By Hyo-Jin Paik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

                                     Jakarta’s Marriott hotel after the blast (Source: AFP)

JAKARTA, Indonesia – Nine people were killed in Friday’s suicide bombing attacks in Jakarta’s Ritz-Carlton and J.W. Marriott hotels.  As Indonesian officials get closer to identifying the mastermind behind the blasts, the UN Security Council released a statement voicing outrage and sympathy.

The 15-member Security Council offered “deep…condolences to the victims of these heinous acts of terrorism and to their families, and to the people and Government of Indonesia.”

The bombings in two luxury, American hotels came at a time when Indonesia was enjoying great stability, including a peaceful presidential election just weeks ago.  Officials believe that the goal of the attacks was to embarrass the Indonesian government.

  Noordin Mohamed (Source: BBC)
The country’s anti-terror chief told reporters he believes that Noordin Mohamed is behind the bombings.  Noordin is the key financier for Jemaah Islamiah, a militant group linked to Al-Qaeda and responsible for numerous bombings in Indonesia, including the 2002 Bali bombing.  Indonesian police said they are sure this is the work of Noordin considering the target, location and the contents of the bomb.  The bombs used in Friday’s attacks contained nails and bolts, contents identical to the bombs Jemaah Islamiah uses.

The Security Council stressed that perpetrators, organizers and sponsors of the attacks must be brought to justice, adding that governments must take all measures to right terrorism by fulfilling their obligations under international human rights and refugee and humanitarian law.

The Council members also said, “The Security Council reaffirms that…any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed.”

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yodhoyono, condemning the attacks as “cruel and inhuman,” said a terrorist group is responsible for the attacks and vowed to find the perpetrators.

For more information, please see:

BBC – Fugitive linked to Jakarta blasts – 18 July 2009

The Hindu – UNSC deplores hotel bombings in Indonesia – 18 July 2009

MSNBC – Cops eye fugitive terrorist in Indonesia blasts – 18 July 2009

 By Hyo-Jin Paik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan– A relief worker who works for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has been shot dead in northwestern Pakistan on Thursday in a failed kidnapping attempt.  The victim, Zil-e-Usman, was a 59-year-old Pakistani and a 30-year veteran of the UN.  This was the third killing of UNHCR employee in Pakistan in the past six months.

The slain senior UN official was attacked as he left a field office in the Kacha Gari Refugee Camp and was shot several times.

  Refugee Camp in Pakistan (Source: AFP)

UNHCR Chief Antonio Guterres said targeting aid workers must be stopped, adding, “There is no justification for attacks on humanitarian workers dedicated to the protection and care of the most vulnerable people.”  

The attack took place at a refugee camp in Pakistan’s Frontier Province where the government forces have launched a military offensive against the Taliban militants.  About 2 million Pakistanis have been driven from their homes in this region and have been placed in refugee camps.  Consequently, many international organizations have dispatched aid workers to this area of Pakistan although there was a risk that the aid workers could be targeted by the militants.

A Pakistani security official told reporters that he suspected the Taliban to be behind this attack.  The shooting came only days after senior Pakistani officials warned that the Taliban militants who had fought in the northern Swat Valley over the past few months were expected to retaliate against the Pakistani government and aid workers.  The Taliban fighters have targeted foreign diplomats and humanitarian workers in the past.

UN had lost its workers just last month in the devastating suicide bombing attack in a hotel in Peshawar.  Guterres said, “It is unacceptable that humanitarian workers doing such vital and selfless work are attacked in this way.”

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera – UN workers killed in Pakistan attack – 16 July 2009

CBS – UN Worker Killed in Pakistan Refugee Camp – 16 July 2009

CNN – U.N. worker killed in Pakistan kidnap bid – 16 July 2009

By Alishba I. Kassim
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BAKU, Azerbaijan – Two student activists were arrested and beaten in Azerbaijan after they posted a video critical of the nation’s government.

Authorities arrested Adnan Hajizada, a University of Richmond graduate and fellow activist Emin Milli, in the capital city of Baku last week. A friend of the pair said government officials questioned them while they were out at dinner and struck Milli without warning, and then attacked Hajizada. The two were then arrested and accused of attacking the officials.

Hajizada and Milli are now awaiting trial, where they could be punished with up to five years in prison. They are being held in pretrial detention for the time being, reported The New York Times. Mehriban Efendiyeva, friend of the pair, as well as an activist, said “We note with great regret that in some parts of the world today, severe injustices against the driving force for the progress – the socially active youth – take places in the most brutal manner.”

U.S. Embassy and German officials have voiced concern about the detention and the arrests, which have prompted the Azerbaijani Interior Ministry and Prosecutor General’s office to respond by saying the two countries were “meddling in its affairs.” There are reports circulating that Milli and Hajizada were beaten, and are currently being denied access to lawyers or medical treatment.

A statement issued by the U.S. Embassy in Azerbaijan read, “We call on the Government of Azerbaijan to ensure that Mr. Milli and Mr. Hajizada are granted proper access to legal assistance and medical care. We ask that the Government of Azerbaijan exercise due process in this case and respect the rights of these individuals.”

The video posted by the two activists satirized the Azerbaijani government paying exorbitant prices to import donkeys. The video ended with the statement, roughly translated, “There will be someone to protect donkey civil rights, but who will protect human civil rights?”

For more information, please see:

AP – Azerbaijani Blogger Arrests Prompts Backlash – July 14, 2  009 

 

The Collegian – 05′ Richmond Graduate Arrested – July 14, 2009  

The New York Times – In Azerbaijan a Donkey Suit Provokes Arrests – July 14, 2009

 

By Hyo-Jin Paik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

NEW YORK, United States– Burma’s UN Ambassador Than Swe announced during a Security Council session that his country is preparing to release some of the political prisoners so that they can participate in the 2010 general election.  This decision was made at the request of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon during his last visit to Burma.

Swe said, “The Myanmar [Burmese] government is processing to grant amnesty to prisoners on humanitarian grounds…Myanmar [Burma] today is steadfastly proceeding on its chosen path to democracy.”

UN Secretary General Ban visit Burma (Source: AFP)

Ban told reporters after the Security Council meeting that he conveyed the international community’s expectation to the Burmese government in the clearest terms possible. He also added that “the world is now watching closely whether they [Burma’s junta leaders] will choose to act in the best interest of their country” since the Burmese people will bear the cost of any lack of cooperation by their government with the international community.

Other UN members, including the U.S., United Kingdom and France, together called for stronger action by the Security Council against Burma, especially with matters related to Aung San Suu Kyi, the opposition leader who is currently on trial for violating her house rest.  Ban’s request to see Suu Kyi was denied during his visit, and Suu Kyi is not likely to be among the prisoners to be freed in time for the 2010 election.

The new constitution, which 92% of voters approved in last year’s referendum and will be voting for in the 2010 election, bars Suu Kyi from holding a political office.  Thus, some claim that the election is to further strengthen the powers of the junta generals.  In response, Swe remarked that “undue pressure from the outside would not be conducive to Myanmar’s [Burma’s] home-grown political process.”

Nevertheless, U.S. envoy Rosemary DiCarlo told the Security Council members that there could be “no free and fair election while key leaders of Burma’s Democratic opposition, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi…languish in Burma’s prison.” 

There was no official word on how many of the estimated 2,100 political prisoners will be release in time for the 2010 general election.

For more information, please see:

BBC – Burma junta ‘to free dissidents’ – 13 July 2009

Bloomberg – Myanmar to Free Political Prisoners, Envoy Tells UN – 13 July 2009

Mizzima – Burma preparing to free political prisoners – 14 July 2009

By Alishba I. Kassim
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – Kashmiris all over the world observed Kashmir Martyr Day on Monday to pay homage to the Kashmiri martyrs who sacrificed their lives for Kashmir’s struggle for self-determination.

In occupied Kashmir, the present authorities have imposed curfews in places such as Srinagar and have barricaded all roads leading to Lal Chowk; home to the Lal Chowk March. The Chairman of the All Parties Huriyet Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, despite being kept under house arrest by the India, urged all people to massively partake in the Lal Chowk March to remember Kashmir’s martyrs. Indian police have arrested scores of people in occupied Kashmir, and raided the homes of several APHC leaders.

Different functions are being held in other parts of Kashmir that include speakers who have been paying tribute to those who lost their lives on June 13, 1931 when the Dogra troops shot dead 22 protesting Kashmiris in front of Srinagar Central Jail.

In Islamabad a rally was held where participants presented a memorandum at the UN office in which they asked the UN Secretary General to put an end to human rights violations and restrictions on movement and press. They further urged the Secretary General to play an active role in the Security Council to bring about a final resolution on the Kashmir dispute issue.

Here in the US, Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai, executive director of the Kashmiri American Council, spoke to representatives of Amnesty International and urged them to put an end to the atrocious violations being committed in Kashmir. In particular, Dr. Fai spoke about the recent abduction, rape, and murder of two young girls in Shopian by the military. Kashmiri territory has been in dispute ever since the Partition between India and Pakistan in 1947. Since then, there has been civil and international unrest surrounding the issue. Kashmir has been home to human rights violations, and breeding ground for acts of violence.

Dr. Fai ended her speech by quoting President Obama from his L’Aquila, Italy speech saying, “We don’t want stronger nations bullying weaker nations. On the other hand, where you have nations that are oppressing their people, isn’t there an international responsibility to intervene?”

 For more information, please see:

South Asian News Agency – Kashmir’s Martyr Day Observed World Over – July 13, 2009

Kashmir Watch – The Kashmir Tragedy: Kashmir Martyrs’ Day –  July 13, 2009

Greater Kashmir – Martys’ Day Observed in Pakistan – July 13, 2009