Syrian Revolution Digest – May 28, 2012

Syrian Revolution Digest – May 28, 2012

THE COMMENTARY IN THIS PIECE DOES NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF IMPUNITY WATCH.  

*WARNING VIDEOS MAY CONTAIN GRAPHIC IMAGES*

 

Enter the Merchants!

With the Damascene Merchant Elite throwing its support behind the revolution, the Massacre of Houla has become a watershed moment in the history of the Syrian Revolution, even as its impact on global consciousness remains uncertain.

The Russia Guilt

In response to Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov’s assertion that rebels share the blame for the Houla Massacre, it’s worth reminding that Russia shares even more of the blame in this regard. After all, they have been arming Assad and shielding him politically since the beginning of the revolution. The blood that was shed in Houla and is still being shed all across the country is on their hand. The assertions made by Russian officials to the effect that the arms they are sending to Syria are not the kind that can be used in the crackdown are worthless in the absence of any verification. In reality, with their every act and breath so far, Russian officials, to their eternal shame, insist on being part of the problem in Syria, rather than the solution.

Video Highlights

Damascus goes on strike http://youtu.be/D_57ksWjG3M , http://youtu.be/CR3qPio1QcA, http://youtu.be/wiBjY547uyE , http://youtu.be/aQWk8CDHfmM The strike was observed in main commercial districts of Hamidiyeh, Hariqah, Bahsah and Halbouni as well as protest hubs of Kafar Sousseh, Qaboun, Barzeh, Assaly, Midan and elsewhere.

Damascus offers another child martyr (Tadamon Suburb) http://youtu.be/nooC0b3la2MHama City as well http://youtu.be/21ncUZ95fXk

The pounding of old neighborhoods in Homs City resumes: Khaldiyehhttp://youtu.be/TE_Om_J_XE0 , http://youtu.be/wFwVbhwpQOc ,http://youtu.be/lwO_q-PuKTI , http://youtu.be/4Fqfnd8vEPY with deadly consequenceshttp://youtu.be/hXIBBn1KDnM , http://youtu.be/RWakKur0954 ,http://youtu.be/fIaurFd71Qw Hamidiyeh http://youtu.be/-hEu0QtWVeg Bassel Shihadeh, an activist from Damascus, Christian, dies in Homs City as he was taking part in documenting the atrocities of pro-Assad militias http://youtu.be/5VMOypEjkC4

The pounding of the town of Al-Atareb in Aleppo Province, leaves scores woundedhttp://youtu.be/DRPkd_FB224 , http://youtu.be/-2QCtazzOSU ,http://youtu.be/5HtBdJnV7EE

Protesters in New York rally in front of the house of Assad’s UN envoy and force him to call the police http://youtu.be/gvz-vGEjws0

Colombian FARC Rebel Group to Release Kidnapped Journalist

By Heba Girgis
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BOGOTA, Columbia–Colombia’s guerilla group FARC (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia), the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, recently decided to free a French reporter, Romeo Langlois, who they kidnapped on April 28. A Red Cross official received a statement from the FARC group declaring Langlois’ release for Wednesday, May 30.

French reporter, Langlois, to be released Wednesday, May 30. (Photo Courtesy of The Guardian)

Langlois, 35, was kidnapped during a shootout with Colombian troops carrying out an anti-drug raid in the southern rebel stronghold of Caqueta. The Red Cross received a statement from FARC assuring that despite a minor wound in his left arm, Langlois is in good health. FARC has been using kidnapping as a means of extortion to pressure the government into relinquishing money and political control. 

FARC began in the 1960s as a Marxist movement but has developed into what the EU and the United States have labeled “a terrorist group” after the group’s involvement in kidnapping, extortion and drug trafficking.

The Colombian military has been targeting numerous high-ranking leaders of the FARC. The military has recently been saddled with the task of tracking down Alfonso Cano, FARC’s newest leader, after being successful in killing secretariat members of the group, Raul Hayes and Jorge Briceno.

In order to accomplish this goal, the military’s strategy has been to flood the region with ground troops to establish control over the territory. According to Lieutenant-Colonel Rodolfo Mantilla, commander of a Colombian battalion, this has proven to be a difficult endeavor because of the physical characteristics of the country. Mantilla explained, “Our troops can only move one or two kilometers a day because of the steep canyons and the landmines planted by the guerrillas. It is also difficult because it only takes one civilian to tell the FARC where our troops are and we can be easily ambushed.”

The Colombian military continues to work with the United States’ sponsored crackdown against FARC, however the group is still in control of remote jungle areas and has been carrying out attacks on oil and mining projects in the past few months.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Sanchez has repeatedly demanded that Langlois be freed, while his minister of defense urged against negotiating with these “terrorists.” In February, FARC said it would stop taking hostages to pay for weapons, uniforms, and food. However, the group made no promises to stop taking hostages to pressure the government or make political statements.  

For further information, please see:

CNN–Colombia’s FARC Rebels to Release French Journalist, Statement Says–27 May 2012

Colombia Reports–FARC Plans to Free French Journalist Wednesday–27 May 2012

The Telegraph–FARC to Release French Journalist on Wednesday–27 May 2012

Colombia Journal–The Hunt for FARC Commander Alfonso Cano–17 January 2011

RIA Novosti–Colombian Rebels “Agree” to Release French Reporter–14 May 2012

 

 

China Urges U.S. to Self-Reflect After U.S. State Department’s Human Rights Report.

By Karen Diep
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BEIJING, China – On Friday, May 25, 2012, Foreign Ministry spokesman, Hong Lei, responded to the U.S. State Department’s human rights report on China as being “baseless, biased and completely wrong.”

China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei during a news conference in Beijing. (Photo Courtesy of Reuters)

China’s response came a day after the U.S. State department released its 36th report on the state of rights in foreign countries.  The 142-page report on China accused it of being “an authoritarian state” with its human rights situation in perpetual “deterioration.”  Moreover, the report alleged that “[r]epression and coercion, particularly against organisations and individuals involved in rights advocacy and public interest issues, were routine.”

Its release came days after activist, Chen Guangcheng, migrated to the U.S. on a student visa. Prior to his arrival, Mr. Guangcheng suffered a 19 month house arrest in eastern China before escaping and finding refuge in Beijing’s U.S. Embassy.  The report described Mr. Guangcheng’s condition, which included “severe” beatings and denial of dental care, during his house arrest.  Furthermore, activists visiting Chen were reportedly “assaulted, detained, forcibly removed or otherwise abused.”

In response, China, through its Information Office of the State Council, released a report entitled, “Human Rights Record of the United States in 2011.”  Identifying the report as the “true human rights situation in the U.S.,” it purported to examine six categories of human rights in the United States: “life, property and personal security; civil and political rights; economic, social and cultural rights; racial discrimination; the rights of women and children; and U.S. violations of human rights in other countries.”

China’s report, now in its thirteenth year of publication, cited arrests and accusations of police brutality from participants in the Occupy Wall Street protests.  It also addressed the U.S. Patriot Act and Homeland Security Act’s “fairly strict restrictions” on internet activity.  According to the report, such legislation grants government interference-monitoring and blocking power-in regards to any internet content “harmful to national security.”

China accused Washington of being hypocritical to lecture other countries while also battling similar problems of its own.  The report called on the U.S. to “stop using double standards for human rights” to “tarnish other countries’ image” and “promote hegemony.”

Mr. Hong urged the U.S. to “take a good look at itself and put an end to its wrong doing and wrong thinking on human right.”

Other foreign countries criticized in the State Department’s report include Iran, Vietnam, Bahrain, North Korea, Sri Lanka, Syria, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Myanmar.

For more information, please see: 

China Daily — China Reports on U.S. Human rights Record — 29 May 2012

CNN – China hits back on U.S. human right – 26 May 2012

Hindustantimes – US and China Spar Over Human Rights – 29 May 2012

Huffington Post – China Slams U.S. Human Rights Report – 25 May 2012

Voice of America – China Rejects US Report on Human Rights – 25 May 2012

 

Syrian Human Rights Casualty Report: 25 May 2012



The Syrian Network for Human Rights & Damascus Centre for Human Rights Studies have documented 62 casualties in their report today most of whom in Homs and Hama, including 18 children.

 

Homs: 13| Hama: 12| Daraa: 7| Aleppo: 6| Damascus and Rural Damascus: 6| | Deir Ezzor: 5|
====

 

Homs: 13
1- Fuad Abdul Mawla /Jouret Al-Sheyah/ killed by sniper fire.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxSB0wirdyk
2- Abdul Razzaq Urfali /Al-Khaldeya/ killed at the hands of the regime’s security forces.
http://youtu.be/GbpDImSHyS0
3- Asa’ad Mahmoud Abdullah /Tadmur/ killed in his military unit when he defected.
4- Abdul Min’em Fayadh /Ar-Rastan/ was found under the rubble.
http://youtu.be/bfpatq8fgqU
5- Shihadah Ali Al-Shamsan, 30 years, /Deir Balaba/ killed under torture after 3 months of detention.
6- Muslih An-Nashmi, 24 years, /Deir Balaba/ killed under torture after two months of detention.
7- Basil Jnied /Baba Sbaa/ killed by sniper fire.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wapMhcnkt9A
8- Sameer Al-Sheikh Uthman, 30 years, /Karm Azzaitoun/ killed in Baba Sbaa clashes.
http://youtu.be/oqv4DjlbhGc
9- Aisha Abdul Razzaq Al-Mustafa /Taldou/ killed due to doctors’ inability to provide medical care due to medical staff and equipment shortage.
http://youtu.be/aXgc9hNMW7E
10- Abdul Halim Rustum /Joubar/ killed in the random shelling.
11- Walid Al-Abid /Homs- the old city/ killed in the random shelling.
http://youtu.be/fAAkw9SKLUs
12- Imad Qassab /Al-Qarabees/ killed in the random shelling.
13- Ahmad Al-Asam, 21 years, media person, /Al-Ghouta/ killed in Al-Ghouta/Al-Safsafa.
====

 

Hama: 12
1- Zein Adnan Qatnakji, 3 years, /Al-Ulailat/ killed by gunshot that penetrated his father’s hand who was carrying him and killed him.
http://youtu.be/qb8GLzjq-pw
http://youtu.be/tYssIWKKHdM
2- Ghoudoun Bitar /Masha’a Janoub Al-Mal’ab/. She was killed in the random shelling.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85c–hMVk6Y
3- Tawfiq Al-Tabaa, 14 years, /Al-Farayya/was killed by security forces’ gunfire while he was in front of the bakery in Al-Alameen Street.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkvbk8awG-I
4- Azzam Munajid /Hama/ killed at the hands of the regime’s army.
5- A kid from Al-Diri’e family /Hama/ killed at the hands of the regime’s army.
6- Zahir Qanani /Hama/ army defector killed in Al-Arba’een neighbourhood.
7- Mahmoud Ahmad Qassab /Masha’a Janoub Al-Mal’ab/ killed in the random shelling.
8- Ali Ahmad Kreij, 50 years, /Al-Jarajmah/ killed by the regime’s army sniper fire.
9- Ahmad Al-Jawad /Aleppo Road/ killed by sniper fire.
http://youtu.be/KsT9Is20_j8
10- Mahmoud Da’boul /Janoub Al-Mal’ab/ killed in the random shelling.
http://youtu.be/GWy_9YYZmzk
11- Abdullah Tayyar /Janoub Al-Mal’ab/ killed by the regime’s security forces.
http://youtu.be/9vcXfo5Q5JE
12- Safwan Qassab /Masha’a Janoub Al-Mal’ab/ killed in the random shelling.
http://youtu.be/_VS_FpfZT-k
====

 

Daraa: 7
1- Muhammad Ali Abou As-Sil, 80 years, /Nawa/ the regime’s forces raided his house and killed him with cold blood.
http://youtu.be/D7XGauo6vBc
2- Hamida Shalal Al-Nassari /Nawa/ Muhammad Abou As-Sil’s wife, killed by the regime’s security forces with cold blood.
http://youtu.be/D7XGauo6vBc
3- Ahmad Abdul Kareem Hreideen /Tafas/ killed by the regime’s army checkpoint stationed at Al-Umari mosque.
http://youtu.be/AchG9OM8p0o
4- Unidentified /Al-Ghara Al-Sharqia/ was killed and thrown nearby the dam.
5- Unidentified /Al-Ghara Al-Sharqia/ was killed and thrown nearby the dam.
6- Unidentified /Al-Ghara Al-Sharqia/ was killed and thrown nearby the dam.
7- Unidentified /Al-Ghara Al-Sharqia/ was killed and thrown nearby the dam.
====

 

Aleppo: 6
1- Taher Ahmad Ali Taher Agha, 47 years old, /Kafr Karmeen/ killed in the random shelling.
2- Abdullah Haj Taha, 57 years old, /Kafr Karmeen/ killed in the random shelling.
http://youtu.be/kgYUKHuer1M
3- Ahmad Mazin Haj Taha, 27 years old, /Kafr Karmeen/ killed in the random shelling.
4- Adnan Al-Hasan /Al-Jeina/ killed in Al-Atarib in the random shelling.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcI3BSatIlU
5- Abdou Mazin Haj Taha, 29 years, /kafr karmeen/ died of the wounds he received yesterday in the random shelling.
6- Radwan Al-Ahmad /Qabaseen/ the regime’s security forces opened fire at him when he passed by the police station.
====

 

Damascus and Rural Damascus: 6
1- Muhammad Samir Safar, 20 years old, /At-Tadamun/ killed by security forces gunfire.
2- Ammar Salim Audeh /Barzeh/ killed by security forces when he defected in Izraa in Daraa.
3- Ziad Asa’ad /Madaya/ killed at the hands of security forces.
4- Muhammad Khider Taha /Yabroud/ killed by security forces gunfire.
5- Natheer Ramadhan /Nahir Aisheh/ killed by security forces gunfire.
6- Basil Shehadeh, Christian media person /Al-Qasa’a/ killed while he was covering the events of Baba Sbaa/Homs.
====

 

Deir Ezzor: 5
1- Ismael Ilias /Al-Qureya/ killed by the regime’s security forces gunfire.
2- Ahmad Al-Husein /Bal Bu Umar/ army defector, first lieutenant, killed in the random shelling.
3- Abdul Hanan Al-Husein Ibrahim Al-Husein /Bal Bu Umar/ killed in the random shelling.
4- Husein Ali Al-Fashal /Bal Bu Umar/ killed in the random shelling.
5- Abdul Rahman Salih Al-Khalifa /Bal Bu Umar/ killed in the random shelling.

 

Malawi Moves to Overturn Homosexual Ban

By Tara Pistorese
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

LILONGWE, Malawi — After succeeding to the Presidency following Bingu wa Mutharika’s death last month, Joyce Banda announced during her state of the union address on May 18 that she wishes to overturn the laws in Malawi criminalizing homosexuality.

Malawi President Joyce Banda. (Photo Courtesy of The Wall Street Journal-Africa News)

Homosexuality is a serious criminal offense in thirty-seven African countries. In Uganda, a bill was recently introduced that would make the death penalty an available punishment for homosexuality offenses. However, since the bill’s introduction, there have been discussions of reducing the imposition of the death penalty to life in prison.

According to a Human Rights First news report, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people have become the targets of violent attacks. Two refugee women in Uganda were abducted, beaten and raped after providing assistance to LGBT refugees.

Lesbian and transgender male refugees have reportedly been the victims of “corrective rape” in Uganda, and a gay Somali teenager in Kenya was recently doused with gasoline and would have been set on fire if it hadn’t been for a Somali woman’s intervention. As it presently stands, South Africa is the only African nation with laws protecting gay rights.

In 2010, two men in Malawi, Tiwonge Chimbalanga and Steven Monjeza, were sentenced to fourteen-year jail terms after being charged with unnatural acts and gross indecency for celebrating their engagement.  Although then-President Mutharika pardoned the couple on “humanitarian grounds only” after the charges were internationally condemned, he insisted that the men had “committed a crime against our culture, against our religion, and against our laws.”

Several Western countries have threatened to cut aid to countries that fail to recognize gay rights. Since foreign aid makes up a large portion of the budget in Malawi, some view President Banda’s repeal of the homosexuality laws as an attempt to appease Western donors.

In President Banda’s state of the union address she stated that her administration wants to normalize relations with “traditional development partners who were uncomfortable with our bad laws.” However, according to the executive director of the Center for the Development of People, Gift Trapence, President Banda’s history reflects a liberal attitude on the issue.

“When she was vice-president she was invited to address a group of religious leaders and she spoke in favor of including LGBT communities in HIV interventions,” Trapence said.

A parliamentary vote is required to overturn the laws and it is currently unclear how much political support the President would garner in the conservative nation. Should President Banda’s proposal obtain parliamentary approval, the repeal would be added to a growing list of Mutharika-backed policies that have been reversed at President Banda’s hand since her predecessor’s death, and would make Malawi the first African county to overturn a ban on homosexual acts since 1994.

For further information, please see:

ABC, Associated Press—Malawi’s President Vows to Repeal Gay Ban—18 May 2012

Al Jazeera (AJE)—Malawian President to Repeal Gay Laws—18 May 2012

BBC News—Malawi to Overturn Homosexual Ban, Joyce Banda Says—18 May 2012

The Guardian—Malawi President Vows to Legalize Homosexuality—18 May 2012

Human Rights First—Secretary Clinton: Help Protect LGBTI Refugees from Violence—17 May 2012