Protests in North Africa Threaten to Spill Over to Middle East

By Eric C. Sigmund
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

RAMALLAH, West Bank – Last week’s unprecedented uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt are now fueling government opposition throughout the region.  One day after Egypt’s “March of Millions,” the increasing prospects that anti-government protests will spill over into nearby Jordan and the West Bank have led many international commentators to fear regional destabilization.  Thousands of Jordanians, encouraged by Egypt’s March of Millions, took the streets of Amman to demand governmental reforms.  In response, King Abdullah II of Jordan took steps to quell opposition forces in the country by firing his Cabinet on Tuesday.  The President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, has also promised to hold long-delayed elections in the Occupied Territories. 

Many observers in the West have approached the current situation in the region with both fear and optimism.  While the ousting of President Zine Al Abidine Ben Ali in Tunisia and the increasingly likely resignation of President Mubarak in Egypt may pave the way for recognition of more rights and freedoms in these countries, the protests have also given some Western leaders pause as longtime allies of the United States and Europe may be replaced by leaders hostile their interests abroad.  

In addition some fear the resumption of violent conflict between Abbas’ moderate Fatah party and militant Hamas as each group vies for political supremacy.  After the most recent elections in 2006, both parties attempted to subdue the other in their respective territories, leading to security roundups and detentions of political leaders.  Now Abbas has ordered his security officials to ramp up pressure on opposition forces.  The Palestinian President publicly expressed his concern that Hamas could gain additional momentum in the wake of Egyptian protests.  He has urged that all anti-Israel demonstrations remain non-violent.  President Abbas’ Cabinet promised yesterday to set a date for municipal elects by the end of next week.  Hamas has already announced that it will not cooperate with Fatah in conducting the elections. 

Maintaining political control of the West Bank may be more difficult than initially anticipated by Abbas.  Dissatisfaction towards Abbas and his Fatah party continues to increase among Palestinians.  Young Palestinians are finding it difficult to side with either Fatah or Hamas.  Khalil Shikai, a Palestinian analyst, reported that “[t]hey feel that the West Bank is turning into a police state.”  Accordingly, rising opposition to both parties may create a power vacuum that threatens to pit disenfranchised citizens against political parties desperate to hold onto power.

In a move to appease local populations, King Abdullah instructed Jordan’s new Prime Minister, Marouf al-Bakhit, to pursue “real political reforms.”  Many Jordanians, however, have not welcomed the appointment of Mr. al-Bakhit, finding the change in leadership merely cosmetic.  Commenting on the appointment of the new Prime Minister, Hamza Mansour, leader of the Islamic Action Front (Jordan’s largest opposition movement), stated “[w]e reject the new prime minister and we will continue our protests until our demands are met.”  While opposition groups in the country contend that they do not wish to see complete regime change, they do seek to limit the power of the monarch.  In particular, opposition groups have argued that the appointment of the Prime Minister should go to the elected leader of the party holding a parliamentary majority.   While King Abdullah has promised electoral reform, he has also expressed his concern that U.S. interference count strengthen hard line Islamists.

Analysis also fear destabilization in Syria, a country which shares many similarities with Egypt.  Like Egypt, Syria suffers from high levels of poverty, unemployment and corruption.  Anti-government protests, organized by online social media websites, have already taken place over the weekend.   Syria has consistently been the target of international criticism for its poor economic and human rights record.  While protests in Syria remain mild in comparison to those held in Egypt and Tunisia, it is clear that the Syrian population sees this as a prime opportunity to ratchet up pressure on the government in Damascus. 

While no one can predict the final outcome of these popular revolutions, the situation in Africa and the Middle East will continue to be fast paced and dynamic.  Even if protests remain localized in Africa, the events which have occurred over the last two weeks are sure to change the nature of politics in the region.  The 2011 African protests will be a defining moment in the region’s history. 

For more information, please see:

Christian Science Monitor – Why Palestinians Remain So Quite as Egyptians Loudly Rail Against Mubarak – Feb. 2, 2011

Reuters Africa – Palestinians Expect A Boost From New Egypt – Feb. 2, 2011

Associated Press – Egypt Crisis Puts Pressure on US Allies in Mideast – Feb. 1, 2011

Bloomberg – Palestinians Anxious Mubarak Exit Mean More Mideast Disarray – Feb. 1, 2011

New Inquiries Into Kosovo Organ Trafficking Claims

By Christina Berger
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

PRISTINA, Kosovo – The Council of Europe has called for new inquiries into claims that the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) engaged in organ trafficking following the conflict with Serbia in 1999.  This was prompted by a recent report by a Swiss Senator, Dick Marty, which alleges that following the war with the Serbs, a faction of the KLA, an ethnic Albanian separatist group, took prisoners to detention facilities where their organs were removed and later sold. A copy of the Marty report can be viewed here.

The Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly passed a resolution calling for a “serious and independent” inquiry into the organ trafficking claims.  While not binding, the resolution has reignited claims that have previously led to investigations but no prosecutions.

The report claims that witnesses to the organ trafficking were silenced and paid off by a KLA faction known as the Drenica Group.  The report accuses the Drenica Group of heroin smuggling and assassinations, in addition to organ trafficking, and the report claims Hashim Thaci, the current Prime Minister of Kosovo, was the group’s leader.

Thaci strongly denies this claim.  Thaci told the BBC’s Mark Lowen, “This is slanderous Serbian propaganda,” adding that “[t]here may have been individuals who misused the name of the KLA to commit illegal acts.  But I have never broken international law.  If there’s any evidence, an investigation should be launched to clear this slander once and for all.”

Marty has said he never claimed Thaci was directly involved in the organ trafficking, but that “it [was] hard to believe that [Thaci] never heard anything being said.”

On Friday, the EU rule of law mission (Eulex), which works with Kosovo Albanian officials to fight crime and corruption, stated that they opened a preliminary investigation into the allegations made in Marty’s report.  The mission stated that it took these allegations “very seriously” and that it was “ready, willing, and able to assume responsibility” for any resulting judicial proceedings.  Eulex called on all officials and organizations to come forward with relevant evidence, and promised full protection of witnesses.

Dick Marty has responded to the Eulex statements by saying that an investigation into the organ trafficking claims should be conducted by an independent body outside of Kosovo.  Marty noted, “It’s not that I don’t have confidence in everybody who work[s] in EULEX…but another solution needs to be found when…persons who have high political responsibility in the country should be investigated.”

For more information, please see:

PRESS ASSOCIATION – EU probes organ trafficking claims – 30 January 2011

B92 – “Independent body should conduct probe” – 30 January 2011

AP – EU probes organ trafficking allegations in Kosovo – 29 January 2011

BBC – EU studies Kosovo ‘organ traffic’ allegations – 28 January 2011

BBC – Report reignites Kosovo organ trafficking claim – 25 January 2011

BBC – Council of Europe calls for new Kosovo organ inquiry – 25 January 2011

Hospital Director Receives 15 year sentence For Deaths of 26 Psychiatric Patients In Havana

By Erica Laster                                                                                                                       Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

HAVANA, Cuba – A Cuban court is making its final decisions in the sentencing of 13 hospital staff charged with the negligence of minors, disabled and ill patients, embezzlement and abandonment.  The defendants face up to 15 years for the deaths of 26 psychiatric patients found dead from cold and neglect in January of 2010 after temperature dropped in the winter.  Many of the patients lacked blankets, clothing and were suffering from malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies.  

26 psychiatric patients were found dead of cold, malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies at Havana Psychiatric Hospital in January of 2010. Photo courtesy of realcubablog.
26 psychiatric patients were found dead of cold, malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies at Havana Psychiatric Hospital in January of 2010. Photo courtesy of realcubablog.

Various staff department heads, including the cook and hospital nutritionist, have been charged and face sentencing in the next few days.

A once reputed institution, various groups began to doubt the Havana Psychiatric Hospital’s responsibility in caring for patients.  In the months leading up to the January deaths, friends and family members submitted complaints about the actions of hospital staff.  Many claimed the hospital staff was stealing blankets, food and other items which they later sold on the black market. 

Granma, the main newspaper of Cuba, released word Monday regarding the case, which garnered much shock and criticism, but offered little information during the investigation.

Granma’s report substantiated family members and neighbors complaints regarding the hospital staff.   The investigation included an assessment of each patient, some of whom were found to have suffered from malnutrition, anemia and vitamin deficiencies.  On average, Havana Psychiatric received enough food for up to 2,458 patients.  Only 1,484 patients were present at the facility.

“The neglect and irregularities were already problems before, and you wonder how it is that no one saw them,” says retired communicator Marta María Céspedes. “Weren’t there inspections?”  Despite the renowned hospital’s reputation and state of the art facilities, this is a blow to the reputation of Cuba’s health care system which provides universal free healthcare. 

Elizardo Sanchez of the Cuban Human Rights Commission indicates he has evidence that up to 40 patients died at Havana Psychiatric, a fact hidden by the Cuban government.  “This reaffirms our conviction this has been a judicial farce. All the defendants are really just scapegoats, the responsibility lies with senior government officials,” says Sanchez.

Fidel Castro first instituted universal healthcare in 1959 after the revolution, leading to an excess supply of doctors and a healthcare system which rivaled most countries, including the United States.

The staff members’ trial took place from January 17 to January 22, 2011 resulting in the hospital director’s sentence of 15 years for his involvement in the patient deaths.

 For More Information Please Visit:

CNN – Cuba Hospital Staff Get Long Jail Terms For Patient Deaths – 1 February 2011

Havana Times – Shock At Cuba’s Psychiatric Hospital Trial Revelations – 25 January 2011

Global Issues – Cuba: Shock At Deaths And Corruption In Psychiatric Hospital – 25 January 2011

MSNBC – Cuba Seeks Long Jail Terms For Mental Asylum Deaths – 24 January 2011

Brazil’s “Monster Dam” To Proceed Despite Outcry

By Patrick Vanderpool
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

Indigenous Brazilians Participate in Public Hearing on Del Monte Dam (photo courtesy of www.treehugger.com)
Indigenous Brazilians Participate in Public Hearing on Belo Monte Dam (photo courtesy of www.treehugger.com)

BRASILIA, Brazil – Last week, environmentalists and indigenous people adamantly rejected the Brazilian government’s decision allowing work to begin on a giant hydroelectric dam. The project will proceed while the state prosecutor filed an appeal to suspend the ruling.

Brazil’s environmental agency approved “necessary infrastructure” for the controversial $15-billion Belo Monte dam, which is set to become the third-largest in the world. This initial ruling authorizes Norte Energia to destroy 600 acres of forest and build roads to the Xingu River in the northeast Brazilian state of Para.

Sixty civic groups and non-governmental organizations representing everyone from environmentalists to local peasants have formed a coalition called “Xingu Lives Forever.” In a recent statement responding to the ruling, Xingu Lives Forever called this a “dictatorial act.” The group also added that they were “going to continue opposing this project with all our might.”

Opponents of the dam claim that it is “not economically viable” and that the dam’s construction will displace up to 30,000 people because of the planned flooding on the banks of the Xingu River. Other critics of the project say only a small proportion of the electricity to be generated by the dam will meet residential needs, while the bulk will go toward industrial and mining development, also likely to spread environmental damage in the area.

Philip Fearnside of the National Amazon Research Institute said that the forests flooded by the dam’s reservoirs will generate enormous qualities of methane, a greenhouse gas estimated to be 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

State prosecutor Felicio Pontes filed an appeal, arguing that agreed-upon conditions have not been met, particularly concerning the rehabilitation of degraded zones.

In a statement to the public, Pontes said “[d]ue to decisions like this, we can say today, (the environmental agency) is the author of the worst offense against the environment in the Amazon.” The federal government says Belo Monte is vital to the economic development of the country and claims that no native land is threatened. The state has also claimed that it is spending millions of dollars to offset the social and environmental impacts of the dam.

For more information, please see:

United Press International – Brazil Going Ahead with “Monster Dam” – 31 January 2011

AFP – Brazil Dam Go-Ahead Sparks Anger – 28 January 2011

Yahoo News – Brazil Green Lights Amazon Dam in Disregard for Environmental Laws and Local Opposition – 27 January 2011