BRIEF: Nauru Minister Accused in Passport Scandal

BRIEF: Nauru Minister Accused in Passport Scandal

YAREN, Nauru – Nauru’s Finance and Foreign Minister David Adeang has been accused by a group of MPs of associating with businessmen in Thailand who are selling and distributing Nauruan passports.  The group also alleges that he received gifts, travel funding, and other benefits in conjunction with this venture, which he failed to declare under Nauru’s public accountability laws.

Adeang dismissed these claims, saying that the MPs are playing for control of the government and that the accusations are false.  He further stated that the businessmen in question had become Nauruan citizens when former president Rene Harris had been running his own passport scheme.  Adeang dubbed the allegations “spurious” and criticized the group for not building a case to prove the allegations.

The breakaway MPs are moving for a no confidence motion against Nauru president Ludwig Scotty if he does not deal with the issue, and are pressuring him to reconvene parliament to deal with the misconduct allegations against Adeang.

For more information, please see:

Islands Business – President may face no confidence vote over Adeang – 12 November 2007

Radio New Zealand International – Rebel MPs in Nauru claim to be building support for no confidence vote – 22 November 2007

Radio New Zealand International – Nauru’s Adeang dismisses claims that Asian colleagues involved in passport sales – 22 November 2007

Islands Business – Rebel MPs claim to be building support for no confidence vote– 22 November 2007

Jordanian opposition claims election fraud

By Laura Zuber
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

AMMAN, Jordan – On November 20, Jordan voters went to the polls to elect a new parliament.  Only six of the 22 candidates from the Islamic Action Front (IAF), the political party affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, won their contested seat.  In the previous election, 17 IAF candidates won and it was expected that a similar number would win again on Tuesday’s election.

The IAF accused the government of election fraud and vote-rigging, which resulted in the election of pro-government candidates.  Government officials admit that 17 individuals were arrested on suspicion of interfering with the election.  Of those, two were arrested on suspicion of vote-buying.  IAF alleged that the electoral monitoring system failed, which allowed election fraud to take place.  Also, the IAF accused the government of bussing in unregistered voters into various polling stations.

IAF’s spokesman, Jamil Abu Bak, stated, “this is an electoral massacre… violations by far exceeded even the last elections… it will have harmful repercussions on the country’s political progress.”  Bak claimed that according to IAF’s own pollings indicated that 16 of its candidates should have won and demanded that in the areas where IAF’s candidates won according to IAF results.  Bak points to Narqa, a strong hold for Islamist support, where the IAF’s candidate did not win.

In addition, the voter turnout was lower, particularly in Amman (about 29%).  In the rest of the country voting levels were about 55% of registered voters.  Higher percentages of voters in rural areas voted, than those from urban areas.  Jordan has a system of proportional representation – which results in people in rural areas being better represented that those in urban areas.  Most people voted according to tribal or family lines, rather than for a specific party.  In addition, some polling stations were kept open two hours longer than others, just so that more people could vote.

For more information, please see:

AFP – US praises Jordan election – 21 November 2007

Al Jazeera – Setback for Jordan’s Islamic Front – 21 November 2007

Associated Press – Allies of Jordan’s king win elections – 21 November 2007

BBC – Jordan Islamists claim poll fraud – 21 November 2007

Reuters – Islamists lose seats in Jordan elections – 21 November 2007

Al Jazeera – Jordan opposition cries foul – 20 November 2007

Riots Hit Dakar

By Meryl White
Impunity Watch Reporter, Western and Central Africa

DAKAR, Sengal –   In Dakar, the capital of Senegal, rioters threw stones and burned tyres in response to a new government policy to remove vendors.  Rioters also blocked main streets and toppled cars. The clash broke out following a trade union demonstration against rising food and oil prices. Garbage cans, old tyres, and wooden stalls were lit on fire to gain attention to the riots.

In response, police fired tear gas at hundreds of protesting street vendors. Moreover, the police arrested at least 15 people involved in the riot.

In Dakar, thousands of people earn their livelihood by peddling food and goods on Dakar’s streets.  In a recent study, the World Bank said 95 percent of workers in Senegal are found in the informal sector.

Last Thursday, new policy by President Abdoulaye Wade banned thousands of street vendors from informal trading in the city. These new laws were passed because uncontrolled street vending had cost Senegal around 125m Euros because traffic jams were deterring investors.

In March, Dakar is to host a 57 nation Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) summit. In an attempt, to meet the needs of the organizers, the city has undergone a major “facelift,” by building new hotels, conference rooms, bridges and roads.

According to the UN Human Development Index, Senegal is grouped in the bottom 20 of the world’s poorest countries. More than 27.5 percent of Senegal’s employable population have no jobs or are not adequately employed.

For more informaton, please see:

Reuters – Worst riots in years hit Senegalese capital    – 21 November 2007

BBC – Street vendors riot in Senegal  – 21 November 2007

IC Publications – Senegal vendors riot in Dakar over ban  – 21 November 2007

Update BRIEF: Saudi Girl Gang Raped

A 19 year old woman was sentenced to 200 lashes and six months in prison in Saudi Arabia, because she was in a car with men who gang raped her.  She was initially given 90 lashes, but her penalty was increased.  The cause for the increase in her sentence was that she sought help from the media.  The extra 110 lashes were a direct penalty for questioning the judicial system.

The male who was kidnapped alongside the woman faced similar penalties.  The man had allegedly been trying to blackmail the woman with a photo of hers when the two were abducted and the woman was raped.

However, the appeal did increase the punishment of the men who committed the crime from two years to nine years.  The attackers could have faced the death penalty.

Concurrently her lawyer, Abdulrahman al-Lahim, had his license revoked by the judiciary for appealing the case and approaching the media.  The woman’s lawyer is seeking to have his license reinstated and also seeking a reprieve from King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz to clear the woman of all punishments.

For more information, please see:

CNN- Saudi lawyer in rape victim plea- 20 November 2007

Justice Chides Fiji AG Over Contempt Charges

By Ryan L. Maness
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

SUVA, Fiji — Justice Coventry, of the Fiji High Court, has dismissed contempt charges brought by interim Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum against the former vice president of the Fiji Law Society, Tupou Draunidalo.  In addition to dismissing the case, Coventry ordered that the AG pay court costs of $20,000.

The charges were based upon Draunidalo’s statement on 14 May; that, “The confidence of lawyers in the judicial system, let alone the public, is shattered.” On 15 June, the AG sought leave to apply for an Order of Committal against Draunidalo. After Draunidalo submitted eight affidavits in support of her position, lawyers from the AG’s office filed papers to discontinue the proceeding.  The issue was officially dismissed on 14 November.

In his ruling, Coventry noted that, while several prominent legal professionals had spoken in support of Ms. Draunidalo, the only affidavit in support of the Khaiyum’s claim was a broadcast transcript of the original statement. Coventry also noted that when the AG was pressed to explain why he had filed for the proceeding, “he could do no more than state that the proceedings had been brought in the public interest and, with virtually no change in the circumstances, were being withdrawn in the public interest.”  Coventry finished by saying that the AG had acted “irresponsibly” for bringing this proceeding against a woman who was utilizing her freedom of expression.

Seeing no clear reason why this charge could have been lodged, the Justice speculated that ulterior motives may have been involved.

The Solicitor-General, Christopher Pryde, counsel for the Attorney-General, informed the court of his intention to seek an appeal of the ordered costs.

For more information, please see:
Radio New Zealand International — Fiji AG castigated by High Court judge in ruling — 20 November 2007

Fiji Times — Judge roasts interim A-G — 21 November 2007

Fiji Times — Interim A-G ordered to pay $20,000 — 20 November 2007

Fiji Broadcasting Corporation Limited — Attorney-General order to pay $20,000— 20 November 2007

FijiVilliage.com — AG’s actions irresponsible – judge — 20 November 2007