News

El Salvador Judge to Reopen 1981 El Mozote Massacre Case

by Portia K. Skenandore-Wheelock
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

SAN SALVADOR, EL SALVADOR – Judge Jorge Guzman Urquilla in El Salvador has accepted a request filed by Dr. Maria Julia Hernandez Legal Defense agency, the Center for Justice and International Law, and the Association to Promote Human Rights of El Mozote to reopen one of the worst massacres to occur during the country’s civil war in the village of El Mozote.

A memorial for the victims of the 1981 massacre. (Photo courtesy of Deutsche Welle)
A memorial for the victims of the 1981 massacre. (Photo courtesy of Deutsche Welle)

At least 500 people were killed by the army within three days in December 1981, according to a postwar UN truth commission. Victims’ rights advocates say the number of those killed is much more, closer to 1,000. El Mozote villagers were mostly evangelical Christians that were trying to remain neutral in the war but soldiers suspected them of sympathizing with the rebels and attacked. The army dumped many of the bodies in a small church and burned them. The UN truth commission report found Col. Domingo Monterrosa, commander of the Atlacatl battalion, operations chief Col. Armando Azmitia, and six other officers responsible. In 1984 Monterrosa and Azmitia died when a bomb went off in their helicopter. The US government had trained the Atlacatl battalion that was involved in the killings. The army and the US initially denied that any massacre had taken place, but human rights advocate Ovidio Mauricio has said, “the forensic evidence…is overwhelming” and that in just one grave forensic experts found “136 skeletons of girls and boys, with an average age of six years.”

The Supreme Court ruling in July declaring El Salvador’s amnesty law unconstitutional has former military men and the current government, which grew out of the rebel Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front, concerned that those involved on both sides of the conflict could face prosecution and the decision could create social conflicts. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled that El Salvador should pay reparations to the victims and in 2012 the government accepted the ruling and apologized for the massacre.

For further information, please see:

BBC – El Salvador Judge Reopens El Mozote Massacre Investigation – 2 October 2016

Deutsche Welle – El Salvador to Reopen Prove Into 1981 Massacre – 2 October 2016

The Guardian – El Salvador Judge Reopens Case of 1981 Massacre at El Mozote – 1 October 2016

The News Tribune – Judge Orders Reopening of El Salvador Military Massacre Case – 1 October 2016

Telesur – Salvadoran Judge Reopens Investigation of El Mozote Massacre – 2 October 2016

 

Thousands Protest Anti-Abortion Law in Poland

By Sarah Lafen

Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Europe

 

WARSAW, Poland — Approximately 24,000 Polish men and women gathered in Castle Square in Warsaw, Poland this past Monday to protest the proposed anti-abortion bill. The protest, which was called Black Monday, was not exclusive to the capital Warsaw.  90 other Polish cities saw protests as well, drawing approximately 160,000 protestors nationwide.  Other European cities which hosted protests included Berlin, Brussels, Dusseldorf, Belfast, London and Paris.

A woman in one of the demonstrations holds a sign protesting the bill which would enforce a total ban abortions (Photo Courtesy of The Huffington Post).
A woman in one of the demonstrations holds a sign protesting the bill which would enforce a total ban abortions (Photo Courtesy of The Huffington Post).

Some small shops closed in downtown Warsaw, with signs in their windows indicating their observance of the protest.  Other businesses which were usually staffed by women were staffed by men for the day.  Well-known actor and theater owner Michal Zebrowski sold tickets in his box office in Warsaw on the day of the strike in order to allow his female employee to take part in the protest.

Protestors waved black flags to draw international attention to the proposed ban.  They wore black clothing to represent their mourning for their reproductive rights and for the deaths they fear some women would face as a result of being denied the procedure.  Some who were inspired by a 1975 women’s strike in Iceland skipped school and work, and are refusing to do domestic household chores.

One of the protestors, Anna Pietruszka-Drozdz, explained that “Women don’t have abortions because they are promiscuous and it’s convenient. They do it because they need to, and it’s often the most traumatic decision ever.”  Another protestor, Agnieszka Krysztopolska, states that “… it’s not like I am some kind of hard-line feminist but I do not agree with somebody depriving me of the right to my own health or that of my children. I think this bill is just dangerous.”

The proposed bill poses a dilemma for the conservative Law and Justice (PiS) government in Poland.  Poland remains one of Europe’s most Catholic nations, and PiS came into power based on a promise to the Polish people to increase conservative values.  If PiS fails to back the proposed ban, the Catholic Church in Poland might react in the negative.  Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski dismissed the protesters, saying “Let them have their fun.”  Waszczykowski told a private radio station that “There is no such problem as a threat to women’s rights.  If someone thinks that there are no greater concerns in Poland at the moment, let them be.”

 

For more information, please see:

BBC — Black Monday: Polish Women Strike Against Abortion Ban — 3 October 2016

CNN — Women March Against Poland’s Proposed Abortion Ban — 3 October 2016

The Huffington Post — Women go on Strike in Poland to Protest Anti-Abortion Law — 3 October 2016

LA Times — ‘Black Monday’ in Poland: Women Strike Over Proposed Total Abortion Ban — 3 October 2016

NY Times — Protesters in Poland Rally Against Proposal for Total Abortion Ban — 3 October 2016

Hundreds Starve in War Torn Libya

By Samantha Netzband 

Impunity Watch, Africa Desk Reporter

TRIPOLI, Libya– Hundreds of civilians are nearing starvation in a neighborhood of Benghazi, Libya.  Civilians are trapped due to the military blockade on the city and the on going fighting in their neighborhood, Ganfouda.  Residents are lacking food, water, and electricity.

Refugee children

Libyan children. (Photo Courtesy of Mirror)

According to Amnesty International, civilians are mainly living on rotten food and dirty water.  These supplies along with supplies of expired medicine are running out making the situation for Ganfouda residents dire.

Entry roads to the neighborhood have been blocked by Libyan National Army forces, and as airstrikes move closer and closer many are unwilling to leave their homes.  The Libyan National Army forces have been fighting off Islamic militants and in the process both sides have allegedly violated international humanitarian law.

Because of the danger of the conflict, getting humanitarian aid to the families is growing more difficult.  Islamic militants have also threatened to kill anyone under 14 in the neighborhood, which has added to the atmosphere of fear.  There are many young children and babies in Ganfouda who do not have proper access to the nutrients they need to grow.  As many of the residents have been trapped for 2 years, one resident was forced to give birth to her daughter 10 months ago.  The baby has never had access to clean water.  Magdalena Mughrabi, deputy director of Amnesty Internationals’ Middle East and North Africa Program is right when she says “time is running out for civilians in Ganfouda, who are being left to die trapped by the fighting.”  Amnesty International is leading the push for residents of Ganfouda to get the humanitarian assistance they need.

For more information, please see: 

Amnesty International – Libya: Civilians trapped in Benghazi in desperate conditions as fighting encroaches – 29 September 2016

BBC Africa – Libya: More than 100 Families at Risk for Starvation in Benghazi – 30 September 2016

Daily Star – Hundreds trapped in Libya’s Benghazi amid fighting: Amnesty – 30 September 2016

Fox News – Amnesty: Hundreds Trapped in Libya’s Benghazi Among Fighting – 29 September 2016

Mirror – Starving Children are Surviving on ‘Rotten Food and Dirty Water’ in war torn Libya – 30 September 2016

Ukraine Proposes Ban on Certain Russian Books

By Sarah Lafen

Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Europe

 

KIEV, Ukraine — Ukraine is considering a proposed bill which would ban any book that contains “anti-Ukrainian” content.  The bill would see that all books imported into Ukraine from Russia are checked for such content.  In addition, any books that do not recognize the Ukrainian state or people, as well as those that “call for the overthrow of power” in Ukraine would be banned as well.

A Ukrainian soldier patrols the Ukrainian-Russian border (Photo Courtesy of The Guardian)

According to the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group, the law proposes that the books will be assessed by a special council for “popularisation or propaganda of bodies of an aggressor state and their particular actions which create a positive image of the employees of the aggressor state, employees of Soviet state security bodies, justify or declare as legitimate occupation of Ukrainian territory.”  Halya Coynash, a member of the human rights group, brings attention to the fact that the bill does not cover anti-Ukrainian books published in other countries.

In opposition to the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group, Vyacheslav Kyrylenko, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister, characterizes the bill’s intent as “humanitarian security.”  This past April, Kyrylenko initiated a movement to allow Ukrainian law enforcement to remove any books of Russian origin from Ukrainian bookstores.

Russian publishers do not expect the proposed ban to have an effect on their businesses should the bill be passed.  According to Oleg Novikov, general director of Russian publisher Eksmo, imports of Russian books into Ukraine are already at “historical lows.”

On the other hand, the proposed ban is being criticized by Ukrainian writers.  Some say that such a ban has the potential to transform Ukraine into a police state in which state authorities have control over the content seen by the population.  Oleg Ladyzhensky, a Ukranian science-fiction writer, alleges that the Ukrainian book industry is already in crisis, and would only suffer a larger detriment by the introduction of book bans.

The ban of Russian books in Ukraine is not a foreign concept.  In 2015, Ukraine banned 38 Russian-published books on the basis that they allegedly spoke to “hate ideology” and “separatism.”

A draft of the law was adopted earlier this month by Ukraine’s cabinet of ministers.

 

For more information, please see:

The Guardian — Ukraine Prepares to Ban ‘Anti-Ukrainian Russian Books — 28 September 2016

Publishing Perspectives — Latest Ukrainian Ban of Russian Book Imports Under Consideration — 26 September 2016

Channel NewsAsia — Ukraine Moves to Ban ‘Illegal’ Russian Books — 8 September 2016

BBC — Ukraine Bans 38 Russian ‘Hate’ Books Amid Culture War — 11 August 2015

South African Students and Police Clash

By Samantha Netzband 

Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa Desk 

CAPE TOWN, South Africa–Protests continue across South Africa as students act out against rising tuition costs.  Protests have been widespread and happening at many universities across South Africa.  Protests are becoming violent as police seek to put an end to the protests to allow universities to hold classes.  Many universities classes have been suspended in the mist of the protests.

The Associated Press

Police use stun grenades and rubber bullets to break up protests at the University of the Witwatersrand. (Photo Courtesy of US News)

University of Witswaterand students led a march to the Chamber of Mines on Wednesday September 28 in order to give a memorandum that called for officials to get behind the idea of free education. Students would like the Chamber of Mines to help lobby the government on their free education stance.  University of Wiswaterand, known as Wits, have been engaging in protests for over a week, in some cases vandalizing property.  In one incident a fire extinguisher was used in a campus building and a cleaner died as a result.  University officials have blamed students for the death.

Meanwhile on Wednesday September 28th at Rhodes University in Grahamstown 10 students were arrested as a result of the protests.  Rhodes like Wits has been shut down since the previous week, and both students and professors alike are growing concerned that classes may not start up again.  Professors and students alike are growing increasingly concerned that the rest of the term will need to be cancelled, especially after the University of Cape Town was forced to cancel its graduation.

While students are mainly protesting for free education, they are also calling for the removal of Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande who called for the raise in tuition for the next year.  Protests started peacefully, but were met with police force late last week.  Police began firing rubber bullets and using stun grenades to stop the protests.  As of Friday September 30th protests were still continuing.

For more information, please see:

Citizen – Live Report: Wits Students March to the Chamber of Mines – 28 September 2016.

Daily Maverick – Student Protests Spread, While Wits Marks a Worker’s Death – 27 September 2016.

Fox News – South African Police Clash with Student Protesters – 28 September 2016.

Marxist – South Africa: Rising Anger as Mass Student Protests Return – 28 September 2016.

US News – Shuttered South African Universities Seek End to Protests – 27 September 2016.