Gunned Down Journalist

Gunned Down Journalist

By Myriam Clerge
Impunity Watch Reporter, Eastern and Southern Africa

MOGADISHU, Somalia – On Friday, Bashir Nor Gedi, the manager of the independent radio station, Radio Shabelle, was killed in front of his home. According to witnesses, four unknown men shot him three times in the head and chest. Bashir was returning home after being holed up in the radio station for nearly a week because of threats.

Somali reporters routinely face harassment and threats of death or imprisonment from both the government and insurgents. Bashir’s death marks the eighth journalist killed this year in Somalia. Many journalists, some of whom are Bashir’s colleagues, have left the country as the situation rapidly gets more dangerous.

Radio Shabelle had previously criticized the transitional government and the Islamist insurgents. Also this same month, government troops fired shots at the station and detained 18 employees for questioning. The station recently returned on the air in October 3rd after being forced to shut down for fifteen days.

Radio Shabelle was one of three independent broadcasters; HornAfrik and IQK Koranic radio were shut down in January and June. On the same day Bashir was killed, government troops stormed the building of Radio Garowe in Puntland, northeastern Somalia. Three of its journalist were also arrested, Director Abdi Farah Jama Mire; Editor Isse Abdullahi Mohammed; and Producer Mohammed Dahir Yusuf. The three men were later released.

For more information, please see:

AllAfrica.com- Somalia: Radio Garowe Closed, Three of its Journalist Arrested – 20 October 2007

Committee to Protect Journalist- Somalia: Radio Shabelle Manager Assassinated – 19 October 2007

Reuters: Africa- Somali Journalist gunned Down in Mogadishu – 19 October 2007

BBC- Critical Somali Radio Boss Killed – 21 October 2007

Renewed fighting in Gaza

By Laura Zuber
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

GAZA CITY and RAFAH, Gaza – Tensions between Hamas’s police forces and Gaza residents resulted in several deaths in the worst outbreak of in-fighting in Gaza since June.  There are two separate internal conflicts developing inside Gaza.  First, fighting between Hamas and the Heles clan broke out on October 17, when Hamas’s security forces tried to arrest members of the Heles clan in Gaza City.  The large Heles clan is affiliated with the Fatah party.  Fighting between the two groups resulted in four deaths, two from Hamas and two were clan members, and at least 20 injuries.  The fighting involved rocket-propelled grenades and heavy machine guns.

Later, on October 20, violence between the two groups broke out again when members of the Heles clan fired on a car carrying members of Hamas.  Witnesses state that Hamas snipers took to the rooftops while clan members blockaded the streets with rocks and sand.  The fighting resulted in two deaths; Mohammed Susi, a 13-year old boy, and a man who was a member of the Heles family.  Tensions between the two groups remain high after Hamas demanded that the clan hand over a “wanted gunman”.

Second, fighting broke out in Rafah, between Hamas and Islamic Jihad.  On October 20, fighting between the two groups resulted in the death of a 51-year old woman and 15 people injured.  According to Hamas, a member of the Islamic Jihad was killed on October 21, when members of the Islamic Jihad attempted to kidnap a member of Hamas.  The attempt was foiled and 15 members of the Islamic Jihad were seized.

However, later on October 21, the two groups agreed to a renewed cease-fire.  In a joint statement, the members of the groups agreed to return abductees and to withdraw their gunmen from the streets.  The deal was brokered by the Popular Resistance Committees, who will also observe the withdrawal.

For more information, please see:

BBC – Man killed in Palestinian clashes – 22 October 2007

International Middle East Media Center – New Hamas-Islamic Jihad ceasefire announced after one Palestinian is killed in Rafah – 22 October 2007

AFP – Three Palestinians killed in factional clashes in Gaza – 21 October 2007

Associated Press – Hamas police battle Fatah clan; 2 killed – 21 October 2007

BBC – Three die in heavy Gaza fighting – 21 October 2007

Reuters – One Palestinian killed in internal Gaza fighting – 21 October 2007

International Herald Tribune – Palestinian woman killed in clashes between Hamas and Islamic Jihad – 20 October 2007

International Herald Tribune – Young man, teenage boy killed in battle between Hamas police, Fatah clan – 20 October 2007

New York Times – 2 killed in Gaza fighting between clan and Hamas – 20 October 2007

BBC – Four die as Gaza factions clash – 18 October 2007

International Herald Tribune – Four killed in fighting between Hamas and Gaza clan – 17 October 2007

BRIEF: DR Congo Demands Disarmament of Mai Mai

GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo – The DR Congo’s army has given the pro-government Mai Mai militia 48 hours to disarm or face military action. The Mai Mai are currently involved in fighting in eastern Congo.  Both the army and the Mai Mai have been fighting on separate fronts against rebel leader Laurent Nkunda.  Recent clashes between rebels and the Mai Mai have forced thousands of civilians from their homes.

Congolese President Joseph Kabila, who has ruled out negotiations with Nkunda, recently visited Goma and gave the army the “green light” to begin forcibly disarming Nkunda’s fighters if they continue to refuse to integrate into the army. The army has said they have killed 100 rebels in five days of fighting. Nkunda recently called for a cease-fire to avoid civilian casualties.

For more information, please see:

BBC News – DR Congo tells Mai Mai to disarm – 21 October 2007

Reuters – Congo army warns militia to disarm, thousands flee – 21 October 2007

AP – Congo Fighting Displaces More Civilians – 20 October 2007

AFP – Thousands flee fresh violence in eastern DR Congo – 20 October 2007

Two Tunisian Opposition Leaders Raise Human Rights Concern

By Kevin Kim
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

TUNIS, Tunisia – Tunisia’s poor human rights situation has raised concern amongst some leaders in Europe. Two critics of the Tunisian government held a month-long hunger strike seeking to obtain more freedom of expression, and a European parliamentarian who met the critics said on Saturday called the situation of human rights in Tunisia is “worrying” and “unbearable.” (Reuters)

Maya Jribi and Ahmed Nejib Chabi are members of the Progressive Democratic Party – one of only nine opposition groups not banned in Tunisia. Jribi and Chabi began the hunger strike on September 20 protesting a court order that compelled them to vacate their political party’s office. A court allowed their landlord to obtain an eviction against the Jribi and Chabi, because the landlord complained that using the office space for political purposes violated the original lease. The two protested that the ruling violated the freedom of expression and thus have refused to eat solid food for a month.

Jribi believes the government triggered the landlord’s action against her, because she leads an opposition party. In contrast, an official source close to the government called their hunger protest an “irresponsible behavior” stating that the political dispute had nothing to do with a civil and real estate case between a landlord and a tenant.

Tunisia is north Africa’s most stable and prosperous country, but the government has been accused of tolerating little dissent and harassing those who are critical of the government. The government has also been criticized of stifling free speech by tightly controlling media and beating or jailing opponents. Human rights advocates criticize that Tunisia can get away with more impunity than other authoritarian governments in the area, because Tunisia’s Western allies are distracted by its sound economic performance and successful containment of radical Islamist activism.

Helene Flautre, head of the European Parliament’s human rights sub-committee, sent a letter earlier in the week to Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali asking him to suspend the eviction order and demanding “respect of fundamental rights.” Jribi and Chabi ended the strike shortly after obtaining an agreement with the landlord that they could return to the offices.

For more information, please see:

Reuters – Tunisia’s rights situation worries EU, deputy says – 20 October 2007

BBC News – Contry profile: Tunisia – 9 October 2007

AllAfrica.com – TMG condemns attempts by authorities to silence dissenting voices – 3 October 2007

Maghreb – Two Tunisian opposition figures start an open hunger strike – 25 September 2007

UN Food-Aid Agency Official Detained in Somalia

By Elizabeth Costner
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Africa

MOGADISHU, SOMALIA – The Somalia government is currently holding the head of the UN World Food Programme (WFP), Mr. Idris Osman. Somalia’s government says Osman is being investigated for selling emergency food aid on Mogadishu markets and giving the profits to Islamic terrorist outfits.  Senior Presidential Advisor Adirizak Adam Hassan told VOA news that the allegations against Osman are: “[s]elling food in the market that was destined for the Somali destitute population and siphoning that money to his terror connections so that they can keep on fighting in Somalia.”

According to the WFP, dozens of uniformed and armed members of Somalia’s National Security Service (NSS) stormed the Organization’s compound on Wednesday, seized Osman, and took him to a cell at NSS headquarters, where he remains captive.  The WFP states they have yet to receive an official explanation for why Mr. Osman is being detained.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon strongly condemned the incursion and detention of Mr. Osman and called for his “immediate and unconditional release,” noting that the Somali government’s actions are in violation of international agreements.

On Monday, WFP had resumed food distributions following a three-month suspension due to insecurity.  Following Mr. Osman’s arrest, WFP distributions are again suspended, leaving Somalis struggling with rising food prices and growing hunger.  According to WFP, more than 15 percent of all Somali children suffer acute malnutrition.

UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia told reporters that humanitarian workers in Somalia are impeded in their efforts to deliver aid and operate in a “climate of suspicion.” The upswing in violence among the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and other parties has resulted in suspicion from all sides towards the humanitarian community.

For more information, please see:

International Herald Tribune – Somalia confirms detention of UN food-aid agency staffer – 19 October 2007

AP – Somalia Detains UN Food Agency Staffer – 19 October 2007

AFP – WFP, Somalia government in standoff over detained UN Staffer – 19 October 2007

AllAfrica.com – Somalia – Aid Delivery Impeded by ‘Suspicion’ From Government, Other Parties – 19 October 2007

VOA News – Somalia Alleges Detained UN Aid Worker Has Terror Ties – 19 October 2007