By Alok Bhatt
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

GARDEZ, Afghanistan – Nato forces have once again caused the deaths of Afghan civilians through indiscriminate use of military force.  There have been numerous instances of inadvertent killings of civilians by Nato forces.  Unintentional violence against innocent non-combatants have claimed the lives of men, women, children, creating much friction between the Aghan nationals and Nato forces.

One of the most recent controversies stems from an incident occurring in February.  Nato forces executing a raid operation entered the residence of a civilian family, under the impression that an armed combatant had entered the home.  Upon entering the home, the Nato forces encountered two armed men.  The Nato foroces proceeded to shoot down the two armed men, but their fire also took the likes of three women.  It was only later that Nato confirmed that the two men shot down were not Taliban fighters, but merely civilians who took up arms to protect their family against the reasonably perceived threat of Nato forces.  Furthermore, the Nato forces who examined the civilian residence after the discharge of gunfire initially claimed that the women in the home were dead when they got inside, gagged and bound on the floor.  This was later discovered to be not true, as the women were bound in preparation for their burial.

Also, it has been reported that Nato admitted to its killings after a claim was made that soldiers had been removing bullets from bodies to obscure the truth of the matter.  Successful deception may also have the effect of distorting civilian death count.

The case of the bound women highlights the issue of accuracy in civilian death counts.  The UN has reported a respectable decrease in civilian casualties for the year 2009/  However, if it is possible that misconceptions of the circumstances surrounding civilian deaths can be accepted as true for an extended period of time, it seems equally possible that the statistics concerning civilian deaths may be skewed.

In another instance of the battles of Nato forces perpetrating violence against civilians, two children were killed and tow more wounded in an eastern region of Afghanistan.  The unreasonable risks to civilians caused by flare-ups between Nato forces and Taliban fighters compelled Nato to place prohibitions on night-raids to reduce harm to civilians.  However, if misconceptions and deception concerning civilian deaths persist, the breadth and possibly excessive breadth of civilian casualties may never be truthfully known.

For more information, please see:

Al-Jazeera – Nato admits Afghan civilian resources – 05 April 2010

BBC – Nato investigates new Afghan civilian deaths – 06 April 2010

By M.E. Dodge
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BEIJING, China – Reports and news generated almost immediately after China’s latest mining accident in Wangjialing mine,  located in northern China, grossly wrote off the lives of those trapped. However, after more than 190 hours of continuous hard work and rescue efforts, the operation to save the trapped minders proved fruitful. Approximately 115 of the 153 miners trapped have been removed from the mine.

 Photograph of rescue efforts at Wangjialing mine. Image courtesy of The New York Times.

News stories and captions read, that “from the start, China’s latest coal mine disaster likely to end as so many others: a failed rescue effort, grieving relatives, few if any survivors.”  But, on Friday, 2 April, rescuers became hopeful after hearing faint tapping noises even after lost miners had been missing for five days. After hearing signs of life, about 3,000 rescuers worked nonstop to pump water out of the Wangjialing mine. Government officials who investigated the site announced that the mine flooded after workers dug tunnels and caused an old shaft to break and fill with water.  

In an unofficial release of information, sources indicate that even days before the mine flooded, managers ignored water leaks that indicated trouble and danger. According to preliminary findings by the State Administration of Work Safety, miners had been ordered to step up the pace of construction to meet an October deadline to begin production at the mine, the agency said.

Survivors said they had strapped themselves to shaft walls with their belts to avoid drowning. Some claimed to have clung to the sides of the mine for days, and then when a mine cart floated by clung onto it for relief. Others said they ate bark from the pine pillars used to construct the mine. The rescue team’s chief medical officer told reporters that the survivors were weak, severely dehydrated, and suffering from hypothermia and skin infections. Some were in shock, though none were reported to be in critical condition.

Luo Lin, head of the State Administration of Work Safety, commented, “These trapped people have made it through eight days and eight nights — this is the miracle of life.” She went on to say that “[The] rescue plan has been effective. This is a miracle in China’s search and rescue history.”

Even though the Chinese government has managed to significantly reduce the death rate at coal mines since 2002, the country’s safety record still remains among the world’s worst. If rescue efforts at Wangjialing mine failed, this would have been China’s deadliest mining accident in more than two years. 

For more information, please see:

People’s Daily – What survived from Wangjialing Mine disaster? – 7 April 2010

Today – Search continues for 31 still trapped in northern China coal mine – 7 April, 2010

New York Times – With Hope Dwindling, 115 Chinese Miners Are Saved – 7 April 2010

By Michael E. Sanchez
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

CHHATTISGARH, India- Maoist rebels have killed at least 75 Indian police in a jungle ambush in central India yesterday in their bloodiest attack on security forces since their uprising began more than four decades ago.

Maoist rebels numbering up to 700 participated in the early morning attack on 82 members of the Central Reserve Police Force patrolling forests in the central state of Chhattisgarh.  Also known as Naxalites, the rebels used automatic weapons and land mines to attack the patrol, surrounding the reinforcements who rushed to the scene in the Bastar region, which is home to India’s largest iron ore mining company.

From his hospital bed, one of the seven troopers who survived with severe injuries said “It was a flash attack…I saw scores of my colleagues in a pool of blood.  Maoists were spraying bullets on us.”  Police said at least 17 soldiers were killed when the Maoist rebels blew up an armored anti-mine vehicle sent to retrieve the wounded.

P. Chidambaram, the Home Minister who last year launched a campaign against the Naxalites said, “Something has gone very wrong. They seem to have walked into a trap…I’m deeply shocked.  I’m sorry for those who’ve lost their lives.  This shows the savage nature of the [Naxalites].”

The Naxalites, who claim to be fighting for the hundreds of millions of poor farmers and landless labourers left behind by India’s recent economic growth have become a growing threat in the region, highlighted by this recent attack.  From their beginnings in 1967, they have grown into a force of about 20,000 permanent armed cadres and 100,000 militia.

Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister, has described the Naxalites as the largest internal threat to India’s security.  Chidambaram vowed to defeat the rebels within three years by using paramilitary forces to help state police in Operation Green Hunt.  Critics say the campaign is futile because of chronic lack of training, equipment, personnel and reliable intelligence.

The rebels however, already appear to be stepping up their activities against the government offensive.  Last year, violence claimed 908 lives, the highest total since 1971.

Before yesterday, the rebel’s bloodiest attack was one that killed 55 policemen in March 2007, also in Chhattisgarh.

For more information, please see:

BBC News- Scores of Indian Soldiers Killed In Maoist Ambushes– 6 April 2010

TimesOnline- Jungle Ambush Leaves 75 Police Dead In the Bloodiest Day in Maoist Insurgency– 6 April 2010

Guardian.co.uk- Maoist Rebels Kill 75 Indian Police– 6 April 2010

By Michael E. Sanchez
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

By Hyo-Jin Paik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BEIJING, China – The Foreign Correspondent’s Club of China (FCCC) said that e-mail accounts of eight foreign journalists working in China and Taiwan were hacked.

The FCCC said in an e-mail sent to its members, “We have confirmed eight cases in which journalists . . . have had their e-mail accounts hacked . . . with several accounts disabled by Yahoo . . . .” 

In addition, the FCCC has told its members to change their e-mail passwords and use other means of communication when arranging for interviews or conducting other “sensitive business.”

Yahoo was not available for comment, and the company has not answered FCCC’s questions or informed individual journalists how their accounts were hacked.

Although there is no evidence linking this incident to the Chinese government, FCCC’s warning to its members is reflective of increasing concern over Internet surveillance by the Chinese government, especially of human rights activists and foreign journalists working in China.

The hacking of Yahoo e-mail accounts also coincides with Google sending Internet search engine requests out of mainland China to Hong Kong, which has angered the Chinese authorities.

Google justified their action by explaining that this move is a response to Google’s objections against Chinese government’s censorship rules and to series of cyberattacks on Google suspected to have originated from China.

A freelance American journalists, Kathleen McLaughlin, who also sits on FCCC’s board, said, “Someone is clearly targeting journalists.  It makes me feel very uncomfortable.”

In addition to attacks on Yahoo and Google, there is circumstantial evidence on a spying network which appears to have originated in China.  This spying network affected users from over 100 countries where data was transferred to servers in China. 

In a cypersecurity report issued by Symantec, China is the world’s biggest source of targeted attacks, including malicious mails sent in small numbers which are aimed at gathering or accessing sensitive information.  The report said 28% of those attacks are from China.

For more information, please see:

Financial Times – China, Taiwan Yahoo users report hacking – 31 March 2010

NYT – Journalists’ E-Mails’ Hacked in China – 30 March 2010

PC World – E-Mail Accounts of Foreign Journalists in China Hacked – 30 March 2010