Peruvian Police Lie to Cover Up Impunity

By Sovereign Hager

Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

LIMA, Peru-Peru’s police chief was forced to fire his top organized crime investigator yesterday after evidence surfaced that he and several other police officials deliberately invented a story to divert attention from unlawful police killings. Police lied when they announced that they had broken up a criminal gang who roamed the Andes that killed peasant farmers and drained fat from their dead bodies to sell to European cosmetics manufacturers.

General Felix Murga went so far as to claim to have arrested four members of the “international criminal network,” responsible for thirty to sixty murders per year in the Huanuco province. Medical experts were skeptical about the validity of the story from the beginning, saying that there is no black market for human fat.

Government officials now believe that the police force was trying to divert attention from allegations that officers killed forty-six suspects in 2007 and 2008. The former deputy interior minister, Carlos Basombrio stated that “they were mainly trying to cover up the tremendous revelation of extrajudicial killings of criminals in the town of Trujillo.”

The police played a video of a suspect confessing to the “fat trafficking” scheme at the original press conference. The police even displayed two soft drink bottles full of what they claimed to be human fat sold for nearly 10,000 pounds per liter. Victims were reportedly lured into a jungle hut where they were bludgeoned to death, dismembered, and then candles were used to melt fat off of torsos.

Investigators in Huanuco complained that they were excluded from investigating the case and now believe that the four men arrested carried out one murder, linked to the cocaine trade. Investigators say that the cocaine traffickers in custody bottled the fat of the murder victim to intimidate rival drug traffickers.

The investigation into the “fat-trafficking” story began after an unnamed police official was quoted on Monday in a newspaper saying that local police were surprised about the allegations because they knew them “not to be true.”

For more information, please see:

AFP-Officer Dismissed in Peru “human-fat” Killings-2 December 2009

BBC-Peru Officer Suspended Over Human Fat Killer’s Lie-2 December 2009

USA Today-Peru’s Kill-For-Fat Gang May Be Deadly Police Hoax-1 December 2009

Taylor Concedes, But Not Too Much

By Jonathan Ambaye
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa Desk

THE HAGUE, Netherlands-This past week in the Charles Taylor Trial, prosecutors were able to receive admissions from Taylor that may prove crucial to supporting their case against him for committing war crimes. Filling in for special prosecutor Brenda Hollis, who has been severely ill, was Nicholas Koumjian who lead the cross-examination of Taylor last week.

During the course of the cross-examination, Taylor admitted that he sent his Chief of Protocol, Musa Sesay, to accompany a Sierra Leonean rebel commander to Burkina Faso in 1998. Despite the admission, Taylor was sure to deny additional allegations that he helped the rebel, Sam Bockarie, transport arms and ammunition through Liberia for use by rebel forces in Sierra Leone.

Taylor explained that he sent Sesay to act as an interpreter for Bockarie during his visit with President Blaise Campaore in Burkina Faso. Taylor however agreed that Bockarie was under a UN travel ban at the time of the visit, and despite the ban, he still approved Bockarie’s passage through Liberia.  The prosecution has been trying to gather evidence to support the alleged relationship that existed between Taylor and RUF commander Bockarie. Witnesses have testified that Bockarie used to take orders from Taylor, but Taylor has repeatedly denied these allegations.

This past week also saw Taylor confirm his involvement in bringing together Sierra Leonean Rebel commanders to reconcile their differences. It is alleged that Taylor orchestrated the reconciliation between the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) and the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) with the plans for a military takeover of Sierra Leone.

Taylor denied this allegation, and further explained that his purpose of uniting the commanders was to ensure the success of the peace agreement between the government and the rebel groups. When asked why the Sierra Leonean Government was not invited to this meeting, Taylor said, “Because the government of Sierra Leone was not part of the issues between them. There was bad blood between groups and their purpose was to sort out that bad blood.”

For more information please see:

Charles Taylor Trial – Charles Taylor Helped Sierra Leonean Rebel Commanders Reconcile Their Differences, But Not For a Military Takeover of The Country, He Says- 26 November 2009

Charles Taylor Trial – Charles Taylor Says He Was A Peace Mediator– 28 November 2009

Charles Taylor Trial – Taylor Admits He Sent His Chief To Accompany A Sierra Leonean Rebel Commander To Burkina Faso – 25 November 2009

Uganda Bill Criminalizing Homosexuality Suggests Death Penalty

By Jennifer M. Haralambides

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago – New anti-gay bill in Uganda proposes the death penalty and long prison sentences for homosexual acts.

According to Canada.com, Prime Minister, Stephen Harper told reporters that he met privately with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni during the Commonwealth leaders’ summit to express “Canada’s deep concern and strong opposition to the bill.”

Additionally, Harper told Canada.com reporters, “We deplore these kinds of measures.  We find them inconsistent with any reasonable understanding of human rights.”

This bill proposes execution for AIDS-infected gays and lesbians who have sex and makes it mandatory for all Ugandans, including family and friends, to report such sexual activity to authorities within twenty four hours.  Life imprisonment is the minimum punishment for anyone convicted of having gay sex.

Human rights activists say this bill will result in a which hunt.

“The bill is haunting us,” said Frank Mugisha, chairman of Sexual Minorities Uganda, a coalition of local lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex groups that will be banned under the law.  “If this passes we will have to leave the country.”

Steven Lewis, Canadian HIV-AIDS activist came to Trinidad in order to protest the bill.  He claims the bill is designed to demonize homosexuality and it intensify the stigma suffered by all AIDS sufferers in Africa and drive gay men and women underground.

“It will diminish dramatically the prospect of counseling and testing to establish HIV status,” he said, “and make it virtually impossible to reach homosexuals with the knowledge and education and condoms that prevent the spread of AIDS.”

There is a rooted base of homophobia in Uganda.  This movement is also aided by US-linked evangelical campaigns who are trying to stop gay men from “recruiting” school children, and are trying to “cure” those who are inflicted with homosexuality.

“We are talking about anal sex.  Not even animals do that,” said James Nsaba Bururo.  He added that he was personally caring for six “former homosexuals” who had been traumatized by their experiences.  “We believe there are limits to human rights.”

The Prime Minister of Trinidad, Patrick Manning dismissed the bill as an “internal matter” stating that it had no place on the summit agenda, and should not have been discussed.

Of the fifty three Commonwealth member states, over forty still criminalize same-sex relations.  They criminalize otherwise law abiding citizens and contribute to a hostile social atmosphere which demonizes lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people as though they are unnatural, abnormal and criminal.

For more information, please see:

Canada.com – Harper Slams Uganda’s Anti-Gay Bill – 29 November 2009

Guardian.co.uk – Uganda Considers Death Sentence for Gay Sex in Bill Before Parliament – 29 November 2009

The Star – Harper Scolds Uganda on Law that Would Jail Homosexuals – 29 November 2009

Daily Mail – Gordon Brown Caught Up in gay Rights Storm as Uganda Debates Death Penalty for Homosexuals – 30 November 2009

Live Blogging Session on the Opening of International Criminal Court’s Second Trial

December 2009

01 December 2009

Live Blogging Session on the Opening of International Criminal Court’s Second Trial

On Wednesday, December 2, 2009, from 4 to 5 p.m. CET /10 to 11 a.m. EST, the Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC) will hold a live blogging session on the opening of International Criminal Court’s second trial with NGO expert Mariana Pena, Permanent Representative of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) in The Hague.

Leading victims’ rights advocate Mariana Pena will answer questions and read comments from interested Internet users on the Katanga/Ngudjolo trial which opened on 24 November 2009, including on issues of victims’ participation to the trial, outreach and communications, or fair trial.

Please note that the session will be held in English.

To follow the live discussion or read a transcript of the chat, go to www.iccnow.org/blog

To submit questions ahead of the chat or during the chat, please email communications@iccnow.org

BACKGROUND:

KATANGA/NGUDJOLO TRIAL:
Katanga and Ngudjolo are accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in the village of Bogoro in the Ituri district of eastern DRC from January to March 2003, including child soldier and rape charges. The Katanga/Ngudjolo trial – the second trial of the Court – will open on Tuesday 24 November 2009. The ICC is the world’s first permanent international court to prosecute war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. It is also the first international criminal tribunal to allow victims to participate in court proceedings and receive reparations.
More at: http://www.iccnow.org/?mod=drctimelinekatanga

MARIANA PENA:
Mariana Pena has been representing the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) at the International Criminal Court since 2006 and in this capacity she has monitored ICC judicial and institutional proceedings and the impact of the work of the Court on the communities most affected by the crimes it investigates. Prior to joining FIDH, she was involved in advocacy for the ICC in the United States, and in facilitating victims’ access to justice within the Inter-American system of Human Rights. She an attorney at law with litigation experience in domestic affairs, and has also worked as a tribunal clerk.

INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS:
Created in 1922, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) is an umbrella organisation for a network of 155 human rights organisations around the world. Its mandate is to contribute to the respect of all the rights defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. FIDH aims at obtaining effective improvement in the protection of victims, the prevention of Human Rights violations and the prosecution and punishment of perpetrators. Some of its main priorities are the fight against impunity for serious violations of human rights and the provision of assistance to victims of such violations before judicial and quasi-judicial mechanisms. FIDH has been a member of the steering committee of the Coalition for the International Criminal Court since its establishment, and has been closely involved in following developments in relation to the Rome Statute system.
More at: www.fidh.org/

Human Smuggling to be Addressed by Australia and Sri Lanka

By Eileen Gould
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

CANBERRA, Australia – Three Indonesian nationals have been charged with attempting to smuggle more than fifty asylum seekers into Australia.

Last week, the Australian federal police first charged two Indonesian men, aged 32 and 18, with people smuggling.  Another Indonesian, aged 19, was subsequently charged with the same offense, bringing five or more non-citizens into the country.

In October, the HMAS Bathurst was stopped by officials off the northwest coast of Western Australia, which led to the discovery of these three men.

People smuggling has been an ongoing concern of the Australian government.   Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has taken it up with his counterpart in Sri Lanka, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake and Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama.

While at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Trinidad and Tobago, Rudd met with the Sri Lankan Prime Minister to discuss current problems in the Pacific region surrounding refugees and people smuggling.

Sri Lanka and Australia have agreed to continue to work together to combat the problem. Australia promises to continue to provide support to Sri Lanka to address the situation.

Providing housing for displaced individuals has become a huge problem, as a large number of individuals are awaiting resettlement from camps in Sri Lanka.  Recent reports indicate that these individuals are approximately 130,000 in number.

Rudd says, “It is a huge problem in terms of the adequate provision of housing to accommodate the basic life needs of internally displaced persons.”

A report released last week on the Arabic news network Al Jazeera claimed to expose the people smugglers’ methods in bringing asylum seekers from Indonesia to Australia.

The asylum seekers are hidden below deck on board the smugglers’ boats.  The people smugglers allegedly will pretend to be in danger so that the Australian authorities will pick them up and bring them to one of several immigration detention facilities.

Despite multiple arrests for people smuggling, one man admits that he ‘has no fear’ and will bribe Indonesian police to get out of jail.

The trial for one of the three Indonesian men charged with human smuggling began last week at the Perth Magistrates Court and continues today.

If convicted of people smuggling, the individuals face a maximum penalty of twenty years in jail or a $220,000 fine.

For more information please see:
Daily Mirror – Australian PM discusses issue with Sri Lankan counterpart at CHOGM – 01 December 2009

Big Pond News – Rudd talks on refugees at CHOGM – 30 November 2009

Herald Sun – Teen Indonesian charged with people smuggling – 27 November 2009

Jakarta Post – Indonesians face 20-year sentence for alleged smuggling – 27 November 2009

Sydney Morning Herald – Report exposes people smuggling methods – 23 November 2009