Protesters in Papua Claim Police Brutality

By Hayley J. Campbell
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

JAYAPURA, Papua – A human rights group is speaking out after Indonesian police beat and shot at a crowd of demonstrators earlier this week.

Papuan demonstrators held an overnight vigil outside a local elections office in Nabire to protest the government’s delay in holding elections that had been scheduled for last October.

Paula Makabori, a representative from the human right’s group ELSHAM, says the demonstrators were threatening to boycott this year’s legislative and presidential elections if the government did not explain the delay.

Makabori also claims that police attacked the protestors in their sleep.

“And this brutal attack and gunshots against the people resulted in some people suffering of bruises and open wounds, and five people suffering from serious bullet wounds. So the victims have been hiding because they think that the police will go there and then take them out,” Makabori said.

Meanwhile on Tuesday, police shot into a crowd of nearly 300 angry protestors in Timika, seriously injuring four. The hostility began as a demonstration against police brutality and, specifically, the death of one Timika resident, Simor Fader, who was shot by police.

Local police commander, Jasim Hoda, says “a number” of protestors will be questioned in this matter.

For more information, please see:
Radio New Zealand International – Protestors in Papua say police beat them – 30 January 2009

Jakarta Globe – 4 Wounded as Officers Open Fire on Antipolice Protesters in Papua – 28 January 2009

AFP – Indonesian police open fire on Papuan protesters: witnesses – 27 Janurary 2009

Reuters – Police fire on crowd in Indonesia’s Papua, 3 hurt – 27 January 2009

Sri Lankan Newspaper Editor Killed

By Shayne R. Burnham
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – Newspaper editor Upali Tennakoon and his wife were stabbed by four men on motorcycles on while driving to work in Colombo.

Tennakoon is editor for the Rivira, a weekly newspaper that is said to be neither pro-government nor pro-rebel.

The hospital treated Tennakoon and his wife for lacerations to the face and hands.  They are currently in stable condition.  After treatment, Tennakoon’s wife described the attack.  “They smashed the windscreen and began to attack us.”  She further stated, “I clung hard to them when they began to hit us with sticks and stab us.”

Reporters Without Borders stated, “We firmly condemn this latest attack on a newspaper editor, which highlights the severity of the crisis that journalists are currently experiencing in Sri Lanka.”  They continue, “The government must conduct an investigation in order to identify those responsible and their motives.”

President Rajapaksa reportedly ordered an investigation into the matter.  Media minister Anura Yapa said, “We totally condemn this type of attack, and we will do everything possible to find the culprits.”

Meanwhile, five journalists have fled the country and gone into hiding and a website stopped reporting due to threats of violence.  The five journalists are known to be Upul Joseph Fernando and Rathnapala Gamage, political reporters with Lankadeepa; Iqbal Athas of the Sunday Times and Anuruddha Lokuhappuarachchi, a photographer for Reuters.

The Press Freedom Organization stated, “It is deplorable that no concrete measures were taken to protect the news media after newspaper editor Lasantha Wickrematunga’s murder two weeks ago.  As a result of the climate of fear, the most independent journalists are fleeing the island, and the most outspoken media, such as the news website Lankadissent, are closing.”

In a report by Amnesty International in November, at least 10 media employees had been killed in Sri Lanka since 2006.

For more information, please see:

Associated Press – Sri Lankan Editor, Wife Wounded in Knife Attack – 23 January 20009

BBC – Fresh Media Attack in Sri Lanka – 23 January 2009

Reporters Without Borders – Newspaper Editor Injured in Stabbing Attack, Other Journalists Forced to Flee Island – 23 January 2009

HRW Urges Syria to Reveal the Fate of the Sidnaya Inmates

By Lauren Mellinger
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

DAMASCUS, Syria  – On January 27, Human Rights Watch released a statement reporting that the  status of inmates at Sidnaya military prison is still unknown.  The prison has been at the center of controversy since July 2008, after prison guards were accused of using lethal force in order to put down a prison riot.   

At least 1,500 inmates are imprisoned in Sidnaya, located northwest of Damascus.  Syrian authorities maintain that prison guards “quickly restored” order after the riot began, and publicly blame Sidnaya inmates convicted on charges of terrorism and religious extremism for instigating the riot.  According to Syrian human rights organizations reports, at least 25 inmates have died as a result of the prison guards use of lethal force in quelling the riots, although HRW reports indicate that ten people died in the riot, including one police officer.

In October 2008, after several attempts to obtain an update on the status of the prisoners from the Ministry of Justice failed to produce any information, 17 mothers of prisoners detained in Sidnaya publicly appealed to the Syrian government, in particular to Syrian President Bashar al-Asad.  They urged the government to provide them with information on family members detained at the prison.  According to the statement released by the mothers, they were aware of “the burial of bodies in [the town of] Qatana at night,” on the order of the Syrian security services and they were concerned their relatives may have been among the dead.

Since July, the fate of the inmates has been unknown, as government authorities have prohibited any outside contact with the prisoners, “imposing a complete information blackout,” including banning the use of cell phones around the perimeter of the prison. 

On December 18, residents of the town of Sidnaya reported seeking smoke emerge from the prison and the sound of gunshots.  One resident reported to HRW that after smoke was seen emerging from the prison, Syrian authorities closed the road leading from the town to the prison in order to accommodate military trucks en route to the prison but that the road was reopened the following day.

According to Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa Director at HRW, “Syria’s long blackout on the fate of at least 1,500 detainees is nothing less than scandalous…The lack of information about Sidnaya has caused enormous anguish to the families and fueled fears and rumors…The Syrian authorities need to come clean and allow families and lawyers access to Sidnaya.” 

HRW urged the Syrian government to reveal the status of the inmates, and to begin an allow lawyers to begin an independent investigation into the fate of prisoners who were injured or killed as a result of lethal force used by prison guards in the July riot. 

For more information, please see:

Human Rights Watch – Syria: Reveal Inmates’ Conditions – 27 January 2009

Reuters – Reports of More Trouble at Syria Jail-Rights Group – 27 January 2009

Taiwan News – HRW: Syria Must Speak Out on Prison Riot Victims – 27 January 2009

American Samoa to Deal With Human Trafficking

By Sarah E. Treptow
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

American Samoa – Director of Homeland Security, Tualamalesala Mike Sala, has been asked by lawmakers to help draft legislation that will plug loopholes leading to human trafficking in American Samoa.  The US Justice Department highlighted the Daewoosa Samoa case in which almost 200 Vietnamese and Chinese women worked as slaves at a local garment factory.  The Daewoosa Samoa case was one of the worst cases of human trafficking in recent history.
A prostitution racked was also uncovered in 2007 which was an example of illegal activity profiting from relaxed enforcement of immigration laws.  During the confirmation hearing of Mr. Sala, Representative Archie Taotasi Soliai asked him to focus on what can be done.  Mr. Soliai said, “Now as legislators we would depend on you to maybe provide some recommendations or perhaps introduce legislative action to try and prevent all these problems and plug the holes with respect to our immigration issues.”  Mr. Soliai said he believes one of the major contributing factors to human trafficking here relates to immigration issues.  Mr. Sala said he agrees with the observation.
Mr. Taotasi went on to say, “It is in the best interest of our people to collaborate and work together with you.  We depend on you to provide information for legislation to plug the holes in immigration laws which will prevent human trafficking.”  Mr. Taotasi asked Mr. Sala to submit a list of recommendations to draft proper legislation dealing with human trafficking.
Three years ago human trafficking legislation was introduced in the Senate but the bill was defeated when no action was taken.  The measure was to create local laws dealing with human trafficking.
For more information, please see:
Radio New Zealand International – Calls in American Samoa to plug loopholes that has led to human trafficking – 30 January 2009

Pakistani Newlyweds Fear Honor Killings

By Shayne R. Burnham
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

KARACHI, Pakistan – Pervez Chachar and his wife, Humera Kambo, are the latest example of the prevalence of “honor killings” as a tradition and custom. Chachar and his wife have been living in a room at a local police station for the past four months. They fear that their families would kill them.

Chachar stated, “I know they will kill her and I have to protect her.”

When Kambo’s family first learned that she married without their permission, Kambo was abducted by her family and Chachar was beaten. They were angered that she married a man from a rival tribe.

Generally in rural Pakistani society, actions such as marriage without the permission of the family are justification for death. Other acts by daughters that are deemed shameful include supposed illicit relationships, for marrying men of their choice and for divorcing abusive husbands. Additionally, being raped also brings shame to the family.

After the killings of 5 teenagers buried alive who wanted to choose their own husbands, a Pakistani lawmaker defended the tradition.

“These are centuries-old traditions and I will continue to defend them,” said Israr Ullah Zehri. “Only those who indulge in immoral acts should be afraid.”

Zehri also told Parliament that traditions in the Baluch province helped to stop obscenity. Most stated that the executions were “barbaric” while others said that such matters ought to be left to the people of the province.

The United Nations has estimated that 5,000 people, the majority of which are women, are killed as a result of honor killings in South Asia and the Middle East. Many go unreported and without punishment.

In a report, Amnesty International stated, “While recognizing the importance of cultural diversity, [we] stand resolutely in defense of the universality of human rights, particularly the most fundamental rights to life and freedom from torture and ill-treatment. The role of the state is to ensure the full protection of these rights, where necessary mediating ‘tradition’ through education and the law.”

For more information, please see:

Amnesty International – Pakistan: Honour Killings of Girls and Women – 1 September 1999

Associated Press – Pakistani Lawmaker Defends Honor Killings – 30 August 2008

Reuters – Pakistani Newlyweds Live in Fear of Honor Killing – 22 January 2009