News

UN to Discuss Report on US Police Killings of Black Americans

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

UNITED STATES — The United Nations Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent has released their final report based on a visit to the United States in January. A five-member group chaired by Filipino law professor Ricardo A. Sunga III made the trip to evaluate the human rights situation of African Americans. The report concludes that “Contemporary police killings and the trauma that they create are reminiscent of the past racial terror of lynching” during the 19th and 20th centuries and calls on the government to do more to protect its citizens. The Equal Justice Initiative, a non-profit organization, reported in 2015 that 3,959 black people were killed in lynchings between 1877 and 1950.

The report has been released while two days of protests and a riot over the shooting of Keith Scott are taking place in Charlotte, North Carolina. Last Friday another incident occurred in Tulsa, Oklahoma where an officer fatally shot an unarmed black man.

A UN Report on the state of the human rights of African Americans in the US has been released while demonstrations against police brutality take place in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo courtesy of AFP)

The report states, “the legacy of colonial history, enslavement, racial subordination and segregation, racial terrorism and racial inequality in the United States remains a serious challenge, as there has been no real commitment to reparations and to truth and reconciliation for people of African descent. Impunity for state violence has resulted in the current human rights crisis and must be addressed as a matter of urgency.” The UN group says these killings go unpunished due to a number of factors. The initial investigations are often conducted by the police departments where the alleged perpetrators are employed, prosecutors have wide discretion over the charges, and the use of force is only subject to domestic standards, not to international standards.

The UN group recommends that the US create a national system to track excessive use of force and killings by law enforcement officials, end racial profiling, and have federal and state laws that recognize the negative impact of enslavement and racial injustice. The report finds education accompanied by acts of reconciliation key to improving race relations and the trust between African Americans and law enforcement officials. The report is being debated at the UN Human Rights Council on Monday.

For further information, please see:

Mint Press News – UN: Police Killings of Black Men Are Modern-Day Lynchings – 24 September 2016

PressTV – US Police Killings Redolent of Lynching: Report – 23 September 2016

Reuters – U.S. Police Killings Reminiscent of Lynching, U.N. Group Says – 23 September 2016

RT – Police Killings of Black People Reminiscent of Lynchings – UN Working Group – 23 September 2016

 

France Calls on Britain to ‘Play its Part’ in Refugee Crisis

By Sarah Lafen

Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Europe

 

PARIS, France — French President Francois Hollande has made clear his “determination” to maintain the UK’s assistance in the refugee crisis, as the Calais refugee camp is set to be shut down in the coming months.  Hollande emphasizes that despite Britain’s decision to leave the European Union, they are not relieved of responsibility in the migrant refugee crisis in Europe.  Rather, Holland considers Britain’s obligations to this issue increased in accordance with their decision to leave the EU.

French President Francois Hollande and Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve meet officers of the French Gendarmerie in Calais (Photo Courtesy of The Telegraph)

Hollande explains that the objectives of France are clear in that they plan to close the camp in order to “guarantee the security of people in Calais, to maintain public order, and to assure proper conditions for the migrants.”  In addition to the interests of the people of Calais, the closing of the camp is expected to solidify the “firmness’ of the French-British border.  It is Hollande’s plan to disperse the migrants currently residing at the Calais jungle to other camps across France.

On his first trip to the Calais jungle since his election in 2012, Hollande insisted that border control in the area is “watertight,” despite evidence that suggest up to 200 migrants per week are being smuggled through Calais each week.

Britain has contributed an estimated £85 million towards reinforcement of security surrounding the Calais jungle camp.   In addition, Britain is in the process of funding the construction of a concrete wall to be built along the port in Calais in an effort to prevent migrants from crossing the English Channel.

Charlie Elphicke, Tory MP for Dover, believes that the French government needs to ensure the camp is actually dismantled as Hollande claims it will be.  Elphicke states that “Britain has already paid millions for walls and fences in Calais. Yet the French keep asking for more of our money.”  He believes the taxpayers’ money should be spent on increased security at the British port of Dover, and calls on Hollande to permanently return the migrants to their home countries.

The British Home Office responded to some of Hollande’s remarks, vowing to resettle “vulnerable” children.

 

For more information, please see:

Belfast Telegraph — MPs Hit Back at French President Over Criticism of UK Stance on Calais Migrants — 26 September 2016

Chicago Tribune — Hollande Says Britain Must Still Help with Migrants Post-Brexit — 26 September 2016

Evening Standard –Britain Must Play Part in Looking After Calais Jungle Migrants, Francois Hollande Says — 26 September 2016

The Telegraph — Hollande Sparks Row with UK by Saying it is Not Doing Enough to Help Calais Migrants — 26 September 2016

Ugandan Police Stop Gay Pride Parade

By Samantha Netzband 

Impunity Watch, Africa Desk Reporter

KAMPALA, Uganda– Police stopped gay pride marches just outside the capital of Kampala on Saturday September 24th.  This was after a statement on the 22nd from Simon Lokodo, minister of Uganda’s ethics and integrity cabinet, who told organizers they would be prosecuted if they marched.

The Gay Pride parade in Entebbe, Uganda

Activists marching in August 2015. (Photo Courtesy of BBC)

Gay rights activist Frank Mugisha said more than 100 LGBTQ participants tried to participate in the activism activities.  Before activists could march, they were herded onto buses by police and bused back to Kampala.  Homosexuality is currently illegal in Uganda and Lokodo is known for his harsh anti-LGBTQ stance.  In the past, the march has been allowed to proceed without government intervention.

The crackdown on the gay pride march comes after a lawmaker tried to push through a harsher law on homosexuality.  The law would have allowed a sentence of death as punishment for homosexual acts.  This law was eventually determined to be unconstitutional by the courts in Uganda.

Despite the triumph in the courts the climate in Uganda has been similar to the blockade of the gay pride march.  A few months ago Lokodo authorized a violent raid at a pride celebration.  LGBTQ citizens are also continually outed, threatened, and killed for their sexual orientation.

For more information, please see: 

BBC – Ugandan police block gay pride parade – 24 September 2016

Citizen TV – Ugandan police stop gay pride parade – 24 September 2016

Fox News – Uganda: Police stop gay pride parade deemed illegal – 24 September 2016

Out – Uganda Official Orders Pride March Organizers to Cancel Parade – 22 September 2016

Xenophobia Threatens Peace in Germany

By Sarah Lafen

Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Europe

BERLIN, Germany —  A federal government report released by the German government warns of unrest in Eastern Germany due to far-right violence as the product of “xenophobia and racist attacks.”  The report warns that the line between protests and violence is becoming too blurred, and that the increasing violence tarnishes the reputation of East Germany as a place to do business.  Through the report, the German government urges civil society to take a stronger stand against anti-migrant demonstrations.

Activists in Leipzig, Germany protest the German government’s migrant policy (Photo Courtesy of VOA News)

Within the past year, attacks on refugees residing in East Germany have increased dramatically, including riots and arson attacks on refugee shelters.  Far right-motivated violence was far more prevalent in Eastern Germany last year, at a rate of 58.7 average occurrences per one million inhabitants.  This figure was significantly higher than the rate of 10.5 average occurrences per one million inhabitants in Western Germany.  The attacks are most commonly carried out in the Eastern German states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

In 2015, Germany accepted over 1 million refugees into the country.  This movement increased support for the anti-immigrant party Alternative for Germany (AfD), which is represented in all of the eastern federal states.  AfD is also known for their criticisms of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s “open-door policy” toward asylum-seeking refugees.

Iris Gleicke, the federal government’s Commissioner for Eastern German Affairs, considers right-wing extremism to pose a “very seirous threat” to the social and economic development of new German states.  Gelicke, who grew up in Eastern Germany, stated that “Society should not look away when people are attacked or refugee shelters are set on fire. A lot is on the line for east Germany.”  On recent trips to Japan and California in attempt to draw investments into Eastern Germany, Gleicke claims that there was concern about whether their staff would be welcome in the Eastern German states, and whether or not their investments would be safe there.

Merkel recently expressed her regret for losing control over the refugee situation in Germany, stating that she wishes she could “turn back time” to better prepare the country for the influx of migrants.  Merkel’s statements come in the wake of her conservative’s party second electoral defeat within the last two weeks, as voters rejected her open-door policy towards refugees.

 

For more information, please see:

The Huffington Post — German Government Fears Xenophobia Will do Economic Harm — 21 September 2016

Independent — Angela Merkel Admits she Lost Control of Refugee Crisis in Germany and Would ‘Turn Back Time’ if she Could — 21 September 2016

Newsweek — Far-Right Violence ‘Threatens East German Economy — 21 September 2016

VOA News — German Government Warns Against Rising Xenophobia — 21 September 2016

With Election Postponed, Violence in Kinshasa Leaves at Least 17 Dead

By Samantha Netzband

Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo-17 are dead after violent clashes in the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo.  Violence broke out after current President Joseph Kabila said the government would be postponing the country’s Presidential election.  The election, which was originally scheduled for later this year, will now be held in mid 2017.

Protesters yell in front of a burning car during a demonstration in Kinshasa. (Photo Courtesy of The Guardian.

Opposition leaders are frustrated with the President, claiming that he is trying to stay in office even though the country’s constitution does not allow a President to be in office for three terms.  President Kabila and other government officials are claiming that this is not the case.  The government says that there are not enough resources to hold a fair election and the postponement is only to ensure a fair transition.

The United States and other observers are considering sanctions against the Congolese government if elections are not held as planned later this year. Barnabe Kikaya Bin Karubi, Congo’s Chief Diplomatic Adviser,  is currently in the United States pleading with United States officials to not sanction the Congo’s government.

“There are two resolutions that were pending in the House to impose sanctions on Congolese officials,” Kikaya said previously. “My mission is to plead with American officials and to prove to them that sanctions are not a solution to help us resolve our problems.”

The toll of the delayed election is already being seen at home.  Three police officers and fourteen protesters have been reported dead.  A police officer was burned in retaliation for shooting at protesters, and one opposition leader says he saw 25 protesters gunned down by security forces.  While the government reports the death toll as 17, other reports have marked the number as closer to 50.

For more information, please see:

CNBC Africa – Clashes in Kinshasa leave 17 dead – 20 September 2016

Digital Congo – Balance insurgency opposition: Evariste Boshab announces a provisional toll of 17 dead – 20 September 2016

The Guardian – Clashes in Kinshasa leave 50 dead, say DRC opposition groups – 20 September 2016

UN News Centre – DR Congo: Ban condemns deadly clashes between protestors and security forces in capital – 19 September 2016