By Shayne R. Burnham
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – Reporters Without Borders demands that the media be allowed to enter the northern part of Sri Lanka where the military and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are in the midst of a 20 year battle.  Because of the stronghold, tens of thousands of civilians are trapped between forces.  More than 2,000 are believed to have died.  Yet no confirmations on this estimation exist since journalists and humanitarian aid are prohibited from the area.

“With a major humanitarian crisis and war crimes clearly taking place, the government must heed the international community’s calls for a ceasefire and for better access for humanitarian workers and journalists,” Reporters Without Borders said. “It is a disgrace that this war is being waged without independent journalists present. And by preventing thousands of innocent civilians from moving freely, the Tamil Tiger rebels bear a large share of the responsibility for these crimes.”

It added, “By limiting media coverage to guided tours with the purpose of confirming military victories, the armed forces are preventing the press from doing its job and are disregarding the public’s right to be informed in an independent manner.”

The government said that only nine journalists had been killed and 27 had been assaulted over the past three years.  Private activists state that over twelve have been killed.  Human rights groups cite to Sri Lanka as the third most dangerous place for journalists.

The United Nations estimates there are still 100,000 civilians trapped.  Since the beginning of the war in 1983, government security forces have contained the Tigers to the coastal jungle of the Vanni,located  in the northeastern region.

The government has been accused of violating international human rights laws by shooting in their safety zones, even schools and hospitals.  On the other hand, the Tigers have been claimed to prevent civilians from leaving, using them as human shields and forcing them, including children, into their ranks.

For more information, please see:

AFP – Sri Lankan Media Ban “A Disgrace”: Rights Group – 11 April 2009

Reporters Without Borders – Call for Journalists to be Let into Area Where “A Major Humanitarian Crisis” is Unfolding With No Media Presence – 10 April 2009

Reuters – Short Sri Lanka Truce Over, Doors Open to Final Fight – 15 April 2009

By Shayne R. Burnham
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – The Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered the bail release of a hard-line cleric Maulana Abdul Aziz Wednesday.

In 2007, Pakistani soldiers raided a mosque in Islamabad because dozens of heavily armed Al-Qaeda militants were inside and refused to surrender.  Aziz was arrested when Pakistani soldiers besieged the mosque while he attempted to sneak out dressed in a burqa.  As a result of the raid, about 102 people were killed.

Subsequently, suicide bombings and other attacks on the government ensued.  This has left more than 1,700 people dead.

Aziz faces 27 various charges including abetting terrorists and illegally occupying a building.  He was granted bail by the Supreme Court of Pakistan in exchange for 500,000 rupees (approximately $6,214).  Aziz’s lawyer, Shaukat Siddiqui, stated that the only case left before the court was the charge of abetment.  He said that the court noted that “bail cannot be withheld on mere charges of abetment.”  He added, “It observed that there is no such material which should deprive him bail.”  Pending his release, he was moved out of prison and was detained in a house in Rawalpindi.

Aziz was released from house arrest last Thursday.  He vows to lead a campaign for Islamic law without violence.

“God willing, the day is not far away when Islam will be enforced in the whole of Pakistan,” Aziz said. “Our struggle has always been peaceful, and we will continue this struggle for the enforcement of Islamic laws in the country.”

“He’s learned no lessons, nothing’s changed as far as his agenda is concerned,” said Zafar Hilaly, a political analyst and former ambassador. “It’s troubling. His supporters will take a lot of heart, as will extremists, who think they’re on a roll.”

According to BBC News, the release of Aziz demonstrates President Asif Ali Zardari’s struggle to control militancy in the northwest part of Pakistan.  It is also an example of Pakistan’s history of failure to prosecute militants.  Critics say the difficulty in holding perpetrators responsible lies in the cooperation between radicals and national security forces.

For more information, please see:

AFP – Pakistan Red Mosque Cleric Granted Bail: Lawyer – 15 April 2009

Associated Press – Pakistan Grants Bail to Hard-Line Red Mocleric – 15 April 2009

Associated Press – Radical Pakistani Cleric Released on Bail – 17 April 2009

BBC News – Pakistan Red Mosque Cleric Bailed – 15 April 2009

Los Angeles Times – Militant Pakistani Cleric Out on Bail Remains Defiant – 17 April 2009

Pei Hu
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BANGKOK, Thailand – Sondhi Limthongkul, the founder of Thailand’s “yellow shirt” protest movement was shot and wounded in an assassination attempt. The attacked occurred just days after the Thai military began a crack down on rioting protesters from the “red shirt” protesters.

The attack happened just hours before the government met for a special Cabinet meeting to discuss the recent violence due to political turmoil and measures undertaken to boost Thailand’s economy.

Sondhi is a media tycoon who owns the pro-government TV channel ASTV. Bangkok police spokesman, Suporn Pansua said Sondhi was on his way to work before dawn when at least two men in a pick-up truck ambushed his car and opened fire with an M-16 and AK-47 machine guns.

The tires and vehicle was sprayed with bullets, 84 bullet shells were found on the road near the attack in Western Bangkok. Suporn said, “Considering the nature of the attack and the weapons used, we believe it was carried out by people with expertise… We believe the attack was meant to take lives.” The driver and another passenger were seriously wounded.

Sondhi supports the current government, People’s Alliance for Democracy. Sondhi was responsible for the protests movements that shut down the airport last year to oppose the previous government. Chaiwan Charoenchoktawee, Vajira Hospital director, said that Sondhi is in stable condition after the surgery that removed a bullet from his skull.

The yellow shirts immediately labeled Sondhi’s attack as politically motivated, a claim that is under investigation by the police. Red shirt protesters have expressed anger that several of their leaders were arrested while Sondhi and his alliance were never prosecuted over the airport seizures last year.

After the attack, security moved quickly to protect Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. The Prime Minister had imposed a state of emergency in Bangkok since Sunday. Before this week’s riots, Abhisit’s vehicle was attacked twice by red shirt protesters. Abhisits told the media that he had decided “not to revoke the emergency degree… We have to make sure peace and order truly returns.”  For the 6th day in a row, the Thai capital remains under emergency rule.

For more information, please see:

AP – Gunmen attack Thai ‘yellow shirt’ protest leader – 17 April 2009

BBC – Thai ‘yellow shirt’ leader shot – 17 April 2009

LA Times – Thailand extends state of emergency – 17 April 2009

By Ariel Lin
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

TOKYO, Japan – A Japanese high court turned down two damages suit filed by Chinese nationals.  According to Kyodo News reported, one case is brought by eight Chinese who were forced to work as laborers at a copper mine in Japan during World War II.  The other lawsuit filed by a Chinese woman who was forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese army.

The Chinese plaintiffs in both cases were seeking apologies and financial damages from the Japanese government for the acts of slavery during World War II.   The suit, filed by eight plaintiffs in 2004, sought US$1.9 million dollars from Japan’s government and Mitsubishi Materials.  Six out of the eight plaintiffs have died and were represented by relatives.  Plaintiffs’ statement states they were among 241 Chinese were forced to work under harsh conditions at the copper mine while no wages were paid.

The other suit was filed by an eighty-three-year-old Chinese woman, Chen Jinyu, on behalf of all Chinese sex slaves for Japanese soldiers in World War II.  Chen arrived in Japan to attend the second trial at the Japanese High Court, but she left with disappointments.

Japanese High Court Presiding Judge, Watanabe Hitoshi, says that the 1972 Japan-China Joint Communique does not give the individual right to claim war reparations from Japanese government.  China renounced any attempts to seek war compensation from Japan in the agreement. However, the Japanese court did recognize the female plaintiffs were suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder because of the wrongful conducts and brutal behaviors by Japanese troops.  The plaintiffs pledged to appeal to the Japanese Supreme Court.

For more information, please see:

Market Watch – Lawsuit from WWII sex slaves dismissed – 27 March 2009

StraitTimes – Court rejects WWII claim – 27 March 2009

XinHua – Japanese high court turns down lawsuit by Chinese forced laborers during WWII – 37 March 2009

XinHua – Tokyo court rejects damages suit filed by WWII Chinese sex slaves – 27 March 2009