Political Prisoners Expected to Released Amidst Allegations of Deplorable Conditions

By: Jessica Ties
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

 NAYPYIDAW, Myanmar– Rights groups are calling on authorities in Myanmar to end the poor conditions of fifteen political prisoners who are being held in dog cells and deprived of water.

Myanmar is expected to release political prisoners next week despite allegations of cruelty (Photo Courtesy of Radio Free Asia).

On October 26 the prisoners began a hunger strike to protest the denial of the same sentence reductions that are offered to criminal prisoners. In Myanmar, criminal prisoners automatically have their sentences reduced by one-third in return for good behavior. Political prisoners, however, are given no opportunity to reduce their sentences.

On October 27, authorities began to retaliate against the prisoners by depriving them of water. This deprivation continued through at least November 2.

Amnesty International has stated that “depriving prisoners of drinking water as a punishment for participating in a hunger strike that could result in the prison authorities being responsible for the rapid death of the hunger strikers due to dehydration.” The statement continued to state that prisoner induced death by dehydration would be a “…violation of the right to life according to international law…”

On November 1 two of the prisoners were sent to the hospital while eight other prisoners were moved into cells designed to contain prison guard dogs. The dog cells measure approximately ten feet in length and seven feet in width. They are sound proof, do not have windows and are generally unsanitary and lacking in a bed or mat on the floor.

Reportedly, the prisoners have also been denied food, letters from their families, medication and visits.

The joint-secretary of the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners Burma, Bo Kyi, believes that approximately 1,600 political prisoners remain imprisoned in Myanmar. He also stated that “[t]he Burmese prison authorities usually crack down brutally on striking prisoners, so we are worried for their lives.”

There have been reports that the Myanmar government is planning to release approximately 600 political prisoners next week as part of a new amnesty program by President Thein Sein’s new civilian government. The new releases would add to the several hundred political prisoners released less than a month ago.

According to the Myanmar government, there are only 600 political prisoners remaining in custody meaning that the expected release next week will free the remaining political prisoners. Amnesty International, however, insists that there are still approximately 2,000 political prisoners in jail.

Although the list of those to be released has been submitted to the National Defense and Security Council by the Myanmar president, it is unknown whether the hunger strikers are among those slated to be released.

For more information, please see:

The Irrawaddy – Families Fear for Hunger Strikers – 5 November 2011

Amnesty International – Myanmar Political Prisoners Held in Dog Cells and Denied Water – 4 November 2011

Radio Free Asia – New Political Prisoner Release ‘Likely’ – 4 November 2011

Reuters – Myanmar Prisoners on Hunger Strike Denied Drinking Water – 4 November 2011

Native American Heritage Month: Celebration of Culture and Recognition of Struggles

By Brittney Hodnik
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

WASHINGTON, United States – November is Native American Heritage month; a time to reflect on the history, hardships, and culture of Native Americans in the United States.  Even today, there is ignorance throughout the United States reflected in stereotypes and norms.  In addition, there are still disparities in everything ranging from schooling and foster care, to dental needs.

November is Native American Heritage month, prompting events and awareness campaigns throughout the country. (Image Courtesy of Department of Defense Education Activity)

November is a month to remember the culture and heritage of Native Americans from the past and present.  George H.W. Bush first recognized Native American Heritage month in 1990 and it has been in place ever since.  More than ever, we need a time to remember and reflect on the struggles and triumphs of the Native Americans in the United States.

Just a few days ago, Kris Jenner, the celebrity mother and agent of Kim Kardashian, made a very offensive statement on national television.  As reported by the Huffington Post, Jenner was commenting on whether her recently divorced daughter was going to keep the $2 million engagement ring: “I hate an Indian giver.  It’s a gift… keep your gift,” she said on Good Morning America.

The National Congress of American Indians is furious over the comments, saying that they were “wrong and hurtful,” according to the Huffington Post.  “Once again American Indians and Alaska Natives have been misrepresented by a single misinformed statement.”  The Congress went on to invite Jenner and her family to learn more about Native Americans during this month.

Beyond stereotypes and hurtful words, there are still real issues when it comes to lifestyle in general, and basic necessities.  For example, MedPage Today recently reported that Native Americans’ dental needs are not being met.  Among 135 Native American adults from the Oglala Lakota Tribe examined for the study, 97% had one or more decayed teeth, along with 84% of 157 children.  Additionally, missing teeth and periodontal disease were prevalent. 

The study suggested that this disparity is due to behavioral and structural factors alike.  Much of the Oglala Lakota Tribe’s diet has been replaced with high-sugar foods and very few fruits and vegetables.  Additionally, tobacco use (both cigarettes and smokeless tobacco) is prevalent, according to MedPage Today.  Lack of federal money and a limited access to dental clinics may also be at blame.

Another struggle that Native Americans contend with is poor foster care for children.  National Public Radio (“NPR”) reports that on average, 700 Native American children are removed from their South Dakota homes, sometimes in violation of federal law.  NPR reports that sometimes the children’s removal is necessary, to keep them safe from alcoholism and abuse, but many times the circumstances under which they are removed are questionable at best. 

Although progress has been made from a time where all children were removed around age 5 and placed in boarding schools, it is still a disturbing figure.  Native American children have historically been forcibly assimilated into white culture.  NPR emphasized that this removal is not specific to South Dakota, but it is happening throughout the different tribes all across the United States.  There is a serious lack of resources for Native Americans in many aspects of life, and foster care is not immune from that.

Yet another disturbing trend is the high rates of prostitution in the Native American community and the high rates of abuse against women.  The Daily Beast prepared a story on a study conducted by non-profit organization, Minnesota Indian Women’s Sexual Assault Coalition.  The study finds that, after speaking with more than 100 Native American women who currently prostitute themselves, 92% of the women had been raped, 84% were physically assaulted, and 72% suffered traumatic brain injuries in prostitution.

Further, 98% of the women were either currently homeless or had previously been homeless at some point.  Seventy-nine percent of the women said they had been sexually abused as children.  These women admit they would like to get out of prostitution but there are just no resources to help them.  The women also face racist a degrading comments from the men seeking their services.  One woman told The Daily Beast, “A john said to me, ‘I thought we killed all of you.’”

Native women are facing these terrible issues and have nowhere to turn for help.  This disturbing trend seems to go unnoticed throughout the country.

So while we use this month to celebrate and learn about the culture and heritage of the Native American people, we should also reflect on some of the issues they still face today.  Native Americans are among some of the most prestigious veterans, after serving in both the Civil War and World War I.  This is particularly impressive because Native Americans were not granted U.S. citizenship until 1924, according to The Press Enterprise.

Many organizations are hosting events to promote Native American culture and raise awareness.  Native Americans still face many problems today, and more people need to be aware of them.

For more information, please visit:

MedPage Today — Dental Needs Unment in Native Americans — 4 Nov. 2011

The Huffington Post — Kris Jenner Slammed by Native American Group for ‘Indian Giver’ Comment — 4 Nov. 2011

The Press Enterprise — Native Americans Have Rich Hisotry of Military Service — 3 Nov. 2011

National Public Radio (NPR) – Improving Foster Care for Native American Kids — 31 Oct. 2011

The Daily Beast — Native American Women Expose Brutal Life of Prostitution — 27 Oct. 2011

Human Rights Commissioner Urges “Durable Peace” in the Balkans Region

By Alexandra Halsey-Storch
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

In a comment issued on November 3, 2011, Thomas Hammarberg, the Commissioner on Human Rights for the Council of Europe, challenged politicians of the Balkans region and Europe to bring to justice those remaining war criminals who engaged in ethnic cleansing in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the 1990s, and to bring durable peace by appropriately and effectively aiding the remaining displaced persons.

A young girl at the Konik refugee camp (Curtesy of BBC)

During the 1990s, the countries which comprised the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia—including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia, and two “autonomous provinces” Kosovo and Vojvodina = experienced a period of “intense political and economic crisis.” The entire Federation was at war with each other—the single worst atrocity having occurred in 1995 “when the Bosnian town of Srebrenica…came under attack by forces lead by the Bosnian Serb commander Ratko Mladic.” During this particular act of genocide the Serbian military executed more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys.

While the political crisis is technically over, the region remains in turmoil. According to Hammarberg, there are still about 438,000 refugees and displaced persons whose “legitimate claims have not yet been met, and for whom durable solutions have not been found.”  Furthermore, during the 1990s nearly 40,000 people went missing —of which an astonishing 14,000 so remain.

For example, more than 2,000 Roma (Gypsies) fled from Kosovo during the Balkan wars and still live in the Konik refugee camp near Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro. In an article published by the BBC, a refugee named Veseb Berisa speaks about the living conditions in the camp:

“My family and I have nothing to eat, nothing to wear, nowhere to take a proper shower. We have been like this for ten years. I work all day every day scouring the rubbish tips for metal to sell and maybe, if I am lucky, to earn 200 euros a month to feed my family…I had a job in Kosovo. I ran my own business buying and selling fruits and vegetables…The worst thing about the camp is that it’s dirty. The hygiene here is terrible. It causes so many health problems. Everything we have is dirty. Nothing can stay clean here…a lot of people are sick in the camp…most have [sickness in their] lungs because the air here is so foul. Lots of others have problems with their hearts and blood pressure. But in ten years of living here, I’ve only seen the [United Nations] help one boy who was sick…No one helps us anymore. No one comes to see how we are or how we live…we are people too. We are humans. We need help from the [United Nations], from the Albanians and Serbs who put us in this situation. What do they think in America, in the UK? They are also responsible for the conditions we live in. They have done nothing to help us. “

Overlooking the appalling conditions in which refugees live, the mayor of Podgorica said that, “the refugees should go back to where they came from.” However, for many like Veseb Berisa, the refugee camps are “home.” Their houses in Kosovo have been burned, their lives there “destroyed.”

There are still “a number of war criminals who have not yet been brought to justice—among them killers and rapists.” Furthermore, those who have yet to be captured have abused amnesty laws to “avoid accountability” for their “alleged acts of torture and other serious crimes.”  Unfortunately, the prosecutions have “not had full political support and there have been outright obstructions by some political parties,” leading to institutional difficulties of protecting witnesses and ensuring justice is administered to the victims and their families. Hammarberg went on to state that the trials are vital for “seeking the truth of the overall picture of what actually happened during the war years.”

Key political leader from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia, are scheduled to meet next week in Belgrade to discuss “durable solutions for refugees and internally displaced persons.”

For more information, please visit:

Council of Europe – Only Genuine Justice Can Ensure Durable Peace in the Balkans – 3 November 2011

BBC – Living In Filth for Ten Years – 20 June 2009

The International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia – The Former Yugoslavia-Conflicts

Security Forces Kill Fifteen After Agreement to Halt Protester Violence

By Carolyn Abdenour
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

DAMASCUS, Syria – On Friday, 4 November, Syrian security forces killed at least fifteen people after Friday prayers.  To prevent demonstrations, the security forces surrounded mosques and used gunfire throughout Syria.  The demonstrators gathered to challenge the promise the government made to the Arab League on Wednesday to halt intense confrontations with demonstrators.

Protest in Homs on Friday. (Photo Courtesy of Al Jazeera)

Syrian-based human rights lawyer Mustafa Osso commented, “This regime is not serious about ending its brutal crackdown. . . .  Today was a real test for the intentions of the regime and the answer is clear to everyone who wants to see.”

At Abu Bakr mosque in Baniays, security forces assaulted people as they exited the mosque and trapped hundreds inside to block protests.  The Local Coordinating Committees (“LCC”), a body that assists in organizing protests, reported government snipers observed demonstrations in Hasakeh and Hama from commercial markets and mosques.  The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights documented forces using gunfire in Deir Ezzor and explosives in a Daraa neighborhood.  Forces also showed a presence near the Fattahi mosque in Lattakia.  In Bab Amro, forces prevented ambulances from accessing the area where launch and shell attacks continued.  In Homs, medics report over 100 bodies arrived in the past 48 hours after tanks shelled parts of the city.

Meanwhile, SANA, Syria’s official news agency, noted engineers dismantled two two-remote controlled bombs in Deir Ezzor.  Thirteen soldiers and police also died in Hama, Homs, and Idlib fighting armed terrorist groups.

Syria’s Interior Minister announced on Friday a one-week amnesty period for “citizens who carried weapons, sold them, delivered them, transported them or funded buying them, and did not commit crimes.”  Citizens who handed themselves into the nearest police station would be freed immediately as a part of the general amnesty.

Journalists face difficulty confirming the violence on the ground because the government has limited foreign journalist activity and independent reporting.  They must rely on witness accounts, amateur videos posted online, and information gathered by activist groups.

On Wednesday, the Arab League announced at an emergency meeting that Syria agreed to release political prisoners, remove tanks and armored vehicles from the cities, and cease violence towards protesters.  Moreover, Syria also agreed to permit Arab League representatives, journalists, and human rights groups to monitor the situation.  The agreement emphasized “the need for the immediate, full and exact implementation.”

If the government abides by the Arab League agreement, groups such as the Free Syrian Army committed to follow the agreement.  If the government derogates from the agreement, the group stated, “We will be compelled to protect the protesters and work on bringing down the regime no matter how much that will cost us.”

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera – ‘Deadly Clashes’ Continue in Syria – 4 November 2011

BBC – Syria: Homs Military Attacks Continue, Say Activists – 4 November 2011

Boston Globe – Syrian Troops Fire During Protests; 9 Killed – 4 November 2011

CNN – 15 Civilians Killed in Latest Syrian Clashes, Activist Group Says – 4 November 2011

Eight Killed and Four Held Hostage During Inmate Strike

By Paula Buzzi
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

CARACAS, Venezuela — Eight inmates were killed and four police officers were taken hostage on Wednesday during a riot inside a prison in San Cristobal. In exchange for the safe release of hostages, prisoners are demanding to be transferred to a different facility. Negotiations with the prisoners began Thursday.

Venezuela negotiating hostage release at jail. (Photo Courtesy of BBC News).

According to State Police Chief, Jesus Berro, a group of inmates reportedly belonging to a gang at the San Cristobal prison were able to shoot and kill eight fellow prisoners and take four hostages after getting a hold of guns and keys to some cells. An investigation into how the firearms were able to enter the prison undetected is on going.

Venezuela currently has 30 prisons, all of which are suffering from severe overcrowding. At 47,000 inmates per prison, each prison is currently holding a little less than four times more inmates than they were originally designed to hold.

In addition to the prisons being overly packed, severe violence and extensive trial delays have added to the stress felt by Venezuelan inmates. Guns and drugs are common inside prisons and many inmates have waited months for their cases to be heard in court.

The poor prison conditions have sparked riots over the past month, including one last month where dozens of people were taken hostage by 400 rioting inmates at a Tocuyiito prison. The hostages were released only after authorities agreed to transfer the inmates to a prison located closer to the court where they would stand trial.

Although President Chavez did not comment on the violence currently occurring in the San Cristobal jail, he has recognized the need for prison reform. “We have to humanize the penitentiary system,” he said on Wednesday.

Chavez, who has himself previously spent two years in jail, is confident that his new prisons minister, Iris Verela, will be able to come up with a solution.

In the mean time, Military Commander, Hector Coronado, is negotiating with the current rebellious inmates in an attempt to regain control of the prison. He has stated that he will not use force.

 

For further information, please see:

BBC News – Venezuela Prison Guards Taken Hostage After Riot – 02 November, 2011

Washington Post – Venezuela: Prisoners Take 4 Police Officers as Hostages Amid Rioting That Kills 8 Inmates – 02 November 2011

Latin America News Dispatch – Venezuela Prison Standoff Ends After Hostages Released – 26 October  2011

Huffington Post – Venezuela: Prison Workers Still Held Hostage – 24 October 2011