U.N. Workers Are Relocating in Myanmar during Religious Turmoil

U.N. Workers Are Relocating in Myanmar during Religious Turmoil

By Karen Diep
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

NAYPYIDAW, Myanmar – The United Nations today declared its intent to initiate a reallocation of its staff in western Myanmar.  After yesterday’s clashes between Muslims and Buddhists left at least 8 people dead and 17 wounded, the Myanmar Government declared a state of emergency in its western Rhakin State, which borders Bangladesh.  After taking office and implementing democratic reforms last year, President Thein Sein pled for this “endless anarchic vengeance” to cease.

Myanmar policemen carrying an unidentified body into a truck. (Photo Courtesy of NPR)

On June 3 a group of Buddhists, in an alleged vigilante effort, attacked a bus near Taunggoke killing nine Muslims.  Tuganggoke is in the western state of Rakhine, home to Myanmar’s largest concentration of Muslims.  The Myanmar police reassured the public that “[a]n investigation [was] underway[,]” but were not able to provide “any further details.”

A Taunggoke resident, Kyaw Min, believes the rape and death of a Buddhist woman by several men sparked the Buddhists’ anger.  However, there has been no confirmation on whether a connection existed between the men on the bus and the Buddhist woman’s death several weeks prior.

Reports from U.N. workers suggest that the continuing unrest has made it difficult for United Nations personnel to operate in the region. Ashok Nigam, a Yangon-based U.N. resident and humanitarian coordinator, stated that the U.N. was temporarily relocating 44 of its 150 personnel in the Rakhine state on a voluntary basis for safety reasons.

The conflict among the villages in Rakhine has left many wounded and 500 homes burned.  “We have not had any sleep for the last five days,” said Ma Ohn May, a shop owner in the nearby town of Sittwe.

In a televised address, President Sein urged, “If we put racial and religious issues at the forefront, if we put the never-ending hatred, desire for revenge and anarchic actions at the forefront, and if we continue to retaliate and terrorise and kill each other, there’s a danger that [the troubles] could multiply and move beyond Arakan (former Rakhine).”

 

For further information, please see:

CNN News – U.N. withdrawing staff from scene of unrest in western Myanmar – 11 June 2012

NPR News – Sectarian Strife Rips Through Myanmar Town – 11 June 2012

New York Times – Crisis in Myanmar Over Buddhist-Muslim Clash – 10 June 2012

The Guardian – Burma clashes could put transition to democracy at risk, president says – 10 June 2012

Greece’s Alleged “Neo-Nazi” Party Attacks Political Rivals

By Connie Hong
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

ATHENS, Greece — Dubbed as the “neo-Nazi” party of Greece, Golden Dawn’s image worsened after the party’s spokesperson, Ilias Kasidiaris, physically attacked political rivals on live television last Thursday.

Golden Dawn's Ilias Kasidiaris strikes political rival Liania Kanelli. (Photo Courtesy of The Guardian)

Kasidiaris was invited to appear on the political talk show along with members of six other parties that won parliamentary seats on May 6.  Tensions increased as the topic of discussion turned from the country’s natural resources to its political history.  Kasidiaris traded insults with two female left-wing politicians before throwing a glass of water at one and hitting the face of the other three times.

After the incident, the Greek government spokesperson, Dimitris Tsiodras, condemned the assault while an arrest warrant was issued for Kasidiaris.  Neither Kasidiaris nor his party, however, accepted blame for his actions.  Golden Dawn referred to the assault as a “truly unfortunate moment” and maintained that it was provoked.  Kasidiaris has taken a step further and threatened to sue both the victims.

“What is a man if he can hit a 58-year-old elected woman in this country? He has damaged this country more than any old commie,” said one of the two women attacked by Kasidiaris, Liana Kanelli, using a term that the Golden Dawn spokesperson had insulted her with.

Rena Dourou, the other woman assaulted by Kasidiaris, said that the attack revealed the true nature of Greece’s Golden Dawn movement.

“What we saw [on television] is something that happens almost every night in some dark places here in the centre of Athens against women or immigrants but they don’t have the rights, the privileges, to condemn all this in front of cameras,” Dourou said in an interview with the Guardian.  Dourou added that on the same day as the assault, members of Golden Dawn injured 15 students and 3 immigrants at a Greek university campus.

The language and strategy that Golden Dawn employs have been criticized as paralleling the methods of Nazism.  The party’s campaign slogan reads boldly as “Let’s rid this country of the stench,” conveying its strong desire of expelling Greece’s immigrants.  Another criticism is directed at the party’s emblem, which eerily resembles the swastika.

Although the party denied all allegations of violence, it has a notorious reputation of terrorizing immigrants, leftists, journalists, and women.  Several reports of violence against immigrants have emerged over the past few weeks, with the latest on the arrest of two Golden Dawn members in connection to an attack of a 31-year-old Pakistani man.

Dourou has expressed concern over Golden Dawn’s recent political success as it managed to capture 7% of the votes during Greece’s general election last month.  The party has also alarmed Europe by garnering 21 of the 300 seats in Parliament.  According to political analysts, many votes came from policemen and officers in a time when police brutality against immigrants are on the rise.

Athenians, like Maria Misaridaki, attributes the party’s success to voter ignorance, “The people voted for them because they didn’t know what Golden Dawn was. They didn’t know they’re a new form of neo-Nazis.”  The issue of voter ignorance might worsen in the near future, as the party issued a statement threatening to boycott the media if it continued with coverage unfavorable to the party.

 

For further information, please see:

The Guardian — Greek MP: TV assaults reveals true nature of far-right Golden Dawn party — 10 June 2012

Digital Journal — Golden Dawn MP Ilias Kasidiaris threatens to sue victims — 9 June 2012

Bloomberg — Greek Government Condemns Golden Dawn Assault On Politicians — 7 June 2012

Huffington Post — Ilias Kasidiaris, Greek Golden Dawn Politician, Assaults Two Female MPs On Live TV (VIDEO) — 7 June 2012

International Business Times — Golden Dawn: Greece’s Neo-Nazi Party is Europe’s ‘Dark Stain’ — 7 June 2012

Searchlight — MPs from Greek neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn arrested over racist attack — 2 June 2012

News + Rescue — Greece: Police Brutality and Violence Against Immigrants on the Rise; African Woman Kicked — 26 May 2012

Fighting Spreads With the use of Child Soldiers

By Vicki Turakhia
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

MONROVIA, Liberia – Liberian boys are being trained to fight and kill for the loyalist fighters of the former Ivory Coast President, Laurent Gbagbo. Mr. Gbagbo is currently being tried for crimes against humanity.

At least 40 people have been killed in cross-border attacks, HRW says. (Photo Courtesy of BBC)

A group known as the “small boys unit,” are child soldiers fighting in the war zones on the Ivory Coast. The Liberian government has been heavily questioned for the lack of involvement in prosecuting the loyalist fighters responsible for their use of child soldiers.

Children as young as 14 are being recruited as child soldiers for the Ivory Coast. One 17-year old Liberian boy was quoted as saying, “I don’t know the total that we have killed….In this mission, we have our bosses who train us and follow us to the field.”

These 14-17 year old boys are being trained to fight in the war zones of the Ivory Coast, while there the boys receive arms and ammunition, food, and medicine. If the boys get sick money is provided to them for a government hospital stay.

The United Nations has asked the Liberian government to hold the soldiers and mercenaries residing there to be held accountable for the war crimes in the Ivory Coast. Since July of 2011 at least 40 people have been killed during the attacks ,with the increased attacks, the fears are now that the fighting will expand.

Liberian and Ivorian militants have crossed into Liberia for protection or to avoid prosecution after former President Laurent Gbagbo’s government fell. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have criticized the Liberian government for failing to take actions in locating and prosecuting those responsible for the fighting in the Ivory Coast.

The Liberian government has affirmed that they are doing everything they can to prevent the use of child soldiers and fighting by Liberians on the Ivory Coast.

However, current actions taken by the Liberian government has proven differently. For example, Issac Chego and A. Vleyee, both mercenaries that have partaken in gruesome attacks, have been released. Chego has been accused of participating in massacres which led to the deaths of over 120 people.

There have been allegations that AK-47 ammunition and camouflage uniforms are being sent to the Ivory Coast to Gbagbo’s loyalists. However, the Ivory Coast Deputy Defense Minister, Paula Koffi Koffi, has stated that Ivorian and Liberian authorities are working together to prevent further attacks by Gbagbo’s loyalists.

These conflicting accounts of the events taking place in Liberia and the Ivory Coast are creating further turmoil instead of providing a real solution.

For further information, please see:

All Africa – Liberia: Fighters Set for Côte d’Ivoire – 7 June 2012

All Africa – Liberia: Gbagbo Loyalists Terrorize Border Towns – Enlist Country’s Child Soldiers – 7 June 2012

Liberian Observer – As Deadly Cross-Border Raids in Ivory Coast Persists Gov’t Fails to Curb Child Soldiers’ Recruitment, says Human Rights Watch – 7 June 2012

BBC – Liberia Minors Used in Ivory Coast Raids – HRW – 6 June 2012

Syrian Revolution Digest – Sunday 11 June 2012

THE COMMENTARY IN THIS PIECE DOES NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF IMPUNITY WATCH.  

*WARNING VIDEOS MAY CONTAIN GRAPHIC IMAGES*

Madness & Propaganda!

There is method to Assad’s madness and only shame in western dithering. At one point, western leaders need to come to their senses and realize that ignoring the genocide unfolding in Syria will not make it go away.

Saturday June 10, 2012

Today’s death toll: 66, mostly in Homs (26), Lattakia (10) and Idlib (31, including 26 in Ma’arrat Al-Nouman).

News

Op-Eds & Special Reports

My recent trip to Lebanon and Qatar made clear a dismal truth about Syria’s future: The regime’s brutality, along with Russian blindness and U.S. hesitation, is pushing Syria toward a disaster. Syria is sinking into a sectarian war that will produce a regime controlled by Islamists. It didn’t have to be that way, and that ending could still be avoided. But unless Moscow wakes up, and Washington takes a more active role, that outcome looks all too likely, with dangerous repercussions for the entire Middle East.

Et Tu Benedict?

The reasons for the ultimatum ordering Christians to leave Qusair “remain unclear,” the Vatican agency said. “According to some, it serves to avoid more suffering to the faithful; other sources reveal ‘a continuity focused on discrimination and repression.’ Still others argue that Christians have openly expressed their loyalty to the state and for this reason the opposition army drives them away.”

The Vatican News Agency falls victim again to the Assad propaganda machine. The explanation is simple: they keep relying on reports from the official clerical establishment representing Christian interests in Syria. But the problem here is the fact that the Christian religious establishment, very much like the Sunni one, is quite corrupt and hence pro-regime.

Father Paolo Dall’Oglio, the Jesuit priest named in the report, is not of the establishment. He came to Syria close to 20 years ago and has been very active in building trust between Muslims and Christian populations. More importantly, something that the report fails to note, he came out on the side on the revolutionary movement early on which earned him plenty of affection in revolutionary circles.

A few days ago, Father Paolo paid a visit to Qusayr where he was warmly received by local fighters. He spoke of future Syria where freedom of expression will be respected, called on doctors to provide succor to all people irrespective of their religious backgrounds, donated his own blood to the cause and criticized the regime noting that “no one wants it anymore”http://youtu.be/mbwDARff8Ok , http://youtu.be/Dh1uOTLdSXA.

The visit by Father Paolo led to a temporary halt in the shelling, which gave an opportunity to some local families, Christian and Muslim, to leave town, in a continuing exodus that has little to do with religiosity and more to do with the monstrosity of pro-Assad militias who keep shelling everything that moves. Perhaps this exodus is what gave birth to the report. As usual in these cases, the Vatican News Agency soon began retracting its earlier version of things. Soon after, the local coordinating committee in Qusair issued a statement belying the report, and noting that the continuous pounding have been driving local families from both grounds out of the city for close to two months now.

Meanwhile, the article below provides a more detailed refutation of the Vatican report.

Claims of straightforward ethnic cleansing by Islamist militants do not add up, because that is not how jihadist groups deal with Christians.

In addition to the explanations provided by the article above, it should be noted that local fighters actually benefit more by having Christians stay in their midst than by having leave, because every Christian death as result of the continuing bombing undermines Assad’s own image as protector of religious minorities.

As for Father Paolo, Facebook status updates by different internal activists indicate that he will be leaving the country within the next couple of days, having been designated as a persona non grata by Assad officials.

I, Rebel Leader

According to the experts at The Voice of Russia Radio Station, I am a rebel leader coordinating NATO involvement in Syria.

… last month, a self-proclaimed rebel leader or opposition leader Syrian born Ammar Abdulhamid, who has been living in Washington and was a former visiting scholar at Brookings Institution until recently, came to the United States as head of a delegation of opposition figures in Syria to visit with U.S. officials, government officials. And immediately afterwards he flew into Pristine, the capital of Kosovo, to meet with leaders of the government to a former KLA fighters, such as Prime Minister Hashim Thaci and others, and quite bluntly told Associated Press in May that he was studying the Kosovo example to be replicated in Syria even stating that he was particularly impressed with how the so-called Kosovo Liberation Army able to integrate various armed groups. From which we can understand many instances are nothing more than criminal underworld militias into a fighting force, which was then coordinated with the United States and NATO during the bombing war against Yugoslavia in 1999.

There are several problems here of course: not in my entire have it ever proclaimed myself a rebel leader, our delegation did not meet with the Prime Minister, I have lived in the U.S. since September 2005, and finally, I actually visited Moscow for a week in late May, gave interviews to the press and met with the real policy expert there. So, unless Russia is taking part in the Cosmic plot against Assad, our expert at the Voice of Russia, have some explaining to do.

Video Highlights

General

UN Monitors document their own visit to the Damascene suburb of Al-Hajar Al-Aswadand their visit to the Prime Minister’s Office in Damascus City where a mortar shell landed in the park nearby http://youtu.be/HZXCYf5vkwo

Homs

In Talbisseh, a home receives a direct hit by a mortar round, as people rush in to save the family inside, including a woman and two children that we can see, another round comeshttp://youtu.be/eJu1f4_VnCs Treating the wounded http://youtu.be/N_cZ5poMe4s And the pounding continues http://youtu.be/q0x2hjpWuDY , http://youtu.be/wfigJ3eBH7E A martyr http://youtu.be/E6wGGmsnyqE

In Ghanto, the 743 Brigade of the regular defects as a unit with its missiles aimed at Talbisseh http://youtu.be/c8Xj0ymjswA , http://youtu.be/cW1WNTN90dw ,http://youtu.be/FGiclVC8jEE , http://youtu.be/0IAZJlYE90U This is the largest defection to date. But the Brigade comes immediately under fire from nearby loyalist unitshttp://youtu.be/KY4oyiyUGYU One of the choppers taking part in the poundinghttp://youtu.be/7PJnjdGjBwc

In the town of Qusayr, local fighters take over and blow up the municipality building that was used by pro-Assad militias as sniper position http://youtu.be/TeFRbb5k0rU ,http://youtu.be/QatHcM9zuCI Treating the wounded of today’s shellinghttp://youtu.be/U_rVMdWucQk Martyrs http://youtu.be/WtbSz-Z_zIE ,http://youtu.be/ODQbonRoWu0 , http://youtu.be/AMZ-8nLtOb4 ,http://youtu.be/JjQO42ok-CE The shelling continues http://youtu.be/-eJQE9elt7Y Seven martyrs http://youtu.be/4IjSnS7r8Ts

Meanwhile, the pounding of the old neighborhoods of Homs City continues: Qoussourhttp://youtu.be/52DS8WGTPJE Ghoutah http://youtu.be/vsLQoXsT3p4 Khaldiyehhttp://youtu.be/97s8BBvXPW0

Idlib

In Ma’arrat Al-Nouman, continued shelling leaves many wounded: treating the woundedhttp://youtu.be/KzmsJBsp4Ws , http://youtu.be/2ya2Fz7gIVc

Choppers take part in pounding the village of Hardateen http://youtu.be/E5Pf4dPi-lE

Aleppo

In Al-Atareb, local scramble to street the victims of continuous poundinghttp://youtu.be/AZUBwPFvUzY , http://youtu.be/aWwXVhyGEBI

The nighttime pounding of Bayanoun http://youtu.be/4CD4EUHBtUs of Hayanhttp://youtu.be/q08veDKsGso And during the day http://youtu.be/ZzqQV1xtVI4 ,http://youtu.be/zNcvns6fH2U

Lattakia

The pounding of the town of Haffeh continues http://youtu.be/_4V5GaC6nqE The entire mountainous region, including Jabal Al-Akrad, and Jabal Al-Noubah village, is set on fire http://youtu.be/2N0to2MEzjA

In the nearby village of Bkas, the pounding leaves 10 children deadhttp://youtu.be/WmS5ARn-dEc

Damascus

A rally in front of the central police headquarters http://youtu.be/feyV2rPcNLA

The suburb of Douma is pounded: the injured fall in the streetshttp://youtu.be/zX4kqIeskXo

Bahraini Human Rights Activist Arrested for “Insulting” Tweet

By Melike Ince
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

MANAMA, Bahrain — Nabeel Rajab, president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, was arrested on Wednesday for thoughts he made public on the popular social networking site, Twitter.

Nabeel Rajab, president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights. (Photo Courtesy of the Daily Star Lebanon)

Early Wednesday, reports were released detailing the issues surrounding the arrest.  Rajab’s lawyer, Mohamed al-Jishi, claims the arrest occurred over tweets that allegedly insulted residents of a Sunni dominated area of Bahrain with close ties to the ruling regime.  A complaint was made by twenty-four retired police officers in Muharraq accusing Rajab of “casting doubt on their patriotism.”

An avid critic of King Hamad al-Khalifa, Rajab had just been released on bail Monday after spending weeks in jail from previous charges of “inciting illegal rallies and marches online by using social networking websites.”  This is the fifth time Rajab has been arrested since the beginning of May this year.  Demonstrators took to the streets in the city of Sitra on Thursday to protest the arrest and demanded Rajab’s release.  Authorities used tear gas and sound grenades in an effort to disperse the crowd.

“I was targeted because I was exercising my right to defend human rights, which is a right that is stipulated by the Bahraini constitution,” Rajab said in court Wednesday, adding that the charges against him were “vindictive accusations.”

Many supporters of Rajab say the true reason behind the arrest were the comments he made in an interview with the popular news agency, Al Jazeera.  During the interview, he explained his skepticism over the government’s seriousness about reform. “Bahrain doesn’t seem to be serious about reform.  Bahrain does not seem to be serious about reconciliation,” he said.  “The King, what he says looks good.  The King never keeps his promises”

Despite a “commitment to dialogue” with those opposed to their rule, the Bahraini government had recently come under fire  for the deaths and arrests of protesters calling for reform.  This stems from earlier claims that police tried to “crush” pro-democracy demonstrators last year during the rise of the Arab revolts influenced by neighboring states.  The government often accused the protestors of being agents of Iran.  Reports of torture to extract confessions and punish protestors have caused international rights groups to increase their involvement.

Bahraini officials deny these allegations, with Interior Minister Sheikh Rashed bin Abdullah al-Khalifa saying that “torture and killing is not part of the government’s policy.”  Though some lower level officers have been tried, activists are looking to pressure the government into charging higher officials criminally as well.

Rajab played an important role in the exposure of alleged abuse by authorities during the uprisings.  Bahrain’s Shiite majority is looking to gain more political rights, and Rajab’s following has increased awareness of the cause internationally.

Although he is still in prison, Rajab’s Twitter account continues to stay active and is updated frequently.

For further information, please see:

Tehran Times – Bahrainis Hold Anti-regime Rally to Demand Activist’s Release – 8 June 2012

Gulf Daily News – Activist Held for Insulting People – 7 June 2012

Daily Star Lebanon – Bahraini Prominent Rights Activist Under Arrest Again After Twitter Post – 7 June 2012

BBC News – Bahrain Rights Activist Nabeel Rajab Back in Detention – 6 June 2012

International Business Times – Bahrain Activist Nabeel Rajab Arrested Again After Critical Tweets of Kind Hamad – 6 June 2012

Al Jazeera – The Stream – 4 June 2012

Twitter – Nabeel Rajab – @nabeelrajab