Charles Taylor Trial Update

By Jonathan Ambaye

Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

THE HAGUE, Netherlands– Last week saw Charles Taylor’s defense provide key witness testimony that could be potentially damaging to Sierra Leone Special Court Prosecutors.  One witness testified that over 300 Liberians and Sierra Leoneans were based and being trained in Liberia under a top Sierra Leonean rebel leader, prior to attacking Sierra Leone in 1991.

This particular witness, whose name and personal information were kept private, told judges he was a part of the rebel force that trained under the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) leader, Foday Sankoy, in Liberia at Camp Nama sometime around the early 1990’s. The witness also recalled additional rebel commanders who participated in these training camps, some of whom would later be prosecuted and convicted by the Special Court for Sierra Leone for their roles in war crimes committed during the Sierra Leonean conflict.

The witness testified, “I can remember Sam Bockarie who is Mosquito, I knew Sam Quelleh, I knew Issa Sesay, I knew Morris Kallon, I knew Augustine Gbao, I knew Jonathan Kposowa, they were many, I can’t recall all of their names now.”

Prosecutors are alleging that Taylor was aware of, and supported these training facilities at Camp Nama in Liberia. Taylor denies having any knowledge of the camp’s existence.

Another witness testified that Charles Taylor never ordered his rebel forces to commit crimes. The witness further claims that Taylor was actually being prevented from liberating the Liberian people by other foreign countries that interfered in the country’s conflict.

For more information please see:

Charles Taylor Trial – Foreign Countries Prevented Charles Taylor From Liberating Liberia – 11 March 2010

Charles Taylor Trial – Foday Sankoh Wanted To Free Sierra Leoneans From The Misery of Politicians – 12 March 2010

Charles Taylor Trial – Liberian Witness Says Sierra Leonean Rebel Forces Were Trained in Liberia – 13 March 2010

Iraq Commission Rejects Calls for Recount

By Bobby Rajabi

Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

BAGHDAD, Iraq – On March 21, the Iraqi election commission rejected calls from the country’s prime minister and president for a recount of the votes cast in the March 7 general election. The Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) announced that for a full manual recount to take place, there must be evidence of serious electoral fraud. Supporters of current Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki are threatening to loosen ties with Baghdad if their demands for a recount are not met.

Faraj al-Haidari, the chief of the IHEC, explained the commission’s decision. He said that “they are asking for a manual recount, that is like asking for a re-run of the entire election. If they don’t accept that we are running the best election software in the world then how are they going to believe pen and paper.”

Haidari also explained that if Maliki and his supporters believe that there were some errors or have doubts, they are able to ask for recounts of particular regions. The commission, however, is unwilling to recount all of Iraq.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is pushing strongly for a recount of all votes cast in the election. Maliki claims that a recount is necessary to “preserve political stability and to avoid a deterioration of security and a return of violence which has quelled after much effort and loss of blood.” The Iraqi Prime Minister contends that a manual recount will help ensure the legitimacy of the country’s government.

The Iraqi Prime Minister has a supporter in the country’s president. Iraqi President Jalal Talbani has endorsed Maliki’s call for a recount. Talbani released a statement on his website saying that it was his duty “to preserve the constitution and to ensure justice and absolute transparency.” Talbani then demanded that the IHEC recount the ballots from the general election in order to “preclude any doubt and misunderstanding” in the results.

IHEC is reporting that with over ninety percent of the vote counted, Maliki’s State of Law alliance trails former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi’s Iraqiya political bloc. Maliki’s alliance does stand to gain more representation in a future parliament as seats are allocated based on the outcome of the votes in each province.

For more information, please see:

Los Angeles Times – Bid for Iraq Vote Recount Intensifies – 23 March 2010

Al Jazeera – Poll Body Reject Iraq Recount Call – 22 March 2010

BBC – Iraq Election Commission Rejects Calls for Vote Recount – 21 March 2010

U.S. Navy Warns Ships Off Yemen Of Possible Al-Qaeda Attack

By Ahmad Shihadah
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

 

CAIRO, Egypt – The U.S. Navy is warning of possible al Qaeda attacks against ships off the coast of Yemen, where an offshoot of the terrorist network has established a significant base of operations over the past year.

Yemen became a focus of deep international concern in December when Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula claimed responsibility for the failed attempt to blow up a Detroit-bound airliner, showing the group based in an impoverished and unstable corner of the Middle East had global reach.

“Information suggests that al Qaeda remains interested in maritime attacks in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden along the coast of Yemen,” said an advisory from the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence.

The warning said such attacks could be similar to the 2000 strike against the Navy destroyer USS Cole in Yemen’s Aden harbor that killed 17 American sailors. The attackers used a small boat laden with explosives to blow a hole in the side of the ship.

“Other more sophisticated methods of attack could include missiles or projectiles,” said the advisory, which was dated March 10. In particular, ships are at greatest risk while in or near ports or at anchor, it said.

Yemen, whose location at the southern rim of the Arabian Peninsula places it near one of the world’s busiest shipping corridors, is a long-standing base of support for al Qaeda.

Besides an al Qaeda threat, ships transiting the area have been beset by Somali pirates who have seized control of vessels ranging from fishing trawlers to oil supertankers in search of ransoms in the millions of dollars.

For more information, please see:

AP – US Navy Warns Al-Qaeda Threatens Ships Off Yemen – 23 March 2010

Otago Daily Times – US Warns Of Al-Qaeda Threat To Ships Off Yemen – 23 March 2010

Reuters – U.S. Warns Ships Off Yemen Of Possible Al-Qaeda – 23 March 2010

Militant Rebels Blow up Railway Tracks

By Michael E. Sanchez
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BIHAR, India- During a 48-hour strike Maoist rebels in India blew up sections of railway tracks in four eastern states.  These attacks have left two people dead.

Maoists began the strike on Monday in six states as a protest against a major offensive being executed by government troops.  The attack in Bihar state came during a two-day strike.  The rebels demanded that people stay home to join their protest against the government action aimed at flushing militant from their forest hide-outs.  One section of track destruction in Bihar caused an express train to derail, but no casualties were reported.

The Maoist rebels desire communist rule in large areas of India.  More than 6,000 have died in this 20 year-fight.  The rebels say they are fighting for the rights of the rural poor who complain they have been neglected by the government for decades.

Manmohan Singh, the Indian Prime Minister described the Maoists as the biggest threat to India’s internal security, and ordered a major offensive in November.

The major offensive, called Operation Green Hunt consists of nearly 50,000 federal paramilitary troops and an equal number of policemen, equipped with helicopters and unmanned aerial surveillance vehicles.

On Tuesday, law enforcement blamed the destruction of a 1.2m(4ft) section of railway tracks on the Maoist rebels.  This caused seven coaches and the engine of an express train to derail.  This occurred 15km from the town of Gaya, while the train was en route from the city of Bhubaneswar to the capital, officials said.  Samir Goswami, a railway spokesman said the rebels blew up tracks in three other places in Bihar, West Bengal and Orissa, leading to the cancellation of several services.

The government has proposed talks with the rebels, but only if they refrain from violence and place no preconditions.  On the other hand, the rebels demand that the government stop their offensive before they agree to talks.

In West Bengal, rebels were blamed for killing Hemant Pradhan, a school headmaster, who was said to be a supporter of the ruling Communist Party of India.  Police state that he was dragged from this home and shot dead.

For more information, please see:
Gulf Times- Maoists Blow Up Rail Track, Bridge– 22 March 2010

Samoa NGO Criticizes Government Discrimination of Choices for Commission of Inquiry

By Cindy Trinh
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

APIA, Samoa – The Samoa Umberalla Group for NGOs says that the Samoan government has been discriminative with it’s choice of who will be part of the Commission of Inquiry into the freedom of religion.

On March 14, 2010, the Samoa government approved the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry to review freedom of religion in Samoa. The freedom of religion is a fundamental human right safeguarded under an International Convention that is ratified by Samoa as well as in the country’s constitution.

The Commission’s primary responsibilities are: “to inquire into and report in detail on the working of Article 11 of the Constitution in relation to churches and other religious organizations in Samoa and to examine and report whether there is any necessity or expediency for further specific legislation related to this right.”

A U.S. State Department Human Rights report in 2009 points out that the government of Samoa generally respects the people’s freedom of religion and the Samoa constitution acknowledges an “independent state based on Christian principles and Samoan custom and tradition.” However, there is no official or state denomination.

The report went on to state: “The law grants each person the right to change religion or belief and to worship or teach religion alone or with others, but in practice the matai [villagers of Samoa] often choose the religious denomination of the extended family.”

According to the State Department’s International Religion Freedom Report of 2009, villages traditionally tend to have one primary Christian church, but now many larger villages have multiple churches serving different denominations. These newer, non-traditional groups face resistance when attempting to establish itself in a village.

The general secretary of the National Council of Churches in Samoa, Rev. Maauga Motu, says that “the Commission of Inquiry is a good move to stop more religions from coming to the country, as there are enough already…the church is already fed up with this many religious beliefs coming into the country and disturbing or moving people around…from one religion to another.”

Motu says that he does not have a problem with different religions already established in Samoa, like Bahai and Muslim faiths, but he does not want any more allowed in.

However, the government is concerned that the other religions, yet to arrive in Samoa, which strongly advocate beliefs that are contrary to Christianity, should be allowed since the freedom of religion gives the right to practice whatever religion a person wants to practice.

In a statement, the government says that freedom of religion has “posed a direct challenge to the autonomy of the village council.”

Because of the huge controversy over the matter, a Commission of Inquiry was established to give advice to the Cabinet in handling this.

The first inquiry that the Commission is responsible for handling is whether freedom of religion is being exercised too widely and whether there is a need to institute corresponding laws or regulations.

The head of the Samoa Umberalla Group for NGOs, Vaasiliifiti Moelagi Jackson, says that to take away the freedom of religion is against human rights. She criticizes the government for being discriminative in its choices of who will be a part of the Commission.

She commented: “We are very very disappointed that [in] the commission that [the government] has selected there has been an absence of women…they are very discriminative, other churches are not included and they should all be there and voice their own values and why they are here and why there is a need of a new church.”

Jackson says that only the major churches, like the Christian Congregational and Catholic Church, are part of the Commission.

She further stated that the Commission should look at having guidelines where the churches must be registered and their books audited.

For more information, please see:
Radio New Zealand International – Samoa NGO criticises govt’s commission of inquiry choice – 23 March 2010

Samoa News – Samoa gov establishes commission to investigate freedom of religion and matai titles – 21 March 2010

Islands Business – Samoa reviews freedom of religion – 17 March 2010

Samoa Observer – Commission reviews freedom of religion – 16 March 2010

Radio New Zealand International – Commission of Inquiry in Samoa to review Freedom of Religion – 14 March 2010