By Myriam Clerge
Impunity Watch Senior Article Editor

NEW YORK, US – Through the joint effort of law enforcement agencies in at least five countries, Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout and his associate, Andrew Smulian, were arrested today. Bout, a former Soviet air force officer, has the largest private fleet of cargo aircraft in the world, most of which were acquired after the break-up of the Soviet Union. Although some of his work was legitimate, officials claim that for years Bout and Smulian delivered weapons and ammunitions to warlords and militants throughout the world. The two made millions of dollars in arm trafficking to Columbian rebels, al Qaeda, and the Taliban during their reign in Afghanistan. The US government claims Bout made profits of $50 million in Afghanistan alone.

Intelligence officials also allege that Bout sold arms to countries in Africa engaged in civil war in exchange for diamonds. The complaint alleges that Bout and Smulian were paid by West African fighters with blood diamonds.

Former Liberian President Charles Taylor, notorious for his war crimes and child soldier “recruitment program”, is also among the list of buyers from Bout and Smulian dealings. Taylor is presently being tried by the Special Court for Sierra Leone for war crimes.

In 2003 the US Department of State designated the pair as a foreign terrorist organization and one of the most wanted arm traffickers.

Bout and Smulian were arrested in Thailand after two undercover agents from the US Drug and Enforcement Admistration posed as Columbian rebels to purchase millions of dollars worth of weapons. The pair has been charged with conspiracy to provide “material support and resources” to a terrorist group. Each faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. The US plans to extradite Bout from Thailand.

Bout denies all allegations of involvement with blood diamonds from Africa and arms dealing to al Qaeda or the Taliban.

For more information please see:

CNN – ‘Most-wanted’ Arms Dealer Arrested in Thailand – 6 March 2008

By Julie K. Narimatsu
Impunity Watch Managing Editor – Journal

NAIROBI, Kenya – After several weeks of negotiation, primarily mediated by former Secretary-General of the UN, Kofi Annan, a deal was reached by the parties of President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga. The deal creates the office of the prime minister, only the second in the nation’s history, as well as two deputies. The creation of the office of the prime minister represented the most significant controversy in the negotiation process. According to the agreement, the prime minister will have executive authority while the President will retain the role of head of state, and the deputies will each represent one of the parties. The cabinet positions will consist of members of both parties that will coincide with party roles in the Parliament.

The next obstacle entails obtaining the approval of the Parliament. Parliament will convene this Thursday to consider legislation and an amendment to the constitution that will give this agreement the force of law. The legislation is being drafted jointly by each party’s legal teams. Both leaders and the Kenyan people expressed relief and hopefulness regarding the future of Kenya

At the same time, the Kenyan government has been deflecting reports that it condoned violence directly after the disputed elections last December. BBC is reporting that meetings were held at the President’s residence with regard to hiring the banned Mungiki militia to act as a defense force to protect the Kikuyu, the group to which the President belongs. The government has denied these allegations as “preposterous.”

As the Parliament works to enact the new power-sharing agreement, these allegations could possibly counter this progress. The allegations also raise suspicions that both sides planned for violence in the post-election conflict. Reports from International Crisis Group and Human Rights Watch are expected, and the Kenyan government is planning a Truth and Reconciliation Commission that will likely investigate these allegations.

For more information, please visit:

Africanews.com – Kofi Annan: ‘We have a deal’ – 29 February 2008

BBC News – First Kenya meeting since deal – 4 March 2008 

BBC News – State ‘sanctioned’ Kenyan clashes – 5 March 2008

allAfrica.com – Kenya: State Denies BBC Report On Link to Post-Election Violence – 6 March 2008

By M. Brandon Maggiore
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Africa

HARARE, Zimbabwe – The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) lead by faction leader Morgan Tsvangirai reports that police are arresting their candidates and supporters of their candidates based on allegedly false charges.

It is reported by MDC that their candidates and supporters who are peacefully assembled are being arrested in an effort to curb MDC’s campaign. MDC is mobilizing their campaign with the nations presidential election scheduled for 29 March 2008.

Party official and parliamentary candidate Tabitha Khumalo was arrested on Monday while she campaigned door to door in Bulawayo. She was released about midnight but details of her detention and release are not available at this time.

On Sunday an MDC candidate and twelve supporters were arrested while distributing posters. They will remain custody until 17 March 2008 on police allegations that they were in possession of illegal weapons and charges of inciting public violence.  MDC spokesperson Nelson Chamisa said that those arrested on Sunday had no weapons and that there was no violence at any time.

President Mugabe of the Zanu-MF Party has been in power since 1980.  President Mugabe alleges the MDC is a tool or Western powers.

Tsvangirai hopes to unseat president Mugabe on 29 March. However, Chamisa said that there is no way the upcoming election will be fair.

allAfrica.com – Zimbabwe: Police Arresting MDC Election Candidates And Supporters – 4 March 2008

AfricaNews – Tsvangirai targets Harare suburbans – 4 March 2008

BBC News – Country profile: Zimbabwe – accessed 4 March 2008

By Ted Townsend
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

NAIROBI, Kenya – At least 13 villagers were killed early Monday when dozens of people with assault rifles and machetes stormed a village in western Kenya. Among the dead were six children. Police in the area placed the blame on the Sabaot Land Defense Force, a militia group fighting for the redistribution of land in the Mount Elgon region in western Kenya. The victims were accused by the militia of not paying protection money, according to the police.

A National Police spokesman said the attack was in Embaski village, 300 miles northwest of Nairobi.  The village sees frequent, bloody clashes over land.

The militia reportedly shot some villagers, while others were burned alive in their homes. Eyewitnesses reported seeing a three-year old child hacked to death as he ran from his parents house and a pregnant woman burned alive in her own home.

The bloodshed in western Kenya was not necessarily linked to the chaos that has engulfed the country for months. However, land disputes were one of the major unresolved issues as power-sharing talks between the government and the opposition resumed in Nairobi.

Last week, the power-sharing deal was signed, ending months of turmoil that followed the disputed December 27, 2007 election in which over 1,000 were killed, and 300,000 more were left homeless. The committee in charge of the mediation talks will next work with “Agenda Four.” This covers, among other items, essential changes in law and the Constitution, and their application to disputes over land and wealth.

Former United Nations leader and Chief Mediator Kofi Annan left the country this week, after forty-two days of diplomacy. He left “confident Kenyans would finally have the peace they so much desired following the turmoil that saw community rise against another, leaving behind an unprecedented trail of blood, death, injury and destruction.” Annan paid tribute to both President Mwai Kibaki and opposition rival, Raila Odinga, for their leadership in coming to agreement. He added that the next phase of talks, led by a new mediator, Oluyemi Adeniji, were crucial especially as they pertained to land issues.

Annan urged Kenayns to support the agreement and hold their leaders to the promises made, believing long-term issues could be resolved within a year. Political negotiators for each side, however, expressed a desire to speed up their work.

For more information, please see:

BBC News – Land clashes break out in Kenya – 3 March 2008

Associated Press – 13 dead in attack on Kenyan village – 3 March 2008

Reuters – Kenyan rivals see speedy resolution to crisis issues – 3 March 2008

allAfrica.com – Annan Leaves as Talks Team Tackle Agenda 4 – 3 March 2008

allAfrica.com – Annan Peace Deal – The Crucial Steps Ahead – 3 March 2008