By Pei Hu
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BANGKOK, Thailand – According to a statement by Vaughn Vang, Director of the Laos Human Rights Council, Inc., Laos Peoples Democratic Republic (LPDR) officials are pressuring the Thai government to repatriate all Hmong refugees and asylum seekers from Huay Nam Khao refugee camp in Thailand. Vang added many Hmong refugees that are deported from Thailand back to Laos have gone missing or are arrested in the middle of the night by LPDR authorities.

In June 2008, more than 5,000 Hmong refugees from the Huay Nam Khao refugee camp in Thailand held peaceful protests against Thai deportations of Hmong asylum seekers and refugees. Several witnesses confirmed with Human Rights Watch that Thai paramilitary forces surrounded protests with barbed wires and separated Hmong families when forcing them onto pick-up Trucks. Thai authorities moved the Hmong demonstration leaders to undisclosed locations. Additionally, Thai military and paramilitary forces arrested 873 Hmong protestors, including women and children, and forcibly deported them to Laos the next day.

Hmong refugees are prohibited to return home after they have returned to Laos after deportation. Some refugees are sent to relocations sites where they are enrolled in re-education camps. However, many human rights organizations say that Hmong refugees face arbitrary incarceration, sexual abuse, torture, and disappearances.

Bill Frelick, refugee policy director of the Human Rights Watch said, “The Laos government is notorious for treating deported Hmong harshly upon their return … By imprisoning these Hmong deportees, Laos authorities confirm the fear many Hmong asylum seekers and refugees have expressed of being persecuting if returned to their native country.”

The LPDR persecute Hmong communities because of a Hmong insurgency in the 1960s. According to several humanitarian agencies, the LPDR is responsible for sexual abuse, torture, and extrajudicial killings of Hmong civilians living in Laos suspected of being insurgents.

For more information, please see:

APF – Rights Group Says Laos Jailed Hmong Refugee Protest Leaders – 27 October 2008

HRW – Laos: Cease Arbitrary Detention of Deported Hmong – 28 October 2008

Media Newswire – Thailand’s Somchai Visits Laos Following Bloody Military, Chemical Weapons Attacks on Hmong – 3 November 2008

By Ariel Lin
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

YANGON, Myanmar – Fourteen democracy advocates of the 88 Generation Students were sentenced to prison terms of 65 years each, according to regional news accounts and reports on a Web site for exiles. The activists were sentenced during a closed-door hearing in Yangon.  “Family members were not allowed to attend the hearing,” the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners said in a statement.

Many of the activists were arrested during anti-junta protests last year.  The protests lead to massive pro-democracy demonstrations, which were resulted in a military crackdown by the Junta.  Amnesty International and other international human rights groups condemned the Junta’s action.  “It’s a powerful reminder that Myanmar’s military government is ignoring calls by the international community to clean up its human rights record.” Amnesty International said in a statement.

Nyunt Nyunt Oo, mother of 31-year-old Pandeik Tun, one of the 14, said her son and others were sentenced under various charges including the so-called 5/96 law declaring that anyone who demonstrates, makes speeches or writes statements undermining stability will face up to 20 years in prison. She said the other charges involved the Video Act, the Foreign Exchange act, the Electronics Act and links with illegal groups.  Oo stated she will not appeal the decision because she does not think any effort will make a difference.

On Monday, a court gave a 20-year sentence to blogger Nay Phone Latt, who was arrested in January after his blog in Myanmar was banned.  Also, a leading Myanmar poet Saw Wai, who is accused of penning a secret anti-junta message in one of his works, received two years at the same hearing, according to the spokesman Nyan Win of Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy.

For more information, please see:

AP – Myanmar: Long sentences for democracy advocates – 11 November 2008

AP – Relatives: Myanmar activists get long prison terms – 11 November 2008

AFP – Govt slams jailing of Myanmar activists – 11 November 2008

International Herald Tribune – Myanmar sentences 14 dissidents – 11 November 2008

Reuters – Myanmar jails dissidents for 65 years – 11 November 2008

By Ariel Lin
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BEIJING, China – Fifty-five Tibetans have received prison sentences for their involvement in anti-government riots on March 14th, according to the vice chairman of the Tibet regional government, Baema Cewang. The prison sentences range from three years to life, Xinhua reported.  It did not give details of how the sentences were handed down or what sort of trial the prisoners had received, if any.

The anti-government riot, led by Buddhist monks, erupted in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa on March 14th.  The protests soon turned violent, with demonstrators burning vehicles and shops, and attacking Han Chinese living and working in Lhasa.  The March riot led to a government crackdown in the region and other Tibetan areas in western China.

The report came as representatives of the Dalai Lama, Lodi Gyari and Kelsang Gyaltsen, met with Chinese officials to discuss Tibet policies and the status of the Dalai Lama.  A senior Chinese official ruled out giving Tibet the kind of autonomy that Beijing grants Hong Kong.  Du Qinglin, head of a government department in charge of the talks, says, “It is impossible for Tibet to become independent, semi-independent, or independent in a disguised form, ” and called the Dalai Lama to face reality.

The talks failed to make any progress, according to Zhu Weiqun, executive vice minister of the United Front Work Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.  He said the Dalai Lama side should “shoulder full responsibility for that.” Although the two sides have engaged in “frank and sincere” talks, there are still “serious divergences” of opinion, according to the Chinese government.  Mr. Zhu alleged that a memorandum presented by the Tibetans contained proposals were unacceptable, such as a plan to withdraw Chinese troops from Tibetan areas.  “It clearly shows they had not given up their dream of independence,” he said. China would not accept any mid-way such as “independence, half-independence or covert independence,” he added.

For more information, please see:

BBC – Tibetans blamed for failed talks – 10 November 2008

CNN – China sentences 55 people over Tibet riots – 05 November 2008

Guardian – China reveals fresh sentences for Tibet unrest – 05 November 2008

New York Times – China Has Sentenced 55 Over Tibet Riot in March – 05 November 2008

XinHua – China says no compromise on national sovereignty, refutes Dalai’s so-called “middle way” – 10 November 2008

By Shayne R. Burnham
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

KABUL, Afghanistan – On Wednesday, a U.S. air strike hit the remote village of Wech Baghtu, located in the southern province of Kandahar, Afghanistan.  The bombing resulted in the killing of 37 people, all civilians who were attending a wedding party.  Of those killed, 23 were women and 10 were children.  As Senator Barack Obama was newly elected as successor to President Bush, President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan called upon him to stop civilian casualties.  He stated, “Our demand is that there will be no civilian casualties in Afghanistan.  We cannot fight against terrorism with airstrikes.  This is my first demand of the new president of the United States–to put an end to civilian airstrikes.”

A relative of the bride, Abdul Jalil, witnessed the bombing.  Jalil said that there was U.S. and Taliban fighting approximately one-half mile from his home.  Shortly thereafter, a fighter aircraft bombed the housing complex where the wedding would take place.  Subsequently U.S. troops came to the scene of the bombing and questioned villagers in search of militants.

Approximately 4,000 people have died this year, almost a third of them are civilians.  NATO and the U.S. claim that mistakes happen and even more people die as a result of Taliban terrorist activity.  U.S. forces spokesman Commander Jeff Bender stated, “If innocent people were killed in this operation, we apologize and express our condolences to the families and the people of Afghanistan.”

The increasing civilian death toll has caused tension among President Karzai and the U.S. and NATO, particularly the August bombing that occurred in the Shah Wali Kot district.  President Karzai has called for a review of reports of civilian casualties.

Senator Obama has said during his campaign that he would launch attacks against terrorist sites located in Pakistan if Pakistan cannot and will not act against them.

For more information, please see:

Associated Press – Karzai ‘Demands’ Obama End Civilian Deaths After Latest Incident – 5 November 2008

Fox News – 33 Killed in Alleged U.S. Strike in Afghanistan – 5 November 2008

Reuters – U.S. Strike Kills Wedding Party Goers:  Afghan Officials – 5 November 2008

By Pei Hu
Impunity Watch, Asia

SHAH ALAM, Malaysia – On November 7th, a Malaysian court ordered the release of Raja Petra Kamaruddin, also known as “RPK”, an influential anti-government blogger for the widely read, Malaysia Today. In September, RPK was arrested for allegedly publishing material that ridiculed Islam and government authorities on his widely read website. Under the Internal Security Act (ISA), the Malaysian government allowed the arrest and detention of citizens without explanation. RPK was held without trial for eight weeks.

Due to intense international pressure, the high court in Shah Alam ruled that the Interior Minister, Syed Hamid Albar, had exceeded his authority to order RPK’s detention. According to Reporters Without Borders, the Malaysian Court has not reviewed an ISA case since 1987. “We are pleased to learn that the judge who ordered his immediate release said the government had failed to give sufficient grounds for holding him,” Reporters Without Borders said.

The Press Freedom Organization added, “This is an important day for free expression in Malaysia and for RPK, who will able to rejoin his family even if the authorities are clearly still keeping him under surveillance. The ISA is now undoubtedly a major obstacle to free expression for journalists, bloggers, and activists in Malaysia.”

However, RPK still faces charges of sedition relating to his reports linking Deputy Prime Minister, Najib Razak, to the murder of a Mongolian woman. Najib is expected to succeed the incumbent Prime Minister, Abdullah Badawi.

Malaysia Today published a statement on RPK’s release and said, “The release of Raja Petra Kamarudin from ISA detention is a victory for the people of Malaysia.” The statement also criticizes the ISA, “Many others still languish in prison under the draconian ISA, including members of Hindraf and individuals allegedly involved with radical groups such as Jemaa Islamiyah.  They all deserve the right of judicial review.”

“We have to fight all-out and get the ISA abolished,” RPK told reporters upon his release.
For more information, please see:

BBC –Malaysia Blogger’s Joy at Release – 7 November 2008

Malaysia Today – Press Statement – The Release of Raja Petra Kamarudin – 8 November 2008

RSF – Leading Blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin Finally Released – 7 November 2008