By Irving Feng
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

DHAKA, Bangladesh – At least 20 Bangladeshi deaths have resulted from a series of violent clashes between Muslim protestors attempting to push for religious reforms and state riot police attempting to quiet the discontent in the streets.

On Sunday, 200,000 Muslims and proponents of Islamic religious change marched in the capital city of Dhaka.  The demonstrators were met by state police forces that fired rubber bullets and tear gas into the crowd in an attempt to disperse the mobs.

The demonstrators regrouped the next day, on Monday, and retaliated against the police attacks by hurling stones at city officials.  The police again utilized teargas and rubber bullets, as well as water cannons, to try and stop the violence.

The protestors also damaged private and public property during their violent demonstrations by setting fire to vehicles, including at least two police vehicles, and attempted to overrun a police outpost near the edge of the city.

Additional violent clashes erupted in the city of Chittagong in the southeastern portion of the country.  Police opened fire with live ammunition rounds at the protestors attempting to overrun their position.  Another two protestors were killed in the southern city of Bagerhat.

The violence is a result of political actions perpetrated by the Islamist group “Hefajat-e-Islam” which has urged the government to adopt a new blasphemy law, reinstate a pledge to Allah in their national constitution, adopt a new law that bans women from freely associating with men, and making Islamic education mandatory in schools.

The central government of Bangladesh has resisted the demands of the Islamist group and refuses to make the changes.  U.N. Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon has urged the Muslims seeking religious reform in the country to go about their business peacefully and for the central government to respond in kind.

The country has seen a string of violent protests emerge since January of this year.  An investigative tribunal was set up in order to probe abuses that were perpetrated by possible war criminals during the 1971 war for independence from neighboring Pakistan.  A main Muslim party leader of Jamaat-e-Islami was sentenced to death by the investigative tribunal after the proceedings.

The central party leaders of the Jamaat had been accused of committing the crimes of rape, murder and torture during the war for independence.  Jamaat-e-Islami was also a large opponent to the current central government’s push for independence.

Hefajat-e-Islam emerged in the aftermath of the controversial tribunals that condemned the Jamaat-e-Islami party leaders and the new party has also revived the push for strong Islamic, religious reforms that Jamaat once stood for.

For further information, please see:

Irish Independent – Bangladesh rallies leave 20 dead – 6 May 2013

Reuters – At least 20 dead in Islamist protests in Bangladesh – 6 May 2013

Xinhua World News – Bangladesh closes pro-opposition TV channels after 20 killed in police, Islamists clashes – 6 May 2013

Voice of America – 20 Killed in Clashes Between Bangladesh Police, Islamists – 5 May 2013

By Irving Feng
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

PYONGYANG, North Korea – The U.S. demanded North Korea to release a captive American citizen who was recently sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for the alleged crime of attempting to overthrow the central North Korean government.

Kenneth Bae (44), also known as Pae Jun-Ho, was born in South Korea, studied psychology for two years at the University of Oregon, and is a naturalized citizen of the United States.  Mr. Bae has been detained by the North Korean government since he entered the north as a tourist last year.

He was arrested in November of last year after entering North Korean through the north eastern port city of Rason which is part of a special economic zone near the North Korean-Chinese border.  There is speculation that Mr. Bae was acting as a tour operator when he was taken into custody by authorities.

South Korean activists speculate that Mr. Bae was detained by North Korean authorities because he had been taking photographs of starving children.  Patrick Ventrell, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department expressed concerns regarding the due process aspects of North Korea’s legal system.

One of the gravest concerns is whether or not North Korea’s legal system is actually providing defendants with a fair trial due to the lack of transparency that surrounds their courts.  Reports state that Mr. Bae had received legal counsel from Sweden since Sweden represented the U.S. in their absence in this ordeal due to a lack of diplomatic ties with North Korea.

Now that Mr. Bae has run the full gauntlet of the DPRK’s legal system, the U.S.is asking that Mr. Bae be granted amnesty for the alleged anti-government crimes that he has committed against the communist state.  The U.S. demands that Mr. Bae be released immediately.

Mr. Bae’s April 30^th sentence could not have come at a worse time since the U.S. and North Korea have been deadlocked in a diplomatic quagmire regarding Pyongyang’s third nuclear test.  The U.S. doled out harsher sanctions on Pyongyang after its latest nuclear test in February which followed a December long range rocket test.

Pyongyang responded to the U.S. sanctions by threatening to launch a full scale military attack on U.S. military bases and also cut shaky ties with their democratic, southern brother.  Pundits suggest that North Korea is holding Mr. Bae hostage as leverage in future negotiations.

Though Mr. Bae has been sentenced to 15 years in a hard labor camp, he will most likely be housed in a separate, less harsh facility, designed specifically for foreign detainees.

For further information, please see:

BBC – US urges N Korea to grant amnesty to Kenneth Bae – 2 May 2013

Reuters – U.S. seeks North Korean amnesty for American jailed for 15 years – 2 May 2013

The Telegraph – US demands ‘immediate release’ of American imprisoned in North Korea 2- May 2013

Al Jazeera – North Korea to put US citizen on trial – 27 April 2013

By Irving Feng
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – Human rights organizations around the world are urging the United Arab Emirates (UAE) not to deport Tamil journalist, Rathimohan Lohini, back to Sri Lanka where she may face torture and other reprisals for her affiliation with the rebel group.

Lohini, along with 19 other Tamil refugees in the UAE, were given the deadline of April 11^th to leave the country.  Lohini faces deportation from the UAE despite enjoying UN refugee status which gives her the right to stay.  Because of her status, she should be afforded basic rights under international refugee law and international human rights law.

Lohini, an ethnic Tamil who was born and raised in Northern Sri Lanka, lived in the Kilinichchi District which the Tamil rebels retained control over during their bloody, twenty six year civil war with the current Sri Lankan central government.

She went to work for the National Television of Tamil Eelam (NTT) in June of 2006.  She attained the post of main female news anchor and gained notoriety and fame with the domestic news watchers.  Lohini left the television network in December of 2008, and fearing for her life, she fled Sri Lanka in April of 2009.

Lohini knew that her post as a Tamil news anchor woman and her regular appearances on the evening news would make her easily identifiable to the military and central Sri Lankan government authorities.  She fled to Dubai in October of 2012, believing that it would be a safe alternative to persecution back in Sri Lanka.

Reporters Without Borders and Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka both expressed their concerns regarding Lohini’s forced deportation from the UAE back to Sri Lanka.  Because of the current political climate and human rights abuses toward the Tamil minority and former rebels, the consequences of Lohini’s forced return are feared to be dire.

The two human rights groups pleaded with UNHRC to at least stay the decision of forced deportation citing that the action by the UAE is a complete violation of international human rights and refugee law.  The risks of torture and any bodily harm are apparent as evidenced by the finding of a Tamil reporter in 2009 who was bound and naked.

The reporter was a colleague of Lohini’s and was identified only as Isaipriya.  Lohini is currently being held at a refugee camp in Dubai which is operated by UNHCR in cooperation with Dubai immigration awaiting her ultimate fate.

For further information, please see:

BBC – UAE urged not to deport Sri Lanka journalist Lohini – 10 April 2013

Colombo Telegraph – UAE Urged Not To Deport Tiger TV Journalist Rathimohini – 10 April 2013

Committee to Protect Journalists – UAE may deport refugee Tamil journalist to Sri Lanka – 10 April 2013

Tamil Guardian – UAE urged not to deport Tamil journalist – 10 April 2013

By Irving Feng
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

YANGON, Myanmar – The Muslim population in Myanmar continues to live in fear after a recent fire engulfed a downtown Yangon mosque and religious school killing 13 students on April 2nd.

The central government and local police investigators maintain that the fire was accidental and most likely a product of faulty wiring which caused an electrical short circuit.  The police attempted to calm the fears of the people and promised that an investigative committee would be established to look into the incident a bit further.

Security forces were sent in by the central government to disperse an angry crowd that had gathered in downtown Yangon demanding the truth regarding the deadly fire that killed Muslim children.  Muslims continue to believe that the fire was a product of sectarian violence.

The fortunate children and teachers that were able to escape the blaze told the press that the doors to the mosque and religious school were locked when those inside attempted to escape when the fire first started.  The doors were only opened after emergency response teams reached the scene.

Furthermore, the escapees said that there was an oily substance on the ground that smelled like petrol or diesel.  Many of the children and teachers slipped on the dirty, oily substance while trying to escape.  Muslim leaders continue to impose their suspicions with new evidence, like the oily substance on the floors, coming to light.

The Muslim population’s fears are not unfounded.  The accidental fire at the mosque comes at a time when the Buddhist “969” movement is gaining steam in Myanmar.  The 969 movement has been the driving force behind anti-Muslim violence throughout Myanmar.

969 supporters, like Kyi Lwin, tell the media that the movement is not necessarily supporting violence against Muslims.  Kyi says that the movement is meant to “build a fence” around Buddhism and its followers.  They want to discourage Buddhist to Muslim interaction; they are not trying to convert or destroy the religion in anyway.

Muslims in Myanmar, however, like Mohamed Irshad, say that they cannot even sleep at night due to the rising amounts of sectarian violence.  Irshad says that those in his neighborhood must be on constant guard in case the Buddhists attack again.

Ruhla Min takes a different approach.  He and his congregation were instructed to peacefully pray for a resolution to the violence and conflict.  Ruhla Min’s congregation does not want to add any more fuel to the fire that is already smoldering in Yangon and beyond.

For further information, please see:

Reuters – Fear stalks Yangon’s Muslims after Buddhist-led killings – 10 April 2013

France 24 – Muslim school fire kills at least 13 in Yangon – 2 April 2013

India TV News –  13 die in devastating fire in Muslim orphanage school in Yangon, Myanmar – 2 April 2013

NBC World News – 13 boys killed in Myanmar Islamic school fire amid anti-Muslim violence – 2 April 2013

By Irving Feng
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

LUCKNOW, India – Four sisters in India suffered varying degrees of burn injuries after being brutally attacked with acid by two unidentified men on a motorbike.

The four sisters are all teachers at a local government school in the town of Kandhla in Shamli district which is located in the western Uttar Pradesh state.  Their ages range from nineteen to twenty four.  The attack occurred when the four were on their way home after work.

Abdul Hameed, the senior police officer in charge of investigating the case, released a public statement saying that the youngest of the sisters, 19, suffered the severest of burns and was rushed to a hospital in Delhi for treatment.  Hameed also told the public that the motive behind the attacks is still unclear.

Proponents for greater protection of Indian women against violent abuse said that women who deny the orders or advances of lovers, husbands or even employers are often brutally attacked like the four sisters in the current case.

The cheap chemicals and acids used in these types of attacks are readily available in commercial markets in India.  “Tezaab,” a household cleaning agent designed to clean rust off tools is the weapon of choice in these attacks.  Human rights activists have clamored for greater restrictions on the sale of chemicals and acids that are generally used in the attacks.

President Pranab Mukherjee recently passed legislation that imposes harsher punishments on those who commit certain acts of violence against women.  The newly signed laws contain greater penalties for the crime of rape.  Rapists can now face the death penalty.

The punishments for attacking women with acid, however, have remained unchanged.  Perpetrators can face up to 12 years in prison depending on the amount of damage they inflict with their attack; however the offenders can be bailed out.

Reports by the London-based Acid Survivors Trust International estimate that about 1,500 acid attacks are carried out and recorded internationally per year.  However, this figure may be inaccurate because many of the victims of acid attacks do not officially report their injuries to the proper authorities and suffer in silence.

The majority of the acid attacks that occur throughout the world are carried out in South Asia in countries such as Bangladesh, Pakistan Afghanistan as well as India.  Pakistan, India’s neighbor, recently passed legislation in 2011 that increased the punishment of acid attacks.  Prison sentences range from 14 years to life and a minimum fine of one million Pakistani rupees is imposed.

For further information, please see:

Mmegi Online – Four sisters in India injured in acid attack – 4 April 2013

The Nation – 4 Indian sisters hurt in acid attack – 4 April 2013

BBC – India acid: Four sisters injured in Uttar Pradesh attack – 3 April 2013

Global Post – Acid attack on four Indian sisters – 3 April 2013