Reporters Without Borders Support London Protest Over Killing of Sri Lankan Journalist

By Shayne R. Burnham
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

SRI LANKA – A demonstration is set to be held on January 15 protesting the death of lead journalist and editor of the Sunday Leader, Lasantha Wickrematunge.  Reporters Without Borders supports the protest stating, “We urge the government to react quickly to end the climate of impunity in Sri Lanka and we urge Londoners to join the rally in memory of the murdered journalist, to condemn repression and the critical situation for journalists in Sri Lanka.”

The demonstration is organized by Wickrematunge’s colleagues with support from various organizations, such as Reporters Without Borders, and will be conducted outside of the prime minister of the United Kingdom’s home.  Protestors will be denouncing the killing of Wickrematunge and urging for the protection of journalists and press freedom.

While driving to work in Colombo, Wickrematunge was shot by four men on motorcycles.  Shortly after, he was taken to the Kalubowila hospitall where he died.  His death occurred only two days after a grenade attack on a private television studio in Colombo.

Wickrematunge was known as a controversial journalist who was said to be extremely critical of the Sri Lankan government.  He founded the newspaper, The Sunday Leader, with his brother in 1994.  The Leader constantly received threats and were targets of violence for speaking out against corruption, war, terrorism, organized crime and human rights violations.

His final editorial was published after his death on January 11.  He knew that he was being targeted by the government since he was in the midst of writing on a controversial story, stating, “When finally I am killed, it will be the government that kills me.”

Approximately 4,000 protestors demonstrated in Colombo on January 12 calling for justice over Wickrematunge’s death.  They shouted against the government and President Mahinda Rajapaksa.  Meanwhile, the government denies any involvement and stated that it is continuing its investigation.

For more information, please see:

Guardian – Dying for Free Speech in Sri Lanka – 12 January 2009

Reporters Without Borders – Reporters Without Borders Backs London Demonstration in Protest at Murder of Leading Editor – 15 January 2009

Sri Lanka Guardian – The Death of a Journalist – 15 January 2009

Egypt Allows Doctors into Gaza

By Nykoel Dinardo
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

RAFAH, Egypt – On January 13, Egypt opened the border crossing at Rafah to allow medics and humanitarian aid to cross into Gaza.  Eleven doctors from Greece, Ireland, and France had been waiting in Egypt since early in the crisis to aid injured Palestinians, but were denied passage through the Rafah crossing.  The crossing is the only passage into the Gaza Strip that is not shared with Israel.

A group of nine doctors was allowed through to assist physicians already working at Nasr Hospital in Khan Yunis, a city over the border in Gaza.  However, before the doctors were allowed to cross, each was required to sign forms releasing Egypt from all liability.  Buses left from Egypt early in the evening on January 13 carrying the physicians, as well as 50 EMTs.  They returned later that evening with 42 injured Palestinians. 

However, on January 16, there were reports that Egyptian officials at the crossing were denying access to medics, humanitarian aid and the press.  A 26-person Greek medical team was denied access to Gaza.  According to members of the team, they were denied for national security reasons but were given no details.  A senior official at the border said that any foreign medical assistance must be coordinated with the Egyptian Red Crescent in order to be allowed through the border crossing.

The press has also been denied access to the area.  Neither Egyptian nor Israeli authorities are allowing media personnel into the region, even with appropriate documentation.  According the Malaysian reports, the guards at the crossing, which consists of two gates, allow media through the first gate but retain their passports, without which they cannot pass through the second gate.  Thus, media members are forced to turn around and wait in Egypt until they are allowed full passage.  As Egypt has been allowing some medical personnel to cross, many reporters have been getting some stories from doctors and medics when they return to Egypt.

Egypt held a press conference on January 12 at which it handed out a 16-page packet of information defending its position on the crisis and outlining its stance on the border crossing.  At the conference, Egypt stated that it does not want to express support for Hamas, but does want to aid the civilians living in Gaza.

For more information, please see:

Inner City Press – With Gaza Still Shelled, UN General Assembly Meets, Egypt Keeps Out Doctors, Fatah Complains of Cash, UN Takes Sides – 16 January 2009

Relief Web – Egypt-Israel-OPT: Confusion at Rafah Border Over Who Can Enter Gaza – 16 January 2009

San Francisco Chronicle – Barred Foreign Doctors Finally Cross into Gaza – 13 January 2009

The Star – Prevented From Revealing the Truth – 13 January 2009

The National – Egypt Defends Its Gaza Policy – 12 January 2009

Press TV – Rafah Crossing Still Closed to Medics – 12 January 2009

Fiji Faces Possible Suspension in Face of Natural Disaster

By Sarah E. Treptow
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

CANBERRA, Australia – If Australia has its way Fiji will face the real possibility of being suspended from the Pacific Islands Forum.  The decision will need to be endorsed by the leaders of 15 Forum Island Countries when they meet in a special session in Port Moresby at the end of the month.  The suspension will be a consequence of “failure to meet the faithful and unconditional undertaking the interim Fijian Prime Minister made to his colleague leaders.”

Stephen Smith, Australian foreign affairs minister, stressed Commodore Frank Bainimarama’s inactions at a media briefing, “He made it clear to the Foreign Ministers Ministerial Contact Group, of which I am a member, when he went to Fiji in the middle of December last year, that he wasn’t proposing to hold an election on timetable.”  Mr. Smith continued, “Consequences have to flow as a result of the failure of the Interim Prime Minister to meet the faithful and unconditional undertaking that he gave to his colleague leaders.”

When asked whether the current emergency situation in Fiji brought on by severe floods and a possible prolonged cyclone weather would affect commitments for national elections, Mr. Smith said, “I don’t think Commodore Bainimarama had the floods in mind when he gave a faithful and unconditional undertaking in October 2007 that he’d hold an election by the end of March this year.”  The floods and cyclones in Fiji have been described as the worst natural disaster in 50 years or more.

Economist Satish Chand, a leading Pacific expert at the Australian National University who grew up in Fiji, believes the disaster will make Fiij’s suspension less likely, “Such natural disasters can be catalysts bringing people together, bringing them to their senses, and I hope this will happen now, bringing together Fiji, Australia and New Zealand, though this requires Bainimarama to take the first step.”

Despite strained relations with Fiji, both Australia and New Zealand have committed humanitarian assistance through the Fiji Red Cross.  Mr. Smith said, “Can I also indicate that we are of course very concerned for the welfare of those in Fiji who’ve been adversely affected by the torrential rain and floods in Fiji.”

For more information, please see:
The Australian – Fiji rides a tide of sympathy – 17 January 2009

Islands Business – Fiji suspension still on – 15 January 2009

Solomon Times – Fiji Faces Suspension from Forum – 15 December 2008

Reporters Without Borders for Press Freedom in Afghanistan

By Shayne R. Burnham
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

KABUL, Afghanistan – Reporters Without Borders sent a delegation to Kabul to gather information regarding press freedom.  On the second to last day of the investigation, Reporters held a news conference where secretary-general Jean Francois Julliard urged the Afghan government to make press freedom a priority.

“The press freedom situation is getting worse in Afghanistan and it is the government’s duty to reverse this disturbing trend,” Julliard said. “The country cannot continue to develop and progress towards democracy without a free and independent press. The president and his government must get fully involved in this issue and must take measures that give journalists more freedom to work. Much needs to be done in Afghanistan but the country will not be able to recover from 30 years of war without free and diverse news media.”

Reporters Without Borders points to the case of Perwiz Kambakhsh, who is serving a 20 year prison sentence for downloading and reading an essay about women’s rights in Islam.

“As long as a citizen can be sentenced to death or to a long jail term just for reading a report on the Internet, we will not be able to say there is free expression in Afghanistan. Perwiz Kambakhsh must be released as soon as possible. He committed no crime and this case, which has been marred by judicial irregularities, is a grave stain on Afghanistan’s image. We told all the officials we met that his conviction must be overturned.”

He continued: “The threats against Afghan journalists and visiting foreign journalists are becoming more and more diverse. As well as the Taliban, who have never ceased to threaten to kill journalists who do not comply with their demands, there are now criminals and mafia groups.”

Moreover, Reporters Without Borders reports that in 2008 alone, two journalists were killed and about 50 were attacked.

They urge the Afghan government to provide security measures for the protection of journalists so that they will continue their work, the authorities to solve and investigate cases more thoroughly and consistently, adoption of a proposed media law, and a law facilitating access to information to the journalists.  It is also urged that media owners should stop meddling with editorial content.

For more information, please see:

Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty – Press Freedom Gets Worse in Afghanistan, RFS Says – 15 January 2009

Reporters Without Borders – Reporters Without Borders Gives Kabul News Conference, Urges Government to Make Press Freedom a Priority – 15 January 2009

Reuters – Press Freedom Getting Worse in Afghanistan – 15 January 2009

Nepal: Four Charged for Brutal Murder of a Journalist

By Pei Hu
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

KATHAMANDU, Nepal – Nepal authorities have arrested four suspects for the murder of Uma Singh, a Nepalese reporter and women’s rights activist. On January 12th, Singh was murdered in her rented apartment room in the southern city of Janakpur. Singh was the first woman journalist to be killed in Nepal though many women journalists have been threatened.

According to international media watchdog, Reporters without Borders, around 15 men broke into Singh’s apartment and repeatedly battered her with blunt objects and then stabbed her to death. Singh died from the injuries sustained on her way to the capital when local attempts to help her failed. Singh was only 26 when she died.

Singh had criticized the caste system and written on a number of political issues. Her articles criticizing the dowry system, a tradition where the bride’s family has to pay significant sums of money and land to the groom’s family, created shock waves in Southern Nepal.

However the motives of her attackers are still unclear. Although four men have been arrested, an underground group claimed responsibility for Singh’s attack but stated it was ‘a mistake.’ Singh was working in a part of the country where there are many militants connected to an ethnic separatist movement. The militants want regional autonomy from the Maoist government.

Singh’s death caught international attention. The UN high Commissioner for Human Rights, Richard Bennett condemned the murder, “This tragedy should galvanise those responsible for protection of media freedom to take the necessary action to ensure the security of journalists.”

Reporters without Borders said, “This wave of violence against Nepalese journalists requires a firm response from the government, which must assume its responsibility and adopt effective measures to protect journalists.”

For more information, please see:

BBC –Nepal Radio Journalist Murdered–12 January 2009

RSF – Journalist and Women’s Rights Activist Brutally Murdered –12 January 2009

RSF – Four Arrested for Woman Journalist’s Murder, While Clandestine Group Claims Responsibility –14 January 2009

BBC – Picture of Uma Signh