Asia

Australia-bound Boat Carrying Asylum Seekers Sinks

By Kevin M. Mathewson
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

JAVA, Indonesia — A boat carrying Australia-bound asylum-seekers sank off Indonesia’s Java Island, killing at least eleven. It was estimated that roughly 200 people may have been aboard the boat that began sinking Tuesday evening. Five children and a pregnant woman were among the eleven confirmed dead.

An Indonesian police officer carries an exhausted young boy from the sea.

The rescued asylum-seekers said they were from Iraq, Iran, Sri Lanka and Syria.

The head of the local rescue agency has said the rescued are being held in a nearby immigration facility.

Every year countless people fleeing their home countries use Indonesia as a transit point. From there they board fishing boats bound for Australia.  Over 15,000 asylum seekers have arrived in Australia by boat this year. However, hundreds have died on the 310 mile journey.

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced a new asylum policy last week. Under this new policy, all arriving refugees would be resettled in Papua New Guinea, although their claims for asylum will still be assessed in Australia.

“The asylum seeker policy we’ve adopted is about sending a very clear message to people smugglers that if you try to come to Australia by boat you will not be settled in Australia. That is all about destroying the people smugglers’ business model.” said Rudd.

However, critics say Australia’s new policy has them dodging responsibility and handing over its problem to a developing nation. “This is an appalling performance by Australia, which with its monetary wealth is able to pass the buck on to poorer countries.” said Tobias Kulang, an opposition spokesman.

In the meantime, Immigration Minister Tony Burke has promised to visit Australia’s offshore processing center in Papua New Guinea after allegations of abuse have emerged. Former security manager, Rod St. George, recently admitted that some detainees have been raped and assaulted.

“[They’re] not even fit to be used as a dog kennel.” George said about the processing center.

Burke has called the allegations “horrific,” and intends to work through the concerns at the island.

For further information, please see:

BBC News – Four dead after Australia-bound asylum boat sinks – 24 July 2013

Yahoo! News – Indonesia searches for missing boatpeople – 24 July 2013

The Telegraph – Boat carrying more than 100 asylum seekers sinks off Indonesia – 24 July 2013

London Evening Standard – Three killed as Australia-bound refugee boat sinks – 24 July

Myanmar Releases 73 Political Prisoners

By Brian Lanciault

Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

NAYPYIDAW, Myanmar– In honor of a commitment made to European leaders last week, Myanmar’s President, Thein Sein, ordered the release of 73 political detainees. President Sein’s pledge seeks to have all prisoners released by the end of 2013.

Chit Thura Ko Ko was released from the Insein Prison yesterday. (Photo courtesy of AP)

Shortly after meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron, President Sein promised amnesty for the prisoners as part of a larger transition from half a century of military rule and authoritarianism to democracy. Sein, a reformist who took power with military support late in 2011 from the former junta, said that over a thousand political detainees have already been released from the country’s jails, and that a committee had been established to work through cases of those that remained locked up. Human rights groups confirmed these statements, and noted that of those already released, hundreds were persons who had been held for political reasons.

In a radio broadcast last month, Sein announced that any prisoners serving jail time for holding, expressing, or acting in accord with political beliefs would be set free. “I don’t want anyone who is imprisoned with particular political beliefs in any jail,” he said during the broadcast, adding that a government investigation into cases that had been “confused with criminal acts” was ongoing and had “taken some time.” Sein did not reveal the number of prisoners which the government considers “political.”

Human rights activists welcomed the release, and the government’s pledge to continue freeing political prisoners, but still had some concerns. According to Bo Kyi of the Thailand-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma), “we welcome this release, [but] we are very concerned because of the new trials, they continue to send new (political prisoners) to jail.”

Aung Min, a minister in Thein Sein’s office who negotiated the tenuous peace deal between the government and the  Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in May after two years of hostilities, said that more than two dozen of the prisoners released were from the Kachin state.

“The president released about 70 prisoners including 26 from Kachin state,” he said from the regional capital Myitkyina.

Aung Min personally escorted well-known Kachin political prisoner Brang Shawng, who was sentenced to two years in prison last week under the Unlawful Association Act for his alleged role in the KIA, back to his home Tuesday from Myitkyina Prison.

Thousands of political prisoners have been released in batches over the past two years. But human rights activists say the government has to do more to recognize other individuals who are in prison-–specifically whistle-blowers who were former government workers-–as political prisoners and grant them similar amnesty.

For more information, please see:

BBC — Burma frees a further 73 political prisoners — 23 July 2013

Reuters — Myanmar frees 73 political prisoners: government committee member — 23 July 2013

Radio Free Asia — Myanmar Releases Scores of Political Prisoners — 23 July 2013

AFP — Myanmar frees dozens of political prisoners: official — 23 July 2013

Wall Street Journal — Myanmar Releases New Batch of Political Prisoners — 23 July 2013

Six Men Sentenced to Life for Gang Rape in India

By Kevin M. Mathewson
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

MADHYA PRADESH, India — A court in India has sentenced six men to life in prison as a result of the gang rape of a Swiss tourist on vacation in March of this year.

Indian police escort the gang-rape suspects to court in Datia, in central Madhya Pradesh state, on March 18, 2013.

The 39 year old woman and her husband were attacked while camping in central Madhya Pradesh state. The husband was tied up as his wife was assaulted. The couple also alleged that the men had stolen their laptop, mobile phone, cameras and other articles after the assault. As such, in addition to life in prison, each of the six men was fined 20,000 rupees (337 dollars).

While all six were sentenced on Saturday, only four of the men were charged with rape. The remaining two were charged with robbery and assault after the victim testified they were “only present at the crime scene.”

Rajendra Tiwari, a public prosecutor, said the case presented a challenge as the victim could not recognize the accused because the attack took place at night.

“The prosecution proved its case using DNA tests as well as recovery of looted articles. All the accused have been convicted and we are satisfied with the judgment.” said Tiwari.

The men, aged between 22 and 30, were all from a village a short distance from the scene of the attack.

The rape of the Swiss woman came three months after the fatal gang rape of a 23 year old student on a bus in Delhi.  The student suffered massive internal injuries as a result of the rape and died weeks later. Her attack brought protest about the treatment of women in India.

Weeks of demonstrations over the Delhi rape prompted India’s parliament to toughen sex offense laws. Subsequently, days after the Swiss tourist was assaulted, changes to the laws were passed, containing stricter punishment for rapists, including the death penalty.

In India one woman is raped every 20 minutes according to the National Crime Records Bureau. However, the crime is vastly under reported due to the social stigma associated with such attacks.

The first verdict in the Delhi case is expected on July 25.

For further information, please see:

Channel NewsAsia – India jails six for gang-rape of Swiss tourist – 21 July 2013

BBC News – India jails six over Swiss gang rape in Madhya Pradesh – 20 July 2013

Yahoo! News – India sentences to life 6 men in Swiss gang-rape case – 20 July 2013

The Voice of Russia – India court jails six men for life for Swiss tourist gang-rape – 20 July 2013

Bangladesh Riots The Day Before Key Verdict

By Kevin M. Mathewson
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

DHAKA, Bangladesh — Police in Bangladesh clashed with Jamaat-e-Islami activists the day before a key verdict is due in the trial of Ghulam Azam, a 91 year old radical Islamist leader. Azam is accused of ‘crimes against humanity’ including planning, conspiracy, incitement, complicity and murder during the country’s 1971 war of independence against Pakistan.

Ghulam Azam was the leader of Jamaat-e-Islami from 1969 until 2000.

Roughly 400 Jamaat-e-Islami activists burned a police van and hurled crudely made bombs in Dhaka, the country’s capital. According to assistant police commissioner Saifur Rahman, a police officer was seriously injured in the fighting after being hit by a rock.

Previous verdicts against Islamist leaders have sparked violent protests.

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against Azam for his alleged role in the 1971 war. His supporters argue that the charges are politically motivated and have called for a general strike in protest.

“Tomorrow (Monday) is fixed for the verdict.” Chairman of the three-member International Crimes Tribunal, Justice Fazle Kabir said. If found guilty, this would be the fifth sentence handed down on current and former leaders of Jamaat-e-Isami. It has been estimated that more than 100 people have been killed in political violence since the first verdict was issued by the Tribunal in January.

Ghulam Azam was the former chief fundamentalist of Jamaat-e-Islami’s East Pakistan wing and provincial minister in 1971. Prosecutors say Azam played a role in setting up violent militia groups that killed and raped thousands of people. No longer politically active, Azam is still seen as a Jamaat-e-Islami spiritual leader.

Azam’s defense lawyers say the accusations are unfounded. They say the charges are based on newspaper reports of Azam’s speeches during the war and that none have been proved.

Azam strongly opposed Bangladesh’s independence from Pakistan, arguing at the time that it would divide the Muslim community.

Contrary to other war crime courts, Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal is not supported by the United Nations. The New York based Human Rights Watch organization has said that the Tribunals procedures fall short of international standards.

Still, the Bangladesh government maintains the trials are needed to heal the wounds left by the 1971 war. While the Bangladesh government maintains upwards of three million people died in the conflict, independent estimates put the death toll between 300,000 and 500,000.

For further information, please see:

BBC News – Clashes in Bangladesh ahead of Azam war crimes verdict – 14 July 2013

Hindustan Times – Bangladesh: Riot run ahead of war crimes verdict – 14 July 2013

India Today – Bangladesh tense as clashes erupt ahead of war crimes verdict – 14 July 2013

Arab News – Bangladesh to deliver verdict on top war crimes suspect – 14 July 2013

 

U.S. Drone Strikes in Pakistan Kill at least Two Suspected Militants

By Brian Lanciault

Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan– At least two militants were killed Saturday morning in the North Waziristan region of Pakistan, after U.S. drones targeted the largely tribal area near Mir Ali. Pakistani intelligence sources said that the missile attacks were launched directly at a pair of militants travelling on a motorbike through the village of Mosaki.

Pakastani tribesmen protest the use of drones by the U.S. military in Pakastani territory as a violation of the nation’s sovereignty. (Photo Courtesy of Global Post)

The two men killed have suspected connections to the Taliban in the region, though official reports have yet to confirm these suspicions. Security officials have stated that the two deceased were of Turkmen origin.

A Pakastani intelligence official stated that “two men, probably Arab nationals, were passing through Mosaki village when the drone fired two missiles and hit them. Both of the militants on the motorbike were killed on the spot.” The official further reported that “the drone fired two missiles that also damaged a nearby house, but no casualty has so far been reported inside it.”

In a separate military operation by the Pakistan Air Force, jets targeted several militant hideouts in the same area, killing seven known insurgents. The targeted area is a known hot spot for Afghani and Taliban militants seeking refuge across the border in Pakistan. According to an unnamed official who spoke with Reuters, “These areas are known as strongholds of the militants from where they stage deadly attacks in Kohat and Peshawar.” Pakistani military officials believe that these mountainous regions provide a base of operation for the Taliban in Pakistan.

Senior Pakistani officials have stated that there was no connection between the U.S. drone strikes and the Air Force operations that occurred the same day.

This most recent strike is the third drone attack by the U.S. since Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif took office in June. Sharif has vocalized his distaste for the use of drone strikes by the United States in Pakistan and has publicly called for an end to U.S. action against Taliban and other insurgents that reside in the Pakastani tribal region. The Prime Minister has gone so far as to condemn the U.S. action as a direct violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty. Despite these public remarks by the Prime Minister, other Pakastani officials have characterized the drone strikes as a useful tool and effective means of inhibiting the activities of militants seeking a safe haven in Pakistan.

For more information, please see:

Reuters — Nine militants killed in U.S. drone, Pakistan air force strikes — 14 July 2013

Global Post — Drone strike in Pakistan kills 2 suspected militants — 14 July 2013

CNN — U.S. drone kills 2, Pakistan sources say — 13 July 2013

New York Times — 2 Killed by U.S. Drone Strike in Pakistan — 13 July 2013

The Guardian — Two killed in U.S. drone strike on Pakistani militants — 14 July 2013