Chinese Activist Camped Out at Tokyo Airport

January 3, 2010

By Hyo-Jin Paik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

NARITA, Japan– Since November 4, 2009, Feng Zhenghu has been living at Japan’s Narita International Airport. Feng sleeps on a plastic bench at the airport and survives on crackers and noodles from the airport staff and passengers.

Feng is a Japan-educated Chinese scholar and human rights activist who has been barred from returning to China. Although Feng carries a valid Chinese passport, he has been denied entry into his homeland China eight times since last June.

He last attempted to return to China in November and got as far as Shanghai’s Pudong Airport, but Chinese officials forced him back on the plane to Japan.

Feng Zhenghu at Japan’s Narita Airport. Courtesy of BBC.

Feng said, “I’m a Chinese citizen, and I just want to go back to China. It’s outrageous that I can’t return to my own country.”

China has denied Feng’s re-entry because of his writings on the misconduct of Chinese authorities and for his support of student protests, which have angered the Chinese authorities.

Frustrated, Feng has decided to camp out in Japan’s Narita Airport. He wears a shirt that says “Return to China” in English and spends time on his mobile phone and laptop talking to his supporters and reading the news.

Confined to an area that leads to immigration control, Feng has no access to shops.

Narita Airport’s Security Director Teruhisa Misu commented, “Mr. Feng is camping out at the restricted area where people are not supposed to stay…[w]e worry about his health. It gets colder…and I’m not sure he is getting enough to eat.”

Japanese officials have urged Feng to enter Japan, but he has declined. Chinese officials have not said much regarding Feng’s case, but did insist that Feng be dealt with the relevant Chinese law. Feng has also declined refugee status from the UN. This deadlock can potentially last until June when Feng’s visa expires.

Feng did acknowledge that he knows he is causing trouble for Japan, but has criticized the Chinese government for being responsible for the problem and for not taking steps to resolve his predicament.

He added, “There’s no shower, no bath. It’s very difficult because people stare at me as though I’m a beggar. It’s very, very difficult. It’s very hard to endure psychologically.”
For more information, please see:

BBC – China activist in for long haul at Tokyo airport – 10 December 2009

Guardian – In the next decade, I hope for a spirit of ‘sharism’ – 3 January 2010

The New Zealand Herald – 50 days camped out in an airport – 24 December 2009

Ugandan Troops Kill LRA Leader in CAR

January 2, 2010

By Kylie M Tsudama
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

KAMPALA, Uganda – A Senior Commander of the Lord’s Resistance Army militant group in the Central African Republic (CAR) has been killed.

On Friday, along with one of his fighters, Bok Abudema was killed. According to military and intelligence officials, he was effectively the militant group’s second-in-command, since the wounding of Deputy Commander Okot Odhiambo about a year ago.

“After Odhiambo sustained serious injuries, Abudema took over as the overall commander and deputy to Kony,” said an unnamed intelligence officer. “[The captured rebel fighters] know him as the most senior after Kony until we got him.”

He added, “To us at the moment [Odhiambo] is immaterial because he is no longer a threat.”

Two women were found with the men and were freed, according to an army spokesman.

In a campaign to destroy the LRA, the Ugandan army is operating outside of its own borders. The LRA was once largely concentrated in northern Uganda until a successful campaign by the army drove the group out. The Ugandan army has since deployed to northern Democratic Republic of Congo, southern Sudan, and the CAR, where the LRA moved.

The LRA is scattered across dense forests and swamps, savannah, and deserts in a remote area, ideal locations for guerilla operations.

Army spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Felix Kulayigye reported that LRA Leader Joseph Kony was moving between the CAR and Sudan’s Darfur region in order to escape Ugandan army patrols.

“This was a New Year’s gift to Uganda,” said Lt. Col. Kulayigye. “He was a notorious commander but his life has come to an end.”

A number of senior commanders in the LRA have been killed. In November, Okello Kutti, another senior commander of the LRA, was killed. In September, a top bodyguard to Kony was captured.

Last month, United Nations Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay demanded the capture of LRA leaders for crimes against humanity, including killings, torture, rape of hundreds of civilians, and abducting women and children for use as sex slaves and porters.

“[The carefully synchronized attacks on villages], and systematic and widespread human rights violations carried out by the LRA…may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity,” said Pillay’s report. “The international community, including governments in the region, should cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) to search for, arrest, and surrender the LRA leaders accused of crimes against humanity.”

Kony and two other LRA leaders are wanted by the ICC on 33 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

A peace agreement was reached by rebel leaders and the Ugandan government in April 2008 but Kony has repeatedly failed to appear to sign the deal.

For more information, please see:

AFP – Ugandan Rebel Leader Killed in Cent.Africa Republic – 02 January 2010

BBC – Uganda Reports Killing LRA Commander Abudema in CAR – 02 January 2010

NY Times – Uganda Troops Kill a Rebel Leader – 02 January 2010

Mousavi Responds to Iranian Government

January 1, 2010

By Nykoel Dinardo
Senior Desk Officer, Middle East

TEHRAN, Iran – Reformist leader Mir Hossein Mousavi released a statement denouncing the Iranian government’s actions and calling for changes. In the statement, he criticized the government crackdown on the protesters and called for a restoration of civil liberties to those detained in the aftermath. Mousavi went on to say that the threats to his life would not deter him, and that he was ready to be a martyr, if necessary.

In his statement, Mousavi gave the government five proposals. First, Mousavi argued that the administration must be accountable to the people and to parliament. He stated that it must also be accountable to the judiciary and that the government must take resposibility for its actions. The reformist explained that the people will not consider the administration to be competent and legitimate unless they take these actions.

In his second proposal, Mousavi explained that Iran must draft a transparent and reliable election law. He stated that the law should reassure the people that their elections are fair and unaffected by fraud and intervention.

Next, Mousavi demanded that the government release the political prisoners. He also asked that the government reestablish the reputations of those detainees.

In his fourth demand, he asked the government to lift the restrictions on freedom of the press and and that the newspapers that were closed be allowed to reopen.

Finally, Mousavi has asked that the government respect the human and civil rights contained within Article 27 of the Constitution which allows people to gather and grants the right to freedom of association.

Iranian media has interpreted Mousavi’s proposals as his acceptance that the elections are over and that the result will not change. Tehran Times posted that Mousavi also condemned the protesters for their actions on the during Ashura. Western media, on the other hand, has not reported any statements condemning the protesters and continued to report only on his statements against the government.

For more information, please see:

Financial Times – Opposition Chief in Iran Ready for Martyrdom – 2 January 2010

Tehran Times – Mousavi Makes Five Proposals – 2 January 2010

CNN – Iran Reformist Criticized Government Crackdown – 1 January 2010

Los Angeles Times – Opposition Leader Denounces Iran’s Crackdown – 1 January 2010

Wall Street Journal – Opposition Leader Strikes Back in Iran – 1 January 2010

Western Writers Rally for China’s Dissident

January 1, 2010

By Hyo-Jin Paik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

NEW YORK, United States– Several prominent American authors gathered by the steps of the New York Public Library rallying for the release of Liu Xiaobo, a famous Chinese literature professor and dissident who was sentenced to 11 years in prison on subversion charges last week.

Writers call for Liu’s release. Courtesy of CBS.

The rally was organized by the PEN American Center, which is an international human rights group that defends the rights of writers around the globe.

One of the protesters, E.L. Doctorow said, “The civilization of China…can’t move forward when its poets and writers and artists, its thinkers and intellectuals are muzzled in silence. Under such conditions[,] the genius of a nation withers and dies.”

Liu returned to China in 1989 after giving up his position at Columbia University to participate in the Tiananmen Square protests. Since then, he has published essays criticizing the Chinese government, especially of its human rights abuses and its strict control of freedom of expression on the Internet and in foreign journals.

Liu’s verdict was handed down on Christmas Day, and Beijing justified imprisoning Liu because “he [Liu] wrote the documents and used the Internet…to slander and urge other people to overthrow our country’s democratic dictatorship…the published documents…[p]eople read them and they have a bad effect.”

However, the coalition of writers who are lobbying for Liu’s release condemned China for its “sorry record of artist intimidation.”

The protesters marched to the Chinese consulate in New York City to deliver a letter opposing Liu’s conviction.

Critics have raised concerns that Liu’s harsh punishment is most likely the Chinese government’s warning against other Chinese activists. Moreover, many have criticized Beijing for not affording Liu a fair trial since Liu’s trial, which was hastily scheduled, lasted only three hours and the defense was not allowed to present any evidence.

Anthony Appiah, a writer and the president of PEN American Center, left a message for Liu, saying, “Old friend, we will not forget you. We will not rest until you are free.”
For more information, please see:

Bloomberg – Doctorow, Albee Protest 11-Year Sentence for Chinese Writer Liu – 31 December 2009

CBS – Writers Rally for Jailed Chinese Dissident – 31 December 2009

JoongAng Daily – China’s way on human rights – 30 December 2009

Three Boats, Three Days, Controversy Continues Over Asylum Seekers

December 31, 2009

By Eileen Gould
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

CANBERRA, Australia – A boat carrying forty-eight asylum seekers was intercepted by Australia’s navy this past Wednesday off the north-west coast of Western Australia, near the Ashmore Islands.

The Ashmore Guardian vessel, working under the Border Protection Command, stopped the boat around 9AM on Wednesday.

These individuals have been taken to Christmas Island for mandatory health, national security and identity checks.

In the last week alone, border authorities seized a total of three boats carrying asylum seekers and crew. This past Monday, the navy intercepted eleven asylum seekers near the Ashmore Islands. Again, on the following day, the navy intercepted an additional thirty asylum seekers and three crew members, who were attempting to enter Australia.

This brings the total number of asylum seeker boats arriving in Australia to sixty-one in 2009.

Border protection take asylum seekers to Christmas Island for health, safety and identity checks (Photo: Courtesy of ABC News).

Tony Abbott, the federal Opposition Leader, accused Prime Minister Kevin Rudd of being soft on border protection and losing control of the nation’s borders.

In the future, Mr. Abbott says that the navy or coastguard may turn around boats carrying asylum seekers at sea, an approach endorsed by Mr. Rudd before the last election.

Even though taking such action may potentially violate international law, Abbott stated that “[t]his is something that is being done in the past and something that’s being done by comparable countries and if we are to fully protect our borders we can’t rule it out.”

This approach has been rejected by Home Affairs Minister Brendan O’Connor.

Mr. O’Connor supports the Government’s current policy, which involves taking intercepted asylum seekers to the detention facility on Christmas Island, where they remain while waiting for their refugee status to be processed.

In November 2007, Prime Minister Rudd called for tough measures to handle immigration, claiming that turning the boat back at sea is an effective deterrent.

At that time, he stated, “Deterrence is effective through the detention system but also your preparedness to take appropriate action as the vessels approach Australian waters on the high seas.”

Former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser has voiced criticism of both Mr. Abbott and Mr. Rudd.

Referring to the standoff with the Sri Lankan asylum seekers this past October, Mr. Fraser stated that the Government’s handling of the situation “doesn’t do Australia’s image as a humane, civilized, compassionate community much good.”

In light of this past week’s events, the Government’s border protection policy has come is being reviewed.

According to the Minister for Home Affairs, Brendan O’Connor, the Government has spent more than $650 million to implement a strategy to prevent successful people smuggling.

For more information please see:
The Australian – Tony Abbott boat plan ‘miserable’ – 01 January 2010

The Daily Telegraph – More boat people intercepted – 31 December 2009

Sydney Morning Herald – Turn asylum seeker boats back: Abbott – 31 December 2009

ABC News – Another asylum seeker boat intercepted – 30 December 2009