By Alishba I. Kassim
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

WASHINGTON, U.S. – The U.S. government and several human rights groups have started protesting after North Korea’s highest court sentenced two American journalists to 12 years of hard labor.

The two journalists, Laura Ling and Euna Lee, were detained by North Korean soldiers at the Chinese border in March. They were charged with illegally entering North Korea and with “hostile acts.”

There are conflicting reports emerging regarding the stories the journalists were working on. Laura Ling’s sister, Lisa Ling, told ABC television that the journalists had been working on a story regarding the trafficking of North Korean women into China, while other reports suggest they had been reporting on North Korean refugees who had fled North Korea.

The White House has also expressed its sentiment on the issue, and President Obama has been “deeply concerned” by the sentencing. Statements from the White House say that the U.S. is “engaged through all possible channels to secure their release.”

Groups such as Amnesty International have also been criticizing North Korea’s judicial and penal system by highlighting the fact that the journalists have had “no access to lawyers, no due process, no transparency.” They have gone on to call the North Korean judicial system an “instrument of supression than of justice.” Needless to say, the sentencing is the latest development in the strained American-North Korean relationship.

The Obama administration has reached out to the governor of New Mexico, Bill Richardson, who helped released American citizens imprisoned in North Korea in the past. However, Governor Richardson added that “talk of an envoy is premature because what first has to happen is a framework for negotiations on a potential humanitarian release. What we would try to see would be some kind of political pardon.”

Governor Richardson also noted that North Korea had not filed espionage charges against the journalists as many had assumed might happen and this was a positive sign.

Needless to say the plight of the two journalists has garnered substantial media attention, and the attention of the government and several human rights agencies. According to Governor Richardson there are some positive developments that can be utilized as stepping stones. However, let’s hope the U.S. government can work towards the journalists speedy release since several international reports strongly suggest that detainees at the labor camps are subject to hunger, brutal beatings, and inhumane workloads.

According to the four minute conversation Laura Ling had with her sister, the only thing that could help them would be if the “two countries communicate.”

For more information, please see:

NY Times – U.S. Protests North Korea’s Punishment of two Journalists – June 8, 2009

AP – Will U.S. Send Envoy after North Korea Jails Reporters? – June 8, 2009

Straits Times – Reporters Get Hard Labor – June 8, 2009

By Alishba I. Kassim
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

WASHINGTON, United States – Joint reports by several human rights agencies and U.S. funded broadcast services are accusing China of deceptively distributing billions of dollars in aid to Africa with “no strings attached” packages. These packages, the reports provide, subvert human rights and promote Chinese power.

Similar reports accuse Russia, Iran, and Venezuela of using wealth to build alliances without pressing developing countries to promote democracy and avoiding corruption.

The report, prepared jointly over a two year period by Freedom House, a Washington based NGO, did not address the role of US foreign policy or aid, but accused China of excessive abuse.

“These regimes are using soft-power methods to advance their interests internationally, particularly through billions of dollars in no strings attached development aid,” the report said. Chinese leaders, in contrast, have accused Western countries of being self-serving and continue to emphasize the importance of state sovereignty and non-interference.

The report accused Russia of undermining international institutions such as the United Nations that aim to work towards safeguarding human rights and democracy. While Iran, on the flipside, was accused of supporting forces such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Palestine. The report held Venezuela responsible for passing on the torch of corruption through subsidies in developing nations.

Although the reports’ justifiably emphasized the importance of oversight in ensuring corruption-free regimes in developing countries, one has to question whether Freedom House had an ulterior agenda when blacklisting countries such as Iran, China, Russia, and Venezuela. Countries some may argue are not amongst America’s favorites.

For more information, please see:

Washington Post – Human Rights Group Condemn how China gives Aid – June 4, 2009

AP – Human Rights Group Condemn China – June 4, 2009

Miami Herald – Human Rights Group Condemn China – June 4, 2009

By Alishba I. Kassim
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

WASHINGTON – A U.S. military investigation in Afghanistan continues to uncover mistakes in airstrikes that have exponentially added to the civilian death toll.

The 2000 pound bomb dropped in the 8 hour long strike was dropped by an Air Force B-1 bomber at night, making it even more difficult to determine whether civilians were present. A U.S. defense official who chose to remain anonymous commented that dropping a 2000 pound bomb was “overkill,” particularly since there is evidence the bomber may have briefly lost contact as well.

Another U.S. official confirmed that the civilian death toll would probably have been much lower if U.S. air crews and ground troops had followed proper rules to prevent civilian casualties. Afghan officials put the civilian death toll from air strikes in the Farah province to as high as 140 deaths. By contrast, U.S. military officials have said that 20-35 civilians have been killed among 80-95 people – the majority of whom they say were Taliban fighters.

The U.S. investigation, ordered by General Petraeus, has largely concluded that one U.S. aircraft, cleared to attack Taliban fighters, did not confirm targets before dropping deadly bombs. This leaves open the possibility of militants fleeing the targeting area, leaving just civilians in place.

The New York Times quoted a senior military official saying “in several instances where there was a legitimate threat, the choice of how to deal with that threat did not comply with the standing rules of engagement.” A second military official told Reuters that certain mistakes were linked to the choice of weapons used in the operation rather than any protocol violation. Regardless of the specific means, the reports are mostly concluding that several mistakes were made that added to the civilian death toll.

A senior military official familiar with the report cautioned that the report was not yet complete and went on to pose the ultimate question “given what was known, what was seen from the air, and given the threat, was that the right choice?”

One would be hard-pressed to answer in the affirmative when protocol is ignored and contact is lost when dropping 2000 pound bombs on a nation already ravaged by war.

For more information, please see:

AP – U.S. Broke Bombing Rules in Afghanistan June 3, 2009

Reuters – U.S. Finds Mistakes in Deadly Afghan Strikes June 3, 2009

Los Angeles Times – Some Afghanistan Airstrikes were Mistakes June 3, 2009