BRIEF: Police Turn Away Accusations of Treason Among Top Fiji Officials

BRIEF: Police Turn Away Accusations of Treason Among Top Fiji Officials

SUVA, Fiji – Accusations of treason against top Fiji officials went unreported because, according to a Fiji Police spokeswoman, an investigating officer was unavailable to take down the complaints.

According to police, all allegations of treason will be filed with Police Commissioner Commodore Esala Teleni.

Among the top Fiji officials implicated, however, are Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and Teleni. The allegations came from the ousted Prime Minister, Laisenia Qarase, as well as the former Opposition Leader, Mick Beddoes.

Qarase told Fiji Live, that he was asked to give his statement at the Raiwaqa Police Station, only to be “turned away because an investigating officer was not available.” Meanwhile, the police said that the matter did not warrant investigation.

“We haven’t received any update on that case for now. When we do receive the complaints, it will be forwarded directly to the commissioner’s desk and it will be filed, but as far as investigations are concerned, there will be none,” said police spokeswoman Ema Mua.

Teleni was reportedly out of the country on “unspecified official business.” Mua added that Teleni’s schedule is unpredictable, making his date of return to Fiji uncertain.

For more information, please see:
Pacific Magazine – Police Continue To Hold Off On Processing Treason Complaints – 14 September 2008

Fiji Live – Fiji treason files ‘only for top cop’ – 14 September 2008

Yemen Pardons Final 12 Activists Connected in April Riots

By Nykoel Dinardo
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

SANA’A, Yemen – Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh pardoned the final twelve political activists on Thursday, September 11.  The pardon was given after all twelve had signed agreements stating that they would not return to previous rebellious activities and that they would “abide by the constitution and operative laws in the country in addition to the national constants and not to violate them” according to Almotamar.net the official e-newspaper of the General People’s Congress of Yemen.

Among the activists held was political figure, Hassan Baoum, a member of the Yemen Socialist Party (YSP).  Baoum is currently being tried, with eight other senior YSP officials, by the state of Yemen for activities related with political protests and rioting that took place in Yemen’s Southern provinces earlier this year.  They are charged with incitement and pursuing secessionist aims.  The other seven YSP officials were among those released.  However, it is uncertain whether Baoum remains in Yemeni custody.

The continued detention of Baoum has become a concern of Yemeni human rights organizations.  There are worries that Baoum’s health is in poor condition and that continued detention may endanger his life.  The Yemen Observatory for Human Rights has criticized his detention, stating that he is being detained simply for expressing his opinion, a basic right under the Yemeni constitution.

There were other reports released Thursday stating that Baoum was later released.  AFP reported that Mohammad Al-Mekhlafi, chief of the YSP legal department, stated Thursday night that Baoum’s release was delayed by several hours because he initially refused to sign the agreement required as a condition of his release.

The Yemen Socialist Party was the ruling party in South Yemen before the unification of Yemen in May of 1990.  However, since the unification, there have been continuing unrest and periodic rebellion against the government.  In 1994 there was a secession bit by the South, and since then many Southerners complain of discrimination. 

In April 2008, there was an uprising led by the youth in South Yemen that resulted in several deaths and a strong response by the Yemeni military, including incidents where Southerners were injured or killed when Yemeni military fired rounds into the air and barricaded streets with tanks. 

For more information, please see:

Jordan Times – Yemen Activists Freed But Top Socialist Still Held – 12 September 2008

AFP – Yemen Frees Socialist Activists Jailed Over Unrest – 11 September 2008

Al-motamar.net – Presidential Pardon for Detainees Over Instigating Division and Regionalism – 11 September 2008

Reuters Alertnet – Yemen Pardons Rioters in Deal with Opposition – 11 September 2008

BBC News – Tanks Deployed After Yemen Riots – 1 April 2008

BRIEF: Solomon’s MP Rejects Claims of Withholding Tsunami Funds

GIZO, Solomon Islands – The Solomon Islands’ government has earmarked over two million US dollars for 3,000 tsunami victims still living in tents in Gizo after their homes were ruined in the 2004 tsunami.  Danny Kennedy, a Housing Relocation Committee member in Gizo, says Solomon Islands’ MP, Gordon Darcey Lilo, is withholding those funds.

“Every time the committee makes a decision and the papers are finalised there’s another issue that crops up,” says Mr. Kennedy.

Mr. Lilo rejects Mr. Kennedy’s claims, saying the money has not been released from the government in Honiara.  According to Mr. Lilo, “It’s still sitting in the treasury of Solomon Islands. The two main reasons are that there are some who have received money from NGO’s for housing funding assistance and they have already built their houses yet they also want to have assistance provided by the government. There’re people from other islands, just for the benefit of money made available for building houses, they just came in and put their names in. These are false claims.”

Mr. Lilo has said he hopes the funds will be released soon.

For more information, please see:

Radio New Zealand International – Solomon’s MP rejects claims of withholding tsunami funds – 12 September 2008

Sri Lankan Military Attack on Tamil Tiger Rebels Displaces Thousands of Citizens

By Shayne R. Burnham
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – The Tamils or Tamil Tigers, who make up the minority population have rebelled against the majority Sinhalese since 1983.  The rebels have desired to secede from Sri Lanka due to the marginalization of the government controlled by the Sinhalese.  Since then, 70,000 people have reportedly been killed because of the fighting.

Last week, the Sri Lankan military attacked the Tigers in an effort to regain the rebel controlled territory, primarily in the north and eastern parts of the country.  The government’s military offensive included air strikes, helicopter attacks and ground assaults.  Fighter aircraft attacked a Tiger intelligence center in the north in response to a Tiger air raid of a military base.  As a result, a reported 47 rebels were killed and 13 military soldiers were dead or missing.

Just in this past week, thousands of civilians were forced to flee their homes.  According to Amnesty International, approximately one third are living in open air with no shelter.  Many cannot receive food, tents or other goods due to restrictions on what passes through rebel territory.  The rebels have also restricted the movement of civilians out of the territory.  The government has even held civilians in de facto detention centers, not allowing them to leave except for food.

“Both sides to this long conflict have again shown that they will jeopardize the lives of thousands of ordinary people in the pursuit of military objectives,” said Yolanda Foster. “In the absence of independent international monitors, Sri Lankan civilians lack protection and remain at the mercy of two forces with long records of abuse.”

The UN Secretary General stated that the conflict had “grave humanitarian consequences for civilians”.  Moreover, “he reminds all concerned of their responsibility to take active steps to ensure the safety and freedom of movement of civilians, allowing humanitarian organizations to do their work in safety, as well as to reach persons affected by the fighting who need humanitarian assistance,” a statement said.


For more information, please see:

Amnesty International – Sri Lanka:  Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and Government endangering tens of thousands of lives – 14 August 2008

Asia Times Online – Civilians Caught in Sri Lanka’s ‘Clean War’ – 11 September 2008

BBC – Sri Lanka Jets Bomb ‘Rebel Base’ – 10 September 2008

USA Today – Sri Lankan Military:  47 Tamil Tiger Fighters Killed in Fighting – 03 September 2008

Groups Urge Police to Investigate Treason Complaint

By Ryan L. Maness
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Oceania

SUVA, Fiji – Despite the interim government describing ousted Prime Minister Lasenia Qarase’s allegations of treason as a political “gimmick”, several organizations have called for the civil complaint to be taken seriously.  These organizations which range from international non-governmental organizations to Fiji’s Human Rights Commission, express the sentiment that the letter of the law requires that the police investigate the allegations.

Dr. Shaista Shameem, chairperson of Fiji’s Human Rights Commission, said that just because the ousted PM filed the claim, that should not stop the police from investigating.  She also emphasized that Qarase’s right to file such a complaint is protected under Fiji’s Constitution.  However, unlike others who have weighed in on this issue, she does not believe that police commissioner Commodore Esala Teleni needs to step aside in order for the investigation to proceed.

The Pacific Centre for Public Integrity, which had previously called for police action, reiterated its call today with harsh language. Peter Waqavonovono, the organization’s campaigner, said that Teleni’s stance toward the treason allegation was “a slap in the face of the justice system and is a violation of the rights of citizens.” Waqavonovono added that the Attorney-General’s claim that an investigation could not be conducted due to the pending case of Qarase v. Bainimarama was “legally incorrect, and a blatant attempt to subvert justice.”

The Citizen’s Constitution Forum also added its voice to the chorus, with its director Reverand Akuila Yabaki saying that the law was clear that an investigation was appropriate

For more information, please see:
Fiji Daily Post – Treat complaint seriously: PCPI – 12 September 2008

FijiVillage – Teleni Should Allow Treason Investigations-CCF – 12 September 2008

Radio Australia  – Fiji police must investigate alleged treason: Commission – 08 September 2008