The Middle East

Over One Hundred Killed in Coordinated Baghdad Bombings

By Bobby Rajabi
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

BAGHDAD, Iraq – On December 8 five car bombings took place near government institutions in Baghdad. The car bombings killed one hundred twenty seven individuals, including many women and children. More than four hundred people were wounded in the attacks. This incident was the third coordinated attack in Baghdad since August. The attacks came after Iraqi officials agreed after months of negotiations to set a date in March for a national election.

At least three of the five bombs were set off by suicide attackers. The first bomb went off at 10:25 in central Baghdad and appeared to be targeting a police patrol. The four others followed minutes later. The bombings struck a courthouse, two colleges, a mosque and a bank. The chaos forced the locking down of entire neighborhoods, overwhelming of police and rescue workers, and filling of hospitals with the wounded.

The attacks appeared to be intended the severely damage the government’s basic ability to function. Two government institutions struck on Tuesday, the Finance Ministry and an appeals court, had recently relocated to new buildings after attacks destroyed their old offices in August and October.

The new attacks undermined the Iraqi government’s claims of improved security. Many victims of the attacks blamed the Iraqi army and police force for what took place. The Iraqi security force has been under increased scrutiny as they have taken charge of security as American forces have withdrawn from cities. Victims also linked the attacks to the lengthy political battle over the election. Candidates in the election, in turn, blamed security forces and the government for failing to protect the “heart of Baghdad.”

The attacks follow the patern of multiple bombings in the Iraqi capital. This incident marked the worst attack in Iraq since a twin suicide bombing that killed on hundred fifty five people and destroyed three government agencies in October. Also, in August, two suicide car bombs killed one hundred twenty individuals when then struck the Finance and Foreign Ministries. The United States, UN, Arab League and United Kingdom led and international condemnation of the  most recent bombings. United Nations chief Ban Ki-Moon called the bombings “horrendous” and “unacceptable.”

For more information, please see:

AFP – 127 Killed in Spate of Baghdad Blasts – 8 December 2009

Al Jazeera – Scores dead in Iraq Bomb Blasts – 8 December 2009

BBC – Baghdad Car Bombs Cause Carnage – 8 December 2009

New York Times – Election Day Set in Iraq as Bombs Kill Scores – 8 December 2009

Iranian Police Clash With Student Protesters

By Bobby Rajabi
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

TEHRAN, Iran – On December 7 thousands of Iranian’s took to the streets and rallied against the government at universities throughout the country. The protests took place on Iran’s Student Day and were an effort coordinated by a number of opposition websites. The protests, which were focused on the controversial June presidential election, set off altercations between students and police around campuses. Protesters hurled rocks and set fires. Police officers and plain clothes Basij militia members were with tear gas, chains, truncheons and stun guns.

The Iranian government attempted to stop any chance of protests erupting on Student Day. The night before the protests government opponents shouted “Death to the Dictator” and “God is great” from their rooftops. Government officials attempted to kill off internet access on the eve of the protests. Additionally, authorities warned journalists working for foreign media to stay in their offices for three days. On the day of the protests Iranian authorities shut down the mobile phone network in the center of Tehran to stop opposition protesters from contacting each other.

Opposition leader, and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s opponent in the disputed June presidential election, Mir-Hussein Moussavi announced his support for student demonstrations. He additionally stated on his website that the religious establishment couldn’t silence students and that they were losing legitimacy in the Iranian people’s minds. Former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani has also thrown his support behind the opposition, accusing Iran’s hard-line rulers of silencing constructive criticism.

Clashes erupted during the Student Day protests as thousands of individuals filled the street. According to witnesses riot police fired tear gas and Basij militiamen charged the crowd as protesters chanted. The Basij beat protesters on the head and shoulders as the crowd scattered. The protesters also chanted against Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Khamenei has accused the opposition of creating opportunities for Iran’s enemies.

The protests mark the first major showing showing by the opposition in more than a month.  The BBC’s Jon Leyne claims that the main objective of the opposition is to keep their movement alive. Reports are that dozens of individuals have been arrested. The protests continued throughout the day. By nightfall a number of student groups held candlelight vigils for those arrested during the day.

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Iran Police ‘Clash With Protesters’ – 7 December 2009

BBC – Iran Opposition Protesters Clash With Security Forces – 7 December 2009

Guardian – Iranian Police Use Tear Gas and Batons in Clash With Protesters – 7 December 2009

New York Times – Iranian Student Protesters Clash With Police – 7 December 2009

AP – Iran Chokes Off Internet on Eve of Student Rallies – 6 December 2009

Israeli Settlers Destroy Palestinian Trees, Property

By Meredith Lee-Clark

Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

 

NABLUS, West Bank – Israeli settlers set fire to Palestinian automobiles, farm equipment, and buildings, and uprooted over fifty trees in the early morning on December 6. The settlers were allegedly protesting the Israeli government’s decision of a ten-month suspension in settlement construction in West Bank. The decision was a response to the Palestinian demand to freeze construction as a precondition for restarting peace talks.

 

Settlers reportedly set fire to property belonging to two Palestinian farmers in the town of Einabus, near Nablus, as well as a car and barn in the same area. Firefighters from the Palestinian Civil Defense Department were able to contain the fires, and reported that the property losses amounted to $40,000 (US).

 

The Israeli Defense Forces told the Ma’an News Agency that they could not confirm that the arsons were revenge attacks for the temporary construction suspension, but that a large military contingent was in the area, operating under the assumption that it was indeed “a revenge act.”

 

Settlers from the Yizhar settlement were likely involved, according to sources. The day before the arsons, a rabbi from the Yizhar settlement published an article that promoted confrontation to protest the settlement suspension.

 

“If there is no quiet for the Jews, there will be no quiet for the Arabs,” the article said. “A Civil Administration base can serve as a target for a quick, precise infiltration that could damage and destroy one of their offices. You destroy ours, we destroy yours!”

 

Many settlers have expressed outrage at what they deem to be a betrayal by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who they say was elected to preserve Israeli rule over the West Bank. Other Israelis believe Netanyahu is merely responding to pressure from the United States.

 

Prime Minister Netanyahu held a two-hour meeting with settlers in Tel Aviv on December 2, in which Netanyahu promised building could resume after the ten-month period. The settlers at the meeting widely dismissed any promises made by the Prime Minister.

 

Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem are illegal under international law.

 

For more information, please see:

 

Ha’aretz – Youth Protesting Settlement Freeze Block Jerusalem Entrance – 7 December 2009

 

Ma’an News Agency – Settlers Torch Palestinian Property, Uproot Trees – 7 December 2009

 

Palestinian News Network – West Bank Settlers Reject Netanyahu’s Plea for Support – 7 December 2009

 

BBC News – West Bank Settlers Reject Netanyahu Plea for Support – 3 December 2009

 

Christian Science Monitor – In Israeli Settlements, Residents and Builders Push Back on 10-Month Freeze – 1 December 2009

Alleged Police Brutality Puts Jordan in Spotlight

By Brandon Kaufman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

AMMAN, Jordan– The recent death of two Jordanians as a result of alleged police brutality has put the spotlight on human rights in Jordan.  These deaths have resulted in local and international human rights groups calling for excessive use of force cases to be tried in civil rather than closed police courts.

The National Centre for Human Rights (NCHR) in Jordan has warned that existing measures are not enough to deter policemen from using excessive force to impose public law and order.  Nisreen Zreiqat, the director of the NCHR’s criminal justice unit, has said that “we have recommended several times in our reports that cases of torture should be referred to a civil court instead of a police court to ensure the independence and transparency of the decisions.”

Maj Mohammad Khatib, the Public Security Directorate’s (PSD) spokesman, dismissed the NCHR’s concerns and noted that police resort to the use of force only when the situation dictates such.  Khatib has said that “the beatings only occur out of necessity, like when police need to take control of suspects.”  He also noted that “the PSD holds accountable those who resort to excessive use of force outside the law.”

Amnesty International said last week that the deaths of the two men at the hands of police within one week are a “very worrying development.”  They further went on to say that the police courts in Jordan are neither sufficiently independent nor transparent in their conduct.  Since the court decisions are not disclosed and the sessions are closed to the public, Amnesty International and other human rights groups fear that the current system in place serves as no deterrent to police brutality.

In response, the PSD defended itself.  They released a statement saying that “the trials take place within a court as a sign of respect to the uniform which we revere.  The police court decisions related to crimes are further reviewed by the court of cessation, which is an independent body.”

Nonetheless, the recent deaths have sparked a wave of anger throughout Jordan.

For more information, please see:

The National Newspaper- Deaths Put Spotlight on Human Rights in Jordan– 6 December 2009

The Seattle Times- Second Police Beating Raises Alarm in Jordan– 16 November 2009

Al Bawaba- Jordan: Second Citizen Dies by Police Beating– 15 November 2009

Lebanese Cabinet Allows Hezbollah to Keep Weapons

By Brandon Kaufman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

BEIRUT, Lebanon– On Wednesday, the Lebanese government endorsed Hezbollah’s right to keep its weapons cache to deter Israeli attacks.  This decision comes as the latest sign that Hezbollah has no intention of meeting a U.N. resolution calling for it to disarm.

Hezbollah is believed to have thousands of rockets and missiles hidden in bunkers and basements throughout Shi’ite Muslim areas throughout the country.  However, Hezbollah’s refusal to give up its weapons cache has created a great deal of division in the country as well as in Israel, which says it is in the process of preparing to deploy a defense system to shoot down rockets from Lebanon.

After Hezbollah’s 2006 war with Israel, a United Nations resolution was passed which called on the armed militant group to disarm.  Despite that resolution, Hezbollah says it must retain its weapons to fight off any future Israeli threat and persistent violations of Lebanon’s airspace.  Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, the Hezbollah leader, recently said that his group had replenished its weapons stock since the 2006 war and now has more than 30,000 rockets at its disposal.  These rockets are believed to be capable of striking anywhere in Israel.

All thirty members of the Lebanese cabinet voted Wednesday to approve the policy statement that endorses Hezbollah’s right to keep its weapons.   The adopted policy statement, which lays out the government’s goals for the next four years, illustrates how the government is reluctant to take strong action against Hezbollah for fear of instigating a crisis.  Of course, as many analysts believe, Hezbollah has virtual veto power over the government and so any reservations of instigating a crisis may be unfounded.

Nonetheless, Lebanon’s Prime Minister Saad Hariri largely dismissed the policy statement, arguing that its lasting effect is to tackle economic woes, financial instability and public debt.  The statement, to be presented to Parliament next week for a vote of confidence, is seen as a key to tacking the deep divisions between Hariri’s coalition and Syrian and Iranian backed Hezbollah and its allies.

For more information, please see:

Kuwait Times- Lebanon Government Backs Hezbollah Arms Right– 3 December 2009

The Associated Press- Lebanese Cabinet Lets Hezbollah Keep Its Weapons– 2 December 2009

BBC News- Hezbollah Weapons Right Endorsed– 2 December 2009