By Karen Diep
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – On Friday, a standoff between inmates and prison authorities in the Welikada prison left at least 27 prisoners dead and 42 people wounded.

Violence erupted when hundreds of Sri Lankan policemen arrived to provide additional security to prison authorities searching for illegal items, drugs and mobiles among the prisoners.  Inmates subsequently broke into the armory and momentarily took control of at least a portion of the prison.

Media reports showed inmates on the rooftop shooting at both policemen and prison authorities below.  According to Mahinda Perera, a nearby resident, the standoff sounded like “a mini-war at the prison.”

Nonetheless, the situation has stabilized as of today.  “The prison is now totally under our control,” reassured Sri Lanka’s Commissioner General of Prisons P.W. Kodippili.  Furthermore, Mr. Kodippili believes that authorities discovered the bodies of 11 other inmates inside the prison ground.

Witnesses to the standoff attested that prison guards immediately fired at fleeing inmates.

Moreover, according to BBC, the Sri Lankan police acted without a court order, which initially aggravated the inmates.

The Prison Minister, Chandrasiri Gajadeera, stated that a three-member probe committee will examine the event.

 

For further information, please see:

ABC News – 27 Inmates Killed in Sri Lanka Prison Shootout – 10 November 2012

BBC – Sri Lanka’s Welikada prison clash leaves 27 dead – 10 November 2012

The Hindu – Sri Lanka prison riot death toll rises to 27 – 10 November 2012

 

By Irving Feng
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

SHANGHAI, China – Chinese activist, Mao Hengfeng, was sent to a forced labor camp for holding demonstrations against China’s one-child policy.

This will be the third time Mao Hengfeng has been sent back to the forced labor camps for her dissident views regarding China’s one-child policy which limits the number of children a family is allowed to have any forces abortions on women that violate their national policies.  From 2004 to 2005, she served a year and a half in a re-education program which utilized forced labor to aid in her rehabilitation after she refused to abort her third child after giving birth to twins.

Mao was also dismissed from her job at a soap factory and detained in a psychiatric hospital for mental health evaluations prior to her first stint at a re-education forced labor camp.  Shortly after her first stint at the re-education program, she was imprisoned for two and a half years from 2006 to 2008.

Then, again in 2008, Mao was sent back to the re-education labor camps when she supported Liu Xiaobo, an activist who called for the end of China’s single party rule.  She was released in February of 2011 from forced labor and placed under house arrest in her home in Shanghai.  Mao was then abducted once more and placed in a prison hospital where she was mistreated and tortured.

Mao, in her most recent ordeal with Chinese officials, was abducted by security officers two months ago, in September.  She was protesting her most recent ill treatment and human rights abuses during her experience in the re-education labor camps.

Mao’s husband, Wu Xuewei, relayed to international media sources that he has not been allowed any contact with his wife since her arrest.  The 41 year old mother’s last whereabouts was presumably at the Yangpu district police detention center located in Shanghai.

Wu, Mao’s husband, attempted to call the Yangpu detention center to find out more information about his wife but the calls went unanswered.  He only recently received a letter from local authorities which said that Mao has been sentenced to the re-education labor camps once again under the charge of disturbing social order.

Wu says that the charges are baseless, and his wife is not guilty of committing any crimes or breaking any laws.  Wu further says that the offenses that his wife has been charged with are complete fabrications by the governmental officials who have detained her.

China’s Communist party has been rounding up demonstrators and dissidents prior to and during their regime change.  A new generation of Chinese leaders is currently being installed and a smooth transition and a stable centralized government is highly desired by the top level Communist officials.

For further information, please see:

Amnesty International – China: Women’s rights activist sentenced to labour camp – 6 November 2012

Reuters – Chinese women’s rights activist sent to labor camp again – 6 November 2012

RTT News – Chinese Woman Who Campaigned Against One-child Policy Sentenced To Labor Camp – 6 November 2012

The Washington Times – China hauls away activists in congress crackdown – 6 November 2012

By Karen Diep
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

NEW DELHI, India – On Wednesday, authorities arrested and charged Naveen Soorinje, a television reporter, with abetting the July attack in Manglaore.  This has many criticizing the government of “moral policing” and media organizations casting it as an “assault on press freedom.”

Mr. Soorinje allegedly took television footage of Hindu activists in the southern state of Karnataka partying and chasing girls and boy, presumably college students, to subsequently beating them.  Furthermore, certain men were caught fondling one of the already traumatized girls.

The Hindu activists caught on tape defended the attack against the boys and girls as just the conditions of a rave party.  Furthermore, the police stated that the group were simply having a birthday party and no drugs were found.

According to BBC, Mr. Soorinje believes that he is being targeted “for exposing the failures of the local administration in dealing with cases of moral policing and attacks on minority communities by Hindu hardline groups.”

“[The] police [had] no business to arrest him.  He was just discharging his professional duties. The arrest sends bad signals on how the local police are mixed up with right-wing organisations,” said retired high court judge in Banglaore and human rights activist Mr. Saldhana.

Yesterday, individuals from various organizations protested in front of the deputy commissioner’s office for Mr. Soorinje’s arrest.  Additionally, the Visual Media Journalists Association also held a protest in front of the city police commissioner’s office.

Moreover, DYFI Dakshina Kannada district president Muneer Katipalla believes that Mr. Soorinje’s arrest was a revenge tactic against him.

“Naveen is a reporter with social concern and has exposed several wrong doings of bureaucrats and politicians and thus earned their ire.  The government should file a special petition in the court and relieve him from all charges,” stated Mr. Katipalla.

The police denied targeting Mr. Soorinje.  According to the Mangalore city police commissioner, Manish Kharbikar, authorities arrested 29 people in connection to the attack and Mr. Soorinje’s name was included in the charge sheet.

“We are only complying with court orders,” relayed police commissioner Manish Kharbikar to BBC.

However, activists representing journalists submitted a memorandum to the state home minister, R Ashok, demanding Mr. Soorinje’s release.  They further demanded harsh consequences for those officers whom previously arrested Mr. Soorinje.

In Mangalore three years prior, the Sri Ram Sena, a Hindu hardline group, attacked women in a city pub because it was against Indian culture for women to go to pubs.

For further information, please see:

BBC – Outcry over India journalist arrest – 9 November 2012

The Hindu – Journalists stage dharma in Udupi – 9 November 2012

Times of India – Support flows in for arrested TV reporter – 9 November 2012

By Karen Diep
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia 

BEIJING, China – Yesterday, the UN chief for human rights, Navi Pillay, urged China to permit international respondents to evaluate the state of Tibetan regions experiencing protests against Chinese rule.  Thus far, there have been 12 outstanding requests for UN human rights officials to visit China.

“Deep underlying issues need to be addressed, and I call on the Government to seriously consider the recommendations made to it by various international human rights bodies, as well as to avail itself of the expert advice being offered by the UN’s independent experts on human rights,” said Ms. Pillay.

According to BBC, up to 60 Tibetans have set themselves on fire.  On October 27th, the Chinese government offered a $32,000 reward for information regarding the chain of self-immolation.  Moreover, an additional $7,700 may be given to those who are aware of such planned protest.

A few weeks go, authorities allegedly beat a 17-year-old girl for distributing flyers demanding Tibet’s freedom and the return of the Dalai Lama.  The young girl was subsequently sentenced to three years in prison.

Moreover, authorities have arrested and sentenced those writing essays, producing films or distributing photos to four to seven years in prison.  Furthermore, there has been apprehension regarding fair trials and the torture of captives.

Ms. Pillay does not believe heavy security will promote stability.  “I have had several exchanges with the Chinese government on these issues.  But more needs to be done to protect human rights and prevent violations,” shared Ms. Pillay.

According to Voice of America, High Commissioner Rupert Colville has been the spokesman for Ms. Pillay and believes that the Chinese government should release those previously detained for exercising their freedom of expression.

“She is also appealing to Tibetans to refrain from resorting to extreme forms of protest, such as self-immolation, and urging community and religious leaders to use their influence to help stop this tragic loss of life,” shared Mr. Colville.   “She fully recognizes Tibetans’ intense sense of frustration and despair, which has led them to resort to such extreme means, but there are other ways to make those feelings clear. It is important that the government also recognizes this, and permits Tibetans to express their feelings without fear of retribution.”

Ms. Pillay’s statements were made days before Chinese leaders meet for the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

For further information, please see:

Hindustan Times – UN urges China to allow monitors in Tibet – 3 Nov. 2012

BBC – UN official urges China to address issues in Tibet – 2 Nov. 2012

Voice of America – UN Rights Chief Urges China to Address Tibetans’ Grievances – 02 Nov. 2012

 

By Irving Feng
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

TOKYO, Japan – Japanese authorities alleged that a U.S. serviceman, stationed on the southern island of Okinawa, broke into a local home and assaulted a young boy.

The U.S. serviceman, stationed at the U.S. Air Force base in Kadena, had reportedly been drinking in the village of Yomitan around 1 a.m. on Friday.  While he was intoxicated, the serviceman broke into a third floor apartment above the bar where he was drinking, damaged a television set inside, and struck a 13 year old boy inhabiting the apartment.

The assaulter attempted to flee by jumping out the third story window and sustained injuries from the fall.  The U.S. serviceman has been taken to the U.S. Navy hospital in Okinawa for treatment.  He may have sustained possible broken bones and other internal injuries from the fall.

This incident of assault comes just three weeks after the two Navy sailors were arrested for the alleged rape of a local Japanese woman.  A curfew, which was violated by the drunken U.S. serviceman who assaulted the boy, was imposed on all 52,000 U.S. troops stationed in Japan after the alleged rape.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda issued a statement condemning the actions of the serviceman as “deplorable,” especially after the curfew had been installed due to the recent transgressions by other members of the U.S. military.

The Japanese government has issued a formal complaint to the U.S. government regarding the actions of the U.S. serviceman.  Foreign Minister Koichiro Genba expressed that the incident was absolutely inexcusable and said that more official protests regarding the man’s actions were to come.

The Japanese Foreign Ministry asked to meet with U.S. Ambassador to Japan, John Roos, immediately after the assault.  Roos stated that the actions of the U.S. serviceman were extremely upsetting, and the well-being of the young boy that was assaulted was a grave concern.

Roos also assured the Japanese authorities and the local public that the U.S. government does not take incidents of violence lightly and pledged to cooperate with the Japanese government in the investigations to prevent similar, future incidences.

Local opposition in Okinawa to U.S. military presence has been fierce since the bases were first established.  The U.S. maintains that the military presence is for the protection of the Japanese people, however, the locals complain about noise, problems with crime and safety, and incidents like the 1995 rape of a schoolgirl by three U.S. servicemen.

With the rape of the local woman several weeks ago and, now, the most recent assault on the young boy in his apartment, the tensions and distrust among the Japanese locals and the U.S. military personal is on the rise.

For further information, please see:

Daily Yomiuri – U.S. military man eyed in Okinawa home invasion – 3 November 2012

The Japan Times – U.S. airman’s home intrusion draws fire – 3 November 2012

Huffington Post – Japan U.S. Troops Incident: Airman Suspected Of Assaulting Young Boy – 2 November 2012

Reuters –  Japan deplores assault on boy by suspected U.S. serviceman – 2 November 2012