The Middle East

Three attacks target Egyptian Security forces after a bloody day of clashes with anti-government activists

By Kathryn Maureen Ryan

Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt–Ten people, mostly police offers and soldier, were killed in three separate attacks Monday in Egypt. An attack in the city of Ismailiya on the Suez Canal killed six soldiers when a gunman opened fire on a military patrol. Attackers allows fired rocket-propelled grenades in Maadi, a suburb of Egypt’s Capital.  Four people were killed and 55 injured in a suicide car bombing attack on the security headquarters in the Sinai Peninsula city of El-Tor.

Tires burn as supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi clash with security forces in downtown Cairo on Sunday (Photo courtesy of Al Jazeera)

Attacks have escalated in the Sinai Peninsula during the months following the military coup that took President Mohamed Morsi out of power. The latest attack in El-Tor was one of the first attacks to occur in the Southern Sinai region which is a popular tourist destination in Egypt. A senior security official told the Associated Press that Egyptian authorities are “expecting worse” attacks in the future.

The attacks followed a bloody day of demonstrates in Egypt. At least 53 people were killed and 268 more were injured across the country on Sunday. Thousands of Egyptians celebrated the October 6 holiday commemorating the start of the October 1973 War, the Yom Kippur Warm, against Israel in the streets across the country. Anti-government activities organized counter-protests against the military and attempted to occupy Tahrir Square where protesters gathered calling for an end to the Mubarak regime. However, the square was heavily guarded by state security forces.

Egyptian authorities had issued a warning to potential anti-government demonstrates that would protest during the states planned commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the October 1973 War. Ahmed al-Muslimani, a spokesperson for the Egyptian interim president said that protests against the Egyptian state military would not be tolerated on the anniversary of the October War. He said the protesters would be viewed as “carrying out the duties of agents, not activists,” and that “It is not befitting to go from a struggle against authorities to a conflict with the nation.”

On Saturday security forces fired teargas to break up a crowd of an estimated 1,000 anti-government activist who had tried to reach Rabaa al-Adawiya Mosque in northeaster Cairo. The Mosque was the site of the brutal military crackdown on a protest camp in August.

Egyptian Prime Minister Hazem el-Beblawi said in a statement that “evil elements” still posed a threat to the nation though they had lost most of their power; this appears to have been a reference to the Muslim Brotherhood, on Monday panel of judges recommended the dissolution of the Muslim Brotherhood’s status as a political organization, the Freedom and Justice Party. The recommendation appears to be another crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist elements with Egypt that have been targeted by state authorities since the ouster of President Morsi on July 3.

For more information please see:

Al Jazeera – Multiple Attacks Target Egypt State Security – 8 October 2013

BBC News – Egyptian Soldiers Killed In Ismailiya And Sinai Attacks – 7 October 2013

New York Times – Egyptian Attacks Are Escalating Amid Stalemate – 7 October 2013

Al Jazeera America – In Egypt, Demonstrations, Death Mark Anniversary Of 1973 War – 6 October 2013

UN Experts Begin Destruction of Syrian Chemical Weapons

By Darrin Simmons
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

DAMASCUS, Syria-Dismantlement of Syria’s chemical weapons has officially begun as a team of United Nations experts has moved into the country.  The destruction of Syria’s arsenal is expected to be completed by mid-2014.

UN team of experts enter Damascus to begin destroying Syria’s chemical weapons (photo courtesy of Washington Post)

The experts, members of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), are operating under the recently passed UN resolution, following international outrage at a chemical attack near Damascus in August.

Hundreds were killed in the August 21st attack in which it has been determined that the nerve agent sarin was used.  The U.S. and Western allies accuse the Syrian government of being responsible, while Syria is blaming the rebels.

The UN resolution was achieved under a U.S.-Russian agreement for President Bashar al-Assad’s regime to turn over its chemical weapons for destruction.  Washington threatened military action, but was averted upon reaching the agreement with Russia.

Sunday was the fifth day that the team had been in Syria, and the first day of actually starting the destruction process.  A team of 20 inspectors began the process of disabling and destroying the weapons and machinery.

“Today is the first day of destruction, in which heavy vehicles are going to run over and thus destroy missile warheads, aerial chemical bombs, and mobile and static mixing and filling units,” stated a member of the international mission.

Responsibility of actual physical destruction of the chemical weapons falls on the Syrians, while members of the OPCW are set to oversee the process, verifying that the weapons are actually being destroyed.

This is the first time that the OPCW has been called on to monitor the destruction of chemical weapons during a conflict, which makes destruction of the stockpile more difficult as many of the sites are located in combat zones.

An OPCW official in The Hague stated that “all expedient methods would be used to render Syria’s production facilities unusable.”  He further went on to say that those methods will consist of explosives, sledgehammers, and pouring in concrete.

However, destroying combat-ready weapons will require more extensive methods.  Experts will rely on incinerating the materials in sealed furnaces at extremely high temperatures, transforming precursor chemicals, or diluting them in water.

Damascus developed its chemical program in the 1980s and 1990s, building a stockpile believed to contain mustard gas and nerve agents sarin VX and tabun.  Sunday’s expedition is just the beginning of the process of removing the estimated 1,000 tons of chemical weapons.

For more information, please see the following:

 Al-Arabiya-Chemical investigators begin destroying Syria’s stockpile-October 6, 2013

Aljazeera-UN experts ‘begin destroying Syria stockpile’-October 6, 2013

BBC-Syria chemical arms removal begins-October 6, 2013

Washington Post-Weapons inspectors begin destroying Syrian chemical stockpile and machinery-October 6, 2013

 

 

Court Allows Palestine Farmers to Return to Former Israeli Settlement

By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch, Middle East

RAMALLAH, Palestine – Palestinian farmers can now cultivate land that was the former site of the Homesh settlement in Samaria, after a ruling issued by the Attorney General’s office last week.

Palestinians remove Hebrew written by Israeli settlers on a water tank in a reclaimed area (photo courtesy of Al Jazeera)

The ruling followed a June decision by the state to cancel the 1978 military land seizure order, which took land from residents of the Palestinian village of Burka for the creation of a Nahal Brigade, soon after the settlement of Homesh on the Samaria hilltop in the West Bank was created.

Since the disengagement, Homesh – and the former Samaria settlements of Sanur, Ganim and Kadim – have been closed military zones. Access had been blocked to Palestinians and Israeli settlers. Now, as a result of the court ruling, Palestinians can enter Homesh, but Israeli citizens are still barred from entering the site.

Settlers and right-wing Israeli activists and politicians have pressed to resettle the Homesh settlement over the past eight years. Over the past several years, Israeli settlers have received temporary permission from the IDF to hold certain events at the former Homesh settlement. For example, last Passover, settlers held a holiday festival. Politicians have also visited the site, including Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon, who visited in 2009 as vice premier, where he called for Homesh to be resettled.

The Israel government dismantled Homesh and three other West Bank settlements in 2005. The settlements were dismantled in connection with a wider withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. However, until the court ruling, the government refused to allow the original Palestinian landowners from the local farming community to reclaim their land.

The Israel’s Supreme Court upheld a petition by the Israeli human rights organization Yesh Din requesting the closed military zone be ended and the land returned to the Palestinians. On Thursday, farmers from the village of Burka were allowed to return to their land for the first time. Some Palestinians were reluctant to attempt to return. “I’m afraid to go there because the settlers are armed,” said Hassan Ashqer, a middle aged man who owns land in the former settlement area.

Palestinian rights lawyers are optimistic that the ruling will set a precedent that shows that Israel’s settlement policy can be reversed and Palestinian landowners can reclaim their land. “Once the owners are able to take back possession of their lands…it will be the first precedent ever [in the West Bank] in which an area used for settlement activity is being cultivated again by the Palestinians.”

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Palestinians Win Settlement Land from Israel – 3 October 2013

Fox News – After long legal battle, Palestinian farmers reclaim land they lost to a settlement – 3 October 2013

The Daily-Beast – Court Rules Settlement Land Belongs to Palestinians, But Victory is Hollow – 25 September 2013

Jerusalem Post – A-G: Palestinian farmers can return to Homesh – 16 September 2013

EU’s Ashton meets with Egypt’s Political Leaders

By Darrin Simmons
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt-Catherine Ashton, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, began her three day trip in Egypt Tuesday, meeting with Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood leaders.  Ashton will also hold meetings with key members of Egypt’s interim government, including President Adly Mansour and Defense Minister General Abdell Fattah el-Sisi.

EU’s Ashton meets with Egyptian political leaders of the Brotherhood (photo courtesy of Ahram)

Ashton makes her trip against the backdrop of pro-Morsi Islamist movement that has resulted in hundreds of Brotherhood members being killed and leaders jailed on charges of inciting or taking part in violence.

“It is important to find ways to have the right kind of dialogue and that’s what we have been urging everyone.  My guess is that process will take a little time to do but it’s important for everybody to feel that they are able to participate in the process as well as ultimately in political life,” stated Ashton after meeting with General el-Sisi.

The three day visit to Cairo has been interpreted as a renewed attempt to reach an agreement between the transitional government and the Muslim Brotherhood, who have been butting heads since the overthrowing of President Morsi.

The Brotherhood, which has won every election since a popular revolt overthrew autocrat Hosni Mubarak in 2011, has amassed animosity from the military that has set out to eradicate them.  Meanwhile, the Brotherhood issued a statement on Thursday denouncing the military, comparing it to Adolf Hitler.

Amr Darrag, a senior member of the Brotherhood, said on Wednesday topics discussed with Ashton included the political deadlock in Egypt, but insisted that Egyptians must resolve these issues on their own, without foreign aid.

“We didn’t represent our personal opinions but expressed to Ashton the views of the people.  The Egyptian people continue to take to the streets with specific demands and in opposition to the current policies.  Our role is to convey their voices,” stated Darrag.

Ashton responded saying “In terms of inclusiveness, it means trying to involve everyone, that also means reaching out to each other.  We don’t insist on anything, this is your country.”

Throughout every meeting, Ashton repeatedly urged Egypt to enact an inclusive democratic process that will engage all factions, while voicing concern over the use of violence against Morsi supporters and a deepening polarization since his ousting.

In a later statement, Darrag said that discussions centered on regional issues and the demands to return ousted President Morsi back to power by the anti-coup alliance were not discussed.  Morsi has been in military custody in an unknown location since being deposed by the military on July 3.

For more information, please see the following:

Ahram-EU’s Ashton meets with Egypt political forces-October 3, 2013

Daily News-Ashton meets with broad spectrum of political players-October 3, 2013

Reuters-EU’s Ashton says crucial for all to join Egyptian political process-October 3, 2013

Aljazeera-EU envoy meets Brotherhood leaders in Egypt-October 2, 2013

 

UN Security Council Urges Syrian Government to Relax Aid Restrictions

By Thomas Murphy
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

DAMASCUS, Syria – The United Nations Security Council has unanimously approved a presidential statement that urges President Bashar al-Asssad’s Syrian government to allow for easier flow of humanitarian aid. The statement calls for all parties to the conflict to take fighting pauses so that humanitarian convoys can pass through necessary routes.

This girl is forced to sleep in ancient ruins as a result of the lack of humanitarian aid. (Photo Courtesy of AP)

The presidential statement is legally binding, but a step below a resolution. The statement marks the second time in just a matter of weeks that the Security Council has come to an agreement in regards to Syrian conflict. The unified action follows the passage of a resolution last week to destroy Syria’s chemical weapons, the first significant legal action by the council in two-and-a-half years since the conflict began.

Presently, only twelve humanitarian groups are approved by the Syrian government and they struggle the meet the demands of millions of internally displaced Syrians. The groups have been subject to long delays due to fighting and dozens of government checkpoints that inspect humanitarian deliveries.

The statement urged Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s authorities to “take immediate steps to facilitate the expansion of humanitarian relief operations, and lift bureaucratic impediments and other obstacles”.

This includes “promptly facilitating safe and unhindered humanitarian access to people in need, through the most effective ways, including across conflict lines and, where appropriate, across borders from neighboring countries”.

U.N. aid chief Valerie Amos stated that upwards of two million people could benefit if the statements recommendations were completely implemented.

“Our task now is to turn these strong words into meaningful action for the children, women and men who continue to be the victims of the brutality and violence,” she told reporters.

The presidential statement was drafted and submitted by Austria and Luxembourg, it was in response to a “wish list” that Amos sent to the council a month ago. Cross border deliveries from Lebanon have already picked up but it is unlikely that the statement it will make a huge difference immediately.

For further information, please see:

Al Jazeera – UN urges immediate aid access to Syria – 28 September 2013

BBC – UN Security Council urges humanitarian access to Syria – 28 September 2013

Huffington Post – Syria Aid Access Desperately Needed, UN Security Council Says –  27 September 2013

Reuters – U.N. Security Council urges easier access for Syria aid – 26 September 2013