By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch Managing Editor

SRI JAYAWARDENEPURA KOTTE, Sri Lanka – On Wednesday the government of Sri Lanka once again rejected a policy devolving police powers to the nation’s providence as requested by India’s new government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and required by the Sri Lankan Constitution as a means of easing tensions with the state’s Tamil minority.

Sri Lanka reached an agreement with the Indian government in 1987 to devolve powers, including power over policing and land, to regional governments as a means to improve relations between the Tamil minority and Sinhalese majority in Sri Lanka. “Police power is important for provinces to maintain law and order,” Primus Siraiva, a northern Provincial Councillor, said. “Otherwise, there could be lawlessness in provinces and the Provincial Council won’t be able to control it.”

Sri Lankan External Affairs Minister G.L Peiris told Parliament that President Mahinda Rajapaksa did not have an in depth discussion on constitutional issues during his meetings Modi. Last week during a meeting between Modi and Rajapaksa, the Indian prime minister stressed the need for the complete implementation of the 13th amendment of the Sri Lankan constipation which was intended to grant more political recognition to the Tamil people, even recognizing Tamil as an official state language.

The Sri Lankan government design to keep policing powers out of the hands of local authorities, including the Tamil minority, is a sign that tensions between the government and Tamil population remain high five years after the end of the Sri Lankan Civil War which ended in 2009.

The Sri Lankan Civil war, which raged on for more than a quarter century left more than 100,000 people dead and thousands more, mainly front the minority Tamil population in the North, are still missing. During the Civil war Tamil rebels fought for a homeland in the country’s northern region. Ethnic Tamils have faced discrimination in Sri Lanka for decades; while many Tamils are indigenous to the island many more were brought to the island by British Colonists to work on tea farms and were seen by members of the Sinhalese population as foreigners who had taken Sinhalese land.

Last month President Rajapaksa, who is under international pressure to investigate war crimes in the battle after the United Nations approved an international probe into the war crimes allegedly committed by both Sri Lankan state forces and members of the Tamil Tigers during the conflict. Members of Minority ethnic Tamils said they had been banned from commemorating the deaths of their relatives five years ago in the final battle of the war with Sri Lanka’s military, a charge denied by the army.

For more information please see:

Al Jazeera – Sri Lanka Says No to Devolution of Powers – 5 June 2014

Reuters – Sri Lanka Again Rejects Devolving Police Powers to Ease Tension With Tamils – 4 June 2014

Reuters – Tamils Say Barred From Commemorating War Dead, Sri Lanka Denies – 18 May 2014

BBC News – Sri Lanka Blocks Tamil Memorials amid War Parade – 18 May 2014

Government of Sri Lanka – Thirtieth Amendment to the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka – 14 November 1987

By Hojin Choi

Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

 

XINJIANG, China – A Chinese court sentenced 55 people for terrorism, separatism, and murder at a sports stadium. The sentence was handed down before a crowd of more than 7,000 spectators in the prefecture of Yili, a part of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Three of the defendants were sentenced to death.

The open trial follows a spike in widespread fear of terror attacks and increasing tensions across the country. In October, five people were killed and at least 40 injured by a car rushing into crowds of innocents on busy streets in Beijing. In March, a group of men armed with long knives invaded a train station in the city of Kunming and murdered 29 people, and  injured at least 130 others at the scene. In early May, some 39 people were killed and almost 100 injured by a terror bombing  in Xinjiang.

Chinese authorities believe these terror attacks were carried out by a separatist group formed with Uyghurs, an ethnically Turkic Muslim minority group native to the Xinjiang region. The ruling Communist Party declared an anti-terrorism campaign to strike hard any “violent terrorism, separatism, and religious extremism.” Li Minghui, Deputy Party Secretary of the prefecture of Yili, said they must “resolutely strike criminals … and boost the confidence and will to fight for all ethnicities among the masses.” The Xinjiang police launched a crackdown on the extremist groups that has resulted in 200 arrests of suspected terrorists so far.

Uyghurs have complained for a long time about pervasive discrimination in favor of Han, the Chinese majority ethnic group. The alleged discrimination includes employment, education, housing, and religious freedom restrictions. The Chinese government believes that Uyghurs are trying to form an independent state called East Turkestan.

Human rights organization Amnesty International described the “deplorable” proceeding as a “show trial.” William Nee, China Researcher of Amnesty International, said the recent terror attacks and disregard of human lives must be held to account. However, “speedy show trials will not deliver justice for the victims. Hastily sentencing people after unfair trials will only exacerbate tensions in the region,” said Mr. Nee.

The regional Communist Party leader announced before trial that the suspected criminals should be “severely punished.” According to Amnesty International, this places all of the defendants at risk of torture while they are detained.

According to Reuters, the trial was originally reported by the official Xinhua news, a state-operated press agency, but links to the news appear to be disconnected at this time.

For more information please see:

Reuters – China sentences 55 in Xinjiang mass trial – 28 May 2014

CNN – 55 sentenced before 7,000 onlookers at terror ‘show trial’ in Chinese stadium – 29 May 2014

CNN – China train station killings described as a terrorist attack – 2 March 2014

Aljazeera – China sentences 55 in mass stadium trial – 29 May 2014

BBC – China sentences 55 people in Xinjiang stadium – 28 May 2014

Amnesty International – China: Shameful stadium ‘show trial’ is not justice – 29 May 2014

By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch Managing Editor

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – As a court of onlookers watched outside of a Lahore courthouse on Tuesday, several male relatives beat her to death with stones, bricks and clubs because she married the man she loved instead of  her cousin.

Police investigators said the 25-year-old woman, Farzana Parveen, was stoned and beaten to death on a busy street as of about 30 men watched, but took no action to save her. Ms. Parveen was killed in the name of protecting her families “honor.” She was from a small Punjabi village 57 miles west of the city of Lahore, enraged her family in January when she married Muhammad Iqbal, a widower from a nearby village, instead of the man who had been chosen by her parents, a man who was her own cousin.

Her parents had brought a police complaint against her husband claiming that he had kidnapped their daughter. On Tuesday, Ms. Parveen was scheduled to appear in court in Lahore in the case. According to her lawyer she intended to tell the court that she had not been coerced into marrying her husband.

She was killed outside of the courthouse by her father, brother and the cousin her parents wanted her to marry as well as about a dozen male relives. So far Lahore police have charged her father, Mohammad Azeem, with murder, and the other men involved are being sought for the crime. Azeem told the police he helped kill his daughter because she had shamed his family.

While such crimes, often called “honor killings” are still seen in rural Pakistani communities where tribal traditions are strong and protections of women’s rights are weak, the crime of “honor killing” has become relatively rare in Pakistan’s larger cities. “I do not even wish to use the phrase ‘honor killing’: there is not the faintest vestige of honor in killing a woman in this way,” United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said in a statement condemning the horrific killing.

According to Farzana Bari, a human rights activist based in Islamabad, in many so-called “honor killings” witnesses outside of the women’s family do not step in to stop the killings and protect the victim. She said “I’ve seen in the past people stand around and watch, and don’t intervene because it is a private matter. Farzana believes honor killings are still engrained in the culture in parts of Pakistan; she said, “I think honor killing is very much part of our culture. It is a cultural form of violence which is quite prevalent in certain parts of Pakistan.”

Ultimately the brutal murder of Farzana Parveen was not shocking because it is a rare occurrence in Pakistan or any other country but instead because her death was so public, it did not occur in the dark corners of a remote village but instead Ms. Parveen was killed on the streets of a bustling city. According to a report published in April by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, 869 women in the country were the victims of honor killings last year.  Activists say the number may be much higher.

For More Information please see:

CNN International – Pregnant Pakistani woman beaten to death with bricks by relatives – 28 May 2014

Reuters – Pakistan woman stoned to death by family for marrying man she love – 27 May 2014

The New York Times – Pregnant Pakistani Woman Is Beaten to Death – 27 May 2014

USA Today – Pregnant Pakistani woman stoned to death by her family – 27 May 2014

By Hojin Choi

Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BANGKOK, Thailand – Thailand’s army chief, General Prayut Chan-Ocha, announced Thursday in a televised statement that the military will take control of the government. The coup includes a suspension of the constitution and imposition of a nationwide curfew. This is the 12^th coup since 1932.

The coup was announced two days after martial law was imposed. As  negotiations between the military, political groups, and members of the election commission broke down, General Chan-Ocha announced “it is necessary for the Peace and Order Maintaining Command to take control of governing the country.”

The military interference is the outcome of months of political chaos and violence. The dispute arose between the “Red Shirts,” a pro-government group, and the anti-government opposition known as “Yellow Shirts.” The Red Shirts have held ongoing demonstrations in support of former Prime Minister Thaksin and his political influence.  Thaksin was removed in a previous coup in 2006.  Thailand’s most recent Prime Minister, Yingluck, Thaksin’s sister, was removed on May 7 for alleged constitutional violations.

The military imposed the nationwide curfew between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. and ordered schools to be closed between Friday and Sunday. All television broadcasting has been suspended, except for the signal of the military’s television channel. The military also banned more than 150 political figures from leaving the country while summoning and detaining prominent politicians and their families, including Yingluck.  “Political gatherings” of more than five citizens have been prohibited, and protesters were ordered to return home immediately.

World leaders and organizations expressed concern about democracy, detentions, and the media shutdown of Thailand.

Navi Pillay, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, said “I am very concerned by the restrictions on fundamental freedoms.” He stressed prompt restoration of the rule of law in the country. Pillay particularly emphasized that freedom of expression and freedom of assembly were essential to the effective resolution of political differences and disputes. In addition, the military power to resolve the conflict should be temporary and limited.

Foreign Secretary of the U.K., William Hague, said he was “extremely concerned” by the coup. According to Hague, “the U.K. urges the restoration of a civilian government that has been democratically elected, serves the interests of its people and fulfills its human rights obligations.”.

“There is no justification for this military coup,” U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry announced. Kerry anticipated “negative implications” and impacts on the U.S. and Thai relationship, especially with the Thai military. He stated that the U.S. would review its “military and other assistance,” including suspension of $10 million in aid to Thailand.

State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki announced in USA Today that “U.S. law prohibits the government to assist countries where elected officials are deposed by the military.”

 

For more information please see:

Aljazeera – Thailand under curfew after army takeover – 22 May 2014

CNN – Thai military tightens grip, bans more than 150 from leaving country – 23 May 2014

USA Today – Thai military declares coup, detains party leaders – 22 May 2014

BBC News – Thailand military seizes power in coup – 22 May 2014

The Washington Post – US, other nations express concerns over Thai coup – 23 May 2014