HUMANITARIAN CRISIS WORSENS AS SOMALIA RAMPS UP COUNTER-TERRORISM EFFORTS

By Eric C. Sigmund
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

MOGADISHU, Somalia – Violence continued in Somalia for the third straight day today as the government combats insurgent forces throughout the country.  Fighting erupted in Mogadishu after the Islamic insurgent group al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda sponsored radical Islamic organization, successfully carried out a number of suicide bombing attacks against civilian populations and government forces in the country’s capital.  The Somali government, supported by African Union troops, has engaged in an intensive campaign to push al-Shabab out of its strongholds and to maintain control of the capital.

80 Civilians Injured and Hundreds Displaced as Somali Government Combats al-Shabab Insurgents (Photo Courtesy of AP)
80 Civilians Injured and Hundreds Displaced as Somali Government Combats al-Shabab Insurgents (Photo Courtesy of AP)

The fighting however, threatens to aggravate the dire humanitarian situation already facing Somalia.  Although 25 percent fewer Somalis require international assistance compared to only six months ago, millions of citizens remain vulnerable and the fighting in Mogadishu may cause the government to divert resources away from the citizenry in order to fight terrorism.  According to the U.N. Food and Agricultural Organization in Somalia, over 35,000 children throughout the country remain malnourished and 90 percent of those children live within the conflict zone which has engulfed south-central Somalia.  The United States also reduced funding for the U.N. World Food Program in Somalia because of fears that money was going to fund al-Shabab.

A scarcity of resources is not the only concern for Somalis who reside within the conflict ridden territories of Somalia.  Civilians are also targets of al-Shabab suicide attacks.  On Tuesday, more than 30 people were killed when a suicide bomber detonated in a hotel.  Al-Shabab has also declared an “all-out war against AMISOM forces.” 

Al-Shabab however, is not the only blameworthy party in this conflict.  Somalis are also being killed in the government’s operations against the insurgent organization.  Amnesty International told reporters Wednesday that the government’s use of indiscriminate weapons, such as mortars, in densely populated areas has contributed to the civilian death toll.   Benedicte Goderiaux, an Amnesty International researcher in Somalia, criticized the government saying “[w]hen you have one party to the conflict which is committing abuses and violations of international law, that doesn’t justify the other side from also committing violations of international law.”  Ms. Goderiaux warns that the government must respect international law even while pursuing its counter attack strategy. 

Although the government reports progress in its fight against al-Shabab, civilians have borne the brunt of the fighting in Somalia.  Over 80 people have been killed and hundreds displaced in the last three days of fighting.

For more information, please see:

CBS News – Third Day of Fighting in Somalia’s Capital Kills 8 – 25 Aug. 2010

IC Publications Africa – Fresh Mogadishu Gunfight Kills Six Civilians – 25 Aug. 2010

Voice of America – Civilians Bearing Brunt of Somali Conflict – 25 Aug. 2010

Voice of America – Rain Eases Somalia’s Humanitarian Crisis – 23 Aug. 2010

Venezuela, Deadlier Than Iraq

By Patrick Vanderpool
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America 

Venezuelan Man who was Stabbed in the Eye During a Violent Outbreak (Photo Courtesy of www.sulekha.com)
Venezuelan Man who was Stabbed in the Eye During a Violent Outbreak (Photo Courtesy of www.sulekha.com)

 CARACAS, Venezuela – What has been viewed as an ongoing joke has officially become a grave reality.  It is almost unfathomable to think about, but there are places on earth more dangerous than an active war zone.  While the world is focused on the US war in Iraq because of the never-ending news cycles recounting the number of fatalities in any given given day, little attention is paid to a country that experiences even greater violence, Venezuela.

Venezuela has roughly the same population as Iraq, but experienced nearly four times the number of murders in 2009.  According to 2009 statistics, there were 4,644 civilian casualties in Iraq.  Although violence in Venezuela does not receive the amount of media coverage as Iraq receives, Venezuela’s more than 16,000 murders in 2009 dwarfs Iraqi casualties.

These alarming numbers are not a new phenomenon in a country that has experienced a surge in violence since President Hugo Chavez took office in 1999.  According to the Venezuelan Violence Observatory, it is estimated that there have been 118,541 homicides in Venezuela in the past decade.  The Venezuelan government has stopped releasing homicide statistics, but has not disputed the figures presented by VVO.

Wealthier Venezuelan citizens have resorted to hiding their homes behind walls and hiring foreign security personnel to advise them on how to avoid kidnappings and killings.  Unfortunately, every Venezuelan cannot afford such precautions and protection.

While the government has all but ignored the high crime rate, a recent photograph printed in El Nacional, a Venezuelan newspaper, depicting a dozen homicide victims strewn about the city’s largest morgue, has brought the issue to the forefront of Venezuela’s social conscience.  Although the photograph was exceptionally graphic, the most startling news may be that the bodies in the photograph were accumulated after only a two-day stretch.

While the photograph was a stark reminder to those living in the midst of this violence on a daily basis, the Venezuelan government attempted to quietly sweep it under the rug.  Almost immediately, a court ordered the paper to cease publishing the gory photograph and all others like it.  The prohibition has done little to quiet a public outcry that is concerned with why the government sits back in quiet acquiescence and lets the violence continue.

Teodoro Petkoff, the editor of another Venezuelan newspaper, sarcastically stated, “Forget the hundreds of children who die from stray bullets, or the kids who go through the horror of seeing their parents or older siblings killed before their eyes,” in response to the court’s order.

Venezuela’s capital city of Caracas has a murder rate of 200 victims for every 100,000 inhabitants, making it one of the deadliest cities in the Americas.  Other heavily populated South American capital cities, including Bogotá, Colombia and São Paulo, Brazil, have significantly lower murder rates at 22.7 victims per 100,000 inhabitants and 14 victims per 100,000 inhabitants respectively.

Scholars are confounded by the dramatic increase in violence over the last decade.  Some scholars attribute the violence to Venezuela’s shrinking economy.  As the income gap between the rich and the poor broadens, feelings of resentment increase.  In addition to the disenfranchised feelings, Venezuela is littered with illegal firearms.

Along with the income gap widening, Venezuela has the highest inflation rate in the hemisphere.  The inflation rate, coupled with low law enforcement salaries, has caused some law enforcement officials to turn to supplementing their incomes with criminal activity.

Other experts attribute the rise in violence to President Chavez himself.  Throughout the Chavez regime, the judicial system has become increasingly politicized and aligns itself with President Chavez’ political ideals.

To add insult to injury, more than 90 percent of Venezuelan murders go unsolved.  While some of the country’s most brutal killings remain open, the courts seem to tirelessly pursue individuals who are critical of President Chavez.

Bernardo Álvarez Herrera, the Venezuelan Ambassador to the United States, wrote an open letter to the New York Times claiming that the Venezuelan government is undertaking initiatives, including creating a national security force and funding a training program for law enforcement officials, to end some of the violence.  Herrera claims that stories highlighting the high murder rates understate the Venezuelan government’s efforts to solve the violence problem.  Human rights advocates are not impressed and say that the measures are too timid.

For more information, please see:

Island Crisis – Venezuelan Ambassador to U.S. Writes Open Letter to New York Times – 24 August 2010

New American – Murder Out of Control in Venezuela – 24 August 2010

New York Times – Venezuela, More Deadly than Iraq, Wonders Why – 22 August 2010

Tens of Thousands Flee Embattled City in Yemen, Dozens Killed

By Warren Popp
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

As government forces surround the city and crackdown on militant forces, it is still difficult for news sources to verify government claims. (Photo Courtesy of Al Jazeera)
As government forces surround the city and crackdown on militant forces, it is still difficult for news sources to verify government claims. (Photo Courtesy of Al Jazeera)

ADEN, Yemen – Upwards of 80,000 people have reportedly fled the southern Yemeni city of Loder. The massive displaced has been caused by the government alleged battle with al Qaeda-linked militants there. The government has reported that at least thirty-three people have been killed, including eleven soldiers, three civilians, and nineteen militants with alleged links to al Qaeda. Witnesses in Loder reportedly said that the fighting intensified after Sunday night, following the expiration of an ultimatum to militants to surrender.

A security official told the AFP that Yemeni forces have recently been able to enter the city and impose control over most of it, claiming that al Qaeda elements have since fled.

Al Jazeera reports that it is difficult to independently verify reports coming out of Loder, including government claims that only gunmen are left in the embattled city, because the city is surrounded by troops.

Southern Yemen was independent from the north from 1967 until its unification with the north in 1990. There have since been efforts in south Yemen to regain independence, including a failed succession bid in 1994. According to the Examiner, Southern Yemenis began protesting three years ago in an effort to obtain equal rights, triggered by escalating state violence and arbitrary arrests. The current coalition of groups, the Southern Movement, which has a range of demands from economic and social improvements to full independence for the region, is allegedly leading the present opposition, including calls for independence. The Examiner reports that nearly seventy percent of southerners are now in favor of succeeding from the north.

Southern Yemen is also believed to have become a haven for the al Qaeda affiliate in Yemen, the al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), the ranks of which have allegedly been filled in part by foreign fights from states such as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. Yemeni authorities claim that they killed AQAP’s second-in-command in Loder, along with eighteen other militants linked to AQAP.

Some opposition forces, including the prominent exiled south Yemeni leader, Ali Salem al-Baid, condemned the government’s “massacres” in the south, claiming, “The military campaign in Loder is aimed against our people’s resistance in the south,” and that the government’s claim that it is fighting al Qaeda is “an attempt to cover up the massacres committed against our people.”

Al Jazeera says that the separatist movement the government has been battling in the South may be related to the current siege. They cite Mohammed Al-Qadhi, a Sana’a-based journalist with The National newspaper, as saying, “The government is trying to use al-Qaeda as a pretext to attack movement activists who are pushing for independence for the south,” he said.

The Yemeni government fully stands by its position that it is battling elements of AQAP in Loder. The Yemeni army reportedly uncovered a large stash of weapons, including rockets and anti-tank weapons hidden in homes in the area, and the Yemeni Defence Ministry stated on its website that “Outlaw separatist elements” collaborated with al Qaeda in the clashes in Loder.

For more information, please see:

AFP – Yemeni Army Regaining Control of Southern City – 24 August 2010

Al Jazeera – Thousands Flee South Yemen City – 24 August 2010

United Press International – AQAP Leader Killed in Yemen – 24 August 2010

Examiner – Yemen Bombs Southern Town and Blames Al Qaeda, Dozens Dead and Wounded – 21 August 2010

Fatal Shootout Erupts at Military Base

By R. Renee Yaworsky
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

CARACAS, Venezuela—Two officers were shot and killed on a Venezuelan military base after a soldier opened fire with an assault rifle.  Six other soldiers were injured in the following shootout .

The gunfire erupted early Saturday on the Fort Tiuna military base, located in the capital city of Caracas.  The base is the largest in the country and houses the headquarters of the Defense Ministry.  The gunman fled from the base after firing a Russian AK-103 assault rifle.

The alleged shooter has been identified as Jeffersson Jose Trujillo Vasquez.  The attorney general’s office reports that the soldier began shooting after arguing with one of his superiors during the changing of the guard.  That officer, Captain Miguel Angel Rosales, who was 33 years old, was shot in the head and died.

After killing Rosales, Vasquez allegedly entered an arms depot and shot Lt. Alfredo Ruiz.  Ruiz, who was 25, was fatally injured by the attack.

The gunfight that followed between Vasquez and others at the base resulted in six wounded soldiers: three women and three men of various ranks.

Although the suspect’s abandoned car has been found in a slum, police and troops have yet to capture him.

Military officials have yet to publicly react to the incident.

Fort Tiuna was recently the scene of a separate shooting.  Last week, a Hong Kong athlete at the women’s baseball World Cup was struck and wounded by an apparent stray bullet.  Her team pulled out of the Cup.  Though it is still unclear whether that bullet originated from the military base, the tournament was moved from Fort Tiuna to Maracay, west of Caracas.

Although Caracas has a reputation for being one of the most dangerous cities in Latin America, Fort Tiuna has been considered relatively safe.  This reputation has been reinforced by the fact that President Hugo Chavez often visits the officers’ mess at night.  The vice-president owns a residence on the military compound, and foreign delegations are frequently hosted there.

For more information, please see:

AP-2 shot dead at Venezuela military base; 6 wounded-21 August 2010

AFP-Soldier kills two officers, wounds six at Venezuelan base-21 August 2010

BBC-Venezuelan soldier kills two officers ‘after dispute’-21 August 2010

Mexico Supreme Court Upholds Gay Adoption Rights

By Ricardo Zamora
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

MEXICO CITY, Mexico – Mexico’s Supreme Court upheld a law granting same-sex couples in Mexico City the right to adopt children earlier this week. The decision comes a week after the Court upheld the constitutionality of same-sex marriage, and after Argentina legalized gay marriage and adoption in July.

Juliana Cano Nieto, researcher in the LGBT rights program at Human Rights Watch, said that “the Supreme Court’s ruling confirms that the state cannot withhold any legal rights on the grounds of a person’s sexual orientation and gender identity.” This decision will “have resonance for courts throughout the continent for protecting the basic human rights of LGBT people,” she added.

The decision is a response to a challenge from the Attorney General’s office. The Attorney General contended that the law “breached the concept of family and the best interest of the child guaranteed in the constitution by allowing LGBT couples to adopt.”

The Court dismissed the Attorney General’s interpretation of the law, explaining that the law is not restricted to families formed by a male and female. In its opinion, the Court cited E.B. v. France, a European Court of Human Rights case which held that a single lesbian woman could not be denied the right to adopt a child due to her sexual orientation. The ECJ also noted that same-sex couples should have the same rights to adopt as traditional couples in order to fully guarantee equality and avoid discrimination. Finally, it made clear that the “best interest” of the child is to “have a loving family, regardless of the sexes of the family members.”

“Today, institutionalized homophobia has been buried,” said Jaime Lopez Vela, an LBGT group leader. He added that they were happy because “now we have the same rights and responsibilities of any other married couple.”

Justice Arturo Saldivar, voting with the 9-2 majority, reiterated that “the preferences of the parents do not determine a child’s sexual orientation… that is a discriminatory argument.” “It’s not a question of sexuality that determines whether a person is qualified or not to adopt,” Justice Margarita Luna added.

The Catholic Church strongly disagrees with the Supreme Court’s judgment and is seeking to impeach the justices voting with the 9-2 majority.

According to Human Rights Watch, Mexico is now the 11th country in the world to provide LGBT people equal access to marriage, along with the Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and Argentina.

For more information, please see:

The Christian Science Monitor – Mexico Court Upholds Gay Adoption Law. Is Mexico More Tolerant Than US? – 17 August 2010

Huffington Post – Mexico Gay Adoption Law Upheld By Supreme Court – 16 August 2010

Human Rights Watch – Mexico: Landmark Adoption Ruling for Same-Sex Couples – 16 August 2010