Uruguayan Military Officer Extradited to Argentina

By Don Anque
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – Brazil’s Supreme Court has approved the extradition to Argentina of retired Uruguayan military officer, Manuel Juan Cordero-Piacentini, wanted for his role in Operation Condor.

Cordero-Piacentini pictured here.  Photo by AFP.

During the 1970s and 1980s, Operation Condor was a covert operation in which the dictatorships of the Southern Cone countries of South America coordinated efforts to kidnap, murder and “disappear” leftists and other dissidents.  In addition to the disappearances, the dictators also shared intelligence information in order to pinpoint target.

An estimated 30,000 people were “disappeared” in Argentina, while an unknown number of people in neighboring Uruguay were held as political prisoners and tortured.

Cordero-Piacentini is wanted by Argentina for the torture, disappearance and killings of leftist Uruguayan activists in 1976 in the “Automotores Orletti” secret detention center in Buenos Aires, Agrentina. At age 70, Cordero-Piacentini has been under house arrest since December 19, 2008 in Brazil.  He has been able to avoid prison and the extradition due to heart surgery which occurred earlier this year.

During hiding, Cordero-Piacentini married a Brazilian woman 32 years ago. After three years at large, the former Uruguayan Army colonel and intelligence officer was arrested in February 2007 in Santana do Livramento, Brazil. Santana do Livramento is just across the border with Uruguay.

The Brazilian Supreme Court said that Argentina requested the extradition of Piacentini-Cordero to Argentina because that is where the crimes took place. Piacentini-Cordero is wanted for his alleged involvement in the disappearance in 1976 of Adalberto Soba Valdemar-Fernandes, who was then only 10 years old. Valdemar-Fernandes has never been found.

For more information, please see:

Yahoo News – Brazil court okays Cordero extradition to Argentina – 07 August 2009

IPS News – URUGUAY-ARGENTINA: Hunting the Condor, 28 Years On – 20 May 2009

Uruguay Al Dia – Cordero extraditado a la Argentina – 07 August 2009

Associated Press – Brasil extradita a militar uruguayo retirado – 07 August 2009

Missionaries Murdered for Helping Amazon Indigenous

By Mario A. Flores
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

LIMA, Peru — Peruvian police captured Félix Mejía Ascencios, allegedly one of the leaders of a Shining Path cell in the jungle region known as Upper Huallaga Valley, an area of coca cultivation and cocaine production.

According to the police, Mejía Ascencios, 31, is a high ranking Shining Path guerrilla leader in charge of security for “Comrade Artemio,” the terrorist group’s only remaining top commander who has not been captured or killed.

Very little is known about Comrade Artemio and even his real name is unconfirmed. Although he has appeared in video tapes wearing a ski mask, it is often with an extra piece of cloth sewed on to hide not only his face but also his eyes.

The Shining Path terrorized Peru in the 1980s and has been widely condemned for its brutality, including violence directed at peasants, trade union organizers, elected officials and the general civilian population.

But since the capture of its leader Abimael Guzmán in 1992, the Shining Path has only been intermittently active. Remnants of the group now claim to fight in order to force the government to reach a peace treaty with them.

Although authorities believe Comrade Artemio is the current leader of the terrorist group, he claims that he is only the regional commander of the Shining Path for the Huallaga Valley. Officials believe this might be because he takes the imprisoned former leaders, Abimael Guzmán, or his successor, Oscar Ramirez Durand, to be the true leaders of the guerrilla group.

Under Comrade Artemio’s leadership, the remnants of the Shining Path have reinvented themselves as a highly efficient cocaine smuggling operation, working with drug cartels and staging attacks on security forces.

Mejía Ascencios, known as “Comrade Mono” was arrested on Sunday afternoon having a drink at a bar as he provided security for a drug hoard intended for drug dealers.

The suspected guerrilla has an outstanding warrant for his arrest on charges of terrorism. He is accused of taking part in police ambushes, and in selective killings of peasants and authorities.

Subsequent to his arrest, Mejía Ascencios was transferred to Lima for questioning. The police believe he has key information that may lead to the location of Comrade Artemio.

President Alan Garcia said last week that the remaining Shining Path guerrillas “must be exterminated.” Garcia admitted that it will take time and patience but he emphasized that the problem of terrorism is “not even a tenth or a hundredth of what it was in the 80s.”

For more information, please see:

La Republica – Trasladan a Lima al “Camarada Mono” – 11 August 2009

La Republica – Cae la seguridad del “camarada Artemio” – 10 August 2009

Latin American Herald Tribune – Suspected Guerrilla Leader Captured in Peru– 10 August 2009

RPP Noticias – Anuncian captura de integrante de seguridad de camarada ´Artemio´ – 09 August 2009

La Republica – Alan García: Hay que “exterminar” remanentes de Sendero Luminoso – 08 August 2009

Suu Kyi Issued Guilty Verdict

By Hyo-Jin Paik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

YANGON, Myanmar– Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel laureate and democratic leader, was convicted for violating her house arrest by allowing an uninvited American man into her residence.  Suu Kyi had denied the charge claiming that the man had swam across a lake into her home, but the Myanmar court ordered Suu Kyi to serve another 18-month sentence of house arrest.

Suu kyi2 Aung San Suu Kyi (Source: AFP)

Human rights activists are calling this verdict politically motivated and that the decision is an example of Myanmar military government’s abuse of power.  Brad Adams of Human Rights Watch said, “This trial was a farce, a brutal distortion of the legal process.  By silencing prominent opponents through bogus trials, the generals are clearly showing why the elections they have been touting for next year won’t bring change.” Adams’ organization is demanding Suu Kyi’s immediate and unconditional release.

Human Rights Watch is also urging Myanmar’s allies and trade partners to denounce Suu Kyi’s guilty verdict and impose financial sanctions against Myanmar’s military leadership, in addition to asking the UN Security Council to take measures condemning the country’s military leaders.

Furthermore, world leaders have expressed their disgust and disapproval.  UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said he “deplores” the verdict, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown called the verdict “monstrous,” and French President Nicolas Sarkozy referred to the verdict as “brutal and unjust,” while U.S. President Barack Obama described Suu Kyi’s trial as “a show trial.”

Suu kyiYoung girl at a demonstration supporting Suu Kyi (Source: AFP)

Suu Kyi’s trial was closed to the public, and foreign diplomats and the press were only allowed to observe on a few occasions.  Criminal trials of political prisoners in Myanmar do not meet international standards.  Myanmar judges are not independent and the defense is not given sufficient opportunity to present its case.

Suu Kyi has told her defense team to proceed with an appeal, and her lawyers filed a petition with the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights claiming that Suu Kyi is being arbitrarily detained in violation of international human rights law.

For more information, please see:

Human Rights Watch – Burma: Aung San Suu Kyi Verdict ‘Reprehensible’ – 11 August 2009

MSNBC – Myanmar court convicts Nobel laureate Suu Kyi – 11 August 2009

UPI – Rights group: Suu Kyi verdict power abuse – 11 August 2009

Update: Charles Taylor Trial

By Kylie M Tsudama
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – During trial proceedings on August 4, Charles Taylor denied the existence of any secret bank accounts.  He is accused of hiding large sums of money in secret bank accounts around the world.  The money is said to have been gained through illicit diamond trading with Sierra Leonean rebels from the RUF (Revolutionary United Front).

“I challenge the prosecutor to bring any evidence of a bank account that I have — they know it’s a lie but they keep repeating it.  I ask anyone on this planet, if you know of any account that I opened or if you know anyone who was acting in my interest, you are obliged to come forward and say it,” said Taylor.  Adding, “What bank account has the UN found out for me?  Nobody ever brings factual evidence but it is repeated, repeated and repeated, and you can never put things straight.”

The prosecutor is and has been working with the UN Sanctions Committee to discover and recover any moneys and assets that might be hidden.  Taylor maintains that they will not find any and evidence proving his innocence might take a while to emerge.

“I may be dead and gone before somebody will say Taylor did not have any money or assets all over the world,” he said.

Taylor also denied allegations that he aided RUF in attacking diamond fields.  When questioned by lead defense counsel Courtenay Griffiths about what he had to gain from helping the rebels, he said, “absolutely nothing. The allegation is false. I had everything to lose in the process if anything like that happened.”

The former Liberian President also called on the United States and Britain to declassify and release radio intercepts.  He says that these recordings could clear him of the crimes charges and that the US has the power to “unravel this case.”

Charles Taylor is facing 11 counts of murder, rape, sexual enslavement, torture and recruiting child soldiers and of aiding Sierra Leonean rebels during the civil war that lasted from 1991-2002.

For more information, please see:

CharlesTaylorTrial.org – Taylor Tells Court He Has No Secret Bank Accounts; Says He Did Not Give Orders to RUF Commander Sam Bockarie – 08 August 2009

AP – Ex-Liberian Chief Pushes Back at US Government – 07 August 2009

AP – Ex-Liberian Prez Wants to Hear US Radio Intercepts – 06 August 2009

CharlesTaylorTrial.org – Taylor Dismisses Allegations of His Hidden Wealth as Lies – 04 August 2009

Nepal Widows Protest Cash Incentives for Marriage

By Alishba I. Kassim
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

KATHMANDU, Nepal – 200 Nepali women marched through the capital to publicly denounce a government scheme that offers to pay cash incentives to men for marrying widows.

The government says the scheme seeks to help widows who face social and cultural barriers in a majority Hindu society. Moreover, it has been deemed necessary in part because of the 10-year-long civil war that claimed up to 13,000 lives and widowed many women. Often widows are ostracized and discriminated against due to religious and cultural beliefs. The government believes cash incentives will help persuade men to marry them and re-integrate them into society.

Several women and human rights agencies in Nepal strongly disagree saying the payments “reduce widows to a source of cash.” They propose the money should be spent improving education and healthcare for widows and their children.

One of the protest organizers and founder of the group, Women for Human Rights, Lily Thapa, said “We are totally against the government’s decision to give 50,000 rupees as an incentive for couples to marry. This goes against the principles of human rights. That’s why we urge the government to bring in other social security measures to empower women who are widowed.” Many campaigners have also expressed concern that the cash incentives could encourage men to marry widows and later abandon them. They further warned that the scheme would turn women into cash cows and open up a portal for human traffickers.

“It is the right of single women to live as they want. But society does not treat them properly. They are looked down on, and we want to change that” said finance ministry spokesman, Shankar Adhikari.

For more information, please see:

AFP – Nepal Widows Dismiss Marriage Cash Incentive – August 10,   2009  

Reuters India – Widows Protest Marriage Incentive  – August 10, 2009

The New Zealand Herland – Nepal Offers $970 to Marry Widows – August 10, 2009