BANGUI, Central African Republic – On November 24, rebels from the Convention of Patriots for Justice and Peace (CPJP) stormed a village in northeastern Central African Republic (C.A.R.) killing at least four government soldiers and causing widespread panic. The town of Birao, which is located near the border of Chad and Sudan, is presently under the CPJP’s control. CPJP rebels took control of the town after upending government forces that had been stationed in Birao to protect the population. Reports from the region claim the C.A.R. military is planning a counterattack to retake control of the town.

The CPJP rebels have seized control of the military’s command post in Birao as well as the local airport. It has been reported that many of the residents have fled the town and are hiding in the bush. C.A.R. military officials claim that government soldiers decided to withdraw from the town instead of standing and fighting the CPJP rebels because there was a high risk of civilian casualties. It is suspected that Chadian rebels who have fled from the Darfur region of Sudan assisted the CPJP with this assault. Rebel attacks frequently occur in this region of Africa. Specifically, this area of C.A.R. has been plagued by violence including inter-ethnic hostilities, thievery, and cross border attacks.

The rebel attack on Birao has drawn condemnation from world leaders including the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-Moon. The United Nations is particularly concerned with this development because only two weeks ago control of Birao was handed over to C.A.R. government soldiers from United Nations peacekeepers. The peacekeeping forces are a part of the UN Mission to Central African Republic and Chad, also known as MINURCAT. MINURCAT was setup in 2007 to help protect civilians in both CAR and Chad and to provide humanitarian relief when both countries were experiencing instability.

The handover of Birao came after an agreement was reached between C.A.R., Chad, and the United Nations in May 2010. During this meeting, the government of Chad pushed to have the MINURCAT mission wind down and for government forces from Chad and C.A.R. to step up to and take over security operations. The MINURCAT mission is scheduled to end on December 31, 2010.

For more information, please see:

AFP — C.African rebels control key town after deadly assault – 25 November 2010

BBC Africa — Central African Republic rebels seize Birao town – 26 November 2010

Spero News — Ban deplores rebel attack in north-east Central African Republic – 27 November 2010

Voice of America — Rebels Control Central African Republic Town – 25 November 2010

By Daniel M. Austin
Impunity Watch Reporter,  Africa

WASHINGTON D.C., United States of America – On November 24, President Barack Obama presented the United States Congress with a comprehensive strategy to disarm and destroy Uganda’s Lord Resistance Army (LRA). The LRA is a rebel group that has terrorized innocent civilians in central Africa for more than two decades. Specifically, the rebel group has attacked isolated villages across southern Sudan, northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), and western Uganda.President Obama’s strategy aims to decapitate the leadership of LRA, and provide support and logistics to communities affected by the rebel group’s actions. 

President Obama’s letter to Congress lays out four specific goals: protect civilians, apprehend or destroy the senior commanders of LRA including Mr. Joseph Kony, encourage current LRA members to lay down their arms and disband, and provide humanitarian aid to villagers who have been affected by the LRA’s violence. Mr. Kony, leader of the LRA, is wanted by the International Criminal Court and lives a transient existence crossing between Sudan and Central Africa Republic to evade capture.

 Although the United States is not sending soldiers to fight the LRA, the initiative is going to provide logistical, economic, political, and military support to countries where the LRA is operating.

 This is not the United States first attempt at trying to destroy the LRA. In 2008, the U.S. made a concerted effort to defeat the LRA through a Ugandan-led operation called Lightning Thunder. The operation flushed out members of the LRA, which were based in the Garamba National Park. However, this government led operation did not capture many LRA members. Instead many of members slipped through the government’s dragnet and crossed from southern Uganda into DR Congo. While in DR Congo, the LRA began a reign of terror that included attacking remote villages and churches.

 Uganda has been fighting the LRA for over twenty years. The LRA was initially established to overthrow the Ugandan government and install a theocracy based on the Bible’s Ten Commandments.  The LRA is known to take children from their families and employ them as child soldiers or sex slaves. Furthermore, the group is known for its brutality of raping, killing, and mutilating the villagers they attack.

 For more information, please see:

AFP — Obama presents plan to disarm Uganda’s LRA rebels—25 November 2010

 BBC Africa — Barack Obama’s plan to defeat Ugandan LRA rebels – 25 November 2010

 The Guardian — US reveals plan to disarm LRA fighters – 25 November 2010

 VOANEWS — Obama Presents Plan to Help Disarm LRA in Uganda –25 November 2010

By Daniel M. Austin
Impunity Watch Reporter,  Africa

 

 

ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar – The Madagascar military raided the headquarters of a rebel group that was attempting to overthrow the government. The rebel group, made up of 20 senior military leaders, staged the coup attempt on Wednesday, November 17 and claimed to have overthrown the government of President Rajoelina and taken control of the small island nation. However, this declaration seemed unlikely since the rebels had not taken physical control of a single government office or building. On Friday, November 19, Madagascar’s Armed Forces Minister, Lucien Rakotoarimasy, told residents living around the military barracks where the rebels were operating to evacuate. On Saturday, November 20, government forces loyal to President Rajoelina stormed the rebel barracks and arrested the military officers. The rebels had been operating out of a military barracks near the Madagascar capital of Antananarivo.

The operation involved 100 government soldiers and led to the arrest of sixteen people. Initial reports detailing the raid described an exchange of gunfire between government forces and the mutineers that lasted for 15-20 minutes. Furthermore, a Madagascar army official claims that the leaders responsible for the coup attempt were ready to give themselves up but lower ranking soldiers opened fire on the government forces as they approached the barracks. No injuries were reported in the operation.

The raid came a day after rebel leaders had met with government officials in an effort to broker an end to the attempted coup without violence. After talks between the two sides broke down, government forces sprang into action.

The Madagascar government reported that the military leaders responsible for the coup attempt have been arrested and interrogated. Furthermore, the sixteen dissidents have been charged with rebellion and threatening the security of the state. The suspects have now been separated, ten of the suspects were sent to a prison while six others were still being held in military police barracks for further questioning.

Quickly ending the rebellion or attempted coup was an important goal of President Rajoelina’s administration. It was important for the government to appear in control and to remain credible with the citizenry. As the attempted coup dragged on, it was becoming a political issue for President Rojaoelina’s government as news began circulating that government soldiers were no longer following orders and the chain of command was deteriorating.

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera — Madagascar forces storm rebel base – 20 November 2010

BBC Africa —Soldiers end Madagascar officer ‘mutiny’ – 20 November 2010

New York Times — Mutineers Split Over Surrender in Madagascar – 20 November 2010

Reuters–Madagascar tells families to leave rebel barracks – 20 November 2010

by Laura Hirahara

Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone-Last week, former Liberian president Charles Taylor’s defense counsel rested their case in his trial before the Special Court of Sierra Leone at The Hague.  Taylor was indicted by the Court in 2003 under allegations that he promoted an eleven year civil war in Sierra Leone that led to wide spread violence in which thousands of people were victim to rape, enslavement, torture and murder.

Former Liberian President Charles Taylor featured above. Photo by AFP.

The prosecution claims Taylor funded and controlled Sierra Leone’s Revolutionary United Front (RUF) which was the primary rebel military force in the country.  It is alleged that he provided the RUF with armaments in exchange for ‘blood diamonds’; the RUF in turn used child soldiers to carry out acts of violence, most notoriously the cutting off of victims hands, arms and heads.

Taylor has been charged with eleven separate criminal counts including five counts of crimes against humanity, five counts of war crimes and one count of acting in violation of international humanitarian law.  During the trial, which started in early 2008, the defense brought twenty-one witnesses before the Court, including Taylor himself who states the charges against him are lies.

One such witness was Sam Flomo Kolleh, now 38, who testified that he was captured and forced to fight for the RUF during the conflict.  Kolleh told judges that the prosecution had offered him money in exchange for him refusing to testify and once on the stand, he told the Court that while he was a diamond courier, he never gave any diamonds to Taylor.

During the presentation of their case, the prosecution brought ninety-one witnesses, many of whom were victims of the RUF.  One notable witness was super-model Naomi Campbell who testified that three men gave her uncut diamonds after she met Taylor at a dinner during which he had promised her a large diamond as a gift.

Lead defense counsel for Taylor, Mr. Courtenay Griffiths, told the court when he rested his case, “I would also, in light of the comments I make, like to make clear that it has been accepted by us right from the outset that terrible crimes were committed in Sierra Leone. We share the concerns for the victims of these crimes, and we want to make clear that differences between the parties in the courtroom should not be exploited as evidence that either party naturally assumes a morally superior position.”

In a press release issued afterwards, Registrar of the Court, Binta Mansaray stated that the end of the defense case “is not only a major milestone in the Charles Taylor trial, but in the work of the court as a whole.”  Now that both sides have finished presenting their cases, each side will have the chance to offer closing arguments starting February 8, 2011.

For More Information Please See Links:

CNN- Charles Taylor Team Rests Case in War Crimes Trial– 12 Nov. 2010

AFP- Defense Wraps Up Testimony in Charles Taylor Trial– 9 Nov. 2010

Open Society Justice Initiative- Defense Lawyers Formally Close Their Case in the Charles Taylor Trial– 12 Nov. 2010

By Daniel M. Austin
Impunity Watch Reporter,  Africa

ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar -On November 17, 2010, a group of senior leaders from the Madagascar military attempted to overthrow the sitting government. Initial reports indicated 20 of the top-level military leaders had banded together to overthrow the current leader, Andry Rajoelina. Ironically, Mr. Rajoelina himself came to power after a successful coup attempt in March 2009. The coup attempt happened on the same day the country voted on a new national constitution.

On Wednesday, Colonel Charles Andrianasoavina told a news outlet, his group of rebels would be taking over the presidential palace as well as the country’s main international airport. Although the physical taking of power had not yet occurred, it was the rebel group’s intention to follow through with their promise to overthrow the current government. He claims that after the current administration is removed, a military counsel will be set up to run the day to day operation of the government. His comments took place at a military installation near the country’s main airport. The Colonel and several other high-level military leaders participating in this coup attempt were also participants in the successful coup that brought the sitting president to power in 2009.

Aside from the comments made by Col. Andrianasoavina, reporters in Madagascar are unsure of the rebel group’s power and whether they will be able to follow through with their promise to overthrow the current regime. Recent reports out of the country describe little, if any, changes on the ground. There has not been a significant troop build up or deployment, and the country’s television and radio broadcasts have continued as normal.

This most recent coup comes as Madagascar is holding a referendum on a new constitution. One of the main tenets of the new constitution is that Mr. Rajoelina will remain in control of the nation until elections can take place. Analysts believe that this provision in the constitution will allow him to remain in power indefinitely. When Mr. Rajoelina came to power in 2009, he scrapped the old constitution.

Madagascar is a small island nation off the coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean. It has been plagued with instability for a number of years. This most recent coup attempt is just another in a long line of coup attempts that have plagued the island nation.

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera –Madagascar officers ‘make coup bid’ – 17 November 2010

BBC Africa —Madagascar officers in coup claim – 17 November 2010

New York Times – Coup Attempt Reported in Madagascar – 17 November 2010

Reuters Africa – Rebel Madagascar officer says to shut airport – 17 November 2010