BRIEF: Gaza Power Plant Shuts Down

BRIEF: Gaza Power Plant Shuts Down

GAZA CITY, Gaza – Gaza’s main power plant began shutting down early January 20.  One of the plant’s two turbines shut down and, according to the Palestinian Energy Authority, the plant will be completely closed within 24 hours.  Gazans prepare by buying batteries, candles, and basic food staples such as rice.  The Energy Authority stated that over one million Gazans will be affected by this closure, which includes hospitals, sewage treatment plants, and water facilities.  United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) spokesman Christopher Gunness said that “the logic of this defies basic humanitarian standards.”

Plant director, Rafik Maliha, said that the regular fuel delivery had not arrived, as a result of the border closure, and the plant had no reserves.  On January 18, Israel closed its border crossings into Gaza, including the Nahal Oz fuel terminal, in response to an increase in Qassam rocket attacks coming from Gaza.  The border closing also affected the delivery of UN humanitarian aid, with only aid approved by Defense Minister Ehud Barak allowed through.

Israeli officials place the responsibility of the closing and any humanitarian crisis that results on Hamas and militant groups.  Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Arye Mekel said “if they stop the rockets today, everything would go back to normal.”  Also, Israeli Defense Ministry spokesman Shlomo Dror stated that the fuel shortage is not creating a crisis in Gaza, but rather accused Palestinians officials as trying to create the impression of crisis.

The UN and the international community criticize Israel’s use of fuel sanctions and border closings as collective punishment.  John Holmes, UN undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs, stated “we all understand the security problems and the need to respond to that but collective punishment of the people of Gaza is not, we believe, the appropriate way to do that.”  Holmes is worried that the violence in Gaza could cause an even more serious humanitarian situation than already exists.

The UN also condemned Israel’s air strike on January 18, which targeted Gaza’s Interior Ministry office.  While the office was vacant, there was a wedding celebration nearby and 50 attendees were injured and one woman was killed.

For more information, please see:
Al Jazeera – Gazans Facing Power Shutdown – 20 January 2008

BBC – Gaza Fuel Shortage Begins to Bite – 20 January 2008

Jerusalem Post – ‘Gaza Power Plant to Shut Down’ – 20 January 2008

Washington Post – Gaza Power Plant Begins Shutting Down – 20 January 2008

BRIEF: Human Rights Organizations Call for Inquiry in India’s West Bengal

NANDIGRAM, West Bengal, India- Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, are calling on the West Bengal government to conduct an inquiry into the violence that has been ocurring in Nandigram over the past year due to land disputes.

Their reports state that the government has failed to provide adequate protection to the people, thus allowing human rights abuses to occur including unlawful killings, abductions, sexual assault, forced evictions, and the displacement of many.  It is believed that the violence was carried out by supporters of the Communist Party of India-Marxist; because of the alleged government involvement, the reports stress the importance of an independent inquiry.

For more information, please see:

Human Rights Watch – India: Urgent Inquiry Needed into Nandigram Violence – 15 January 2008

Amnesty International – India: Urgent need to address large scale human rights abuses during Nandigram “recapture” – 15 January 2008

Jehovah’s Witnesses Face Discrimination in Armenia

By Kevin Kim
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

YEREVAN, Armenia – Many Jehovah’s Witnesses in Armenia face discrimination and imprisonment because of their beliefs. While young men in the religious organization are jailed because their faith prohibits them from serving in the army, other members have been attacked allegedly by supporters of the country’s dominant religion.

There are approximately 9,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses in Armenia. The religious organization gained prominence following their registration in the former Soviet state in 2004, but its pacifist beliefs have brought it into conflict with the Armenian government whose armies are still based on conscription.

Over the years, the number of male Jehovah’s Witnesses imprisoned for refusing to join military service has grown larger and the duration of their imprisonment longer. As of September 2007, there were 82 imprisoned. And because there is no genuinely civilian alternative service in Armenia at present, rights group such as Amnesty International considers them “prisoners of conscience” who must be immediately released with compensation.

Furthermore, other members of Jehovah’s Witness have been subjected to increasing number of attacks allegedly by members of the Armenian Apostolic Church, which includes 90 percent of the country’s population. Consequently, attackers of Jehovah’s Witnesses enjoy impunity because the authorities refuse to fully investigate and prosecute, and sometimes outright ignore “the fact that Jehovah’s Witnesses are specifically targeted for attacks.”

The Armenian authorities deny that Jehovah’s Witnesses are specifically targeted. “Armenia does not follow a deliberate religious policy and does not sow enmity or intolerance towards religious minorities,” Hranoush Kharatian, Adviser to the RA Prime Minister on National Minorities and Religious Issues said. And she said, “Law on Alternative Service” functions well in Armenia. Jehovah’s Witnesses simply avoid service.”

For more information, please see:

ArmeniaNow.com – Free to believe?: How far has Armenia come in religious tolerance? – 18 January 2008

Amnesty International – Religious minority faces discrimination in Armenia – 16 January 2008

Armenian Daily – Jehovah’s Witnesses discriminated in Armenia – 16 January 2008

Reuters – Armenia violates Jehovah’s Witnesses’ rights-Amnesty – 15 January 2008

Prosecution Case Continues in Charles Taylor Trial

By Elizabeth Costner
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Africa

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – The second week of the trial against former Liberian president Charles Taylor included testimony by a former member of Taylor’s traveling security squad, a former rebel fighter, an expert in African studies, and a man who worked with former child soldiers.   Taylor is on trial before the Special Court for Sierra Leone for his involvement in the Sierra Leone civil war.  It is alleged that he supported and commanded the RUF rebels in their efforts. 

The defense concluded their cross-examination of Varmuyan Sherif, a former member of Taylor’s traveling security squad.  Courtenay Griffiths, the lead defense counsel, accused the witness of “always hating” the accused and said he had a “personal history” of plotting against Taylor.   Griffiths worked to establish this bias by pointing out that Sherif was formerly a commander of the United Liberation Movement for Democracy in Liberia (ULIMO) which fought against Taylor’s National Patriotic Front for Liberia (NPFL).

Next to testify for the prosecution was Dennis Koker, a fighter for the AFRC rebel group that was aligned with the RUF during the war.   Koker testified that the RUF killed and raped civilians and burned their homes.    Koker also testified as to his involvement in the so-called scorched earth campaign known as “Operation No Living Thing.”   After the rebels were chased out of Freetown in 1998 5,000 AFRC rebels, including Koker, joined the RUF fighters in their retreat to the east.  When they arrived in the town of Koidu in the diamond-rich Kono district they were instructed by their commander to burn everything so that when the government forces arrived they would not be able to stay in Kono.   Koker testified that his commander told them that Operation No Living Thing was an order from high command.  The rebels then took children to do household chores and made women “wives” and were forced to work as sex slaves. 

Dr. Stephen Ellis, and expert in African Studies began his testimony on Thursday.   Dr. Ellis testified about the role and influence of Charles Taylor over the RUF rebels and his connection to the war.   Two examples were discussed: the signing of the Lome Peace Accord and Taylor’s influence and involvement in getting Foday Sankoh to attend the peace conference; and his influence over the RUF abduction of UN peacekeepers and Taylor’s proposal to be the intermediary to negotiate any release.   The cross-examination of Dr. Ellis focused on the history of conflict in Liberia and neighboring West African states and the political influence the United States held.

Last to testify this week was Jose Maria Caballera, known as Father Chema.  Father Chema, originally from Spain and now living in Sierra Leone, testified regarding his involvement with former child soldiers.  In April 1999 he started a program with UNICEF to treat the children.  From April 1999 to March 2002 he treated 3,025 children, at least 62 percent of which were child soldiers.   Father Chema recounted the number of children he saw and helped, the majority of which ranged in age from 12 to 15.  Many of the girls were “camp followers” or “sex slaves” that had been used by the fighters as bush wives.  Father Chema remembered the youngest girl was kidnapped at age 7 or 8 and had been a “bush wife” to a RUF commander until she became pregnant.  Father Chema also detailed a typical history of a child soldier, from abduction to training to anointment, to the killing of their first victim.  Following their training, the children were sent back to their villages to kill their parents and burn the village harvest.   Father Chema’s testimony is scheduled to resume on Monday morning.

For more information, please see:

AFP – Prosecution witness queried at Taylor war crimes trial – 15 January 2008

AFP – Charles Taylor trial witness tells of RUF rebels’ atrocities – 16 January 2008

AllAfrica.com – Dr. Ellis Details the History of Conflict; United States Influence in Politics Described – 18 January 2008

AllAfrica.com – Liberia: Virtual Eyes on Taylor Trial – 18 January 2008

The Trial of Charles Taylor bog – Dr. Ellis Describes the History of Conflict and Political Uprising in Liberia; Father Chema Details his Work with Child Soldiers – 18 January 2008

New Strategy by Kenyan Opposition

By Myriam Clerge
Impunity Watch Reporter, Eastern and Southern Africa

NAIROBI, Kenya – Today marked the third and last day of Raila Odinga’s three-day nationwide protest. It was also the bloodiest day of the protest.  At least 13 protesters died today and more than 30 since the rally began on Wednesday.

The worst violence took place in Nairobi’s Kibera slum, where six people died and more than ten others were wounded by police gunfire. The French charity MSF called today a massacre. Police and protesters played cat and mouse games with automatic weapons as relatives collected bodies in the street. A 15-year-old girl, Rosa Otieno, was shot and killed as she washed utensil, according to her mother.

According to witnesses, police shot and killed two protesters in Mombasa, Kenya’s Indian Ocean port. Officials have only confirmed one death.

In a released statement Human Rights Watch said the police were responsible for the death of dozens of people. An unofficial “shoot to kill” policy allegedly authorizes police to open fire on looters and protesters.

In southwest Kenya, five bodies of the Kikuyu ethnic group were found with arrow and machete wounds. The Narok town has been center of clashes between President Mwai Kibaki’s Kikuyu tribe and Maasai anti-government protesters.

Odinga and his Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) political party organized the nationwide protest after the government refused to entertain mediation by outside powers, like former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. Kibaki insists he won the election, although Odinga, along with several Western nations, believe the election was rigged. About 650 people have died since the disputed December presidential election.

After three days of bloodshed, the Odinga and his party has decided to employ a new strategy. After witnessing today’s bloody clash between ethnic groups and the police’s use of the country as a “killing field”, Odinga says he will continue to pressure the government but in another manner. The ODM announced a plan to begin an economic boycott.

Kenya had the most stable government in East Africa, it’s swift slide into chaos has tarnished its democratic credentials. Kenya also has the biggest economy in East Africa and an economic boycott will only hurt the country and its people.

For more information please see:

BBC – Kenya Protesters to Mount Boycott – 18 January 2008

Yahoo News – At Least 13 Dead in Day of Kenya Protests – 18 January 2008

Reuters: Africa – Kenya Opposition Vows More Pressure – 18 January 2008