Update on the Attack in Cameroon

Update on the Attack in Cameroon

By Meryl White
Impunity Watch Reporter, Western and Central Africa

BAKASSI, Cameroon – Nigerian and Cameroonian officials are meeting in Abuja to determine who killed 21 Cameroonian soldiers in the Tuesday attack in the Bakassi peninsula. Presently, both the Nigerian Army and Nigerian militant groups from the Niger Delta are denying their involvement. Witnesses claim that the attackers were dressed in Nigerian Army uniforms.

Nigerian Army spokesman, Col Amu told the BBC’s Network Africa programme: “We are all abiding by the decisions of the court; we withdrew our troops in compliance with that decision and ever since the relationship between the two countries have been at an all time high.”

Simultaneously, a Nigerian armed group has blown up and ruptured a major oil pipeline in the Niger Delta. This has impacted two main crude oil export terminals. The bomb resulted in the spillage in a large volume of oil in the Forcados site.

The Nigerian government speculates that the attack could have been conducted by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), the militant group that was thought to be responsible for earlier attacks on an Exxon Mobil oil terminal. The Exxon Mobile attack follows the five-month ceasefire against workers of the oil industry. The ceasefire was an attempt for armed groups in the area to abandon their weapons and seek discussion with the Nigerian government.

For more information, please see:

Impunity Watch – 20 Cameroonian soldiers attacked in Bakassi Peninsula – 13 November 2007

BBC – Delta Militants Deny Bakassi Raid – 15 November 2007

BBC – Nigeria and Cameroon Probe Attack  – 14 November 2007

Hamas cracks down following Fatah rally

By Laura Zuber
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

GAZA CITY, Gaza – Hamas policemen in Gaza, arrested dozens of Fatah members following an outbreak of violence during a rally organized by Fatah.  Over 200,000 Palestinians participated in the rally, the largest show of public support for Fatah since the Hamas take over in June.  The rally ended in violence, when Hamas policemen opened fire and killed at least 6 people, all civilians.  Hamas claims that Fatah gunmen fired on members of Hamas’ Executive Force and the police were just returning fire.  However, in an unusually critical statement by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), the organization reported that members of Hamas provoked the violence by driving their car into groups of demonstrators.  This action caused the demonstrators to throw stones at the police and to shout “Shia, Shia”, a derogatory reference to Hamas’ support from Iran.

Even, the Islamic Jihad criticized the excessive use of force.  Nafez Azzam, leader of the Islamic Jihad, stated that “despite all the political differences, it is forbidden and taboo to open fire randomly on a mass popular demonstration.

Fatah and most news sources report that over 400 Fatah loyalists were arrested later on Monday.  However, Hamas reports that 50 individuals were detained and dozens more asked to come in for questioning.  Hamas’ spokesperson stated that the individuals were not detained for their political affiliation, but rather because they were the one who organized the rally and are “suspected of being responsible for the chaos that took place.”

PCHR also criticized Hamas’ actions following the outbreak of violence at the rally.  For instance, it reported that members of the Hamas’ police force chased and beat rally participants with batons; members of the media were attacked and had their cameras confiscated; and the use of force against a funeral procession later on November 12, injuring three.

In addition to the arrests, Hamas is also enacting harsh restriction on the members of the media, detaining those without an official Hamas-issued press card.  However, in order to acquire a Hamas-issued press card, the news organization must consent to vague bans on which stories may be reported on.  Hamas justified the restrictions by stating that during the violence following the rally, journalists were seen using their cameras not to report the news, but for the benefit of political parties.

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Hamas round up Fatah members – 14 November 2007

Chicago Tribune – Activists for Fatah detained – 14 November 2007

Guardian – Fatah loyalists held by Hamas after rally – 14 November 2007

Independent – Mourning families in Gaza blame Hamasfor deaths at rally – 14 November 2007

International Herald Tribune – Hamas widens crackdown with new press restrictions – 14 November 2007

Associated Press – Hamas cracks down after deadly violence – 13 November 2007

BBC – Fatah members rounded up in Gaza – 13 November 2007

London Times – Hamas carries out mass arrests and puts down Gaza schoolgirl demo – 13 November 2007

New York Times – Hamas arrests Fatah supporters – 13 November 2007

Palestinian Center for Human Rights – PCHR condemns excessive and lethal use of force against civilians in Gaza – 13 November 2007

AFP – Hamas cracks down on Fatah after deadly rally – 12 November 2007

CNN – Fatah: mass arrests follow Gaza violence – 12 November 2007

UPDATE: NZ Suspect Released from Hospital, Taken into Police Custody

by Ryan L. Maness
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

SUVA, Fiji — (For background on this story, please see Impunity Watch’s coverage here ).  Millionaire businessman Ballu Khan was released from the hospital today and was taken into Fiji police to be questioned regarding his alleged involvement in the assassination of Fiji interim Prime Minister Bainimarama.  Khan had been hospitalized for what was ultimately discovered to be a fracture at the base of his skull and a fracture of his left cheek bone.  Some reports also indicate that Khan’s rib was broken.  The Fiji police insist that the injuries were sustained when Khan resisted arrest.

Beyond the physical injuries that Khan sustained, there is concern about his psychological health.  A medical report prepared bya surgeon at Suva’s Colonial War Memorial Hospital, Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete, and the head of Suva’s School of Medical Sciences, Professor Eddie McCaigsaid, “‘The psychological effect of his confinement and assault is evident in his inability to sleep and the fact he hasn’t eaten for four days.”  It went on to say that, “‘We are continually reminded of his ‘verbal assaults’ and ‘not been left alone”’.

Khan’s lawyer, Tevita Fa, says that his client should be returned to the hospital to receive further treatment for his injuries.  According to Fa, Khan, who was admitted to the Colonial War Memorial Hospital two weeks ago, still looks weak.

Relatedly, military and police officers have raided Khan’s home at Udu Point on Vanua Levu.  Military spokesman Mosese Tikoitoga confirmed that the mission did take place, but that he had not yet received word on what may have been found during the course of the raid.

For more information, please see:
Radio New Zealand International — Conspiracy suspect Khan in Fiji police custody after hospital detention — 14 November 2007

Fiji Times — Khan suffered skull, cheekbone injuries — 14 November 2007

Radio New Zealand International — Lawyer concerned for the health of New Zealander in police custody — 14 November 2007

Fiji Times — Army raid Khan’s Waisavu home –14 November 2007

New Zealand Herald — Fijian Kiwi has fractured skull, cheekbone doctor says — 14 November 2007

Fiji Times — Khan discharged from hospital — 14 November 2007

Corruption in Sierra Leone

By Elizabeth Costner
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Africa

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone – A confidential presidential audit commissioned by newly elected President Ernest Bai Koroma was released today by the BBC.  The report details “grave inadequacies” in areas such as health care, tax collection and the security services and acknowledges that corruption is the “greatest impediment to the country’s development.” 

President Koroma has made dealing with corruption a priority, and has said that Sierra Leoneans may now take and judge him at his word.   Koroma will be formally inaugurated on Thursday, although he has been in office since September.  Koroma has already taken several steps to addressing the corruption issues in the country, and response has so far been positive.  However, Koroma still has much work to do. 

Human Rights Watch issued a letter today to Koroma advising him to urgently address pressing human rights concerns, particularly the “striking deficiencies in the judicial system and ongoing corruption.” 

Africa director Peter Takirambuddle said “The people of Sierra Leone have long suffered from a vicious cycle of corruption, economic decline, violence and immunity…President Koroma must articulate and implement a bold vision for improving Sierra Leone’s chronic human rights problems.  There is no time to waste.”

Among the issues that Human Rights Watch asked Koroma to address are deficiencies in the national judicial system, prison conditions, abusive police conduct, and widespread corruption. They have also called on Koroma to abolish the death penalty.

Sierra Leone is one of the poorest countries in Africa and is slowly recovering from a decade of brutal civil war that ended in 2001.  The war began in 1991 when rebels crossed into the country from Liberia and took control of the diamond fields.  After years of widespread human rights violations and atrocities, the rebels were eventually defeated by a United Nations peacekeeping force and a separate intervention by the British army.  Sierra Leone has since created a hybrid international court with the UN in order to try those most responsible for violations during the war. 

For more information, please see:

BBC News – S Leone ‘riddled with corruption’ – 14 November 2007

VOA News – Sierra Leone’s President Says Fighting Corruption is Priority – 14 November 2007

Human Rights Watch – Sierra Leone: New Leader Must Combat Injustice, Corruption – 14 November 2007

For more information on Sierra Leone, please see the following Impunity Watch reports: BRIEF: Special Court for Sierra Leone in Danger of Bankruptcy; Former CDF Leaders Sentenced in Sierra Leone; Sierra Leone Court’s Recent Verdicts Against Former CDF Leaders; Sentencing of Three Former Leaders of Sierra Leone’s Armed Forces Revolutionary Council; Forced Marriage a War Crime?

Georgia: TV company’s broadcast license suspended

By Vivek Thiagarajan
Senior Desk Officer Impunity Watch, Middle East

TBILSI, Georgia-  The city court has a suspended a local TV company’s broadcast license. The court stated that the company’s coverage of unrest in the city of Tsibili on November 7, 2007 was driven by the company’s desire to overthrow the government.

The television station, Imedi, decided to air a statement of Badri Patarkatsishvili, a co-owner of the station.  The court ruled that the statement included calls for the people of Georgia to overthrow the government inciting possible violence.

Insiders involved with News Corp., the Robert Murdoch group that controls Imedi TV, have called the allegations that Imedi TV is possibly involved in a coup of the government “ridiculous.”  (Civil Georgia)  Imedi TV has pledged to appeal ruling to higher courts to overturn the city court’s ruling.

Georgia is currently involved in a state of emergency following the riots that began November 2.  The protesters had four demands for the government  “(1) conduct parliamentary elections in spring 2008, instead of late 2008; (2) create new election administrations with representatives from political parties; (3) change the current majoritarian election system – a first-past-the-post, winner takes all system; and (4) release political prisoners and prisoners of conscience.”  (Transparency International)

On November 7, the crowd was dispersed by riot police with tear gas.  More than 500 people had to seek medical attention from injuries sustained through the tear gas.

The Georgian government has treated the protest as an attempted coup.  Thus it has placed the country in a state of an emergency for the last week.  The government has reported that it will lift the state of emergency Friday, November 15.

Although the situation seems to be calming down, the fact that the government has shut down the main opposition news network is disconcerting, because the news agency is a necessary check for the government.

For more information, please see:

Civil Georgia Online Magazine- Court Suspends Imedi’s TV Broadcast License-14 November 2007

Radio Free Europe- Criticism Mounting Over Georgia’s State Of Emergency- 8 November 2007

Russia Today- Tbilisi court suspends opposition TV license- 15 November 2007

Today’s Zaman- Georgia to lift emergency, TV stays off the air- 15 November 2007

Transparency International- Transparency International Georgia Comments on Events of November 7, 2007 in Tbilisi- 8 November 2007