Turkey Launches Retaliatory Airstrikes Against PKK

By Lauren Mellinger
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

ISTANBUL, Turkey – On October 5, Turkey launched air strikes against Kurdish rebel bases in northern Iraq.  The air strikes were in response to a PKK cross-border ambush on October 3, marking the deadliest PKK strike against the Turkish military this year.

On October 3, members of the PKK raided an army outpost in southeast Turkey along the Iraqi border.  The ensuing fighting resulted in the death of 17 Turkish soldiers, with 20 wounded.

During the October 5 air strikes, launched in retaliation to the recent PKK attack, Turkish fighter jets fired artillery at two rebel groups in the Avasin Basyan region in northern Iraq.  Later that day, Turkish planes fired on PKK hideouts in the Buzul mountains in southeast Turkey, near the location of the PKK’s attack on October 3.  At press time the parties had not released the number of PKK casualties.

The October 3 ambush against Turkish troops came just two days before the Turkish parliament was to vote to extend the governments mandate for cross-border military strikes in northern Iraq.  Under the current mandate authorized one year ago, the Turkish military carried out several air strikes and ground attacks against PKK bases, resulting in the deaths of scores of PKK members.  The current mandate is set to expire on October 17.

While attending a funeral for one of the soldiers killed in Friday’s PKK attack, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated “There are measures to be taken against the (PKK) hideouts.  We are expecting positive action on the ground.”  Senior government officials agreed to meet this week to discuss taking further measures against the PKK.

The Turkish government demands that Iraq do more to diminish PKK capabilities, including denying the PKK infrastructure capabilities, such as roads and access to hospitals.  The government estimates that some 2,000 PKK members are currently based in northern Iraq, from where they stage attacks, mainly targeting the Turkish military.

The Prime Minister and the military have vowed to increase operations to end the PKK’s ability to launch cross-border attacks against Turkey.  In addition, they have rejected suggestions to negotiate with PKK leadership.  According to Erdogan, Turkey “will now conduct its campaign against terrorism even more decisively.”

However, Erdogan announced plans to invest up to $12 billion in southeast Turkey and grant cultural rights to the Kurds, with the goal of diminishing support for the PKK among the Kurdish population.  In the past, the government made similar promises, yet fell short of implementing them.

For more information, please see:

AFP – Turkish Jets Hit Kurdish Rebels in Iraq, Government Mulls Steps – 6 October 2008

Al Jazeera – Turkey Bombs PKK Bases in Iraq – 6 October 2008

CNN – Turkish Airstrikes Target Kurdish Rebels – 6 October 2008

Deutsche Welle – Turkey Steps Up New Campaign Against PKK in Northern Iraq

The Washington Post – Retaliatory Turkish Airstrikes Target Kurdish Rebels in Iraq – 6 October 2008

AFP –Turkey Slams Iraqi Kurds After Rebel Attack Kills 15 Soldiers – 5 October 2008

Hurriyet – Turkey’s PM Erdogan Calls on Action From N. Iraq Over PKK – 5 October 2008

Reuters – Pressure on Turkey to Crush PKK May Hurt U.S., EU Ties – 5 October 2008

The Washington Post – Turkey Launches Airstrikes Against Kurdish Rebels– 5 October 2008

Suva Lawyer Says Fiji’s Interim PM Needs “Bitter Truth”

By Sarah E. Treptow

Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

SUVA, Fiji – Lawyer Rajendra Chaudhry said the interim Prime Minister of Fiji, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama has been receiving the wrong advice from his associates and needs to hear the “bitter truth.”  Mr. Chaudhry said Bainimarama’s close associates are “political misfits,” including PM’s secretary Parmesh Chand, interim Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and People’s Charter lead advocate John Samy.

Mr. Chaudhry said the worst oversight has been not recalling Parliament to get out of the political impasse.  He highlighted this by saying, “Most importantly, the changes he is seeking requires major constitutional changes. How can that happen without a Parliament in place?” Bainimarama has previously said that before democratic elections can be returned to Fiji, these constitutional changes must take place.

Chaudhry believes Bainimarama’s various actions and inactions have breed uncertainty that has affected investments and jobs for the people of Fiji.  He suggests that Bainimarama get an independent group of advisors that will tell him what he needs to hear.

For more information, please see:

Fijilive – Fiji PM needs “bitter truth”: Chaudhry – 07 October 2008

Fiji TV – Chaudhry launches claims interim PM poorly advised – 29 September 2008

Myanmar Detains a Prominent Political Opposition Figure

By Ariel Lin
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

YANGON, Myanmar – A prominent political ally of the detained pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has been arrested in Burma.  64-year-old Ohn Kyaing was taken from his home on Wednesday, according to the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD).

NLD spokesman Nyan Win told the Associated Press the reasons for the arrest were still not known, but he pointed that Ohn Kyaing had been very involved in efforts to help the survivors of the cyclone that devastated Burma in May.

Ohn Kyaing joined the NLD after a long career in journalism and won a parliamentary seat in 1990 that was annulled by the military.  The Military Intelligence Service arrested Ohn Kyaing in September 1990.  He was sentenced to 17 years in prison for “writing and distributing seditious pamphlets” and “threatening the security of the state.”  After serving 15 years of a 17-year prison sentence, Ohn Kyaing was released from prison in 2005.

Ohn Kyaing is a close friend and former colleague of Win Tin, another former journalist turned opposition politician, who was the longest-serving political prisoner in Myanmar until his release September 23, 2008.  Win Tin said, Ohn Kyaing’s “is not unusual and something we have to expect. He is a close colleague, a good friend and a highly qualified man.”

Reporters Without Borders and the Burma Media Association call for the immediate release of well-known former journalist Ohn Kyaing.  The two organizations say, “Despite last month’s release of about 9,000 detainees, including a handful of political prisoners, the military regime continues to arrest opposition members.”

Top United Nations human rights officials also called on Myanmar’s military junta to free the estimated 2,000 political prisoners it holds and end the detention of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

For more information, please see:

AP – Myanmar detains political ally of Aung San Suu Kyi – 02 October 2008

BBC – Burma opposition figure arrested – 02 October 2008

Bloomberg – Myanmar Should Free 2,000 Political Prisoners, Suu Kyi, UN Says – 03 October 2008

CNN – Myanmar detains ally of Aung San Suu Kyi – 02 October 2008

Reporters Without Borders – Journalist and opposition member Ohn Kyaing arrested again – 02 October 2008

Juvenile Offender Faces Execution in Iran

By Yasmine S. Hakimian
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

Mohamad_rezaSHIRAZ, Iran – Mohammad Reza Haddadi, a minor offender, is scheduled to be hanged on October 9. The Criminal Court in Kazeroon sentenced Haddadi to death on January 6, 2004, for the August 2003 alleged kidnapping and murder of taxi driver Mohammad Bagher Rahmat. Haddadi was 15 years old at the time. Haddadi’s co-defendants were all over 18 at the time of the crime and they received lower sentences.

According to his lawyer, Mr. Mostafaei, Haddadi didn’t commit the murder. Mr. Mostafaei states his client merely confessed to the murder because of his poverty and young age. Haddadi retracted his confession in a letter to the court as soon as he learned his mother had not received any money from his co-defendants. The letter explained that his co-defendants tricked him into taking the blame by falsely promising to provide his family with money and other benefits. Haddadi faces execution even though he retracted his confession and his co-defendants eventually withdrew their statements implicating him.

In February, Mr. Mostafaei wrote a letter to the head of the Iranian judiciary requesting that they reconsider Haddadi’s case. Mr. Mostafaei’s request was unsuccessful and Haddadi stands to be to be hanged on October 9. The hanging will take place at the Kaeroun prison in southern Iran.

The United Nations bans the death penalty for offenses committed by minors. Every state in the world has ratified treaties to prevent those under 18 (at the time of the crime) from being sentenced to death. The majority of states have complied fully with this obligation. Iran has ratified two treaties that prohibit juvenile executions: the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Haddadi’s planned execution on October 9 violates Iran’s human rights obligation to not execute juvenile offenders.

Iran has the highest incidence of juvenile executions. In Iran, judges can impose the death penalty in capital cases if the defendant has attained “majority.” Majority, as defined by Iranian law means age 9 for girls and age 15 for boys. Six minor offenders have been executed in Iran this year. According to a report by Human Rights Watch, Iranian authorities are responsible for 26 of the 32 minor executions worldwide since 2005.

Currently, there are more than 150 juvenile offenders sentenced to death in Iran. Clarisa Bencomo, a Middle East children’s rights researcher for Human Rights Watch, explained that states that execute minor offenders acknowledge that such executions are wrong. According to Bencomo, “changes in law and practice need to be faster.”

For more information, please see:

Iran Human Rights – Urgent: The Minor Offender Mohammad Reza Haddadi is Scheduled to be Executed on October 9 in Southern Iran – 5 October 2008

Iran Human Rights – 32 Minor Offenders Executed Since 2005- 26 of the Executions Have Taken Place in Iran – 10 September 2008

Amnesty International – Mohammad Reza Haddadi, Aged 18; Reza Hejazi, Aged 19; Iman Hashemi, Aged 18: Child Offenders – 13 March 2008

Human Rights Watch – Iran: Halt Execution of Juvenile Offender – 22 February 2008

Stop Child Executions – Three More Youth Sentenced to Death in Iran – 12 January 2008

BRIEF: Fijian Acdemic Says Elections Are Not End to Conflict

WELLINGTON, New Zealand – Dr. Alumita Durutalo, a political scientist at the University of the South Pacific, says that returning Fiji to elections will not be the end to the political conflict.  Durutalo says the country has not completely resolved the political conflict since the first coup in 1987.  It was also suggested that instead of constantly pushing for Fiji to return to elections, Australia and New Zealand could help Fiji by helping to establish good political, social, and economic governance.

Durutalo elaborated on her position when she said, “What leaders have focused on is just going back to elections. That is good but we must remember that the nature of conflicts are so complex, some have evolved from the pre-European period, and that is why I say that we must look for solutions first before we carry on.”

For more information, please see:
Islands Business – Roots of Fiji conflict must be addressed for political stability, says academic – 30 September 2008