CROATIA’S COOPERATION IN PROSECUTING WAR CRIMINALS PAYS OFF

By Greg Hall
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

LONDON, England – After six years, Croatia has finally satisfied the requirements to be admitted into the European Union. Croatia’s bid was slowed by its past failures to cooperate fully in the prosecution of war criminals.

Former ministry official Tomislav Mercep was arrested last week and charged with war crimes against Serbs during the 1990s. Croatias human rights record has been an impediment to accession into the European Union. (Photo Courtesy of RadioFree Europe).
Mercep was arrested last week for war crimes against the Serbs during the 1990s. (Photo Courtesy of RadioFree Europe).

The president of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, said he was proposing completion of negotiations with Croatia, signifying that it had met the European Union’s requirements in a total of thirty-five policy areas. “This paves the way for Croatia to join the EU as the 28th member state as of 1 July 2013.” EU leaders are expected to approve accession at a summit on June 23-24.

Croatian people would have sought membership in the European Union much earlier than now.  However, before Croatia could begin its bid, it needed approval from then chief prosecutor for the United Nations Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.  Thus, from the beginning, proceedings from The Hague had a direct impact on Croatia’s accession to the European Union.

For Croatians, this was not an easy accomplishment.  Many Croatians viewed previous military leaders and politicians as heroes because they fought for their country, despite the allegations against them .

General Ante Gotovina was arrested in 2005 for crimes against humanity and sentenced to twenty-four years in prison for his involvement in the country’s war for independence.  Gotovina’s extradition and conviction lessened Croatian support for joining the European Union from 53 percent to 44 percent.  Currently, Croatian support is up to 50 percent but expected to increase with Pope Benedict’s recent show of support.

Croatia recently indicted another former senior interior ministry official on Thursday, Tomislav Mercep, who has been charged with war crimes against Serb civilians at the beginning of the country’s independence war.

Though not all Croatians support accession, Croatia will likely be better off complying with the EU’s admission standards. Finland, like Croatia, had its doubts when it first joined. Finland’s approval rate of being part of the EU is now over 70%.

Croatia’s Deputy Prime Minister, Domagoj Milosevic, believes that joining the EU will significantly help the economy.  Other Croatians believe membership is a natural fit as they see themselves as part of “Western civilization.”

The international community supports Croatia’s accession. British Prime Minister David Cameron, said it was a “historic day.’’

“Croatia, in my view, belongs in the European Union,’’ he said.

For more information, please see:

Pakistan Observer – Croatia Charges Former War Criminal With War Crimes – 10 June 2011

New York Times – Croatia Given Conditional Approval to Join EU in 2013– 10 June 2011

Deutsche Welle – Between Apathy and Euphoria: Croatia’s Path to the EU – 10 June 2011

BBC – Croatia Cleared for EU Membership in 2013 – 10 June 2011

Former mayor of Tijuana´s arrest may have been politically motivated

By Paula Buzzi
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

MEXICO CITY, Mexico Former mayor of Tijuana, Jorge Hank Rhon, was formally charged on Wednesday by Federal Prosecutors in Mexico with possession of prohibited weapons.  According to military officials, 88 firearms and between 8,000 and 9,000 ammunition rounds were seized in the raid of Hank’s vast compound in Tijuana.  Most of the guns were limited by law to use solely by the armed forces.

Former Tijuana mayor charged in weapons case (Photo courtesy of The Washington Post) Former Tijuana mayor charged in weapons case. (Photo courtesy of The Washington Post).

Hank’s attorneys have suggested that the confiscated weapons were properly licensed and legitimate methods to protect the former mayor’s business interests. They also stated that some of the weapons are thought to have been planted.

From 2004 to 2007, Hank served as the mayor of Tijuana. He is currently one of the country’s wealthiest men, having inherited his father’s fortune. His father, Carlos Hank Gonzalez, formerly served as the governor of Mexico and a powerbroker of the then ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI).

Hank’s position as a major figure within the PRI, the now opposition party in Mexico, has led to allegations by its members that his arrest was a politically motivated move orchestrated by the conservative National Action Party, or PAN. PAN is currently President Calderon’s party and is far behind PRI in the early polls for the 2012 elections.

Hank’s arrest sparked a whirlwind of protests in Tijuana last week. Dressed in red and yelling “Viva Hank,” thousands of his supporters gathered demanding Hank’s release. One large banner read “The anonymous tip came from Los Pinos,” referring to President Calderon’s residence.

Calderon officials denied any involvement.

“There is no witch hunt, of course not. Every case is supported by evidence,” stated Mexico’s attorney general, Marisela Morales.

Columnist Martin Moreno was in support of Hank’s arrest. “Let’s not confuse ourselves, Jorge Hank Rhon … represents the PRI and is the emblem of the abuses, corruption and decadence of PRI-ism,” he wrote in his column in the Daily Excelsior.

Pablo Salazar Mendiguchia, former governor of Chiapas, joins Hank Rohn among politicians facing criminal charges. Mendiguchia was arrested in Cancun on Tuesday on charges of stealing $9 million from public funds before leaving office in 2006.

For more information, please see:

Los Angeles Times World —Raid puts Mexican casino mogul in sympathetic light —12 June 2011

BBC News —Ex-Tijuana mayor Hank Rhon on weapon charges—8 June 2011

Los Angeles Times — Mexico authorities return former mayor to Tijuana to face arms charges —8 June 2011

The Washington Post —Former Tijuana mayor charged in weapons case —8 June 2011

Fijian fugitive to launch pro-democracy campaign against military regime

By Brianne Yantz
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

SUVA, Fiji – Last month, Ratu Tevita Mara, a former senior Fijian military commander, fled his country and escaped to Tonga after being charged with plotting to overthrow the government. Shortly after his departure, Mara began accusing the Fijian government and its self-appointed Prime Minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, of greed, corruption, and violence against dissenters.

Former Senior Fijian Military Commander, Ratu Tevita Mara. (Photo Courtesy of Taimi Media Network).
Former Senior Fijian Military Commander, Ratu Tevita Mara. (Photo Courtesy of Taimi Media Network).

Although Mara had been hiding out in the capital city of Tonga for weeks, his accusations were publicly broadcasted through videos that he posted to the website, YouTube.  The Australian government permitted Mara to enter the country so that he could attend a pro-democracy forum in Queanbeyan, New South Wales.  This sparked outrage from the Fijian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, who indicated that by welcoming a Fijian fugitive, Australia risked heightening tensions between the two nations.

Regardless, Australia appears to be supporting Mara and his plans to launch a regional, pro-democracy campaign aimed at putting an end to Fiji’s military regime.  Thursday, Mara announced his campaign plan which includes a tour of multiple Pacific nations and New Zealand, as well as a trip to New York to lobby the United Nations.  In an interview with The Australian, Mara stated that his hopes were to “get a consolidated front together to campaign for a quick return to democratic governance in Fiji.”

The Fijian government that Mara seeks to challenge has been in power since 2006 and has yet to hold a single election.  Recently, Prime Minister Bainimarama publicly vowed that elections would be held in 2014, as requested by the Australian and New Zealand governments.  However, Mara and other dissenters believe he has no plans to keep that promise.

Rajesh Singh, who formerly served as Fiji’s Minister of Youth Affairs, shares Mara’s concerns.  Singh, who now lives in New Zealand, has also challenged the Australian and New Zealand governments to take action against the current Fijian government.  Singh believes the only way to ensure a return to democracy in Fiji might be from a change that is forced from the outside.  He told Radio New Zealand that “It’s us, the people outside of Fiji, that can speak their mind.”

Despite Mara’s platform for democracy, there is no word on whether New Zealand will welcome Mara on his tour. Nik Naidu, a member of the Auckland-based Coalition for Democracy in Fiji, said that Mara “was one of the worst types of officers in Fiji” and that he and his group do not want him in the country.  In addition, Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully stated that Mara is currently on a list of people banned from entering New Zealand.  Mara will have to be removed from the list or granted an exemption before he can bring his campaign to New Zealand.

For more information, please see:

The Fiji Times – Intervention concerns State – June 10, 2011

Radio New Zealand – Group opposes Fiji officer’s plan to visit NZ – June 10, 2011

The Australian – Former senior Fiji military commander Ratu Tevita Mara to campaign against Fiji in Australia – June 9, 2011

The Sydney Morning Herald – Fiji threatens Canberra for granting visa – June 9, 2011

The Sydney Morning Herald – Another voice calls for Fiji change – June 8, 2011

Jordan’s King Abdullah Promises New Reforms; Success Uncertain

by Zach Waksman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

AMMAN, Jordan – In a speech marking his twelfth year as the leader of Jordan, King Abdullah II announced today that he would be making new efforts at reforming the country’s government, which has long been plagued by corruption.  The promise comes on the heels of protests calling for democracy that have been ongoing for the months since last November’s Parliamentary election, which was boycotted by several opposition groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood.

This latest initiative began after Jordan’s National Dialogue Committee released its recommendations for political reform last Saturday.  The Committee, established in March, was asked to reach a consensus on numerous issues on that topic, some of which were raised by Abdullah himself.  Among the recommendations is the establishment of an independent panel of former judges to oversee elections.  The Committee also proposed a law on political parties to make them easier to form by reducing the number of people required to do so from 500 to 250.  Out of those founding members, the draft law would require at least 25 of them to be women.

King Abdullah II of Jordan (Photo Courtesy of Al Arabiya)
"National consensus, public participation and a stage for reform, autonomous of any imposed monopoly, is the way to enhance reform - one where there is no need for appeasement nor capitulation to the conditions of any current, so long as we all agree on the substance of reform," said King Abdullah II in his speech to the Jordanian people. (Photo Courtesy of Al Arabiya)

Senate President Taher Masri, who chaired the 52-member Committee, considered the effort a success.  “Our mission is accomplished and the ball is in the court of the government to continue the reform process and translate the recommendations into action.”

In his address to the nation, Abdullah set out his vision for Jordan as a model constitutional monarchy.  He foresaw a clear separation of powers so that all parts of the government would be accountable to the nation.  “Elaborating on this vision, and on political reforms in particular,” he emphasized, “our guiding principles will emanate from the recommendations produced by consensus of the National Dialogue Committee…that reflect the aspirations of Jordanians…”  A key part of this initiative would be conduction of new elections to replace the current Parliament.

Despite the king’s lofty rhetoric, not all Jordanians are as optimistic about the possibility of success.  According to 28-year-old Ahamad Sami, a fruit salesman, this effort will be no more effective than the one that took place five years ago.  “It’s all lies,” Sami told the New York Times.  “The Parliament will not approve these recommendations, because it’s not in their own personal interest.”

That 2006 initiative, called the National Agenda, went nowhere due to lack of pressure from within the Parliament or from the public.  It was one of many reform efforts that Abdullah has made since taking the throne in 1999.  None of them have truly succeeded.

In the opinion of Marwan Muasher, the former Deputy Prime Minister of Jordan, Abdullah is part of the reason for this failure by not convincing society to follow his lead.  “All efforts to open up the political system have been thwarted by a resilient class of political elites and bureaucrats who feared that such efforts would be move the country away from a decades-old rentier system to a merit based one,” Muasher explained.  And whenever those people opposed Abdullah’s policies, he capitulated to them, thus undermining his own initiatives.

Whether this will happen again is unclear.  Every past effort came up short due to lack of support, but Abdullah is not backing down.  He seems to finally have the support he needs from inside the government.  “We have democrats and we have conservatives and people who believe that proceeding with these changes may undermine the authority of the state,” said Masri.  “Implementation is a process and it will be a tough road ahead.”

For more information, please see:

Petra — King Addresses Nation — 12 June 2011

Washington Post — Jordan’s king bows to popular demands for elected Cabinets, constitutional changes — 12 June 2011

New York Times — Jordan Tries to Remake Its Political Machinery — 8 June 2011

Al Arabiya — Failure of Jordanian reform offers roadmap for Arab leaders — 16 May 2011