Africa

Update on DRC

By Meryl White
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

NORTH KIVU, Democratic Republic of Congo – A United Nations source has revealed to the BBC that the Congolese Mai Mai militia and Hutu troops have formed the Front for the Liberation of North Kivu (‘FLNK”). The BBC has revealed that FLNK currently patrols with the army in eastern DRC to counter General Laurent Nkunda’s militia. Nevertheless, the United Nations and the Congolese army both deny coordinating tactical efforts with rebel groups.

General Nkunda is currently backing DR Congo’s Tutsis population. He claims that he is protecting Tutsis from Hutus who escaped Rwanda and entered into the DR Congo after the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Nkunda believes that Hutus in DRC have formed the Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR). The Rwandan government denies supporting General Nkunda.

Eusebe Hounsokou, the representative of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), said “While there is a slight reduction in tension in the province because the fighting has decreased, we are concerned that this may affect our access to the displaced.”

In Goma, the provincial capital, relief workers are preparing to accommodate at least 1,900 displaced families. The site’s capacity can hold 10,000 to 12,000 people.

In the Masisi district, more than 16,000 people are sheltering along the roads that connect the villages.

The UN World Health Organisation (WHO) has reported nine suspected cases of cholera, with one death. The International Rescue Committee will “deploy operations in this area shortly”.

For more information, please see:

BBC – Dr Congo Hutu front ‘helps’ army – 2 October 2007

AllAfrica.com – Congo-Kinshasa: Troop Build-Up in North Kivu Worrying – UN Official – 2 October 2007

Gulf Times – UN refugee agency repeats warning on Congo violence – 30 September 2007

African Union Peacekeepers Attacked in Darfur

By Elizabeth Costner
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Africa

KHARTOUM, Sudan – An African Union base was attacked Sunday, leaving ten peacekeepers dead and several missing.  The attack came just after sunset, at the end of Ramadan.  Survivors have said the rebels used several armored vehicles and rocket-propelled grenades and took the base completely by surprise.  The peacekeepers were able to repel the first attack, however a second battle raged for hours. The rebels stormed the camp around 4 am on Sunday when several peacekeepers were out of ammunition and therefore forced to take cover in a ditch.  Early Sunday the Sudanese army arrived and the rebels left.  It is unknown whether force was used by the army.

Two Sudanese rebel groups are suspected of being behind the attacks. Reports from both the African Union and the Khartoum government have indicated that the attack was the result of an alliance between two rebel groups.  The Justice and Equality Movement and the Sudanese Liberation Army’s Unity faction both had troops in the area.

Meanwhile, a rebel faction is accusing the Khartoum government of having responsibility for the deaths. Nouri Abdalla, the spokesman for a faction of the Sudanese Liberation Movement in Kampala, Uganda, stated that his group believes the government orchestrated the attack in order to slow deployment of the joint AU-UN peacekeeping force that was recently approved by the United Nations Security Council.

On Monday, Human Rights Watch issued a press release, stating that the attack was a war crime and should be investigated accordingly.

Several rebel groups are scheduled to begin peace negotiations with the government October 27 in Liberia, however this recent attack and subsequent accusations of blame may complicate the preparations.  The peace conference is aimed at broadening the Darfur peace agreement signed in May 2006 between Khartoum and the main rebel movement to include the remaining rebel groups that did not sign.

Since the conflict in Darfur began in 2003, over 200,000 people have died and more than 2 million have been displaced.

For more information, please see:

Voice of America – Rebel Support for Darfur Negotiations Wanes After AU Attack – 2 October 2007

AFP – Rebels suspected in Darfur peacekeeping killings – 2 October 2007

ABC News (AP) – Rebel Attack Came at End of Ramadan Fast – 1 October 2007

Human Rights Watch – Sudan: Peacekeeper Killings are War Crimes – 1 October 2007

For a review of the conflict in Darfur, please see:

Retuers – Key facts about the Darfur conflict – 1 October 2007

Border Conflicts

By Myriam Clerge
Impunity Watch Reporter, Eastern and Southern Africa

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – On Tuesday, Ethiopia threatened to terminate their peace treaty with Eritrea claiming that Eritrea has violated the Algiers Peace Agreement. According to a letter sent to Eritrea’s Foreign Minister, Ethiopia claims that Asmara is coordinating “terrorist activity.” The statement was also delivered to the US, the UN, Algeria, the European Union and the African Union.

The Algiers Peace Agreement was implemented in 2000 after a 1998-2000 border war that killed some 80,000 people. The war was sparked by Ethiopia’s refusal to hand over the town of Badme. Both sides agreed to accept a decision by an independent border commission as full and binding. In 2002, the UN boundary panel decided in favor of Eritrea, awarding them rights to Badme, although Ethiopia asserts the decision splits families. Ethiopia continues to request a revision of the decision.

Eritrea denies all allegations of breaching the pact or supporting terrorists. In response to Ethiopia’s threat, Eritrea’s information minister dismissed the warning as “irrelevant.” Eritrea insists that Ethiopia comply with the border ruling and claims the terrorists allegation is built on their failure to accept the ruling. Eritrea reports that they will do anything to avoid another war but will not “compromise [their] sovereignty or territorial integrity.”

Despite their disagreements and endless accusations, analysts and diplomats speculate that neither side wants to start a full-fledge conflict. Regardless, there is a rigid tension between Eritrea and Ethiopian troops posted meters apart in what was suppose to be a neutral buffer zone.

The two countries are on opposite sides of the Somali conflict. Ethiopia has active troops in Somalia maintaining peace and supporting the present government, whereas Eritrea has declared its commitment to the Somali people to protect their independence. Furthermore, many of the Islamist rebels expelled from Somalia in December and accused of frequent bombing attacks freely inhabit Asmara. The United States, an Ethiopian ally, has also accused Eritrea of being a terrorist state.

For more information, please see:

Reuters- Eritrea insists Ethiopia implements border ruling – 26 September 2007

BBC- Eritrea rejects Ethiopia Warning – 26 September 2007

Yahoo News-  Ethiopia threatens to terminate fragile peace accord with Eritrea – 25 September 2007

U.S. Aid Worker and Two German Film Makers Arrested in Niger for “Espionage and Terrorism”

By Meryl White

Impunity Watch Reporter, Central and Western Africa

NIGER DELTA, Nigeria- A U.S. aid worker, Judith Asuni, and two German film makers, Florian Alexander Opitz and Andy Lehmann, have been arrested in Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta on charges of “espionage and terrorism.” The German nationals without a government clearance have been filming masked youths from the Ijaw region in the Niger Delta. The Germans were preparing a possible TV documentary about the string of violence in the oil rich region. The Germans were detained last week by the State Security Service.

Judith Asuni has lived in the Niger Delta for 36 years. The United States embassy has released the following statement, “All we know is that Judith Asuni is a peace worker who got funding from academics and international donor agencies to work for peace in Nigeria.” Asuni is in charge of an organization called Academic Associate Peace Work as organization that conducts mediations between the government and militant groups and encourages disarmament In the past, she has organized workshops with the Nigerian police on conflict management.

Asuni was arrested for giving assistance to the German filmmakers. Now all three suspects face accusations of carrying out an act of terrorism against the Nigerian government. Addo Mwazu stated, “The lady is suspected of espionage by exploiting the situation in the Niger Delta.” Other people believe that the arrests were a result of the Nigeria’s fear of the embarrassment following the worldwide release of the documentary.

While members of the government may be uncomfortable with the German filmmaker’s work, Port Harcourt journalist Ibiba Don Pedro believes that these filmmakers “are playing a crucial role in getting information out about the region’s problems.”

The U.S. embassy is presently in touch with Nigerian officials. Meanwhile, Germany’s ambassador to Nigeria has rejected the charges that the Germans are spies and terrorists. German officials insist that the two filmmakers are only journalists.

For more information, please see:

BBC – Nigeria arrests foreign ‘spies’ – 28 September 2007

VOA – American Peace Worker, 2 Germans Detained as ‘Spies’ in Nigeria’s Niger Delta – 29 September 2007

Afriquenligne – Germans arrested in Nigeria are not spies’ – 29 September 2007

Extreme Violence in Somalia

By Elizabeth Costner

Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Africa

MOGADISHU, Somalia – Violence in Somalia continues to be a great concern for the international community.  Extreme violence, attacks and threats against the media, and lack of humanitarian aid plague this war torn country where more than 700,000 civilians have been forced to leave their homes.

Civilians face severe human rights violations by all parties to the conflict including the right to life, disappearance, torture, recruitment of child soldiers, and sexual and gender-based violence.

On Friday, four Somali soldiers were killed and several more wounded when an army truck was ambushed in the capital, where the government is currently battling a deadly insurgency.   This attack follows an earlier ambush on a government base.

The military has ordered thousands of civilians in the Somali capital to vacate their homes in order to search for arms and insurgents.  Most forced to leave their homes have either left Mogadishu or sought refuge with family and friends in other parts of the city.

Journalists and human rights activists are also a target of increasing fear and intimidation.  Since January, seven journalists have been killed and dozens more threatened into silence for their work.   Many have been forced to leave the country.

The violence in Somalia is not confined to their borders, as extremist groups have begun attacks in neighboring countries as well.  On Friday, the United States issued a warning to American tourists in Kenya that Somali-based extremists may try to kip American citizens from the beach resorts.  Kenya shares a 400-mile border with Somalia, which is currently closed.   Kenyan security forces have guarded the border since a radical group controlling much of southern Somalia was ousted last December by Ethiopian troops supporting the weak UN-backed government.

For more information, please see:

AllAfrica.com – UN Expert Voices Deep Concern At Extreme Violence – 28 September 2007

International Herald Tribune – Troops forcing residents from homes in Somali capital, rights group says – 29 September 2007

AFP – Four civilians killed in fresh Somalia violence – 29 September 2007

Associated Press – Somalis May Kidnap Americans From Kenya – 28 September 2007

AFP – Four Somali soldiers killed in Mogadishu attack – 28 September 2007