By Megan E. Dodge
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

ARUNACHAL PRADESH, India – What was previously an area of tension has become an even more hotly contested subject as protesters, civilians, and diplomats alike assert claims over Arunachal Pradesh. Most recently, the Dalai Lama’s trip to Arunachal Pradesh, scheduled for mid-November, has sparked major controversy after China opposed the visit.

In the past few weeks as the date of the Dalai Lama’s trip nears, Delhi newspapers and television have been filled with stories about the People’s Liberation Army crossing the Himalayas to inscribe Chinese characters onto rocks, helicopter raids to drop food on hapless farmers, and exchange fire with Indian soldiers. Unfriendly relations between China and Indian began in June over the territory. On one side China asserts ownership over Arunachal Pradesh, while on the other side India claims the region as its own. The reaction was ignited by India’s announcement that it would be sending 60,000 troops to bolster tens of thousands of soldiers in Arunachal Pradesh.

In India, the Kashmir state government, apparently, said its territory was being taken “inch by inch” through such military incursions. The mountainous state of Arunachal Pradesh shares a 1,030-kilometer undivided border with China. Foreign ministries in both countries, however, seem to be playing down the reports, though there are still concerns that if the situation is left unchecked, things could spiral out of control.

Chinese troops overran Indian positions in the Himalayas in 1962 before retreating. Since then, both sides have tried to engage in discussions to resolve the territorial problem. After more than a dozen rounds of such talks, virtually no progress has been made as China continues to claim India’s Arunachal Pradesh, and also occupy a portion of territory in Kashmir which India regards as its own.

Despite the tension, excitement among the people persists as the date of the Dalai Lama’s visit to the mountainous state approaches. Reacting to China’s objection, India’s Foreign Minister S. M. Krishna said Wednesday: “Arunachal Pradesh is a part of India, and the Dalai Lama is free to go anywhere in India.”

China is concerned that a visit to Arunachal Pradesh could now draw further attention to China’s treatment of Tibetan activists and the Dalai Lama’s calls for cultural and religious freedoms and autonomy. Bhaskar Roy, a New Delhi-based China expert said, “[T]he timing of his trip is significant. It comes while the debate over his visit to Taiwan is still hot.”

For more information, please see:

Washington Post –China opposes Dalai Lama trip to disputed India state – September 11, 2009

Yahoo! News – After Taiwan, Dalai Lama to visit Arunachal Pradesh – September 11, 2009

 The Guardian – Himalayan conflict centres on Tibet – September 17, 2009

MSNBC World News – Buddhist monks pray for safe Dalai Lama visit – September 17, 2009

By Hyo-Jin Paik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

SEOUL, South Korea– Although South Korea ousted a military dictatorship and embraced democracy more than two decades ago, reports have surfaced that since South Korean President Lee Myung-bak took office in February 2008, the country’s state of democracy has been backsliding.

Since his inauguration, President Lee has removed officials who hold liberal views from state-affiliated news outlets.  This move has actually brought the head of the International Federation of Journalists to come to Seoul and ask for guarantees to press freedom.

Clark Sorensen, a Korea expert at University of Washington, said, “[I]t does seem…that some old patterns from predemocratic past have resurfaced.” 

Amnesty International’s Norma Kang Muico also expressed concern saying, “[T]here have been no prosecutions of riot police, despite ample evidence…of human rights violations committed by some police officials.”

Moreover, thousands of teachers face punishment by the government for participating in civic movements calling for protection of democratic freedoms.  89 members of the Korean Teachers’ and Education Workers’ Union (KTU) are under criminal investigation for organizing a petition, the contents of which included the deteriorating state of South Korean democracy.

Im Byung-koo, a member of KTU, said, “As people who have to teach children [about recent events], we thought, ‘It’s time for us to speak about democracy.’”

However, the Seoul Central Prosecutor’s Office raided KTU offices and seized computer servers and documents, including documents that were not included in the search warrant.  KTU announced that they will “fight to protect the freedom of opinion and expression and will defend the values of democracy.”

Im faces termination from his employment for signing the petitions and is barred from teaching for three years.  South Korean Ministry of Education justified their punishment of the teachers saying that civil servants and teachers’ unions are barred from group political activity.

Some critics, including Lance Compa of Cornell University, claim South Korea is violating International Labor Organization laws.  Compa said, “[The] law can prevent political proselytizing in the classroom by teachers, but cannot restrict their participation in political affairs in society at large.”
For more information, please see:

Christian Science Monitor – Is South Korea backsliding on its democracy movement – 13 September 2009

Korean Teachers & Education Workers’ Union – KTU headquarters raided by prosecutors and riot police – 3 July 2009

Oh My News – Prosecutors: Indicting the Teachers or Not? – 9 September 2009

 

By Michael E. Sanchez
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

Sialkot, Pakistan– Emotions are ran high on Wednesday while Pakistani Christians clashed with security forces during the funeral of a Christian teenager who police say hung himself while being held on accusations that he committed Blasphemy by defiling the Qur’an, the Muslim holy book.  Christian leaders and Human rights group in Pakistan believe he was murdered.

Fanish Masih was jailed after allegedly throwing a chapter of the Qur’an down a drain last week in the village of Jatheki.  Masih was found dead in his cell on Tuesday.  Jail superintendent Farooq Lodhi stated that Masih hung himself using the string from his pants.  Witnesses have stated the contrary however, stating that there were no strangulation marks on his neck, and his body was littered with injuries which were indicative of torture.  The National Commission of Justice and Peace, a Catholic advocacy group in Pakistan, called the death an “extra-judicial murder”, and demanded an investigation into the events.

Of Pakistan’s 175 million people, non-Muslims make up less than 5 percent of the population.  As a result these non-Muslims are particularly vulnerable to the anti-blasphemy on the books which carry the death penalty for derogatory remarks or any other actions against Islam, the Qur’an or the prophet Mohammad.  Under this system anyone can make an accusation, and often these rules are used to settle personal scores and vendettas.  According to sources, the claim of blasphemy against Masih was only made as a pretext to arrest him, who allegedly was in a romantic relationship with a Muslim girl, which was opposed by the girl’s family and religious radicals within the community.

According to the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), this latest case of violence against a non-Muslim demonstrates the recklessness and confidence of the religious leaders in their own impunity, along with how powerless law enforcement agencies have become before influential social groups.  This case is also an example of the extreme vulnerability which religious minorities in Pakistan suffer from.

For more information, please see:

Asian Human Rights Commission-Witnesses killed within prison walls: a Christian boy is accused of blasphemy and murdered– 16 September 2009

MSNBC- Christian’s death in jail sparks Pakistan unrest 16 September 2009

Pakistan Christian Post- Christian MNA Akram Masi Gill arrested in Sialkot -16 September 2009

By Megan E. Dodge
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia
 
RANGOON, Burma– Though not present, final arguments were made by defense lawyers of Burmese opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. The proceeding was closed to Ms. Suu Kyi while her attorneys argued against an extended house arrest at a hearing in Rangoon. The hearing was also closed to reporters. According to lawyer, Nyan Win, the Yangon Divisional Court will deliver its verdict on October 2.
 
Ms. Suu Kyi has spent 14 out of the past 20 years in detention. She is said to have violated the terms of her last house arrest sentencing, and the length of the penalty was extended for another 18 months. In effect, this extension would bar Ms. Suu Kyi from participating in next year’s elections. 
 
The timing of Ms. Suu Kyi’s appeal is extraordinary. As she awaits a sentencing verdict, one day earlier 7,0000 prisoners were granted amnesty by Burma’s military rulers. Prison amnesties such as the one announced Thursday usually mark important national days or are intended to deflect criticism ahead of high-profile international gatherings. This release is a memorial of the 21st anniversary of the seizure of power by the military junta in Burma. The amnesty also comes just ahead of the opening of this year’s U.N. General Assembly session. The event will be attended by Prime Minister Gen. Thein Sein. Sein is the highest-ranking Myanmar government leader in more than a decade to participate.
 
Aside from the recent group of prisoners granted amnesty, among those still in capture are many political prisoners, not unlike Ms. Suu Kyi who represents the National League for Democracy (NLD). In the past 20 years, the number of political prisoners in Burma is reported to have doubled according to Human Rights Watch. The current number of political inmates is approximately 2,200. Of those released, 20 were held as political prisoners, two of whom are prominent NLD members. Another two are journalists who were jailed last year for reporting the Cyclone Nargis.
 
The NLD won elections in 1990, however, the military has never allowed the political party to assume power. The military seized power in 1962 and has not relinquished its authority to other political factions. Any information from Burma, including reports about Ms. Suu Kyi’s hearing and about a series of seven recent explosions in the northern part of the city of Rangoon, is tightly regulated. Burma’s military government strictly monitors the flow of information in and out of the country, and there has been no indication as to the cause or source of the blasts. 
 
For more information, please see:
 
BBC World News- Suu Kyi appeal ruling next month – September 18, 2009
MSNBC World Headlines- Myanmar junta closes Suu Kyi hearing again – May 21, 2009 
The Irrawaddy- Rangoon Court Postpones Suu Kyi Appeal Hearing – September 18, 2009
Yahoo! News- Myanmar’s Suu Kyi appeals conviction – September 18, 2009

By Hyo-Jin Paik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

SEOUL, South Korea– After being held up by immigration officials in South Korea, activist and general secretary of World Uyghur Congress Dolkun Isa was released today and has returned home to Germany.  

Isa Dolkun.  Courtesy of UNPO. 

Isa, an exiled Uyghur activist who fled China back in 1997, became a German citizen in 2006.  Since then, Isa has travelled around the globe promoting human rights for Uyghurs.

Isa arrived in South Korea on Tuesday to attend a conference for the World Forum for Democratization in Asia.  However, South Korean official detained Isa without an explanation.  In a phone interview during his detention, Isa said, “I don’t  know what the reason is.  Korean immigration officials don’t explain…and just said I should stay here.”

One South Korean news agency did report that the authorities were investigating Isa because his name appeared in a Chinese list of alleged terrorists.  China has been accusing World Uyghur Congress for the recent violence and ethnic tensions in the Xinjiang region.

Amnesty International and other human rights group urged South Korea to release the “human rights defender” immediately.  Amnesty also stated that South Korea should not have denied Isa entry into the country saying, “We are…disappointed that the South Korean authorities did not permit Mr[.]  Isa to enter…to attend the World Forum for Democratization in Asia in Seoul as he planned.”

Furthermore, Underrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization said detaining Isa “threatened the image of South Korea as a lodestar for democracy” in Asia.  This group had also asked the South Korea government to reject the completely…fabricated accusations leveled against him by Chinese authorities.”

Moreover, Amnesty said that had Isa been deported to China, he would have risked “arbitrary detention, unfair trial, torture and other ill-treatment and possibly even the death penalty.

South Korea’s Ministry of Justice spokesman declined to provide details regarding Isa’s detention and release.

For more information, please see:

Amnesty International – SOUTH KOREA RELEASES SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE WORLD UIGHUR CONGRESS  – 19 September 2009

AP – South Korea holding Uyghur activist at airport – 18 August 2009

Taiwan News – South Korea releases Uighur activist after detention at airport – 19 September 2009

UNPO – WUC Secretary General Released – 18 September 2009