A Voice for the Voiceless

China’s Human Rights Action Plan

By Ariel Lin
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BEIJING, China – China issued a human rights action plan, promising to improve the protection of civil liberties.  “China has a long road ahead in its efforts to improve its human-rights situation,” the plan acknowledges.  The two-year plan promised broader access to social security, health care and education.  It also calls for measures to discourage forced confessions by torture and the mistreatment of detainees.  Furthermore, the death penalty will be “strictly controlled and prudently applied,” the plan states, and that defendants will be entitled fair trials.  According to the document, the plan’s drafters asked for input from Chinese government ministries, domestic colleges and nongovernmental human-rights organizations.

China’s action is welcomed by many International rights groups.  A research manager for the Dui Hua Foundation, Joshua Rosenzweig says, “the plan was notable because it seemed to have more input from academics, activists and other elements of civil society than the government’s previous human rights reports.”  He also said issuing a plan with benchmarks, instead of a report summing up past progress, was also an “important step.”

The deputy program director for Asia and the Pacific at Amnesty International, Roseann Rife, said the plan is a step forward for the Chinese government.  She thinks it is also good there are some concrete benchmarks with 2010 as a deadline.  Nevertheless, she indicated, there are very serious abuses omitted from the plan such as abuses for people who challenge the authorities in China.  She says the plan is more like a “right of urban and rural residents to a basic standard of living.”

However, some groups think the plan is too vague and dodged key issues such as curbs on freedom of speech and of religion.  Phelim Kine, a researcher for Human Rights Watch, called the plan “a grab bag of policy prescriptions and existing laws and regulations and commitments to human rights which are already out there.” He said the plan failed to address real issues, including illegal detentions and curbs on freedom of religion and speech.

For more information, please see:

AFP – China pledges to improve human rights – 14 April 2009

AP – China releases first human rights action plan – 14 April 2009

New York Times – China Releases Human Rights Plan – 14 April 2009

Reuters – China sets human rights agenda for sensitive year – 13 April 2009

Wall Street Journal – Beijing Issues Plan to Improve Rights – 14 April 2009

Thai Protesters Stops Asian Summit

By Pei Hu
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BANGKOK, Thailand – On April 11th 2009, the anti-government protesters have effectively blocked leaders from meeting at the Association of South East Nations (ASEAN) summit at the seaside resort of Pattaya. The Thai government has declared a state of emergency after the 10-nation ASEAN summit was abruptly canceled.

Leaders from Australia, China, Japan, India, South Korea, and New Zealand were supposed to attend the meeting. However, despite increased security forces placed by the Thai government due to widespread demonstrations in Bangkok, protesters breached security forces by breaking through glass doors.

Moments before the protesters breached security, Panitan Wattanayagorn said he was confident that the meeting would proceed, “The ASEAN summit was slightly delayed this morning due to certain safety reasons in certain locations. Not in the hotel, not in the meeting places but in the surrounding areas far away from the meeting places… Although at the meeting places there are some demonstrations but the authorities and the agencies in-charge are able to put the situation under control.”

Thailand is the current leader of the ASEAN regional economic bloc and the cancellation of the ASEAN summit was an embarrassment for the new Prime Minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva. Last December, a similar summit was also postponed due to Thailand’s political turmoil.

Last year the protesters occupied government buildings and closed down major airports, putting an effective block to the country’s tourism industry. The new government has been informing to the public and the international community that the country’s political uncertainty was a thing of the past.

Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary General, who was scheduled to attend the meeting, said in a statement he regretted the postponement of the ASEAN summit but hoped for a return to normalcy and to settle the differences through peaceful means.
The summit was to discuss the region’s economic concerns including trade, food and security.  Regional leaders were also expected to sign an ASEAN investment pact with China and discuss security on the Korean Peninsula.

For more information, please see:

BBC – Thai protests cancel Asian summit– 11 April 2009

Reuters – Asian summit effectively cancelled – 11 April 2009

VOA – Protests Force Thailand to Cancel ASEAN Summit – 11 April 2009

Reporters Deported After Censorship Strengthening in Fiji

By Sarah E. Treptow
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

SUVA, Fiji – The Fiji interim regime has ordered the reporter of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Sean Dorney, to leave Fiji immediately because they are unhappy with his reporting.  Mr. Dorney was contacted by information ministry officials after he reported the absence of political news from newspapers which have been subjected to new censorship since the constitution was abrogated.

Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith has urged Mr. Dorney not to take any unnecessary risks.  Mr. Smith said, “He should follow the request or the instruction of the Fiji authorities however so obnoxious he might regard those to be, because they are impinging upon his capacity to do his job as a journalist.”  Mr. Dorney has said he much prefers to be on a plane than in the military barracks.

The government has also arrested and begun proceedings to deport a television journalist, Edwin Nand.  Mr. Nand’s detention is based upon Fiji TV’s transmission of reports of the detention and deportation of Mr. Dorney to overseas news services.  The interim regime says such transmissions are now illegal.  A New Zealand television reporter and cameraman are also facing deportation.

Journalists in Fiji have been told not to publish or broadcast stories that present the reinstatement of the military government in a negative light, and police censors are now in newsrooms across Suva to check on the stories intended to be run.  The Permanent Secretary for Information has been given almost total control over what is printed or broadcast in Fiji.  The penalty under the Emergency Regulations for not obeying may be an order to cease all activities and operations.

Commodore Bainimarama says he hopes everyone will follow the restrictions.

For more information, please see:
Australian Broadcasting Corporation – Fiji virtually a military dictatorship: Rudd – 12 April 2009

Austalian Broadcasting Corporation – Fiji cops backlash over media crackdown – 13 April 2009

Australian Broadcasting Corporation – Fiji begins process to deport ABC’s Dorney – 13 April 2009

Australian Broadcasting Corporation – Fijian journalist arrested as Dorney awaits deportation – 13 April 2009

Radio New Zealand International – Austalian reporter to be deported from Fiji – 13 April 2009

Military Cracks Down on Thailand Protesters

By Pei Hu
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BANGKOK, Thailand – More than 70 people were injured as Thai soldiers and protesters clash at a major road junction near the landmark Victory Monument in Bangkok.  The Thai army began removing anti-government protesters blocking the centre of the capital. Alastair Leithead, BBC’s correspondent in Thailand, reported that the capital is tense with a stand-off between the troops and the protesters.

Earlier, the Thai army opened fire and shot tear gas at the crowd while the protesters threw stones and petrol bombs at the military. Today’s incident is the first major clash after weeks of mass protests.

Thai Prime Minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva declared a state of emergency after protesters stopped a major Asian summit in Pattaya.

The collapse of the summit severely embarrassed Vejjajjva and he vowed to restore order. Groups of more than five people are banned and media can be censored during a state of emergency. During a press conference, Vejjajjva asked for public co-operation to end the crisis, “In the next three to four days, the government will keep working to return peace and order to the country,” he said. Vejjajjva also added, “I can confirm that the government and security agencies are still unified.”

The protesters mostly back ousted Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra. Shinawatra, who is in self-imposed exile abroad, has called for a ‘revolution’ against the current government. “Now that they have tanks on the streets, it is time for the people to come out in revolution … And when it is necessary, I will come back to the country” he said in a message shown on giant screens near the prime minister’s office.

According to witnesses, the Associate Press news agency says “The soldiers fired hundreds of rounds from their M-16 automatic rifles as they advanced, though it was unclear whether they were firing at, or over, the protesters.”

Col Sunsern Kaewkumnerd, a military spokesperson, said about 400 soldiers had moved against some 300 protesters. Kaewkumnerd accused the protesters of using cars to run over soldiers as well as throwing tear gas and smoke bombs as the soldiers first. In response, Kaewkumnerd said the Thai army first fired a warning shot into the air. However, after the situation did not improve, the soldiers then fired live rounds. “We will start with soft measures and proceed to harder ones … We will avoid loss of life as instructed by the government.”

For more information, please see:

AFP – Thai soldiers spray gunfire, tear gas at protest– 12 April 2009

BBC – Thai troops crack down on protest – 13 April 2009

New York Times – Protesters in Thailand Challenge Premier– 12 April 2009

New York TImes – Picture of Protester

Human Rights Watch Urges Investigation of Philippine Death Squads

By Shayne R. Burnham
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

MANILA, Philippines – Human Rights Watch calls upon the government of the Philippines to investigate and hold accountable members of the “Death Squad” for extrajudicial killings in Davao City on the southeastern island of Mindanao.

Supplementing this announcement is a 103 page report, “You Can Die Any Time: Death Squad Killings in Mindanao.”  This report reveals the involvement of local officials in targeted killings of drug dealers, petty criminals and street children.  Human Rights Watch investigated 28 cases and interviewed more than 50 people including victims’ families, witnesses, local and government officials, and journalists.

Human Rights Watch identified a pattern of the killings that took place.  Typically, two or three Death Squad members arrive on unmarked motorcycles.  They wear baggy shirts in order to conceal their weapons, usually a knife or .45 caliber handgun.  They wear baseball caps, doing little to cover their faces.  They attack at any time, frequently during the day.  They do not fear witnesses, often threatening them that they would be next if they talked to the police.  Notably, when an attack occurs, the police arrive late, so that perpetrators have a chance to escape.  Police are also known to fail to collect obvious evidence and to follow up in their investigations.

Local officials generally have a list of persons who are engaging in criminal activities.  Local level officials warn the people that if they do not stop, they will be killed.

Most members are former communist New Army insurgents or those who were formerly on the “list” to avoid getting killed.  They are then trained by police officers who provide them with weapons and information about their victims.

“The hundreds of targeted killings in Davao City in recent years are clearly not random events but the result of planned hits by a ‘death squad’ that involves police officers and local officials,” said Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch.  “The police consistently fail to bring the perpetrators to justice, while the local government cheers from the sidelines.”

Director General, Jesus Verzosa, chief of the Philippine National Police, denies any involvement in the death squads.  He said, “We acknowledge that human rights organizations documenting the series of alleged vigilante killings in Davao city are well-intentioned, but we completely disagree with their pronouncements that these cases were state-sponsored.  He added that charges, “should be backed by evidence so taht appropriate cases may be pursued and filed before the courts of law.”

Mayor of Davao City, Rodrigo Duterte, defends the existence of death squads, stating that their presence serves as a deterrent to crime and ensures that the community is safe.

The Philippine government, under the leadership of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, has been accused of inaction and even supporting targeted killings.  President Arroyo had appointed Duterte as her consultant on peace and order in 2003.

“Arroyo has been taking security advice from someone who openly advocates murder to bring peace and prosperity,” said Roth.  “But this needs to stop.  The Arroyo government should send a clear message to local officials and the police that the killings of petty criminals, drug users, and street children will not be tolerated.”

For more information, please see:

GMANews.TV – HRW Report: How Davao City’s Squad Killers Get Away with Murder – 7 April 2009

Human Rights Watch – Philippines: Dismantle ‘Davao Death Squad’ – 6 April 2009

Inquirer Mindanao – Prove It, PNP Chief Dares Rights Groups – 8 April 2009