By Hayley J. Campbell
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

JAKARTA, Indonesia – Two West Papuan refugees were discovered in Jakarta today after they went missing from their home in Australia two weeks ago. Supporters of the Papuan separatist movement have raised concerns over whether the Indonesian government coerced the refugees’ return for “propaganda purposes.”

In 2006, Yunus Wanggai, age 43, and his daughter Anike, age 7 made the dangerous sail from Merauke, Indonesia to Cape York, Australia. Mr. Wanggai and his daughter were among several separatists who claim they were victims of persecution by the Indonesian government. The Australian government granted Mr. Wanggai and his daughter refugee status, and before returning to Indonesia, they were on the path to receiving permanent Australian residency.  Read more...

By Sarah E. Treptow
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

SUVA, Fiji- The United Nations sent a three-person mission to Fiji from November 23 to November 28.  The members were led by Tamrat Samuel from the Department of Political Affairs and included Professor Yash Ghai, a senior expert adviser, and Tamara Murer, from the Department of Political Affairs.

The purpose of the mission was to explore ways the UN can support a political dialogue with Fiji in its efforts to restore democratic order to Fiji after the 2006 coup.  The mission held discussions with interim Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, other Interim Government officials, political party leaders, civil society leaders and academics, as well as diplomatic representatives in Suva.  Discussions were also held with the Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum and with the visiting mission of the Commonwealth.  Read more...

By Maria E. Molina
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

OTTAWA, Canada – Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Colombian President Alvaro Uribe signed a free trade agreement on November 21, 2008. Earlier this year in a study of the proposed Canada/Colombia trade deal, the House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade called on the government to ensure that an independent human rights impact assessment be carried out and that the results of that assessment be dealt with before the free trade deal is signed, ratified or implemented.  Read more...

By Hayley J. Campbell
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

SUVA, Fiji – The International Bar Association claims that Fiji’s interim attorney general threatened the group of lawyers planning to conduct a review of Fiji’s justice system.

According to the IBA, Mr. Sayed-Khaiyum, Fiji’s interim-attorney-general sent a letter to the IBA on Monday which made clear that the interim government would not welcome the group and would take “appropriate steps” if IBA delegates came to Fiji.

Mr. Sayed-Khaiyum has denied the IBA’s claims, calling the organization ‘biased.”  In addition, the interim attorney general has accused the IBA of being condescending in its correspondence with the interim government.  Read more...

By Karla E General
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

MANAGUA, Nicaragua - President Daniel Ortega has been accused of ‘undermining democracy’ in the recent mayoral elections held in Nicaragua amid allegations of fraud after refusing to allow international and local observers at the election polls.

Ortega’s party, the Sandinistas, were awarded 105 of the 146 mayoral seats in the November 9 elections, earning 19 more seats in the national government with the Liberal Constitution Party taking 37 seats and other parties winning the remaining 4. Opposition leaders claim to have lost as many as 50 seats because of corruption, and have demanded a recount of the votes as retribution: “We demand the total revision of all the electoral ballots and the voting acts in the country, with the presence of credible national and international observers,” said Liberal party boss and convict Arnoldo Aleman.  Read more...

By Gabrielle Meury
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

WASHINGTON, U.S. - The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit was scheduled to hear arguments Monday from the Bush administration and lawyers for the detainees. The case comes as President-elect Barack Obama is pledging to quickly shut down the facility.  Read more...

By Sarah E. Treptow

Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

HONIARA, Solomon Islands- The Australian Federal Police (AFP), who led the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) in 2003, have warned that an international presence is still needed to keep the Solomon Islands secure.  RAMSI was set up after an outbreak of community violence in the Solomon Islands in 2003.

Assistant Commissioner Frank Prendergast told a parliamentary hearing, “The mission faces ongoing challenges.  While the achievements of RAMSI have been substantial, our work is far from over and our achievements do not represent at this stage an enduring state of rule of law.”  Mr. Prendergast said that while the mission has restored law and order to the Solomon Islands, the order would not be able to be maintained without RAMSI’s presence.  Read more...