News

Britain Battles Brussels on Migrant Benefits

By Ben Kopp
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

LONDON, United Kingdom – The European Commission (“EC”) has alleged that, by applying a “right-to-reside” test in addition to European Union standards, Britain discriminates against EU nationals.

The United Kingdom and European Union will soon battle over EU migrant benefits in the UK. (Photo courtesy of the Guardian)

Meant to be applied in all EU countries, the EU standard ensures eligibility of welfare payments for EU nationals who migrate between EU nations. However, while British and Irish citizens always pass Britain’s “right-to-reside” test, other Union nationals who pass the EU test are denied under the British test.

Additionally, the British test denies EU migrants rights to child benefits, a child tax credit, income based jobseeker’s allowance, state pension credit and income based employment and support allowances.

In a separate statement, the EC claimed that “UK nationals have a right to reside in the UK solely on the basis of their UK citizenship, whereas other EU nationals have to meet additional conditions in order to pass this right to reside test. This means that the UK discriminates unfairly against nationals from other member states. This contravenes EU rules on the coordination of social security systems which outlaw direct and indirect discrimination in the field of access to social security benefits.”

Jonathan Portes of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research stated that while EU migrants pay thirty percent (30%) more in taxes than take out in benefits, the migrants are also “significantly less likely” to claim benefits than British nationals. Additionally, government statistics in the UK reveal that migrants contribute ten percent (10%) of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and are only eight percent (8%) of the total population.

Nevertheless, on May 30, Britain declared that it would fight the EC’s legal action “every step of the way.” Work and Pensions Secretary, Iain Duncan Smith vowed, “I will not cave in and I will continue to work on strengthening our benefit system in the meantime to ensure it is not open to abuse by anyone.” That statement comes amidst fears from the UK Independence Party that Romanian and Bulgarian immigrants will create a surge of benefit claims when EU-imposed restrictions are lifted next year.

Duncan Smith added, “If we do away with our right-to-reside test, what will happen almost immediately is that people from day one will be eligible to income-related benefits.”

British Prime Minister David Cameron has permitted his Conservative Party to draft a bill and commit Britain to an in-out vote on EU membership. However, Cameron claims that he prefers for Britain to remain in a reformed EU. The United States, Britain’s closest ally has expressed a preference for Britain to retain membership.

On May 31, UK Foreign Minister William Hague said, “Too often, the British people feel that Europe is something that happens to them, not something they have enough of a say over.”

Despite economic fears with reform, a reasonable standard exists. After all, thirteen British colonies found a solution to the Articles of Confederation roughly 225 years ago.

For further information, please see:

BBC – UK’s Hague Wants ‘Red Card’ to Challenge EU Laws – 31 May 2013

Reuters – Britain Asks Germany to Help Lead Reform of EU, Explains How – 31 May 2013

BBC – UK Faces European Court over Benefits for EU Nationals – 30 May 2013

The Guardian – Iaian Duncan Smith Accuses European Commission of Benefits ‘Land Grab’ – 30 May 2013

The Guardian – UK Faces Court Action over EU Migrant Benefits – 30 May 2013

The Independent – ‘I’ll see you in court’: Works and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith vows Britain Will Fight Europe over Welfare Benefits for Immigrants – 30 May 2013

International Business Times – UK Taken to European Court over Migrant Benefits: Britain Pledges Legal Fight with EU over Discrimination against EU Nationals Claiming Social Security in UK – 30 May 2013

The Telegraph – Brussels Takes Britain to EU Court over Immigration Benefits – 30 May 2013

The Wall Street Journal – U.K. Plans to Fight EU over Access to Benefits – 30 May 2013

Colombia Reaches Deal On Land Reform With FARC Rebels

By Ellis R. Cortez
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BOGOTA, Colombia — Colombia’s largest rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, and the Colombian government said on May 26th that they had reached an agreement on land reform, the first of six points that could make up an eventual peace deal.

Colombia’s FARC lead negotiator Ivan Marquez talks next to Ricardo Tellez during a news conference in Havana in November. (Photo courtesy of Reuters)

In a joint statement issued in Cuba by the FARC and the Colombian government, the sides said they had agreed on “integrated rural reform.” One of its features is a “land fund” into which millions of illegally held or underused acres of land will be placed to compensate those who have lost land or were displaced from their property.

About 5 million acres of land has been stolen from rural farmers by armed groups during the conflict, with twice that amount abandoned by those fleeing because of violence. According to the agreement, farmers will receive loans, technical assistance and marketing advice as well as legal and police protection. There will also be a ten-year effort to bring government, roads and development to the countryside.

The talks at the Havana Convention Center, which have been going on for six months, have focused almost entirely on land reform. Both delegations will take a break for several days, and then begin talks on political participation for the FARC, the second agenda point. They are set to also discuss illicit drugs, decommissioning weapons and how to handle victims of the armed conflict. The discussions are set to resume in Havana on June 11th.

Colombian government’s lead negotiator, former Vice President Humberto de la Calle, warned that there will be no peace deal until all six points have been agreed upon. Then, the final package will have to be put to a nationwide referendum for approval to ensure “national participation and transparency.” “Now we have a real opportunity to reach peace through negotiations after 50 years of armed conflict,” De la Calle said.

The agreement drew praise at the United Nations in New York, where a spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called it “a significant achievement and important step forward.” Ban “wishes both delegations further success in their efforts to reach agreement on the remaining issues and to put an end to Colombia’s long conflict,” the spokesperson said.

The Colombian government sees resolving the half-century conflict as the key to opening up the country to more investment, infrastructure projects and social programs. More than 100,000 people have died during the conflict. The conflict has also diverted billions of dollars from the economy as industries have not been able to function at full capacity and the government is forced to spend heavily on troops and weapons.

For more information please see:

France 24 — Colombia, FARC rebels reach deal on land reform — 27 May 2013

The Telegraph — Colombia reaches deal with Farc rebels over land reform — 27 May 2013

Fox News — Colombia, FARC rebels reach deal on land reform — 26 May 2013

Los Angeles Times — Colombia, FARC rebels reach deal on land reform — 26 May 2013

Kenyan Police Accused of Abusing Somali Refugees in Nairobi

By Erica Smith
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

NAIROBI, Kenya — A new 68-page report from Human Rights Watch alleges that some 1,000 Somali refugees have been abused and arbitrarily detained by Kenyan police over the course of 10 weeks. The police abuse is believed to be retaliation for grenade attacks carried out in a mainly Somali section of Nairobi.

Ubah Abdi Warsame in her Nairobi apartment. (Photo courtesy of Aljazeera)

The police raids were carried out in accordance with a government plan to relocate Somali refugees from Eastleigh, or “Little Mogadishu”, to a large refugee camp outside of the city. Kenyan officials believe that moving the refugees will improve national security in the wake of attacks that are believed to have been carried out by Somalis.

Somalis report that police ransacked their homes, carried out beatings, and demanded cash payment. Seven women are believed to have been raped by the police and the refugees were repeatedly called ‘terrorists’.

Ubah Abdi Warsame, a 32 year-old mother of five, told Aljazeera that she was beaten by the police and then detained in squalid conditions for eight hours until a friend could pay the $60 bribe to get her released. “We’d got used to hassle from the police and paying small bribes,” Warsame, 32, said. “But when they started searching houses, beating Somalis and taking them to the cells, it was quite terrifying. I have nightmares because of the beatings I got from police.”

The police refute the allegations contained in the report. Police spokesman Masood Mwinyi told Sabahi that “The allegations by the refugees against [police] who protect them are total lies and unbelievable… It can never be that our way of operation is through torture, rape, extortion, arbitrary arrests and detentions. Our orders and policy is to protect everyone within our borders irrespective of social standing. If we were that bad as the report puts it, then I doubt we would be the largest hosts of refugees worldwide.” The police are to release a more comprehensive statement in the coming days.

Police in Kenya have a history of human rights and impunity issues that instigated police reform in 2010. Before the reforms the president had the power to hire and fire police chiefs which often lead to the harassment of political enemies and dissenters. A culture of corruption and bribe taking still exist as police officers are often underpaid, live in poor conditions, and are under-equipped and understaffed.

 

For more information, please see:

Washington Post — Kenya police accused of abuse, torture, rape of Somali refugees after terror attacks — 29 May 2013

Aljazeera —  ’10 weeks of hell’ for Somalis in Kenya — 29 May 2013

Sahabi — Kenyan police deny abuse allegations, watchdog agency to weigh in — 31 May 2013

Human Rights Watch — Kenya: Police Abuse Nairobi’s Refugees — 29 May 2013

Human Rights Watch — “You Are All Terrorists” — 30 May 2013

#OccupyGezi Protesters Defy Bulldozers and Teargas in the Fight to Save Istanbul’s Last Public Green Space

By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East Desk

ISTANBUL, Turkey — Turkish authorities detained at least sixty people Friday in relation to protests against the policies of Turkish Prime Minister Recap Tayyip Erdogan. Demonstrations have broken out in several cities including Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir and Bodrum.

Turkish police use teargas and water cannons against peaceful demonstrators in Taksim Square, Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo Courtesy of Aljazeera)

Nationwide protests have occurred since May 28, when activists organized peaceful demonstrations against the proposed demolition of Gezi Park on Taksim Square in Istanbul. Considered the city’s last public green space, the park would be demolished to make way for a development project that would include the construction of a replica of historic military barracks built by the Ottoman Empire. A commercial shopping center would also be built on the property.

Protesters argue that the development plan is not part of a historic preservation project, but rather an excuse to build more malls and commercial shopping complexes in the heart of Istanbul.

Protesters used social media to spread awareness about the proposed destruction of the park as well as organize peaceful demonstrations. On May 28,protesters began setting up tents and sleeping bags to prevent bulldozers from entering the park. Even after authorities cleared the park by using teargas, protesters continued to gather in the park.

On Friday, the term #OccupyGezi was tweeted more than 160,000 times. Several protesters chose to Tweet in English to raise international awareness about the protests and the actions of the Turkish police.

As news of the police reaction to the peaceful demonstration spread though social media and other outlets, demonstrations broke out in other cities across the country. Many people saw the proposed demolition of Gezi Park, and the reaction of the authorities to the demonstrations, as an example of what they claim are the increasing authoritarian policies of Prime Minister Erdogan, who assumed office in 2003.

Many people across Turkey have grown increasingly frustrated with Erdogan’s authoritarian policies, including a law that would ban vendors from selling liquor between 10:00 P.M. and 6:00 A.M. The people also show frustration over Erdogan’s policies toward the conflict in Syria.

According to Architecture Historian Ugur Tanyeli, Istanbul is “starved for green space.” Tanyeli argues that it is difficult to see this project as a legitimate historical preservation project because we do not know exactly how the Ottoman Empire barracks would have looked. Like many Turks, Tanyeli sees the project as another example of Erdogan’s authoritarian policies: “the real problem is not Taksim, and not the park, but the lack of any form of democratic decision-making process and the utter lack of consensus. We now have a prime minister who does whatever he wants.”

In response to the increased awareness of the protests and the project, a district court has agreed to hear the arguments against the rebuilding of historic barracks and shopping center, and has called for the project to be put on hold.

For further information, please see:

Aljazeera — Protestors #OccupyGezi to Save Istanbul Park — 31 May 2013

Aljazeera — Turkey Arrests Anti-Government Protestors — 31 May 2013

CNN International — Report: Court to Hear Case at Center of Istanbul Protests — 31 May 2013

The Guardian — Turkey Protesters in Violent Clashes with Police over Park Demolition — 31 May 2013

For real-time developments, follow #OccupyGezi on Twitter

Seven Policemen Injured in Bahrain Bomb Attack; 10 Suspects Arrested

By Joe Murphy
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

MANAMA, Bahrain – Seven on-duty policemen were injured Wednesday night when a homemade bomb was remotely detonated just outside Bahrain’s capital of Manama. All seven policemen were taken to the hospital for treatment with one in critical condition and two others moderately injured according to Colonel Ibrahim Al Sheeb, General Director of Northern Province Police Department.  He condemned the attacked and praised the policemen for their bravery.

A police tear gas gun damaged in Wednesday’s bombing. (Photo Courtesy of Reuters)

 

Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior also condemned the bomb attack and deemed it a “terrorist act.” The Ministry of Interior’s twitter account reported in two separate posts that a total of ten suspects had been arrested for suspected involvement in the bombing. The posts also stated that the investigation and search for suspects was continuing.

This incident is one of the more severe of its kind in a country which frequently sees protesters, mostly Shi’ite, clash with police and the country’s Sunni rulers. Shi’ite protesters have been pushing for democratic reform and more involvement in government since February 2011 when large scale protests broke out. However, the controlling Sunni government has moved powerfully and swiftly to squash any substantial revolts. At least sixty people including six policemen have been killed in the conflict since the uprising began over two years ago.

The police have accused the “terrorists” of specifically targeting on-duty policemen and increasing their use of homemade explosives since April 2012. Youths around Manama regularly attack police with Molotov cocktails and police respond with stun grenades, tear gas, and bird shot. However, the Shi’ite opposition has frequently accused the police of using excessive force against protesters.

It is evident that tensions are on the rise and the conflict is intensifying after the events of the last few weeks. The attack comes on the heels of the peaceful sit-in last Friday by hundreds of Shi’ite protesters that turned violent after government security forces raided a senior Shi’ite cleric’s home. Shi’ite protesters claim that the raid was in retaliation after the cleric met with U.S. officials. U.S. Ambassador Thomas Krajeski condemned the attack, stressing that dialogue is the only path to reconciliation.

“We strongly condemn this attack on police and extend our deepest sympathies to all those injured. All violence is completely unacceptable and unhelpful in efforts to rebuild trust and pursue meaningful reconciliation in Bahrain,” he said in a statement posted on the embassy’s website.

For further information, please see:

Albawaba News – Bahrain bomb attack injures seven policemen – 30 May 2013

BBC – Bahrain police hurt in explosion near Manama – 30 May 2013

Huffington Post – Bahrain ‘terrorist’ injures 7 policemen; 3 suspects arrested – 30 May 2013

News – ‘Terrorist’ bomb wounds Bahrain policemen – 30 May 2013

Reuters – Bomb injures seven policemen in Bahrain – 30 May 2013