Culture of Impunity in Nepal Criticized as Elections Begin

Culture of Impunity in Nepal Criticized as Elections Begin

By Kristy Tridhavee
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Asia

KATHMUNDU, Nepal – UN Commissioner for Human Rights Loise Arbour criticized the culture of impunity in Nepal after the country failed to prosecute killers of a 15-year Nepalese national, Maina Sunuwar. In 2004, Maina Sunuwar was killed after being tortured and raped under army custody.

Government officials said that the army took disciplinary action against the responsible officers through a court marital and brief imprisonment. However, human rights officers have criticized the punishment as insufficient and demanded a civilian trial.

Arbour commented, “[The Maina case] presents a significant opportunity for the government of Nepal to send a signal that the culture of impunity is ending. The successful prosecution of those responsible for her murder will strengthen the rule of law and uphold victims’ rights to a remedy.”

The culture of impunity in Nepal can detrimentally affect the stability of the country. The country has undergone a decade long conflict between the government and Maoists in the region. Arbour added, “Lack of accountability in this and numerous other cases is helping to perpetuate a culture of impunity in Nepal. And there is a danger this could become a barrier to achieving lasting peace.”

The government and Maoists rebels have set April 20th for the national assembly. The assembly is expected to prepare a new constitution and formally end the 240 year old monarchy. The April vote is central to the peace agreement with Maoists because it would admit the former rebels as part of the political mainstream.

However, three ethnic groups from the southern plains of Nepal have threatened to boycott the April vote unless the region is given autonomy. Nearly 26 million Madheshis, almost half of the nation, live in the region. The Madheshis want to become a largely autonomous state and want more power in the central government.

For more information, please see:

Reuters India –Ethnic Groups Threaten to Boycott Nepal Polls – 18 February 2008

The Times of India – End Culture of Impunity in Nepal: UN – 17 February 2008

United Press International – Nepalese Impunity Could Affect Security – 18 February 2008

Georgia Opposition Party Pledges Hunger Strike

Speaking to 10,000 of his fellow protesters of the Georgian Opposition party, Levan Gachechiladze, vowed to engage in a hunger strike, if the governing party does not comply with more of his party’s demands.

The disgruntlement of Gachechiladze’s party with the government arose from the presidential elections on January 5, 2008.  The presidential incumbent, Mikheil Saakashvili, was reelected amidst allegations of possible voting irregularities.  The results indicated that Saakashvili won 53.47% of the vote.  However, the opposition contested whether Saakashvili actually won the majority vote, but instead believed that Saakashvili should have only won a plurality.  Because if Saakashvili had only won a plurality, then he would have had a runoff election with the second place contestant, which was Levan Gachechiladze.

Thus, the opposition has fiercely contested the results and promised their supporters that they will not stop their movement until the government complies with many of their 17 demands.  Initially, the opposition reported that the government would comply with 15 of the 17 demands.

However, the official response from the governing party has shocked the opposition. “‘Even those who are less radical within the opposition [coalition] were shocked by this response,’ Kakha Kukava, Conservative Party MP, Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB). ‘This response means that we have received a No to 16 of our 17 demands and on one demand – concerning how majoritarian MPs are elected – there is only a tentative readiness from them to compromise. This document is cynical.’” (Civil Georgia- ‘We are Shocked by Ruling Party Response’ – Opposition Leader)

The opposition stated that they may begin a hunger strike and turn would Georgia into a place of tents.

For more information, please see:

AFP- 10,000 protest against Georgia government- 15 February 2008

Civil Georgia- Opposition Sets Ultimatum, Warns of ‘Town of Tents’- 15 February 2008

Civil Georgia- Chart: Opposition Demands/Ruling Party’s Response- 16 February 2008

Civil Georgia- New Rights Call for Opposition Unity to ‘Defeat Authorities’- 15 February 2008

Civil Georgia- Opposition Rejects Ruling Party’s Response, Calls for Protests- 14 February 2008

Civil Georgia- ‘We are Shocked by Ruling Party Response’ – Opposition Leader-14 February 2008

BRIEF: Kenya Rejects US Pressure to Share Power

NAIROBI, Kenya – US President George Bush began his six-day five-nation tour of Africa with a warning to Kenya’s Government that it needed to agree to a power-sharing arrangement.  US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice is due to visit Nairoibi on Monday to join Kofi Annan in meetings with Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga. 

On Sunday, the Kenyan government responded that they were not going to bow to pressure.  “We encourage our friends to support, to encourage us, but not to make any mistakes by putting a gun to anybody’s head and say ‘either or’ because that cannot work,” said Foreign Minister Moses Wetangula. 

Kibaki has repeatedly denied any offer for power-sharing, saying it is willing to include opposition members in the government, but only under strong executive leadership of the president.  Negotiations are scheduled to resume Monday with separate meetings with Kibaki and Odinga before a new round of talks on Tuesday. 

More than 1,000 people have died and 300,000 were forced from their homes in the violence that erupted following the December 27 reelection of Kibaki. 

For more information, please see:

AFP – Kenya rejects US pressure over power-sharing deal – 17 February 2008

Reuters – Minister says outside threats won’t end Kenya crisis – 17 February 2008

Washington Post – Bush, in Africa, Issues Warning to Kenya – 17 February 2008

Update on Charles Taylor Trial

By Elizabeth Costner
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Africa

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – The trial against Charles Taylor, the former president of Liberia, continued this week with testimony from a Gambian who served in Taylor’s Special Security Service (SSS).  The Prosecution continued their examination of Suwandi Camara, who testified regarding Taylor’s presence in Libya in the early 1990s, his use of child soldiers, his forces in Liberia, and his ties to the rebel group Revolutionary United Front (RUF).   

Camara testified that he saw Taylor in Libya twice and detailed his various assignments at that time.  He also testified that while an instructor at Cobra Base, which was used to train soldiers about guns and to give them advanced commando training, he saw many thirteen year old boys being trained.  He testified that the Small Boy Units (SBU) would often have 230-240 soldiers and that some of the soldiers could be as young as nine or ten. 

The cross-examination of Camara challenged the majority of what he had stated, arguing that Camara had not personally seen or heard the evidence he testified to.  Camara responded that 75% of his testimony was what he saw or heard himself.   Camara had also given several interviews to the prosecution, which resulted in statements and clarifications as well as interview notes written by the investigators.  The cross-examination focused heavily on inconsistencies between those written documents and the testimony given in court. 

After a brief redirect Court was adjourned until next week, when Crimebase Witness TF1-026 will take the stand in open court, but with a pseudonym and screen.

For more information, please see:

AllAfrica.com – Prosecution Witness Testifies Concerning Taylor’s Presence in Libya – 11 February 2008

AllAfrica.com – Prosecution Witness Camara Continues Testimony – 12 February 2008

AllAfrica.com – Cross-Examination of Suwandi Camara Continues – 13 February 2008

AllAfrica.com – Cross-Examination of Camara Concludes; Defense Counsel Accuses Witness of Lying – 15 February 2008

Update on Charles Taylor Trial

By Elizabeth Costner
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Africa

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – The trial against Charles Taylor, the former president of Liberia, continued this week with testimony from a Gambian who served in Taylor’s Special Security Service (SSS).  The Prosecution continued their examination of Suwandi Camara, who testified regarding Taylor’s presence in Libya in the early 1990s, his use of child soldiers, his forces in Liberia, and his ties to the rebel group Revolutionary United Front (RUF).   

Camara testified that he saw Taylor in Libya twice and detailed his various assignments at that time.  He also testified that while an instructor at Cobra Base, which was used to train soldiers about guns and to give them advanced commando training, he saw many thirteen year old boys being trained.  He testified that the Small Boy Units (SBU) would often have 230-240 soldiers and that some of the soldiers could be as young as nine or ten. 

The cross-examination of Camara challenged the majority of what he had stated, arguing that Camara had not personally seen or heard the evidence he testified to.  Camara responded that 75% of his testimony was what he saw or heard himself.   Camara had also given several interviews to the prosecution, which resulted in statements and clarifications as well as interview notes written by the investigators.  The cross-examination focused heavily on inconsistencies between those written documents and the testimony given in court. 

After a brief redirect Court was adjourned until next week, when Crimebase Witness TF1-026 will take the stand in open court, but with a pseudonym and screen.

For more information, please see:

AllAfrica.com – Prosecution Witness Testifies Concerning Taylor’s Presence in Libya – 11 February 2008

AllAfrica.com – Prosecution Witness Camara Continues Testimony – 12 February 2008

AllAfrica.com – Cross-Examination of Suwandi Camara Continues – 13 February 2008

AllAfrica.com – Cross-Examination of Camara Concludes; Defense Counsel Accuses Witness of Lying – 15 February 2008