UPDATE: Speaker Elected After First Meeting of New Pakistani Parliament

UPDATE: Speaker Elected After First Meeting of New Pakistani Parliament

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – Pakistan’s new parliament met for the first time on Monday, after pressure had been put on President Pervez Musharraf to set a date (see Impunity Watch article here).  The new parliament, filled with a majority of opposition members, is expected to take major steps to make change in the country in resistance of President Musharraf.

During a meeting today, Fahmida Mirza was elected speaker of the parliament.  Mirza is a business woman, veteran politician, and friend of Asif Ali Zardari (the current leader of the Pakistan People’s Party and the Benazir Bhutto‘s widower).  She is the first woman to ever be elected Pakistani speaker.

Mirza was elected with 249 votes in the 342-seat house.  As speaker she will determine which issues the new parliament, which met for the first time Monday, will address in session.

The Prime Minister has yet to be named, and an announcement is expected next week.

For more information, please see:

BBC News – Woman elected Pakistani speaker – 19 March 2008

Impunity Watch – BRIEF: After Many Protests, Pakistani President Sets Date for Parliament – 11 March 2008

Impunity in Afghanistan: UN Statement

By Elizabeth Breslin
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

KABUL, Afghanistan – The United Nations (UN) released a statement yesterday demanding that the Afghan government do more to bring human rights violators to justice.

The UN recognized that Afghanistan has a young government.  However, during the past three decades of conflict many Afghan citizens have suffered numerous abuses; if they are not addressed immediately the victims will continue to suffer and the impunity will undermine the future of the Afghan government.

In 2005, the government did adopt a plan to address past abuses and promote peace and reconciliation for the country.  Nevertheless, according to the information UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour collected during a recent visit, the plan has not been implemented.  Part of the problem is that Afghanistan does not have strong political representation on national and international levels, and the government has not created an environment conducive to the respect of human rights.

The statement also recognized that the government needs to devote more attention to the current problems of women and girls.  Their right to life is threatened due to high mortality rates and violent home situations (see Impunity Watch article here).

In the UN statement, Chief Human Rights Officer Norah Niland said: “One often hears the phrase ‘action speaks louder than words.’  Here in Afghanistan, the lack of action speaks volumes.  At a minimum, there needs to be the space for a national dialogue that acknowledges the injustices and suffering that have occurred.  The voices of victims need to be heard.”

For more information, please see:

Impunity Watch – BRIEF: Women in Afghanistan in Danger – 26 February 2008

Jurist – Afghanistan must do more to stop human rights abuses: UN Official – 18 March 2008

Reuters – Afghan govt must bring rights abusers to justice-UN – 18 March 2008

UN News Centre – Afghanistan must do more to address impunity, advance human rights-UN – 18 March 2008

UPDATE: Tourist video captures riot in Tibet

BEIJING, China – Michael Smith, an Australian tourist, captured violence in the Tibetan capital Lhasa in video on Friday.  The video shows Tibetans smashing windows and setting fire to Chinese shops and cars, while people are heard cheering. Han Chinese, China’s largest ethnic group, operated many of the businesses targeted by the rioters.  It also shows Chinese security forces, but no clashes between them and the rioters. No deaths or injuries were seen on the video.

Smith said he “met so many Tibetan people on the streets, so many young Tibetan boys just screaming for Tibet’s freedom.”  One young Tibetan male shouted to Smith’s camera “We don’t have any freedoms.  “The Tibetan people are going crazy.  It’s absolute mayhem on the streets,” Smith said.

For more information, please see:

CNN – Tourist video shows riot, flames in Tibetan capita – 18 March 2008

CNN – Tourist films Tibet riots – 18 March 2008

BRIEF: Rights Group Doubts Zimbabwe Election Can Be “Free and Fair”

CAPETOWN, South Africa – International human rights group Human Rights Watch (“HRW”) claims the upcoming elections in Zimbabwe are not likely to be fair, because the current government  intimidated opposition supporters. HRW also says there are deep-seeded flaws in the electoral process. The group alleges human rights abuses leading up to the electoral process, including violence against detractors; restricting freedom of assembly; gaining political advantage through distribution of food and farming equipment; and denying opposition supporters access to the media. Also, HRW believes voter registration lists are inaccurate, saying they have “found evidence of dead people registered to vote including a former minister who died thirty years ago.” The group concludes that the poll, scheduled to take place March 29, cannot possibly be a “free and fair” vote, given the current conditions.

Eighty-four year old President Robert Mugabe is seeking his sixth term in office as representative of the Zanu-PF party, which has held power in Zimbabwe for twenty-eight years following independence. He is being opposed by his former finance minister Simba Makoni and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai. Mugabe’s Deputy Information Minister Bright Matonga told the BBC that “such reports reflected what the West wanted to hear.” He denies any bias in the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, and accused HRW of having an agenda.

The Zimbabwe Election Support Network, however, has said the distribution of polling stations have been biased have been biased in favor of rural areas, where Mugabe has a network of support.

For more information, please see:

BBC News – Zimbabwe rejects free poll fears – 19 March 2008

Voice of America – Rights Groups Doubt Zimbabwe Elections Will be Fair – 19 March 2008

CNN.com – Rights groups: Election corruption rife in Zimbabwe – 19 March 2008

Members of Iran’s Bahai Religious Community Arrested by Iran Government

TEHRAN, Iraq – Dawn on May 14th, 2008, officers from Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence in Tehran arrested six members of the Bahai community in charge of coordinating activities of the Baha’i religious community.  The six members were taken to Iran’s Evin Prison that has a history of human rights abuses.  Another member, Mrs. Mahvash Sabit, Secretary of the group, was questioned about a burial that took place in a cemetery in Mashad.  The Iran Human Rights Documentation Center (“IHRDC”) is concerned that the Iranian government will use these arrests to further persecute members of the Baha’i community merely because of their faith.  The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (“USCIRF”) states, “since President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad came to power a few years ago, Baha’is have been harassed, physically attacked, arrested and imprisoned.”

There has been a history of oppression under the Iranian government.  The IHRDC says, in 1980, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards arrested nine members of the Baha’i National Spiritual Assembly and were never seen again.  In 1981, again, “a second National Spiritual Assembly was constituted and eight of its members were arrested and summarily executed.”  In 1983, history repeated itself when seven members of the Assembly were hunted down and once again executed.  The IHRDC is concerned that the recently arrested members are in danger of meeting the same fate.  The report on the IHRDC website says members of the Baha’i community have been under surveillance by the Iran government since 2005 when the Ayatollah Khamenei ordered military agencies identify and monitor members of the Baha’i community.  Since 2005, Bahai’s have been the targets of attacks by vigilante groups acting with impunity under the Iran government.

For more information, please see:

Iran Human Rights Documentation Center – IHRDC Condemns the Arrest of Leading Baha’is – 15 May 2008

CNN – Iran’s Arrest of Baha’is Condemned – 15 May 2008