Bangladesh to Prosecute War Criminals

By Pei Hu
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

DHAKA, Bangladesh – The United States government welcomed the Bangladesh government’s proposal to hold a war crimes tribunal.  The tribunal will prosecute war crimes committed during the 1971 war for independence from Pakistan.

United States Ambassador in Dhaka, James F. Moriarty said, “The trials of war criminals are being held in different countries and Bangladesh has to decide on the matter after taking experiences from those countries.”

On January 29, the Bangladesh parliament unanimously adopted a resolution seeking trial of war criminals involved in the liberation war. The resolution was in-line with an election pledge by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who took power this January.

Just one day later, the interior minister Sahara Khatun announced that Bangladesh has imposed travel restrictions on people suspected of war crimes, as the new government prepared to put them on trial. “My ministry has already ordered concerned authorities to guard all points so that no war criminal can flee the country,” Khatun told reporters.

During the 1971 war for independence, around 3 million people were killed, 200,000 women were violated and millions were displaced at the hands of the Pakistani army and local collaborators. Hence, the war criminals include people who opposed the war of independence against Pakistan and helped the Pakistani army in acts of genocide.

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Hasina’s father, was the Bangladesh’s first president.  Rahman launched a move for trying the war criminals, but it stalled after he was killed in a 1975 army coup.

Many accuse the Jamaat-e-Islami, the country’s biggest religion-based political party, of collaborating with the Pakistani army during the liberation war. However, the Jamaat denies these charges.

For more information, please see:

Daily Star – 4-Party Stance on War Crime Tribunal – 31 January 2009

Reuters – Bangladesh Bans Travel by Suspected War Criminals – 30 January 2009

Sindh Today – US Welcomes Bangladesh Proposal to Prosecute War Criminals –31 January 2009

Philippines Considers General Jovito Palparan for Dangerous Drug Board

By Pei Hu
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

MANILA, Philippines – International human rights group, Human Rights Watch, said the Philippine government should investigate retried General Jovito Palparan for widespread human rights abuses under his command rather than appoint him to a post on the Dangerous Drug Board.

Philippine Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita told the media that Palparan was being considered for the position on the Dangerous Drug Board.  The Dangerous Drug Board is a governmental agency composed of top officials from justice, health, foreign affairs, the National Bureau of Investigation and the National Police. The Dangerous Drug Board meets to formulate policies and strategies on drug prevention and control.

During a news conference Ermita told the press, “If [Palparan] was able to generate good information and intelligence from among the New People Army, I think he can also do the same thing among drug traffickers and drug pushers.” The New People Army of the Communist Part of the Philippines has been involved in a rebellion against the Filipino government since 1969.

In a 2006 the Filipino government established the Melo Commission, a government effort to investigate extrajudicial killings of journalists. Leftist activists and clergy members identified Palparan as the “prime suspect behind the extrajudicial killings” in the report. The Melo Commission concluded that “There is certainly evidence pointing the finger of suspicion at some elements and personalities in the armed forces, in particular General Palparan, as responsible for an undetermined number of killings, by allowing, tolerating, and even encouraging the killings.”

Palparan was the military commander for the Central Luzon under President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Since 2001, hundreds of left-wing political parties, human rights activists, journalists, and clergy persons in the Philippines have been killed or have gone missing. After Arroyo announced the “all-out war” against the New People Army, the extrajudicial killings and abductions increased.

Due to recent international pressure, the killings and violence have decreased; however, no soldiers have been convicted for involvement in extrajudicial killing since Arroyo took office in 2001. Palparan denies any allegations from human rights groups but has made several comments that alluded to the unjustified killings.  He said that they were “being attributed to me, but I did not kill them. I just inspired [the triggermen]. We are not admitting responsibility here, what I’m saying is that these are necessary incidents.”

Elaine Pearson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch said, “Considering the serious abuses committed under his command, Palparan and his legacy would be a liability, not an asset, to any government institution that cares about its reputation for upholding human rights.” Person added, “Appointing Palparan to a senior state post would send a strong message that the government rewards, not punishes, those who encourage the killing of perceived adversaries …Unless the Philippines wants a dirty ‘war on drugs’ riddled with killings, it should not take such a dangerous move.”

For more information, please see:

GMA News – US Envoy Calls for Prosecution of Rights Violators – 27 January 2009

Human Rights Watch –Philippines: Investigate Ex-General for Rights Abuses – 3 February 2009

Inquirer – Rights Group: Probe Palparan for Abuses – 4 February 2009

Vanuatu Women’s Centre Speaks Out Against Rise In Sex Crimes

By Hayley J. Campbell
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

PORT VILA, Vanuatu – The Vanuatu Women’s centre has reported that sex crimes accounted for an astonishing 64 percent of last year’s 380 Supreme Court cases in Port Vila.

Ms. Merilyn Tahi, coordinator for the Women’s centre, says these horrifying statistics should prompt the government to recognize the seriousness of the situation and take action to prevent crimes against women. In addition, Tahi argues that the statistics represent the unacceptable attitude toward women in Vanuatu.

“We say, the bottom line is that men have to take women as equal partners have more respect for women and recognise as both human beings. Otherwise our country will just see a more increase of violence and sexual violence on women,” Tahi said.

Chief Justice Vincent Lunabek says that the Port Vila figures are representative of the increase of sex crimes throughout the country. Drug crime accounted for 18 percent, but was a distant second to the number of sex crimes.

The Women’s centre asserts that these startling figures support their stance that violence against women is on the rise, and that the government must recognize this distressing trend.

For more information, please see:
Radio New Zealand International – Vanuatu women’s group appalled at sex crime figures – 04 February 2009

TVNZ – Sex crimes top court cases in Vanuatu – 04 February 2009

Pacific Nations Speak Out Against Bainimarama

By Sarah E. Treptow
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

SUVA, Fiji – Tuilaepa Sailele Malilelegaoi, Samoan Prime Minister, has said Fiji must get rid of their armed forces to have peace.  Tuilaepa said he thinks Fiji’s future is uncertain and even if the country holds elections there is no reason why a civilian government could not be toppled.

Tuilaepa just returned from Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea where Pacific leaders were to discuss Fiji’s return to a civilian government.  He said, “If Bainimarama goes and there is a return to civilian government I feel there will be many other Bainimarama’s who may come forward in the future.”  The Samoan PM continued, “This is because it is very easy to pick up a gun and wave it at people.”

Tuilaepa explained Pacific nations wanted Fiji to hold elections because it is a condition for membership in the Pacific Forum that governments are democratically elected.  He mentioned that Bainimarama has accounced it could take up to ten years before elections can be held in Fiji.  He thinks this is negligent of Bainimarama as the leader of Fiji.  He then described Bainimarama as inexperienced in international relations, unused to governing a country, and only wanting praise.

Suspension from the Forum was discussed in Port Moresby and in a unanimous decision Fiji was given until May 1 to come up with an election date this year.  Failure to meet the deadline will result in suspension.

For more information, please see:
Islands Business – Fiji strongman losing Pacific goodwill – 30 January 2009

Samoa Observer – No peace in Fiji with army: PM – 01 February 2009

Radio New Zealand International – Samoa PM says no peace in Fiji unless military goes – 03 February 2009

Chinese Court Postpones A Trial of Earthquake Critic

By Ariel Lin
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BEIJING, China – A Chinese court delayed a trial of a rights activist in the nation’s southwest.  Huang Qi often openly criticized the Communist Party’s restrictions on political rights.  He was charged with “illegal possession of state secrets” after he gave help to parents of children killed in Sichuan earthquake.  According to Huang’s wife, Zeng Lin, the Sichuan authorities detained Huang last June and a court told her that Huang would be tried on Moday. “They didn’t say what specifically he was accused of and they have not allowed him or the lawyers to see any documents or evidence,” Zeng said.

After the Sichuan earthquake, Sichuan authorities tried to stop citizen protests, ban media coverage of allegations of shoddy school construction and offered money to grieving parents. According to Zeng, her husband documented the scene at the collapsed schools and delivered food and other rescue equipment to the epicenter.  He also posted the appeals and complaints of parents on his Web site at http://www.64tianwang.com.  “Besides that, he did nothing. And the reports he posted online were also covered by other media,” she added.

Zeng said Huang had lost weight, but she is not allowed to send him medicine.  According to Huang’s lawyer, Mo Shaoping, public security officials told him if he promised not to continue human rights work after his release, they would let him go at once. But Huang refused.

Illegal possession of state secrets can bring jail terms of up to 3 years in China. Lawyers and even judges are not allowed to see the documents in question or challenge their classification, said Nicholas Bequelin, a China researcher for Human Rights Watch.  Huang’s attorney, Mo also said, “There’s no real avenue to challenge the validity of whatever authorities classify as a state secret.”

Earlier Monday, Mo said that he first learned of the sudden announcement of the trial date via Zeng, and he had called the court to complain that the lack of forewarning was highly irregular.  Mo also accused the court of “intentionally creating difficulties.” According to Mo, rules demand that lawyers be informed of a trial date at least three days in advance.

For more information, please see:

New York Times – Chinese Rights Advocate Faces Trial – 02 February 2009

Reuters – China to try earthquake critic on secrets charge – 02 February 2009

Washington Post – Chinese dissident’s trial postponed, lawyer says – 032 February 2009

Washington Post – China Postpones Trial for Activist – 02 February 2009