By Samantha Netzband 

Impunity Watch, Africa Desk Reporter

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia– Unrest continues in Ethiopia as protests spark 1,000 arrests in the Sebeta town just outside of the capital Addis Ababa.  On October 9, 2016 the country proclaimed a state of emergency after protesters were killed by security forces.  Under the state of emergency movement of diplomats, protests, and access to the internet and social media have been restricted.

Demonstrators in the Oromia region protest while security forces hold back the crowd. (Photo Courtesy of International Business Times)

People in the Oromia region of Ethiopia have been protesting since late last year.  Unhappy with the current government and the lack of their ability to self determine they have conducted peaceful protests.  The government however, has hit back hard.

According to Amnesty International over 600 people have been killed since November.  Outsiders, like Angela Merkel, are calling on Ethiopia to allow protest, and if necessary curb protests with proportionate force.  Many see the countries use of a state of emergency as a way to curb protests in a violent fashion.

Ethiopia’s state of emergency is expected to last for six months.  During this time the Oromia people show no sign of stopping their protests.

For more information, please see: 

Africa News – Ethiopia: Western Diplomat Fears Repression Over New Curfew Restrictions – 18 October 2016

International Business Times – Mass arrests in Ethiopia’s Oromia region days after state of emergency declared – 17 October 2016

New York Times – 1,000 Arrested This Month After Violence: Ethiopia Mayor – 18 October 2016

OPride – Ethiopia’s alarming trend of State Terrorism should Rattle Everyone – 15 October 2016

By Samantha Netzband 

Impunity Watch, Africa Desk Reporter 

KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo– Ex-Congolese Vice President Bemba was convicted of witness tampering at the International Criminal Court.  Bemba and four members of his legal team were convicted on October 19th, just months after Bemba’s conviction for leading a campaign of rape and murder across the Central African Republic.  This was a ground breaking conviction for the International Criminal Court which has struggled with witness tampering since its inception.

Bemba at the International Criminal Court in March. (Photo Courtesy of The New York Times)

The Court’s conviction is based off of evidence that Bemba and his attorneys used a coded exchange in order to ensure testimony that was in Bemba’s favor.  Evidence shows that 14 witnesses were tampered with.  These witnesses testified in Bemba’s crimes against humanities case at the International Criminal Court.  Bemba was sentenced to 18 years in prison of the rape and murder of hundreds in the Central African Republic.

“No legal system in the world can accept the bribing of witnesses, the inducement of witnesses to lie or the illicit coaching of witnesses. Nor can the International Criminal Court,” Presiding Judge Bertram Schmitt said after the convictions were made.  This conviction strengthens the power of the International Criminal Court, showing that it takes witness tampering seriously.  Bemba and his attorneys could face up to five years in prison because of their convictions.

For more information, please see:

Deutsche Walle – ICC convicts DRC’s former vice president Bemba of witness tampering – 19 October 2016.

International Justice Monitor – Bemba and Four Associates Convicted for Witness Tampering – 19 October 2016.

The New York Times – Jean-Pierre Bemba, Congolese Politican Imprisoned for War Crimes, Is Convicted of Witness Tampering – 19 October 2016.

Reuters – Ex-Congolese VP Bemba convicted of witness tampering at war crimes court – 19 October 2016.

By Samantha Netzband 

Impunity Watch, Africa Desk Reporter

HARARE, Zimbabwe– A country wide shortage of drugs used in surgery has caused two hospitals in Zimbabwe to suspend all elective surgeries.  Both the United Bulawayo Hospital (UBH) and the Harare Central Hospital have suspended surgeries because of the shortage.  The shortage of drugs includes pethidine (a sedative), injectable morphine, fentanyl, adrenaline, metoclopramide, sodium bicarbonate and antibiotics.

Doctors do surgery in Zimbabwe. (Photo Courtesy of Africa News)

The shortage of drug comes during Zimbabwe’s continuing economic downturn.  80% of the countries citizens live in poverty, and their is political unrest regarding upcoming elections.  United Bulawayo Hospital serves a population of over 1 million people, meaning that a large number of the Zimbabwe population will be affected by this hospitals cessation of elective surgery.

Health ministry permanent secretary Gerald Gwinji originally down played Harare Central Hospital’s suspended elective surgeries.  He claimed that the shortage was due to an administrative glitch.  Health minister David Parirenyatwa has said the shortage is actually the governments fault.  Mismanagement of the drugs has lead Zimbabwe to get 92% of its medication from external sources.  Parirenyatwa has also said that because of the poor management of the countries health sector there are increased national security risks.

Country officials are unsure of when the shortage will end, and more hospitals may suspend elective surgeries.  United Bulawayo Hospital is located in the eastern part of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second largest city.  It is one of two major referral centers for the southern part of the country.

 

For more information, please see: 

Africa News – Major hospital suspends surgeries amid drug shortage – 15 October 2016

All Africa – Zimbabwe Second Major Hospital Suspends Surgeries – 15 October 2016

Zimbabwe Daily – Hospitals Hit by Painkiller Shortage, Suspends Surgeries – 14 October 2016

 

 

 

By Samantha Netzband 

Impunity Watch, Africa Desk Reporter

TRIPOLI, Libya– Hundreds of civilians are nearing starvation in a neighborhood of Benghazi, Libya.  Civilians are trapped due to the military blockade on the city and the on going fighting in their neighborhood, Ganfouda.  Residents are lacking food, water, and electricity.

Libyan children. (Photo Courtesy of Mirror)

According to Amnesty International, civilians are mainly living on rotten food and dirty water.  These supplies along with supplies of expired medicine are running out making the situation for Ganfouda residents dire.

Entry roads to the neighborhood have been blocked by Libyan National Army forces, and as airstrikes move closer and closer many are unwilling to leave their homes.  The Libyan National Army forces have been fighting off Islamic militants and in the process both sides have allegedly violated international humanitarian law.

Because of the danger of the conflict, getting humanitarian aid to the families is growing more difficult.  Islamic militants have also threatened to kill anyone under 14 in the neighborhood, which has added to the atmosphere of fear.  There are many young children and babies in Ganfouda who do not have proper access to the nutrients they need to grow.  As many of the residents have been trapped for 2 years, one resident was forced to give birth to her daughter 10 months ago.  The baby has never had access to clean water.  Magdalena Mughrabi, deputy director of Amnesty Internationals’ Middle East and North Africa Program is right when she says “time is running out for civilians in Ganfouda, who are being left to die trapped by the fighting.”  Amnesty International is leading the push for residents of Ganfouda to get the humanitarian assistance they need.

For more information, please see: 

Amnesty International – Libya: Civilians trapped in Benghazi in desperate conditions as fighting encroaches – 29 September 2016

BBC Africa – Libya: More than 100 Families at Risk for Starvation in Benghazi – 30 September 2016

Daily Star – Hundreds trapped in Libya’s Benghazi amid fighting: Amnesty – 30 September 2016

Fox News – Amnesty: Hundreds Trapped in Libya’s Benghazi Among Fighting – 29 September 2016

Mirror – Starving Children are Surviving on ‘Rotten Food and Dirty Water’ in war torn Libya – 30 September 2016

By Samantha Netzband 

Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa Desk 

CAPE TOWN, South Africa–Protests continue across South Africa as students act out against rising tuition costs.  Protests have been widespread and happening at many universities across South Africa.  Protests are becoming violent as police seek to put an end to the protests to allow universities to hold classes.  Many universities classes have been suspended in the mist of the protests.

Police use stun grenades and rubber bullets to break up protests at the University of the Witwatersrand. (Photo Courtesy of US News)

University of Witswaterand students led a march to the Chamber of Mines on Wednesday September 28 in order to give a memorandum that called for officials to get behind the idea of free education. Students would like the Chamber of Mines to help lobby the government on their free education stance.  University of Wiswaterand, known as Wits, have been engaging in protests for over a week, in some cases vandalizing property.  In one incident a fire extinguisher was used in a campus building and a cleaner died as a result.  University officials have blamed students for the death.

Meanwhile on Wednesday September 28th at Rhodes University in Grahamstown 10 students were arrested as a result of the protests.  Rhodes like Wits has been shut down since the previous week, and both students and professors alike are growing concerned that classes may not start up again.  Professors and students alike are growing increasingly concerned that the rest of the term will need to be cancelled, especially after the University of Cape Town was forced to cancel its graduation.

While students are mainly protesting for free education, they are also calling for the removal of Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande who called for the raise in tuition for the next year.  Protests started peacefully, but were met with police force late last week.  Police began firing rubber bullets and using stun grenades to stop the protests.  As of Friday September 30th protests were still continuing.

For more information, please see:

Citizen – Live Report: Wits Students March to the Chamber of Mines – 28 September 2016.

Daily Maverick – Student Protests Spread, While Wits Marks a Worker’s Death – 27 September 2016.

Fox News – South African Police Clash with Student Protesters – 28 September 2016.

Marxist – South Africa: Rising Anger as Mass Student Protests Return – 28 September 2016.

US News – Shuttered South African Universities Seek End to Protests – 27 September 2016.