by Michael Yoakum
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

WASHINGTON, D.C., United States – The House of Representative passed an amended version of the Senate spending bill early Sunday that removed funding for the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act (ACA).  Congress has until Monday at midnight to agree on a new spending bill or face shutting down the federal government for the first time in 17 years.

A shutdown of the federal government would require hundreds of thousands of federal employees to be placed on unpaid leave until a budget bill could be passed through Congress.

The amended bill passed by the House would place a one year delay on the implementation of the ACA and remove a tax on medical devices that aimed to help finance the healthcare law.  The ACA is set to begin enrolling uninsured Americans into the program on October 1, the beginning of the federal government’s fiscal year.

“The American people don’t want a government shutdown, and they don’t want Obamacare” House Republican leaders said in a joint statement.  The Republican leadership then called upon the Senate to vote on the bill in order to avoid a shutdown.

Democratic leaders are holding firm against passing the bill, refusing to convene the Democratically-controlled Senate to vote on the bill passed by the House.  Senate majority leader Harry Reid promised to strip out the healthcare provisions of the House bill, calling the attempt to delay the ACA “pointless.”

“After weeks of futile political games from Republicans, we are still at Square 1,” Reid said, adding “[w]e continue to be willing to debate these issues in a calm and rational atmosphere. But the American people will not be extorted by Tea Party anarchists.”

The White House issued a strongly worded statement Saturday, saying “Any member of the Republican Party who votes for this bill is voting for a shutdown.”

President Obama has promised to veto the House version of the bill.

For more information, please see:

BBC News – US shutdown looms amid political rifts over health law – 29 September 2013

Reuters – Wall Street braces for volatility as shutdown seems likely – 29 September 2013

The Guardian – US government on verge of shutdown as House votes to delay health law – 29 September 2013

Wall Street Journal – U.S. Nears Shutdown as House Votes To Delay Health Law -29 September 2013

The New York Times – U.S. Shutdown Nears as House Votes to Delay Health Law – 28 September 2013

By Brandon Cottrell
Impunity Watch, North America Reporter

MEXICO CITY, Mexico – The number of disappearances that go unsolved in Mexico continues to rise even though President Enrique Pena Nieto continually pledges to tackle this problem.  For example, just recently four people disappeared within six days from an area close to the United States border, which exposed again, “the cruel mix of state corruption and organized crime.”

In February, Nieto’s administration revealed that between 2006 and 2012, 26,000 people have disappeared and not yet been found and that an additional 60,000 people have been killed during that span.  The administration also acknowledged that the authorities have not properly investigated these disappearances and often did not even carry out a basic investigation.

Several of the disappearances stem from marine checkpoints.  Eyewitnesses claim that they saw the marines force individuals into a military vehicle and drive towards a nearby base.  However, personnel at the base told the eyewitnesses that no civilians were being held.  Despite such a statement, the individuals taken are still missing and little progress has been made in finding them.

Rupert Knot, a researcher for Amnesty International Mexico, said that these “cases [are] languishing with the Federal Attorney General” and that the “prosecutors want the families to provide more evidence while [the prosecutors] do nothing to further the investigations.”  Additionally, the prosecutors say, “the eyewitness accounts prove nothing [because] naval authorities deny responsibility.”

Furthermore, corrupt law enforcement officers is a common problem as many officers work for the drug cartels.  For example, in a mass kidnapping and killing of thirteen young adults earlier this summer, and in a kidnapping of a man from his car, police officers were involved. The families of these victims say they do not trust Mexican authorities and hope for an independent international investigation.

Discouraged by the authorities’ investigations, there has been a movement sweeping across Mexico where the community itself carries out investigations.  The group meets regularly with prosecutors and use social media to raise awareness.  It also gives strength to the families of the victims and shelters those who want to investigate from the intimidation and pressure from the state to abandon the search.

Although Mexico has not submitted a required report pursuant to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons From Enforced Disappearance, which would detail what it is doing to solve these disappearances, Nieto has taken some action to remedy the problem, such as assigning new investigators and creating a new unit dedicated to solving the disappearances.  The Mexican legislature is also considering whether to “reform the military justice system once and for all, and ensure civilian justice to investigate and try all cases of human rights violations by the armed forces.”

 

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Mexico’s Disappeared Continues To Rise – 29 September 2013

Amnesty International – Mexican Senate Must End Impunity For Armed Forces’ Human Rights Violations – 27 September 2013

CNN – Fourth Officer Arrested In Mexico Mass Kidnapping Case – 25 September 2013

Daily Mall – Mexican Police Drag Man From Car And Kidnap Him In Broad Daylight – 27 September 2013

 

by Michael Yoakum
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

MEXICO CITY, Mexico – Mexican authorities have arrested a total of 18 people in connection with the kidnapping and murder of 12 young men and women from the Heaven after-hours bar late last May.  Arrests made Tuesday brought the number of Mexico City police officers implicated in these crimes to four.

The 12 youths went missing from the after-hours bar in the Zona Rosa district of Mexico City on May 26.  Their bodies were discovered in a mass grave in August, where evidence implicated a local gang in the murders.

However, on September 19, prosecutors arrested Edgar Ernesto Gutierrez Vera, a patrolman from the Zona Rosa district, for “active and direct participation” in the mass kidnapping and murder.  Authorities had been looking into Gutierrez Vera on suspicions of protecting the gang implicated in the mass killings, which eventually led prosecutors to evidence of police involvement in the crimes.

Security Chief Jesus Rodriguez Almeida said the arrests of his four officers reflected poorly on Zona Rosa police department’s reputation, a force that had one of the better reputations in a city rife with allegations of police corruption.  Almeida said all four officers had passed department vetting processes but refused to comment on specific procedures for security reasons.

Mexican authorities investigating the four officers still urge that the kidnappings were likely the result of clashes between rival drug cartels, asserting that the 12 youths were linked by involvement in drug trafficking.

Ricardo Martinez, attorney for the victims’ families, believes there to be elements to truth on both sides.  “There are both criminals and public servants involved,” Martinez said.

That the Heaven kidnappings occurred in Zona Rosa, widely regarded as a safe district, and not in a border town, has shaken beliefs that the area is safe from drug related crimes.  The kidnappings occurred in broad daylight and just a block from the US embassy.

For more information, please see:

BBC News – Mexico Heaven bar murders: Three police officers arrested – 24 September 2013

CNN – Fourth officer arrested in Mexico mass kidnapping case – 25 September 2013

ABC News – 4th Mexico City Officer Arrested in Bar Kidnapping – 24 September 2013

Fox News – Alleged involvement of police in mass kidnap, killing of 12 a blow for Mexico City’s image – 25 September 2013

Latin Times – Three More Police Officers Arrested In Connection With Mexico Heaven Bar Kidnapping And Murders – 24 September 2013

By: Brandon Cottrell
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

BRASÍLIA, Brazil – In 2005, Dorothy Stang, age 73, was murdered after being shot six times near the northern state of Para, Brazil.  Vitalmiro Bastos de Moura, a rancher who had been arguing with Stang at the time over land use, was convicted and sentenced to thirty years in prison for the third time.

Prior to her death, Stang spent over thirty years trying to save the rainforests in Brazil.  In particular, she wished to prevent wealthy landlords from exploiting the rainforests.  She also defended the rights of the poor settlers, who were being confronted by ranchers trying to take their land. Her continually campaigning resulted in an attempt to prevent Moura from seizing land.

Prosecutors say that Moura is one of several who hired gunmen to kill Stang.  This is also not the first time that violence has plagued a conflict involving Brazil’s natural resources.  Over the past thirty years, at least one thousand people have been murdered and many others have been kidnapped, with many of these crimes occurring in Para.  These crimes, which are generally carried out by gunmen hired by the loggers, ranchers, and farmers who wish to silence protestors like Stang are very rarely prosecuted and those that are prosecuted rarely result in convictions.

While prosecutors were able to convict Moura of murder in 2007 and in 2010, Moura’s lawyers were able to get the conviction overturned both times.  Moura’s lawyers argued that there was not sufficient evidence linking him to the crime in 2007 and that they did not have enough time to prepare his defense in 2010.

Of the others involved in the murder of Stang, one is appealing his thirty-year sentence and the self-confessed killer is serving the remainder of a twenty-seven year sentence under house arrest.  Another suspect, however, is still at large.

Barbara Richardson, Stang’s sister, said that while the repeated trials have been upsetting that it at least “keeps the injustice of the system before the people’s eyes.”  Additionally, many of Stang’s fellow activists were happy to see justice in this case, as they have “fiercely criticized Brazil’s judiciary system as moving to slowly and being too lenient.”

Others also tout the conviction as “a symbol of the end of impunity for the killings of landless squatter farmers who often have clashed with big landowners.”

 

For more information, please see:

BBC – Rancher Convicted Over Murder Of US Nun Dorothy Stang – 20 September 2013

Global Post – Brazil Rancher’s Conviction Upheld In US Nun’s Death – 20 September 2013

Reuters – Brazilian Rancher Found Guilty Of Ordering American Nun’s Death – 20 September 2013

USA Today – Rancher Gets 30 Years In Death Of U.S. Nun – 20 September 2013

 

by Michael Yoakum
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

WASHINGTON, D.C., United States – President Obama faces potential diplomatic inroads with Iran, Syria, and Palestine as he prepares to head to the UN General Assembly Monday. With a new President of Iran, progress towards a peaceful disarming of Syria, and restarted talks in Palestine, things are looking much different than last year.

The biggest change is the newly elected President of Iran, Hassan Rouhani, who has reopened communication with the United States through his Foreign Minister, Javad Zarif.  While President Obama is not scheduled to meet directly with Rouhani, the two have left open the possibility of talking during the gathering.  Rouhani recently expressed his willingness to meet with the US in an interview.

“The problem won’t be from our side,” Rouhani stated, adding “We have sufficient political latitude to solve this problem.”

Some western diplomats believe Rouhani is taking a big risk by favor diplomatic talks with the US over anti-American rhetoric.  There are concerns that Rouhani could face resistance from hard-liners in Tehran if his approach does not yield an easing of sanctions on Iran.

Ben Rhodes, a deputy White House national security adviser, told reporters that he still believes there is time for a diplomatic solution to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

In line with Rhodes’ view, Rouhani said in an interview with NBC that Iran would never seek to acquire nuclear weapons and he had “sufficient political latitude” to discuss Iran’s nuclear program.  Rouhani derives his new political latitude from statements by Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali- Khamenei, who said that diplomacy sometimes calls for “heroic flexibility.”

If Presidents Obama and Rouhani were to meet at the General Assembly, this would be the first time for the US and Iranian heads of state to meet face to face since the 1979 Iranian Revolution.

For more information, please see:

The Washington Post – On eve of UN session, Obama finds unexpected diplomatic openings on Iran, Syria, Mideast peace – 22 September 2013

ABC News – 4 Things to Watch for at the UN General Assembly Next Week – 21 September 2013

The Guardian – White House indicates Obama could meet Iran president Rouhani at UN – 20 September 2013

Fox News – Iran’s Rowhani makes new overtures towards the West – 19 September 2013

Reuters – Analysis: Obama may extend his hand to Iran’s Rouhani at U.N. – 19 September 2013