• US lawmakers push to halt arms sales to Bahrain

    Oct 08
    Two US lawmakers have introduced resolutions into both houses of Congress preventing the sale of weapons to Bahrain, "until meaningful steps are taken to improve human rights".

    US Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon and US Representative James McGovern of Massachusetts, both Democrats, both urged the US to halt any sale of weapons to Bahrain, stating that it was “antiethical”.

    On a statement posted on his website, Wyden said,
    "Selling weapons to a regime that is violently suppressing peaceful civil dissent and violating human rights is antithetical to our foreign policy goals and the principle of basic rights for all that the US has worked hard to promote."
    "The US should not reward a regime that actively suppresses its people. This resolution will withhold the sale of arms to Bahrain until the ruling family shows a real commitment to human rights."
    This follows from the Pentagon’s notification to Congress on September 14th that it had approved the potential sale of $53m worth of weapons to Bahrain, which included more than 44 armoured Humvees and 300 missiles, 50 of which have bunker busting capability. Congress has had a 30-day period since the notification to pass a resolution objecting to the sale.

    McGovern stated that,
    "Human rights ought to matter in our foreign and military policy. Now is not the time to sell weapons to Bahrain."
    The resolution itself affirmed that the sale to Bahrain is “at odds with United States foreign policy goals of promoting democracy, human rights, accountability, and stability.”

    Bahrain has been a long-time ally of the US which has its Fifth Fleet based there. In 2010, around $200m worth of weapons were sold to the state, which has been brutally cracking down on anti-government protests.

    The resolution comes as human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Human Rights First and Freedom House all condemned the regimes suppression of protests and slammed the Bahraini courts continuing prosecution of protestors.

    See our earlier post: ‘Retrial for Bahraini doctors as they speak out against torture’ (Oct 2011)

  • Syria warns against recognition of opposition

    Syria has threatened countries who recognise the recently formed opposition council with ‘tough measures’.

    Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem did not elaborate what those measures may constitute, but speaking at a press conference in Damascus, he warned that foreign embassies in Syria may be targeted.

    Criticising recent attacks on Syrian embassies in Europe by Syrian demonstrators, he called for more security around embassy premises.

    "Frankly, if they didn't commit themselves to the items of this convention, we will take retaliatory measures," he said.

    "We don't interfere in their internal affairs as they do in Syria," MR al-Moallem added

    Rejecting foreign intervention, the foreign minister praised China and Russia for vetoing last weeks UN resolution calling for sanctions.

    He responded to Turkey’s threat of sanctions by saying that Syria ‘will not stand idle’ and similar retaliatory measures will be taken.

    See our post:

    Russia tells Assad “reform or go” (Oct 2011)

  • South Sudan chooses English as its official language

    Photo AFP

    After decades of Arabisation and Islamisation by the Khartoum government, newly independent South Sudan, predominantly Christian and African, has opted for English as its official language.

    See the BBC’s report here.

    "English will make us different and modern. From now on all our laws, textbooks and official documents have to be written in that language. Schools, the police, retail and the media must all operate in English."

    - Edward Mokole, Ministry of Higher Education

    "With English, we can become one nation. We can iron out our tribal differences and communicate with the rest of the world."

    - Rehan Abdelnebi, news director, South Sudan Radio.

    "English has become a tool for development, and, even if the British in Sudan are sometimes seen as colonial overlords, the English language is respected."

    - Tony Calderbank, British Council director

  • Sudan & South Sudan leaders commit to end disputes
    Leaders from Sudan and the newly formed South Sudan have set deadlines to resolve outstanding issues of tensions between the two and have committed to resolving their problems peacefully.

    On his first official visit to Sudan, South Sudan President Salva Kiir met with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, to discuss problems between the two nations, including the future of the disputed oil-rich region of Abyei and how to share the much needed oil revenue between the two nations.

    Kiir told reporters in a joint news conference that,
    "My government is ready to discuss solutions for all pending issues. I return today to Juba to ensure that we reach solutions to all pending issues. Let’s sign an agreement as soon as possible."
    Bashir has said that several committees had been set up to deal with the issues and that deadlines had been set to resolve the disputes.

    The visit to Khartoum comes amid the backdrop of violence along the Blue Nile and in South Kordofan between Sudanese forces and rebel movements who were previously aligned with South Sudan.

    Khartoum has been accused of indiscriminately attacking civilians in South Kordofan prompting human rights groups to call for an “independent human rights monitoring presence in the region”.

    South Sudan has also called on the UN Security Council to set a deadline for Sudan’s troops to withdraw from the Abyei region, an act the Sudanese have refused to do since they occupied the area in May.

    Following 22 years of civil war, which left some two million people dead, South Sudan declared independence from the north on July 9th.
  • US apologises for rape by soldier in South Korea

    The US assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Kurt Campbell, publicly apologised for the rape of a South Korean woman by a US soldier.

    The soldier was handed over to South Korean authorities by the US Second Infantry Divsion, deployed by the border with North Korea.

    The US military have introduced a curfew on all its soldiers deployed in the country for one month in response to the incident.

    In a statement Campbell said,

    "I'd like to personally and on behalf of the United States government take this opportunity to apologise to the Korean people for the tragic and inexcusable rape."

    The solider is alleged to have raped the South Korean woman near the US army camp in Dongducheon.

    South Korean police report that the soldier used scissors, a knife, a pen and a cigarette lighter during the attack.

    The victim remains in hospital.

    See 'Haitian lawyers condemn impunity for Sri Lankan soliders'

     

     

  • HRW accuses Ouattara of war crimes

    Human Rights Watch have accused both parties to Ivory Coast’s unrest after elections of war crimes.
    Military leaders, including those under the command of President Alassane Ouattara, are said to have executed civilians and raped women during the violence.

    The government’s failure to charge those loyal to Ouattara over the crimes set the stage for ‘victor’s justice’, said HRW.

    The four military leaders loyal to Ouattara are still in active service and one has been promoted by the President as second-in-command for presidential security.

    "What looks to be right now one-sided or victor's justice, is a real threat to the reconciliation that the country is trying to go through right now. It is only through impartial justice that the country will move forward from this most recent state of violence and re-establish the rule of law," Human Rights Watch representative Matt Wells said.

    Daniel Bekele, Africa director at Human Rights Watch stated

    "The Ouattara government has taken noteworthy steps to prosecute leaders of the former regime, including Gbagbo himself, against whom there is credible evidence of serious crimes. But the pursuit of justice is essential to victims on both sides who saw their loved ones killed, or houses burned, not just a tool for the victors."

    Prosecutors in Ivory Coast have brought charges against 118 loyalists of former President Gbagbo, whose loss at the election triggered the violence, but they are yet to bring charges against any supporters of President Ouattara.

    See our previous article:

    ICC allows Ivory Coast investigation (Oct 2011)

  • Britain blocks war crimes arrest attempt on Israeli leader
    The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has blocked an attempt made to arrest Israeli opposition leader Tzipi Lvini for war crimes, after the Foreign Office declared that she had special temporary immunity.

    An unidentified private individual had applied to the DPP for an arrest warrant for allaged war crimes committed by Lvini during Israel’s offensive on Gaza in 2008, when she served as Israeli Foreign Minister.

    The move was however blocked by the DPP Keir Starmer QC, after newly changed legislation requires his consent to approve any arrest warrant applications. It was revealed that this was because Foreign Secretary William Hague "has consented to the visit to the UK of Ms Livni as a special mission".

    “Special mission” status, which has rarely been granted to an individual, cannot be challenged.

    See report from Reuters here.

    A joint statement with the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights said,
    "The government has abused the law in order to ensure that Ms Livni escapes accountability. Ms Livni is not a member of the Israeli government, but the leader of the opposition.
    This action exhibits a serious and worrying disregard for the rule of law, and appears to be in violation of the UK's international obligations."
    See our earlier post: ‘Britain amends universal jurisdiction law’ (Sep 2011)
  • France warns Turkey over Armenian Genocide

    French President Nicolas Sarkozy has called on Turkey to recognise the killings of over 1.5 million Armenians in 1915 by Ottoman Turks as Genocide.

    Speaking during his visit to the Armenian capital Yerevan, President Sarkozy threatened Turkey that continued refusal to accept the killings as Genocide, may force France to outlaw such denials.

    "Turkey, which is a great country, would honour itself by revisiting its history like other countries in the world have done” said Mr Sarkozy.

    "[But] if Turkey does not do this, then doubtless we will have to go further," he added.

    The Turkish government responded by accusing the French President of trying to gain votes from French-Armenians for upcoming elections.

    "Unfortunately whenever there are elections in Europe, this type of opportunism arises," Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said.

    Meanwhile, the French Interior Minister, Claude Gueant signed a pact with his Turkish counterpart Idris Naim Sahin agreeing joint security operations against the Kurdish separatist PKK.

    “The agreement will also open a door to technical cooperation as well as operational cooperation between the two countries, which allow Turkey and France to take a stance against terrorism and other types of crime, “ Mr Gueant told reporters at a press conference in Ankara.

    “The agreement covers cooperation on domestic security, fighting against terrorism, cross-border crime, illicit drug trafficking and financial crimes,” Mr Sahin added.

    France has arrested 70 PKK operatives since 2010, with a trial of 18 senior members currently ongoing.

  • Russia tells Assad “reform or go”
    Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has told his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad that he must implement reforms or leave his office, the first time that the Russians have publicly criticised their long standing ally.

    Medvedev told reporters in a televised address,
    "Russia wants as much as the other countries for Syria to end the bloodshed and demands that the Syrian leadership conduct the necessary reforms.
    If the Syrian leadership is unable to undertake these reforms, it will have to go.”
    See report from the Guardian here.

    He went on to stress that this was a decision that should be made by the Syrian people and not by NATO or other European countries.

    The statement comes just days after both Russia and China vetoed a UN resolution on Syria and is a sign that Moscow may be beginning to lose patience with Assad’s brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protests.

    Medvedev also explained Russia’s rationale behind their veto stating that their fear of a Libyan-style intervention was what stopped them from voting in favour of the resolution.
    "That means only one thing: our partners at the UN Security Council are not excluding a repetition of the Libya scenario. The proposed text would have again allowed the use of weapons."
    Meanwhile the US continued to urge other countries to join them in sanctions against President Assad and his regime.

    State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said the US wants to see other nations join the US and EU
    “not only in increasing the political and rhetorical pressure on the regime, but also tightening the economic noose... there are more steps that can be taken by countries like Russia to up the pressure on Assad, including joining our weapons embargo”.
    The UN estimates that 2,900 people have died in Syria since the protests began in March.
  • Sikh groups urge Belgium to arrest Indian minister on arrival

    Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) have written to the Belgium Prime Minister, Yves Leterme, urging Belgium to stop the Urban Development Minister, Kamal Nath, from entering the country and be arrest for his alleged role as leader of a mob that massacred a large number of Sikhs during the November 1984 Sikh riots.

    In the letter, SFJ writes,

    "It is a matter of official record as per Justice Nanavati Commission Report-2005 that Kamal Nath was in control of the mob that attacked Gurdwara Rakab Ganj in Delhi on November 1, 1984, and many Sikhs were burnt alive.

    Kamal Nath admits being present at Gurdwara Rakab Ganj at the time."

    SJF have called for Nath to be tried for crimes against humanity in Belgium, under the country's principle of extraterritorial jurisdiction for crimes of such magnitude.

    SFJ added,

    "Through this law, Belgium has successfully prosecuted individuals responsible for genocide in Rwanda."

    "To allow Nath to enter Belgium would be contrary to Belgium's commitment to uphold human rights around the world and in violation of Belgian law,"

    The group's lawyer, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun said,

    "Belgium's law provides for extraterritorial jurisdiction to criminally prosecute individuals for crimes against humanity and genocide committed outside Belgium.

    Belgium law of extraterritorial jurisdiction does not provide immunity to any head of the states or dignitaries.

    Under this law, criminal prosecution was initiated against Ariel Sharon, former Israel PM for his role in the 1982 Sabra-Shatila massacre in Lebanon."

    Nath is scheduled to attend the 5th Euro Indian summit in Leuven, Belgium.

  • Palestinians win initial vote on joining UNESCO, US baffled.

    The 58-nation executive board of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) voted in favour of full Palestinian membership to the organisation, by 40 to 4.
     
    The US, Germany, Latvia and Romania opposed the move, whilst fourteen members, including Belgium, France, Italy and Spain abstained. 
     
    It is believed that the UNESCO membership would facilitate the Palestinians seeking greater protection of their historical and cultural sites - no doubt a source of contention with Israel, particularly with regards to sites in East Jerusalem.
     
    "[UNESCO] is one place where we can acquire our rightful place among the community of nations as a full member,” said, Riyad Mansour, Palestinian envoy to the UN.
     
    The bid for UNESCO membership is part of a wider campaign of full recognition for the state of Palestine by the UN Security Council, which has been strongly opposed by the US and Israel.
     
    The United States urged all UNESCO delegates to vote against the bid.
     
    Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, described the UNESCO decision as "confusing" and "inexplicable". 
     
    "I found quite confusing and somehow inexplicable that you would have organs of the United Nations making decisions about statehood or statehood status while the issue has been presented to the United Nations,"
     
    "The decision about status must be made in the United Nations and not in auxiliary groups," she added. 
     
    Nimrod Barkan, Israel's ambassador to UNESCO, criticised the UNESCO move.
     
    "The problem is that the politicisation of UNESCO is detrimental to the ability of the organisation to carry out its mandate," said Barkan.

    For full membership, the Palestinians would need the approval at the 193-nation general conference to be held later this month.

  • Karzai agrees strategic alliance with India

    Afghan President Hamid Karzai has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during a visit to New Delhi.

    Karzai’s visit comes as ties with Pakistan have deteriorated rapidly over the last few weeks, after the assassination of peace envoy Burhanuddin Rabbani. Afghan officials have accused Pakistan of aiding the perpetrators of the attack, who they say was a Pakistani citizen.

    The agreement is said to include military and police training along with support for Afghan "capacity building" in the areas of education and development.

    India is already one of Afghanistan’s biggest donors and has pledged a further $2bn in aid.

    See report by the BBC.

  • Tutu slams ANC after Dalai Lama trip cancelled
    Archbishop Desmond Tutu has accused the African National Congress of being “worse than apartheid” after the Dalai Lama was forced to pull out of a trip for Tutu’s 80th birthday celebrations as he was not yet granted a visa by South African authorities.
    "When we (anti-apartheid activists) used to apply for passports from the apartheid government, we never knew until the last moment what the decision was," Tutu said.
    "Our government is worse than the apartheid government, because at least you were expecting it with the apartheid government."
    Tutu was outraged at the ANC at the decision not to allow his fellow Nobel Peace prize laureate into the country, given the Dalai Lama’s support for the anti-apartheid movement following suggestions the delay was due to pressure from China.
    "Our government, representing me, representing me!, says it will not support Tibetans who are being oppressed viciously by the Chinese."
    “You are disgraceful, I want to warn you. You are behaving in a way that is totally at variance with the things for which we stood."
    “I have to say that I can’t believe this. I really can’t believe it. I mean you have to wake me up and tell me that this is actually happening here. And it is quite unbelievable the discourtesy that they have shown to the Dalai Lama. I mean, the Dalai Lama!”
    Last year, Sri Lanka, where constitutionally the state has a “duty to protect and foster Buddhism”, blocked its cricketers from visiting the Dalai Lama.

    Sri Lanka cricket secretary Nishantha Ranatunga told AFP,
    "We were made to understand that we should not upset relations with China."
  • China, Russia veto Syria resolution as Turkey threatens unilateral sanctions

    A UN Security Council resolution threatening sanctions against Syria has been vetoed by Russia and China.

    The resolution, proposed by Britain, Portugal, Germany, France and the US, had been watered down three times before its proposal, to address concerns by Russia and China that, if passed, it might pave the way for another military intervention.

    Russia, China, Brazil, India and South Africa have argued that the resolution passed on Libya was used as a pretext to aid the removal of Gaddafi, although the resolution only authorised the use of force for the protection of civilians.

    Brazil, India, Lebanon and South Africa abstained from the vote.

    The watered down resolution calls on the Syrian government to end all violence, respect all rights and freedoms and allow free media and human rights organisations to enter the country. If this is not done within 30 days the Security Council will "consider its options, including measures under article 41 of the charter of the United Nations".

    The US has expressed its outrage at the veto.

    US envoy to the UN, Susan Rice said the opposition by China and was a "cheap ruse by those who would rather sell arms to the Syrian regime than stand with the Syrian people".

    "The United States is outraged that this council has utterly failed to address an urgent moral challenge and a growing threat to regional peace and security," she added.

    The EU, Denmark, Germany, France and Britain also denounced the veto.

    Meanwhile Turkey’s Prime Minister Tayyip Recep Erdogan has threatened to impose unilateral sanctions.

    He said during a speech in South Africa on Wednesday that the veto of the resolution will not stop Turkey and other European countries from unilaterally taking action.

    Turkey is currently harbouring several Syrian dissidents, including Colonel Riad al-Assad, a former Syrian army official who defected after refusing to follow orders and is now head of the armed opposition group, Free Syrian Army.

  • Retrial for Bahraini doctors as they speak out against torture
    A Bahraini court has ordered for the retrial of 20 doctors and nurses who were sentenced to long prison terms by a military court after treating injured protestors in anti-government demonstrations earlier this year.

    The case, which aroused an international outrage, saw the health care workers receive sentences ranging from 5 to 15 years for charges including "inciting hatred to the regime and insulting it”.

    A statement on Wednesday appears to have overturned the earlier ruling and said that the accused would be retried in a civilian court.
     
    Dr Fatima Haji, who was sentenced to 5 years imprisonment said that she was tortured while being interrogated. Speaking to Al Jazeera she said,
    "I was a human being. I was a doctor. I was doing my duty as a professional.

    What we did is our duty as doctors, human beings, mothers. If I knew this would sentence me to life... I would still do it, again and again and again."


    "We were basically the main witnesses and we had the highest credibility internationally [to speak] about what was really happening."

    During her interrogation she says her guards grew furious when they discovered an email to Human Rights Watch asking for help.

    "She started screaming, calling me [prostitute], cursing me, my religion, all of my relatives. She told me, 'how dare you go to complain to Human Rights Watch about your government ...'"

    "One after the other they threatened they would rape me if I didn't confess, they said they would leave my body in the dumpster like the other martyrs."

    Nada Dhaif, a dentist who had received 15 years in jail also told of how the group were forced to confess to their “crimes”.

    "We had to video tape it [forced confessions] for Bahrain TV. We were forced to say it for the camera. We were threatened, blackmailed."

    Amnesty International's Middle East and North Africa Director, Philip Luther, also said that the charges were "ludicrous".

    "It appears that the real reason for targeting these health workers was the fact that they denounced the government crackdown on protesters in interviews to international media."
    See our earlier post:

    ‘Bahraini medics imprisoned for treating anti-government protesters’ (Sep 2011)

    Also see 'Wikileaks: Captive Tamil doctors "coached" to recant casualty figures'

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