News

Military Coup Days Before an Election

By Tyler Campbell

Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

 

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso – As of yesterday, Burkina Faso is officially under new leadership. The military announced it had dissolved the government and removed the sitting president days before the election, which was scheduled to take place on October 11. The presidential guard seized the president, prime minister, and other government officials during a cabinet meeting this Wednesday. It is not clear what has become of these government officials at this time.

Protestors in the Nation’s Capitol (photo courtesy of the Indian Express)

Shortly after the seizer the guard took to radio and television signals to announce that they were now in control of the country. The presidential guard had been very vocal about its disagreement with the interim government that was running the country. The guard has heavy ties with the previous president, Blaise Compaore. He had been in control for 27 years until finally being ousted by public up rising the year before. The presidential guard’s main issue with the interim government was its decision to block any members of the ex-president’s party from running in the October election. This move could likely be an attempt for ex-president Blaise Compaore to regain power, or keep control within party lines.

 

This coup has had some immediate negative consequences for the country. The boarders of Burkina Faso have been shut down. The presidential guard has also put a curfew in place. The coup and these actions by the guard have been met with heavy rioting in the nations capitol.

 

These riots have left ten dead so far. An unverified claim blamed these deaths on shots fired by the presidential guard. Along with these deaths have come an unknown number of rioters being arrested.

 

Cheriff Sy the transitional parliamentary speaker has become the unofficial leader of the opposition to this coup. After declaring himself the leader of Burkina Faso he asked its people to rise up and fight this oppositional government. Saying, “We are in a resistance situation against adversity.”

 

The U.S. and French governments have both expressed concern and condemnation about the actions of the presidential guard. However, military action by either of these nations against the coup is very unlikely at this time. This could change if the situation with ISIS continue to worsen. Burkina Faso was one of the most important allies of these two nations in their fight against Islamist extremism.

 

For now it is fully up to the citizens of Burkina Faso to once again rise up and expel an illegitimate regime, like they did in 2014. In those riots the citizens of Burkina Faso eventually ended up setting fire to the capitol building and homes of then president, Blaise Compaore. We shall see if this level of violence will be needed to overthrow the presidential guard this time around.

 

For more information, please see:

 

Huffington Post – Military In Burkina Faso Confirms Coup And Dissolves Government – 17 September 2015

 

The Guardian – Coup in Burkina Faso as military takes over country ahead of elections – 17 September 2015

 

BBC – Burkina Faso coup sparks deadly street protests – 17 September 2015

 

CNN – Burkina Faso: Military takes over after presidential guards detain President – 17 September 2015

 

The New York Times – Violent Protests Topple Government in Burkina Faso – 30 October 2014

 

 

Palestinian Hunger Striker Re-Detained After Hospital Release

By Brittani Howell

Impunity Watch Reporter, The Middle East

JERUSALEM, Israel – Mohammad Allaan, a Palestinian lawyer, was re-arrested by Israel on Wednesday after being discharged from the hospital. Allaan was in the hospital as a result of his hunger strike, protesting his incarceration

Protesters hold posters of Mohammed Allaan’s picture. (Courtesy of CNN)

Allaan, an alleged member of the Islamic Jihad militant group was detained by Israel without charges or a trial. The administrative detention allows military courts to detain militant suspects indefinitely, subject to a renewal every six months. According to the Israeli civil rights group, B’Tselem, “Israeli’s use of administrative detention blatantly violates the restrictions of international law.”

Israel states that the detention orders are necessary to protect intelligent sources in security-related cases. The Shin Bet internal security agency stated that Allaan was still, “a danger to peace and security in the region” and placed him back in custody because his health had improved.

Israel’s justice ministry alleges that Allaan is involved in “grave terrorism” which necessitates his detention. Allaan denies the allegations and denies involvement with the Islamic Jihad militant group.

Allaan was detained November 2014 and his detention was renewed in May. Allaan stopped eating on June 16 and, as a result, suffered brain damage among other medical conditions. Allaan’s lawyer, Mr. Khatib, intends to appeal the re-arrest because of the brain damage Allaan suffered. He also argues that only the Supreme Court had the authority to cancel the suspension of Allaan’s detention. The re-arrest was a result of a military directive, not a Supreme Court order canceling the suspension of the detention.

Sawsan Zaher, a lawyer for an Arab-rights group which also represented Allaan, stated, “The fact that the authorities renewed the order the moment his situation improved, without checking relevant or justifiable evidence – this means that the order is only an act of revenge.”

In July, Israel passed a law which allows force-feeding to those who are hunger-striking, if the strike’s life is in danger. The United Nations finds the law a “cause of concern” and the Israel Medical Association equates the law to torture.

Allaan was not force-fed, as the government could not find any willing doctors to do the procedure. Instead, Allaan was given intravenous fluids when his condition deteriorated.

Israeli police stated Allaan will be held in detention until November 4, which is when his detention is scheduled to end.

For further information, please see:

Al-Jazeera – Palestinian Hunger Striker Detained on Hospital Release – 16 September 2015

BBC – Israel Re-Arrests Hunger Striker Mohammed Allan – 16 September 2015

CNN – Palestinian Hunger Striker Mohammed Allan back in Israeli Detention – 16 September 2015

The New York Times – Palestinian is Rearrested and Resumes Hunger Strike – 16 September 2015

The Seattle Times – Israel Re-Arrests Palestinian Hunger Striker – 16 September 2015

British Arms Fair Invites Countries with Child Soldiers

By Tyler Campbell

Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

 

ALGIERS, Algeria – This Tuesday marked the opening day of the Defence and Security Equipment Industry (DSEI) show. This is one of the world’s largest arms and securities fairs in world and it is held every two years in London. This is a massive event were more than 1,500 companies show off their best and latest weapons of war. On the guest list to the event are some of the biggest repeat offenders in human and civil rights violations.

Child Soldiers in Algeria (Photo of photo courtesy of telegraph.co.uk)

There were 61 countries officially invited to the event. Out of these 61 countries 14 of them have authoritarian leadership. More troubling is that the UN has flagged 23 of these 61 countries for serious child rights violations, including the use of child soldiers. Notable African countries with questionable human rights records on the list were Egypt, Angola and Algeria.

 

These invitations come in stark and almost ironic contrast to the message the European parliament was trying to send some of these countries only four days earlier. In debates about the British arms industry parliament talked about Azerbaijan and Angola, two countries with an invitation to the DSEI. The deteriorating situation of human rights in Angola was one topic that got touched upon.

 

This type of hypocrisy is not a new trend for the British arms industry. Britain has been selling arms to the Democratic Republic of the Congo since 2010. This is one nation that has a long record of recruiting and using child soldiers. Another country, Saudi Arabia, has had its own problems with civil rights and continues to be Britain’s leading arms customer. In past years at the DSEI, devices clearly against British law have even been offered up for sale.

 

These problems have not gone unnoticed by London protesters. Human rights activist protested and attempted to block the set up of the event. They also have a protest schedule for each day the event is going on. Advertisements on the sides of buses around London have been replaced with “These visitors make huge amounts of money from weapons and equipment that kill people all over the world.”

 

The other side of the debate continues to say that this event and the British arms industry are important sections of the economy and are essential to jobs and a growing GDP. This is most likely not an understatement. The UK has continued to be the world’s second largest defense exporter, behind only the United States. For this to change it will take aggressive action and legislation by parliament.

 

 

 

For more information, please see:

EurActive – Nations using child soldiers are invited to British arms fair – 14 September 2015

 

Yahoo News – Mega arms fair met with protest in Britain – 15 September 2015

 

Global Information Network – Nations using child soldiers among guests at UK arms fair – 15 September 2015

 

Defense One – UK Invites ‘Countries of Concern’ To Shop for Weapons in London – 15 September 2015

Exiled Yemeni President Backs out of Peace Talks

By Brittani Howell

Impunity Watch Reporter, The Middle East

SANA’A, Yemen – On Sunday, Yemen’s exiled President, Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi, announced that he will not participate in United Nation’s peace talks with the Houthi rebels. President Hadi stated that there will only be peace talks with the rebels in the event that the Houthis withdraw from the areas they seized and surrender any weapons.

Nader Mohammed, a doctor in Sana’a, in his apartment after an airstrike. (Photo Courtesy of New York Times)

The self-exiled government is making plans to return to the city of Aden by the end of this month. Over 200 soldiers from Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen, have travelled to Aden in order to secure the city so that the exiled government can return. Currently, part of Aden is under the control of al-Qaeda.

Previous attempts to end the conflict and to enter into peace-talks have all failed. Over 4,500 people have been killed since the conflict began. According to the United Nations Human Rights Commissioner, from the start of the Saudi-led offense and through June 30, 1,527 civilians have been killed. Of the 1,527 killed, 941 deaths were caused by airstrikes.

The Saudi-led coalition’s strikes have strayed from military targets and have struck civilian areas, causing many to accuse the coalition of punishing all who reside in areas under Houthi rebel control. Residents in northern Yemen, largely Shi’ite Muslims, have claimed the Saudi-led coalition attacks are a sectarian purge, as the coalition is largely Sunni Muslim.

“They kill innocents and claim to be killing Houthis. They are targeting the whole population.” Stated Adam Mujahid Abdullah, a survivor of an airstrike that targeted residential homes overlooking a university that had been used as a base for Houthi rebels.

Many people have been forced to take shelter in the mountains, as a result of the frequent airstrikes. Dr. Natalie Roberts, from Doctors Without Borders, stated “It’s no kind of life. Waiting in a cave to see if you’re going to get bombed.” Others have been forced South, most forced to walk on foot.

In the province of Marib, 25 fighters from both the rebels and the coalition were killed when the Saudi-led coalition advanced and cut off the Houthi rebels supply lines.

On Saturday, it was alleged that a United States drone attack killed 4 people in the province of Hadramawt. Security officials stated that masked gunmen prevented access to the site of the attack as the victims had been buried near by.

The United Arab Emirates on Saturday mourned the loss of 52 soldiers, who were killed in a Houthi rebels’ missile attack on September 5, 2015. This was the heaviest loss the country has seen since 1971.

For more information, please see:

Los Angeles Times – Yemen’s Exiled President Backs Out of Talks With Rebels – 13 September 2015

Reuters – Exiled Yemeni Government Pulls out of Planned Peace Talks – 13 September 2015

The Associated Press – Yemen’s Exiled President Backs out of Talks With Rebels – 13 September 2015

The New York Times – Airstrikes Take Toll on Civilians in Yemen War – 12 September 2015

UN Authorizes Investigation of Alleged Chemical Attacks

By Brittani Howell

Impunity Watch News Desk Reporter

DAMASCUS, Syria –   On Thursday, the United Nations Security Council announced it will authorize an international body to investigate who is behind the chemical warfare in Syria and Iraq. Prior to this announcement, the United Nations has only been able to investigate without assessing blame for the attacks.

Russia’s United Nations Ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, at a Security Council Session in July. (Photo Courtesy of The Los Angeles Times)

Russia decided to not use its veto power and had its U.N. ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, deliver a letter to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in support of the joint investigative unit. The investigative unit will be able to go anywhere in Syria to conduct its investigation.

U.N. disarmament chief Kim Won-soo stated that “access will be a very challenging issue” particularly because of the Islamic State’s involvement in Syria.

The Iraqi government, on Monday, stated they were sending a team of experts to investigate the allegations that chemical weapons had been used on the Kurdish Forces. It is suspected that the Islamic State has access to chemical weapons, which have not been used in fighting conflicts in Iraq since 2003.

Kurdistan Regional Government officials stated that lab tests showed positive for the chemical agent chlorine. The use of Chlorine as a weapon is forbidden under the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention. Chlorine is lethal if inhaled, as it turns into hydrochloric acid and causes an individual’s lungs to burn which causes a build up of fluids and results in the drowning of the individual.

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons has destroyed known stockpiles of chemical weapons in both Syria and Iraq.

According to a United States official, the Islamic State has been using mustard agents in both Iraq and Syria.

The United Nations investigative body will begin in the next few weeks and will have its first report within 90 days of being operational. The investigative body is authorized for one year with the possibility for extensions.

For more information, please see:

BBC News – US Official: ‘IS Making and Using Chemical Weapons in Iraq and Syria’ – 10 September 2015

The Associated Press – UN Security Council OKS Syria Chemical Probe – 10 September 2015

The Los Angeles Times – New U.N. Probe of Syrian Chemical Weapons use to Name Perpetrators – 10 September 2015

Reuters – Iraqi team to Probe Alleged IS Chemical Attacks on Kurds – Diplomats – 7 September 2015