By M.E. Dodge
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BEIJING, China– A Chinese dissident, freed recently after spending eight years in prison, is seeking Obama’s help in gaining medical parole for two friends jailed with him for forming a political study group.

Yang Zili sits in an interview in Beijing, Wednesday, November 4, 2009 after being imprisoned for eight years. Yang seeks PrResident Obama’s help in gaining medical parole for two friends still imprisoned for forming a political study group. Photograph courtesy of MSNBC.com. 

Yang Zili appealed to President Obama in a letter on behalf of those who were arrested with Yang. Yang said he felt an obligation to help his friends, who are ill, and Obama may be able to raise their cases with Chinese leaders during his trip to Beijing next month.

By writing to President Obama, Yang risks being re-arrested because the terms of his parole ban him from political activities. In an interview on November 4, Yang said, “I have no choice but to take this risk because I feel I have a responsibility to help them.” He went on to say that, “If I don’t make an appeal that is particularly on behalf of these two people, they might just slip through the cracks.”

Yang was released after serving eight years of his ten year sentence for his involvement in the New Youth Study Group, an informal group of young professionals and academics that met privately to discuss democratic reform. The group was known as the “four gentlemen of Beijing.” Their gatherings indicated to many that China remained intolerant of political dissent. When Yang and his friends were arrested and given their harsh sentences, this notion was further confirmed.

While imprisoned, the other two members of the “four gentlemen of Beijing,” Xu Wei and Jin Haike, suffer from mental problems and sickness as a result of “an appendectomy that went badly,” according to Yang.

Yang and fellow-former member of the New Youth Study Group, Zhang Honghai wrote and signed a letter explaining their situation to President Obama. A copy of the appeal was emailed to the U.S. Embassy. Yang urges President Obama to persuade President Hu Jintao to give the men amnesty or medical parole. He says the study group did nothing illegal.

 In the letter Yang and Zhang plead that, “As the latest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize and the president of the greatest democratic country in the world, you have tremendous influence with the Chinese government and its people.” In talking about the letter, Yang states that “Whether or not this letter is effective depends on how much Obama cares about human rights in China.”

Yang and Zhang are not alone. Many Chinese, political activists and religious dissenters especially, are eager to see whether President Obama will take a stand on human rights during his first trip to China as president on November 15. Other letters express similar concerns and seek freedom for detained activists and a stronger line on human rights concerns from the administration.

For more information, please see:

Yahoo! World News – Chinese activist risks jail with letter to Obama – November 5, 2009 

Forbes – Chinese activist risks jail – November 6, 2009 

MSNBC World News – Chinese activist risks jail with letter to Obama – November 5, 2009

By Alok Bhatt
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – The European Union (EU) recently imposed a deadline on Sri Lanka’s human-rights report.  The consequences of failure to adhere to the EU deadline include a termination of trade concession worth up to $116 million dollars under the GSP Plus program.  The GSP Plus program functions to allow Sri Lanka tax-free exports to Europe on principle products such as domestic garments.  Only fourteen countries in the world currently enjoy such an economic relationship with the EU.

The tariffs cut would entail significant economic ramifications for Sri Lanka, while European countries would face minor inconveniences such as price increases for Sri Lankan import textiles.  The refusal for second-round tariffs would have the effect of eliminating thousands of jobs in Sri Lanka’s textile industry.

The Sri Lanka report to the EU must demonstrate the progress of the Sri Lankan government’s resettling initiatives for the hundreds of thousands internally displaced persons following the end of a twenty-five year war against the Tamil Tigers insurgency group.  Since the defeat of the Tamil minority’s fighting force, the Sri Lankan government has been confining scores of Sri Lankan nationals in refugee camps.  Due to the inadequacy of essential resources, dwellers in the camps, jointly funded by the UN and the Sri Lankan government amongst other groups, endure sub-human conditions.  Furthermore, recent flooding has increased the risk of water-borne diseases spreading in the camps.  Weather-worn roads have also made transportation of food and clothing to the camps difficult.  

The EU report concerning Sri Lankan’s practices include allegations of indiscriminate killing of civilians and arbitrary imprisonment.  EU officials stated that the observations made by the Sri Lankan government in its reports would be scrupulously examined before the EU can further consider the continuation of trade concessions.  The EU’s intense scrutiny of Sri Lanka’s government practices seems to stem from the Sri Lankan government’s prior failures to fulfill promises expedient resettling of internally displaced persons.  Furthermore, the international community expressed skepticism with the Sri Lankan government’s claim of conducting internal investigations in the form of a screening process to identify rebel attacks amongst the encamped civilians.

Sri Lankan officials voiced their dissatisfaction of apparent lack of clarity in some of the EU’s reporting demands.  The Sri Lankan government claims to have responded to specific human rights issues raised by the EU, although it never mentioned whether or not it compiled a full report until this morning (November 6).  The EU has yet to send its response to the Sri Lankan government.

Without the continuation of the trade concession, Sri Lanka’s textile workers will lose their business to other Asian countries such as Vietnam, India, and China.  The job cuts would be massive, and the inability to freely export garments would significantly strain Sri Lanka’s economic interests.  Considering the submission of the report, the EU suggested that it will continue discussions with Sri Lanka concerning the continuation of trade concessions.  

For more information, please see:

Al-Jazeera – Sri Lanka faces EU tariffs – 05 November 2009

Lankaweb – Sri Lanka’s observations on EC GSP Plus report handed over – 06 November 2009

Tamil Guardian –Sri Lanka hardens stand on GSP Plus – 29 October 2009

 

By M.E. Dodge
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BHOPAL, India – Officials in India continue to dismiss claims that a plant in Bhopal which formerly manufactured Union Carbide pesticide still leaks and emits dangerous toxins into drinking water.

According to a report published by the British-based charity the Bhopal Medical Appeal (BMA) and the Sambhavna Clinic in Bhopal, there is a showing, and evidence to support, that “there are still high levels of toxic chemicals in the drinking water supply in 15 communities near the old Union Carbide pesticide plant.” In addition, the report goes on to say that the water “in and around the Union Carbide factory site in Bhopal still contains extremely unsafe levels of carbon tetrachloride,” and further states that there are also “other persistent organic pollutants, solvents, nickel and other heavy metals.”  

In response, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, of Madhya Pradesh, engaged in an interview with BBC World News. During the interview the Chief Minister told BBC that contrary to the claims in the report, the plant and surrounding areas are safe. Moreover, Chief Minister, Mr. Chouhan, insisted that clean water was supplied by tanker to those communities without piped water.  However, many residents said that supplies were infrequent and insufficient, forcing them to continue relying on contaminated ground water. 

Counter to, Sarang decision the Chief Minister and other official maintain that “there is nothing hazardous to human life… people should not be worried. We have secured the site.”   

According to findings by Sathyu Sarangi, leader of the Sambhavna Clinic, the problem arises from areas known as solar evaporation ponds, which he claimed polluter, Union Carbide, used before the disaster as dumping grounds for toxic effluent. Sarangi went on to state that the report shows “that there are many toxins still in the ground that have never been cleaned up. Additionally, “each time it rains, the rain washes those toxins into the ground water, which many people still draw to drink.”

For more information, please see:

BBC World News – Officials dismiss claims Bhopal site is leaking toxins – Demeber 5, 2009

Business Weekly – India: Anger Grows Over Bhopal – December 4, 1009 

Daily Times – Govt backtracks on Bhopal gas ‘show’ – December 5, 2009

By Alok Bhatt
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

COLOMBO,Sri Lanka – General Sarath Foneseka, one of the recognized masterminds behind the Sri Lankan government’s final, victorious campaign against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam, left Oklahoma city today on a civilian visit to his daughters.  Upon hearing of the general’s arrival into the country, authorities in the United States Department of Homeland Security formulated plans to interview the general.  The discussion had the purpose of trying to substantiate allegations of war crimes the Sri Lankan military and government committed throughout the quarter-century civil war against the Tamil Tiger insurgency.  However, the General left Oklahoma City without any disturbance by U.S. authorities.  

General Fonseka played an integral role in the Sri Lankan government’s spring defeat of the Tamil Tigers.  Although the ultimate attack on the insurgency purportedly aimed cease the bloody violence reigning over Sri Lanka for over twenty-five years, reports of crimes against humanity arose in reports submitted to the U.S. congress.  The reports concentrated on heinous acts perpetrated in the final months of fighting ultimately leading to the Tamil Tigers’ defeat in May. 

The report actually asserted that both separatists and Sri Lankan government forces committed atrocities against human rights.  The Sri Lankan government, however, was accused of confining droves of citizens in schools, hospitals, and other large public structures located in designated no-fire zones.  Furthermore, human rights groups alleged that the Sri Lankan government engaged in indiscriminate bombing over Tamil territories, resulting in the deaths of thousands of civilian nationals. 

Between the inhumane acts of the government and separatists, it has been calculated that between 7,000 and 20,000 civilians had been killed over the final months of fighting. Despite the severity of the allegations and the imperative information General Fonseka could divulge concerning heinous practices in war, the Sri Lankan government swiftly pronounced its disfavor towards the idea of an interview.

 The Sri Lankan government seemed particularly leery of the possibility that U.S. authorities would inquire about Sri Lankan Secretary of Defense Gotabaya Rajapaksa.  The brother of the Sri Lankan president and a U.S. citizen himself, Rajapaksa is acknowledged as another significant figure in the Sri Lankan military’s defeat over the Tamil Tigers.  The Sri Lankan government also denies the merits of the allegations of human rights offenses. 

Without any words from the Sri Lankan government, the only corroborated information on Sri Lanka’s war practices is the lofty, tragic death toll for the bloody civil war.
For more information, please see:

Al-Jazeera – U.S. to ‘question’ S Lanka army chief – 04 November 2009

Guardian – U.S. to question Sri Lanka army chief war crimes allegations – 02 Novermber 2009

Lanka Journal – Sri Lanka’s top general leaves U.S. unquestioned – 04 November 2009

By M.E. Dodge
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

SEOUL, South Korea –   A report issued on October 21 by Amnesty International reveals the country’s social concern over racism and discrimination.

The report showed that there is a widespread racist sentiment against migrant workers, who mostly are from poor Asian countries. In compiling its research, the human rights organization cited sexual abuse, racial slurs, inadequate safety training and the mandatory disclosure of H.I.V. status, a requirement not imposed on South Koreans in the same jobs. The report also found in citing local news media and rights advocates, that following last year’s financial downturn, “incidents of xenophobia are on the rise.”

South Korea is noted as a country that has been repeatedly invaded by neighboring countries, and as a result, the people of South Korea have grown to adopt racial outlooks that have been colored by “pure-blood” nationalism as well as traditional patriarchal mores, according to Seol Dong-hoon, a sociologist at Chonbuk National University. There are even reports that North Korean authorities force women to have abortions who return home pregnant after going to China to find food, as stated by defectors and human rights groups.

The report goes on to assess how globalization for many South Koreans, has largely meant increasing exports or going abroad to study, and that now that it is also bringing an influx of foreigners into a society where 42 percent of respondents (in a 2008 survey) said they had never once spoken with a foreigner.

There is evidence though, that action is being taken to remedy this perverse level of racism. On July 10, Bonogit Hussain, a 29-year-old Indian man, and Hahn Ji-seon, a female Korean friend, were riding a bus near Seoul when another passenger made racial and sexist comments toward them. Customarily, this interaction was not unfamiliar, however, this time the media in the South Korean media broadcasted the incident, and subsequently, prosecutors sprang into action. The passenger was found, identified, arrested, and charged with contempt. This is noteworthy, because for the first time, such charges had been applied to an alleged racist offense.

As a result of this case, which is pending in court, rival South Korean political parties have begun drafting legislation that for the first time would provide a detailed definition of discrimination by race and ethnicity and impose criminal penalties.

 

For more information, please see:

EIN World News Report – South Korea Racism & Xenophobia News – November 2, 2009

New York Times – South Koreans Struggle With Race  – November 2, 2009  

The Hankyoreh – Foreigners cite nationalism, discrimination as barriers to life in Korea – April 23, 2009