The Middle East

Lebanon Troops Attacked at Security Checkpoint

by Darrin Simmons
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

BEIRUT, Lebanon – Police arrested a follower of Sunni Musslim Sheikh Ahmed al-Assir at a security checkpoint twenty-eight miles south of Beirut on Sunday June 23rd.  The arrest sparked attacks on the police by other followers of the Sheikh.

Blocked roads and violent attacks plagued the city of Tripoli on Sunday June 23rd (photo courtesy of Reuters)

Reports say that at least ten Shi’ite soldiers were killed and forty wounded along with two Sunni gunmen being killed and thirteen wounded during the attack.  Violence has erupted due to Syrian conflict pitting Sunni rebels against Shi’ite supporters of President Bashar al-Assad, straining sectarian relations in Lebanon.

Sunni Sheikh Ahmed al-Assir has been surrounded by controversy after rising to power due to his strong opposition to Hezbollah and its ally, President Bashar al-Assad. Sheikh Ahmed recently has called on his supporters to fire on apartments near his home mosque that he believes to be used for surveillance on him by Hezbollah.

During Sunday’s fight, the Sheikh released a video message saying, “[w]e are being attacked by the Lebanese army,” and accusing the Shi’ite military of being “sectarian” in support of Hezbollah.  “I call on everyone. . .to cut off roads and to all honorable soldiers, Sunni and non-Sunni, to quit the army immediately,” continued the video message.

Following the security checkpoint clash and the Sheikh’s video message, Lebanon experienced severe outbursts of fighting throughout the regent.  Blocked roads and small protests in support of the Shi’ite army popped up in the province of Metn, north of Beirut.

“They are heightened in other cities, most notably Tripoli, and roads are said to be blocked.  There are also attempts to block certain roads in Beirut as well in support of Sheikh Assir,” said one reporter.

Bekaa Valley, home to a large Shi’ite population and Sunni supporters of the Syrian opposition experienced blocked roads and streets guarded by gunmen.  Ain al-Hilweh, a Palestinian refugee camp near Sidon, suffered gunfire between Sunni radical groups and the Shi’ite army.

Shi’ite troops have been funneled to the various outbursts and the interior minister and other political leaders have been called on to take a stand.  The army issued a statement claiming that they would not tolerate Sunni uprisings and that it will “strike back with an iron fist anyone who. . .spills the bold of the army.”

“In cold blood” became the unofficial motto of the Shi’ite army who continued to fight against the Sunni rebels.  This tumultuous time in Lebanon has been equated to a fifteen year civil war in 1975, causing many to fear a repeat of history.

For more information, please see the following:

Al Bawaba – Lebanese army ramps up fight against radicals after Sidon deaths – 24 June 2013

Aljazeera – Violence spreads as troops killed in Lebanon – 24 June 2013

Sky News – Three Lebanese troops killed in clash– 24 June 2013

Reuters – Syria-linked clashes kill at least eight in Lebanon – 23 June 2013

Arrest of Syrian Network for Human Rights’ member in Aleppo

Name: Abeer Wanas

Father’s name: Adel

Mother’s name: Rahima Maesa Modares

Date of incident: 18/6/2013

Sex: Female

Date of birth: 1977

On Tuesday, 18 June 2013, Syrian Security Forces’ patrol broke into human rights defender, and member of the  Syrian Network for Human Right activist Abeer Wanas, without any formal charge and absent of prior-notifications.

Syrian Network for Human Rights has almost certain information that she is in political security branch in Aleppo.

SNHR daily documents more than 5 cases of civilians being tortured to death, including activists, where Syrian Security Forces do not distinguish between human rights activists, media activists, and fighters.  Also, security forces do not take gender into account.

SNHR documented 26 cases where women were tortured to death.  The last one was the media activist Marwa Hamdo Khalil, 21 years old – student in Sharia college – Aleppo governorate.

From this standpoint we are so afraid on the fate of human rights defender Abeer Wanas, where she might have been subjected to torture in order to reveal the SNHR members that she was dealing with.  The other goal is to send threatening letters to SNHR through the arrest of its members or their relatives to stop not just their work, but collectively ours also.

The detainee of Syrian nationality hasn’t been mentioned by any Arab or International human rights hand, or made any action for his arrest.

The SNHR confirms the call for the immediate release of Abeer, and request that the necessary means to protect her life and ensure her physical and psychological safety while she is under arrest, and to increase pressure on the Syrian Government to stop daily ongoing human rights violation, and escalating attacks on human rights defenders.

We request the Syrian government to pay attention to fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed in the Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organizations of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, as recognized internationally, in particular:

Article 5

For the purpose of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, at the national and international levels:

(b) To form, join and participate in non-governmental organizations, associations or groups;

Article 12

2. The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration.

UN Report Accuses Israeli Forces of Using Palestinian Children as Human Shields

By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch, Middle East

A report assembled by the United Nations Committee in the Rights of the Child accused Israeli military forces of abuses against Palestinian children that include torture, sexual assault, threats of death and solitary confinement in Israeli persons. In the report the committee voiced its “deepest concern about the reported practice of torture and ill-treatment of Palestinian children arrested, prosecuted and detained by the military and the police.”

UN report finds abuse of Palestinian children by Israeli forces. (Photo courtesy of Aljazeera)

The Committee’s report claims that Israeli soldiers have “used Palestinian children to enter potentially dangerous buildings ahead of them and to stand in front of military vehicles in order to stop the throwing of stones against those vehicles.” The report cited evidence offered by the United Nations’ Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms while Countering Terrorism to back its claim.

According to the report Palestinian youth are arrested regularly during night raids with the children often having their hands tied behind their backs before being transferred to detention centers without their parents being informed of their arrest.

The report goes on to say that an estimated 7,000 children aged from 12 to 17 years and even as young as 9 years old, have been arrested, interrogated and detained in Israeli prisons since 2002. Most of the arrested children were arrested after being accused of throwing stones at Israeli forces or settlers, an offense which can carry a 20-year penalty.

The Israeli government has denied the allegations made by the UN Committee in its report. Aaron Sagui the spokesman for the Israeli Embassy in Washington DC claimed that the report “is based on the recycling of old accusations, based on political biases – and not based on direct investigation on the ground – with the intention of bashing Israel.” Sagui went on to claim that the goal of the report was not to address legitimate concerns faced by Palestinian children but only to make headlines.

The Committee on the rights of the child expressed its “deepest concern that children on both sides of the conflict continue to be killed and injured,” and acknowledges the severity of Israel’s national security challenges, however it contends that Palestinians suffer a disproportionate amount of victimization as the result of what it calls Israel’s “illegal long-lasting occupation of Palestinian territory.” The committee believes that the plight of children on both sides of the conflict must be addressed for true peace to develop between Israel and Palestine.

For further information, please see:

CBS News – UN Report Accuses Israeli Forces of Using Palestinian Children as Human shields, Abusing Children in Custody – 21 June 2013

The Telegraph – Israel Furious at UN Report Detailing Torture of Palestinian Children – 21 June 2013

Aljazeera – Palestinian Authority PM Offers Resignation – 20 June 2013

Aljazeera – UN: Israeli Forces Abuse Palestinian Children – 20 June 2013

United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) Committee on the Rights of the Child – Committee on the Rights of the Child Issues Concluding Observations – 20 June 2013

Kuwait To Hold Parliamentary Snap Elections on July 25

By Thomas Murphy
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

KUWAIT CITY, Kuwait – Kuwait is preparing for its sixth round of parliamentary elections in seven years after the Constitutional Court ruled that the parliament’s election in December was unconstitutional based on procedural grounds. The cabinet held an emergency meeting after the country’s top court announced its decision.

Protesters filled the streets after the Constitutional Court upheld changes to the parliamentary voting process. (Photo Courtesy of Reuters)

“At an extraordinary meeting . . . the cabinet approved a draft decree setting July 25th as the date for parliamentary elections,” Cabinet Minister Sheikh Mohammad al-Mubarak al-Sabah told Kuwait’s state-run Kuna news agency on Thursday.

Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Jaber al-Sabah is expected to officially announce the decree as he has final say in all state matters. The emir also appoints the prime minister, who in turn has the authority to appoint cabinet members, many of whom are members of Al-Sabah family.

The decree will pit the emir and the Western-backed government against the opposition which includes the Popular Action Bloc, and other liberal and Islamist parties. Although political parties are illegal in Kuwait, the constitution does not prohibit them.

The court ruled the December parliamentary results invalid after a total boycott of the elections by the opposition parties. The opposition parties opposed a controversial new law, which forced voters to choose only one candidate. Voters were previously allowed choose four candidates.

The court upheld the controversial new law, which resulted in protesters flooding the streets of Kuwait City. The opposition parties believe that the new law makes it easier for the government to interfere with elections results and promotes the interests of the ruling party.

Kuwait provides its people more political freedom than most gulf states despite the emir’s ultimate authority. The people have the power to elect the parliament which creates laws and can hold government officials accountable.

The snap election will continue a line of political turmoil that has lasted since 2006. The turn over and lack of consistency in government has resulted in the delay of important economic reform and infrastructure  development in the oil-rich gulf state.

For further information, please see:

ABC – Kuwait Schedules July 25 Parliamentary Election – 20 June 2013

Al Jazeera – Kuwait sets date for elections – 20 June 2013

BBC  – Kuwait cabinet calls snap election on July 25 – 20 June 2013

Kuwait News Agency – Cabinet calls for new elections July 25, 2013 – 20 June 2013

Reuters – Kuwait to hold snap parliamentary election on July 25 – 20 June 2013

 

Iraqi Car Bombs Heighten Fears of Sectarian War

by Darrin Simmons
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

BAGHDAD, Iraq – May 2013, the most violent time period in Iraq since 2008, has activists fearing a pending sectarian war.  The country has recently been plagued with car bombings and shootings causing injury, death, and destruction with nearly two thousand people killed since April.

Deadly car bombs cause death, destruction, and fear in Iraq (Photo courtesy of Aljazeera)

In the city of Kut, a parked car bomb exploded causing the death of three people and injuring fourteen.  Another car bomb targeting construction workers outside of the city killed two and injured twelve.

The city of Basra experienced a car bomb explosion to which another one followed shortly resulting in the death of at least five people.  In nearby Aziziyah a car bomb exploding near a Shia mosque killed five and wounded ten. Twelve miles south-east of Baghdad, a roadside bomb followed by a car bomb exploded near the city of Madain.  The explosion wounded fourteen people and killed three.

One witness recalled the chaos following the explosion aftermath, “I saw cars on fire, dead bodies covered with blood, and wounded people lying on the ground screaming for help.  When police arrived, a second blast struck which was more powerful, leaving the street in a state of total destruction.”

Shootings have also caused fear and death amongst the Iraqi people.  In Mosel, gunmen began shooting police officers who were guarding a stretch of oil pipeline, injuring five and killing four. Since 2003, Iraqi Sunnis have rebelled against the Shiite dominated government by crossing into Syria to fight against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.  This tension and distrust eventually caused the “intercommunal strife of 2006-07,” and looks to give rise to another war.

Sectarian tensions between Shiites and Sunnis have been escalating over the last six months.  Martin Kobler, Iraq’s outgoing U.N. envoy has vocalized his concern warning that the violence is “ready to explode.” The Iraqi government continually denies the claim by Sunni activists who accuse Prime Minister Nouri Maliki of discriminating against them.  Sunni protests across Iraq and the lack of control by the Shiite authorities have fueled the fire, claim experts on Iraqi domestic politics.

While no group has claimed responsibility for the devastation, many believe Al Qaeda is involved.  The attacks began just one day after the Iraqi Al Qaeda leader, Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi, refused to obey an order from the Al Qaeda head of command to stop claiming control of over the group’s Syrian branch.

Attacks such as car bombs bear a striking resemblance to the methods used by Al Qaeda in Iraq.  Suicide bombers, car bombs, and coordinated attacks on security forces are all staples of the terrorist group.

For more information, please see the following:

National – Iraq violence rises to levels not seen since 2008 – 17 June 2013

Al Bawaba – 20 killed in wave of car bombs across Iraq -16 June 2013

Aljazeera – Deadly blasts rock southern Iraqi cities – 16 June 2013

BBC – Iraq car bombings: Attacks hit mainly Shia cities-16 June 2013

Reuters – Car bombs, shootings kill 30 across Iraq – 16 June 2013