum on the sole question of whether Scotland should remain part of the UK or not.

    Writing in the foreword of the draft order, British prime minister, David Cameron, and deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, acknowledged the overwhelming success of the Scottish National Party at last year's elections, having campaigned on a manifesto that promised a referendum on independence before the next term.

    They wrote,

    "They [the SNP] have campaigned consistently for independence, and while the UK government does not believe that this is in the interests of Scotland or of the rest of the United Kingdom, we will not stand in the way of a referendum on independence.

    "The future of Scotland's place within the United Kingdom is for people in Scotland to vote on."

    "Ending Scotland's place within the United Kingdom is not the policy of the UK government but we owe it to everyone in Scotland to ensure that the referendum is delivered in a legal, fair and decisive way."

    Responding to plans from Westminister on the exact nature of Scotland's independence referendum, Scotland's first minister, Alex Salmond, said that the referendum had "to be made in Scotland", without the UK government "trying to pull the strings behind the scenes".

    "What Scotland objects to is all the strings they (the UK government) are trying to to attach. They are trying to run a referendum by proxy," added Salmond.

    Westminister has urged a "sooner rather than later" referendum, reportedly within the next 18 months.

    Salmond responded,

    "The date for the referendum has to be the autumn of 2014. That's because this is the biggest decision that Scotland has made for 300 years. If you are going to do things properly and have the debate in the way it must be had then that is the date that we are going to move towards."

  • 2 more Tibetans self immolate in China
    A Tibetan man has died and another been taken away by Chinese authorities, after both men set themselves on fire, in South-Western China, days before the Britain and China meet to discuss human rights.

    The cases now raise the number to at least 14 monks, nuns and former monks, who are believed to have self immolated since March.

    The first man was reported to have called for the return of the Dalai Lama, before setting himself alight. Soldiers managed to extinguish the flames and have now detained the man in hospital.

    A second man reported to be a 42-year-old monk named Sopa, then self immolated, burning himself to death. Reports indicate that after the incident, hundreds of angry demonstrators marched to the local police station and demanded they hand over the body of the deceased monk.

    Radio Free Asia, a US broadcaster, said police first refused to give up the body but relented after "the protesters smashed windows and doors of the local police station."

    Free Tibet director Stephanie Brigden commented,
    "These latest self-immolations confirm that what we are currently witnessing in Tibet is a sustained and profound rejection of the Chinese occupation.

    It is a damning indictment of the international community that 14 people, in different parts of Tibet, have now chosen to set themselves on fire and the international community has failed to respond."

    China responded by saying that they would step up efforts to fight the unrest, which they claim is caused by the Dalai lama.

    Basang Toinzhub, a senior political adviser in Tibet, said his top priority was to maintain stability and promote harmony and he would help the government gain more control over monasteries, "to push forward the patriotic and legal education among monks and nuns."

    See our earlier post: Cultural genocide fans self-immolations - Dalai Lama (07 Nov 2011)

  • Kim Jong-un - 'genius among the geniuses'

    Images of North Korea's new leader, Kim Jong-un, driving military tanks, in the cockpit of a war plane and riding a white horse have been broadcast across state television.

    During the footage, Jong-un claims to have overseen the test launch of the state's long-range rocket. He is quoted as saying, “I had determined to enter a war if the enemies dared to intercept [the rocket]."

  • Sudan’s Bashir visits Libya
    Sudan’s President Omar Al-Bashir, wanted for war crimes and genocide, gave a speech in Libya for the first time since the fall of the Gaddafi regime on Saturday, drawing criticism from human rights groups.

    Bashir, who claimed Gaddafi provided weapons to South Sudanese rebels, criticised the fallen regime, stating,
    “We (the Sudanese) were the second to have suffered the most, after the Libyan people."
    The Sudanese president is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, having issued two arrests warrants for him. The ICC also issued warrants for deposed Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi for crimes against humanity committed during the country’s uprising in February.

    Richard Dicker from Human Rights Watch strongly criticised the visit, saying,
    "Omar al-Bashir is an international fugitive from an arrest warrant for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes."
    "Many governments have refused him entry into their countries. His arrival in Tripoli sends a disturbing signal about NTC's commitment to human rights and the rule of law."
    "Following the end of decades of brutal rule in Libya, it is disturbing if Tripoli hosts a head of state on the run from international arrest warrants for grave human rights violations."

    "Whatever the political history and ties between the NTC and Omar al-Bashir in the past, respect for human rights, not to mention concerns for hundreds of thousands of Darfur victims, takes priority."

    "This is what adhering to the rule of law is all about."

    Several other African states have comes been condemned for their failure to arrest Bashir on visits, with both Chad and Malawi having been referred to the UN Security Council for failing to have done so.

    Bashir also said in his speech that Sudan was willing to provide support to Libya, saying,
    “We have good experience in integrating insurgents and entering them into the armed forces or the police.”
    “Our officers are ready at any time.”
    The offer was denounced by Amnesty International who called it “cynical”, given Sudan’s support for militias commiting human rights abuses in Darfur, with Erwin van der Borght, the group’s Africa director adding,
    “Sudan is the last country that has any credibility in that issue.”
    Under Gaddafi, Libya’s state-run Foreign Investment Company spent $190 million building the exclusive Burj al-Fateh Hotel, which opened in 2008.

    See our earlier posts:

    Malawi 'needs to take its medicine' – UN (04 Nov 2011)

    ICC demands Malawi explains failure to arrest Bashir     (19 Oct 2011)
  • Canada to deport Rwandan genocide suspect
    A man accused of playing a role in inciting the Rwandan genocide of 1994 looks set to be sent back to the country, after Canadian authorities issued court documents set his deportation for the 12th of January.

    59-year old Leon Mugesera has lived in Quebec since fleeing Rwanda in 1993 and was granted permanent resident status. However, just two years later, Canadian authorities learnt of his complicity in the genocide and began deportation proceedings against him, believing there were reasonable grounds to suspect that he had committed crimes against humanity.

    Mugusera is accused of delivering a speech in the country in 1992, where he called the Tutsi people "cockroaches" and "scum", and went on to encourage their murder by fellow Hutus.

    His deportation has been delayed for more than 15 years over concerns that he may face an unfair trial or torture on his return. Mugusera’s name also appears on a US State Department list of those implicated in the 1994 genocide, were 800,000 ethnic Tutsi’s were killed in just 100 days by government-backed Hutu militias.

    After dealing with cases of accused Rwandans in both Norway and Sweden, the European Human Rights Court and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda decided that accused war criminals could be sent back to Rwanda.

    If Mugusera is successfully deported, he would be the first refugee claimant from the West accused of partaking in the genocide to be sent back to the country, and could pave the way for others to follow.

    Fannie Lafontaine, a scholar in international law at Laval University in Quebec City, said,
    “The wave is happening, and these are test cases, in a sense. They will be really closely watched.”
    See our earlier post:

    Sweden 'no safe haven' - chief war crimes investigator (23 Dec 2011)

  • Amnesty for Yemeni war criminals against international law - Navi Pillay

    Granting amnesty to individuals responsible for war crimes and human rights abuses in Yemen, as part of the peace agreement, would be against international law, warned the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights, Navi Pillay.

    In a statement, Pillay said,

    "I have been closely following the events in Yemen, particularly the very contentious debate about an amnesty law to be presented to Parliament shortly,"

    "International law and the U.N. policy are clear on the matter: amnesties are not permissible if they prevent the prosecution of individuals who may be criminally responsible for international crimes including war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and gross violations of human rights."

    "Based on information we have gathered, there is reason to believe that some of these crimes were committed in Yemen during the period for which an amnesty is under consideration. Such an amnesty would be in violation of Yemen's international human rights obligations,"

    This week saw hundreds of thousands of protesters taking to the streets of Sanaa, demanding that the out-going president, Ali Abdullar Saleh face justice for the Yemeni government's brutal clamp down on peaceful protest.

    President Ali Abdullah Saleh, signed an agreement in November, relinquishing power to his vice president,  Abed Rabbo Mansour al-Hadi, with immediate effect.

    The agreement allowed Saleh many face-saving measures, including the retention of his title and certain privileges until new elections are held in three months. It also granted him immunity from prosecution.

  • UK Foreign Secretary visits Burma

    For the first time since 1955, a UK foreign secretary visited Burma.

    Following on from a visit by the US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, the UK foreign secretary, William Hague, visited Burma on Thursday, holding talks with both the government and the opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi.

    Stressing the importance of taking concrete steps towards reform, to his counterpart, Wunna Maung Lwi, Hague urged the release of political prisoners.

    Hague said,

    "My message is, if you want those sanctions - those restrictive measures as we call them - lifted, then it is very important to show that you are completing this process of reform."

    "We believe now that you are sincere about it, so now get ahead quickly and complete it by releasing the remaining political prisoners and by showing that the upcoming elections are free and fair."

     

    However, according to the BBC, in a later interview with the BBC's Burmese service, Maung Lwi had denounced the political prisoners as nothing more than criminals.
  • US State Dept seeks to engage with non-state actors

    The US state Department inaugurated the newly formed Office of Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights on Thursday.

    The office, formed in line with changes announced last year by the US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, is intended to enhance engagement with civil society and other non-state actors in other countries, in order to protect civilians.

    In an interview with The Cable, Maria Otero, the head of the new office, said,

    "As we are seeing the increasing importance of using non-military tools to address transnational threats, it is very important for the State Department to develop its own capacity to address civilian security,"

    "This piece focuses on protecting individuals."

    "It focuses not just engaging state to state, but taking on the bold foreign policy statement that we need to engage also with players and actors outside of the traditional ones we've engaged in."

    The office, to be known as the 'J family', will encompass 5 functional bureaus and three sub-offices, including the existing Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL), led by Assistant Secretary Michael Posner, as well as the newly formed Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations (CSO), to be led by nominated Assistant Secretary Rick Barton.

    The 'J family' will also include the Office of Global Criminal Justice (CGJ) led by Ambassador-at-Large Stephen Rapp, formerly known as the Office of War Crimes Issues (WCI).

  • US Marine faces trial over 2005 Iraq deaths
    The last US marine to be charged in connection with the killings of 24 Iraqis in 2005, is to face trial in California this week.

    Marine staff sergeant Frank Wuterich, the squadron leader in charge will faces charges of voluntary manslaughter, after out of the eight other marines charged over the incident, six had their charges dismissed and one acquitted.

    The incident in question occurred in November 2005, in the village of Haditha. After the explosion of a roadside bomb attacked an envoy and killed a US soldier, a car was pulled up by the marines.

    According to the defence, the inhabitants of the car, “five military aged males” began to run, and which was considered hostile by the marines. All five were shot dead by Wuterich and another marine.

    Wuterich then maintains that his squadron came under fire and proceeded to search the surrounding buildings, and opening fire on the inhabitants.

    The episode left 24 people dead, 11 of whom were women and children.

    The length of the time it has taken for the case to come to courts has been sharply criticised with Eugene Fidell, who teaches military law at Yale Law School, saying
    “I don’t think it’s been an impressive performance for the military justice system. It shouldn’t take this long.”
    “You would be hard-pressed to find an Iraqi who was willing to say anything positive about the administration of justice in these cases.”
    Gary Solis, a law professor and former marine corp prosecutor, also spoke out at the case, saying,
    "After six years memories fade, and the relevance of evidence may even fade — certainly evidence may be lost."
    Solis called the case "very significant" and went on to say,
    "It's important because 24 people are dead. It's the greatest number of non-combat victims in a single incident that wasn't a bomb. All armed forces look to their officers to be the adults in the group. We look to them to make sure that things like Haditha don't happen."

    "He doesn't have to explain that he is innocent, but he has to explain 24 dead bodies. In order to adequately defend himself he has to explain to the court that the homicides were justified."
    "The accusation is that he not only did not control the troops, but more significantly, he actively participated in the offenses that are alleged to have been committed in Haditha."
    Wuterich has defended himself, saying,
    "As a sergeant and the squad leader of 1st Squad, 3rd Platoon, I am responsible for the decisions made to employ the tactics we used that day. My marines responded to the threats they faced in the manner that we all had been trained. I will bear the memory of the events of that day forever, and will always mourn the unfortunate deaths of the innocent Iraqis who were killed during our response to the attack."
  • US agrees to release Taliban detainees at Guantanamo

    The United States have agreed in principle to release several senior Taliban detainees from Guantanamo Bay, in return for the Taliban’s agreement to open a political office in Qatar, The Guardian reports.

    The individuals considered for release include the former interior minister of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, Mullah Khair Khowa and Noorullah Noori, a former governor.

    The Taliban are understood to also demand the release of former army commander Mullah Fazl Akhund. The US is reported to consider releasing him into the custody of another state, possibly Qatar.

    "To take this step, the [Obama] administration have to have sufficient confidence that the Taliban are going to reciprocate," said Vali Nasr, who was an Obama administration adviser on the Afghan peace process until last year, to The Guardian. "It is going to be really risky. Guantánamo is a very sensitive issue politically."

    "If it had not happened then the idea of reconciliation would have been completely finished. The Qatar office is akin to the Taliban forming a Sinn Féin, a political wing to conduct negotiations," Nasr said, but added: "The next phase will need concessions on both sides. This doesn't mean we are now on autopilot to peace”

    The Taliban accepted proposals to open a political office in Qatar in a statement released yesterday, one week after Afghan President Hamid Karzai agreed to the plans.

    However, Afghanistan’s role in possible talks remains unclear, with the Taliban stressing in their statement that they are only willing to talk to the "United States of America and their foreign allies".

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