US Recommends More Pressure on Myanmar

By Juliana Chan
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

HANOI, Vietnam – During a visit to Vietnam, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Scot Marciel said that Myanmar is going “downhill on all fronts.” Mr. Marciel is urging regional neighbors to pressure Myanmar’s military government for reform in all arenas.

Mr. Marciel said our emphasis should not solely be focused on human rights and democracy. The problem is beyond just that. “The economy is going downhill, the education system is getting ruined. The health care system isn’t functioning […with] more cases of resistant strains of tuberculosis and malaria. You’ve got refugee flows out of Burma. It’s just a whole series of problems.”

The regime’s crackdown last September on peaceful protests led by Buddhist monks has triggered tighter Western sanctions, mounting international criticism, and pressure on the government that is centered mainly on human rights and democratic reforms. The United Nations says at least 31 people were killed during the suppression and 74 people remain missing.

Urging all regional neighbors to push for change, Mr. Marciel said he had spoken to officials in Tokyo, Phnom Penh, and Hanoi, and plans to speak to officials in Bangkok and Vientiane soon. He added that the international community must keep up the pressure on Myanmar.

Mr. Marciel said that although the junta took a few steps forward early on, no progress has been made since the government allowed a UN mediator to visit after the September crackdown. In his opinion, there is no easy solution. Change in Myanmar is “not really going to happen and can’t really happen under this regime.” Myanmar must first address the problems and root causes that led to the protests and violence in September.

Furthermore, he suggested further talks with the opposition because “taking Aung San Suu Kyi away from house arrest once every two months for an hour meeting isn’t a dialogue.”

For more information, please see:

AFP – Myanmar going ‘downhill on all fronts,’ says US – 21 January 2008

Voice of America – EU: UN Envoy Should Return to Burma to Seek Aung San Suu Kyi’s Freedom – 19 January 2008

AP – US Says More Pressure Needed on Myanmar – 21 January 2008

US Recommends More Pressure on Myanmar

By Juliana Chan
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

HANOI, Vietnam – During a visit to Vietnam, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Scot Marciel said that Myanmar is going “downhill on all fronts.” Mr. Marciel is urging regional neighbors to pressure Myanmar’s military government for reform in all arenas.

Mr. Marciel said our emphasis should not solely be focused on human rights and democracy. The problem is beyond just that. “The economy is going downhill, the education system is getting ruined. The health care system isn’t functioning […with] more cases of resistant strains of tuberculosis and malaria. You’ve got refugee flows out of Burma. It’s just a whole series of problems.”

The regime’s crackdown last September on peaceful protests led by Buddhist monks has triggered tighter Western sanctions, mounting international criticism, and pressure on the government that is centered mainly on human rights and democratic reforms. The United Nations says at least 31 people were killed during the suppression and 74 people remain missing.

Urging all regional neighbors to push for change, Mr. Marciel said he had spoken to officials in Tokyo, Phnom Penh, and Hanoi, and plans to speak to officials in Bangkok and Vientiane soon. He added that the international community must keep up the pressure on Myanmar.

Mr. Marciel said that although the junta took a few steps forward early on, no progress has been made since the government allowed a UN mediator to visit after the September crackdown. In his opinion, there is no easy solution. Change in Myanmar is “not really going to happen and can’t really happen under this regime.” Myanmar must first address the problems and root causes that led to the protests and violence in September.

Furthermore, he suggested further talks with the opposition because “taking Aung San Suu Kyi away from house arrest once every two months for an hour meeting isn’t a dialogue.”

For more information, please see:

AFP – Myanmar going ‘downhill on all fronts,’ says US – 21 January 2008

Voice of America – EU: UN Envoy Should Return to Burma to Seek Aung San Suu Kyi’s Freedom – 19 January 2008

AP – US Says More Pressure Needed on Myanmar – 21 January 2008

Shia Worshippers Targeted

By Vivek Thiagarajan
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Middle East

BASRA, Iraq- Nasiriyah police reported that 13 people were killed and around 45 were injured occurring from fighting instigated by a Shiite messianic sect, Soldiers of Heaven, against the local police officers.  The Soldiers of Heaven suffered heavier losses with 30 fighters killed and 25 wounded and 40 others arrested.  (Washington Post)

The Soldiers of Heaven, under the leadership of Ahmed al-Hassani al-Yamani, wore black uniforms and yellow bandannas and were equipped with machine guns and light arms and attacked police in both Basra and Nasiriyah around noon local time (0900 GMT).  (AFP) This is the second year that the Soldiers of Heaven attacked during Ashura.  Last year, 263 people died from the clashes including the sect’s previous leader Dhia Abdul Zahra Kadhim al-Krimawi, better known as  Abu Kamar.  (Al-Jazeera)

Yamani claims to be an ambassador of the eighth century Imam Mahdi who vanished as a boy.  The Shias believe that Mahdi will return as a messiah to bring justice to the world.

Hundreds of thousands of worshipers gathered to celebrate the Shia religious celebration of Ashura in the holy city of Karabala.  Ashura commemorates the death of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson Imam Hussein at the hands of the armies of the Sunni caliph Yazid in the southern Iraqi city of Karbala.  Imam Hussein is regarded as one of the Shia’s holiest saints.

The government’s commitment to protecting the Shia worshipers is crucial for the free practice of different religions in Iraq.  The government must make a concerted effort to protect those who are peacefully worshiping in the country.  If the country protects those who are worshiping peacefully in the country then it can form a coalition against religious sects that violence as a foundational principle of their sect.  Otherwise, if the government does not protect those who are worshiping peacefully, especially on their holy days, it will make the peaceful sects become more likely to resort to violence for protection.

For more information, please see:

AFP- Deadly clashes mar Iraq Ashura ceremonies- 18 January 2007

Al-Jazeera- Clashes erupt in Iraq’s South- 18 January 2007

The Press Association- Dozens killed in Iraq Cult attack- 19 January 2007

Washington Post- Dozens Killed in Clashes in S. Iraq- 19 January 2007

Former Liberian Warlord Confesses to Killing 20,000

By Elizabeth Costner
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Africa

MONROVIA, Liberia – One of Liberia’s most notorious rebel commanders has returned to the country to confess his responsibility for 20,000 deaths.  Joshua Milton Blahyi, known as General Butt Naked due to his troop’s practice of charging naked into battle, has returned this week to face the nation’s truth and reconciliation commission. 

While other warlords have refused to testify and ask for forgiveness in front of the commission, Blahyi has urged them to come forward.  “I could be electrocuted.  I could be hanged.  I could be given any other punishment. … But I think forgiveness and reconciliation is the right way to go” he said in a weekend interview.   

Blahyi testified that before he and his fighters charged into battle he would often make a human sacrifice to the devil.  As he told the Associated Press, the sacrifice was typically “the killing of an innocent child and plucking out the heart which was divided into pieces for us to eat.”   Blahyi says that he turned his back on the war in 1996 when he says “God appeared to him during a battle and told him he was a slave to Satan and should repent.”  Blahyi has since become an evangelical Christian preacher. 

Following Blahyi’s testimony, many are calling for the need of a war crimes court rather than a commission.  The commission can recommend that charges be brought against those that testify, however they cannot actually charge anyone with a crime. 

Many citizens in Liberia would rather forget everything that occurred during the 14 year civil war that killed an estimated 250,000 people.  Many feel that everyone in the country is somehow tainted, and due to the widespread violence it is not uncommon for Liberian families to have both victim and perpetrator under one roof.

For more information, please see:

CNN – Ex-warlord confesses to 20,000 deaths – 21 January 2008

VOA News – Notorious Liberian Warlord Confesses to Killing Thousands – 21 January 2008

USA Today – Butt Naked Battalion commander apologizes for killing 20K Liberians – 21 January 2008

BRIEF: Arrest Made in Lintuan’s Murder

MANILA, Philippines – Philippine authorities arrested Olivier Baldonado Antoc, an army reservist and local politician’s bodyguard, as a suspect in the murder of radio journalist Ferdinand Lintuan. Antoc was arrested for illegal possession of a firearm and drugs. After the arrest, police realized he resembled the sketch of Lintuan’s murderer and his firearm was the same caliber used to kill the journalist. Antoc denies any involvement in the murder, and police acknowledge that more evidence is needed.

In related news, several persons and news media have linked Jovito Palparan, a former general who is now an adviser to local politician Prospero Nograles, a possible instigator of the murder. The Philippines Press Club has requested that an outside investigator be used in order to prevent any influence by Palparan and Nograles.

For more information, please see:

Reporters without Borders – Philippines: Politician’s Bodyguard Held as Suspect in Journalist’s Murder – 31 December 2007