North America & Oceania

Fijian Soliders Freed After Captivity in Syria

By Max Bartels 

Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania 

 

Suva, Fiji

In late August 45 Fijian soldiers acting as U.N. peacekeepers, were kidnapped by Syrian rebels on the border between Syrian and Israel known as the “Area of Separation”. The “Area of Separation” refers to a 70- Kilometer strip between the border of Israel and Syria in the Golan Heights region, which has been policed by U.N. peacekeepers since 1974. The kidnapping militants said the reason for the action was because they believed the U.N. peacekeepers were supporting the regime of Syrian President Bashar- al Assad and ignoring the plight of the Syrian people.

IW #13 Fiji Soliders
Fijian Soliders in the video posted to the internet by Syrian rebels.
(Photo courtesy of ABC News)

Military officials in Fiji released, immediately after the incident that they were in negotiations with the Syrian Militants.  The Fijian military then released to the press, earlier this week that they had secured the released of their soldiers from the Syrians, who have been identified as the Nursa Front, without any demands or conditions. They then immediately tried to retract their statements, but the reason for this is still unknown. The U.N. never reported any such progress with the negations for the release of the Fijian solders. The Associated Press reported that it would be unlikely that the U.N. gave permission for Fiji to release that their soldiers would be coming home, as the U.N. usually doesn’t release information on hostage matters until it is completely resolved.

After Fiji prematurely released their statements the Syrian militants posted a video of the captured soldiers on their Twitter and YouTube accounts of the soldiers saying they were being treated well and expected to be released soon. The Fijian government then reported again that the Syrians had dropped all demands and conditions and that the soldiers were to be released. This time the statements were not premature,  after the videos were posted the Fijian soldiers were released on the Syrian side of the border. The soldiers were made to walk through the border crossing to the Israeli controlled territory. They were reported to be in good condition and were sent to receive medical treatment in Israel before being able to return home to Fiji. Fiji’s presidential candidate Frank Bainimarama called the Fijian soldiers heroes, to be able to keep their cool under such extreme circumstances. He further stated that it was the discipline of his troops that kept any militants and any U.N. forces from being killed throughout the incident. Many nations have now pulled out their military contingents from U.N. peacekeeping operations in the Golan Heights out of concern that the war in Syria will spill over the border.

For more information, please see:

Associated Press — Fiji May Have Jumped the Gun on Fate of its UN Troops — 10 September 2014

Al Jazeera — Syria Rebels Free UN Peacekeepers — 11 September 2014

ABC News — UN: 45 Fijian Peacekeepers Freed in Syria — 11 September 2014

Reuters — U.N., Fiji Say No Word on Location of Peacekeepers Abducted in Golan Heights — 31 August 2014

 

Michigan High School Teacher Fired For Nontraditional Pregnancy

By Lyndsey Kelly
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

 WASHINGTON, D.C., United States of America – Barbara Webb, a 33-year-old, former chemistry teacher at an all-girls Catholic high school in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan claims that she was recently fired after announcing her nontraditional pregnancy. Webb has been with her partner, Kristen Lasecki, for five years, and  learned of her pregnancy in June. She notified her employer in July, and was subsequently fired mid-August.

Barbara Webb, left, sitting with partner Kristen Lasecki, says she was fired from her job as a high school teacher for having a nontraditional pregnancy (Photo Courtesy of Detroit Free Press).

Webb worked for Marian High School in Bloomfield Hills for nine years. She was an active staff member and went beyond her duties as a chemistry teacher by becoming the school’s volleyball and softball coach, and student-government moderator.  On 27 August, Webb took to Facebook to announce her termination. She says that she believed the visible nature of her pregnancy led to her firing. After learning of her termination, hundreds of supporters gathered at the school on Sunday afternoon to support Webb. Among them were students, parents, and alumni.

Webb told the media that after hearing of her pregnancy the school’s administration gave her a choice between resigning, being fired, or continuing the semester without discussing what happened. The school’s president, Sister Lenore Pochelshi, was contacted for a comment regarding Webb’s termination, and she confirmed that Webb’s employment at the school ended on 19 August, but declined to comment any further. Webb announced that her last conversation with administrators made it clear that the school had growing concern over the morality of Webb’s lifestyle choices.

Webb states that she felt compelled to let people know the truth behind her termination, which is why she took the issue to Facebook. Webb posted, “My job can’t be saved, but the torment that the poor LGBT students at Marian must be feeling, the other LGBT staff, and those that are silenced by fear can be helped.” Webb feels that her termination goes beyond just a mere differing of opinions regarding her lifestyle choices, and says that this is a human-rights issue.

Last year the United States Supreme Court stuck down parts of the federal Defense of Marriage Act Since that time, approximately 30 state and federal courts have ruled against bans on same-sex marriage. Currently, a United States Court of Appeals is due to rule on same-sex marriage bans in the states of Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee.

 

For more information, please see the following:

CHICAGO TRIBUNE –  Lesbian Teacher Says Fired By Detroit Catholic School Over Pregnancy – 7 Sept. 2014.

DETROIT FREE PRESS – Gay Teacher At Marian High School Says Pregnancy Got Her Fired – 3 Sept. 2014.

LGBTQNATION – Lesbian Teacher Says Pregnancy Got Her Fired From Catholic School – 3 Sept. 2014.

REUTERS – Lesbian Teacher Says Fired By Detroit Catholic School Over Pregnancy – 7 Sept. 2014.

 

 

BP “Grossly Negligent” in Setting Off Largest Oil-Spill in U.S. History

By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch Managing Editor

WASHINGTON DC, United Sates of America – On Thursday a judge ruled that oil giant BP PLC (formerly British petroleum) was grossly negligent in its conduct which lead to the blowout that caused an explosion that killed 11 workers on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig and caused the largest oil spill in United States history. Carl Barbier, Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, finding of gross negligence, or more reckless and extreme behavior, means that BP faces up to $18 Billion in penalties under the Clean Water Act. BP faces as much as 18 billion in pollutions fines, mostly in penalties under the Clean Water Act, far more than the $3.5 billion the company had put aside to pay for civil penalties it expected under the Clean Water Act. If the judge’s ruling is upheld the payout the company will be forced to pay under the Clean Air Act would be higher than any penalty paid in the history of the legislation. BP shares fell $2.72, or 5.7 percent, to $44.99 per share midday on Thursday, dropping the company’s market value by $7 billion. The price per share was near $60 just before the April 2010 spill.

Fire boats battled a blaze at the Deepwater Horizon offshore oil rig on April 21, 2010, in the Gulf of Mexico just after an explosion killed 11 rig workers and sparked a blowout that would cause the largest oil spill in United States history. (Photo courtesy of the Wall Street Journal)

As a result of the ruling BP now faces a fine under the Clean Water Act of $4,300 per barrel of oil spilled during the 2010 spill. While the total number of barrels spilled is being debated it is likely to fall between 2.4 million and 4.1 million, which would make for a fine of between $10.3 billion and $17.6 billion. BP has said that it will appeal the ruling which will put on hold the final decision on the total fine to be paid by BP and will likely delay pending court cases concerning the 2010 spill.

During the six months after the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded more than 8,000 birds, sea turtles and marine mammals were found injured or dead in the Gulf region. Scientists are still assessing the long-term effect that the estimated 170 million gallons of crude oil that spewed into the Gulf of Mexico during the BP oil spill will have on the Gulf and its critical ecosystems. Although oil is no longer readily visible on the surface of the water in the Gulf, it isn’t gone. Scientists have found significant quantities of oil on the seafloor, and the oil that has already washed into wetlands and beaches will likely persist for several years or even decades. Microscopic particulate oil is also hazardous for marine life, effecting life at all levels of the food chain and ultimately impacting the fishing economy in the gulf region.

Scientists will continue to watch for fluctuations in wildlife in the gulf region. Four years after the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil disaster, the largest oil spill in United States history until the 2010 BP oil spill, the herring population collapsed demonstrating that the effects of oil on ecosystem’s may take years to be seen. Nearly 20 years after the Exxon Valdez spill the Herrin population has not yet recovered.

For more information please see:

Al Jazeera – Court Orders BP to Pay Up To $18 Billion in Damages for Gulf Oil Spill – 4 September 2014

Bloomberg – ‘Worst Case’ BP Ruling On Gulf Spill Means Billions More in Penalties – 4 September 2014

The Wall Street Journal – BP is Found Grossly Negligent in Deepwater Horizon Disaster – 4 September 2014

The National Wildlife Federation – How Does the BP Oil Spill Impact Wildlife and Habitat? – 2014

 

Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Sect Expelled From Guatemala Village

By Lyndsey Kelly
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala – Nearly 230 members of an ultra-Orthodox Jewish community were forced to leave a western Guatemala village after weeks of friction with sections of the indigenous population. The Lev Tahor community was forced to pack its bags and leave San Juan Laguna after settling there six years prior.

The Lev Tahor boarded buses to Guatemala City after being expelled from San Juan Laguna (Photo Courtesy of BBC).

The Lev Tahor is a strain of Hassidic Judaism who encountered problems in their home of Quebec after suspicions arose as to the group’s treatment of their children. Quebec’s child protection authorities believed that the group was carrying out underage marriages, and forcing members to raise their children without access to doctors or education. The allegations prompted proceedings to have more than a dozen children placed in foster care. The Lev Tahor fled Canada to avoid the repercussions of the allegations and settled in San Juan Laguna.

Differences in religion and customs led to a tumultuous relationship between the Lev Tahor and locals. Tensions between the two groups came to a head on Friday, 29 August 2014, when the town’s Elders Council voted to force the group to leave. The Council’s decision came after a failed attempt to negotiate a solution between the two groups.

Locals say that the Lev Tahor “wanted to impose their religion” and were undermining the Catholic faith. Another reason behind the Council’s decision included the mistreatment by the Lev Tahor of indigenous residents and tourists. Elders accused the Jewish members of shunning the villagers, and refusing to pay the appropriate price for products in local stores.

The Lev Tahor members accused the locals of threatening to turn off their water and electricity if they did not leave San Juan Laguna. The alleged threats even went so far as to intimidate the Jewish group with the possibility of lynchings.  Ultimately, the Lev Tahor decided to abide by the Council’s decision and leave the village. The group boarded a bus for Guatemala City where they hope to be accepted.

 

For more information, please see the following:

ABC NEWS – Members of Jewish Sect Leave Guatemala Village – 29 August 2014.

ALJAZEERA – Jews Expelled From Guatemala Village – 29 August 2014.

BBC – Jews ‘Forced’ To Leave Guatemala Village – 29 August 2014.

THE TORONTO STAR – Jewish Group Lev Tahor Expelled From Guatemala Sanctuary – 29 August 2014. 

California Drought: A Harbinger of Things to Come?

By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch Managing Editor

Washington DC, United States of America – The US Drought Monitor recently stated that 58 percent of California is currently experiencing “exceptional drought,” which is the most serious category on the agency’s five-level scale. California is now experiencing its third year of severe drought with no end in sight. The drought has devastated the region economy costing an estimated $2.2 billion dollars in economic losses and costing more than 17,000 seasonal and part-time job, mostly in the agricultural sectors.  The drought has devastated crop production and contributed to massive wildfires over the past three years. Nearly half a million acres, approximately 5 percent of irrigated cropland, is going out of production in three of the key agricultural regions of the state. A new study indicates that California’s massive drought may be an indicator of things to come in the Southwestern United States if greenhouse gas emissions continue at the current levels.

Depleted water sources have become a common sight in California; this image shows Enterprise Bridge at full water levels on July 20, 2011. This year, the same section of Lake Oroville was nearly dry by Aug. 19. (photo courtesy of USA Today)

According to a new study published in the Journal of Climate Science the southwestern United States faces an 80-90% chance of experiencing a decade-long mega-drought by the year 2100 if greenhouse gas emissions continue at their current levels. According to the study regions of California, Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico will face deep dry spells if climate changes continues to accelerate meaning that “A drier Southwest is also a Southwest at risk of a megadrought,” said study author Toby Ault, a climate scientist at Cornell University.

“A megadrought is a drought that’s just as bad, in terms of severity, just as dry as the big droughts of the 20th Century, so think 1930s Dust Bowl, think 1950s drought, but much longer lasting,” said Toby Ault, a professor at Cornell University. “I think we’d really have to change the way we think about water and the way that we can use water because right now we’re on a path that would be unsustainable if we had a drought of 35 years,” Ault said. While activists and local officials have called on citizens to conserve water there is still a concern that over-use of water is contributing to the drought, especially in the industrial sectors where corporations such as Nestle bottled water operations have continued to deplete the state’s water supplies. Water theft has also become a problem, local officials across the state have reported water theft from fire hydrants sparking concerns that firefighters may not have enough water to put out fires.

The drought has forced agricultural business and other industries dependent on water to drill deeper into the surface in search of fresh sources of groundwater, depleting the states finite groundwater reserve. Since the beginning of 2013, close to 63 trillion gallons of groundwater have been depleted from the Western State’s groundwater reserves because of drought. While officials in California are trying to curve private water drilling in the state, historically state water law has favored industries with the greatest ability to access water reserves.

This tremendous loss of groundwater has had an immense environmental impact on the region. According to researchers at the University of California at San Diego and the United States Geology Survey this water loss has lifted the earth’s crust by an average of about one-sixths of an inch over the past 18 months. “The effect we’re looking at is that if you take weight off a spring, the spring goes up,” said Duncan Agnew of the Scripps Institute of Oceanography.

The data presented in the Journal of Climate Science study suggests drought could become a new norm in the Southwestern United states unless action is taken to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. The past three years of drought in California and the devastating effect it has had on the region and its economy have demonstrated the increasing importance of climate change mitigation and adaptation policy.

For more information please see:

ABC News – Water Wars: Californians Stealing From Hydrants amid Drought – 3 September 2014

USA Today – California’s 100-Year Drought – 3 September 2014

The New York Times – Desperately Dry California Tries To Curb Private Drilling for Water – 31 August 204

Al Jazeera America – what Should California do about its Drought? – 26 August 2014