By Jonathan Ambaye
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa Desk

KIVU, Congo-According to multiple reports by several human rights agencies, attempts by the United Nations to help destabilize Hutu Rebel forces in the Congo have taken a turn for the worse.  In the past year, the UN has supported a government military offensive in the Democratic Republic of Congo.  The intention of the offensive was to bring peace to the Eastern part of the Congo through dismantling the Hutu rebels causing havoc in the region. These military operations backed by the UN have actually resulted in widespread civilian killings and rape and has become the reason many are disappointed with the UN’s involvement.

Since January of 2009 it has been reported that more than 1,000 civilians have been killed, 7,000 women and girls have been raped, and more than 6,000 homes have been burned down in the eastern provinces of North and South Kivu. An additional 900,000 people have been forced to flee their homes and live in difficult conditions with host families or in displacement camps with limited food and medical resources.

Many of the killings and rapes have been attributed to Congolese government soldiers who have targeted civilians through killings, widespread rape, looting, forced labor, and arbitrary arrests. Also additional atrocities have been attributed to the Hutu rebel group, the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).  One human rights coalition has calculated that for every rebel combatant disarmed during the offensive, one civilian has been killed, seven women and girls have been raped, six houses burned and destroyed, and 900 people have been forced to flee their homes.

Pressure has been put on the UN by many coalitions to assert their power and demand the Congolese government make changes to the military structure. The UN supplies, transports, and in certain cases pays the Congolese government army as part of an international effort to help rebuild the country. With the Congolese government depending on the UN to support their military efforts, many believe the UN has the ability to effect some change in the military practice.

For more information please see:

All Africa – Civilian Cost of Military Operation is Unacceptable – 13 October 2009
Afrik – Congo: UN mIssion Reaps Disastrous Consequences – 13 October 2009
BBC – UN Criticised on Congo Offensive – 13 October 2009

By Jennifer M. Haralambides
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

KHARTOUM, Sudan – A Sudanese court has upheld the death sentence of four Islamists who were convicted of killing John Granville, an American Diplomat, along with his Sudanese driver, Abdel Rahman Abbas. .

The two men were shot in the early morning hours on January 1st just after a New Year’s Eve party.  At the time, Granville was working for the U.S. Agency for International Development.

The four men were convicted last year in the Sudanese capital and were sentenced to death by hanging after the court upheld their death sentences.

During the trial, Judge Sayed Ahmend Al-Badry recited quotes from Islamic texts denouncing any killings regardless of if they are Muslims.  After reminding the men that it is a great sin to take another person’s life, he announced his verdict.

Calling Granville an “infidel,” the men said that Muslims should not be executed for killing non-believers.  In June, following their conviction, the men raised their hands and shouted slogans as they walked out of the Sudanese court.

Originally the death sentence was passed in June, although under Sudanese law the family of the murder victim has a few options.  They can either request the death penalty, forgive, or ask for compensation.

On Sunday, the letter from Granville’s mother was read aloud to the court which specified that she wanted the four men to be executed in order to “safeguard the lives of others from those who killed her beloved son.”  There was no option of life imprisonment.

“Her wish was to apply death by retribution and the court accordingly passed death sentence by hanging,” said Granville’s lawyer, Taha Ibrahim.  “It is the legal sentence, it is proper, it is according to the law and it will be executed.”

The convicted men maintain their innocence saying that their videotaped confessions were taken under torturous situations.

For more information, please see:

BBC – Sudanese to Hang Over U.S. Killing – 12 October 2009

VOA – U.S. Diplomat’s Killers to Hang for Murder in Sudan – 12 October 2009

AFP – Slain US Diplomat’s Mother Seeks Sudan Killers’ Death – 11 October 2009

The Washington Post – Sudanese Convicted of U.S. Murder Dismiss Defense – 11 October 2009

By Kylie M Tsudama
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

NAIROBI, Kenya – Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan went to Nairobi to assess the status of implementing agreements made during the Kenya National Dialogue and Reconciliation (KNDR) process.  There he met with President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga in Kenya to discuss, in particular, those institutional reforms under Agenda Item Four dealing with land reforms, ending poverty, employment and historical adjustments.

His visit comes as Kenya is facing increased international pressure because of its slow response in implementing agreed reforms.

Both President Kibaki and Prime Minister Odinga signed a power-sharing deal to end last year’s bloodbath.  They have both expressed their commitment to introducing necessary reforms to the country.  Annan said he is encouraged by their commitment.

Annan was instrumental in mediating an end to last year’s violence.  He has said that the country should form a local tribunal to try the suspected perpetrators.  He believes that this would require both a Kenyan court and the International Criminal Court (ICC).  The President and the Prime Minister, however, believe that this would only require the ICC and not a Kenyan court.

While the President and Prime Minister have made progress toward implementing the reforms, Annan said “the pace of the reforms must be accelerated.”

“Kenya cannot afford a recurrence of the crisis and violence that engulfed it after the 2007 elections.  But that is a serious risk if tangible reform is not achieved,” he said.  “Kenyans are concerned that the window of opportunity to deliver reform is rapidly closing.”  He continued, “Kenyans who are normally patient people are beginning to doubt whether their leaders can deliver.”

Violence last year was sparked by accusations that Odinga rigged the election so that Kibaki would win reelection.  What started as political violence turned into tribal killings based on poverty, long-held ethnic hatred, and unresolved land disputes.  It left 1,200 dead and another 350,000 displaced.

“My conversations with Kenyans during the last three days have underscored that there is a crisis of confidence in Kenya’s political leadership,” Annan said.

He believes that of reforms are not quickly implemented the next round of violence would not be committed with spears an machetes as usual but with firearms.  He warns that the 2012 elections are quickly approaching.

“[The nation] cannot afford another cycle of violence,” Annan said.

For more information, please see:

AFP – ‘Serious Risk’ of Fresh Kenya Unrest id no Reforms: Annan – 08 October 2009

The Standard – Follow-up Visit by Chief Mediator Shows Kenya Still on the Radar – 08 October 2009

VOA – Kenya Warned of Future Poll Violence – 08 October 2009

AP – Annan: Kenya Postelection Violence Tribunal Needed – 07 October 2009

Xinhua – Former UN Chief Lauds Talks with Kenyan Leaders – 06 October 2009

By Jennifer M. Haralambides
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

NAIROBI, Kenya – Despite the deadline for the Internally Displaced Persons to leave the camp in Eldoret, many residents are reluctant to leave because they have no where else to go.

Just two weeks ago, President Mwai Kibaki ordered the closure of the camp at the agricultural showground in the town of Eldoret, which at at time housed over 500,000 people.  Currently, less than 2,000 people remain.

Each family has been offered 35,000 Kenyan shillings (about $470) for leaving.  But in order to receive the money they have to dismantle their tent.  Sources say that these “tents” are leaky structures made out of pieces of plastic sheeting and old sacks.

Many Kenyans do not want to leave the camp because they fear returning to the communities from where they were chased.  They would prefer to be given a large piece of land so they can all settle somewhere else together because safety in numbers is the preferred security option.

Without the land, many don’t know where to go once they leave.

“The government says you can’t be given that money unless you pull down the tent.  But if you pull down the tent you don’t have anywhere to go.  So you are confused,” says Elizabeth Wanja who is from the Kikuyu ethnic group that fled attacks from Kalenjin neighbors.

The Kikuyus were viewed as supporters of President Kibaki, who is from their community.  In their protest against President Kibaki’s controversial election in December 2007, their community was attacked by rivals.

This camp in Eldoret is the only internally displaced person (IDP) camp left in Kenya.  Naomi Shaban, the minster for special programs assures the public that the possibility of IDPs being forcefully removed from the camp once the deadline has expired is unlikely.

“The government is still in the process of acquiring land to settle the IDPs on.  I don’t think the process could have been done any faster as it is an extremely complicated exercise,” she added.

An 11-year-old girl, Sonny, remembers the day she fled her home recalling her father being brutally murdered and “slashed like grass.”

“They burnt our house.  They killed my  father . . . We cannot go anywhere because we need somewhere we can stay.  President Mwai Kibaki said they will give us land.  I have not seen the land yet,” said Sonny.

For more information, please see:

BBC – Kenyans Not Ready to Leave Camps – 9 October 2009

Capital News – Kenya IDPs Remain Adamant – 9 October 2009

UPI – Displaced Kenyans Not Ready to Return Home – 9 October 2009