Hijacked Turkish Hostages Escape

Hijacked Turkish Hostages Escape

An Egyptian and a Turk hijacked a Turkish passenger plane.  The Atlas Jet airplane departed from Northern Cyprus and was headed to Istanbul, Turkey.  Fifteen minutes after takeoff, the hijackers approached the cockpit and threatened the crew with a knife and an alleged bomb.  In reality, the alleged bomb was only modeled clay with wires attached to it.  Upon the threat, the crew members responded immediately.  Also, the hijackers claimed to be affiliated with Al-Qaeda and tried to redirect the flight to Iran.  However, the plane did not have enough fuel to fly to Tehran.  Thus, the hijackers allowed the crew to make an emergency crash landing in Antalya, Turkey to refuel the plane.  Immediately after landing, many of the crew and passengers escaped through initial negotiations with Turkish security forces.  However, the hijackers kept six of the passengers as hostages in a four hour holdout.  Eventually these hostages were also freed.  All 136 passengers and six crew members escaped basically unharmed. 

The hijackers’ motives were unclear.  The Gulf Daily News reported that Turkish Cypriot authorities believed that the hijackers were Iranians protesting American polices.  The Egyptian, Mommen Abdul Aziz Talikh, was known to have contact with Al-Qaeda.  He was a Saudi Arabian prison mate of an organizer of the attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001.  Talikh also was trained at an Al-Qaeda camp.  Less is known about the Turkish kidnapper.  The hijackers gave themselves up and are in the custody of Turkish Security forces, along with another passenger who the police believe was involved in the hijacking.

People’s Daily Online.  Many of passengers manage to flee from hijacked plane in Turkey (2).  18 August 2007.

People’s Daily Online.  Turkish aircraft hijacked en route from northern Cyprus to Turkey: TV.  18 August 2007.

People’s Daily Online.  Some passengers injured as escaping from hijacked plane in Turkey.  19 August 2007.

People’s Daily Online.  Many of passengers manage to flee from hijacked plane in Turkey.  18 August 2007.

Gulf Daily News. Turkish plane hijack bomb ‘block of clay’.  20 August 2007.

Gulf Daily News. Hostages freed in hijack dilemma. 19 August 2007.

Reuters.  Turkish plane hijack hostages freed.  18 August 2007.

Sri Lanka Forces Continue Abductions, Killings

In Jaffna, Sri Lanka, at least 21 civilians have been killed and 18 abducted over 15 days of August, according to the Jaffna Human Rights Commission. Over the past 21 months, 5,200 Tamils have been killed, thousands have been abducted and over 500,000 people have been placed in temporary shelters.

Human Rights Watch has called for a UN human rights monitoring mission in Sri Lanka to help to protect civilians, end impunity and promote a resolution to the conflict. The Sri Lankan government denies the claims of human-rights abuses.

Sri Lanka in a civil war since 1983, with the rebels fighting to create an ethnic Tamil homeland in the north and east against the majority Sinhalese government. More than 70,000 people have been killed.

This week, Sri Lankan fighter jets destroyed a separatist camp in the north. The Tamil Tiger sea camp had been identified as an arms and explosives supply center for the insurgents. Also this week, rebels killed four police commandos in an hour-long battle in the eastern Ampara district.

Both sides continue to violate the official cease-fire, but neither side has officially abrogated it.

For more information, please see:

http://www.tamileelamnews.com/news/publish/tns_8495.shtml

http://news.aol.com/story/_a/human-rights-group-says-sri-lankan/n20070806174809990002

http://www.hrw.org/wr2k/Asia-08.htm

Philippines Close to Outright War

The Philippines armed forces started a new campaign against southern Muslim insurgents. Their apparent aim is to topple the 300-member Abu Sayyaf group. They also threaten to increase the conflict with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

There are 5,000-12,000 soldiers there now. In August, 50 people were killed and thousands of civilians have evacuated.

The MILF, which signed a ceasefire in 1996, has allowed the army to pass through territories it controls to pursue Abu Sayyaf. However, the MILF and the army clashed on July 10 and several people were killed. Formal peace talks have stalled since September 1996, but are scheduled to reopen this month.

The MNLF has claimed responsibility for recent attacks. The MNLF is still the dominant force in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindinao, but a final peace been formed because the deal fell short of guaranteeing the ethnic Moro the ancestral homeland they sought.

Also, a new counter-terrorism law has given the government wide power to deal with internal security threats, including armed insurgent groups. That legislation may provide legal protection to the army as it launches its new campaigns.

For more information, please see:

http://www.voanews.com/english/2007-08-14-voa24.cfm

http://www.asiaobserver.com/content/view/324352/102/

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/IH17Ae01.html

Key Rebel Groups Fail to Join Peace Talks

By Myriam Clerge
Impunity Watch, Africa

Peace seems elusive as key rebel leaders refuse to join peace talks. Common platforms such as power sharing, security, land, humanitarian affairs and compensation has already been discussed and negotiated however uniting rebel groups and appointing a “leader” may be difficult. As many rebel leaders and international envoys meet in Arusha, Tanzania to continue negotiations, the presence of a few rebel leaders remain void.

This past Tuesday, the African Union renewed its invitation to Suleiman Jamous and Abdel Wahid Mohammed Nur. Jamous, a unifying figure of the Sudanese Liberation Army (SLA), has been a key link between Darfur rebels and humanitarian workers. He has been unable to attend the conference due to his failing health. Although, authorities in Khartoum have threatened to arrest him, mediators see him as a crucial member and have informed of negotiations via telephone conference from his hospital bed. On Wednesday, the Sudan government agreed to let Jamous fly to Kenya for further medical treatment.

In the meantime, actress Mia Farrow has offered to take his place during the peace talks. Her offer has not been accepted.

Abdel Wahid, the father of the rebel movement and the first chairman of the SLA, is in exile in Paris. He seat remains empty during the conference, a sign of his influence amongst rebel leaders. Wahid announced that he would only join talk once UN-AU forces have been deployed. The operation is not expected to occur until the middle of 2008.

Darfur rebel say that present AU forces have been unable to stem the violence. Recognizing a lack of support, African nations have pledged 11,000- 12,000 troops. Last month, the UN Security Council authorized up to 19,555 military personnel and 6,432 civilian police. This would be the world’s largest peacekeeping force.

A peace deal was already signed by the Sudanese government in May 2006. However, that agreement failed because only one of the three factions endorsed the deal. In a hurried attempt to secure a deal, the security in Darfur rapidly worsened since the agreement sparked new divisions within rebel factions and surged violence.

The conflict in Sudan began in 2003 when African tribes took arms against Sudan’s Arab-dominated government. Although, two decades of war has existed between the Sudanese government and the Christian and animist rebels in the south, in which 2 million people have dies and nearly 4 million displaced.

For more information please see:

Yahoo – Ailing Sudan Rebel Chief Can Go To Kenya – 15 August 2007

Yahoo – Africans Pledge Darfur Troops – 14 August 2007

Yahoo – African Union Urges Darfur Rebel Group to Join Talks – 14 August 2007

BBC – Darfur Rebel Unity Proves Elusive – 08 August 2007

Policy of Compulsory HIV Tests Before Marriage in Nigeria

By Meryl White
Impunity Watch, Africa

According to Nigeria’s National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), 4.4% of Nigerians are infected with HIV. Presently, the Anglican Church in Nigeria has implemented HIV testing in all Anglican dioceses as a prerequisite for marriage. Rev Akintunde Popoola, a spokesman for the Church explained that mandatory marriage is intended to help “couples to make informed decisions because we don’t want anyone to be kept in the dark about their partner.” The practice of HIV testing is also conducted in many Nigerian Christian Churches.

Prof Tunde Oshotimehin, the head of Nigeria’s state HIV control agency, finds the new policy of mandatory HIV testing unacceptable. He stated, “We cannot accept what the church is proposing. Every Nigerian must be allowed to decide on their own whether they want to be tested or not.” Oshotimehin believes that mandatory testing and therapy will just encourage further denial of the deadly disease.

Just recently, Covenant University, a church-owned college in Otta, Ogun State, attempted to implement a policy that forced its graduates to take a HIV and pregnancy test as a condition for graduation. The policy failed due to widespread criticism from the government and human rights organizations. According to Prof. Osotimehin compulsory testing on university students is “a breach of the Fundamental Human Rights of the students.”

For more information, please see:

BBC – HIV Test Before Nigerian Marriage – 17 August 2007

This Day – Nigeria: HIV Test – Naca Faults Covenant Varsity – 08 August 2007

AllAfrica – Nigeria: Covenant University’s HIV Test – 02 August 2007