By Heba Girgis
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

KHARTOUM, Sudan—Southern Sudan, which achieved its independence from Sudan just last year after several decades of civil war, has just expelled a United Nations human rights officer after the South Sudan government objected to a United Nations report raising allegations of atrocities carried out by South Sudan’s army.

The head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, Hilde F. Johnson, described this expulsion as a “breach of the legal obligations” of South Sudan’s government “under the charter of the United Nations.” Ms. Johnson said that human rights monitoring “must be protected.” She also noted that, “human rights violations and discrimination were at the core of the South Sudanese struggle during decades of civil war.”

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, noted in a press release, “I urge the government of South Sudan to reverse its expulsion order and find a solution to this unfortunate episode, which contradicts the government’s publicly stated commitment human rights.”

The United States has also condemned the expulsion. Mark Toner, the Spokesman of the United States State Department noted that the US government fully supported the United Nations Mission in South Sudan. The Mission was put if effect to strengthen the government, institutions, provide humanitarian relief, and also to monitor, mitigate and prevent conflict throughout the country.

This is actually the second time that a United Nations human rights investigator has been coerced to leave South Sudan. A little over a year ago, in August 2011, the former head of the United Nations human rights division, Benedict Sannoh, was attacked and badly beaten after he was taken from his hotel room by ten South Sudanese police officers. They left Sannoh at a hospital after the attack.

The attack occurred just after Sannoh had refused to allow the police officers to search his bags and enter his hotel room in the country’s capital of Juba. His injuries were so severe that he spent five days in the hospital and was later sent abroad for future treatment.

This expulsion is even more devastating with the knowledge of the human rights violations that occur against blacks in many regions of both Sudan and Southern Sudan. The Southern Sudanese government is also targeting human rights defenders and other activists for speaking out against these violations.

United Nations sources, named the officer who was expelled as Sandra Beidas, and further noted that the expulsion may have been related to an August report accusing the army of torturing, raping and killing civilians.

 

For further information, please see:

Sudan Tribune – Top UN Official Urges South Sudan to Reverse Expulsion of Human Rights Officer – 10 November 2012

All Africa – Race-Based Violence and Torture – 8 November 2012

The Guardian – South Sudan Expels UN Human Rights Worker – 5 November 2012

The New York Times – South Sudan Expels UN Rights Officer – 5 November 2012

By Ryan Aliman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

KAMPALA, Uganda – Ugandan police raided the premiere night of a new play in Kampala as part of an alleged anti-gay operation abruptly putting an end to the festivities of the premiere.

 

The evening premiere of ‘Lighting the Shadows’ began on a high note. Enthusiastic audience members gathered outside the theater. Troupe members and visitors posed for pictures. Unlike the archetypal play premiere, however, an unusual number of human rights activists, artists, and foreign diplomats flowed into the theater. All seats in the house were full.

Over a dozen young people performed choreographies of a quality rarely seen in Uganda. One storyline featured a man who dressed differently from the others and was consequently chased by the group, left in isolation and then chained. The play showed men dressed in women’s clothes, and vice versa.

Despite the suggestive themes of the play, the word ‘homosexuality’ was never used.

The mood of the evening had been extremely optimistic. Ugandan activist Frank Mugisha spoke to the crowd, saying that President Obama’s electoral victory in America was a major boost for the gay community worldwide.

The Talented Ugandan Kuchus, the group staging the show, takes its name from the word for ‘kuchu’ which means gay. Although the term usually carries a derogatory connotation, many in the Ugandan LGBT community have reclaimed the term.

The increasing enhusiasm and optimism of the night died out when a voice on the public address system suddenly said “Police has entered the control room and is forcing us to stop,”

Three heavily armed police officers and a man claiming to be a civilian then ordered guests to leave, locking the doors of the theater behind them.

Homosexuality is illegal in Uganda and authorities have recently banned a play called ‘The River and The Mountain’ after only eight performances for ‘implicitly promoting gay acts’.

Ugandan officials have also broken up other previous events that ‘promoted’ homosexuality. Despite this, the organizers were confident that the play would not suffer a similar fate. The premiere was not advertised. Only a select few received an invitation. The organizers further denied that is was promoting homosexuality and said it was simply promoting respect of all human rights.

Ugandan members of parliament passed a resolution earlier this month in support of calls to revive the country’s notorious anti-gay bill.

The bill proposed the death penalty for cases of ‘aggravated homosexuality’, but now the lawmakers are opting, instead, for life imprisonment.

 

For further information, please see:

Gaystar News – Armed Police Raid ‘Gay’ Play Premiere in Uganda – 8 November 2012

Pambazuka News – Uganda: Anti-discrimination Play Stopped by Police – 8 November 2012

Dunya News – Uganda Prohibits Performance of Pro-Gay Play – 8 November 2012

Radio Netherlands Worldwide – Ugandan Police Storm Premiere of Gay Theatre Production – 8 November 2012

By Heba Girgis
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

LILONGWE, Malawi—Moving against the grain in Africa, Malawi’s government is now moving to get rid of laws against homosexuality and has ordered law enforcement officers not to arrest people for same-sex acts until the country’s anti-gay laws are reviewed by Malawi’s parliament. Human Rights Watch called Malawi’s decision “courageous” and hoped that it would inspire other African countries that criminalize homosexuality to follow suit.

Malawi’s anti-gay laws, which are some of the toughest in the world, can put someone in jail for up to 14 years with hard labor. Justice Minister Ralph Kasambara last week said that parliament will soon meet to discuss these laws.

Several months ago, in May, President Joyce Banda made an announcement that she wants to repeal Malawi’s laws against homosexual acts going against the continent’s trend in which gays are consistently singled out for criminal prosecution. Many traditionalists and religious leaders condemned the President saying that she was only doing this to try to please Western donor nations. These traditionalists further argue that homosexuality is alien to Malawi’s cultural and religious values.

Malawi received a lot of attention in December 2009 after law enforcement officers arrested the country’s first openly gay couple. The couple spent five months in jail without bail until they received another sentence of 14 years in jail after their conviction five months later in May 2010. Eventually the two were pardoned after the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s arm-twisting of the late President Bingu wa Mutharika.

Tiseke Kasambala, a Malawian who is the Africa advocacy director at Human Rights Watch said, “Malawi has taken a bold step forward, putting respect for its own constitutional guarantees of equality front and center.” Kasambala further added “Malawi’s decision has given hope to thousands who risk prison sentences under such laws.” Amnesty International also noted that Malawi took a “historic step in the fight against discrimination in the country.”

According to Human Rights Watch, at least 76 countries, 38 in Africa, actually criminalize consensual same sex conduct. Human rights organizations around the world hope that these countries follow the lead of Malawi and take a closer look at their homosexuality laws.

 

For further information, please see:

Angola Press – Rights Group Laud Malawi on Gay Law Moratorium – 8 November 2012

The Washington Post – Malawi Government Moves to Suspend Law Against Homosexuality – 8 November 2012

Yahoo News – Malawi Lauded on Anti-Gay Law Moratorium – 8 November 2012

The Maravi Post – Society Human Rights Watch Lauds Malawi on Homophobic Law Moratorium – 7 November 2012

By Heba Girgis
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

BAMAKO, Mali—Representatives of al-Qaida-linked groups that currently control northern Mali arrived yesterday in Burkina Faso for negotiation with President Compaore who is trying to mediate a solution to the conflict between the groups and the rest of the country. These negotiations reveal that the country’s government is now willing to negotiate with this armed group known for its connection with the terror network chapter in Africa rather than resort to military force.

The senior mediators in this crisis are trying to convince one of the groups, Ansar Dine, to cut ties with al-Qaida’s North Africa Branch. President Compaore hopes to remind the group that it “must disengage from terror and organized crime,” and “return to the political process.” The President who is the officially appointed mediator in the Economic Community of West African States decided that pushing these negotiation talks is a better way to try to resolve this crisis rather than using military force.

Ansar Dine has destroyed ancient shrines in Timbuktu and has applied its harsh interpretations of Islamic law in other areas under its control. In enforcing its laws, the group has stoned to death and whipped transgressors and has forced woman to remain covered.

The leader of Ansar Dine, Iyad Ag Ghaly, said that he would be ready to “officially distance himself from al-Qaida in the Islamist Maghreb and play ‘the democracy game.’”

The group’s head delegate Algabass Ag Intalla also noted that, “Ansar Dine is independent from any other group,” and is “ready to negotiate for peace.” He also added that he is prepared to meet the Malian minister “if the mediator wants it.”

Another source close to this extremist group sent delegation to Algiers as well articulating the position that the group is in favor of peace and that dialogue is necessary for peace. The source further acknowledges that that is the reason why they have set up these various delegates and will also be making a stop in Nigeria to discuss peace negotiations.

On October 12, 2012, the United Nations Security Council approved a resolution urging a joint African Union military force to speed up the preparations for a force of more than 3,000 troops in order to attempt to recapture the occupied northern region of Mali. However, it looks as though this resolution is on hold during these peace talks.

 

For further information, please see:

Fox News – Al-Qaida-Linked Group in Burkina Faso, Algeria for Mediation Talks – 4 November 2012

The Times of India – Mediators Push Mali Islamists to Cut Al-Qaida Ties – 4 November 2012

Middle East Online – Drums of War Push Mali Islamists Toward Dialogue – 3 November 2012

San Francisco Chronicle – Al-Qaida Linked Group in Burkina Faso For Talks – 3 November 2012

By Ryan Aliman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

KIGALI, Rwanda – On October 30, 2012, Rwanda’s top opposition leader, Victoire Ingabire, was sentenced to eight years in prison for treason and genocide denial, charges stemming from the infamous 1994 Rwandan Genocide.

Ingabire was charged with six offenses.  The first three were linked to “terrorist acts”. The remaining three were linked to her public criticism of the government in the period before the 2010 presidential elections.

In 2010, Ingabire returned to Rwanda after a 16 year exile in the Netherlands following the 1994 Rwandan Genocide . Upon visiting the genocide memorial, Ingabire asked why Hutus killed in the violence were not recognised like the minority Tutsis were.

The Rwandan court found her guilty of two of her six charges: treason for conspiring war against the country by sending money to Hutu extremists, and Rwandan genocide belittling based on her statements and criticisms. She was sentenced to eight years in prison despite the prosecution asking for a life sentence.

The 1994 Rwandan genocide claimed more than 500,000 Rwandan lives, mostly ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus. Because of the massive bloodshed driven by ethnic identity clashes, the new military government set out to de-emphasize Hutu and Tutsi ethnicity. Today, many Rwandans identify themselves simply as a Rwandan, instead of Hutu or Tutsi.

Martin Ngoga, the government’s chief prosecutor said that Ingabire’s genocide belittling conviction was not simply a free-speech issue. The government feared that through her statements, Ingabire would rekindle the ethnic  divide and incite Rwanda “to once more explode” as it did in 1994.

The government also accused Ingabire – who has had contacts with the FDLR, a group of Hutu fighters in Congo – of trying to raise an armed group, a charge Ingabire denied.

Human Rights Watch said the guilty verdict was the culmination of a flawed trial that included politically motivated charges.

“The Rwandan government has a legitimate responsibility to prevent the kind of hate speech and incitement to ethnic violence that led to the genocide in 1994,” said Daniel Bekele of Human Rights Watch. “However, the responsibility to prevent violence should not be used as an excuse for stifling criticism or prohibiting discussion of certain events – nor should it be invoked as a pretext for delaying democratic reforms.” Bekele continued.

Ingabire believes that the true reason for her arrest is that she dared to run in the presidential election as a candidate for the opposition party, challenging the sitting president, Paul Kagame. Kagame is the leader of the Rwandan Patriotic Front, whose military victory ended the genocide in Rwanda. He has been the president of Rwanda since 1994.  His final presidential term ends in 2017.

Ingabire is appealing the conviction.

 

For further information, please see:

Zimbio – Rwandan Opposition Leader Victoire Ingabire, Sentenced to 8 years in Jail – October 31, 2012

All Africa – Rwandan Opposition Leader Receives Eight-Year Sentence – 31 October 2012

Al Jazeera – Rwanda Jails Opposition Leader for ‘Treason’ – 30 October 2012

BBC – Rwandan Opposition Leader Victoire Ingabire Jailed – 30 October 2012