News

Child Solider Recruitment in DR Congo Remains ‘Endemic’ Says New UN Report

By Erica Smith
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of the Congo — The United Nations peacekeeping mission for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), or MONUSCO, issued a report Thursday detailing the continuing recruitment of child soldiers in the DRC.

Child Soldiers in the DRC (Photo courtesy of Amnesty International UK)

According to the report 1,000 cases of child recruitment were verified by MONUSCO between January 2012 and August 2013, predominantly in the conflict prone eastern province of North Kivu. The armed groups Nyatura, Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda (FDLR) and the 23 March Movement (M23) were identified as having recruited 451 children total during the reporting period. Children formerly associated with M23 describe how they were forced to dig graves for other children and adults killed in fighting with the DRC army.

In  most of cases, children were abducted and forced to join the groups. Other children joined voluntarily after having been promised money, education, and jobs by recruiters. Children were used as porters, cooks, spies, sex slaves, guards and combatants. The children are also reported to have been victims and witnesses to other children’s rights violations, such as rape, abduction, killing and maiming.

“Despite awareness raising campaigns and attempts to pacify armed groups, recruitment of children remains endemic in the country, with high numbers of children recruited in the past two years as a result of renewed hostilities in the east of the country,” the report states.

“This situation is unacceptable and has been going on for much too long with impunity. Recruiting children into armed groups is a crime, and destroys the lives of the victims who are forced to do things that no child should be involved in…We need to stop this now. One case of child recruitment is one case to many,”said Martin Kobler, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for DRC and head of MONUSCO.

MONUSCO has called on all armed groups and their commanders in the DRC to halt recruiting children and to unconditionally release all children currently in their custody.

The mission recommended that the Government, the international community, donors and all child protection advocates ensure that all efforts are made to prevent child recruitment and to ensure long-term, sustainable reintegration programs for victims of child solider recruitment.

For more information, please see:

UPI — U.N. envoy says child-soldier recruitment in Congo ‘unacceptable’ — 25 October 2013

United Nations News Centre — Child recruitment remains ‘endemic’ in DR Congo, UN says in new report — 24 October 2013

UPI — Rwanda denies backing child soldiers in DRC — 7 October 2013

Reuters — U.S. sanctions Rwanda, others over child soldiers — 3 October 2013

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nigerian Pirates Kidnap Two Americans

By Brandon Cottrell 
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America 

Two U.S. citizens were abducted when pirates attacked an oil industry vessel early Thursday.  According to the Nigerian Navy, which confirmed the piracy attack, the captain and chief engineer of the vessel were the ones abducted.  The number of pirates involved in the attack is unknown.  The FBI has begun its investigation and the attack is being treated as a kidnapping-for-ransom and not an act of terrorism.

Despite patrols of the coast by the Nigerian Navy, pirate attacks are still prevalent, as evidenced by Thursday’s kidnapping (Photo Courtesy BBC).

Jack Cloonan, a specialist in international piracy, kidnapping, and extortion, has said that “If you take the Americans, you get a good price, but at the same time you bring a lot of heat on you too.”  He looks forward to seeing the initial demands because he said the initial demand provides valuable information in regards to determining who exactly they are dealing with.  He also expects the hostages to be safely released.

The Nigerian Navy has since “directed its operational command to search for and rescue the vessel and the crew members” and stated that, “right now, the search is going on, and we are tracking down the culprits.”  The Navy also added that they were not sure how the piracy attack was carried out.

An official that works for the AKE Group, a private security firm, also stated that, “All we know is this attack happened, and these were the people who were kidnapped.”

White House spokesman, Jay Carney, said the administration was “seeking additional information so that we can contribute to the safe resolution of the situation.”  He further expressed their concern about “the disturbing increase in the incidents of maritime crime, including incidents of piracy off the coast of West Africa, specifically in the Gulf of Guinea.”

This year, oil-searching vessels in the Gulf of Guinea have been targeted by pirates who abduct crewmembers of ransom.  According to Maritime Industry officials, most abductions are not reported and the ransoms are settled and paid quickly.

While the United Nations has reported that Somali piracy is at a seven-year low, there have been significant increases in piracy off the coast of West Africa.  For example, in 2012 there were more piracy attacks off the coast of West Africa than off the coast of Somalia.

The United Nations has described this difference by the “increased international policing, tougher prosecutions of pirate gangs, and greater use of private security on vessels” in Somalia.  In West Africa, however, armed private security guards are not allowed on vessels.

There have been a total of 200 incidents of piracy this year across the world, with 11 hijackings.  Most incidents involved stealing commodities and seeking ransom for hostages.  Since 2010, it is estimated that $100 million of oil products have been stolen.

American Capitan Richard Phillips, who was held hostage several years ago, may have described the threat of piracy best when offered the following statement, “If you don’t want to deal with piracy you [maritime workers] need to get another job.”

 

For more information, please see:

ABC News – Pirates Singled Out Americans in Ship Attack Off Nigeria, Official Says – 24 October 2013

BBC – Nigeria Pirate Attack: US Sailors Seized – 24 October 2013

New York Times – Pirates Abduct Two Americans on Oil Ship Off Nigerian Coast – 24 October 2013

Reuters – Pirates Kidnap Two U.S. Sailors Off Nigerian Coast – 24 October 2013

Tensions in Kashmir Boil Over, Pakistan and India Exchange Fire

By Brian Lanciault
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

NEW DELHI, India– Indian and Pakistani troops opened fire with machine guns and mortars. The gun fight over the line dividing territorial claims in the Kashmir region have wounded at least 12 people — including children —  in the middle of what appears to be some of the worst tension in a decade over the disputed region.

Indian officials report that at least 2 children have been injured in the recent round of gun-fire at the Kashmir border. (Photo Courtesy of Reuters)

Analysts believe that it is too early to determine whether the firing signals a more serious conflict between India and Pakistan. The two nuclear-armed neighbor countries have an extensive history of animosity, with particularly strong focus on the Kashmir dispute. Vivek Katju, a retired Indian diplomat, believes the violence could be an attempt to further increase tensions along the Kashmir dividing line to garner international attention to the conflict.

A 2003 cease-fire between India and Pakistan has, for the most part, held such tensions at bay, although there have been sporadic violations. In recent days, however, skirmishes in Kashmir have escalated significantly.

Both India and Pakistan reported an increase in the number of cross-border attacks since the current Pakistani and Indian prime ministers held their first face-to-face meeting last month in New York and agreed on the need to reduce tensions.

The latest violence in the Jammu and Kashmir region, which borders Afghanistan and China, began Thursday night. At approximately two dozen military posts along the India-Pakistan dividing line, gun-fire erupted into violent skirmishes. As in most cases of firing in the area, India and Pakistan accused each other of initiating the fighting, with neither side conceding any sort of responsibility.

Shantmanu, an Indian civil administrator in Kashmir who uses only one name, said 10 civilians, including four children, were wounded.

Pakistani military officials, speaking from Islamabad, said Indian troops fired first, wounding two civilians. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity, in line with military policy.

Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry called the cease-fire violations “a matter of great concern.”

On Wednesday, India accused Pakistani troops of firing guns and mortars on at least 50 Indian border posts overnight in Kashmir, calling it the most serious cease-fire violation in a decade. There has yet to be confirmation of these accusations.

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif raised concerns about Kashmir tensions during a meeting with President Barack Obama at the White House on Wednesday. Obama praised Sharif for seeking to end tensions between Pakistan and India.

“Billions of dollars have been spent on an arms race in response to these tensions,” Obama said. “Those resources could be much more properly invested in education (and) social welfare programs on both sides of the border between India and Pakistan.”

Sharif requested for the United States to act as a mediator in the Kashmir conflict, but Obama flatly rejected the idea.

India and Pakistan have fought two wars over control of the Jammu and Kashmir region, which is divided between them and claimed by both.

A 1948 ceasefire split control over the region along a cease-fire line that is now called the “Line of Control,” and remains a hot spot for conflict.

India regularly accuses Pakistan of supporting Kashmiri rebels, who have been fighting on the Indian side since 1989 for independence or a merger with Pakistan.

An estimated 68,000 people have been killed over the course of the conflict, though most resistance is now in the form of street protests. Pakistan denies giving any backing to the rebels beyond moral support.

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera– Kashmir tensions rise as India, Pakistan exchange gunfire — 25 October 2013

Deseret News– India, Pakistan exchange gunfire over border— 25 October 2013

Washington Post– India, Pakistan exchange gunfire over border in disputed Kashmir region— 25 October 2013

BBC News– Kashmir: India says eight civilians injured in Pakistan firing— 25 October 2013

Roma May Be Dealt More Racism Than Rights in Europe

By Ben Kopp
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

ATHENS, Greece – Across Europe, Roma faced scrutiny amidst the finding of “Maria.” Some have compared notions of “baby snatching” to anti-Semitic stories from before World War II.

Across Europe, the Roma live nomadic lives with strong ties to their culture, which has made integration difficult and isolation easy. (Photo courtesy of the Independent)

During the week of 14 October 2013, authorities searching the Farsala Roma community for drugs and weapons found five-year-old “Maria.” The couple claiming to be her parents had none of her physical characteristics. DNA tests revealed that Maria is not either adult’s biological daughter.

The couple, Christos Salis and Eleftheria Dimopoulou, were charged with abducting Maria and falsifying documents. In speaking with police, the couple conveyed that a fair-skinned Bulgarian Roma woman gave them Maria because she could no longer care for her. However, police also report that both adults provided conflicting accounts of the child’s origin.

A fair-skinned Bulgarian woman has come forward as Maria’s biological mother to corroborate the couple’s story. A DNA test will be conducted.

“It is a racist presumption on behalf of the Greek authorities… to charge her family with abduction just because they are Roma and because it was proven that [she] is not their own natural child,” says Panayote Dimitras, spokesperson from the Greek Helsinki Monitor.

In Farsala, dozens who knew the family contended that the couple cared for Maria deeply and looked after her well. Currently, Maria—who speaks little Greek—is in a Greek charity hospital undergoing tests to determine her real age. Thousands of parents around the world have called and emailed authorities, hoping that Maria is their lost child.

While the global interest has centered on finding Maria’s biological parents, local interests center on the great divide between the Roma and other Greeks. Indeed, the European Court of Human Rights has found that Greece, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, and Hungary have segregated their Roma communities.

Originally of India, the Roma are considered a subgroup of the Romani people. For centuries, the Roma have lived nomadically across Europe. Integration becomes difficult due to the Roma’s strong attachment to their culture, language, and habits.

Some media outlets have shown footage of Maria dancing to music with the implication that her parents forced her to dance for money. Enraged by the suggestion, the Roma community explained that the footage was taken after a baptism and religious celebration.

Admitting to some settlements known to have illegal activities, many Roma protest that criminality is a very small portion of their community.

In this case, Salis and Dimopoulou are an illiterate couple who registered their family in several towns, often claiming fourteen children—ten of whom are unaccounted for. Police stated that the couple received approximately €2500 ($3420) per month in child welfare subsidies from three different cities. However, among all Greeks, it is not uncommon to see such papers falsified.

In Ireland, authorities began taking for DNA testing Roma children, all of whom were confirmed as the biological children of their alleged parents.

Three score and ten years ago, the world saw what racism does, and the world said, “Never again.” Europe must remember that never means never.

For further information, please see:

CNN International – Bulgarian Woman Claims She’s Maria’s Mom: ‘We Gifted Her’ to Roma Family – October 25, 2013

Independent – Old Attitudes Resurface in Greece: Inside the Roma Camp Where Maria the ‘Blonde Angel’ Lived – October 25, 2013

BBC News – ‘Parents’ of Greek Roma Girl Maria Give DNA to Police – October 24, 2013

Huffington Post UK – Do Roma ‘Gypsies’ Really Abduct Children? — October 24, 2013

Irish Times – Shatter Seeks Report as Roma Children Returned to Families – October 24, 2013

Yemen: Father Burns 15-year-old Daughter to Death for Contacting Fiancé

By Thomas Murphy
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

SANA’A, Yemen – A fifteen-year-old Yemeni girl was burned to death by her father after he caught her contacting her fiance before their wedding. Prosecutors intend to press charges against her thirty-five-year-old father, who was arrested in the remote village of Shabaa, in Taiz province.

Child brides are popular in Yemen and have attracted widespread criticism from international human rights groups. (Photo Courtesy of Corbis)

“The father committed this heinous crime on the pretext that his daughter had been keeping contacts with her fiance,” the police website said on Tuesday, giving no further details.

Local news websites have reported that the father had caught the pair talking on the phone.

In some parts of Yemen it is traditional tribal custom to prevent men and women from contacting each other before marriage. Tribal loyalties run deep in the impoverished Arabian peninsula nation and often take precedence over the writ of the central government.

Yemeni women are generally accorded a low status in the family and community. Women often find themselves subject to of various forms of violence, deprivation of education, early and forced marriages, sexual abuse, restrictions over freedom of movement, forced pregnancy, and female genital mutilation. Killings of daughters, wives or sisters to punish perceived breaches of family honor are not uncommon.

Last year, the UN Human Rights council raised concerns about so-called “honor killings” in the country. Perpetrators were not charged with murder, and faced only a six-month to one-year prison sentence, it found.

In 2010, the Yemen Social Affairs Ministry released a report that stated more than 25 percent of the country’s females marry before the age of fifteen. It is a traditional tribal belief that younger brides are more easily molded in desirable and obedient wives.

The country previously required individuals to be at least fifteen-years-old before they could be married, but in the 1990s the law was annulled. The current policy is that parents should decided when their daughters are to be married. This scenario allows impoverished families to marry away their daughters at young ages for compensation sometimes reaching into the hundreds of dollars.

For further information, please see:

Al Arabiya – Yemeni 15-year-old girl burned to death for ‘meeting fiance’ – 23 October 2013

BBC – Yemeni ‘burns daughter to death for contacting fiance’ –  23 October 2013

Daily Mail – Yemeni father burns his daughter, 15, to death for keeping in touch with her fiance –  23 October 2013

Reuters – Yemeni burns daughter to death for contacting fiance: police – 23 October 2013