By Eric C. Sigmund
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

AMMAN, Jordan – Civil unrest in Jordan continues to rise as protesters, unsatisfied with government concessions, become more emboldened, spurring violate clashes between protesters and government supporters.  Saturday’s clashes were the bloodiest yet in the country, leaving 2 protesters dead and 160 injured.  Concerned that Jordan is edging closer to civil war, King Abdullah II called for national unity and announced that the government “is going ahead with political and economic reforms, strongly and enthusiastically.”

Pro-reform protest continued to remain resilient three months after their initial outbreak despite security crackdowns from government supporters and police forces.  While the King has expressed his commitment to address the concerns of discontent citizens, some of his proposed reforms face significant opposition from Parliament.   In particular, the Jordanian Parliament has been unwilling to limit the King’s power, claiming that a diminution of the King’s constitutional authority represents a “threat to Jordan’s survival.”  Commenting on Saturday’s deadly clashes, Parliamentary leaders announced that it will “make sure [the King] remains powerful to preserve the Jordanian identity and the constitution” and warned that “political blackmail is rejected.”  

Parliament’s statements however, have not been well received by government critics and have led some political analysts to issue their own warnings about the heightened possibility of civil war.  One commentator noted that “there is a sense that the situation may explode at any moment.”   While King Abdullah has already taken some steps to calm popular discontent, such as raising pensions and reshuffling his Cabinet, these reforms have largely been rejected as half-hearted reforms which do not address protester’s core demands.  Until all their demands are met, citizens will continue to clog the streets and pursue reform notes one protester.   Given Parliaments resistance to further constitutional reforms, the prospects for peaceful reform may be dwindling in Jordan. 

For more information please see:

The Media Line – Jordan Teetering on Civil War, Local Analysts Say – Mar. 28, 2011

Agence France Presse – Jordan King Urges Unity After Unrest – Mar. 27, 2011

Al-Jazeera – Jordan’s King Calls for National Unity – Mar. 27, 2011

By Eileen Gould
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

JERUSALEM, Israel – A bomb planted near West Jerusalem’s Central Bus station was detonated, killing one person, and injuring three dozen others, earlier this week.  The attack has been described as the “worst attack in Jerusalem in four years” and has prompted international criticism.

The bomb, weighing between two and four pounds and packed with ball bearings to increase damage, detonated just as two buses arrived at the bus station.  The U.S. State Department has announced that six Americans were injured.  Some of the victims were as young as 15.

Investigators believe the attack was the work of Palestinian terrorists, though no one has taken responsibility as of yet. Islamic Jihad, a militant Palestinian organization, and the Popular Resistance Committees, another militant group that is close to Hamas, praised it.

The bombing came as the tension between Israelis and Palestinians has escalated.  In the last week, stray fire from the response of Israeli troops to a rocket attack killed a sixty year old man and three Palestinian children.  The Israeli Air Force also killed four members of Islamic Jihad, a militant Palestinian organization, in Gaza.  According to the Israeli military, these men planned to launch rockets at Israel.

These recent bouts of violence may have discouraged any prospects of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday, “We will act vigorously, responsibly and prudently in order to maintain the quiet and the security that have prevailed here over the past two years.”

The Palestinian Authority has also denounced the bombing, as well as Israel’s actions in Gaza.  On Wednesday Prime Minister Salam Fayyad stated, “I condemn this terrorist operation in the strongest terms, regardless of which party stands behind it.”

Nir Barkat, the mayor of Jerusalem, characterized the attack as “cowardly” and noted that residents should continue to live their daily lives such that it gives the impression that terrorists cannot win in the end.  “It’s important to return to our regular routines as quickly as possible. When terror attempts to disrupt our way of life, the best solution is to get back to normal as quickly as possible. Events in Jerusalem will not be cancelled and Jerusalem will not stop running.”

Human Rights Watch has called the bombing of civilians “a despicable crime that should be promptly investigated and prosecuted”.

For more information please see:
The Epoch Times – Israel Promises ‘Tough Reaction’ for Jerusalem Bombing – 25 March 2011

ABC News – British Woman Killed, Six Americans Injured in Jerusalem Bombing, Palestinian Terrorists Blamed – 24 March 2011

Human Rights Watch – Israel: Jerusalem Bombing an Indefensible Attack on Civilians – 24 March 2011

Globes – Bomb Explodes near Jerusalem bus – 23 March 2011

The Epoch Times – Jerusalem Bomb Kills One, Injures Dozens More – 23 March 2011

New York Times – Jerusalem Blast Raises Fears of Growing Violence – 23 March 2011

By Eric C. Sigmund
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

TRIPOLI, Libya – Government forces continue to advance on rebel strongholds in Libya Friday despite declaring an immediate ceasefire to hostilities with civilian opposition.  Libyan Foreign Minister Mussa Kussa declared that “Libya has decided an immediate ceasefire and an immediate halt to military operations.”  The announcement came shortly after the passage of a UN Security Council resolution calling for the end to the government’s violent suppression of civilians and threatening military enforcement if the resolution’s conditions are not met.  Rebel forces however, say that Colonel Gaddafi is “bluffing” and report facing bombing raids and attacks from Libyan troops in a number of cities.   

Security Council Resolution 1973, passed on Thursday, condemns the suppression of Libyan citizens by the Gaddafi regime and authorizes the international community to use “all necessary measures” to protect civilian populations in Libya.  In particular, the resolution authorizes the international community to establish no-fly zones and initiate an arms embargo.  The creation of no-fly zones over Libyan airspace would require the destruction of Libyan air defense systems.  While the resolution states that international forces will not be deployed on the ground, it notes that Libyan military forces may be legitimate targets of international enforcement efforts if they fail to halt operations against civilians.  In conjunction with Res. 1973, the UN also ratcheted up economic sanctions against the government and froze Libyan assets.

The Resolution also condemns the government’s deployment of mercenaries to subdue civilian resistance.  The regime has actively recruited mercenaries from surrounding countries and tribal regions.  Advertisements for pro-Qaddafi fighters have been launched in a number of countries including Kenya and Ginuea.  Reports indicate that mercenaries are offered up to $2500 per day to fight for the Libyan government.  Manpavan Joth Kaur, commentator for S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), expresses that mercenaries are particularly “dangerous and brutal because they are monetarily-motivated and lack personal or cultural ties with the local people. Their earnings are guaranteed on unconditional loyalty to their recruiters.” 

The International Criminal Court has warned that the government’s indiscriminate attacks against civilian populations constitute “war crimes.”  The United Nations estimates that over 1000 people have been killed and an additional 300,000 have fled Libya since clashes began a month ago.  A coordinated international humanitarian aid effort has been organized to assist those displaced by the crisis.

To read the full text of Resolution 1973 click here.

To watch President Obama’s remarks about Res. 1973 click here. 

For more information please see:

Sydney Morning Herald – Rebels say Libyan Govt Ceasefire a Bluff – Mar. 19, 2011

ABC News – How Would a No-Fly Zone Work Over Libya? – Mar. 18, 2011

Bloomberg – Libya’s Qaddafi Under Threat from Allied Military Forces – Mar. 18, 2011

RSIS Commentaries – “Mercenaries” in Libya: Impact of Legal Impunity – Mar. 17, 2011

UPI – Gadhafi’s Mercenaries Trigger Terror Alarm – Mar. 17 2011

By Eric C. Sigmund
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Saudi Arabia announced Monday a decision to send 1000 troops to Bahrain to assist local forces in stabilizing the country amid protests.  For weeks, Bahrain has been the site of large anti-government demonstrations.  Bahraini security forces have taken aggressive action to end protests, resulting in the death of a number of civilians and injury of dozens more.  The inability of police forces to end opposition rallies prompted Bahraini officials to request troops from neighboring countries.  The Saudi troops are only part of a deployment by the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC), a six member regional group comprised of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to stabilize Bahrain.  An additional 500 troops have been sent by the UAE.

The move represents an attempt by Saudi Arabia to strengthen and project its power in the region.  One analyst contends that the Kingdom’s decision to send troops may have been influenced by its desire to contain Iran.  Saudi Arabia has increasingly asserted its influence in the region, offering foreign assistance to Yemen, Lebanon and Syria in recent years.

Shia leaders within Bahrain have criticized Saudi Arabia’s decision saying that foreign intervention amounts to a declaration of war.  Both governments contend that troops have been sent to help protect government facilities from attack and “to look at ways to help [to] defuse the tension in Bahrain.”  Sheik Abdullah, foreign minister of the UAE told reporters “There are other Gulf countries which are going to participate to support the Bahrain government, and to get calm and order in Bahrain.”  Saudi Arabia has also set up a $20 billion fund to finance new incentives promised to citizens by the government in Bahrain.

Officials in Saudi Arabia have linked the maintenance of stability in Bahrain with its own security, fearing that the success of protests in Bahrain could spark similar rallies at home.  The Saudi government has warned its citizens not to protest and has taken measures to neutralize opposition.  Prince Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz, the country’s interior minister and half-brother of the King, welcomed the decision to send troops saying that “Some evil people wanted to spread chaos in the kingdom and called for demonstrations that have dishonorable goals.”

The Saudi government’s decision has put the United States in a precarious position as the U.S. walks a fine line between supporting freedom, democracy and social reform on the one hand, and the interests of its regional allies on the other.  White House spokesperson Jay Carney urged the government of Bahrain to exercise constraint but noted that Saudi Arabia’s intervention is not an invasion.  Protesters in Bahrain continue to hold the capital’s main square despite clashes with security forces.  Dialogue between the government and opposition forces however, remains absent. 

For more information, please see:

BBC Middle East – Gulf States Send Forces to Bahrain Following Protests – Mar. 14, 2011

Financial Times – Saudi intervention Raises Gulf Stakes – Mar. 14, 2011

Guardian – Saudi Arabia Polices the Region as Trouble Stirs at Home – Mar. 14, 2011

New York Times – Saudi Troops Enter Bahrain to Help Put Down Unrest – Mar. 14, 2011