Asia

Pakistan Agrees to Implement Sharia Law in Swat Valley Area

By Shayne R. Burnham
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

PESHAWAR, Pakistan – Pakistan has agreed to a peace deal with Taliban militants in the Swat Valley. The deal will lead to the enforcement of Islamic Sharia law in the Pakistan’s northwest region. In return the Taliban will lay down their arms permanently.

Historically, Swat has been a religious holiday destination. Since 2007, it has been under Taliban control. As a result, thousands of people have fled and schools have been burned. Although female education, music and dancing have already been prohibited and executions have taken place, militants in the Swat Valley have been pushing for a stricter Islamic law.

“Our whole struggle is for the enforcement of Shariah (Islamic) law,” Swat Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan said. “If this really brings us the implementation of Sharia, we will fully cooperate with it.”

Chief Minister of North West Frontier Province Ameer Hussain Hoti, said, “[The deal] was reached after realization that it was the demand of the people.

The agreement will force the provincial government to implement Sharia law in the Malakand division, which includes the Swat Valley. Civilians have been caught in between the military and Taliban fighting. At least 1,000 have died and thousands have been displaced.

Some critics believe that the peace deal is the beginning of Taliban rule in Pakistan, saying the deal will encourage the Taliban in other areas of the country to take more severe action. Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardaru said the Taliban had “a presence in huge amounts of land” in Pakistan and were trying to take over the county.

On the other hand, the government views it in strategy. The peace deal will stop the fighting in the Swat Valley area and thereby giving the government some breathing room.

Many people in the area prefer that the army retreat since they have failed to pacify Taliban insurgents and protect civilians.

For more information, please see:

Associated Press – Islamic Law to be Imposed in Parts of NW Pakistan – 16 February 2009

BBC – Pakistan Agrees Sharia Law Deal – 16 February 2009

Reuters – Pakistan:  Now or Never? – 16 February 2009

Nuns Shot While Escaping War Zone in Sri Lanka

By Shayne R. Burnham
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

TRINCOMALEE, Sri Lanka – The Liberation Tigers Tamil of Eelam (LTTE) shot at civilians as they were fleeing the rebel controlled territory on Thursday.

Two days earlier the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) helped ferried 240 sick and injured people by boat from Puttumatalan, a village controlled by the Tigers. They were taken to Trincomalee, the eastern port. One of the passengers was Sister Mary Colostica, a 74 year old Catholic nun.

Colostica, along with five other nuns, guided at least 2,000 civilians from village to village in search of food and safety from the war. She gave a first hand account from the war zone.

“When we tried to leave, the LTTE didn’t allow civilians to leave and said only we can leave.” Colostica said. “So we stayed back with the civilians.”

The ICRC said that 16 patients were killed in firings on Monday and another 160 patients were carried from Puttumtalan on Thursday.

The military said it had set up a 7 mile safety zone encompassing Puttumatalan and other villages along the coastline.

Sister Mary was shot and treated for shrapnel wounds. “At least 10 to 15 people die a day and no one is there to bury them,” she said. “The LTTE fired from close to civilians. We had objected, but that didn’t work.”

Sister Louise said that the LTTE shot at people when they begged to leave, “When we tried to escape with civilians, LTTE had fired at me. I got shot in my leg.”

Human rights organizations estimate there are at least 250,000 civilians still trapped in the stronghold.

The Tamil Tigers have consistently denied accusations that they are forcibly keeping civilians inside their territory. Instead they claim that civilians remain of their own free will. Some, they say, even follow them.

The Sri Lankan government refuses to enter into a cease-fire. Both sides deny targeting civilians and blame the other for their deaths.

The LTTE has been fighting a 25 year war with the government in order to secure a separate homeland for the ethnic Tamils.

For more information, please see:

Aljazeera.net – Tamil Tigers ‘Shoot’ at Civilians – 12 February 2009

AsiaNews – Religious Personnel Under Wanni Bombings – 10 February 2009

Reuters – Wounded Sri Lankans, Nuns Make Narrow Escape From War – 12 February 2009

Another Journalist Attacked in Nepal

By Pei Hu
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

KATHMANDU, Nepal – Gyanendra Raj Mishra, a program coordinator for Garima FM, an independent FM radio station, was shot and wounded in the town of Birguni. Unidentified gunmen riding a motorcycle shot and wounded Mishra while riding in Southern Nepal. Police say the attack on Mishra is the latest of a series of attacks on journalists in Nepal.

Mishra had just left work before he was attacked. He was passing by Narayani Rangashala, one of the most prominent public places in Southern Nepal.  Mishra was shot in the right hand by unidentified gunmen in front of dozens of witnesses. He was rushed to the Narayani regional hospital for treatment.

Shambhu Shah, a police spokesperson said “[Mishra’s] condition is not critical and he has returned home after treatment at a hospital.”

Police say the motive behind the shooting is unclear. The attack on Mishra is the latest attack on journalists in Southern Nepal. Uma Singh, a young journalist working in Southern Nepal was brutally stabbed to death.

Thousands of people have joined in Uma Singh’s funeral procession.  She had spoken about the plight of workers in south-east Nepal as well as gender and caste discrimination. In an interview last year Uma spoke about the difficulties of working as a journalist in Nepal.  Last month she was killed by a group of 15 men who attacked her with knives and sharp objects. Neighbors of Uma heard the killers say, “This is for writing so much.” The perpetrators are still at large.

Nepal’s media is frequently under attack when the country was at civil war in the 1990’s. Both the Maoist and security forces attacked journalists. Though the civil war ended three years ago and Nepal became a democratic federal republic, Nepal still remains deadly for journalists. Since 2006 four have been killed.

For more information, please see:

BBC – Thousands Mourn Nepal Journalist– 13 January 2009

Reuters –Journalist Shot and Wounded in Nepal– 20 February 2009

Times of India – Democratic Nepal Still Deadly for Journalist– 19 February 2009

Cambodia Opens Landmark Khmer Rouge Trial

By Pei Hu
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia —On February 17th, Cambodia began the trial for the atrocities of the “Killing Fields.” Former Tuol Sleng prison chief Kaing Guek Eav, also known as “Duch”, faces charges of crimes against humanity. Duch, now 66, is accused of presiding over the deaths of 15,000 men, women, and children in Tuol Sleng prison over 30 years ago.

The UN-funded tribunal was established in 2006 and after much delay and controversy, the tribunal opened for the first time on Tuesday. The tribunal is to try Duch on charges of crimes against humanity, war crimes, torture and premeditated murder. Duch faces a possible life sentence and the tribunal does not impose the death penalty. “This first hearing represents the realization of significant efforts in establishing a fair and independent tribunal to try those in senior leadership positions,” chief judge Nil Nonn said at the opening of the trial.

The Khmer Rouge regime killed 2 million people which nearly wiped out a quarter of the country’s population.  Tuol Sleng prison was used to extract false confessions from alleged traitors who were under suspicion of being agents of foreign powers including the CIA. Many inmates were taken to nearby Choeung Ek, an orchard now known as the “Killing Fields.” Adults were beaten to death while children’s heads were smashed against trees. “I prayed for dawn as soon as possible so that I could see this trial start,” said artist Vann Nath, one of the few survivors from the prison.

On Tuesday, the hearing adjourned after seven hours of legal arguments, which mainly dealt with the admissibility of witnesses. Duch’s defense lawyer Francois Roux complained to the court that it was “unacceptable” that Duch had been held without trial for more than nine years. After the first day of trial, Roux told reporters that Duch acknowledged the charges against him and wished to use proceedings to publicly ask forgiveness from his victims as well as all other Cambodian people.

Roux told the press, “Duch will try to explain some things, but he can’t explain all that happened. Is it possible to explain what has gone against humanity itself?”

Like most of the Khmer Rouge’s top figures, Duch lived freely for years until he was arrested in 1999. He was formally transferred to the tribunal in July 2007. Currently, Duch is held at villa along with four top Khmer Rouge leaders, who will face trial later this year.

Kan Hann, whose brother and sister died of starvation and overwork under the Khmer Rouge, came to the trial on Tuesday. “My dream has come true now as I have been waiting for the trial for 30 years,” he said.

For more information, please see:

ABC News – Cambodia Killing Fields Trial Opens; The Chief Accused Expresses Remorse– February 2009

APF – Cambodia opens landmark ‘Killing Fields’ trial – 17 February 2009

New York Times – Khmer Rouge Genocide Trial Opens in Cambodia – 17 February 2009

APF – Picture of Dutch on Trial

Tight Security in Tibet

By Ariel Lin
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BEIJING, China – China has sentenced 76 people involved in rioting during the March 14 violence in Lhasa, and detained more than 950 since last year’s deadly riots in Tibet, state media reported. The report comes at the most sensitive time in years: the 50th anniversary of the Tibetan rebellion on March 14.  The local government has launched a “strike hard” campaign to stop rebels from celebrating the 50th anniversary.

Tsering Shakya, from the Institute for Asian Research at the University of British Colombia, said: “The security setup and the preparedness of the security is on very high alert, so there is no element of surprise that the protesters could use. It is really very, very unlikely that there could be any protests like there were last year.”

The deputy mayor of Lhasa, Cao Bianjiang, said fresh unrest could not be ruled out.  He emphasizes he wanted to focus on fostering growth that would ensure stability, but exiled Tibetans were scared this would make them irrelevant. “We hope for peace and stability in Lhasa. However, some people do not want to see Lhasa enjoy economic growth and people enjoy happy life, ” Cao said.

A year after monks’ protests, Buddhist monasteries have reopened, but officials keep a very tight security.  Inside of the historic Drepung monastery, monks take patriotic education classes on Chinese law, and their Buddhist scripture studies.  Monks were kept closeted away from foreign journalists and tourists accepted government-organized and tightly controlled visits.

For more information, please see:

AP – Official: Tibetan areas closed to foreigners – 12 February 2009

BBC – Economics ‘masking China rights record’ – 11 February 2009

Reuters – More Tibet unrest cannot be ruled out: official – 10 February 2009

Reuters – Tibet’s religious life still bruised by Lhasa riots – 10 February 2009

Times of India – China releases details of detention of Tibetan rebels – 11 February 2009