Interim Government Deports Fiji Times Publisher

By Ryan L. Maness
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Oceania

SUVA, Fiji — On Thursday evening immigration officials arrived at the home of Fiji Times publisher, Evan Hannah, where they took him into custody and transported him to Nadi airport.  The officials were under orders of the interim Defense Minister and the ministry’s permanent secretary to deport Hannah, an Australian citizen, to Sydney.  Hannah was alleged to have violated the terms of his visa to be in Fiji by publishing articles in his newspaper.

Soon after, Fiji Times lawyers petitioned the High Court for an injunctive order to delay the deportation.  In response to the request, Justice Filimone Jitoko ordered that the authorities produce Hannah for a hearing at 3 pm on Thursday.  However, despite the Court’s order, however, Hannah’s deportation was still processed.  The Fiji Times reports that while newspaper lawyers were stationed at the entrance of the Nadi airport waiting to serve the habeas corpus, the authorities took Hannah to an alternate entrance and were therefore not served with the paperwork.

While Parmesh Chand, Permanent Secretary in the Prime Minister’s office refused to comment in the wake of the deportation, Mahendra Chaundry, Fiji Labour Party Leader, that the media must play by the rules.  Chand said that the media must “be held accountable and responsible in a fragile society still struggling to achieve national unity and progress.”  He also said that the media has enormous power, but that it had been showing a distinct political agenda by distorting and selectively reporting on certain issues.

Hannah’s deportation brought on the instant condemnation of foreign powers.  The United States issued a statement taking note of the fact that Hannah was the second newspaper publisher deported in ten weeks and urging Fiji’s interim administration to respect the human rights of all of Fiji’s citizens.  The New Zealand PM, Helen Clark, called this another effort by the interim administration to “muzzle the media and close down freedom of speech.”  She also said, “the manner of the deportation also suggests disregard for the rule of law.”

Stephen Smith, the Australian Foreign Affairs Minister, echoed the United States’ and New Zealand condemnation, but he also called upon the interim government to provide an explanation for why Hannah was deported.  “Unless the interim Fiji Government can provide some satisfactory explanation it can only be seen as another blatant attack by the illegal Fiji Interim Government on the media in an attempt to muzzle freedom of speech,” he said.

Hannah, was not able to fly to Sydney directly from Suva, instead he was forced to fly by way of Seoul, South Korea.  He was scheduled to arrive early on Friday.

For more information, please see:
Fiji Times — Media not a law unto itself, Chaundry says — 03 May 2008

Fiji Times — Expulsion dismays NZ Prime Minister — 03 May 2008

Fiji Times — ‘Deportation disturbing’ — 03 May 2008

Fiji Times — Court calls for answers: Citizens condemn publisher’s deportation — 03 May 2008

Fiji Times — Hannah expulsion concerns US — 02 May 2008

Fiji Times — Australian Government disturbed at Fiji Times’ boss treatment — 02 May 2008

Fiji Times — Chand refuses to answer questions — 02 May 2008

Fiji Times — Court order disobeyed, Hannah deported — 02 May 2008

Radio New Zealand International — Deported Fiji Times publisher to be flown to Australia via Seoul — 02 May 2008

Radio New Zealand International — Fiji newspaper chief in police custody — 01 May 2008

Radio New Zealand International — Fiji court orders detained publisher to appear before it this afternoon — 01 May 2008

Study: Removal of 10 West Bank Checkpoints will not Endanger Israeli Security

By Laura Zuber
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Middle East

RAMALLAH, West Bank – On April 30, a group of three Israeli and three Palestinian officials released a joint report stating that Israel should remove ten important West Bank checkpoints to boost Palestinian economy and to increase the possibility of peace.  The group stated that moving the roadblocks would not compromise Israeli security, but their removal would decrease disruptions to Palestinian trade and movement.

Palestinian group members included Nasir Tahboub – an advisor to the Palestinian prime minister, Samih al Abed – a former minister of planning, and Abdul Hafeez Nofal – a senior official in the trade ministry.

Israeli members included Adi Ashkenazi – former Head of the Civil Administration Economics Department in the West Bank and Gaza, reserve Brig Gen Ilan Paz – former head of the Civil Administration in Beit El, and reserve Brig Gen Dov Tsdaka – also the former head of the Civil Administration in Beit El.  A significant portion of the report’s impact is from the fact that two members of the group are former Israeli generals in charge of the administration of the West Bank.

Gen Paz said, “It is our belief that now, more than ever before, it is in Israel’s long-term security interest to thoroughly assess the efficiency of the checkpoints and roadblocks regime, in relation to the damage and disruption they cause.”

“While there was once a serious security need for checkpoints and roadblocks, this need is diminishing with time,” the study said. “The checkpoints and roadblocks policy, however, has not changed accordingly.”

In addition, international donor states to the Palestinian Authority will meet in London on May 2.  It is expected that Israel will face sharp criticism for not doing more to boost the Palestinian economy.  Also, it is expected that the international donors will put pressure Israel to open Gaza’s borders and lift the blockade.

For more information, please see:

Ha’aretz – Donor Nations: Israel Must Lift West Bank Barriers – 2 May 2008

BBC – New Plan For W. Bank Checkpoints – 30 April 2008

Associated Press – Study: Israel can remove 10 Key West Bank Checkpoints – 12 April 2008

Independent – Israel Told To Tackle West Bank Plight – 30 April 2008

BRIEF: April a Deadly Month for Iraqi Civilians

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Over 1,000 Iraqis were killed across that country this month, reports AFP, reversing a trend of declining violence in Iraq.  Data from Iraq’s interior, health and defense ministries indicate that over 966 of those killed were civilians.

Most were killed in the crossfire in the fighting between Shiite militants and security forces, security officials said.  Combined figures from the three ministries complied by AFP shows that over 1,700 civilians were wounded in this violence, as well.

Violence in Iraq had been declining until March, when fighting broke out in Basra, and spread to other Shiite areas of Iraq.  These clashes broke out after Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki ordered a crackdown on militiamen.  After fresh fighting broke out in Sadr City, Maliki accused militiamen of using civilians as human shields.

“Criminals and lawless gangs are using human shields in Sadr City… They are following the steps of the Baathist regime,” he said.  “They are trying to gain sympathy but they are using the lies and values of the former regime [of Saddam Hussein].”

Two hospitals in Sadr City alone said they received the bodies of 421 Iraqis killed and have treated more than 2,400 wounded since late March, many of whom have been civilians caught in the crossfire.

For more information, please see:
BBC News – Baghdad clashes ‘leave 400 dead’ – 30 April 2008

Washington Post – April Iraq’s Deadliest Month Since Last August – 30 April 2008

AFP – Iraq bloodshed in April kills 1073 – 30 April 2008

BRIEF: April a Deadly Month for Iraqi Civilians

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Over 1,000 Iraqis were killed across that country this month, reports AFP, reversing a trend of declining violence in Iraq.  Data from Iraq’s interior, health and defense ministries indicate that over 966 of those killed were civilians.

Most were killed in the crossfire in the fighting between Shiite militants and security forces, security officials said.  Combined figures from the three ministries complied by AFP shows that over 1,700 civilians were wounded in this violence, as well.

Violence in Iraq had been declining until March, when fighting broke out in Basra, and spread to other Shiite areas of Iraq.  These clashes broke out after Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki ordered a crackdown on militiamen.  After fresh fighting broke out in Sadr City, Maliki accused militiamen of using civilians as human shields.

“Criminals and lawless gangs are using human shields in Sadr City… They are following the steps of the Baathist regime,” he said.  “They are trying to gain sympathy but they are using the lies and values of the former regime [of Saddam Hussein].”

Two hospitals in Sadr City alone said they received the bodies of 421 Iraqis killed and have treated more than 2,400 wounded since late March, many of whom have been civilians caught in the crossfire.

For more information, please see:
BBC News – Baghdad clashes ‘leave 400 dead’ – 30 April 2008

Washington Post – April Iraq’s Deadliest Month Since Last August – 30 April 2008

AFP – Iraq bloodshed in April kills 1073 – 30 April 2008

UPDATE: EU Keeps Uzbek Sanctions Suspended

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan – After reviewing sanctions placed on Uzbekistan for human rights violations surrounding the Andijan Massacre in 2005 (see Impunity Watch article here), the EU has decided to keep the sanctions suspended.  EU foreign ministers remain seriously concerned about human rights protections in Uzbekistan, but believe the sanctions should remain suspended due to progress made by the government by abolishing the death penalty and releasing some rights activists.

For more information, please see:

Impunity Watch – BRIEF: EU Reviews Sanctions on Uzbek Government for Human Rights Violations – 29 April 2008

Reuters – EU keeps sanctions on Uzbekistan suspended – 29 April 2008