Restaurant Bomb Blasts Kills Nine in Pune

By Michael E. Sanchez
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

PUNE, India- Nine people died and about 60 were injured in a bomb attack at a restaurant popular with tourists in the city of Pune.

The powerful bomb left in a backpack under a table at the German Bakery, and which killed two foreigners, is the first major terrorist strike in India after the three-day siege of nearby Mumbai in November 2008 in which 166 people died.  “It appears that an unattended package was noticed in the bakery by one of the waiters who apparently attempted to open it, denoting the bomb inside,” federal home secretary Gk Pillai said after Saturday’s blast. Vinod Dhale, a restaurant worker, said “We heard a big noise and we all rushed out.  The impact was so great that there were body parts everywhere”.

Six people died instantly while the other three fell to injuries at local hospitals.  Home minister P Chidambaram described the bomb as ” a significant terrorist incident”, stating that the evidence pointed to a well planned plot.  Chidambaram said one or two people acting as customers had left the backpack carrying the bomb inside the bakery.

Preliminary investigations indicate the bomb was denoted remotely, possibly by a mobile phone.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack.  A security red alert has been issued in the capital New Delhi, Indore, and Kanpur in the east following intelligence alerts of possible terror strikes in all three places.

Senior security officials suspect the culprits are the Pakistan-based Lashkahr-i-Taiba (LiT, or the Army of the Pure) terrorist group which India holds responsible for executing the Mumbai attack and on “sleeper” cadres of a local militant group called Indian Mujahideen (IM) which it often used.  Security officials said both groups are known to have worked together in the past with the LiT providing the funding and planning to carry out deadly bombing in crowded places.

The blast in Pune comes a day after India and Pakistan agreed to meet for talks in Delhi on February 25th, giving rise to speculation that terror groups were once again trying to derail bilateral peace talks which could eventually lead to action against them.

India has so far refrained from blaming Pakistan directly.

For more information, please see:

ABC News- Restaurant Bomb Blasts Kills 9 In India -15 February 2010

IRISHTIMES.COM- Bomb Blast Kills Nine In Restaurant In Western India– 15 February 2010

BBC NEWS- India Restaurant Bomb Blast Kills Nine in Pune – 15 February 2010

Civilians Killed in Afghan Offensive

By Michael E. Sanchez
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

MARJA, Afghanistan- NATO has confirmed that two rockets fired at militants during its offensive in Helman south Afghanistan, missed their target and killed 12 civilians.

The missiles struck a house in Marjah as thousands of NATO troops continued their operations to remove the Taliban.  General Stanley McChrystal, NATO’s commander said that “we deeply regret this tragic loss of life”.  Coalition forces are aiming to build on gains in Operation Moshtarak.  Operation Moshtarak, meaning “together” in Dari, is the largest coalition attack since the Taliban fell in 2001.

Civilian casualties have been a key concern for the NATO-led offensive.  The areas targeted were leafleted in advance to minimize casualties.  Afghan President Hamid Karzi has called for an investigation into the civilian deaths, his office said.  In a statement the office said that it believed at least 10 of those killed were from the same family.  NATO said in a statement “Two rockets from a High Mobility Rocket System launched at insurgents firing upon Afghan and [Nato] forces impacted approximately 300 meters (980ft) off their intended target killing 12 civilians.”

General McChrystal added “The current operation in Central Helmland is aimed at restoring security and stability to his vital area of Afghanistan…It’s regrettable that in the course of our joint efforts, innocent lives were lost.”

It was unclear whether one or more rockets hit the building.  Officers said the barrage had been fired from Camp Bastion, a large British and American base to the northeast.  The weapon system is known as HIMARS, or High Altitude Multiple Launch Artillery Rockets.  The system is G.P.S- guided and advertised as being accurate enough to strike within a yard of their intended targets.  General McChrystal said that he was suspending use of the weapon system “until a thorough review of this incident has been confirmed.”

For more information, please see:

BBC News- Afghan Civilians Killed Strike by NATO Rockets – 14 February 2010

New York Times- Afghan Civilians Killed In Offensive on Taliban– 14 February 2010

VOANEWS.COM- NATO Acknowledges Responsibility for Killing 12 Civilians During Afghan Offensive– 14 February 2010

Russian Officials Cover Up Civilian Deaths

By Kenneth F. Hunt
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

MOSCOW, Russia – A human rights watchdog and Kremlin-friendly ombudsman blamed Russian federal officials with the deaths of four civilians killed in Ingushetia on February 11 and 12. Moreover, evidence is mounting that officials covered up the identities of the casualties and the cause of their death.

On Tuesday February 16, Nurdi Nukhadjiyev, the human rights ombudsman in Chechnya, said that federal forces were to blame for the deaths of four innocent civilians who were killed during an effort by the Kremlin to root out Islamic militants in the Ingushetia region.

This comes just one day after Memorial, a Moscow-based human rights watchdog group, similarly accused the Kremlin of a direct role in the death of the civilians.

The four civilians were killed along with 18 suspected Islamic insurgents during the two-day operation. Memorial, and now Mr. Nukhazhiyev, claims the civilians were caught in cross-fire while gathering wild garlic in the forest during the aerial and artillery bombardment in the Sunza district of Ingushetia over the weekend.

Initially, local and federal officials claimed that 22 Islamic militants were killed. But these new revelations indicate that four of the deaths were civilians. These reports directly contradict the information provided by Russian counter-terrorism officials after the weekend operations.

In addition to the death count revelation, Memorial claims that the cause of death is different than reported by Russian officials. Memorial claims that three civilians were killed by gunfire while one was knifed in the back. Russian officials still maintain that all deaths can be attributed to air bombardment.

But despite denial of these allegations, Ingushetian leader Yunus-Bek Yevkurov apologized for the “unfortunate deaths” of the civilians and compensated their families. But in doing so, Mr. Yevkurov emphasized that the civilians were only victims of cross-fire, and denied allegations of intentional killings of the civilians.

Despite these gestures, Mr. Nukhadjiyev claims that the ongoing investigations of the killings will not be objective because of the interests of the Kremlin to cover up the truth. Mr. Nukhadjiyev wants a formal investigation into the civilian deaths by independent prosecutors.

For more information, please see:

E TAIWAN NEWS – Russian rights advocate blames police for deaths – 16 February 2010

RADIO FREE EUROPE – Rights Activists Dispute Russian Account Of Chechen Killings – 16 February 2010

NEW YORK TIMES – Russia’s Version of Four Deaths Disputed – 15 February 2010

Tensions Between Israel and Lebanon Escalate

By Brandon Kaufman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

BEIRUT, Lebanon– Nabih Berri, a Parliament Speaker in the Lebanese government, urged France to take a “firm stand” to stop Israel from launching an attack on Lebanon.  “In view of its ties and influence, we demand France take a firm stand to prevent Israel from attacking Lebanon… and from turning Lebanon into an arena for regional proxy wars,” Berri said while visiting with Gerard Larcher, a member of the French Senate.

Berri’s statements come amid heightened concern over Israeli warnings that all of Lebanon, including the Lebanese Cabinet, would be targeted in the event of a Hezbollah attack on Israel.  In a poll conducted by ABC News, an overwhelming number of people feel that conflict with Israel is looming.  Despite such sentiments, neither side wants to be guilty of starting the next war, but people in Lebanon say tension is now so high that the smallest incident may trigger the start of hostilities.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri described Israeli threats and military activity as “escalating” and “really dangerous” in a recent interview.

Additionally, Syrian President Bashar Assad has said Damascus would back “the government and people of Lebanon against any possible Israeli aggression launched on Lebanon.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has since sought to ease tensions, saying his country wants peace with all its neighbors.

Earlier this year, Netanyahu accused Beirut of allowing Hezbollah to smuggle weapons into Lebanon in “blatant violation” of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the summer 2006 war.  The Israelis fear Hezbollah’s growing arsenal of long range rockets.  Today, Hezbollah has somewhere between 40,000 and 50,000 missiles, many more than they had on hand when hostilities broke out during the summer war a few years back.  In light of the threat posed by Hezbollah, Israeli officials have warned repeatedly in recent weeks that any attack by that group will spark a tough response.

The 2006 war lasted for 33 days, and in the end there were over 1,200 casualties, many of which were civilians.

For more information, please see:

ABC News- Are Lebanon and Israel Headed for War– 15 February 2010

The Daily Star- Berri Urges France to Take a Firm Stand Against Israeli Aggression– 15 February 2010

AFP- Lebanese Army Fires on Israeli Fighter Planes– 14 February 2010

Members of Polish Ethnic Group Jailed and Fined in Belarus

By Elizabeth A. Conger
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

HRODNA, Belarus –  On Sunday, police in Belarus arrested approximately forty members of a banned Polish cultural group, the Union of Poles (ZPB).  Members of the ZPB were arrested as they travelled to a court hearing in the  northwestern town of Volozhyn.

The ZPB, a nonpolitical organization with approximately 20,000 members, promotes Polish language and culture among ethnic Poles living in Belarus. It has been banned for the past five years, ever since it elected Anzhelika Borys as it’s leader in 2005.  The ZPB is currently the largest NGO in Belarus.

A protest was held on February 10, 2010, after police seized a building owned by ZPB, which housed the ZPB’s headquarters. Members of the ZPB were travelling to the court in Volzhyn on Sunday in order to attend the court hearing regarding the confiscation of the house when they were arrested by Belarusian police. 

The Polish government  has condemned the actions of Belarusian authorities, and recalled the its ambassador from Belarus.

Photo: Anzhelika Borys, Chairwoman of the ZPB, elected in 2005. [Source: RFE/RL]
Photo: Anzhelika Borys, Chairwoman of the ZPB, elected in 2005.
Three ZPB members were sentenced to jail today by a court in the western Belarusian city of Hrodna, while dozens of others remain in detention. The court fined Anzhelika Borys, ZPB Chairwoman, one million Belarusian rubles ($360), while ZPB Deputy Chairman Meczislaw Jaskiewicz, spokesman Igor Bancer, and Council Chairman Andrzej Poczobut were sentenced to five days in jail.  Borys has gone into hiding to avoid being taken into militia custody, and she has reportedly given her mobile phone to Bancer to avoid being traced.

Poland’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Andrzej Kremer, told the AFP news agency that the Polish government was:  “deeply worried by the operations being pursued against the representatives of the Polish minority in Belarus.”

Polish media reported that Polish Foreign Minister, Radoslaw Sikorski, has given the Belarusian Foreign Minister, Syarhey Martynau, a letter for President Lukashenko warning him that if Minsk continued to violate the rights of its Polish minority, the Polish government would ban Belarusian government officials from entering Poland and would recommend that Belarus be blocked from entering the EU.

Roughly 400,000 ethnic Poles currently live in Belarus. Human rights groups have accused the Belarusian government of repressing the rights of ethnic Poles living in Belarus. The Belarusian government only recognizes a breakaway faction of the Union of Poles which has declared its loyalty to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. 

Lukashenko has ruled Belarus since 1994, and human rights activists have criticized his authoritarian tactics, which he has used to stifle dissent.

For more information, please see:

BBC – Belarus arrests members of ethnic Polish group – 15 February 2010

RFE – Belarus Fines, Gives Jail Terms to Ethnic Poles – 15 February 2010

thenews.pl – Militia arrests more Poles in Belarus – 15 February 2010