News

Peruvian Security Forces Kill Two Shining Path Leaders

LIMA, Peru – Two top commanders of Peru’s Shining Path group were killed during a clash with government troops in southeast Peru according to President Ollanta Humala.

Alejandro Borda Casafranca, and Martin Quispe Palomino were killed by a covert force formed to track down top rebel leaders. “The intelligence sources that have participated in this action have confirmed that the dead terrorist criminals are the number one and number two of the Shining Path’s military structure,” Mr. Humala said, referring to Mr. Borda Casafranca and Mr. Quispe Palomino, respectively.

Shining Path leaders killed
The bodies of two leaders of the guerrilla group Shining Path are brought into an air force base in El Callao, Peru. (Photo Courtesy of Rau Garcia/EPA)

After a firefight, their bullet-riddled and burned corpses were found in a house in an isolated township of Ayacucho, south of Lima. President Humala said a third rebel believed to be Casafranca’s close colleague was also killed in the military operation.

The announcement is a victory for Humala’s administration, which has struggled to combat remnants of the Shining Path in the Apurimac, Ene and Mantaro river valley, or VRAEM. President Humala has made bringing peace to the VRAEM one of his top priorities since coming to office in July 2011. He has pledged to root out the Shining Path and increase the state’s presence in the region.

The VRAEM, the most densely planted coca-growing region in the world, is the last remaining stronghold of the Shining Path. The group is believed to still have 300 to 500 members in the area located in southern Peru.

Peru’s terrorism and security analyst Jaime Antezana said that the killing of the two rebel leaders was the government’s first successful blow in recent years at the top military ranks of the group. Antezana said the two men were deeply involved in the rebels’ management of coca leaf cultivation, as well as the processing and transport of cocaine.

Last year, security personnel captured one of the group’s original leaders in the Upper Huallaga Valley, Peru’s other major cocaine producing region located north of the VRAEM. He was sentenced to life in prison in June.

Shining Path’s insurgency began in 1980. Inspired by Maoism, the rebels tried to lead a “People’s War” to overthrow what they called “bourgeois democracy” and establish a communist state. They took control of Peru’s rural regions and some urban areas by the early 1990s, raising fears in the U.S. government that it might someday take power. However, its founder, Abimael Guzman, was captured in 1992 and subsequently sentenced to life in prison. The conflict resulted in some 70,000 deaths.

The group has largely been crushed by the army, but remnants of the group remain, and they often attack military patrols in jungle areas. Security forces say the group has allied itself with drug traffickers and now finances itself by growing and smuggling coca, the raw ingredient for cocaine.

For more information please see:

Al Jazeera– Peru says Shining Path leaders killed – 14 August 2013

Los Angeles Times – Peru commandos kill two Shining Path leaders – 13 August 2013

The Wall Street Journal – Peru President Says High-Ranking Shining Path Members Killed – 12 August 2013

Reuters – Peru says top two Shining Path rebels killed in jungle shootout – 12 August 2013

BBC – Peru’s security forces kill three Shining Path rebels – 12 August 2013

 

 

Cross-Dressing Jamaican Teen Murdered

By Brandon Cottrell 
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America 

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Dwayne Jones, age 16, was murdered on July 22, when he attended a street party dressed as a woman.

Dwayne Jones. (Photo Courtesy CBS News)

Prior to attending the party, Jones confided in a girl from his church that he would be attending dressed as a woman.  Upon his arrival, the girl’s friends asked Jones if he was a man or a woman; once the group determined that Jones was a man, they began verbally assaulting him.  Jones attempted to run from the group, but was unable to escape.  He was then beaten for several hours, stabbed, shot and run over by a car.  The group also beat two of Jones’ friends who attended the party with him.

Annie Paul, a blogger at the Jamaican University of the West Indies said that, “Judging by comments made on social media, most Jamaicans think Dwayne Jones brought his death on himself for wearing a dress . . . in a society that has made it abundantly clear that homosexuals are neither to be seen nor heard.”

Jamaica is often portrayed as one of the most hostile countries for gay and transgendered people.  Just last year alone, two homosexual men were murdered and thirty-six others were victims of mob violence.  Homosexuals are also often victim to arbitrary detention and harassment by police.  Due to such hostility, much of the gay community keeps their sexual orientation secret.  In addition, many of their parties and church services must be held in secret locations.

Some believe that much of the homophobia in Jamaica stems from centuries-old laws that ban sodomy.  Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller, however, vowed during her election campaign that the anti-sodomy law would be evaluated and potentially repealed by Parliament.  Additionally, Simpson-Miller said she was open to appointing homosexuals to her cabinet, a stark contrast to former Prime Minister Bruce Golding’s stance.

Meanwhile, Senator Mark Golding condemned Jones’s murder and called on police to “spare no effort in bringing the perpetrators to justice.”  Additionally, leading human rights groups in Jamaica have called on the government to condemn the killing and investigate the crime.  Prime Minister Simpson-Miller and many other prominent leaders, however, have been silent.

To date, the investigation of Jones’ murder has not revealed any suspects and no arrests have been made.

 

For further information, please see:

Jamaica Gleaner – Gov’t Shouldn’t Let Dwayne Jones’ Death Go In Vain – 13 Aug 2013

International Business Times – Jamaica: Transgender Teenager Dwayne Jones Murdered by Homophobic Mob – 12 Aug 2013

CBS News – Transgender teen stabbed, shot and run over by Jamaican mob – 11 Aug 2013

Human Rights Watch – Jamaica Cross-Dressing Teenager Murdered – 01 Aug 2013

 

Russia Receives Rebuke from World as Anti-Gay Law and Russian Athlete Receive Attention

By Ben Kopp
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

MOSCOW, Russia – Activists and celebrities started campaigns against the Sochi Olympics, pointing to Russia’s prohibition on homosexual “propaganda” and pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva’s (Russia) apparent support of it. Amidst outcry, U.S. President Barack Obama and athletes rejected boycotting the Olympics.

 

Campaigners called for a boycott against the Olympics; however, President Obama and Olympic athletes state the U.S. will participate. (Photo courtesy of RadioFreeEurope RadioLiberty)

In June 2013, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into law a ban on homosexual “propaganda”. While the Russian Interior Ministry stated that the law would be enforced during the Olympics, the International Olympic Committee said that it “received assurances from the highest level of government in Russia that the legislation will not affect those attending or taking part in the Games.”

Olympic athletes have expressed their support for the LGBT community. After all, speed skater Blake Skjellerup (New Zealand) and figure skater Johnny Weir (U.S.) stated that the Olympic Games in Russia is best place to stand against homophobia.

Going on record about his sentiments in a blog post for Runner’s World Magzine, Runner Nick Symmonds (U.S.) stated his support for the LGBT and his disagreement with Russia’s law. However, he also wrote, “I say this not out of fear of prosecution by the Russian government, but out of respect for the fact that I will be a guest in the host nation. Just as I would not accept a dinner invite to a friend’s house and then lecture them on how to raise their kids, neither will I lecture the Russian government on how to govern their people.”

On 13 August 2013, high jumper Emma Green Tregaro (Sweden) and 200m runner Moa Hjelmer (Sweden) painted rainbow colors on their fingernails before competing in Moscow.

On 15 August 2013, pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva (Russia) received criticism for defending her country’s laws. “We consider ourselves like normal, standard people, we just live boys with women, girls with boys,” she said. “It comes from the history. [The protests are] disrespectful to our country. It’s disrespectful to our citizens, because we are Russians. Maybe we are different than European people and people from different lands. We have our law which everyone has to respect. When we go to different countries, we try to follow their rules. We are not trying to set our rules over there. We are just trying to be respectful.”

To clarify her comments, Isinbayeva made a statement released by the local organizers of championships: “What I wanted to say was that people should respect the laws of other countries, particularly when they are guests. I respect the views of my fellow athletes, and let me state in the strongest terms that I am opposed to any discrimination against gay people.”

FIFA, which planned for Russia to host the 2018 World Cup, asked for clarification on the law because FIFA statutes “foresee zero tolerance against discrimination.” Qatar, which also prohibits homosexual activity, has been awarded the 2022 World Cup.

Amidst mounting tensions, creating unity remains the ultimate goal.

For further information, please see:

CNN – Nick Symmonds Blasts Russia on Gay Rights at Moscow Track Championship – August 16, 2013

Euronews – ‘I Was Misunderstood’ Says Gay Row Russian Athlete – August 16, 2013

RadioFreeEurope RadioLiberty – As Gay Athletes Prepare to Take a Stand in Sochi, the Question Is How to Do It – August 16, 2013

Sky News – Yelena Isinbayeva: Respect Russia’s Gay Law – August 16, 2013

Washington Post – Russian Pole Vaulter Says She May Have Been Misunderstood When She Condemned Homosexuality – August 16, 2013

The Guardian – Isinbayeva Says Green Tregaro’s Gesture Was Disrespectful to Russia – August 15, 2013

Bloomberg Businessweek – FIFA Asks WCup Host Russia to Explain Anti-Gay Law – August 14, 2013

USA Today – Entertainment World Leads Olympic Outcry against Russia – August 11, 2013

Violence Continues to Escalate in Egypt, Sparking Condemnation from U.S. President Barack Obama

By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt – Dozens of civilian protesters were killed across Egypt as security forces clashed with protesters. At least 95 people were killed and hundreds more injures in Cairo’s Ramses Square after Egyptian security forces opened fire on anti-coup protesters orchestrating a “Day of Rage” against the military-led government.

Violence continues to rock Egypt as government forces clash with civilians. (Photo courtesy of Al Jazeera)

In Alexandria, at least 21 people were killed in clashes between supporters and opponents of the military coup. More people were reportedly killed across the country, with at least eight protesters being killed in Damietta and four in Ismailia.

The Muslim Brotherhood and other anti-coup groups, calling themselves the Anti-Coup Alliance, had called for the “Day of Rage” protests on Friday to protest the Egyptian military’s crackdown on sit-in demonstrations that left hundreds of civilians killed on Wednesday, August 14. The Muslim Brotherhood denied any involvement in these attacks.

Said Mohammed, an anti-government protester, reportedly witnessed snipers and men in helicopters gun down people in the crowds. “Helicopters started to shoot us as we were walking,” he said. “Not bombs this time, it was bullets. My friend took a shot in the neck and he died. This was the first time we saw helicopters shooting. There were people shooting from the windows.”

As Egyptian forces cracked down on protests camps organized by the Muslim Brotherhood in Cairo, some Morsi supporters directed their anger at the nation’s Christian minority. Churches, houses, monasteries, orphanages, schools, businesses and other establishments belonging to Coptic Christians were attacked in nine provinces across the country. The Maspero Youth Union, a Coptic activist group, said Thursday that these attacks caused “panic, losses and destruction for no reason and no crimes they committed except being Christians.”

Bishop Angaelos, the leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom, said that he was told by colleagues in Egypt that 52 churches, in addition to Christian owned homes and business, were attacked in a 24-hour time period beginning Wednesday. Ishak Ibrahim, from the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, reported that he has confirmed at least 30 of these attacks.

Two days before Wednesday’s violence, Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II called on all Egyptians for peace in Egypt and for all Egyptians to prevent further bloodshed. He said, “With all compassion I urge everyone to conserve Egyptian blood and ask of every Egyptian to commit to self-restraint and avoid recklessness and assault on any person or property.”

Egypt’s violence has been condemned by the international community. U.S. President Barack Obama condemned the actions of Egypt’s Intern government and called for it to end the month long state of emergency that was put in place by the intern government following Wednesday’s violent crackdown on civil protests. In response to the violence in Egypt, President Obama cancelled a planned joint military exercise in protests of the state’s bloody clashes with civilians protesting the ouster of former President Morsi, suggesting a growing right between the historic allies.

For further information please see:

Al Jazeera – Scores Dead in Egypt’s ‘Day of Rage’ Clashes – 16 August 2013

NBCNews – Obama Condemns Egypt over Violence, Cancels Joint Military Exercise – 15 August 2013

USA Today – Egypt’s Christians under Attack Since Morsi’s Ouster – 15 August 2013

CNN International – ‘Horrible’: Christian Churches across Egypt Stormed, Torched – 1 August 2013

Doctors Without Borders Leaves Somalia, Citing Violence

By Dan Krupinsky
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

MOGADISHU, Somalia – Frequent attacks on its staff have caused Doctors Without Borders to withdraw from Somalia, after more than two decades of humanitarian service in the country.

A Somali boy is vaccinated (Photo courtesy of Dai Kurokawa/European Pressphoto Agency)

Since the group, known internationally by its French acronym MSF, began providing basic and emergency healthcare to millions across the nation in 1991, 16 people working for the group have been killed and dozens more attacked.

Two workers were shot and killed in December 2011 by a Somali employee who learned that his contract was not going to be renewed. The shooter was convicted and sentenced to 30 years in prison, but after serving only three months, was released.

In a statement, the group accused the civilian leaders of the nation of supporting the violent actions, denouncing “extreme attacks on its staff in an environment where armed groups and civilian leaders increasingly support, tolerate, or condone the killing, assaulting, and abducting of humanitarian aid workers.”

Dr. Unni Karunakara, the group’s international president, cited the realization of active support and approval for the attacks as the “final straw.”

“In choosing to kill, attack, and abduct humanitarian aid workers, these armed groups, and the civilian authorities who tolerate their actions, have sealed the fate of countless lives in Somalia,” said Dr. Karunakara.

“Respect for humanitarian principles, always fragile in conflict zones, no longer exists in Somalia today.”

Somalia, without effective government for most of MSF’s tenure in the country, was thought to be headed towards more stability when the first parliament in over two decades took office in 2012. But working conditions for MSF have not improved, prompting the group to pull out of a country for only the second time in its history, after the death of five workers at the hands of the Taliban caused the group to pull out of Afghanistan in 2004.

The decision to pull out leaves hundreds of thousands of Somalis with no healthcare services at all.

Just last year, MSF delivered more than 7,000 babies, treated more than 30,000 malnourished children and vaccinated 60,000. Additionally, they operated the only pediatric clinic in Mogadishu and in some cities were the only establishments for women to get C-sections.

According to the New York Times, a Mogadishu hospital employee called the group’s pullout “disastrous,” although also added that they pledged to continue supporting the hospital for an additional three months.

The Somali government offered no comment on the move, other than to say that it will be discussed in a cabinet meeting on Thursday.

 

For further information, please see:

ABC News – Doctors Without Borders Pulls out of Somalia – 14 August 2013

All Africa – Somalia: Doctors Without Borders to End Mission in Somalia After 22 Years – 14 August 2013

CNN – Doctors Without Borders to pull out of Somalia over attacks on staff – 14 August 2013

New York Times – Doctors Without Borders to Pull Out of Somalia – 14 August 2013

NPR – Violence Causes Doctors Without Borders To Exit Somalia – 14 August 2013