By: Julie Narimatsu
Impunity Watch Managing Editor-Journal
Several members of the Fatah movement, led by Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, have been arrested by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Hamas responded that the arrests were part of their investigation into a bombing that killed five of its members and a girl, as well as in retaliation for the detentions of several Hamas members in the West Bank. They are not disclosing specific numbers on how many Fatah men have been detained, and Fatah is denying any involvement in the bombing.
The bombing caused both sides to make numerous arrests in the past week. However, on Wednesday, Hamas released over half of the detained Fatah activists. Similarly, Abbas has reportedly ordered the release of all detained Hamas activists that have been arrested in the past week.
Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch released a report condemning the unlawful arrests and physical abuse of both sides since Hamas gained control of the Gaza Strip in June of 2007. They have urged both sides to release those unnecessarily detained and to allow independent human rights monitors access to the detainees.
For more information, please see:
BBC – Top Fatah officials held in Gaza – 1 August 2008
NY Times – Abbas Is Said to Release Supporters of Hamas – 1 August 2008
CNN – Palestinian factions trample rights, watchdog group says – 30 July 2008
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New clashes between two neighborhoods in northern Lebanon have resulted in at least seven dead and more than 30 injured. Rocket-propelled grenades were used to target apartment buildings and mosques, as well as buildings outside the two specific neighborhoods involved. The Lebanese army has closed the nearby highway to reduce civilian exposure to the violence.
Since June, there have been fourteen deaths and over 100 injured in this region. The conflicts stem from a long history of religious, territorial, and political tension going back to the 1970’s.
For more information, please see:
Al Bawaba – Seven dead in Lebanon clashes – 25 July 2008
NOW Lebanon – Raging storm – 26 June 2008
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Last month, the prosecutor for the International Criminal Court (ICC), Luis Moreno-Ocampo, filed several charges of genocide, crimes against humanity, and murder against Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir in relation to his involvement with the conflict in Darfur. While the ICC has requested an arrest warrant against the leader, Egypt, Sudan’s neighbor to the north, insists that the arrest should be delayed.
Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, discussed the situation with Sudanese Vice President, Ali Osman Taha, who called the charges “baseless and refuted by the facts on the ground.” According to an Egyptian official, Ahmed Abul Gheit, the charges are “very dangerous and the prosecutor should not have let things go so far.” He added that the “international community [sh]ould be careful and work for providing stability and look for justice and truth in Sudan.”
Over four million Sudanese refugees live in Egypt. According to Nora Abdel Khalek, a political activist, Mubarak “does not want to be seen by Egyptians as being responsible for the hardship and troubles that have been going on [in Egypt].” She adds that the lack of support to the ICC by Egypt and other African leaders is an attempt to “deflect the charges” to maintain their legitimacy.
Other African nations agree with Egypt that an arrest would threaten peace discussions going on in the region. The African Union has stated that it does not support an immediate plan to arrest al-Bashir.
For more information, please see:
Middle East Times – Bashir Pending Arrest Too Close for Cairo’s Comfort – 1 August 2008
Sudan Tribune – Egypt’s Mubarak reaffirms his support to Sudan’s Bashir vs ICC – 28 July 2008
allAfrica.com – Uganda: Mubarak Here Over Bashir Warrant – 28 July 2008
