By Polly Johnson
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

Riots erupted in Maputo after the government raised bread prices. (Photo Courtesy of Reuters.)

MAPUTO, Mozambique – In the worst violence in the country since 2008, police officers opened fire on protestors in Mozambique’s capital city of Maputo on Wednesday. At least ten demonstrators were killed and more than four hundred others have been injured.

Riots erupted earlier this week as the price of bread, water, energy, and other staples increased. Young men rampaged through Maputo throwing stones and looting shops.

The situation seemed mostly under control by Saturday.  Read more...

by Elly On

Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Africa

North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo–

Numerous children and women are being raped in Democratic Republic of Congo by armed rebels in the warn-torn eastern parts of the country, according to the United Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. More than 240 children and women were raped by Rwandan and Congolese rebels.  Read more...

By Laura Hirahara
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

President Omar al-Bashir at Kenya's constitution ceremony; Photo courtesy of AFP

NAIROBI, Kenya- On Thursday, Kenya’s government defended their decision to invite Sudan’s president Omar al-Bashir to the country for a ceremony in which Kenya adopted its new constitution.  Following al-Bashir’s trip last week, many have criticized Kenya for not arresting al-Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and genocide in the Darfur region.  Kenya’s government, which is a signatory of the ICC and has recognized its jurisdiction, said that arresting al-Bashir now would destabilize Sudan creating negative ripple effects for its neighbors.  Alfred Mutua, a government spokesman for Kenya, stated Thursday, “In the context of Omar al-Bashir’s case, Kenya’s obligation was first to the [African Union] and then to ICC. If Sudan [is] destabilized it is us who would suffer, not the West.”  Read more...

By Laura Hirahara
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

Rwanda U.N. Peacekeepers; Photo Courtesy of U.N.

KIGALI, Rwanda- According to a statement made by Rwandan military spokesman, Jill Rutaremara, Rwanda has made preparations to withdraw thousands of peace-keeping troops from Sudan if the United Nations publishes its latest report on possible human rights violations in the region.  The report, from the U.N.’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, details the killings of thousands of ethnic Hutus in the Congo by Rwanda and its allies during a ten year period starting in 1993.  Copies of this report, which leaked last week to several press agencies, identify Rwanda troops as taking part in crimes against humanity and genocide.  Rwanda’s government, led by President Paul Kagame, is hoping it has enough leverage to stop the report from being officially published, which it believes to be false.  Read more...

By Laura Hirahara

Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

Children protesting their abuse; photo courtesy of Children of Nigeria

AKWA IBOM, Nigeria- In several states of Nigeria, children accused by church leaders of being witches are tortured and abandoned by their communities, to either die or be trafficked out of the country.  While the belief in witchcraft has been a centuries old tradition in Nigeria, a majority of the abuse of ‘child witches’ has been occurring for the last 10 years.  In most cases, the leader of a make-shift church will identify a child as a witch and promise the parents that he will ‘deliver’ the child.  Deliverance includes torturing a child until they confess and can cost anywhere from $300- $2,000.  The torture itself ranges from acid baths to burnings to beatings and can result in death.  Read more...

By: Amnesty International
August 27, 2010
Amnesty International has criticized the Kenyan government for its failure to arrest Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir during his visit to the country to join celebrations ushering in Kenya’s new constitution, viewing the refusal to arrest President al-Bashir as an obstruction of justice for victims in Darfur.

The President of Sudan is the subject of an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Darfur.

“Kenya has regrettably followed the example of Chad, which violated its obligations under international law by providing safe haven to President Bashir during his visit to the country last month,” said Michelle Kagari, Deputy Director in Amnesty’s Africa programme.  Read more...

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
PUBLIC STATEMENT

AI Index: AFR 62/009/2010
August 26 2010  Read more...

By Eric C. Sigmund
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Violence continued in Somalia for the third straight day today as the government combats insurgent forces throughout the country.  Fighting erupted in Mogadishu after the Islamic insurgent group al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda sponsored radical Islamic organization, successfully carried out a number of suicide bombing attacks against civilian populations and government forces in the country’s capital.  The Somali government, supported by African Union troops, has engaged in an intensive campaign to push al-Shabab out of its strongholds and to maintain control of the capital.  Read more...

By: Eric C. Sigmund
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – South Africa has again drawn the attention of the international community as the African National Congress (ANC), South Africa’s ruling party, seeks to create a media tribunal to crack down on violations of laws governing the press. 

Local and foreign media are criticizing South Africa's ruling African National Congress. (Photo Courtesy of AllAfrica)  Read more...

By Laura Hirahara
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

Map of the Northern cities affected by the suspension. Photo courtesy of BBC News

KHARTOUM, Sudan- As of Monday, all BBC Arabic FM radio transmissions to Northern Sudan have been suspended by the government pending negotiations between the both parties.  Government statements claim their disputes with BBC’s activities go back two years.  BBC Arabic is charged with bringing unauthorized equipment into Sudan and working in the southern regions without government approval.  These actions violate an agreement from 1999 which allowed BBC Arabic to first broadcast in the country.  Kamal Obaid, the Information Minister of Sudan, said Monday that a new framework deal is needed to negotiate with the British government.  BBC Head of Africa Jerry Timmins said, “We are very disappointed that the Sudanese people in Northern Sudan are no longer able to access the impartial news and current affairs of BBC Arabic on FM radio.  We hope that we will be able to continue broadcasting at some point.”  Read more...