Africa

Cameroon Continues Battle Against Boko Haram

By Tyler Campbell

Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

 

ABUJA, Nigeria – This Friday Cameroon reported that its military, working in conjunction with Nigerian forces, had killed 92 Boko Haram militants and freed 850 villagers from the small Nigerian town of Kumshe. This is the latest victory claimed in the fight against Boko Haram, a group that the U.S. has labeled as the most violent armed group in the world.

Photo of a raided Boko Haram camp in Nigeria. Photo Courtesy of the Guardian

It is reported that during the raid five soldiers were injured and two Cameroon soldiers were killed when a mine accidentally exploded. Besides freeing 850 villagers the multinational group also seized arms, ammunition, and what seemed to be a homemade mine production site.

While nations like Nigeria and Cameroon continue to have success against Boko Haram in traditional combat settings, guerrilla type tactics continue to be a problem. These types of attacks are reported to be responsible for the deaths of over 20,000 and the displacement of over 2 million since 2009, when Boko Haram first started their campaign.

Cameroon and Nigeria have seen some of the worst of the Boko Haram campaign but the violence has spilled over to Chad and Niger as well. In just this past year Cameroon has lost as many as 1,000 people to Boko Haram attacks and suicide bombings. The group has shown no signs of slowing down through the first two months of 2016.

Beginning in January the group attacked the northern Nigerian village of Dalori multiple times in a string of days and killed 86 and injured multiple others. February began with two suicide bombings in Cameroon that killed 12 and injured as many as 50. Boko Haram later claimed responsibility for those bombings.

Besides death and destruction the actions of this group have had other negative effects on the area. The group is known for targeting children and in response many parents have kept their children out of school for fear they will be taken. This group first gained national recognition after they kidnapped 276 schoolgirls from a Nigerian boarding school.

Nigerian president Buhari ran on a platform that promised to defeat Boko Haram by the end of 2015. Unfortunately, it does not appear that his goal was met although, he says that there have been marked improvements on the ground. Boko Haram’s switch to guerrilla style tactics and heavy use of IED’s is seen as a positive sign by the president instead of a negative.

 

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Cameroon: 92 Boko Haram fighters killed in Nigeria – 27 Feb. 2016

All Africa – Cameroon – 92 Boko Haram Fighters Killed in Nigeria – 27 Feb. 2016

The Guardian – Cameroon says 92 Boko Haram militants killed and 850 captives freed – 26 Feb. 2016

Reuters – Cameroon says its army kills 92 militants in operation with Nigeria – 26 Feb. 2016

Egypt on Path to Repeat 2011?

By Tyler Campbell Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

CAIRO, Egypt – People gathered together protesting repeated instances of police brutality. A wide range of people, from doctors to taxi cab drivers, actively voicing their frustration with a government they see as increasingly heavy handed. Reporters catching every moment and informing the public with social media. All this leading to grass roots support with the hashtag Jan25. For many this sounds like the start of the Egyptian unrest that took place in 2011. However, for people living in Cairo, this could also describe what has been happening in the last few days.

Egyptian Doctors stage protest and threaten to strike after police violence. Photo Courtesy: Iran-Daily

Just as in 2011, there has not been one major spark to ignite the people’s feelings against the government. Instead a dangerous mix of authoritarian tendencies, police brutality, and general distrust continue to move people to stage these protests against the current regime.

The problem of police brutality was a major part of what lead to overthrow of ex-president Hosni Mubarak in 2011. It appears the people of Egypt are again facing the very same problem. Last Friday the doctors of Egypt took to the streets to protest an instance of police brutality committed against 2 of their own.

On January 28th two doctors were assaulted and arrested after two police officers visited the Matariya hospital in Cairo. Allegedly, while receiving treatment for a cut on the forehead a doctor called an officer’s injury “simple.”  This comment ended with two doctors being assaulted and being placed on a bus toward the police station. The 2 doctors were later released but the larger group of protesting doctors threatens to go on strike if no action is taken against the officers.

Yesterday another instance of police brutality led to more protests around Cairo. Mohamed Ali, a young taxi driver, was shot by an out of uniform police officer during an argument between the two. It is reported that the two got into an argument as the officer and a relative of his were getting into Ali’s cab.

A statement from the Interior Ministry stated, “The policeman pulled out his gun to end the fight but a bullet came out by mistake, killing the taxi driver.” It is unclear at this time where the officer is, some reports say he was apprehended by authorities while others claim that he was killed by bystanders who saw the altercation.

Young Ali’s death came only a day after the regime had moved to close the Nadeem Centre for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence. This Human Rights organization had been documenting complaints of torture against Egyptian authorities and giving families effected by violence and torture a resource to turn to. Little explanation for the closure was given besides they had been operating outside their license.

If instances of police brutality and Human Rights violations continue to occur we could see a situation come together in Egypt that heavily mirrors 2011.

For More Information Please See:

The Guardian – Thousands of doctors in Egypt protest after police accused of attack on two medics – 12 Feb. 2016

The Guardian – Egyptian authorities move to shut down torture watchdog – 17 Feb. 2016

All Africa – Deadly Police Shooting Sparks Egypt Protests – Feb 19 2016

Deutsche Welle – Deadly police shooting sparks Egypt protests – Feb 19 2016

 

Uganda Election Won With not so Popular Vote

By Tyler Campbell

Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

 

KAMPALA, Uganda – It was announced yesterday that Yoweri Museven has been elected to his 5th term in office as Uganda’s President. However, the streets were rather quiet and lacked the celebration that you would expect for someone who won 60.8% of the vote. Instead of supporters filling capitol square to celebrate their re-elected leader armed soldiers and police kept watch silently. While President Museven sat comfortably in the capitol, the leader of the opposition party, Kizza Besigye, was at home under house arrest.

Ugandan police surround runner-up Besigye’s Home, keeping him in and reporters out. Photo Courtesy: VOA News.

This is the fourth time Besigye had been arrested since voting started. Finally, he was placed under house arrest after trying to enter a home where he believed ballots were being altered. Supporters of Mr. Besigye have also clashed with Ugandan police forces since voting began Friday. Police forces and Besigye followers traded rocks and teargas canisters thought the capitol city after the election was called for President Museven with just over 10% of the polls reporting.

 

Mr. Besigye has officially called for an independent audit of the election in an open letter he sent to the people of Uganda on Saturday. Besigye commented on the election calling it “stolen” and “what must be the most fraudulent electoral process in Uganda.”

 

Mr. Besigye and his supporters do seem to have good reason to be upset. During the election social media sites were blacked out along with mobile-money services. Urban areas that were expected to be heavily in favor of Besigye did not receive their ballots until late in the day. This led to lower voter turnout and ended with some citizens not getting to vote at all. Finally, there were reports of ballots arriving at polling stations that had already been marked for President Museven.

 

The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU-EOM) were in attendance at the election and do not claim to have seen this level of fraud, but stopped short of calling the election free and fair. The EU-EOM reported that there was great enthusiasm to go out and vote but also admitted that this enthusiasm was over shadowed by intimidation and a lack of transparency.

 

 

For more information, please see:

 

The Guardian – Uganda election victory extends Yoweri Museveni’s grip on power – 20 Feb. 2016

Al Jazeera – Uganda’s Museveni re-elected amid controversy – 20 Feb. 2016

All Africa – Uganda: Poll Observers Give Mixed Verdict – 21 Feb. 2016

The Economist – Yoweri Museveni wins a fifth term as Uganda’s president – 21 Feb. 2016

The Day the Press Stood Still

By Tyler Campbell

Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

CONAKRY, Guinea ­– This Tuesday, 5 media outlets in Guinea joined together to create a media blackout day in remembrance and in protest to the death of fellow journalist, El Hadj Mohamed Diallo. The black-out was intended to draw attention to the dangerous climate that Guinea journalists work in on a daily basis. At this point it is not clear if Diallo was targeted for being a journalist or just caught in the cross fire during a politically motivated uprising in the nation’s capital.

Media Outlets Closed during Black-Out for Slain Journalist (Image Courtesy Yahoo News)

Before his death, Diallo was covering the opposition party’s vice president, Mamadou Bah Oury’s attempt to enter his office after he had been removed from that office by supporters of Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea (UFDG) earlier that day. The opposition party and their ex-vice president are blaming each other for the violence that broke out during the walk in.

The risk involved with being a journalist in Guinea cannot be chalked up to mere government oppression. In fact the government is currently investigating the death of Diallo. However, it is not unusual for journalists to be targeted by different segments of the Guinea public. There are wide reports of journalists being beaten by police officers and media outlets and radio stations being told to not run stories.

One notable instance of journalist oppression happened during the 2014 Ebola crisis. One journalist and two media workers lost their lives while trying to cover the crisis in Guinea. This media team lost their lives not to the disease they were covering but for covering the story. The three went missing and were later found murdered in a septic tank. It is in this environment that Guinea journalist are risking their lives.

In response to the murder of Diallo the authorities in Guinea have arrested 17 opposition party members. Why these 17 members were arrested and what they are being charged with is unclear at this time.

Diallo worked for Guinee7 news and wrote for the weekly L’independent. He is survived by his wife and younger daughter.

The Guardian ­– Guinea’s media holds ‘press-free day’ over shooting of journalist in clashes –9 Feb 2016

AfricaNews — Guinea: 17 arrested over journalist’s death – 12 Feb. 2016

Bloomberg Business — Guinea Reporter Killed During Clash Between Opposition Party – 9 Feb 2016

All Africa — Guinea: Media Blackout in Memory of Slain Journalist — 9 Feb. 2016

Mass Graves Found in Burundi?

By Tyler Campbell

Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

 

BUJUMBURA, Burundi – Human Rights group Amnesty International has released Satellite photos of suspected mass burial sites inside Burundi. There are five separate areas outside the capitol of Burundi, which seem to indicate mass burial. This report is corroborated by eyewitness stories and a UN investigation into 9 mass burial sites. These sites are linked to the violence that occurred when President Pierre Nkurunziza announced he would be running for a third term.

Satellite Images of Suspected Mass Grave Sites (Photo Courtesy of Amnesty International)

Back in April 2015 President Nkurunziza made his announcement and it lead to violence in the nations capitol. The UN has reported that since his announcement at least 400 people have died and 240,000 people have fled the country.

 

The images of the reported mass grave sites are linked to new violence that occurred in early December. Government authorities, mostly police, carried out attacks on civilians on December 11th, in response to an attack on a military base in Bujumbura. These attacks have been focused on areas and villages believed to be in opposition to the reelection of the president.

 

The UN is worried that these mass graves are just the beginning of trends of other human rights violations. Along with the mass graves there have been reports of sexual violence, torture, and increased disappearances. The UN believes 87 people were killed last month bringing the total to above 400 since the April announcement. Although, the UN admits the actual number may be much higher.

 

In response to the allegations from the UN and Amnesty International, Burundi’s foreign minister called it “mudslinging against the authorities in Bujumbura.” The minister also asked that organizations wait to see result of an investigation that had been ordered by the attorney general. Organizations and governments alike are worried that the violence could devolve back into the civil war that rocked the country from 1993 through 2003. It is believed nearly 300,000 people died during that war.

 

For more information, please see:

 

CNN – U.N. rights chief calls for investigation of rapes, mass graves in Burundi – 15 Jan. 2016

BBC – Burundi crisis: Amnesty claims evidence of ‘mass graves’ – 29 Jan. 2016

France 24 – Amnesty says dozens buried in Burundi mass graves – 30 Jan. 2016

The Herald – Burundi mass graves “a lie” – 6 Feb. 2016