The Middle East

Call for Refugee Safe Zones in Syria

By Mark McMurray
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

DAMASCUS, Syria — On Thursday, Turkey asked the U.N. Security Council to create refugee safe zones within Syria.  The plea came with a strong warning from the country that it cannot handle the amount of people fleeing the crisis in neighboring Syria.

Syrian men sit on the rubble of a shop destroyed by government forces in northern Syria.  (Photo Courtesy of Winnipeg Free Press)

Thursday’s Security Council meeting, which was called by France to discuss Syria’s humanitarian crisis, was attended only by France, Britain, Colombia, Morocco, and Togo of the 15 total members serving on the committee.

UK Foreign Secretary William Hague, speaking ahead of the meeting, said there are “considerable difficulties” with the safe zones idea.  “We have to be clear that anything like a safe zone requires military intervention and that of course is something that has to be weighed very carefully,” he said.  However, he went on to add, “We are excluding no option for the future.”

Speaking in front of the Security Council on Thursday, Turkish foreign minister Ahment Davutoglu appealed for international assistance.  “The U.N. should initiate the establishment of IDP [internally displaced peoples] camps within Syria without delay.   Needless to say these camps should have full protection,” he said.

Davutoglu described the “serious difficulty” faced by Turkey in dealing with 4,000 refugees crossing the border every day.  With more than 80,000 Syrians in camps in Turkey and with 10,000 refugees waiting at the border separating the two countries, the humanitarian crisis is accelerating.

“The scale of the tragedy is growing so out of proportions that Turkey finds it increasingly difficult to cope with the ensuing challenges all by itself,” he continued.  According to the UN, over the past two weeks, the number of Syrians seeking refuge in Turkey and Jordan has jumped from 400-500 people per day to as many as 5,000 per day.

Releasing a statement ahead of the Security Council’s meeting, the opposition Syrian National Council pushed for a no-fly zone and for safe zones for refugees.  “The SNC considers that if the Security Council does not take serious measures to halt the regime’s massacres and crimes, it will have abandoned its role as guarantor of world peace and protector of people against genocide,” it read.

Responding to the human corridor appeal, U.N. officials expressed concern with the potential threat to the neutrality of humanitarian rights workers presented by military-protected zones.  The calls for safe zones “raise serious questions and require careful and critical consideration” U.N. Deputy Secretary General Jan Eliasson said.  “Bitter experience has shown that it is rarely possible to provide effective protection and security in such areas,” U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres added.

Meanwhile, refugees continue to suffer throughout the region.  Speaking from a camp housing 5,000 refugees on the border crossing into Turkey, Abdul Qadir Haj doubts the likelihood of the proposal.  “The safe zone is a dream.  It will not happen.  The world is against us,” the former Syrian policeman turned refugee said.

For further information, please see:

Al Arabiya – Syria Buffer Zone Plans Raise Serious Questions: United Nations – 30 August 2012

BBC News – ‘Difficult’ Demand for Refugee Camps in Syria Vexes UN – 30 August 2012

Christian Science Monitor – Amid Squalor and Fear on Turkish Border, Syrians Make Plea for Safe Zone – 30 August 2012

France 24 – Turkey Calls for Refugee Camps Inside Syria – 30 August 2012

UN Report Finds Gaza Will Not Be ‘Liveable’ by 2020

By Ali Al-Bassam
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

GAZA STRIP — In a comprehensive report published on Monday, the United Nations determined that the Gaza Strip will not be livable by the year 2020, unless measures are taken to improve the region’s water supply, power, health, and schooling.

Gazans currently rely on smuggled goods, which are transported through an underground tunnel connected to Egypt.  (Photo Courtesy of Haaretz)

According to the report, Gazans must double their current supply of electricity, and must provide at least 440 more schools, 800 more hospital beds, and more than 1,000 doctors if the region is to remain habitable.  The report also said that the region is suffering from a housing shortage, finding that tens of thousands of housing units must be constructed soon.

On Monday, U.N. Humanitarian Coordinater Maxwell Gaylard said in a press release that, “[A]ction needs to be taken now if Gaza is to be a livable place in 2020 and it is already difficult now.”  The U.N. expects the population to grow steadily from its current number of 1.6 million to 2.1 million by the year 2020.

Gaza has been under the control of Hamas, the armed political movement that refuses to accept peace with Israel, since 2007.  Despite international pressure, Israel refuses to lift its blockade on goods coming into the region out of fear that Hamas would be able to acquire weapons.

Because the Gaza Strip lacks both an airport and a seaport, it relies heavily on outside funding and illegal smuggling from Egypt through underground tunnels.  The U.N.’s report says that such circumstances makes Gaza’s economy “fundamentally unviable,”  also saying that Gazans are worse off than they were in the 1990’s despite the minor economic growth that the region has felt in recent years.

With 80 percent of Gazans dependent on charity, Gaylard has called on international donors to increase their aid.  “Despite their best efforts the Palestinians in Gaza still need help,” he said.  “They are under blockade.  They are under occupation and they need our help both politically and practically on the ground.”  Jean Gough of UNICEF believes that a lack of clean drinking water is the region’s greatest concern.  The report states that the water needs of Gazans has increased by 60 percent, and that urgent action is necessary to protect their current water source, a single aquifer that is estimated to become unusable by 2016.  The report also says that more desalination plants will be needed in the near future.

Gaylard believes that peace and security is necessary to improve the lives of Gazans.  “It will certainly have to mean the end of blockade, the end of isolation and the end of conflict.”

For further information, please see:

Al Jazeera — UN Warns Gaza ‘Will not be Liveable by 2020’ — 27 August 2012

BBC News — Gaza ‘Will not be Liveable by 2020’ – UN Report — 27 August 2012

Business Insider — UN: Gaza Won’t be ‘Liveable’ by 2020 Unless Urgent Action is Taken — 27 August 2012

Haaretz — UN Report: Gaza Won’t be ‘Liveable’ by 2020 if Urgent Action not Taken — 27 August 2012

The Jerusalem Post — ‘Gaza Will not be ‘Liveable’ by 2020 Without Action’ — 27 August 2012

 

Clashes Continue in Syrian Cities

By Mark McMurray
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

DAMASCUS, Syria — On Thursday, Syrian forces increased efforts to reclaim areas in the capital Damascus and the city of Aleppo from rebels.  The violence resulted in the deaths of about 100 people throughout Syria, with nearly 50 civilians dying in Damascus and more than 20 government troops losing their lives.

Rebels in Syria’s northern city of Aleppo. (Photo Courtesy of Voice of America)

The military bombed the towns of Daraya and Moadamiyeh near the capital.  A London-based group, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, reported raids on houses in Daraya and heavy fighting in the Hajar al-Aswad district of Damascus.

Activist Abu Zeid spoke with Reuters about the violence in Daraya.  “They are using mortar bombs to clear each sector then they enter it, while moving towards the centre,” he said.  In Moadamiyeh, the army used the nearby Qassioun mountain as a staging area for bombing the city.

Additionally, districts of Aleppo came under attack, with reports of foreign fighters joining the opposition.  According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the army had previously claimed that they had “cleansed” the area of rebels.  On Thursday, Syria’s state news agency, SANA, reported that government forces had again routed “terrorists” in Aleppo.

Thursday also marked the release of an 11-page report by Amnesty International detailing the treatment of civilians in Aleppo.  Syria’s largest city has witnessed the brunt of the violence since the uprising.

“Civilians are enduring a horrific level of violence in the battle between Syrian government forces and opposition fighters for control of Aleppo,” the report’s summary read.

“The use of imprecise weapons, such as unguided bombs, artillery shells and mortars by government forces, has dramatically increased the danger for civilians,” Donatella Rovera of Amnesty International added.

“As the conflict continues there are also growing concerns about increased abuses, including unlawful killings and ill-treatment of captives by opposition fighters belonging to a plethora of armed opposition groups, including the Free Syrian Army, operating in the city,” the report said.

The upheaval in Syria has continued to impact its neighboring countries.  In Lebanon, fighting broke out again on Thursday.  The Lebanese city of Tripoli saw its fourth day of violence with clashes between pro-Assad and anti-Assad forces.  A cease fire between political leaders representing the groups was broken less than 24 hours after its formation on Wednesday.

Tripoli and other parts of Lebanon have witnessed growing tensions between Sunni and Alawite Muslims who often live in neighboring communities.  Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad has enjoyed the support of most of his Alawite sect while the Sunni community supports the Sunni led revolt seeking to topple his government.

For further information, please see:

BBC News – Syria Crisis: Fighting Continues in Damascus and Aleppo – 23 August 2012

NY Times –Syrian Forces Renew Raids on Damascus Suburbs – 23 August 2012

Syria Arab News Agency – Terrorists Confronted in Aleppo and Homs – 23 August 2012

Voice of America – Syrian Forces Carry Out Assault on Damascus – 23 August 2012

Israeli Teenagers Arrested on Suspicion of Assaulting Palestinians

By Ali Al-Bassam
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

JERUSALEM, Israel — Several Israeli teenagers were arrested last Sunday on suspicion of assaulting a group of Palestinians in Jerusalem’s Zion Square last Thursday.  The attack left one 17-year-old, Jamal Julani, unconscious and hospitalized.  The police said that hundreds of bystanders had witnessed the beating, but no one intervened.

Israeli teenagers are brought into court on suspicion of assaulting Palestinian Jamal Julani, 17, last Thursday night. (Photo Courtesy of BBC News)

Several of the suspects, including a 13-year-old girl, appeared in court last Monday.  A 19-year-old who was arrested last Saturday for his involvement in the attack against four young Palestinians was brought in front of a judge in Jerusalem’s Magistrate Court, and was sentenced to spend three additional days in jail.  Their identities have not been disclosed.

“For my part, he can die,” one of the suspects, who admitted to having taken part in the assault, said to assembled media.  “He’s an Arab,” he added. “He cursed my mother.  If it were up to me, I would have murdered him.”

Authorities say that Julani remains in a serious condition.  The East Jerusalem resident was admitted to Hadassah University Hospital, Ein Karem, in critical condition, and is on a respirator.  His mother told Haaretz that he woke up from his coma, but that he had no recollection of the attack and was confused about being in a hospital.  The other three  victims, who were not seriously injured, are cousins of Julani.

“There were four of us,” Mohammed Mujahad, a cousin of Julani, said as he described the attack.  “We were walking and suddenly maybe 50 Jews came toward us shouting, ‘Arabs, Arabs.’  I don’t understand what they said.  They weren’t calling us.  They were generally just shouting.”

According to eyewitnesses, the mob of teenagers looked as if they were on a witch hunt for Arab victims, yelling “Death to Arabs,” and other anti-Arab slurs.  The Jerusalem Post reported that one bystander wrote on her Facebook page that “When one of the Arab teenagers fell to the floor, the teenagers continued to hit him in the head, he lost consciousness, his eyes rolled, his angled head twitched, and then those who were kicking him fled and the rest gathered in a circle around, with some still shouting with hate in their eyes.”

Israeli politicians immediately condemned the attacks.  Prime Minister Benjamin Netenyahu said that this was a “very serious incident.” Last Sunday, the Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs, Moshe Ya’Alon, described the assault as “a terrorist attack.”

“The hate crimes committed over the weekend against Arabs in Judea and Samaria [the biblical terms for the West Bank] and Jerusalem are intolerable, outrageous and must be firmly dealt with,” Ya’alon said. “These are terrorist attacks. They run contrary to Jewish morality and values, and constitute first and foremost an educational and moral failure.”

For further information, please see:

BBC News — Israeli Youths Arrested Over Assault on Palestinians — 20 August 2012

New York Times — Young Israelis Held in Attack on Arabs — 20 August 2012

The Guardian — Jewish Settler Attacks on Palestinians Listed as ‘Terrorist Incidents’ by US — 19 August 2012

Haaretz — Israel Police Arrests 3 More Suspects in Connection with Jerusalem ‘Lynch’ — 19 August 2012

Jewish Telegraphic Agency — Jewish Youth Accused of Attacking Arabs in Jerusalem — 17 August 2012

Bahrain Activist Receives Three-Year Sentence for Opposition

By Mark McMurray
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

MANAMA, Bahrain —  On Thursday, a Bahraini opposition activist was given a three-year jail sentence for hs participation in anti-government protests.

Bahraini activist Nabeel Rajab.  (Photo Courtesy of Al Jazeera)

Nabeel Rajab, founder and president of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, was found guilty of taking part in “illegal gatherings.”  The human rights activist has led a number of protests against the Al Khalifa family ruling the nation.  Rajab has been influential in organizing the protests occurring in the country which began last February.

This week, the judge ruled in three cases against Rajab.  The cases, all related to participating in protests, carried one-year sentences each.  Human rights campaigners have found the ruling very disturbing.  Activists have called Thursday’s verdict a “dark day for justice” in the country.  Citing the peaceful nature of the protests, Rajab’s lawyer, Mohammed al-Jishi, said the ruling was surprising.

Al-Jishi said in similar cases where others have been found guilty, they have been given six-month sentences and some were even freed on bail.  “It is a very stiff and unexpected ruling, I am surprised.  They are peaceful protests, not violent ones,” al-Jishi added.  He plans to appeal the ruling at a hearing to take place next week.

Following Thursday’s verdict, the U.S. government contacted Bahrain over the ruling.  State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland called for the government to respect the fundamental rights of its citizens.

“We’ve long made clear that it’s critical for all governments, including Bahrain, to respect freedom of expression, freedom of assembly,” Nuland said.  “So we are deeply troubled by the sentencing today.”

At the time of the court’s ruling on the protest charges, Rajab was serving a three-month sentence for criticizing the prime minister online.  In July, prosecutors claim they received complaints from the residents of the town of Muharraq who said Rajab had  “libeled” them on Twitter.  He has more than 155,000 followers on Twitter.  In July, he tweeted that the Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa should not continue in his present position.  Citing the residents of Muharraq in his tweet, Rajab also wrote that they had only welcomed the prime minister to their town because he had offered them government subsidies.

The U.S. government has expressed concern over the treatment of Rajab and other opponents to Al Khalifa’s government.  Bahrain serves as the base of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet, and recent turmoil in the country has placed the U.S. in an awkward position between its ally and pro-democracy protesters.  The U.S. has called on the Sunni government to speak with the Shiite-led opposition leading the protests in an attempt to bring peace to the country.

For further information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Bahraini Activist Jailed for Three Years – 16 August 2012

Bahrain News Agency – Nabeel Rajab Verdict Announced, Right to Appeal – 16 August 2012

BBC News – Bahrain Activist Nabeel Rajab Jailed for Three Years – 16 August 2012

Chicago Tribune – Bahrain Jails Activist for Three Years Over Protests – 16 August 2012