Katanga and Ngudjolo Plead Not Guilty In First Day Of Trial

By: Jonathan Ambaye
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa Desk

THE HAGUE, Netherlands-Today marked the first day of the human rights and war crimes trial of two Congolese militia leaders, Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo.  Katanga and Ngudjolo both plead not guilty to charges stemming from an accusation that they directed an attack on the village of Bogoro in 2003, in which more than 200 people were killed. The specific charges the two face include, ordering attacks on civilians, sexual slavery, rape, and enlisting child soldiers. Today both Katanga and Ngudjolo denied the allegations and expressed sympathy for the victims.

Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo opened the case against the two defendants, alleging they tried to wipe out the entire village of Bogorao. Ocampo used the prosecution’s opening to give a graphic illustration of the horrors that took place in the village of Bogorao. During the course of the attack he said, “some villagers were shot dead in their sleep, some cut up by machetes to save bullets. Others were burned alive after their houses were set on fire by the attackers. “He described the defendants, Katanga and Ngudjolo, as the top commanders of the troops that killed, raped, and pillaged. He further alleged in his opening, “they used children as soldiers, they killed more than 200 civilians in a few hours, they raped women; girls and the elderly, they looted the entire village and they transformed women into sex slaves.

Katanga’s defense attorney claimed that Katanga was “merely defending his own people” and had no part in the Bogoro attack. Ngudjolo’s defense attorney also said that Ngudjolo had not been involved in the attack at Bogoro, and that he had a “clear conscience”.

For more information please see:

AP – 2 Warlords Plead Innocent In Congo Massacre Trial – 24 November 2009

BBC – Congo Warlords Deny Atrocities – 24 November 2009

VOA – Rebel Leaders Plead Not Guilty In Congo Massacre Trial – 24 November 2009

Department of Education Investigating Military College

24 November 2009

Department of Education Investigating Military College

By Stephen Kopko

Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

VIRGINIA, United States – For the past sixteen months the federal Department of Education has been investigating allegations that policies and procedures at the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) are discriminatory. The probe began over a year ago and will determine whether certain practices are sexist and hostile to women.

The Virginia Military Institute was founded in 1839 as an all male higher educational facility that is partially supported by government money. It is known for its highly regimented and military atmosphere. In 1996, the United States Supreme Court ruled that VMI had to admit females into the school or it would lose its government support. In 1997 VMI admitted its first female students.

The recent investigation of VMI’s policies and procedures centers around a range of issues. The complaint asserts that there is an overall hostile environment to women, that the physical standards are unfair to women, and that the promotion and tenure polices discriminate against women. The Department of Education also is investigating whether the school’s marriage and parenthood policies discriminate against women. Currently, VMI expects those cadets that marry or become pregnant to resign from the school. Promoting this policy, the school wrote that “the responsibilities of parenthood are deemed to begin upon a cadets learning that a child has been conceived.” In regards to the allegations of discriminatory promotion practices, VMI stated that it takes in account teaching ability, scholarly engagement, professional citizenship and contributions to the development of the cadets.

Since VMI admitted women, one hundred and fifty nine females have graduated from the institution. Also, about twenty two percent of current full and part time faculty are female. This past year VMI dropped its fitness requirement of five pull-ups to one pull-up for women. VMI received one hundred and sixty nine female applications this year and admitted fifty females.

Some women at the institution were surprised by the investigation. Senior cadet Elizabeth Dobbins stated that there “was no male model here.” She believed that the school was so open that any mistreatment would be noticed. Professor Mary Ann Dellinger also stated that there was no discrimination in promotion practices. The Council for the Advancement and Support of Education awarded VMI its top honor for recruitment this past June.

For more information, please see:

Inside Higher Ed – Education Department Probes Allegations About VMI – 24 November 2009

MSNBC – Virginia Military Institute Faces Sexism Accusations – 22 November 2009

Roanoke Times – VMI is Subject of Sexism Probe – 8 August 2009

United Nations Condemns Iran’s Human Rights Violations

By Bobby Rajabi
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

TEHRAN, Iran – On November 20 the United Nations rebuked Iran for numerous human rights violations. The violations allegedly took place in the wake of the disputed presidential election. The UN’s condemnation came int he form of a draft resolution approved by members of the UN committee on human rights. The resolution passed by a vote of seventy four to forty eight with fifty nine countries abstaining.

A resolution condemning Iran for their treatment of their own citizens is not rare for the UN. However, the current resolution expressed particular concern for the increase of human rights violations that followed President Mahomoud Ahmedinejad’s disputed re-election. Those who abstained from the vote were reportedly concerned with singling out specific countries for condemnation.

In a similar vote last year, Iran garnered slightly more support. Among those who removed their support from Iran was Saudi Arabia, who had voted “no” in 2008. This decision appears to be linked to Saudi Arabia’s displeasure with Iranian support for a Shi’ite rebellion in Yemen. The rebellion has reportedly spilled over onto Saudi territory.

The resolution expressed “particular concern at the response of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran following the Presidential election of 12 June 2009 and the concurrent rise in human rights violations.” Among the violations listed by the UN were “harassment, intimidation and persecution, including by arbitrary arrest, detention or disappearance, of opposition members, journalists and other media representatives, bloggers, lawyers, clerics, human rights defenders, academics, (and) students.”

Iran’s disputed election lead to street rallies that broke out after the vote. Protesters claimed that Ahmedinejad’s re-election came as a result of a rigged vote. Four thousand individuals were arrested. Among them were one hundred forty senior reformers and journalists who were later shown on television in mass trials. They were charged with seeking an overthrow of the regime.

Iran’s UN ambassador, Mohammad Khazaee, protested against the measure. He alleged that the resolution, introduced by Canada, showed the country’s “ill intentions.” He also criticized bringing such resolutions to the assembly as they have “created an atmosphere of confrontation and polarization.”

For more information, please see:

AFP – UN Blasts Iran’s Human Rights Violations – 21 November 2009

BBC – UN Condemns Iran’s Response to Post-Election Unrest – 21 November 2009

New York Times – In Draft Resolution, United Nations Rebukes Iran For Rights Violations Since Election – 20 November 2009

Reuters – UN Panel Condemns Iran For Post-Election Crackdown – 20 November 2009

Youth Separatists Linked to ETA Arrested in Basque Region

By David Sophrin
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

MADRID, Spain – On Thursday Spanish police arrested 36 members of Segi, a youth group with ties to ETA across the Basque and Navarre regions.

These arrests were part of a larger investigation coordinated by Supreme Court Judge Fernando Grande-Marlaska and the Spanish government targeting the separatist movement in the region.  The youth suspects, including suspected leaders of Segi have allegedly been involved with militant activities associated with the larger goals of ETA.  According to Spanish officials, Segi followers have also been involved in acts of vandalism and attacks on government buildings, banks and opposing political parties.  Segi was outlawed by the Spanish government in 2007.  In addition to documents and computers, explosive-making materials were also confiscated in the police raids that included 46 houses.

There has been a ceasefire in place between ETA (meaning Euskadi ta Askatasuna, or “Basque Homeland and Liberty”) and the Spanish central government since 2007.  ETA, which was founded in 1959 to achieve independence for the mountainous region along the border between France and Spain, has been listed as a terrorist organization by the Spain, as well as the United States and the European Union.  It has been weakened in recent years, however, by the increased efforts of law enforcement in France and Spain.

According to Christian Aguerre, a former journalist who has covered the ETA movement, stated that despite these efforts, it would be difficult to ever completely eradicate the Basque separatist movement since the nationalist ideals will always draw in new members.  However, waning support for ETA was evident in the recent elections, when a non-nationalist party gained power in the Basque region parliament for the first time in decades.

For more information, please see:

BARCELONA REPORTER – 34 Basque separatists suspected supporters of ETA detained – 24 November 2009

CANADIAN PRESS – Spanish police arrest 34 suspected ETA supporters – 24 November 2009

CNN – Dozens arrested over ‘Basque separatist ties’ – 24 November 2009

EITB – Basque operation against Segi: 36 arrests made – 24 November 2009

IOL – 36 arrested over ETA-link youth group – 24 November 2009

VOICE OF AMERICA – Spanish Police Arrest Suspected ETA Members – 24 November 2009

More than 300 West Papuans Repatriated to Jayapura

By Cindy Trinh
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea – More than 300 West Papuans living in Papua New Guinea (PNG) were repatriated to Jayapura under a joint program organized by the governments of PNG and Indonesia.

West Papuans have had a long history of hardship, which has forced them to scatter throughout PNG and other Melanesian countries, such as Indonesia. Many of these West Papuans suffered gross human rights violations because of ill treatment by the Indonesian government, and disregard from the PNG government.

However, a bilateral approach between the Indonesian government and PNG to repatriate West Papuans has given hope to the West Papuan refugees.

Earlier this month, three PNG politicians joined an international campaign to support West Papuans allegedly persecuted by Indonesian authorities. The international campaign yielded a charter that calls for the United Nations to “restore the right of the indigenous people of West Papua to self-determination.”

Now, more than 300 West Papuans were repatriated to Jayapura under the bilateral approach of the Indonesian government and PNG.

On the first trip, the Indonesian Air Force lifted a total of 142 men, women, and children out of Wewak’s Boram Airport to Indonesia. Those boarded on the aircraft consisted of refugees from Manus, Bulolo, Goroka, Lae, Madang and Wewak.

On the second trip out of Port Moresby, 170 West Papuans from the Southern Region and Lae were boarded. Many of them were from Kiunga and Daru.

PNG Foreign Affairs officials, who were in Wewak to coordinate the first departure of the West Papuans, said that the West Papuans volunteered to be repatriated. More than 700 were listed for repatriation, but only 312 decided to leave while others decided to remain in PNG.

The joint program is funded by the Indonesian government. This program aims to repatriate West Papuans who were willing to return to their country of origin.

A West Papuan named Roby Merauje said he was willing to go home, but was still uncertain about his future. He stated that the West Papuans volunteered to return to Jayapura because of the better living conditions.

For more information, please see:
Islands Business – Over 300 West Papuans go back home – 24 November 2009

Pacific Islands News Association – Over 300 West Papuans go back home – 24 November 2009

InfoPapua – United Nations must relook West Papuan cause – 21 November 2009

Impunity Watch – PNG Politicians Join International Campaign to Support West Papuans – 16 November 2009