Israeli, Palestinian, U.S. Leaders to Meet at U.N.

Israeli, Palestinian, U.S. Leaders to Meet at U.N.

By Meredith Lee-Clark

Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

 

NEW YORK, United States – Leaders from Israel, the Palestinian Territories, and the United States will meet on September 22 on the sidelines of the General Assemble at the United Nations in New York, though none of the parties holds high expectations for the meeting.

 

The planned meeting is the culmination of intense efforts over the past several months by U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell and the Obama Administration to create an atmosphere conducive to restarting peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians.

 

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said on September 21 that the Obama Administration did not hold any “high expectations” of any major breakthroughs in the peace process, but that U.S. President Barack Obama hoped that the meeting would “continue to build on progress,” moving closer to actual negotiations.

 

Political realities in Israel and the Palestinian Territories, however, may push any negotiations far into the foreseeable future. Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, has said that as long as Israel is unwilling to talk about a freeze on Jewish settlements in the West Bank and the issue of a right to return for Palestinian refugees, the Palestinians will not come to the table.

 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged his refusal to freeze settlements, but says that decisions on borders and settlements cannot be made until talks begin. Prime Minister Netanyahu’s governing coalition is right-wing and adamantly pro-settlement.

 

Another complicating factor in the peace process is the continuing animosity between the two Palestinian ruling parties—Fatah, which governs the West Bank and is the party of Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, and Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh stated that Hamas will reject any agreement that comes out of the meeting in New York. Haniyeh’s statement is indicative of the deep political divide in the Palestinian Territories; in an August public opinion poll by Khalil Shikaki, only 12% of Palestinians said they expected a reconciliation between the governments in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in the near future.

 

Despite widespread pessimism regarding any progress in the U.S. meeting, representatives from the three other so-called Quartet of Middle East peace negotiators – Russia, the European Union, and the United Nations – all still plan to hold meetings with the Israelis and Palestinians during the General Assembly.

 

For more information, please see:

 

Ma’an News Agency – White House Seeks to Lower Expectations Ahead of Abbas-Netanyahu Meet – 21 September 2009

 

Voice of America – US, Israeli, Palestinian Leaders to Meet in New York – 21 September 2009

 

Christian Science Monitor – Can Hamas Spoil Obama’s Three-Way Mideast Summit? – 20 September 2009

 

New York Times – Obama to Meet With Mideast Leaders – 20 September 2009

 

Al Jazeera – US Fails to Make Peace Breakthrough – 19 September 2009

 

Rwandan Genocide Suspect Deported by the DR Congo

By Jonathan Ambaye
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

Kivumo, Rwanda – Gregoire Ndahiman, accused of being responsible for the killings of over 2,000 ethnic Tutsis, has been sent from the Democratic Republic of Congo to a United Nations-backed tribunal.  Ndahiman, the former Mayor of the small Rwandan town of Kivuma has been detained in the DR of Congo since being arrested in August during an attempt to capture Rwandan rebels in North Kivu, located in the eastern part of the DR Congo.

In April of 1994 attacks began to take place against Tutsis who resided in the Kivuma communes along with those in other parts of Rwanda. Ndahiman is alleged to have been responsible for the specific attacks that took place against the Tutsis in Kivuma. It is reported that Ndahiman participated in several meetings with local church and government officials regarding the genocide that would eventually take place.  It is alleged that at these meetings the order was given to have all of the Tutsi citizens from the Kivuma commune brought to a church in the Nyange parish.  While held in the church reports indicate Ndahiman ordered that the church be destroyed, killing all of the Tutsis who were held in it.

Ndahiman will be tried in Arusha, Tanzania at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. The court has indicted him for genocide, or complicity in genocide, conspiracy to commit genocide, and crimes against humanity.  Many see Ndahiman’s transfer to Tanzania as an encouraging sign of improved relations between the DR Congo and Rwanda.

Relationships have been strained since the Rwandan Genocide, after many of the Hutu Rebels responsible for the deaths of thousands of Tutsis fled to the DR Congo, sparking years of unrest between both countries. Rwandan leadership believed that the DR Congo was not being cooperative in Rwanda’s attempts to bring the Hutu’s responsible for the genocide to justice. However after years of tension between the two countries, earlier this year they began working together to neutralize rebel groups in both countries.  Many are hopeful that Ndahiman’s transfer will begin a trend towards a better working relationship between the two countries.

For more information, please see:

BBC – DR Congo Deports Genocide Suspect – 20 September 2009

VOA – DRC Forces Capture Major Rwandan Genocide Suspect – 13 August 2009

TRIAL – Gregoire Ndahimana – 12 August 2009

Recent Attack on Sudan Villagers Kills Dozens

By Jennifer M. Haralambides
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

JUBA, Sudan – On Sunday, tribesman attacked a south Sudan village, overwhelming the soldiers who were guarding the settlement and killing roughly 72 people.


A group of fighters from the Lou Nuer ethnic group attacked Duk Padiet village, which is inhabited by the Dinka Hol Tribe.  Kuol Diem Kuol, a southern army spokesman, said this was not a raid for cattle and resources, this was a militia attack against security forces.

“They overran our company plus the youth of the village,” he said.

Kuol believes that those who raided his village are the same group of Lou Nuer fighters who attacked the Jonglei village of Wernyol last month killing 40 and wounding 64.

This year alone, more than 1,200 people have been killed in the numerous ethnic clashes that have taken place in the oil-producing region.  Many of the victims have been women and children.  Linked to long-running feuds over cattle rustling, and fueled by a ready supply of guns the conflicts continue to take the lives of many innocent people.

Politicians in Southern Sudan have accused northern Sudan rival tribes of raiding their country side with the intention of spreading instability just before the national elections.  Regardless of any northern interference, southern Sudan is made up of a patchwork of rival ethnic groups who have been fighting over grazing land, cattle, and other resources for some time.

The national election is due next year and southern Sudanese will be voting in a referendum to decide whether to secede from the north in 2011.

For more information, please see:

AFP – Scores killed in South Sudan Clashes: Official – 21 September 2009

BBC – Dozens Die in South Sudan Attack – 21 September 2009

Press TV – Dozens Dead in Separate Sudan Clashes – 21 September 2009

Reuters – Armed Tribesmen Attack South Sudan Villagers, Soldiers – 20 September 2009

Number of Asylum Seekers Continues to Rise Amidst Controversy Over Australia’s Immigration Policies

By Eileen Gould
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

CANBERRA, Australia – Over the past two weeks, five boats carrying more than 260 asylum seekers have been apprehended in Australian waters by Customs and Border Protection officials. With the latest intervention on September 16, the Rudd government has come under heavy criticism for its immigration and border protection policies.

Those in opposition claim that weakened immigration policies have caused an increase in people smuggling activity in Australia. As a result of a relaxed mandatory detention policy as well as the elimination of temporary protection visas, entering Australia has become easier in recent years. Prior to 2007, when the current administration took office, the Howard government implemented tough anti-asylum seeker laws, requiring refugees to reapply every five years to stay in Australia and also prohibiting their families from joining them. According to Dr. Sharman Stone, an opposition immigration spokeswoman, the government has apprehended ships but has not successfully prevented the flow of asylum seekers.

Government officials claim there is no connection between its policies and the recent increase in asylum boats. The problem has worsened around the globe and will continue to present challenges in the coming years. Displaced individuals from around the world, particularly in places experiencing violence (for instance Sri Lanka, Iraq, and Afghanistan) seek refuge in wealthy developed countries, such as Australia, and are increasingly turning to people smugglers in order to get there.

In an attempt to crack down on people-smuggling, the Rudd government has implemented policies aimed at offshore arrests of criminal syndicates, who charge upwards of US $15,000 per person. The current administration has spent $52 million on border protection, increasing the number of ships, planes, and people patrolling the waters surrounding Australia. In addition, authorities in Australia are cooperating with Indonesian and Malaysian law enforcement to deter unlawful migration. To date, Indonesian law enforcement officials along with the Australian Federal Police have prevented approximately 1,000 individuals seeking asylum from embarking in Jakarta.

Convictions for people smuggling offenses carry heavy fines or lengthy prison sentences. On September 17, two Indonesian men and a Sri Lankan were charged with people smuggling and face a maximum sentence of 20 years in jail or a fine of up to $220,000.

Australia_0916

Photo:  Australian naval boats apprehend a boat allegedly carrying asylum seekers in waters off the coast of Australia in April 2009, Courtesy of Time.

For more information, please see:

Brisbane Times – Alarm over five asylum boats in 14 days – 18 September 2009

The Canberra Times – Aust faces tide of refugees for ‘years’ – 18 September 2009

Time – Australia: Boat Arrivals of Asylum Seekers Rising – 18 September 2009

The Australian – Suspected asylum seeker smugglers arrested in Perth – 17 September 2009

Australia Network News – Breakdown in immigration policy: Australian opposition – 17 September 2009

Taiwan News – Refugee boat intercepted in Australian waters – 17 September 2009

South Korea: Democracy Deteriorating

By Hyo-Jin Paik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

SEOUL, South Korea– Although South Korea ousted a military dictatorship and embraced democracy more than two decades ago, reports have surfaced that since South Korean President Lee Myung-bak took office in February 2008, the country’s state of democracy has been backsliding.

Since his inauguration, President Lee has removed officials who hold liberal views from state-affiliated news outlets.  This move has actually brought the head of the International Federation of Journalists to come to Seoul and ask for guarantees to press freedom.

Clark Sorensen, a Korea expert at University of Washington, said, “[I]t does seem…that some old patterns from predemocratic past have resurfaced.” 

Amnesty International’s Norma Kang Muico also expressed concern saying, “[T]here have been no prosecutions of riot police, despite ample evidence…of human rights violations committed by some police officials.”

Moreover, thousands of teachers face punishment by the government for participating in civic movements calling for protection of democratic freedoms.  89 members of the Korean Teachers’ and Education Workers’ Union (KTU) are under criminal investigation for organizing a petition, the contents of which included the deteriorating state of South Korean democracy.

Im Byung-koo, a member of KTU, said, “As people who have to teach children [about recent events], we thought, ‘It’s time for us to speak about democracy.’”

However, the Seoul Central Prosecutor’s Office raided KTU offices and seized computer servers and documents, including documents that were not included in the search warrant.  KTU announced that they will “fight to protect the freedom of opinion and expression and will defend the values of democracy.”

Im faces termination from his employment for signing the petitions and is barred from teaching for three years.  South Korean Ministry of Education justified their punishment of the teachers saying that civil servants and teachers’ unions are barred from group political activity.

Some critics, including Lance Compa of Cornell University, claim South Korea is violating International Labor Organization laws.  Compa said, “[The] law can prevent political proselytizing in the classroom by teachers, but cannot restrict their participation in political affairs in society at large.”
For more information, please see:

Christian Science Monitor – Is South Korea backsliding on its democracy movement – 13 September 2009

Korean Teachers & Education Workers’ Union – KTU headquarters raided by prosecutors and riot police – 3 July 2009

Oh My News – Prosecutors: Indicting the Teachers or Not? – 9 September 2009