Bolivian City Held Hostage by Protesters

By R. Renee Yaworsky
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

Buses held up at a roadblock. Photo courtesy of AFP.
Buses held up at a roadblock. Photo courtesy of AFP.

POTOSI, Bolivia—Thousands of protesters in Bolivia have been holding an entire city hostage for over 10 days.  The only roads leading out of the city have been blocked by protesters who have also disrupted the rail line to Chile and begun a hunger strike.

Six thousand miners in Potosi, Bolivia, have been protesting President Morales’ policies, accusing him of neglecting impoverished citizens.  The protesters have demanded more regional investment, the creation of a new cement factory, the settlement of land disputes, and a bigger airport.  They also want certain mines to be reopened that officials have closed.

“We’re taking this to the bitter end,” one hunger striker said.  Potosi Town Council president Remberto Gareca told AFP, “This strike . . . is the people’s answer to the lies of the government.”

The southern mining city has been barricaded by roadblocks constructed of boulders, virtually holding numerous citizens and tourists hostage, unable to leave.  Over 100 foreign tourists, mostly Europeans, are still trapped and waiting to be set free.  Also held captive are about 500 Bolivians.  Potosi is a city of about 200,000 people, all of whom are in danger of being affected.

One thousand people have been stranded a couple miles north of Potosi for over a week.  One of these told AFP, “We’re cold, hungry and afraid.”  Protesters were holding dynamite to intimidate those held captive, saying they would make an explosion if anyone tried to escape.

The blockade has already sparked a shortage of food in the city.  There are concerns about tourists’ health, as Potosi has a high altitude and may cause some people to get ill.  Older people and those with existing health problems are the most at-risk.

There have been reports that protesters have threatened to blow up any bus that attempted to leave the city.  On Friday, protesters piled rocks on a local airport runway to prevent a plane from landing to aid tourists.

“Our rules are tough here,” one protester explained.  “We don’t let any vehicle through.  There are 6,000 of us.  We’re organized.”

The governor of the local district has been supportive of the protesters, even participating in the recent hunger strike.  Also participating are many regional officials, union and farm leaders.  As of yet, the Bolivian government has not moved to amend the situation.

For more information, please see:

ABC – Tourists trapped in blockaded city – 8 August 2010

AP – Protest traps tourists in Bolivian highland city – 7 August 2010

AFP – Bolivians on hunger strike, cut rail links to Chile – 7 August 2010

Migrant Laborers in the United Arab Emirates Stranded Without Pay, Way Home

By Alyxandra Stanczak
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

Migrant worker in Sharjah, UAE, where many workers have faced abandonment. (Photo courtesy of dawn.com)
Migrant worker in Sharjah, UAE, where many workers have faced abandonment by employers. (Photo courtesy of dawn.com)

SHARJAH, United Arab Emirates – Thirty-eight Bengali and Pakistani workers are currently stranded in the emirate of Sharjah after their Indian employers fled the country, leaving the workers without ten-months of back pay. The workers earn approximately $220 a month, and there is no sign that the employers have any intention of paying the workers. These workers are forced remain in the UAE without work visas as they generally do not have enough money to return to their respective homes.

In March, the workers took to the Emirati courts to attempt to seize their lost wages, but no progress was made on the issue. They have also registered their status as abandoned with the courts, resulting in an issuing of passports which would allow them to leave the country. It is customary for employers of migrant workers to retain the passports of their employees upon entering the UAE for work purposes.

This past week, the abandoned workers attempted to appeal to the Ministry of Labor. The Ministry stated that they cannot help these workers because of the legal action that they previously took against their employers. Saher Shaikh stated that “The authorities are extremely proactive and supportive in trying to help camps in this situation. [However], this particular camp … seems to be dragging on for a quite a while.”

These thirty-eight workers currently face eviction, and cannot afford food, water, and power – much less a flight home. They are surviving on handouts they receive off the streets.

Approximately 12 million foreign workers, primarily from Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, and other South Asian countries, have come to the UAE and other Gulf countries where they earn higher wages than they can in their respective home countries. Mirgrant workers they do not have substantial legal protection in the UAE, and cannot form labor unions. Since the economy in the UAE has slowed, migrant workers, particularly in the emirates of Dubai, Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi, face abandonment as their employers liquidate their remaining assets and flee the country when ventures prove unprofitable.

A non-profit group, Adopt-A-Camp, has been set up by Saher Shaikh to provide assistance to Gulf workers in these situations.

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Gulf laborers remain stranded – 5 August 2010

Change.org – Exploited workers stranded in Dubai – 3 August 2010

Migrant Workers – UAE: Thousands of laborers left to fend for themselves – 23 July 2010

Reuters – Migrant workers collateral damage of UAE slump – 20 July 2010

Voters Erupt in Solomon Islands

By Joseph Juhn
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

China Town in the city of Honiara in the Solomon Islands was burned to the ground after rioting following the 2006 election. Photo / Greg Bowker

China Town in the city of Honiara in the Solomon Islands was burned to the ground after rioting following the 2006 election (Photo Courtesy of New Zealand Herald)

HONIARA, Solomon Islands – Angry voters in a remote province of the Solomon Islands started throwing rocks after their supporting candidate lost the election, damaging nearby buildings and a polling station.

MP Patterson Oti is one of a record 509 candidates seeking election to the tiny Pacific island nation’s 50-seat parliament. When Mr. Patterson Oti failed to capture a seat in this week’s elections in Lata, a remote province of the Solomons, hundreds of his supporters erupted and went on a rampage, suspending vote counting.

However, a Solomons election spokesperson downplayed reports of a riot breaking out and claimed that the situation was calm and well handled.

“Last night (Thursday), counting was coming to a close in a tightly contested electorate. Some supporters got upset and threw some rocks, the returning officer did the right thing and stopped counting and closed the station to calm the situation.

“Officials in the area are now speaking with both groups of supporters, local leaders and tribal elders to make sure the counting can be completed peacefully,” he said.

However, his comments were contradictory to that of a police officer who spoke on condition of anonymity.

“The situation this morning is tense and we are helpless to stop the rampage because we do not have adequate officers and resources,” he said.

Solomons Islands is not new to such problems. In 2003, hundreds were killed in ethnic violence that drove at least 20,000 people from their homes, which led to the deployment of an Australian-led international security force, RAMSI, to maintain peace in the Solomons.

Subsequently, in 2006, when the unpopular Snyder Rini was announced prime minister, riots erupted in the capital Honiara which destroyed much of Chinatown and injured dozens of Australian police officers.

To prevent a repeat of such violence, foreign peacekeepers stepped up security in Honiara, the nation’s capital, during Wednesday’s poll and the continuing vote counting, but no extra forces were sent to remote centers like Lata.

Vote counting in most constituencies is expected to be completed by Sunday.

For more information, please see:
Sky News-Vote count suspended over rock throwing-6 August 2010

Metronewsca-Security tight for Solomon Islands vote count-5 August 2010

Yahoo News-Voters riot after local MP ousted in Solomons poll -5 August 2010

Fiji’s Strongman Still Censoring and Ruling by Decrees

By R. Renee Yaworsky
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

Commodore Bainimarama. Photo courtesy of ABC.
Commodore Bainimarama. Photo courtesy of ABC.

SUVA, Fiji–Fiji’s prime minister, Voreqe Bainimarama, remains unapologetically in favor of censorship and an iron-fisted military regime.  Despite pressure from nearby nations such as Australia and New Zealand, Fiji’s strongman continues to place trust in his military, but not his own people.

Commodore Bainimarama took control of the impoverished island nation in a military coup in 2006.  He did away with the constitution and now rules by decrees.  He told ABC television that he believes only the military can adequately run the country and that politicians, judges, and the public aren’t trustworthy.  He also defended his strict censorship regulations and rule-by-decree regime.

“I don’t trust the people,” the dictator said.  “We can’t bring about changes if there are people that are still talking about bringing instability.”

Bainimarama says dissent will not be allowed and has silenced opponents, including the Methodist Church and tribal chiefs.  He has also expelled Australian and New Zealand diplomats after their governments spoke out against his seizure of power and refusal to implement elections.

“We need to stop all people speaking out against the government and its reforms.  I need to silence them,” the military leader stated.

A ban on foreign ownership of the media has been installed, and Fiji Times, a popular news outlet, will close soon.

“I’ll be glad that people like the Fiji Times will no longer be here,” Bainimarama said.  “We’ll have our ownership of the papers, so we’ll have at least some support for what we’re trying to do.”

The dictator has tried to justify censorship by explaining that some media outlets understand his reasons.

“They understood that at some stage we’ll need to shut some people up. . . .  Reforms will never happen if we open everything out to every Tom, Dick and Harry to have their say.”

Fiji has been suspended from the Pacific Islands Forum, which is holding its annual summit this week in Vanuatu.  Bainimarama has criticized the Forum, saying it is dominated by Australia and New Zealand which are not Pacific Islanders.

“They crept in slowly like the proverbial camel,” he complained, “with their head in, and then the front legs, and then the back legs, and all of a sudden the owners of the tent were out and they were inside the tent.”

Bainimarama says he wants to free Fiji from racial politics and hold elections in 2014.  Fiji has been divided by a power struggle between a majority Fijian Indian community and various indigenous groups.

For more information, please see:

AFP-Fiji ruler says he doesn’t trust his people with democracy-3 August 2010

Sydney Morning Herald-Only military can save Fiji: Bainimarama-3 August 2010

ABC-At home with Fiji’s strongman-3 August 2010