Deadly Blast Rocks Pakistani Town

By Michael E. Sanchez
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia  

CHARSADDA, Pakistan- At least 24 people have been killed and more than 100 injured in a car bombing in the town of Charsadda, police say.  The blast occurred as shoppers walked through the main market of the town, which lies north-east of Peshawar.  

More than 300 people have been killed in a number of attacks as Pakistani troops launched an assault against the Taliban in South Waziristan.

90 pounds of explosives were placed in a car which then exploded outside the busy market intersection.  So far no one has claimed responsibility, but authorities have blamed similar attacks in recent weeks on the Taliban.

Eyewitness said the vehicle blew up on a road lined with fruit and juice shops, leaving the ground littered with slippers, body parts, and broken push carts.  One witness told reporters “It was a terrible scene. There were injured and wounded everywhere… I joined the relief and rescue operation and myself removed about a dozen casualties.”  Early evidence points to a suicide attack, because body parts and sneakers of the suspected bomber were recovered from the site.

The attack is the third in as many days in the North West Province.  On Monday, a suicide bomber in a rickshaw killed at least three people and wounded five others near a police checkpoint in Peshawar.  On Sunday, at least 12 were killed in a suicide bomb attack near the city in the village of Mattani, including the mayor who had opposed the Taliban. Less than two weeks ago, a car bomb killed 112 people in a Peshawar market, the deadliest attack in more than two years in Pakistan.

Syed Shoaib Hasan of the BBC says ordinary citizens are becoming targets in bomb attacks at an increasing rate.  As the Pakistani army presses an offensive against Taliban militants in the border area with Afghanistan, suicide bombers have stepped attacks on civilians and police officers in northwest Pakistan in an attempt to shake the government. 

The government has pledged to press ahead with the offensive, stating that the recent atrocities against the citizens was evidence of the desperation of the militants. “They are not able to target freely, and that’s why they are targeting innocent people,” said Mian Iftikhar Hussain, information minister for North West Frontier.  “But we and the people of Pakistan are determined to continue this jihad against terrorists undeterred.”

For more information, please see;

BBC News- Deadly Blast Hits Pakistani Town – 10 November 2009

New York Times- Car Bomb Adds to Toll in Northwest Pakistan– 10 November 2009

MSNBC- Police: Bomb Kills 24 at Market in Pakistan– 10 November 2009

Azerbaijan Bloggers Receive Prison Sentences

By Alok Bhatt
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia 
 
 Azerbaijan law enforcement arrested two bloggers who posted an internet video depicting the nation’s president as a donkey delivering a press conference.  Police allegedly apprehended the two individuals for skirmishing at a restaurant.  The bloggers, however, claim that the hooliganism charge was a pretense for arresting them for their oppositional political statement.  

Emin Abdullayev and Adnan Hazhidzade were sentenced on Wednesday (Nov. 11) to two and two-and-a-half years in prison respectively.  The two have been in custody since the incident actually occurred in July.  The bloggers’ sentencing incited the criticism of numerous civil rights groups and U.S. officials, who claim that court’s decision signifies significant regression in the path towards democracy-based structure reform.  

The U.S. State Department also expressed concern and disfavor towards the two young men’s sentencing.  The Department’s spokesperson, Ian Kelly, blatantly berated apparent denial of the bloggers’ rights to a fair hearing, relating that the Azerbaijan courts used questionable investigations and secretive hearings to fabricate the crimes against the bloggers.  The U.S. State Department further criticized the disproportionately harsh legal penalties the two bloggers faced, particularly considering a supposed failure to properly detain and charge the two bloggers.  Ian Kelly also expressed his concern for the speech rights of Azerbaijan’s citizens. 

By disallowing its citizens the right to demonstrate disagreement with the current governmental structure, Azerbaijan denies a fundamental means of expression conducive to sociopolitical reform.  Opposition to such speech demonstrates a state’s unwillingness to accept shifts in the dynamic between citizens and the state, which promotes stagnation in political progress.  

The defense attorneys for Abdullayev and Hazhidzade assert that the State merely wants to condemn the two youths for their involvement in political activism and dissent groups.  Abdullayev himself admitted to experiencing a feeling of profound honor in enduring state sanctions for his beliefs.  Despite this pride in accepting punishment, though, the bloggers’ lawyers announced that they will immediately appeal to the European Court of Human Rights.  

Activist groups voiced concerns that the arrest of the two bloggers represents the Azerbaijan government’s minor agenda to eliminate political protest within the state.  Azerbaijan officials have yet to release statements addressing these allegations.     


For more information, please see:

Al-Jazeera – Bloggers jailed in Azerbaijan – 11 November 2009

BBC News – Azerri bloggers given prison terms – 11 November 2009

Worldwide AP – Azerbaijan opposition bloggers sentenced to jail – 11 November 2009

BP Oil Pipeline Threatens Colombian Farmers

By Sovereign Hager

Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

LONDON, England-Colombian farmers are suing the oil company BP for damages arising from the construction of a 450-mile pipeline. The lawsuit alleges that the Ocensa pipeline caused landslides and damage to soil and groundwater, caused crops to fail, livestock to die, contaminated water supplies and made fish ponds unsustainable.

The pipeline was laid from the Cusian-Cupiagua oilfields, to the port of Covenas. The region has a significant amount of paramilitary activity. Farmers say that they have been harassed and intimidated by paramilitaries employed by the Colombian government to guard the pipeline. Colombian lawyers who initially were a part of the lawsuit claim that they were intimidated by paramilitaries as well.  One lawyer fled to Britain when she found out that her name was on a paramilitary hit list. She was granted asylum in 2002.

In this case, the environmental impact assessment, which BP conducted prior to pipeline construction, allegedly showed significant risk of damage to the land. However, mostly illiterate farmers were not informed about the risk. BP expressly promised compensation to the farmers for damages caused by the pipeline and that there would be no long-term environmental damage.

The lawsuit claims damages for breach of contract and negligence. If the court accepts evidence of environmental damage, advocates believe that that would allow similar claims by other communities in developing countries who say they have been adversely affected by oil pipelines.

One farmer stated, “Now that my land has been destroyed I realize that the money I was paid for the pipeline to be build across my farm was a mere pittance and that BP took advantage of my inability to read and write and my lack of understanding of technical language.”

BP denies all of the farmers’ allegations. It argues that the main cause of soil erosion and sediment is the removal of forests by farmers for cattle grazing. BP settled outside of court in a similar lawsuit in 2002. A court hearing date has not yet been set.

For more information, please see:

Business and Human Rights Resource Center-Case Profile:BP Lawsuit(Re: Colombia)-11 November 2009

Colombia Solidarity Campaign-BP and Pipeline Damage in Colombia-11 November 2009

The Guardian-BP Faces Damages Claim Over Pipeline Through Colombia Farmland-11 November 2009

Most Recent Clash in Mogadishu Leaves 6 Dead and Thousands More Searching for Solace

By Jared Kleinman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

MOGADISHU, Somalia – Heavy fighting between Somali transitional government forces and rebel Al Shabaab militants have left at least six people dead and another 12 injured in Mogadishu.

The fighting broke out Saturday afternoon when heavily armed Al Shabaab militant fighters carried out attacks on government bases in the Mogadishu districts of Bondhere and Abdiaziz.

Residents said that most of the people who were killed and wounded were civilians. Those people who were killed died when mortar shelling and heavy weapons artillery landed in their Mogadishu neighborhoods.

The Somali capital has been ravaged in recent months by a string of deadly clashes between the Al Shabaab rebels and government troops backed by African Union troops. The Al Shabaab militants are intent on overthrowing the fragile UN-backed transitional government. Al-Shabaab and its allies currently control most of southern and central Somalia, while the government, helped by the AU force, just runs parts of Mogadishu.

Somalia has been crippled by over 18 years of civil war and has had no functioning government since the collapse of the Siad Barre regime in 1991. The years of fighting and anarchy have left some three million people, more than half of the country’s population, dependent on humanitarian aid, with nearly 300,000 refugees crammed into a few square kilometers at the Dadaab camp in northeastern Kenya alone.

Al-Shabaab wants foreign peacekeepers out of the country while Somalia’s transitional government wants more foreign support. Should the AU forces leave, thousands of Somali’s will suffer with out the AU’s humanitarian aid. Should the AU forces stay and maintain their foreign fortification against the Al-Shabaab insurgents, Al-Shabaab will continue its attacks.

For more information, please see:

Garowe Online – Civilians Killed in Fresh Mogadishu Clashes – 8 November 2009

PressTv – At least 6 dead in latest clashes in Mogadishu – 8 November 2009

Shabelle Media Network – Fighting Kills Two, Wounds Five Others in North Mogadishu – 7 November 2009

New Zealand Refuses to Help Asylum Seekers

By Cindy Trinh
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

WELLINGTON, New Zealand – New Zealand rejected the Rudd Government’s plea to resettle some of the 78 asylum seekers refusing to leave an Australian customs boat, the Oceanic Viking, just off the coast of Indonesia. New Zealand’s refusal to help the asylum seekers has increased pressure on the Rudd Government as it tries to resolve the stand-off over the Oceanic Viking.

The Oceanic Viking consists of a group of Tamil men, women, and children. This group has been on board the Oceanic Viking since their boat was intercepted off Christmas Island over 3 weeks ago.

New Zealand’s Immigration Minister, Jonathan Coleman, announced that New Zealand will not grant the Rudd Government’s plea to resettle some of the asylum seekers.

Coleman further stated: “The New Zealand Government does not believe that an ad hoc approach to dealing with individual cases like the Oceanic Viking will send the right message…The broader issues aren’t going to go away. There are literally thousands of displaced people across the Asia-Pacific region.”

Further opponents argue that agreeing to resettle the asylum seekers would “set an unwanted precedent for New Zealand’s conservative Government.”

Coleman expressed his fear and wary for rewarding actions that seek to “jump the queue for entry to New Zealand.” He concluded that it is unlikely that New Zealand will offer settlement to asylum seekers on board the Oceanic Viking.

Coleman’s Australian counterpart, Chris Evans, also agrees that it is unlikely that New Zealand will offer settlement to asylum seekers on board the Oceanic Viking, but is hopeful to an ongoing co-operation with New Zealand regarding this matter.

Conflict between Indonesia and Australia continues. The chief military spokesman from Indonesia, Rear Marshal Sagom Tamboen, called the Oceanic Viking an “uninvited guest” and contends that its presence has undermined Indonesian sovereignty.

Tamboen expressed frustration with the inability of Australian officials to persuade the 78 asylum seekers to disembark. Angry with the presence of the Oceanic Viking, he stated: “It creates so much harm to us because we must do work that is not on our planned agenda, namely guarding an uninvited guest. It is harming our sovereignty. It has only brought troubles into our waters.”

Tamboen attacked Australia’s reluctance to solve the problem and questioned why such a wealthy country like Australia did not simply accept the asylum seekers on its own shores.

The Oceanic Viking security clearance to remain in Indonesian territory runs out on Friday, November 13. Indonesia announced that it is not inclined to extend that security clearance.

Australian immigration officials went on board the Oceanic Viking to negotiate with the asylum seekers, but they expressed that no deal had been reached. The asylum seekers would be happy with an offer of settlement on Australian soil, but if they were to be settled on Indonesian soil, they want to stay in regular housing. Many of the asylum seekers contended that when they stayed at an Australian-funded detention center in Indonesia they suffered physical and emotional trauma as a result.

The Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, and the Foreign Minister, Stephen Smith, plan to attend the APEC conference in Singapore where they will seek progress on regional co-operation on people smuggling.

For more information, please see:
The Age – NZ rejects Rudd Government plea on refugees – 11 November 2009

Islands Business – NZ rejects Rudd Government plea on refugees – 11 November 2009

MyBIZ – NZ rejects Rudd Government plea on refugees – 11 November 2009

WAtoday – NZ snubs Rudd on asylum seekers – 11 November 2009