Solomon Islands: PM faces no-confidence vote

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manesseh Sogavare faces a no-confidence vote when Parliment resumes next Tuesday.  He claims that he has the numbers to survive the motion and is unconcerned.  This is the second no-confidence motion Sogavare’s Government will have faced in its fifteen months in power.  However, the Solomon Star reports that a “well-placed Government source” has informed them that some of Sogavare’s own ministers have signed with the opposition.  The source claims that these ministers feel that the Government is losing the trust of the people, and therefore, although they have told Sogavare that they support him, in reality, they plan to vote against him next week.

Lobbying has been intense, and will remain so through the vote.  The Government faces pressure from a variety of civil society organizations, mainly over the appointments of Julian Moti and Jahir Khan.  Sogavare has dismissed the concerns of the Civil Society Group, which sent a letter to the Government requesting the termination of Moti and Khan, and requested that the rearmament programme be changed.  He said, “Government ministers and backbenchers would not give into any demand made by a so-called Civil Society Group made up of a bunch of individuals who serve foreign interests for their own benefit.”  He continued on to state the the Civil Society Group did not represent the views of Solomon Islanders in any way, and cited poor attendance to the Group’s public lectures as proof.  Sogavare has also said that it is ridiculous to pursue constitutional issues through the media, and that those who wish to challenge Government appointments should do so through the court system.

However, citizens in Guadalcanal have stated that these three issues are foremost in their minds during the province’s 25th anniversary celebrations on Wednesday.  Premier Joash Salani made these issues the focus of his address, and said that Guadalcanal is vocal about them because they are at the concern of ordinary citizens in its province.  Sogavare, who was present as guest of honour during the ceremonies, responded that the Moti and Khan appointments were done under Solomons law and that the rearmament is being undertaken with RAMSI to provide security for the Government.

Please see also:
“Solomons leader says he is not worried by latest no confidence motion”  Radio New Zealand International (01 August 2007)
“PM denounces Civil Society letter”  Solomon Star (02 August 2007)
“Moti, Khan appointment expressed”  Solomon Star (02 August 2007)
“Some Sogavare backers may oppose him in no-confidence vote”  Pacific Magazine (03 August 2007)

Iran Executes Eleven in Two Days

Thousands gathered in Tehran on August 2 to watch the first public executions in the city in five years.  The crowd cheered as Majid Kavousifar, 28, and his nephew, Hossein Kavousifar, 24, were executed.  They were convicted for killing a hard line judge, Hassan Moghaddas, in front of his office two years ago. 

A day earlier, Iran executed nine convicts.  In the city of Mashad, Iran publicly executed seven men convicted of rape.  In a prison in Zahedan two additional men were executed.  In the previous week, twelve other convicts were executed in Evin Prison in Tehran.  The August 1 executions brought the year’s total to 143.  In 2006, Iran executed 177, which doubled the number executed in 2005.

According to Iranian officials, the individuals executed were convicted of crimes such as rape, criminal acts, kidnapping, and drug related crimes.  The number of executions has increased during recent weeks, since a crackdown on “thugs” was announced in May.

Also, two Kurdish reporters were sentenced to death in late July.  Reporters Without Borders stated that Adnan Hassanpour and Hiva Boutimar were sentenced to death by a revolutionary tribunal in Marivan on July 16.  Hassanpour was found guilty of “activities subverting national security.”  He wrote for the banned Asou magazine, reporting on the sensitive Kurdish issue.  Boutimar also wrote for the same magazine, but the charges he was convicted of are not known.

In addition to this recent crackdown on “thugs”, the groups that have been facing the most harassment have been reporters, students and activists.  For instance, journalist and human rights activist, Emadedin Baghi, was sentenced to prison for three years on July 31 on charges of acting against national security.  And his wife and daughter received three years suspended sentence for attending a human rights conference in the United Arab Emirates.  In addition, young women are targeted for wearing non-traditional clothing and young men are arrested for having western-style haircuts.

For more information please see:
London Times:  “Thousands flock to see first public hangings in five years”  3 August 2007. 

BCC:  “Iran executes nine more criminals”  1 August 2007. 

International Herald Tribune:  “Iran hangs 9 convicts, 7 publicly, in crackdown on ‘thugs’”  1 August 2007. 

BBC:  “Death verdicts for Iran reporters”  31 July 2007. 

Reporters Without Borders:  “Two Kurdish journalists sentenced to death”  23 July 2007.

France Releases Genocide Suspects

By Myriam Clerge
Impunity Watch, Africa

Rwandan officials express their anger to the French appeals court decision to release two genocide suspects. Wenceslas Munyeshyaka, a 49 year old Catholic priest, and Laurent Bucyibarutu, a 62 year old former official, were arrested on Friday. The French court ruled the warrants, issued by the UN-backed International Criminal Tribunal on Rwanda (ICTR), could not be executed.

Many Rwandan officials, like Aloys Mutabingwa, a Rwandan representative of a genocide tribunal, said the decision was political and not judicially motivated. They were not surprised at the decision since the two suspects lived in France for 10 years without worries.

The Rwandan representative at the ICTR condemned the ruling. The ICTR, a Tanzania court formed in1994, has thus far condemned 28 genocide suspect. In an effort to bring to justice individuals who played an active or inactive role in the 1994 genocide Rwanda continues to investigate and arrest genocide suspects in and out of the country.

The Rwandan government has repeatedly accused the French government of assisting Hutu rebels in the massacre of nearly one million Tutsis. Several reports indicate that France was aware of the planned genocide but chose to continue supporting the Hutu army. Furthermore, the Rwandan government accused the French government of dragging its feet to cooperate in the investigation of genocide suspects. France has continued to deny such allegations.

The most recent conviction of a Rwandan genocide suspect occurred on July 5th in a Belgium court. Bernard Ntuyahaga, a former Rwandan army major was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the murder of 10 Belgium peacekeepers in the early stages of the genocide. The murders triggered the withdrawal of UN peacekeepers; had they stayed thousands of murders could have been prevented.

For more information please see:

BBC – Rwandan Anger at Suspect Release – 02 August 2007

AllAfrica – Rwanda: ICTR/France- Munyeshyaka And Bucyibaruta Released – 01 August 2007

Yahoo – French Court Frees Rwandan Genocide Suspects – 01 August 2007

BBC – Long Sentence for Rwandan Murders – 05 July 2007

Breaking News: Special Court for Sierra Leone Delivers Judgment in CDF Trial

By Impunity Watch Africa

The Special Court for Sierra Leone issued its judgment today in the joint trail of Moinina Fofana and Allieu Kondewa, the alleged former leaders of the Civil Defense Force.  Fofana was found guilty of four counts of war crimes and Kondewa was found guilty of five counts including war crimes and other serious violations of international law, as well as recruiting child soldiers.  Both were acquitted of charges of murder and violence as crimes against humanity.  Below is a summary of the charges and findings published on the Court’s website.  For a complete report from the court, please see the Special Court for Sierra Leone website.

For more information, please see:

Reuters – Factbox – Sierra Leone’s Civil War – 02 August 2007

Reuters – Sierra Leone War Crimes Court Convicts Government Militia Chiefs – 02 August 2007

Count Substantive Charge Article of the Statute of the SCSL under which the charge was brought Source of Law Finding of Guilt
1 Murder Art. 2(a) Crime Against Humanity Both Accused not guilty
2 Violence to life, health and physical or mental well-being of persons, in particular murder Art. 3(a) Violation of Common Article 3 or Optional Protocol II Both Accused guilty
3 Inhumane Acts Art. 2(i) Crime Against Humanity Both Accused not guilty
4 Violence to life, health and physical or mental well-being of persons, in particular cruel treatment Art. 3(a) Violation of Common Article 3 or Optional Protocol II Both Accused guilty
5 Pillage Art. 3(f) Violation of Common Article 3 or Optional Protocol II Both Accused guilty
6 Acts of Terrorism Art. 3(d) Violation of Common Article 3 or Optional Protocol II Both Accused not guilty
7 Collective Punishments Art. 3(b) Violation of Common Article 3 or Optional Protocol II Both Accused guilty
8 Conscripting or enlisting children under the age of 15 years into armed forces or groups or using them to participate actively in hostilities Art. 2(i) Crime Against Humanity Fofanah found not guilty. Kondewa found guilty.

Fiji: Ten thousand civil servants go on strike; union leaders threatened

On Thursday, over ten thousand civil servants went on strike in Fiji, joining the 1200 nurses already on strike.  They are protesting a 5% pay cut, the raising of retirement age, and the cancellation of an agreement made last year with the Quarese government.  This strike included teachers until Friday morning, when, in a move that surprised the other striking unions, they decided to return to work.  The government will dock the returning teachers two weeks worth of pay in retaliation.

Lead members of other striking unions have recieved death threats from the military, according to the account of Taniela Tabu.  Tabu is the general secretary of the Viti National Union of Taukei Workers.  He was taken from his home to the military barracks at 6am on Wednesday morning, was forced to strip, and was beaten.  Tabu was then informed that if he or the other union leaders were summoned to the barracks again, they would be killed.  Around 3pm. he was told that the allegations against him were that he had discredited the government in a public statement he had made on television the previous evening.  He was detained until late in the evening on Wednesday.

Tabu told Radio New Zealand International, “I want to just inform the United Nations, inform international union organizations and various embassies in Fiji: you know to take note of this in case one of us is killed or murdered.”

Interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama said that the strikes are a political ploy and that the interim government will not move from its current stance.  He is confident that government services will continue through the strike.

The Fiji Teachers Association president, Tevita Koroi, said that the union actions are legal because they are following the Trade Disputes Act.  This Act requires the Minister for Labour to call for compulsory arbitration to end the issue.  However, Bainimarama has instructed the interim Minister for Labour, Bernadette Rounds-Ganilau, to not order compulsory arbitration to end the strikes.

Please see also:
“Fiji labor leader arrested on eve of strike”  Pacific Magazine (01 August 2007)
“At least 10,000 Fiji public sector workers to strike from today”  Radio New Zealand International (01 August 2007)
“Fiji trade unionist fears for his safety”  Radio New Zealand International (01 August 2007)
“Strikes are political — says Fiji’s interim PM”  Radio New Zealand International (01 August 2007)
” ‘Death threats will not deter me’ ”  Fiji Times (02 August 2007)
“Teachers call off strike”  Fiji Times (03 August 2007)
“No pay for returning teachers”  Fiji Times (03 August 2007)
“PEU unaware of teachers’ move”  Fiji Times (03 August 2007)
“Come back to work, Bainimarama says”  Fiji Times (03 August 2007)