By Meryl White

Impunity Watch, Africa

Presently, over thirty foreign expatriates are being held hostage for ransom in the southern region of Nigeria by various armed factions. In the past six months, more than 100 foreigns have been taken in the region. Several armed groups have taken hostages to gain economic and social attention for neglected communities. They commit kidnaps to obtain better jobs and social facilities for their communities. Nevertheless, most kidnappings are motivated by large ransoms by global corporate companies.

The latest kidnapping took place on Sunday in Ikot Abasi where bandits kidnapped six Russians who work for the Aluminum Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON) which is owned by the United Company RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminum producer. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamyin stated, “Our embassy will provide all necessary support for the representatives of RUSAL who plan to arrive in Nigeria in the near future and join the rescue effort.” Also on Sunday, the British Foreign Office has confirmed that a British citizen was kidnapped from the Schlumberger Anadrill Field Compound in Port Harcourt.

Today, Nigeria is Africa’s largest oil producer and fifth largest exporter of crude oil to the United States. However, the violence and insecurity in the southern region of Nigeria poses threat to oil production and world sales. Thousands of workers have fled the country for fear of being held hostage. This in turn has cut Nigeria’s oil production by more than 25%.

Newly elected president, Umaru Yar’Adua has called for a cease fire in the southern oil-rich region. In response, the militant faction, the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND), claim that they will end tactics of violence if the government frees its jailed kinsmen. The rebel group has stated that they will suspend attacks on oil installations for one month. MEND hopes that the ceasefire will help “to ruminate on positive and realistic measures towards a just peace in the Delta”.

For more information, please see:

BBC – Briton’s Nigeria kidnap confirmed – 03 June 2007

CNN – Nigeria gunmen seize six foreigners – 03 June 2007

BBC – Nigeria militants offer ceasefire – 02 June 2007

By Myriam Clerge

Impunity Watch, Africa

Even as many continue to criticize the veteran president of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, and the declining state of the country, President Mugabe remains firm and defiant. During his meeting with the heads of state of Tanzania on Wednesday May 28th, Mugabe pushed aside the fact that the country has the fastest-shrinking economy and a massive food shortage. Instead he focused on his opposition, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), accusing them of “terrorists” acts manifested by Britain and the West to destabilize the government.

Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa, like many African leaders are reluctant to support Mugabe. Mugabe’s strategy to persuade neighboring African countries to side with him against white imperialism has succeeded in the past but it is unlikely to succeed now given the critical position of the country and its people.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair, blames Mugabe for turning the once prosperous African nation and former British colony into the country with the world highest inflation rate. Blair recognizes that the solution to Zimbabwe must ultimately come from the nation itself and neighboring regions of Africa. Blair used his farewell tour of Africa to encourage and support the role of South Africa’s president, Thabo Mbeki, as mediator between Mugabe and the MDC.

Although President Mbeki has been pushed by the West and Britain to take a stronger hand against Mugabe, Mbeki has refused. However, President Mbeki has warned that he will not allow the declining conditions of Zimbabwe to threaten South Africa’s opportunity to host the World Cup of 2010. According to the BBC new, some European nations have contemplated challenging South Africa’s appointment if the situation in Zimbabwe continues to spiral downward.

For more information please see:

Yahoo – Zimbabwe crisis needs African solution: Blair – 01 June 2007

Yahoo – Blair backs mediation on Zimbabwe crisis – 01 June 2007

BBC – Mugabe’s hold over African leaders – 28 March 2007

By Impunity Watch Africa

The trial of Charles Taylor, Liberia’s former president, for war crimes committed in Sierra Leone began today in The Hague.  Taylor boycotted the first day of the trial, claiming he had lost faith in the UN-backed court.  In a letter read by the defense counsel, Taylor stated that he “cannot participate in a charade that does no justice to the people of Liberia and Sierra Leone.”  Taylor also dismissed his defense attorney Karim Ahmad Khan from the case and is now seeking to represent himself.  Khan walked out despite an order by presiding Justice Julia Sebutinde to continue representing Taylor for the remainder of the opening arguments.  Taylor’s letter caused confusion in the court, and came as the prosecutor was making a four-hour opening statement.  Justice Sebutinde assigned another attorney to represent Taylor and directed Chief Prosecutor Stephen Rapp to begin his statement.

Taylor faces charges for numerous war crimes committed during Sierra Leone’s 1991-2001 civil war including murder, rape, mutilation, and recruitment of child soldiers.  He was the first sitting president of Africa to be indicted by a foreign hybrid court for war crimes and crimes against humanity.  The case is to be handled exclusively by the Special Court for Sierra Leone in The Hague and is predicted to last until December 2008 with a judgment likely in mid-2009.

Taylor has pled not guilty to all 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity.   Prosecutors claim in the indictment that Taylor supported the RUF rebels in order to gain control of Sierra Leone’s mineral wealth and destabilize the government, thereby increasing his regional influence.  Taylor’s defense does not dispute the horrors that occurred in Sierra Leone, but argue that Taylor did not give any orders to troops and did not supply any weapons to the rebels.

Civil society groups have launched a website designed to keep West Africans, particularly those from Liberia and Sierra Leone, informed on the trial.  The website, www.CharlesTaylorTrial.org, will provide daily updates with detailed information and expert analysis on the trial.  The hope is that this website will help keep the victims and those affected in Sierra Leone and Liberia informed, since the trial is being conducted in Europe and many Africans did not know that the trial was beginning, nor why it had been moved.

Amnesty International (AI) released a press statement cautioning the court to keep the trial accessible and known to the victims.  AI pleaded that the victims must observe the justice process and they should be able to see that the trial is “conducted fairly in accordance with international standards, respecting the presumption of innocence.”   Officials for Human Rights Watch, however, have stated that they see the trial as undoubtedly a step in the right direction for prosecuting former heads of state for serious human rights violations and other war crimes.

For more information, please see:

AllAfrica – Liberia: Taylor in the Dock Today! – 04 June 2007

AllAfrica – Website Launched to Cover Taylor Trial – 04 June 2007

Amnesty International – Press Release – 01 June 2007

HRW – Liberian Ex-President Goes on Trial – 30 May 2007

CNN – Taylor Boycotts ‘Charade’ Trial – June 2007

MSNBC – Liberia’s Taylor Goes on Trial Over War Crimes – June 2007

By Meryl White

Impunity Watch, Africa

Niger is one of the five poorest countries in the world. It is situated in the southern region of the Sahara Desert. This arid nation has experienced a history of coups and elections since its independence from France in 1960. On Friday, June 1, 2007, Niger was once again without a government when Prime Minister Hama Amadou’s cabinet lost a no-confidence vote brought by parliamentary opposition. Sixty-two delegates in a 113-seat national assembly voted Amadou out of office. He was the leader of the ruling National Movement for a Society of Development (MNSD) since 1998.

The vote was prompted by a fraud case at the education ministry where two former ministers were involved in embezzling foreign funds that were intended for impoverished schools. Between 2002 and 2006, more than $9 million of European Union Aid was allegedly taken in the corrupt scandal.

While Amadou immediately resigned from his position on Friday, he was shocked that four groups allied to the MNSD voted against his government. He said, “After surviving four no-confidence votes, the government has fallen.” Moreover, he stated, “It’s a total surprise, given that the government has a big majority.”

President Tanja now has to pick a successor for the position of prime minister or dissolve parliament and call for new elections within 45 days. Opposition leader Mahamadou Issoufou said, “We would like him to make the right choice in order to give Niger a prime minister who will promote good governance and fight corruption and the embezzlement of public goods.”

For more information, please see:

BBC – Niger Vote Dissolves Government – 01 June 2007

International Herald Tribune – Niger’s Government Dissolves After No Confidence Vote – June 2007

Yahoo – Niger Government Falls After Losing Confidence Vote – June 2007

By Myriam Clerge

Impunity Watch, Africa

“Once again Somalia has failed to emerge from the upheaval[s].” This thought sums up the present circumstances in Somalia. The country is still unable to feed its people and there continues to be war. The humanitarian crisis in Somalia has not reached this stage since clan warfare nearly 16 years ago. This time the war is between allies of the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) and Ethiopian forces- in support of the Transitional Federal Government.

Roughly 430,000 to 350,000 have fled from Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, since the fighting began. According to the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund, one million Somalis are in need of aid and protection and 71 % of the population is malnourish.

To make matters worse, pirates have hindered the transport of food and aid to displaced Somalis. Earlier in the month, a ship carrying tons of UN relief refused to leave the port of Kenya because of piracy. On Tuesday, pirates released a vessel and its crew after the cargo owners agreed to pay the $100,000 ransom. The United Nations has appealed for international support to secure the waters off Somalia.

Besides humanitarian aid the United States objective is to prevent Somalia from becoming a safe haven to terrorist. Somalia has been without an affective government for 16 years. Although the Ethiopian forces overthrew the Union of Islamic Courts, the US is fearful extremist of the Islamic Court may harbour members of al-Qeada.

Ethiopia has vowed to retain troops in Somalia until African Union forces are at an effective level. Five Somali civilians died and three were injured yesterday after an attack on a convoy forced Ethiopian soldiers to open fire. As Islamists increasingly adopt guerrilla tactics, the likelihood the fighting will end soon seems daunting.

For more information please see:

BBC – Five Die in Somalia Convoy Attack – 30 May 2007

Yahoo – Somali Pirates Release Ship, Crew – 30 May 2007

BBC – Somalia – ‘A Depressing Prospect’ – 14 May 2007

BBC – Country profile: Somalia – 6 March 2007