Palestinians Optimistic on UN Recognition bid

Palestinians Optimistic on UN Recognition bid

By Ali Al-Bassam
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

Palestine — Palestine is set to renew a bid to upgrade their status at the United Nations (UN), which could strengthen their position in becoming a recognized state.  The UN General Assembly is expected to pass the resolution, recognizing Palestine as a nonmember observer state on Thursday.  Palestine is currently listed as an “entity” with no voting rights.

The UN will vote to recognize Palestine as a nonmember observer state this Thursday. (Photo Courtesy of Al Jazeera)

Out of the 150 countries expected to support the resolution is France, giving Palestine a boost in their efforts for recognition.  Eleven members of the European Union (EU) are also expected to support the resolution.  Norway and Switzerland are planning to vote for the recognition.

Britain will vote for the resolution only if it receives assurances from Palestine that it will not use the recognition to attack Israel through the international judicial system.  Britain seeks public commitments “that the Palestinian Authority would not take advantage of the resolution to act against Israel in the international court in The Hague and that it would commit to immediately renewing peace talks without preconditions.”  It has yet to receive these assurances.  “The first [assurance] is that the Palestinian Authority should indicate a clear commitment to return immediately to negotiations without preconditions” said British Foreign Secretary William Hague in a message to Parliament.  “The second assurance relates to membership of other specialized UN agencies and action in the International Criminal Court.”

Germany and the Czech Republic also plan to vote for the recognition, but only if Palestine makes the assurances Britain demands.

Initially, Palestinian officials refused to make such assurances, but may change their tone if it means additional support.  Palestine officials believe that ICC accession is a discussion that can be held at a later date.  “It’s not for any country to get the Palestinians to relinquish their rights.  And if Israel is innocent, it has nothing to fear from the court,” said Hanan Ashrawi, a Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) executive.  Ashrawi considers the vote to be a “last ditch effort” in recognition.  “We believe that the two-state solution is in jeopardy because of [Israeli] actions.  We want to ensure that the world is still committed to the establishment of a sovereign viable democratic free Palestinian state to interact as an equal,” said Ashrawi.

Countries that do not support the move include Israel, the United States, Canada, Micronesia, the Marshall Islands.

Knesset member Ahmad Tibi believes that the Palestinian’s bid will be successful, and will change future negotiations between it and Israel.  “The future political situation will be completely different for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu… Netanyahu will not meet with [Palestinian] President Abu Mazen (Abbas) to take photos only,” he said.  Tibi considers the vote a “defining moment in the history of the Palestinian people.”

For further information, please see:

Haaretz — In Historice Vote, UN set to Award Palestinians Observer Status — 29 November 2012

Ma’an News Agency — Tibi: UN bid Will Change Future Negotiations — 29 November 2012

Al Arabiya — Global Support Grows for Palestinian UN bid — 28 November 2012

Al Jazeera — Palestinians to Renew UN Statehood bid — 28 November 2012

 

Thousands Displaced in Ivory Coast After Land Conflicts

By Heba Girgis
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

YAMOUSSOUKRO, Ivory Coast—Thousands of people in the Ivory Coast recently began to flee their homes after continuous land conflicts and residual tension left from last year’s violence after the elections. This information was reported from the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center. The Center noted that 24,000 people were displaced just this year. Further, an additional 40,000 to 80,000 are still displaced from the conflict, according to what was called “conservative estimates” by the Monitoring Center.

Thousands of citizens left their homes after violent land conflicts and residual tensions after last year’s disputed elections. (Photo Courtesy of The New York Times)

Just last year, the nation was pushed almost to the brink of a civil war after the disputed presidential elections that were meant to unite the divided country after an earlier conflict. The former President of the country, Laurent Gbagbo, is now on trial at the International Criminal Court for war crimes, even though both sides of the conflict are accused of committing a number of atrocities. The Hague has accused the former President of crimes against humanity after Gbagbo used security forces to terrorize citizens in Abidjan. More than 3,000 people were killed and an uncounted number of individuals were raped and mistreated.

The United Nation’s assistant secretary-general for human rights, Ivan Simonovic, mentioned that he was in the Ivory Coast in order to discuss the security situation with the nation’s authorities. He said, “I hope to discuss with governmental authorities, civil society, the victims and other actors what needs to be done to prevent a deterioration of the situation, to strengthen the protection of civilians, prevent further atrocities and improve the human rights situation in general.”

In June of this year, the United Nation’s peacekeeping mission in the Ivory Coast reported that its own forces were attacked by a number of unidentified assailants while patrolling along the Liberian border. Members of the mission said that an undetermined number of Ivory Coast citizens were killed as well as seven members of the United Nation’s peacekeeping unit.

The Monitoring Center has called for efforts to protect against future crises that might displace more Ivory Coast citizens as well as to help those who are still displaced to return to their homes and to their land. Elizabeth Rushing, the Monitoring Center’s West African analyst said, “For the vast majority of internally displaced people, who are reliant on their land to survive, these (land) restrictions have devastating consequences.” She also added that “many simply di not have enough to feed their families.”

 

For further information, please see:

Bellingham Herald – Reports: Thousands Continue to Flee Ivory Coast – 28 November 2012

San Antonio Express – Thousands Continue to Flee Homes in Ivory Coast – 28 November 2012

UPI – UN Assessing Situation in Ivory Coast – 28 November 2012

New York Times – Ivory Coast Update – 30 November 2011

Syrian Government’s Attack Kills Children On Playground

By Emily Schneider
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

DAMASCUS, Syria – Syrian opposition is alleging that the Syrian government used a cluster bomb recently in an attack that killed ten children on a playground. After a lull in fighting, children were allowed outside for a rare moment of leisure on Sunday. That’s when the fighter jets began to bomb the area.

The row of bombs shown in footage following the Syrian government’s attack on a playground. (Photo courtesy of Al Jazeera) 

Deir al-Assafir recorded the aftermath of the attack in a video posted on YouTube. In that video, a woman stands over the body of a young child and curses Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and asks why the child had to die. The video opens by panning over what appear to be two bodies of little girls on the playground then shows two more bodies in a car. Viewers then see adults carrying what appear to be limp bodies of more children. One girl sits on the ground crying until an adult comes and picks her up. The video has spread rapidly over social media sites.

Alexia Jade, a spokeswoman for the opposition-run Damascus Media Office, said residents in Deir al-Assafir believe the attack was a retaliation effort on the part of the government for rebels taking over a nearby military airport. Rami Abdulrahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, however, said it’s unclear what exactly happened or what the motivation was behind the attack.

“None of those killed were older than 15 years old. There are two women among 15 people wounded, mostly hit as they were inside the courtyards of their houses,” Abu Kassem, an activist in the village told Reuters news agency.

“There were no fighters inside Deir al-Asafir when the bombing occurred. They operate on the outskirts. This was indiscriminate bombing.”

According to al Jazeera reporter, Rula Amin, reporting from Beirut, “The residents in the village insist there was a lull in fighting. It’s a village controlled by the opposition. They believe the government was doing this as a vengeance act as the rebels have been making significant advances around that area, in the eastern part of Damascus, taking control of more areas.”

Activists claim cluster bombs were used in the attack on the playground, but this allegation has not been verified. Videos showed a row of what seemed to be unexploded small bombs, not necessarily cluster bombs.

Activists say at least 3,000 children are among more than 38,000 people killed since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime began in March last year.

 

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Syrian Children ‘Killed by Cluster Bombs’ – 26 Nov. 2012

BBC – Syria Cluster Bomb ‘Kills Ten Children’ – 26 Nov. 2012

CNN – Opposition Says Shelling Kills Ten Children in Syria – 26 Nov. 2012

Gulf News – ‘Air raid kills 10 children near Damascus’ – 26 Nov. 2012

 

Guatemalans Struggle to Overcome Atrocities of Rios Montt, Violence, Natural Disasters

By Brittney Hodnik
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala — In January 2012, former president, General Efrain Rios Montt was arrested and formally charged with ordering genocides throughout the country of Guatemala.  Although he is no longer in power, the country is still struggling with violence, drugs, and poverty.

Men, women, and children suffer from violence and natural disasters in Guatemala with little help in sight. (Image Courtesy of The Examiner/Getty Images)

 Under the reign of Rios Montt, hundreds of innocent men, women and children were killed.  Soldiers under Montt’s control raped women in front of their children.  Soldiers forced many teens to join the “civil self-defense group” and if they did not, the soldiers assumed they were guerillas, according to Amnesty International.

Peace accords were signed in 1990, and a minimal investigation into the thousands of murders began.  Current President, retired General Otto Perez Molina is trying to cover up the genocide, reports Amnesty International.  Although the country seems to be in a much better place, it is still struggling with high crime rates and violence, and also plagued by a bit of bad luck.

Last week, seven men were killed execution style at a medical complex in Guatemala City, according to Fox News.  It is believed that the Zeta drug cartel is responsible for the violence.  The Zeta drug gang moved from Mexico to Guatemala in 2008, reports Fox News and has caused problems for the country ever since.

According to Fox News, Guatemala has an average of 16 homicides a day.  It is considered one of Latin America’s most violent countries because of the local gang activity and other organized crime.

Besides the violence and drugs, Guatemala has fallen prey to Mother Nature.  Since November 7, 2012, Guatemala has felt over 100 earthquakes – most markedly the 7.4 magnitude earthquake on November 7 destroying much of the infrastructure there.  The Examiner reports that other natural disasters including floods, mudslides, volcanoes, and hurricanes have also devastated the country of 15 million people.

Guatemala’s economic situation is a problem when it comes to recovery.  The majority of the population does not have insurance and must rely on the government and outside governments for help, reported by The Examiner.  Now, after Hurricane Sandy devastated the East Coast of the United States, many donations will go there before sending the money to an outside country, reports The Examiner.

Overall, the population has not recovered from the genocides in the 1980s, and is continually held down by poor economy and natural disasters.  Many people seek justice through the conviction of General Efrain Rios Montt for the atrocities committed 30 years ago, hopefully bringing the country closure for a terrible period in its history.

For further information, please see:

Fox News Latino — Five Bodies Found in Vehicle in Southern Guatemala — 24 November 2012

Fox News Latino — Guatemala Blames Drug Gang for Massacre — 23 November 2012

Amnesty International — The Two Guatemalas of Rios Montt — 22 November 2012

The Examiner — Guatemalan Earthquakes and the U.S. War on Drugs in Perspective — 22 November 2012

Syrian Revolution Digest – Monday 26 November 2012

Who Speaks for Rayaan?

Syrian Revolution Digest – November 26, 2012 

Pro-Assad militias describe their operations against the rebels in Damascus, Homs and elsewhere as “clearing slums,” but considering that millions of people have been displaced as a result of these operations, the overwhelming majority of whom are Sunnis, the development is nothing less than a massive ethnic cleansing effort. Since, for now, an Alawite enclave along the coast has already been secured, except for regions in north Lattakia, the current drive seems aimed simply at disrupting rebel activities, irrespective of long-term impact. The slums have for decades provided shelter to immigrant families from rural areas searching for jobs and advancement opportunities and emigrant middle class families from the inner cities driven out by inflationary pressures. By pushing them out, the “clearing” operations have produced a major humanitarian disaster. But, judging by increased rebel activities in these areas, the operations have proven a total failure in terms of military strategy. Still, the madness continues, coupled with opposition irrelevance and international indifference. So, who speaks for Aisha and Rayaan? Who speaks for the thousands of children that have been killed in this conflict?

Today’s Death Toll: 168 (including 6 women and 5 children)
90 in Damascus and suburbs (including 28 who died under torture in Daraya and 6 in Dahadeel)
35 in Aleppo
11 in Hama
10 in Homs
8 in Daraa
7 in Idlib
4 in Quneitra
2 in Deir Ezzor
1 in Raqqah

Points of Random Shelling: 248
75 by mortar
140 by artillery
33 by missile
10 by warplanes (including three uses of barrel bombs)
2 uses of cluster bombs

Clashes: 140
Rebels liberated a police station at the Jordanian-Syrian border, attacked checkpoints in Quneitra, and repelled multiple regime attempts to storm Daraya and the cities and towns of Eastern Ghoutah in Damascus (LCC).

 

News

Strike from Syrian plane reported near border with Turkey

As battle raged in Syria, Russia sent tons of cash to Damascus, flight records show

Medvedev: Support of Syria Rebels ‘Unacceptable’

Syrian rebels claim dam seized; looting plagues Aleppo

Rebels Claim They Seized Air Bases and a Dam in Syria

NATO to Decide on Turkey Missile Defense

Syria rebels close Aleppo ring as France finances opposition

Syria opposition names London ‘ambassador’ Originally from the central city of Homs, the 62-year-old former teacher set up the SCHR in 1986 and was imprisoned several times, before moving to London, where he represented the Syrian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood.

 

Special Reports

Assad’s Troops Wipe Out a Playground Full of Children in Syria
The United States has kept its hands in its pockets so far, in part because our diplomats say that the Syrian rebels have long been too fragmented and disorganized for any hope of real cooperation. Will a playground full of dead children sway the State Department to take a more assertive stance? Probably not.

Fighting to Hold Damascus, Syria Flattens Rebel ‘Slums’
For the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, the stakes in Damascus are nothing short of retaining control of the nation itself. “If they lose Damascus, they lose the state,” says Patrick Seale, a British author and Syria expert. Senior security officials within the Assad regime say partial demolitions of pro-rebel neighborhoods in and around Damascus are a key element of an ambitious counterinsurgency plan now unfolding. The plan also involves the expansion of regime-funded militias known as “Popular Committees” within the capital.

Syria crisis: Kidnappings compound conflict fears
As the conflict between the Syrian government and opposition fighters continues, kidnapping has become a source of much needed money in a struggling economy, the BBC’s Lina Sinjab in Damascus reports.

As Kurds Fight for Freedom in Syria, Fears Rise in Turkey of Following Suit
Just 25 miles from Aleppo, which has been pounded into dust by Bashar al-Assad’s air force, the Syrian town of Afrin is a picture of domestic tranquility. But that’s because it’s being run by a relatively unknown player in Syria’s civil war: Syrian Kurds.

Syria rebel officers plan post-Assad army
Syrian rebel officers have formed a commission to lay the foundations for a future army and liaise with the political opposition on issues such as arming fighters on the ground, a spokesman said on Monday.

In One Corner Of Syria, A Rebel Victory Results In Friction
When Syrian rebels seized the border post at Ras al-Ayn on Nov. 8, they celebrated the victory and went on to “liberate” the town, a place where both Arabs and Kurds live on Syria’s northeast border with Turkey. But the Kurdish inhabitants quickly saw their “liberation” as a disaster. Within days, dozens were dead in clashes between Kurdish militias and the rebels.

Teen group shows support for Syria
Follow this link to register for FDD’s Washington Forum 2012 “Dictators & Dissidents”

Announcement
The Foreign Policy Initiative (FPI) invites you to its 2012 Forum to be held on Tuesday, November 27th, at the Newseum’s Knight Conference Center, where Members of Congress, foreign dissidents, and leading policy experts will discuss “The Price of Greatness: The Next Four Years of U.S. Foreign Policy.” (RSVP Here).

N.Y. teen group shows support for Syria
I am glad to be an adviser in this effort.

Students around the country are getting involved in something global and something powerful. With a click of a mouse and a bit of green paint, teenagers across the United States are reaching out, pledging their support and making a difference. Students around the country are becoming … Syria. “I Am Syria is a campaign for the Syrian people, and its purpose is to let them know that we support them and that they are not alone,” said Abby Cordaro, a sophomore at Immaculata Academy. “Its main goal is to spread awareness about the conflict in Syria.”

More on the I Am Syrian Campaign can be found on its dedicated website. Educators will find this page in particular to be of interest and use.

Meanwhile, no one seems in a position to speak for this little girl. Her name was Rayaan. 

 

Video Highlights

Leaked video shows pro-Assad militias abusing the injured after they stormed a field hospital for rebels. The go from one injured to another asking him to tell them where the weapons are hidden threatening to shoot him if he failed to reply http://youtu.be/p3Bex1oMAHA

This leaked video is from Deir Ezzor City shows part of the “sweep” operations conducted by pro-Assad militias in the old market http://youtu.be/FgT7qimaWUk

Scenes from the clashes in Deir Ezzor City http://youtu.be/Y5vRksGWbMs , http://youtu.be/VZbRU70jXb0 ,http://youtu.be/b4lcUJkz7w4

Rebels attack a checkpoint in Ruknaddine Neighborhood, Damascus City http://youtu.be/gMnAVukcGDg Sounds of mortar fire can be heard in the plush Mazzeh Neighborhood http://youtu.be/xxawwjAdDjs ,http://youtu.be/TPGZYMLU25U

The shelling of the town of Zabadani continues http://youtu.be/s8GJ5_I_6E8

The pounding of the town of Rastan, Homs Province, continues http://youtu.be/03cPoBiJ3ns ,http://youtu.be/gKGJvQfFa3Q

Fighter jets keep pounding neighborhoods and towns in Aleppo: Bab El-Hawa http://youtu.be/gr2vQv2qp5Y ,http://youtu.be/36M489AwmYk Dar Azzah http://youtu.be/DSrzhSBUv-M Elsewhere http://youtu.be/7yaE6NQYuQo

Clashes in Old Aleppo http://youtu.be/xTzhAhT85QQ , http://youtu.be/AZVB1jTiYog , http://youtu.be/LSrYLDh77To

A local rebel leader calls on “tent officers,” as defectors based in Antakya are known, to come join him and his comrades in the trenches, “there is more honor and dignity in it for you.” http://youtu.be/3JCAeY46zso