House Raids Continue in Chad

House Raids Continue in Chad

By Meryl White
Impunity Watch Reporter, Western and Central Africa

N’DJAMA, Chad – The government of Chad will continue to search for rebels in the capital, N’Djamena, by using the method of “house to house” searches. Many of the searches have produced child rebels, who after detection, were paraded in front of reporters and journalists.

The rebels who are eighteen have not received any special treatment upon detection. The government has referred to the juvenile rebels as “child mercenaries,” rather than “child soldier.”

The government insists that house to house raids will last until every rebel is found. Moreover, officials announced that any person hiding a rebel in their home will be treated like a rebel themselves.

Chad’s former colonial power, France, has helped in the transport of materials and weapons to Chad’s army. France has acted in accordance with a military co-operation agreement between the two nations.

French military spokesman, Cmdr. Christophe Prazuck, stated that French forces opened fire “about 10 times” during the violence, but only in self-defense. Also, there was no fire from French airpower.

Presently, the government is trying to determine the location of three key opposition leaders who are in hiding.  A spokesman for Mr Choua’s Assembly for Democracy and Progress, reported to AFP news agency that the leaders were “kidnapped by about 15 soldiers from the presidential guard.”

France and Amnesty International, a human rights advocacy organization, have expressed their concern over the whereabouts of the three missing opposition leaders. Former President Lol Mahamat Choua, is one of the opposition leaders who had disappeared while rebels were attacking the city. The other two are opposition alliance spokesman Ibni Oumar Mahamat Saleh and veteran Ngarlejy Yorongar.

Presently, there is major concern for victims of the violence, as many are fearful to return to their homes in N’Djama. “We are afraid to go back,” 20-year-old N’djamena resident Patrice Djerane who is hiding out near the dusty border town of Kousseri. “We’ll go back when peace comes. Until then, we’ll wait.”

For more information, please see:

BBC- Chad Vows Raid To Seek Rebels   – 14 February 2008

All Africa – Chad: Refugees From N’djamena Still Fearful of Returning – 14 February 2008

AP – Official- France Helps Chad  – 14 February 2008

BRIEF: Congo Trial at ICC Delayed

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – Congolese militia leader Thomas Lubanga’s trial before the world’s first permanent war crimes court is likely to be delayed for more than two months in order to give defense attorneys more time to prepare.  Judges had been aiming to start the trial on March 31, however it is looking like a start date in June is more likely.  Two problems have contributed to the delay: disclosure of evidence to the defense and the involvement of victims in the trial.

Lubanga is charged with conscripting and using child soldiers to fight in the Congo conflict in 2002-2003.  Lubanga’s lawyer, Catherine Mabille, has said she has only received a fraction of the evidence she needs to prepare a defense.  Deputy prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said she plans to call 35 witnesses and has given the defense attorneys details of many of them. 

The trial of Lubanga will be the first appearance at an international war crimes court tribunal of victims as a third party in the proceedings.  The appeals chamber is still considering how many victims will be allowed to participate and the limitations of their role in the trial.

For more information, please see:

AP – Congo War Crimes Trial Likely Delayed – 13 February 2008

Reuters – First trial at permanent war crimes court delayed – 14 February 2008

Relief Web – Trial of DR Congo militia leader to be postponed to early June – 13 February 2008

Iraq: Two CBS Reporters Kidnapped in Basra

By Vivek Thiagarajan
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Middle East

BASRA, Iraq- A reporter and his translator were kidnapped at gunpoint in the Qasr al- Sultan Palace Hotel Sunday morning in Basra.  Two SUVs took the men to an unknown place. The men worked for the American television broadcasting channel, CBS.  CBS issued a statement that “[a]ll efforts are under way to find them” and for safety and privacy reasons CBS requested that no one would “speculate on the identity of those involved.” (New York Times)

However, a police source told an independent Iraqi news agency, Voices of Iraq, that the man kidnapped is Richard Butler. The British reporter is a free lance photographer who followed stories throughout the Middle East and Africa, according to his personal website.  He was one of the few photojournalists that covered the Baath party’s fall in early 2003.

The executive director of Committee to Protect Journalists, Joel Simon, expressed his concern for the journalist.  “We are deeply concerned for the safety of our colleagues, and hope they are located swiftly and able to resume their important work covering this critical story.”

“Iraq is the most dangerous country in the world for journalists and the deadliest conflict for the press in recent history. Journalists face incalculable risks in order to bring us the news about what is happening on the ground there.” (AFP- Two CBS journalists missing in Iraq)

The protection of the press is very important.  The media’s presence can prevent some atrocities from possibly happening, because of the media’s immediate accountability.  Thus, it is essential for these men to be returned safely to their families in order to ensure that they and other reporters can safely continue their missions to prevent future unnecessary tragedies from happening.

For more information, please see:

ADNkronos International- Iraq:British Photographer kidnapped in Basra- 11 February 2008

AFP- Iraq launches hunt for kidnapped journalists- 12 February 2008

AFP- Two CBS journalists missing in Iraq- 12 February 2008

Aswat Aliraq (Voices of Iraq)-  British journalist, interpreter kidnapped in Basra-12 February 2008

Guardian Unlimited- British reporter kidnapped in Basra- 12 February 2008

Los Angeles Times- CBS News journalist, Iraqi translator abducted in Basra- 12 February 2008

New York Times- CBS Reports 2 Journalists Missing in Iraq- 12 February 2008

Egypt Court Allows Converts to Return to Christianity

By Kevin Kim
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt – Egypt’s highest civil court ruled on Saturday that 12 Coptic Christians who had converted to Islam could reconvert to Christianity. The decision was a happy ending to a bitter yearlong battle over the Egyptian government’s policy of discrimination against religious converts. Rights groups such as Human Rights Watch and the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), however, believe the government should take further steps to cement religious freedom in Egypt.

The court overturned an April 2007 lower court decision that forbade the 12 Muslims from returning to Christianity because leaving Islam is considered apostasy in the predominantly Muslim state. Although there is no Egyptian law against converting from Islam to Christianity, conservative sentiment in recent years has led the government to forbid converts to return to Christianity. Interestingly, lower courts have ruled in favor of conversions in the past, but Saturday’s ruling was the first in a high court.

With its decision, the Coptic Christians are going to receive their ID cards – which all adults are required to carry in Egypt – properly identifying them as Christians. However, the court left the group vulnerable to discrimination by mandating their former religion be noted on official documents. Human Rights Watch and the EIPR warned the government that any such public reference could subject converts to social stigma and discrimination.

Also, Saturday’s ruling may not have widespread effect many are hoping for. Judge Mohammed el-Husseini said that the 12 should not be considered apostates since they were born Christian. Many interpret this ruling as the court’s attempt to limit its ruling on those converts who were born Christian and not lifelong Muslims. Therefore, the ruling will not necessarily bring change for other Muslims who wish to convert.

Still, Mamdouh Nakhlah, a lawyer who represented the 12, described the ruling as “victory for human rights and freedom of religion in Egypt.” “This will open the door for many others to return to Christianity,” he said.

Coptic Christians represent up to 10 percent of Egypt’s 76 million population. They are known to convert to bypass the strict rules of their church, which bans divorce or to marry a Muslim woman. Without the official ID cards, they cannot apply for jobs, buy property, open bank accounts or register their children in schools.

For more information, please see:

The New York Times – Egyptian court allows return to Christianity – 11 February 2008

Compass Direct News – Converts win case but may face discrimination – 11 February 2008

Human Rights Watch – “Re-Conversion” decision is a welcome step – 11 February 2008

AFP – Egypt allows converts to revert to Christianity on ID – 9 February 2008

Associated Press – Egypt court upholds Christian conversion – 9 February 2008

BRIEF: Malaysian Parliament Dissolved to Call Early Elections

PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia – Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi dissolved the country’s Parliament to instigate early elections.  According to Malaysian law, elections must be held within 60 days of parliament being dissolved.  However, it is typical that the election commission calls for an election long before the 60 day deadline.

The move for early elections has sparked criticism from Anwar Ibrahim.  Anwar Ibraham, former deputy primer and member of the Democratic Action Party, notes that the timing of the early election precludes him from taking part.  He is unable to stand for office until March under an ban imposed when he was jailed in 1998.

Experts foresee that the elections will be quite controversial because of the recent ethnic tensions between Indians and the Malay majority, rising food prices, and allegations of corruption in judiciary.

For more information, please see:

International Herald Tribune – Malaysia to Hold Early General Elections Amid Anger over Prices, Ethnic Tensions – 13 February 2008