Discussion Among Pacific Nations Yields Positive Results

By Eileen Gould

Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

CANBERRA, Australia – The foreign ministers of Australia and New Zealand met with their Fijian counterpart, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, yesterday to discuss improving their relations. New Zealand minister, Murray McCully, and Australian minister Stephen Smith, met with Kubuabola to re-open communications amongst these countries, as they dissipated following diplomatic expulsions and Fiji’s suspension of democracy. Smith waived the travel ban that was imposed on members of the military regime in Fiji so that Kubuabola would be able to meet with them. The significance of the meeting was solely to initiate some sort of dialogue with Fiji. Smith indicated that “[i]t may well be that all we agree as a result of the meeting is to speak again in the future.” A statement from Fiji’s Ministry of Information said the meeting was positive and a step towards resolving issues of mutual importance to the three Pacific nations. A Fijian democracy group based in Sydney, Fiji Democracy and Freedom Movement, is urging Australia and New Zealand to include those political parties that were ousted by the 2006 coup in any future discussions. Usaia Waqatairewa, a representative of the groups said, “It is good enough that they are sitting round the table talking because that is a first step towards something positive but at the same time the Australian and New Zealand governments should not compromise on asking these people, if they want to talk about constitutional changes, they have to include people who represent the voters of Fiji.  It[‘]s not going to be a sort of top-down decision that’s shoved down our throats so to speak.” Waqatairewa also mentioned that regarding human rights abuses or the travel ban on regime members and their families, the governments should not compromise. Both McCully and Smith indicated this discussion was not evidence of softening their approach towards the regime. The three Ministers also met last year at the United Nations in New York.

For more information please see:

Fiji Village – Positive talks between Ministers – 05 February 2010

New Zealand Herald – McCully in fresh talks with Fijian counterpart – 04 February 2010

Radio New Zealand International – Call for re-opened talks with the Fiji regime to include ousted political parties – 04 February 2010

Hamas Formally Rejects War Crimes Allegations

By Meredith Lee-Clark
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

 GAZA CITY, Gaza – Hamas submitted a formal response to the United Nations on February 3, rejecting allegations that it committed war crimes during the 2008-2009 Gaza War between Hamas and Israel.  Hamas has been the governing party in the Gaza Strip since 2006.

 Hamas’ fifty-two-page response said that the killing of three Israeli citizens was an accident and that Hamas only targeted military installations.  During the twenty-two day war, as many as 1,387 Palestinians, including hundreds of civilians, and thirteen Israelis were killed. 

 After the fighting ended, the U.N. commissioned an investigation and a report on the hostilities.  The mission was headed by South African jurist and former war crimes prosecutor Richard Goldstone, and the mission’s final report accused both Israel and Hamas of targeting civilians and other war crimes during the Gaza War.  The Goldstone Report also called for Israel and Hamas to conduct internal investigations about the war crimes allegations.  The deadline for submitting internal findings to the U.N. is February 5.

 Human Rights Watch, which has also condemned Israel’s actions, responded to Hamas’ response, saying the party’s “claim that its rocket attacks against Israel are not war crimes is factually and legally wrong.”

 Israel submitted its forty-six page response earlier in the week, likewise denying any allegations of war crimes and stating that two of its top military officers had been reprimanded for shelling a U.N. building where hundreds of Palestinians had been staying.  Palestinian and human rights groups rejected Israel’s account; Amnesty International called the Israeli response “totally inadequate.”    

 U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said on February 4 that he could not determine whether Israel and Hamas had met the U.N. requirements for credible, independent internal investigations.

 

The Palestinian Authority said it would open its own internal investigation into Hamas’ actions during the war.  Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had announced in the week leading up to the investigation deadline that he would establish a committee to investigate the conduct of P.A. security officers during the Gaza War.  Fatah is the ruling party of the P.A., and has been at odds with Hamas since Hamas took over control of the Gaza Strip from Fatah in 2006.

 For more information, please see:

 AFP – UN Chief Uncertain if “Credible” Gaza Probes Underway – 4 February 2010

 Ha’aretz – PA to Probe Alleged Hamas Gaza War Crimes – 3 February 2010

 New York Times – Hamas Gives U.N. Response to Gaza War Crimes Report – 3 February 2010

 Human Rights Watch – Gaza:  Hamas Report Whitewashes War Crimes – 28 January 2010

 Washington Post – Human Rights Group:  Hamas Targeted Civilians – 28 January 2010

Amnesty International Criticizes PNG Police for Abuse of Power

By Cindy Trinh
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

PORGERA VALLEY, Papua New Guinea – Amnesty International says Papua New Guinea (PNG) police abused their power and acted outside their authority when they evicted people from their homes near the Porgera gold mine.

Last year, police conducted an operation to restore law and order around the Porgera gold mine in Enga Province. Amnesty International contends that police in PNG illegally and forcibly evicted people from their homes.

Amnesty International released a report documenting how PNG police burned down approximately 300 homes of people in the gold mine area.

A mining and human rights specialist, Shanta Martin, says that the report is based on evidence from 180 people, medical reports, and other data.

Martin stated: “There was significant evidence of forced evictions that people had certainly been living there, that they were well established houses that were burned down. Police acted contrary to search warrant, which would not in any way give the police power to destroy property, that they failed to ensure that there was notice and consultation with those who are going to be affected.”

Many residents reported that they had no forewarning of the raids, had no time to collect their belongings, and their food gardens were all destroyed. The families – including children, pregnant women, and the elderly – had no alternative housing made available for them by the government.

Martin says that because of the abusive acts of the PNG police, the families have become victims of human rights violations.

The Porgera Joint Venture manages the Porgera gold mine, and supplies accommodation, food, and fuel to police in exchange for security in the remote area under an agreement. Amnesty International says that the company should have reported the police eviction activity to PNG authorities as soon as company officials became aware of it, but instead, the company supported the police.

Amnesty International calls on the Porgera Joint Venture to cease supplying accommodation, food, and fuel to the police immediately.

Martin further calls upon the government to investigate the matter. She emphasizes the “need for the [PNG] government to carry out a full investigation, to prosecute those responsible and provide remedies for those affected.”

The Governor of PNG’s Enga Province, Peter Ipatas, supports Amnesty International’s call for an independent investigation into the evictions at the Porgera gold mine.

Ipatas says that Amnesty International’s call for an investigation makes sense.

“If anything happened and if people think that a government agency has acted outside our laws then obviously every one is subject to scrutiny. So I would assume that if there is an allegation that police mistreated their lawful duties then obviously government authorities need to investigate.”

Ipatas further stated that the unique situation of people living within the mine area will continue to cause problems, and the government should relocate them to a more appropriate area.

For more information, please see:
Radio New Zealand International – Political backing for Amnesty call for investigation of controversial PNG police action – 04 February 2010

ABC News – PNG police ‘torched village near mine site’ – 03 February 2010

Radio New Zealand International – Amnesty criticises PNG police over Porgera evictions – 03 February 2010

Yahoo News – PNG police ‘torched village near mine site’ – 03 February 2010

Associated Press – Papua New Guinea Police burn homes at gold mine – 02 February 2010

Syria and Israel Exchange Harsh Words

By Brandon Kaufman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

DAMASCUS, Syria– Walid Moallem, the Syrian Foreign Minister, warned Israel on Wednesday about launching any war against his country, saying that such actions would result in a larger conflict.  In remarks made to Syrian journalists in Damascus, Moallem was quoted as saying, “Israelis, do not test the power of Syria since you know the war will move into your cities.”

During his session with reporters, Moallem was questioned about comments made on Monday by Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak.  Barak said that “in the absence of peace negotiations with Syria, we might find ourselves in a forceful conflict that could lead to an all out war.” In response, Moallem said such statements “heightened the risk of war in the region.”

Moallem warned that “if such a war comes, it will be widespread even if it is just waged against southern Lebanon or Syria.”  He added that there would be no chance of “peace negotiations being launched after such a war.”

In related comments, Syrian President Bashar Assad noted that “Israel was not serious in achieving peace and that everything showed it was working toward a war.”  Syria and Israel held preliminary talks mediated by Turkey back in 2008 over the Golan Heights which was seized by the Israelis after the 1967 war.  Since that day, little progress has been made on the peace prospects between the two countries.

In a stern response, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman advised Syria to abandon its dream of recovering the Israeli held Golan Heights.  Lieberman further added that the Syrians “have crossed a red line that cannot be ignored.  Our message must be clear to Assad: ‘In the next war, not only will you lose but you and your family will lose power.”

Lieberman’s firm stance contrasted sharply with that of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who earlier in the week, stated that Israel seeks peace.  Netanyahu’s statements said that he “would be willing to go anywhere in the world, and doesn’t rule out assistance by a fair third party, to promote the political process in order to begin peace talks with Syria without any preconditions.”

For more information, please see:

Washington Post- Israel Warns Syria it Would Lose Future War– 4 February 2010

The Daily Star- Moallem Warns Israel: Starting War with Syria Would Lead to Wider Conflict– 3 February 2010

The Jerusalem Post- Assad: Israel Pushing Middle East to War– 3 February 2010

Female Suicide Bomber Kills Scores in Iraq

By Bobby Rajabi
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

BAGHDAD, Iraq – On February 1 a female suicide bomber attacked a procession of Shi’ite Muslims who were on a pilgrimage to the southern city of Karbala, located approximately eighty kilometers southwest of Baghdad. The attack killed at least fifty four people. Among the dead were many women and children. Additionally, over one hundred people were injured in the attack.

Major-General Qassim Atta, the spokesman for the Baghdad operational command confirmed that “a woman wearing an explosives-filled belt blew herself up in the middle of a crow of pilgrims going to Karbala.” Defense ministry spokesman General Mohammed al-Askari said that the suicide bomber came for Diyala province which has in the past been a stronghold of Al Qaeda.

Hundreds of thousands of Shi’ites pour into the streets for the religious rite of Arbaeen. It marks the forty days after the Ahsura anniversary that commemorates the killing of seventh century Imam Hussein. Imam Hussein’s shrine is considered one of the holiest places in Shi’ite Islam. Worshipers beating their heads and chests in ritual mourning. Due to risk of attacks, thirty thousand members of the Iraqi security forces were deployed to Karbala for the holy festival.

This was the third attack by suspected Sunni insurgents in the past week. Top Baghdad security officials have been forced to acknowledge that extremists are adopting new methods to outwit bomb-detection squads. Iraqi authorities lack enough policewomen to conduct searches at most checkpoints. Additionally, security forces have been reluctant to use bomb-sniffing dogs against people due cultural sensitivities. Atta insisted that security officials informed all checkpoints to be careful and to intensify the search procedures.

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s released a statement blaming the Baath party. This was the party of executed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. The statement said, “We hold Baathists and their Takfiri allies responsible for this massacre.” Takfiri is the term used by the Iraqi government for members of Al Qaeda.

US and Iraqi officials have feared a step up in violence from Al Qaeda in Iraq prior to the March 7 parliamentary elections. The elections are intended to serve as a large step towards reconciliation between the majority Shi’ites and Sunnis who lost control after Hussein was removed.

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Deadly Blast Hits Iraq Pilgrims – 2 February 2010

AP – Female Suicide Bomber in Iraq Kills 54 – 2 February 2010

AFP – Female Suicide Bomber Kills 41 in Baghdad: Officials – 1 February 2010

BBC – Female Suicide Bomber Kills Dozens in Iraq -1 February 2010