Taylor Accuses Prosecution of Misleading the Court

By Jonathan Ambaye
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa Desk

THE HAGUE, Netherlands-On Monday, November 2, 2009, Charles Taylor’s trial, for his alleged role in serious international crimes committed by Sierra Leone rebels during the country’s civil war, resumed. On this day, Charles Taylor gave testimony accusing the prosecution of misleading the Special Court for Sierra Leone. This accusation came as a result of the prosecution introducing evidence that when Taylor was Liberia’s President, he acted as a mediator between divided Sierra Leonean rebel commanders, and that he further was involved in appointing rebel leaders and providing his country as a safe haven to rebels on “the run”.

The evidence came in the form of testimony by Vamunya Sherif, a former Deputy Director of Operations in the Liberian Secret Service during Taylor’’s presidency. In January of 2008, Sherif testified that Taylor played a role as a meditator between two senior rebel commanders of Sierra Leone’s Revolutionary Front (RUF), Issa Sesay and Sam Bockarie. According to Sherif’s testimony, Taylor invited the two commanders to Liberia with the intent to help them resolve their conflict. It is alleged by Sheriff, that during this time Taylor appointed Sesay as the leader of the RUF in place of Sam Bockarie. Sherif concluded his testimony alleging that subsequent to the leadership change, Bockarie fled to Liberia where he sought a safe haven.

In response to this testimony, Taylor dismissed Sherif’s testimony as “lies”.  Taylor went on to say, “No such situation occurred where I sent for Sam Bockarie and Issa Sesay to discuss a conflict between them that will lead to the departure of Bockarie.” In additional response to the prosecutions introduction of the evidence Taylor said “the prosecution knows that no such meeting took place because they have gone through major documents that tell how Bockarie left Sierra Leone, so for them to ask that question when they know that no such meeting too place is sinister, and the prosecution misled the court.”

Taylor went on to refute other claims made by Sherif that included linking arms and ammunition exchanges between Bockarie and Liberia. For the past week Taylor has had to respond to testimonies by the prosecution’s witnesses regarding his relationship with RUF commander Bockarie. Taylor has adamantly denied many of these allegations.

For more information please see:

All Africa – Charles Taylor Accuses Prosecution of “Misleading” The Special Court for Sierra Leone – 2 November 2009

Charles Taylor Trial – Charles Taylor Accuses Prosecution of “Misleading” The Special Court for Sierra Leone – 2 November 2009

Charles Taylor Trial – Charles Taylor and Sam Bockarie Did Not Have Master Servant Relationship – 29 October 2009

Palestinians Could Abandon Two-State Solution if Settlements Continue

By Meredith Lee-Clark

Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

 

RAMALLAH, West Bank – Saeb Erekat, chief Palestinian negotiator, has said that Israel’s continued expansion of settlements in the West Bank could force the Palestinians to reject any proposed two-state solution in future peace negotiations.

 

Erekat’s statement came during a press conference on November 4, in response to allegations that the United States was becoming lax in insisting that Israel halt all settlement construction or expansion, as required by international treaties.

 

Erekat added that U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was simply encouraging more settlements when she praised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s offer to temporarily limit settlement construction in the West Bank. Netanyahu’s plan would stop development of new settlements, though would not place any restrictions on any of the three thousand buildings already under construction in Israeli settlements. There was considerable international outcry in response to Clinton’s remarks on October 31, as Palestinians have stated that a complete freeze on settlement construction would be a precondition to any peace talks between the Israelis and the Palestinians. On November 4, Clinton reiterated the U.S. support for a complete settlement freeze after she met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

 

Even as political leaders continue to debate conditions for peace negotiations, confrontations between Palestinians and Jewish settlers continued in East Jerusalem. Several Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem have been issued evacuation orders, presumably to make room for incoming Jewish settlers. The Salah family, whose home is under one of the evacuation orders, has lived in the Beit Safafa neighborhood of East Jerusalem for several generations, and has remained in their home. The Salah family was attacked on October 30, reportedly by twelve settlers who were armed with weapons. Five members of the family were injured. The Jerusalem Center for Social and Economic Rights has subsequently accused the Israeli police of not adequately responding to the assault.

 

Erekat said that the alternative for the Palestinians was to re-focus on the one-state solution, “where Muslims, Christians and Jews can live as equals…It is very serious. This is the moment of truth for us.”

 

For more information, please see:

 

Al Jazeera – Settlements “End Two-State Hopes” – 5 November 2009

 

Ma’an News Agency – Erekat: Two-State Solution May Have to Be Abandoned – 5 November 2009

 

Ha’aretz – Clinton: Settlements Are Illegitimate, Should Be Halted Forever – 4 November 2009

 

New York Times – Clinton Backs Peace Talks Before Israeli Settlement Freeze – 4 November 2009

 

Palestinian News Network – Jerusalem Center for Social and Economic Rights Condemns Attack on Beit Safafa Family – 31 October 2009

Claims of Bhopal Site Leaking Toxins Denied

 

By M.E. Dodge
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BHOPAL, India – Officials in India continue to dismiss claims that a plant in Bhopal which formerly manufactured Union Carbide pesticide still leaks and emits dangerous toxins into drinking water.

According to a report published by the British-based charity the Bhopal Medical Appeal (BMA) and the Sambhavna Clinic in Bhopal, there is a showing, and evidence to support, that “there are still high levels of toxic chemicals in the drinking water supply in 15 communities near the old Union Carbide pesticide plant.” In addition, the report goes on to say that the water “in and around the Union Carbide factory site in Bhopal still contains extremely unsafe levels of carbon tetrachloride,” and further states that there are also “other persistent organic pollutants, solvents, nickel and other heavy metals.”  

In response, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, of Madhya Pradesh, engaged in an interview with BBC World News. During the interview the Chief Minister told BBC that contrary to the claims in the report, the plant and surrounding areas are safe. Moreover, Chief Minister, Mr. Chouhan, insisted that clean water was supplied by tanker to those communities without piped water.  However, many residents said that supplies were infrequent and insufficient, forcing them to continue relying on contaminated ground water. 

Counter to, Sarang decision the Chief Minister and other official maintain that “there is nothing hazardous to human life… people should not be worried. We have secured the site.”   

According to findings by Sathyu Sarangi, leader of the Sambhavna Clinic, the problem arises from areas known as solar evaporation ponds, which he claimed polluter, Union Carbide, used before the disaster as dumping grounds for toxic effluent. Sarangi went on to state that the report shows “that there are many toxins still in the ground that have never been cleaned up. Additionally, “each time it rains, the rain washes those toxins into the ground water, which many people still draw to drink.”

For more information, please see:

BBC World News – Officials dismiss claims Bhopal site is leaking toxins – Demeber 5, 2009

Business Weekly – India: Anger Grows Over Bhopal – December 4, 1009 

Daily Times – Govt backtracks on Bhopal gas ‘show’ – December 5, 2009

Ecuador’s Indigenous Protest Water Privatization

By Sovereign Hager

Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

QUITO, Ecuador-The Confederation of Ecuadoran Indigenous Nationalities (CONAIE) are expressing opposition to a new water law by protesting and blocking roadways. The movement argues that the Hydraulic Resources Law allows for the development of mining projects in areas occupied by springs that are major sources of water. Leaders also argue that the law ensures water provisions for mining companies but not for indigenous and campesino communities and does not attend to the issue of contamination of waterways.

Under the new plan, all water systems in Ecuador will be brought under centralized state authority, thus ending a system of community control over water resources. Ecological Action, a non profit organization, found that the law “contains elements of privatization for both water and land usage in as much as those resources become the sole property of the benefiting industry or business for other uses.” This is because the law allows for water resources to be acquired in the purchase of land and permits the owner to use the water however he or she sees fit.

Forty-five percent of water resources have been privatized through legal concessions, but one percent of those using water resources consume sixty-four percent of the water available and eighty-six percent of Ecuadorians consume just thirteen percent of the country’s water. Critics argue that the new law “does nothing in regard to these points and the National Development Plan favors the mining companies and flower growers.” There are no sanctions in the law for contamination or water quality control.

Indigenous communities have played a large role in the construction of water system networks, constructing irrigation canals and consumer water systems. They view the new “sole authority” provision as a direct threat to their water council system.

Responses to protests resulted in the death of a bilingual professor, who was shot by police when he joined a group of 500 that blocked a bridge over the Upano River. Protesters argue that it was a “trap” because the leaders were called to a dialogue “in order to distract the leadership and the local media.”

Currently, CONAIE has suspended protest actions because the government has opened a negotiation period. The government and indigenous leaders agreed to six points during their most recent negotiation. This included, permanent duologue between the parties, government consideration of the CONAIE water initiative, and the government will receive a mining law proposal from the indigenous movement.

Other grassroots movements continue to stage road blocks and to shut down markets. There is disagreement among grassroots organizations on what is the best strategy. While the CONAIE and Euarunari have called off protests, the Shuar and Achuar people of the southern Amazon continue to demonstrate against mining. One indigenous lawmaker remarked, “the dialogue doesn’t go anywhere. I don’t believe in them anymore.”

For more information, please see:

AP-Indian Political Awakening Stirs Latin America-2 November 2009

Daily Press-Bolivia the Standard-Bearer as Latin American Natives Fight to Protect Lands, Culture-2 November 2009

Latin American Press-Indigenous Movement Continues to Weaken-23 October 2009

Accused of Interfering With Fiji’s Affairs, Australia and New Zealand Diplomats Expelled

By Eileen Gould
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

SUVA, Fiji – Fiji’s military-run government has accused diplomats from Australia and New Zealand of meddling in its internal affairs and has ordered them to leave the country.

Fijian army chief Commodore Frank Bainimarama, who seized control of the government in a 2006 coup, believes that Canberra and Wellington were “engaged in a dishonest and untruthful strategy to undermine our judiciary, our independent institutions and our economy.”

The Fiji Foreign Affairs Minister issued a directive to Australia and New Zealand to recall their diplomats within twenty-four hours.

Australia and New Zealand, the most vocal countries in terms of criticisms of Fiji, have threatened to extend the travel ban imposed on all senior government officials to these judges.

Their interference stems from Fiji’s attempts to recruit Sri Lankan judges, who would replace those members of the judiciary who were fired last April because they declared Bainimarama’s government illegal.

Fiji’s chief justice Anthony Gates stated that its neighbors’ actions are unprecedented, especially in light of the fact that the judges did not violate any laws, either internationally or domestically.

Bainimarama further stated that Australia and New Zealand have “fail[ed] to understand that [he is] creating a country that will be based on equal and common citizenry, a country of modern laws, a country which will have true democracy.”

According to Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Bainimarama’s actions have forced them to take a “hardline approach to [this] regime” in order to prevent the “coup culture” from spreading to other nations in the Pacific region.

The Foreign Affairs Minister of New Zealand claims that the travel ban has been effective because it “incentivizes people not to be a part of the regime”.

The relationship amongst the three nations has been in decline since 2006, with New Zealand and Australia cutting defense ties and imposing travel bans on Bainimarama and the senior military officials.

Tensions have become increasingly intense in Fiji as Bainimarama has censored the media and extended military rule until 2014.

The Commodore refuses to hold elections for another five years, hoping to change the electoral system before holding a ballot.   He hopes to eliminate the racism and corruption that has plagued the country.

Under the current electoral system, individuals in some constituencies may only cast votes for those candidates within their ethnic communities.

Fiji’s population is ethnically diverse.  Tensions among various ethnic groups have resulted in three of the four coups which have occurred in the past twenty-two years.

In September, the Commonwealth of Nations, comprised of 53 states, suspended Fiji’s membership after the government refused to hold elections in 2010.  Further, the Commonwealth cut off aid and barred Fiji from participating in the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Fiji has also been denied membership in the Pacific Islands Forum, a group of sixteen nations, including New Zealand and Australia.

The EU similarly extended the trade sanctions on Fiji in an attempt to force the government to address human rights abuses and restore democracy.

For more information, please see:
Bloomberg – Australia, New Zealand Expels Fiji’s Top Envoys as Row Escalates – 04 November 2009

Voice of America – Fiji’s Diplomatic Tussle with Australia, New Zealand Escalates – 04 November 2009

RTT News – Fiji Expels New Zealand, Australia Envoys – 03 November 2009