International Humanitarian Law Dialogs the Fourth Chautauqua Declaration August 31 2010
Demand for Law Change after RAMSI Shooting Death
By Joseph Juhn
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia
HONIARA, Tonga-Stephen Panga, Premier of the Guadalcanal, is calling for a law change ending immunity for the soldiers working under the Regional Assistance Mision to the Soloman Islands (RAMSI) and to make them subject to the laws and prosecution of Solomon Islands.
This statement comes after a deadly shooting incident occurred on August 12 when RAMSI troops were called to break up a rock-throwing incident in a village just out of capital Honiara. In the process, one civilian was allegedly killed by two soldiers.
This was the second civilian death since the arrival of the Australian-led RAMSI force in 2003. The troops came to end years of ethnic conflict in the Solomons.
In response to the incident, Solomon’s attorney general Gabriel Suri stated that Solomon Islands wants the right to charge the soldiers if necessary.
Mr. Suri further went on to say that there were two requests – the first to grant a waiver on the immunity of RAMSI officers and personnel to allow his office to take charge of any case where evidence suggests a need to lay charges.
The second request was for Tonga to give Solomon Islands the jurisdiction over the Tongan soldiers.
Tonga’s Solicitor General Fonokalafi avoided direct comment on the incident, although admitting that Tonga would conduct its own investigation into the shooting.
Premier Panga says it is wrong that those two Tongan soldiers responsible for the death of a civilian cannot be investigated in Solomon Islands under the present law. He further claims that the newly elected Solomon Islands parliament should introduce an amendment to the Facilitation Act, which would allow for a local investigation in future incidents.
“I’m supporting the RAMSI presence in this country but just to shoot down harmless people, people who don’t have arms with them. The police have a lot of skills to protect themselves in such situations.”
For more information, please see:
Radio New Zealand – Guadalcanal province chief calls for law change over RAMSI shooting death – 6 September 2010
Solomon Times – Tonga Still to Respond to Government Request – 30 August 2010
Riots, deaths in Mozambique as food prices increase
By Polly Johnson
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa
MAPUTO, Mozambique – In the worst violence in the country since 2008, police officers opened fire on protestors in Mozambique’s capital city of Maputo on Wednesday. At least ten demonstrators were killed and more than four hundred others have been injured.
Riots erupted earlier this week as the price of bread, water, energy, and other staples increased. Young men rampaged through Maputo throwing stones and looting shops.
The situation seemed mostly under control by Saturday.
Red Cross Spokesman Americo Ubisse said on Saturday, “We have no incidents reported since yesterday. Everything is fine, the situation is still under control.”
Earlier in the week, Amnesty International urged Mozambique’s police not to use live ammunition to disperse violent demonstrations unless lives were at risk.
“While we recognize that the police are trying to contain a violent protest, live ammunition – which amounts to lethal force – should not be used except when strictly unavoidable in order to protect life,” said Muluka-Anne Miti, Amnesty International’s Mozambique researcher.
The riots broke out after the government’s decision to raise the price of bread by thirty percent, and quickly descended into chaos.
One witness described a scene of a woman running down a street, rubbing her stomach, and saying, “We are hungry, all Mozambicans are hungry.” State television reported that police shot and killed seven people, including a six-year old girl walking home from school.
According to police spokesman Pedro Cossa, police made one hundred and forty-two arrests. Three buses were burned, thirty-two shops were vandalized, and more than five cars were burned, he added. Bank, electricity company offices, and food warehouses belonging to the Sasseka and Delta Trading distribution companies were vandalized and looted, according to the Mozambique News Agency.
Last week, the United Nations’ Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) called an emergency meeting for September 24 to address the food crisis, which is not just affecting Mozambique. Severe droughts in Russia and eastern Europe have caused wheat prices around the world to rise. Egypt has seen protests resulting from rising food prices in recent months. The United Nations said that international food prices have reached their highest point in two years.
The United States State Department urged Americans in Mozambique to avoid unnecessary travel and remain at their homes and hotels.
For more information, please see:
Guardian – UN calls special meeting to address food shortages amid predictions of riots – 5 September 2010
Al Jazeera – Deaths in Mozambique price riots – 4 September 2010
BBC – Mozambique police fire rubber bullets at Maputo rioters – 3 September 2010
CNN – 7 killed, nearly 300 wounded in Mozambique violence – 3 September 2010
Independent – Seven killed as rising food prices spark riots in Mozambique – 2 September 2010
Amnesty International – Mozambique Police Must Only Use Live Ammunition to Protect Life During Demonstrations – 1 September 2010
Rebels Rape Women and Children in DR Congo
by Elly On
Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Africa
North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo–
Numerous children and women are being raped in Democratic Republic of Congo by armed rebels in the warn-torn eastern parts of the country, according to the United Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. More than 240 children and women were raped by Rwandan and Congolese rebels.
These rebels came to North Kivu province between July 30 and August 3, 2010 to rail the villages. They blocked roads, prevented villagers from going outside and cut off outside communications.
The attacks by the rebels occurred over four days within miles of a United Nations’ base, a US aid worker and a Congolese doctor said. A UN joint human rights team confirmed allegations of the rape of at least 154 women by fighters from the Rwandan FDLR militia and Congolese Mai-Mai rebels in the village of Bunangiri. The victims are currently receiving medical and psychological treatments.
According to a UN reporter, a day after the attack occurred on July 30, an internal UN email was relayed to relief agencies working in the area warning them that the rebels had taken over the villages, the International Medical Corps (IMC) said. Sexual violence took place as early as July 30. For instance, the town of Mpofi, located approximately 32 miles from Walikale was taken by the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, a rebel group. No one could get into the town until the rebels left. In other instances, the rebels raped nearly 200 women and some baby boys during the four-day period. This region is located approximately 10 miles from a UN peacekeepers’ base. Mr. Ban, the Secretary-General of UN, is sending Atul Khare, assistant secretary-general for peacekeeping, immediately to Democratic Republic of Congo to help investigate, UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said. Also, Mr. Ban has asked the government of Democratic Republic of Congo for cooperation.
For more information, please see:
BBC–UN Investigates Claims of Mass Rape by DR Congo Rebels –24 August 2010
CNN–Children Among Hundreds Rapes in Congo, U.N. Says–4 September, 2010
New York Times Rwandan Rebels Raped at least 179 Women in Congo, Humanitarian Officials say–23 August 2010
MISSING WITNESS, POLICE INVOLVED IN DISAPPEARANCE OF UKRAINIAN JOURNALIST
By Christina Berger
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe
KHARKIV, Ukraine – Local news outlets reported on Wednesday that a key witness in the case of missing Ukrainian journalist, Vasyl Klymentyev, is also missing. Petro Matviyenko, another witness in the case and Klymentyev’s colleague, would not reveal the name of the missing witness but stated he had confirmed the disappearance with law enforcement.
The police are believed to be involved in the disappearance and possible death of Klymentyev, who was last seen getting into a car with an unidentified man on August 11, 2010 after leaving his home in Kharkiv. His cell phone and keys were later found on an empty boat floating in a reservoir near Kharkiv.
“There are enough reasons to believe that he is dead,” Interior Minister Anatoliy Mohyliov said. “We have suspicions that members of law enforcement organs, both current and former, may be involved.” Mohyliov stated he would be taking over personal control of the case, and switching the investigation to the Main Investigation Department, which handles high-profile cases. President Viktor Yanukovych also said he was taking personal control of the case, ordering law enforcement to make “every possible and impossible effort” to find Klymentyev.
According to the Ukrainian Journal, Henadiy Moskal, former deputy interior minister and a member of the opposition group People’s Self-defense, believes Klymentyev’s disappearance has something to do with a battle for control over Kharkiv police. “In reality this crime has been committed in the police environment,” Moskal said. “It was committed in the battle for the post of the chief of the Kharkiv region police department.”
Klymentyev, chief-editor and reporter for the weekly newspaper Novyi Still (New Style), was reportedly offered a bribe and subsequently threatened for his refusal to kill a story. According to Matviyenko, deputy editor-in-chief of New Style, Klymentyev was working on a report involving the illegal activities of a Kharkiv prosecutor at the time of his disappearance. Matviyenko told Radio Free Europe/Liberty Europe that the police and the prosecutor’s office are connected and the investigators aren’t interested in finding Klymentyev, despite statements by the Interior Minister and President. Matviyenko called the investigation a “farce.”
For more information, please see:
UKRAINIAN JOURNAL – Key witness in journalist case disappears – 1 Sept. 2010
UNIAN – Disappeared witness in the case of journalist Kharkov Klimenteva – 1 Sept. 2010
RFE/RL – Colleague of Missing Ukrainian Journalist Slams Investigation – 30 Aug. 2010
NEW YORK TIMES – Ukraine: Missing Journalist Is Presumed Dead – 26 Aug. 2010
UKRAINIAN JOURNAL – Minister: Missing editor killed by cops – 26 Aug. 2010
THE EPOCH TIMES – Missing Ukrainian Journalist Threatened Before Disappearance – 23 Aug. 2010
AP – Ukrainian President urges search for missing journalist – 20 Aug. 2010
COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS – Journalist goes missing in eastern Ukraine – 18 Aug. 2010