By Michael E. Sanchez
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia     

 

BHOPAL, India- Indian officials have dismissed claims that the pesticide plant at Bhopal is still leaking dangerous toxins into the drinking water.  Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan stated that the plant was safe, contradicting claims in a new report.  

On 3 December 1984, thousands died after 40 tons of deadly methyl isocyanate gaw leaked from the US-owned plant.  Over half a million people were exposed to the gas, and as a result have suffered life-long chronic illness.

Speaking in an interview ahead of the 25th anniversary of the disaster, Mr. Chouhan said that the neighboring communities near the site had been supplied with clean drinking water.  “It took some time…But we managed this quickly, and we can say that we are providing 100% clean water.”

These statements are contradicted by a report by the Bhopal Medical Appeal (BMA) and the Sambhavna Clinic.  Their report says there is evidence that “there are still high levels of toxic chemicals in the drinking water supply in 15 communities near the old Union Carbide pesticide plant”.  The report says the water around the factory site in Bhopal still possesses unsafe levels of carbon tetrachloride, other organic pollutants, and other heavy metals.

The report claims that as a result, “the populations in the areas surveyed have high rates of birth defects, rapidly rising cancer rates, neurological damage, chaotic menstrual cycles and mental illness.”

While Mr. Chouhan insists that clean water was supplied to communities without running water, many residents said the water was insufficient and delivered too infrequently, forcing them to continue relying on contaminated ground water.

Sathyu Sarangi, of the Sambhavna Clinic said, “We have ample evidence, that there are many toxins still in the ground that have never been cleaned up…Each time it rains, the rain washes those toxins into the ground water, which many people still draw to drink.”

The Indian government has also drawn the ire of the people by attempting to turn the disused factory into a tourist spot. India’s environment minister, Jairam Ramesh mocked activists on a visit to the city by picking up a handful of waste and saying “see, I am alive.”

Sarangi says the government has been attempting to lure Dow Chemical, Union Carbide’s successor back to India and secure $1 billion of investment. In return, says Sarangi, the government plans to allow Dow to evade its responsibility to clean up the Bhopal plant site.  She said “This is all about the money. “Politicians in India would rather do this than fight for people who suffered.”

 

For information, please see:

BBC News- Officials Dismiss Claims Bhopal Site is Leaking Toxins–  1 December 2009

Guardian.co.uk- Bhopal Water Still Toxic 25 Years After Deadly Gas Leak, Study Finds– 1 December 2009

Nzherald.co.nz- Bhopal a Poisoned City 25 Years On– 2 December 2009

By Alok Bhatt
Impunity Watch Reproter, Asia

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – The Sri Lankan government has at least conceded to and begun releasing the remaining internally displaced persons from war-time refugee camps.  Over 120,000 Tamil ethnic minorities have been taking refuge in government-run camps since the late defeat of the Tamil Tiger insurgency group this May.  Despite international pressure from the U.N. and various NGO’s and other human rights organizations, the Sri Lankan government has been obstinate in the full release of IDP’s from the refugee camps. 

 The Sri Lankan government has cited concerns that estranged Tamil Tigers may be hiding among the civilian Tamils.  To supposedly ameliorate the potential problems of enemy militants among the non-combatant nationals, the Sri Lankan government executed a comprehensive screening program to identify and remove Tamil Tigers from the refugee camps.  The Sri Lankan government also claimed that landmines could be located in the vicinities outside of the refugee camps and refused to release IDP’s en masse until all of them were located and safely defused or detonated.  The effectiveness of these safety measures does not seem to have been reported, but, assuming the honesty of the Sri Lankan government, its willingness of to at last release IDP’s suggests success.  

Although the Sri Lankan government has finally folded to international pressure, myriad concerns persist.  Transport out of the camps poses a significant obstacle for many who were taken to camps far away from their home.  Also, many people who have had their homes destroyed by the war or monsoon season no longer have a place to go.  Many have opted to stay in the camps, since evacuation is not compulsory.  Rather, all restrictions on IDP’s have been lifted, enabling them to enter and exit the camp areas at their whim.  

Although the camp areas are essentially open ground for the IDP’s, Sri Lankan officials have issued statements declaring that the security levels within the camps will not decrease.  

The decision to release IDP’s comes after many unfulfilled promises by the Sri Lankan government.  The full release is a significant step towards the government actively reinstituting the liberties it took from hundred-thousands of Tamil ethnic minorities by subjecting them to the derisory conditions of the refugee camps.  IDP’s continually voiced complaints about unlivable environments and a scarcity of food, clothes, and shelter.  Furthermore, the monsoon season of the summer months made the transportation of aid and other amenities quite difficult.  

Following the recent release of IDP’s, the Sri Lankan government aspires to close the refugee camps completely by the beginning of 2010.  

For more information, please see:

Al-Jazeera – Sri Lanka opens Tamil Camps – 1 December 2009

BBC News – Sri Lanka war refugees leaving military camps – 1 December 2009

The Globe and Mail – Tamil refugees free to leave Sri Lankan Camps – 1 December 2009 

By M.E. Dodge
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BEIJING, China – An ex-judge, Wu Xiaoqing, who had been charged with taking bribes from gangsters, was arrested and committed suicide in his cell in central China.

Photo courtesy of China Daily

Wu was found dead by his cellmates who alerted guards that he appeared dead. Officials said the former judge left a suicide note, but neither the detention house nor the police would disclose the contents of the letter. Wu, age 57, hung himself using the drawstring from his underwear five months following his arrest for corruption.

Wu, who was the ex-director of the enforcement bureau of the local municipal court, was arrested in June on suspicion of taking in more than half a million dollars in bribes from 1998 to 2008, according to a spokesman surnamed Li. Li, speaking for the Chongqing city government office, would give only his surname.

Wu’s arrest was part of a continuing crackdown on anti-corruption in sprawling Chongqing. The initiative has nabbed approximately 1,500 suspects — gangsters, prominent businessmen and 14 high-ranking government and police officials, according to China Daily newspaper. The ex-director of the enforcement bureau of the municipal higher people’s court and president of a local court college was seized in June as part of an anti-corruption initiative.

China in recent years has adopted a dual approach that combined both prevention and punishment to address the country’s wide spread corruption. As part of the anti-corruption initiative, officials from the National Peoples Congress have called for tougher penalties for officials with big assets from unidentified sources. Officials who cannot give the source of their assets could be jailed for up to 10 years, instead of the current five years. According to Li Shishi, director of the NPC Standing Committee’s Legal Affairs Commission “We consider it necessary to impose severe punishment on officials abusing their power for personal gains.” However, the range of punishment for charges of corruption or bribery are not uniformly applied.  A typical penalty range that is often referred to notes that the sentence for accepting bribes for amounts between 5,000 and 50,000 yuan is often one to 10 years in prison, five years to life for 50,000 to 100,000 yuan, and for bribes of more than 100,000 yuan the penalty can be 10 years in jail to the death sentence.  

Six gang members in the city have been sentenced to death for crimes including murder and blackmail. China has a mixed record of cracking down on corruption, but when the country does, the punishment is often severe. For instance, two years ago, the director of China’s food and drug agency was executed for approving deadly fake medicine in exchange for cash.

The most senior official to be subjected to China’s harsh bribery punishment for his recent corruption charges was Shanghai’s former Communist Party chief, Chen Liangy. Chen was sentenced last year to 18 years in prison for his role in a pension fund scandal. In addition to investigations of other public officials, Hu Yanyu, a partner at Zhibo Law Firm from 2001 to 2008 and Wu’s alleged mistress, are also being investigated along with at least 10 other lawyers, said Zhou Litai, a Chongqing-based lawyer.

For more information, please see:

CBS World News – Ex-judge Facing Corruption Charges Commits Suicide In Central China – November 30, 2009 

China Daily – Accused ex-judge found hanged in cell – November 30, 2009 

China Service News – Senior judge handed over to judicial organs over bribery allegations – November 30, 2009 

Yahoo! World News – Ex-judge facing China bribery charges kills self – November 30, 2009

By M.E. Dodge
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BEIJING, China – An ex-judge, Wu Xiaoqing, who had been charged with taking bribes from gangsters, was arrested and committed suicide in his cell in central China.

Wu was found dead by his cellmates who alerted guards that he appeared dead. Officials said the former judge left a suicide note, but neither the detention house nor the police would disclose the contents of the letter. Wu, age 57, hung himself using the drawstring from his underwear five months following his arrest for corruption.

Wu, who was the ex-director of the enforcement bureau of the local municipal court, was arrested in June on suspicion of taking in more than half a million dollars in bribes from 1998 to 2008, according to a spokesman surnamed Li. Li, speaking for the Chongqing city government office, would give only his surname.

Wu’s arrest was part of a continuing crackdown on anti-corruption in sprawling Chongqing. The initiative has nabbed approximately 1,500 suspects — gangsters, prominent businessmen and 14 high-ranking government and police officials, according to China Daily newspaper. The ex-director of the enforcement bureau of the municipal higher people’s court and president of a local court college was seized in June as part of an anti-corruption initiative.

China in recent years has adopted a dual approach that combined both prevention and punishment to address the country’s wide spread corruption. As part of the anti-corruption initiative, officials from the National People’s Congress have called for tougher penalties for officials with big assets from unidentified sources. Officials who cannot give the source of their assets could be jailed for up to 10 years, instead of the current five years. According to Li Shishi, director of the NPC Standing Committee’s Legal Affairs Commission “We consider it necessary to impose severe punishment on officials abusing their power for personal gains.” However, the range of punishment for charges of corruption or bribery are not uniformly applied.  A typical penalty range that is often referred to notes that the sentence for accepting bribes for amounts between 5,000 and 50,000 yuan is often one to 10 years in prison, five years to life for 50,000 to 100,000 yuan, and for bribes of more than 100,000 yuan the penalty can be 10 years in jail to the death sentence.

Six gang members in the city have been sentenced to death for crimes including murder and blackmail. China has a mixed record of cracking down on corruption, but when the country does, the punishment is often severe. For instance, two years ago, the director of China’s food and drug agency was executed for approving deadly fake medicine in exchange for cash.

The most senior official to be subjected to China’s harsh bribery punishment for his recent corruption charges was Shanghai’s former Communist Party chief, Chen Liangy. Chen was sentenced last year to 18 years in prison for his role in a pension fund scandal. In addition to investigations of other public officials, Hu Yanyu, a partner at Zhibo Law Firm from 2001 to 2008 and Wu’s alleged mistress, are also being investigated along with at least 10 other lawyers, said Zhou Litai, a Chongqing-based lawyer.

For more information, please see:

CBS World News – Ex-judge Facing Corruption Charges Commits Suicide In Central China – November 30, 2009

China Daily – Accused ex-judge found hanged in cell – November 30, 2009

China Service News – Senior judge handed over to judicial organs over bribery allegations – November 30, 2009

Yahoo! World News – Ex-judge facing China bribery charges kills self – November 30, 2009

By Hyo-Jin Paik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

AMPATUAN, Philippines– A lead suspect, Andal Ampatuan Jr., accused of a massacre, which killed at least 57 people in the Philippines, has been turned over to the authorities by his family on Thursday.

Ampatuan Jr.’s family is a powerful pro-government clan allied with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.  Since the massacre, there has been mounting pressure from the public to crack down on lawless acts and warlords.

According to Asia Foundation, more than 80% of families in Maguindanao province, the scene of Monday’s massacre, have been made homeless due to clan violence.

About 250 prominent political families exist in the Philippines with family members who hold positions in various levels of the government.    The Ampatuan clan has been ruling the Philippines’ Maguindanao province for years. 

 Victims at the massacre site.  Courtesy of Reuters.

Andal Ampatuan Sr. is the provincial governor of the Maguindanao province and has been grooming his son, Andal Ampatuan Jr., to succeed him in next year’s upcoming elections. 

However, Ampatuan Jr. is accused of allegedly stopping a convoy with more than 100 armed police and militiamen, and killing journalists, family and supporters of the Ampatuan clan’s rival gubernatorial candidate, Esmael Mangudadatu.

The Mangudadatu clan was ambushed as they were traveling to go file the election papers nominating Mangudadatu as the candidate for next year’s provincial governor.

A witness to the massacre said the victims were taken to a remote mountainous area.  The witness said, “Datu Andal himself said…anyone from the Mangudadatu clan – women or children – should be killed.” 

Investigators unearthing more bodies at the massacre site.  Courtesy of Reuters.

The witness added that Ampatuan Jr. also ordered the gunmen to make sure that no evidence of the killings was left behind and that all of the women were raped before they were killed.

Authorities have found bodies of the victims in a mass grave at the massacre site.  Bodies were found in large pits buried with vehicles.

Investigators have said that it appears that the victims were shot at a close range before being dumped in shallow graves.  Some victims also had their hands tied behind their backs.

To prevent retaliatory violence from the victims’ clan, the government has declared a state of emergency throughout the Maguindanao province and has deployed tanks and troops.

Human Rights Watch has expressed concern that the Ampatuan clan’s family connections with President Arroyo and the administration would hinder an impartial investigation.
For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Philippines’ key suspect surrenders – 27 November 2009

AP – Prime suspect in Philippine massacre surrenders – 26 November 2009

NYT – Suspect in Philippine Election Killings Surrenders – 25 November 2009