OTP Weekly Briefing Issue #54: 7-13 September 2010
Soldiers Deployed in West Papua After Deadly Shooting
Where the death of protesters occurred in West Papua, Indonesia (Photo courtesy of the Jakarta Globe)
By Joseph Juhn
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia
JAKARTA, Indonesia – A day after the killing of two men by police, the Indonesian military deployed soldiers across Manokwari, West Papua, as thousands of residents took to the streets to protest. A woman was also injured at the shooting and remains in critical condition at the hospital.
A day earlier, Indonesian police opened fire when a dispute over a traffic accident got out of control, resulting in the killings.
In response to the deadly incident, and in rejecting allegations the police used excessive force, provincial police spokesman Wachyono said police were forced to use lethal force in self-defence when dozens of angry residents became violent after a motorist fled the scene of an accident in the city of Manokwari.
“Our members opened fire at the angry residents. They did it automatically in self-defence against people who brought knives, spears and wooden sticks,” he said.
However, Papuan tribal representative Dominikus Sorabut, from the Papuan Customary Council, said heavily armed police acted out of revenge after the mob pelted them with stones. “The policeman who was hit by stones ran back to his station and came back with a troupe and acted blindly by shooting people,” he said.
On Thursday, soldiers had been deployed around important installations and at locations where crowds had been gathering.
“Our soldiers are helping the police secure Manokwari, particularly the heart of the city, crowded areas and vital installations, as requested by the Manokwari Police,” Edward Sitorus said, who is currently the district military commander in Manokwari.
“This has nothing to do with the demand by residents that all Brimob [the National Police’s Mobile Brigade] officers be pulled out of Manokwari,” he said. “We have not taken over security of the city. We are just assisting the police.”
It is widely known that Indonesia’s police are notorious for poor discipline, corruption and torture. They are also widely accused of serious human rights abuses against indigenous Melanesians in Papua, where a low-level insurgency has simmered for decades.
Earlier this month police killed seven people in Central Sulawesi province after locals rose up against them in anger at the death in custody of a local man who had been arrested by police for traffic violations.
It is reported that at least 32 officers have been questioned over the violence occurred earlier this month in Buol. Bambang, the Manokwari Police chief, was firm in his statement.
“So far we believe that our officers followed procedure. They were attempting to take control of the situation and fired warning shots. Those shots were ignored by the mob. Then, they opened fire to [stop the rioters],” he said.
“I am sure what they did was in accordance with procedure. But an investigation needs to be conducted to legally clarify matters,” Bambang added.
For more information, please see:
Jakarta Globe – Soldiers Patrol West Papua After Deadly Police Shooting – 17 September 2010
Yahoo News – Indonesia police kill two in Papua road riot – 17 September 2010
ABC News – West Papua police kill two in road riot – 16 September 2010
U.S. Gives $30 Million to Colombian Armed Forces
By R. Renee Yaworsky
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America
BOGOTA, Colombia—The U.S. State Department has given certification to Congress that Colombia meets “statutory criteria related to human rights.” This disburses the last funds that the U.S. pledged to give the Colombian military, an amount exceeding $30 million.
The U.S. State Department acknowledged that despite issuing the remaining funds, impunity in Colombia remains a concern. The State Department asked Colombia’s justice system to strengthen the fight against human rights violations.
Colombia’s Prosecutor-General’s office is in need of organization and is noted for slow response times to crimes. The State Department encouraged the Prosecutor-General’s office to effectively investigate wiretapping and surveillance frequently conducted by Colombia’s Department of Administrative Security (DAS).
Just sworn in on August 7 of this year, Colombia’s new President Juan Manuel Santos has been making strides against criminal groups operating in the country and threatening human rights activists. The Santos administration has started illustrating a commitment to human rights, creating a labor roundtable, meeting with NGOs and attempting to improve the relationship with the judicial system.
President Santos was pleased with the certification by the State Department and called the decision “just” in a statement posted on the presidential website. He went on to admit that there is much work to be done for the future: “This is good news and more than anything just because it recognizes the attempt we’ve been making against a problem that no one denies. Everyone knows that it existed and still exists, but to lesser extent.”
The State Department released a press statement explaining that Colombia took “positive steps to improve respect for human rights in the country. Firm direction by the government that extrajudicial killings will not be tolerated has led to a rapid reversal in this disturbing trend.” The Department also took note, however, that “there continues to be a need for improvement.”
The money will be used to help Colombia combat drug trafficking and widespread guerilla violence. It will also go towards monitoring human rights abuses by security forces.
Since 2000, Colombia has received over $6 billion in U.S. military and other aid under what is known as Plan Colombia. This initiative was constructed in hopes of decreasing leftist rebels, far-right militias and the notorious Colombian drug trade.
For more information, please see:
RTT News-US Certification For Colombia’s Human Rights Record-16 September 2010
Colombia Reports-Santos welcomes ‘just’ US certification on human rights-15 September 2010
AP-US OKs $30 million in military aid to Colombia-15 September 2010
72 Migrants Killed In Massacre: Honduran Helped 2nd Survivor Flee
By Erica Laster
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras – 72 migrants out of a group of 77 were killed in Mexico on their way to the United States border by the Zetas cartel after refusing to work for the widely known drug gang. Authorities discovered the bodies bound, blindfoldedand slumped against a wall at a ranch in the state of Tamaulipas. While the group was made up of mostly of Hondurans, Ecuadorians, Guatemalans and one Brazilian, the whereabouts of the three Mexicans, consisting of two drivers and an assistant, are unknown. The remaining two, an Ecuadorian and one Honduran, escaped the massacre after the shooting stopped.
The Ecuadorian, Luis Freddy Lala suffered from a gunshot wound to the neck but was able to stumble to a marine checkpoint, alerting authorities. The Honduran who freed him was forced to separate after hearing more gunshots behind them. Lala, 18, is now under the Ecuadorian Witness Protection Program while the Honduran survivor, whose name is being withheld, is under the protection of Mexican security forces until further notice.
Honduran Foreign Minister Mario Canahuati issued a statement declaring that “We call on Mexican authorities to take measures as soon as possible to avoid events like the one that occurred in Tamaulipas.”
Despite the Foreign Minister’s call to action, according to government figures, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras are the most violent countries in the northern hemisphere. Street gangs and the increase in drug trafficking has only exacerbated the violence. Just 5 days ago in the northern Honduran city of San Pedro Sula, at least four men using assault rifles burst into a shoe factory, killing 18 and wounding 5 of the 23 employees on duty. Authorities, including Police Commissioner Hector Ivan Mejia believe the massacre was carried out as a part of a turf battle on a rival gang. None of the 18 employees killed had criminal records.
Mexican authorities have seen an uptick in violence and the use of vulnerable migrants by cartels in order to further drug trafficking.
For More Information Please See:
Associated Press Official: Honduran helped massacre survivor flee – 4 September 2010
Washington Post 18 massacred in Honduras had no criminal records – 8 September 2010
CNN There Was Second Survivor From Mexico Massacre, Officials Say – 1 September 2010
Italy Outsources Border Patrol Duties to Libya: Fires Live Munitions at Unarmed Civilians
By Ricardo Zamora
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe
MILAN, Italy – Libyan officials on board Italian Naval ships continue to fire on boats suspected of carrying illegal African migrants. Such use of force between the coasts of Italy and Libya has been commonplace since May 2009.
On May 14, 2009, Italy and Libya entered into a joint agreement to curtail the flow of migrants from Libya to Italy. The terms of the agreement explained that Italy would supply reconnaissance vessels to be operated jointly by Italian and Libyan officials for the purpose of intercepting boats attempting to smuggle African migrants into Italy. The agreement added that Italian officials were not to physically participate in boat interceptions and were on board the vessels only in a “maintenance” capacity.
The most recent incident occurred on Sunday, September 12, when Libyan officials on board one of the several Italian vessels opened fire on a Sicilian boat located 30 miles off the Libyan coast, Italian officials report. The incident occurred in international waters.
Further investigation revealed that the boat was, in fact, an Italian fishing trawler occupied by ten men – all of them Italian nationals. Although none of the ten occupants were wounded, the boat’s captain openly condemned Libya’s and Italy’s actions and inactions. Italy has apologized for what it called a “mistake.”
“The fact that the Libyan patrol fired because it mistook the Italian boat for a ship of migrants does not make it any less serious,” center-left Democratic Party senator Giuseppe Lumia said. “Here, it’s a question of respect for international norms and fundamental human rights.”
While only Libyan officials fired upon the Italian trawler, human rights groups worry that Italy’s silence over the matter implies that it does not condemn the use of deadly force on innocent civilians. Both governments said they are investigating the incident.
“The Libyans and Italians appear to agree that it was a mistake to shoot at Italian fishermen, but imply that it’s OK to shoot at migrants,” said Bill Frelick, Refugee Program director at Human Rights Watch. “The bullet-riddled boat shows a reckless use of potentially lethal force that would have been just as bad if it had actually targeted nonthreatening migrants.”
Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said the event would not have any repercussions on Italian-Libyan relations.
For more information, please see:
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH – Libya: End Lice Fire Against Suspected Boat Migrants – September 16, 2010
SAHARA REPORTERS – Libya: End Live Fire Against Suspected Boat Migrants – September 16, 2010
REUTERS – Libya Apologizes for Firing at Italian Boat – September 14, 2010