By Meryl White
Impunity Watch Reporter, Western and Central Africa

KINSHASA, Congo – In the past ten years, more than 45,000 Congolese are killed each month by war, disease, and malnutrition. In total, the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo has cost the lives of over 5.4 million victims. According the International Rescue Committee (IRC), the war in DRC between the years of 1998- 2003 has resulted in more deaths than any other conflict following World War II.

Even though the civil war formally ended 5 years ago, “ongoing strife and poverty continue to take a staggering toll” on the welfare and livelihood of the nation. Presently, diseases such as malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia and malnutrition, are causing the Congolese people to die at such a staggering rate.

Richard Brennan, IRC Director of Global Health Programs stated that “most of the deaths are due to easily treatable and preventable diseases through the collapse of health systems and the disruption of livelihoods.” Humanitarian workers estimate that around 1,000 people die a day in DRC.

Relief can come through stronger assistance from the international community. The IRC has called for security reforms, and increased spending on basic health services. Moreover, the government would fare better with increased spending and monetary assistance to support the 17,000-strong United Nations peacekeeping mission in Congo.

Presently, the displaced people of the DRC just want peace. Domina Maniriho,a 37-year-old mother of six and a resident of the Mugunga, displaced persons’ camp was quoted as saying “We eagerly wait for the guns to fall silent, for Laurent Nkunda’s [forces] to give up their arms and we will return to our homes.”

On Monday, Congo reached an agreement with Nkunda to bring peace to the DRC. Rebel troops have promised to withdraw from some of their positions to make way for UN peacekeeping forces.

For more information, please see:

MSNBC- Congo conflict claims 5 million lives in 10 years  – 22 January 2007

All Africa – Congo-Kinshasa: The Displaced Just Want Peace    – 22 January 2007

The Age – Congo Strikes Truce with Army Rebels  – 22 January 2007

By Myriam Clerge
Impunity Watch Reporter, Eastern and Southern Africa

MOGADISHU, Somalia – Heavy attacks continue between insurgents and government soldiers, backed by Ethiopian forces. From Wednesday night to Thursday morning, at least 25 people were killed and more than 100 wounded when Ethiopians launched a major offensive against insurgents. The move was triggered by an Islamist insurgent attack on a military convoy that killed five Ethiopian and Somali soldiers.

Ethiopians acted quickly out of fear the bodies would be dragged in the streets. In November 2007, the bodies of two Ethiopian soldiers were dragged through the streets of Mogadishu, as a large group cheers and celebrated behind.

Mogadishu has been a battle ground since the ousting of the Islamist Ruling court and the entrance of Ethiopian troops into Somalia in January 2007.

The major battles and clashes have taken place near the Bakara market, however the African Union (AU) warned that opposing forces have expanded their insurgent activities to areas that were previously peaceful and could be planning attacks in the Middle and Lower Juba regions. According to a report by AU Commission Chairman Alpha Konar, the insurgents are taking advantage of the instability and the government’s inability to deploy troops in all regions.

Neighboring African nations have taken the initiative to offer assistance. The first battalion of 210 Burundian soldiers has been deployed to Somalia. Another 850 soldiers are ready to go and awaiting equipment. In total, 1,700 Burundian soldiers are expected to be deployed. 1,600 Ugandan soldiers have been in Mogadishu since March. The African Union peacekeeping force is expected to ultimately number 8,000 soldiers.

For more information please see:

AllAfrica.com- Somalia- Anti-Government Activities Spreading, Warns AU – 21 January 2008

Yahoo News- Final Burundi Peace-Keepers Leave for Somalia- Spokesman – 20 January 2008

BBC- Doctors Struggle to Treat Somalis – 18 January 2008

AllAfrica.com – Somalia- Heavy Battles in Mogadishu Kill 20, Wound 90 – 17 January 2008

By Elizabeth Costner
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Africa

MONROVIA, Liberia – One of Liberia’s most notorious rebel commanders has returned to the country to confess his responsibility for 20,000 deaths.  Joshua Milton Blahyi, known as General Butt Naked due to his troop’s practice of charging naked into battle, has returned this week to face the nation’s truth and reconciliation commission. 

While other warlords have refused to testify and ask for forgiveness in front of the commission, Blahyi has urged them to come forward.  “I could be electrocuted.  I could be hanged.  I could be given any other punishment. … But I think forgiveness and reconciliation is the right way to go” he said in a weekend interview.   

Blahyi testified that before he and his fighters charged into battle he would often make a human sacrifice to the devil.  As he told the Associated Press, the sacrifice was typically “the killing of an innocent child and plucking out the heart which was divided into pieces for us to eat.”   Blahyi says that he turned his back on the war in 1996 when he says “God appeared to him during a battle and told him he was a slave to Satan and should repent.”  Blahyi has since become an evangelical Christian preacher. 

Following Blahyi’s testimony, many are calling for the need of a war crimes court rather than a commission.  The commission can recommend that charges be brought against those that testify, however they cannot actually charge anyone with a crime. 

Many citizens in Liberia would rather forget everything that occurred during the 14 year civil war that killed an estimated 250,000 people.  Many feel that everyone in the country is somehow tainted, and due to the widespread violence it is not uncommon for Liberian families to have both victim and perpetrator under one roof.

For more information, please see:

CNN – Ex-warlord confesses to 20,000 deaths – 21 January 2008

VOA News – Notorious Liberian Warlord Confesses to Killing Thousands – 21 January 2008

USA Today – Butt Naked Battalion commander apologizes for killing 20K Liberians – 21 January 2008

By Elizabeth Costner
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Africa

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – The second week of the trial against former Liberian president Charles Taylor included testimony by a former member of Taylor’s traveling security squad, a former rebel fighter, an expert in African studies, and a man who worked with former child soldiers.   Taylor is on trial before the Special Court for Sierra Leone for his involvement in the Sierra Leone civil war.  It is alleged that he supported and commanded the RUF rebels in their efforts. 

The defense concluded their cross-examination of Varmuyan Sherif, a former member of Taylor’s traveling security squad.  Courtenay Griffiths, the lead defense counsel, accused the witness of “always hating” the accused and said he had a “personal history” of plotting against Taylor.   Griffiths worked to establish this bias by pointing out that Sherif was formerly a commander of the United Liberation Movement for Democracy in Liberia (ULIMO) which fought against Taylor’s National Patriotic Front for Liberia (NPFL).

Next to testify for the prosecution was Dennis Koker, a fighter for the AFRC rebel group that was aligned with the RUF during the war.   Koker testified that the RUF killed and raped civilians and burned their homes.    Koker also testified as to his involvement in the so-called scorched earth campaign known as “Operation No Living Thing.”   After the rebels were chased out of Freetown in 1998 5,000 AFRC rebels, including Koker, joined the RUF fighters in their retreat to the east.  When they arrived in the town of Koidu in the diamond-rich Kono district they were instructed by their commander to burn everything so that when the government forces arrived they would not be able to stay in Kono.   Koker testified that his commander told them that Operation No Living Thing was an order from high command.  The rebels then took children to do household chores and made women “wives” and were forced to work as sex slaves. 

Dr. Stephen Ellis, and expert in African Studies began his testimony on Thursday.   Dr. Ellis testified about the role and influence of Charles Taylor over the RUF rebels and his connection to the war.   Two examples were discussed: the signing of the Lome Peace Accord and Taylor’s influence and involvement in getting Foday Sankoh to attend the peace conference; and his influence over the RUF abduction of UN peacekeepers and Taylor’s proposal to be the intermediary to negotiate any release.   The cross-examination of Dr. Ellis focused on the history of conflict in Liberia and neighboring West African states and the political influence the United States held.

Last to testify this week was Jose Maria Caballera, known as Father Chema.  Father Chema, originally from Spain and now living in Sierra Leone, testified regarding his involvement with former child soldiers.  In April 1999 he started a program with UNICEF to treat the children.  From April 1999 to March 2002 he treated 3,025 children, at least 62 percent of which were child soldiers.   Father Chema recounted the number of children he saw and helped, the majority of which ranged in age from 12 to 15.  Many of the girls were “camp followers” or “sex slaves” that had been used by the fighters as bush wives.  Father Chema remembered the youngest girl was kidnapped at age 7 or 8 and had been a “bush wife” to a RUF commander until she became pregnant.  Father Chema also detailed a typical history of a child soldier, from abduction to training to anointment, to the killing of their first victim.  Following their training, the children were sent back to their villages to kill their parents and burn the village harvest.   Father Chema’s testimony is scheduled to resume on Monday morning.

For more information, please see:

AFP – Prosecution witness queried at Taylor war crimes trial – 15 January 2008

AFP – Charles Taylor trial witness tells of RUF rebels’ atrocities – 16 January 2008

AllAfrica.com – Dr. Ellis Details the History of Conflict; United States Influence in Politics Described – 18 January 2008

AllAfrica.com – Liberia: Virtual Eyes on Taylor Trial – 18 January 2008

The Trial of Charles Taylor bog – Dr. Ellis Describes the History of Conflict and Political Uprising in Liberia; Father Chema Details his Work with Child Soldiers – 18 January 2008

By Myriam Clerge
Impunity Watch Reporter, Eastern and Southern Africa

NAIROBI, Kenya – Today marked the third and last day of Raila Odinga’s three-day nationwide protest. It was also the bloodiest day of the protest.  At least 13 protesters died today and more than 30 since the rally began on Wednesday.

The worst violence took place in Nairobi’s Kibera slum, where six people died and more than ten others were wounded by police gunfire. The French charity MSF called today a massacre. Police and protesters played cat and mouse games with automatic weapons as relatives collected bodies in the street. A 15-year-old girl, Rosa Otieno, was shot and killed as she washed utensil, according to her mother.

According to witnesses, police shot and killed two protesters in Mombasa, Kenya’s Indian Ocean port. Officials have only confirmed one death.

In a released statement Human Rights Watch said the police were responsible for the death of dozens of people. An unofficial “shoot to kill” policy allegedly authorizes police to open fire on looters and protesters.

In southwest Kenya, five bodies of the Kikuyu ethnic group were found with arrow and machete wounds. The Narok town has been center of clashes between President Mwai Kibaki’s Kikuyu tribe and Maasai anti-government protesters.

Odinga and his Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) political party organized the nationwide protest after the government refused to entertain mediation by outside powers, like former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. Kibaki insists he won the election, although Odinga, along with several Western nations, believe the election was rigged. About 650 people have died since the disputed December presidential election.

After three days of bloodshed, the Odinga and his party has decided to employ a new strategy. After witnessing today’s bloody clash between ethnic groups and the police’s use of the country as a “killing field”, Odinga says he will continue to pressure the government but in another manner. The ODM announced a plan to begin an economic boycott.

Kenya had the most stable government in East Africa, it’s swift slide into chaos has tarnished its democratic credentials. Kenya also has the biggest economy in East Africa and an economic boycott will only hurt the country and its people.

For more information please see:

BBC – Kenya Protesters to Mount Boycott – 18 January 2008

Yahoo News – At Least 13 Dead in Day of Kenya Protests – 18 January 2008

Reuters: Africa – Kenya Opposition Vows More Pressure – 18 January 2008