Ivory Coast Opposition Joins Unity Government

Ivory Coast Opposition Joins Unity Government

By Jennifer M. Haralambides
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast – Opposition leaders say they are ready to join a new unity government that will end a stand off that has threatened the country’s peace process.

Two weeks ago President Gbagbo dissolved the standing governmental body, accusing it of fraud and of being controlled by the opposition party.   This dissolution caused deadly protests.

On Friday morning, Gbagbo announced the appointment of a new election commission, headed by a member of the opposition and tasked with preparing long delayed elections.

“We are satisfied with this first stage of the re-installation of the independent electoral commission, which will now go back to work,” said opposition spokesman Alphonse Djedje Mady.

After the announcement, Alassene Ouattara, senior opposition leader,  told reporters that opposition groups had agreed to take the eleven seats reserved for them in the twenty-seven member cabinet.

At the heart of this dispute is the issue of voter registration.  The previous electoral commission head and member of the opposition Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI), Robert Mambe, was accused of fraudulently trying to add around 429,000 names to the electoral roll.  That decision delayed elections that were already over six years overdue, provoking a public outcry that led to violence in the streets and a handful of deaths.  Mambe has denied the allegations.

Even though the new head of the electoral commission, Youssouf Bakayoko, also comes from the PDCI, he will be forced to abandon all political activity.

This new government includes many of the same people involved in the previous government, and the independent electoral commission also remains much the same.

No new date has been set for the much anticipated elections, although officials hope they can be held sometime in April or May.

“If it means peace can come back to your country then I guess that’s good . . . . We’re really tired of all this,” said fruit seller Odette Brou.

For more information, please see:

AFP – I. Coast Opposition Agrees to Join Government – 26 February 2010

BBC – Ivory Coast Opposition to Join New Unity Government – 26 February 2010

Reuters – Ivory Coast Opposition to Join Govt., End Protests – 27 February 2010

Tensions Rise as Israel Puts Two Religious Sites in the West Bank on Heritage List

By Meredith Lee-Clark
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

JERUSALEM, Israel/West Bank – Clashes between Palestinian youths and Israeli forces entered their fourth day as Palestinians protested the naming of two West Bank sites on an Israeli heritage list.

The protests have centered around the West Bank city of Hebron, an ancient city that is home to the Cave of the Patriarchs, a site where both Jews and Muslims believe the prophet Abraham is buried. Palestinians have been particularly enraged by the what the new designation is intended to lead to—part of Israel’s $107 million (US) plan to rehabilitate the sites. Palestinians have characterized the move as reminiscent of a 1994 massacre in the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, when Israeli settler Baruch Goldstein entered the mosque and killed twenty-nine Palestinian worshipers.

“This is playing with dynamite. “The Israelis are perhaps not actually conscious of what they are doing,” said Qaid Abdul-Karim, a member of the PLO Central Committee, an executive committee that strongly influences Palestinian policymaking.

This latest escalation in Israeli-Palestinian tensions began at an Israeli cabinet meeting on February 21, when the cabinet released its latest list of heritage sites. Apparently almost as an afterthought, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu added two West Bank sites—the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, and the site known as Rachel’s Tomb in Bethlehem. Since the designations were announced, both Palestinians and international observers have worried that it would trigger a third intifada, or uprising.

“We will not be dragged to violence by the terrorism of the settlers, and the terrorism of the settlement project,” said Salam Fayyad, the Palestinian prime minister. “Our objection to this lies in the fact these sites are on Palestinian land that was occupied in 1967, precisely the lands upon which the independent Palestinian state will be established.”

The head of UNESCO also condemned the action, calling it “provocative.” UNESCO Chief Irina Bokova, who is responsible for maintaining international World Heritage sites, released a statement that “expressed her concern,” and maintained that “cultural heritage should serve as a means for dialogue.”

For more information, please see:

 Al Jazeera – Concerns Over Israel Heritage List – 27 February 2010

 The Guardian – Clashes as Israel Puts West Bank Religious Sites on Heritage List – 26 February 2010

Middle East Online – UNESCO Chief Concerned Over West Bank Holy Sites – 26 February 2010

New York Times – More Clashes Over Israeli Claim to Shrine – 25 February 2010

Christian Science Monitor – Tensions Spike After Israel Names Two West Bank Sites to National Heritage List – 24 February 2010

Congress Votes to Extend the Patriot Act

By Stephen Kopko

Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

WASHINGTON D.C., United States– In the midst of its expiration date, Congress renewed the United States Patriot Act this week without the proposed changes that passed the House Judiciary Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee.  The Patriot Act was set to expire on Sunday.  It was originally passed by Congress and signed into law by President Bush after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Since its passage the Patriot Act has been a source of controversy between groups that support greater privacy protections and groups that contend it is an important tool in protecting the citizens of the United States.  In debates prior to passage of the legislation, the Senate Judiciary Committee passed greater privacy protections.  It limited the F.B.I.’s use of national security letters as well as provided greater scrutiny of law enforcement agencies when they examined individual’s library records.  The House Judiciary Committee passed similar provisions and also eliminated law enforcement authority to spy on the “lone wolf.”

Despite the greater privacy protections that were passed at the committee level, both the House and Senate voted to extend the Patriot Act for one year without the protections.  Three provisions that were a source of contention and dismay for privacy rights advocates were renewed.  Those provisions were the government’s ability to engage in court approved roving wiretaps, seizure property and assets, and the ability to spy on the “lone wolf.”  Under the “lone wolf” provision, the government is allowed to track non-United States citizens that are not formerly affiliated with a terrorist organization. 

The renewal of the Act without greater privacy protections comes after the shooting at Fort Hood and the attempted Christmas Day bombing.  Many members of Congress believed that its renewal without greater privacy protections was needed in the wake of those incidents.  However, not all members of Congress believe that greater privacy protections would weaken law enforcements ability to track and prevent terrorist acts.  They believed the protections are needed after the alleged abuses by Bush Administration.  According to Representative Jane Harman; “While I strongly support using the most robust tools possible to go after terrorists, Congress must revise and narrow, not extend, Bush-era policies.”

Congress renewed the Patriot Act as the United States Supreme Court heard oral argument on a provision of the Act that made it a crime to provide “material support” to terrorist organizations.  The Court will examine whether the provision violates the free speech and freedom of association protections of the Constitution.

For more information, please see:

Washington Post-Congress extends Patriot Act, no new protections-25 February 2010

MSNBC-Senate votes to extend Patriot Act-24 February 2010

Christian Science Monitor-Supreme Court: Does part of Patriot Act violate citizens’ rights-22 February 2010

Guesthouses Used by Foreigners Hit In Taliban Attack

By Michael E. Sanchez
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

KABUL, Afghanistan- Explosions and gunfire in the center of the Afghan capital have left at least 17 people dead, officials say.

The attack took place in an area of hotels and guesthouses which are popular with foreigners.  Up to nine Indians, a Frenchman and an Italian were killed.  Three gunman and two policeman died in a gun battle that lasted several hours.  The Taliban said they were behind the attack.

Afghan president Hamid Karzai condemned the violence. India called it “barbaric”.  The attack comes as NATO and Afghan forces continue Operation Moshtarak to tackle the Taliban in Helmand province.

Martin Patience of the BBC in Kabul says the first blast on Friday happened close to the Kabul City Center shopping area and the Safi Landmark Hotel.  The Park Residence Hotel, popular with foreigners, was also close to the main blast.

SM Krishna, India’s Foreign Minister said up to nine Indians were dead, including government officials.  The Minister said :” These barbaric attacks are a matter of deep concern and are clearly aimed against the people of India and the people of Afghanistan…”These are the handiwork of those who are desperate to undermine the friendship between India and Afghanistan.”

At least 30 people are reported to have been injured in the attacks.  Condemning the attacks, NATO’s Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen saying in a statement: “Those who committed them made it clear, in their choice of targets that their aim is to reverse the progress that Afghans are making,”

Two smaller explosions were reported following the main blast and security forces fought with gunman for several hours after sealing off the area.  Sirens blared across the city and announcements warned people to stay indoors.  Areas around diplomatic missions and government ministries were closed to traffic.

Operation Moshtark continues in Helmand in the south, whose aim is to drive the Taliban from the areas around Nad Ali and Marjah.

Friday’s attack is also the Taliban’s first major raid since the arrest of key leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar in Pakistan this month.  He was said to be the second in command and to have run the Taliban’s leadership council and controlled their finances.

For more information, please see:

BBC News – Afghanistan Captial Kabul Hit by Suicide Attack– 26 February 2010

SCPR.ORG- Taliban Claims Responsibility for Kabul Attacks– 26 February 2010

The New York Times- Guesthouses Used By Foreigners In Kabul Hit in Deadly Attacks-26 February

UNDP Expert Says Pacific Countries Must Overcome Issues of Marginalization and Inequality

By Cindy Trinh
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

SUVA, Fiji – A conflict resolution expert for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Tracy Vienings, says Pacific countries have to put more effort into overcoming issues of marginalization and inequality.

She says that the issues of marginalization and inequality are often at the root of conflict and more effort needs to go into connecting peace building with development.

A UNDP meeting in Suva, Fiji resulted in the implementation of project called the Strengthening Capacities for Peace and Development, and involved various Pacific governments, NGOs, and regional agencies.

The Strengthening Capacities for Peace and Development project includes immediate capacity building support. The project aims at establishing programs to facilitate needs-based planning and monitoring, and to support reconciliation activities in the Pacific region.

The project aims to bring together regional organizations, government and civil society actors to share experiences, discuss the difficult issues, and begin to strengthen leadership and capacities for peace in the Pacific.

One part of the project’s goals is to introduce a core group of Pacific peace builders. This is a workshop that hopes to answer questions regarding the meaning of peace, the linkages between peace, conflict, and development, and how human rights can be addressed through peace building projects.

The core group of peace builders will be drawn from selected countries in the Pacific.

Vienings stated that: “Through this project we are targeting a core group of peace builders, generally middle level staff in civil society organizations, governments and intergovernmental organizations. Those participating in this programme will also benefit from a small grants mechanism to fund peace projects of those participating in the initiative.”

Although this project has triggered discussions about positive changes in the Pacific region, Vienings believes that governments and civil society have struggled to take action. She urges the Pacific countries to put more effort into overcoming the issues and take action.

She stated: “The reason that [the Pacific countries] don’t [take action] is because they are politicized issues and are very difficult. They require long term solutions but governments and civil society are not necessarily addressing them at the moment.”

For more information, please see:
Pacific Islands News Association – Core Group of Pacific Peace Builders to Get Introduction Training Soon – 26 February 2010

Radio New Zealand International – More effort needed to solve root causes of conflict in Pacific – UNDP expert – 25 February 2010

United National Development Programme – Asia-Pacific Development Information Programme: Strengthening Capacities for the Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconciliation Framework