Bahrain Police Fire at Protestors

June 10, 2007

The protesters gathered in response to the seizure of their land by a member of the royal family. The perpetrator, Sheik Hamad bin Mohammed Salman al-Khalifa, is the cousin to the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifaa. Two years ago, the Sheik built a 500 meter wall to protect his alleged territory. This enclosure has not only given the Sheik disputed land, but also prohibited local fishermen from accessing the sea.
The villagers protested the action. They gathered and held signs displaying their disgust. The Associated Press reported that some of the signs stated that “Bahrain’s lands are not for sale.” According to the head of the district municipal counsel’s report, the crowd had gathered civilly, when the riot police fired the rubber bullets. The tear gas rendered some of the crowd unconscious.

         According to the Police Captain’s report the crowd rioted without an exact purpose. They tried to harm the police. The rioters used danger weapons such as sticks, gasoline bombs, golf balls, and slingshots to injure the police. The police had to fire rubber bullets to quiet the crowd and prevent further havoc.
         Bahrain rarely blocks peaceful protests, as long as the crowd consents to certain requirements. In this case, the protesters got permission to gather, and yet the police fired on the anti-seizure land protesters quickly.
         A possible reason for the quick and strong response by the police is because the Shiite majority is being ruled by a Sunni ruling family. The government’s fear is that this rally was actually related to the protest on 21 May 2007, where Shiites sought more rights for themselves through greater democratic reform. In that riot, one man was injured by police to dissipate the crowd. Shiites make up 60 percent of the population of the nation, and have long complained about being discriminated against by the Sunnis.

Al-Jazeera. Bahrain Police Fire on Protesters. 10 June 2007.
Alalam News. Bahrain Police, Opposition Clash. 21 May 2007.
Associated Press. Anti-riot police clash with demonstrators protesting land seizure. 9 June 2007.
Gulf Daily News. Riots ‘orchestrated.’ 10 June 2007.

Reactions to Beginning of Charles Taylor Trial

June 9, 2007

By Impunity Watch Africa

Charles Taylor’s boycott and refusal to show at the first day of his trial in The Hague for war crimes that occurred in Sierra Leone has sparked much response and criticism from scholars and commentators. Instead of attending the first day of his trial, Taylor sent a letter from his cell calling the court a “charade” and firing his counsel, apparently intending to represent himself.

The former founding Chief Prosecutor David Crane of the Special Court for Sierra Leone indicted Charles Taylor, Liberia’s former President, on March 3, 2003. The original indictment included seventeen counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity including rape, murder, pillage, enslavement, mutilation, and unlawful recruitment of child soldiers. It was later changed to eleven to make for more concise charges.

Former Prosecutor David Crane attended the opening statements. His response to Taylor’s boycott is that “Taylor and his counsel are predictably providing the histrionics that accompany the public disgrace of a bloody tyrant.” He saw Taylor’s actions as no different from those of Milosevic or Hussein or any other former head of state on trial for war crimes.

With a three-week break before the trial begins, many are cautioning the court to ensure proper control over the proceedings in order to prevent a disaster. The presiding judge in this case has started well, and was able to manage the defense counsel’s attempts to derail the opening statements and was able to get the proceedings back on track. Corrine Dufka, a West African researcher for Human Rights Watch, noted that the judge has already started off well. Unlike the Milosevic trial where the defense and prosecution were allowed to go on and on and there was a lack of management from the bench, here the judge has already instituted order and is working to ensure a fair trial.

The trial resumes in three weeks on June 25.

For more information, please see:

Jurist – An Empty Chair at The Hague: Trying Charles Taylor – 08 June 2007

World Politics Review – Accountability in West Africa: Charles Taylor on Trial at The Hague – 07 June 2007

VOA – Charles Taylor Boycotts His War Crimes Trial in The Hague – 04 June 2007

Guardian – Liberia’s Taylor Snubs War Crimes Trial – June 2007

Kenyan Police Crackdown on Mungiki Sect

June 7, 2007

By Myriam Clerge

Impunity Watch, Africa

The Mungiki is an outlawed religious sect inspired by the Mau Mau rebellion of the 1950s against British colonial rule. Banned in 2002, the sect is accused of mutilating and beheading around 20 people during the recent months. Among the murdered was a constituent of Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki. According to Police Chief Albert Kimanthi, leaflets circulated in the Mathare slum, which is home to some 500,000 people, threatened that more beheadings were imminent unless residents and traders pay between $1 and $3 as protection fees.

President Kibaki warned that the government would not “allow criminals to get away with wanton acts of violence.” On Thursday May 31st, the government spokesperson announced that 2,464 members of the Mungiki sect were arrested.

During a police raid on Tuesday June 5th, in which 21 people were killed after a shootout, a BBC reporter and a reporter for Reuters news agency claim to have seen a woman holding her baby clubbed in the throat by an officer and nearly 40 women and children forced to lie face down in the mud.

Mungiki leaflets accuse Kibaki’s administration of failing to honor election pledges made in 2002 to create jobs and rewrite Kenya’s constitution. Even more leaflets claim that high-level government officials, lawmakers and over 16,000 member of Kenya’s security force are members of the sect.

Many fear the sect may disrupt the December election in which current President Kibaki is expected to seek his second term.

For more information please see:

Yahoo – Kenyan president vows crackdown on sect as killing rage – 01 June 2007

Yahoo – 2,464 sect suspects arrested in Kenya – 01 June 2007

BBC – Kenya police shoot sect suspects – 07 June 2007

Fighting in Northern Lebanon Continues as Violence Spreads

June 7, 2007

Fighting between the Lebanese army and Fatah al-Islam, a militant group based in the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp, continues into its second week. While the Lebanese army engages tanks and helicopters in its bombardment of the camp, Fatah al-Islam remains defiant. However, despite the group’s threat to fight to the “last drop of blood”, several members have surrendered to Fatah officials within the camp and have turned over their weapons.

The fighting is the worst internal violence in Lebanon since its civil war. Since fighting began, 109 Lebanese soldiers, militants, and civilians have died. In addition, humanitarian groups still are expressing concern over the conditions within the camp, which lacks access to power and medical supplies. Tens of thousands of refugees have already fled the camp; however, thousands still remain.

Also, on June 4, the violence broke out in a refugee camp in southern Lebanon, Ain al-Hilweh. Two Lebanese soldiers were killed while fighting another militant group, Jund al-Sham. It is believed that the violence in the two camps is loosely related. The fear of the continuing spread of violence led the US government to pledge even more supplies to the Lebanese army, in addition to the $280 million in aid Congress approved last month.

Thus far, the Lebanese government indicted 31 alleged militants of terrorism, being members of the Fatah al-Islam organization, and for forming groups to attack civilians and the Lebanese military and government. If convicted of these charges, the accused may face the death penalty.

For more information please see:

ME Times: “Lebanese army pounds besieged Islamist” 7 June 2007.

The Daily Star: “Lebanese army claims ‘less resistance’ at Nahr al-Bared” 7 June 2007.

ME Times: “Lebanon lays terror charges against Islamist” 6 June 2007.

BBC: “Some Lebanon gunmen ‘surrender’” 5 June 2007.

London Times: “More clashes as second radical group joins attacks in Lebanon” 5 June 2007.

BBC: “Two die as Lebanon clashes spread” 4 June 2007.

London Times: “Two soldiers die as Lebanon fighting spreads” 4 June 2007.

BBC: “Lebanon charges 20 over fighting” 30 May 2007.

China coal mines destroy homes above

June 7, 2007

Coal mines in Da Antou, China, are cracking and destroying the homes above. Over the last several years, buildings have slumped and split apart because of the caverns created by the coal mines. Because of China’s growing economy, and thus need for energy, coal companies are expanding production. Coal meets 70% of China’s energy needs. More than half of the houses in Da Antou, forcing 400 people to move. In Shanxi province, Government officials estimate that more than 7,700 square miles have been hollowed out by miners, leaving the earth riddled with empty caverns and causing the crust to sink in more than 1,800 places.

The increase in mining also effects farmers. After the coal is extracted, it is trucked across the province. The black dust then falls on corn and wheat crops. The mining has effected the Da Antou water system in, forcing farmers to haul water from a communal pipe installed in the village square, which also sometimes goes dry. Also, according to farmers, terraced fields have been left unworkable because of the sinkholes.

The Chinese Work Safety Administration reported 4,746 miners were killed in Chinese coal mine accidents last year, making it among the world’s deadliest.

For more information, please see:

www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/31/AR2007053102191.html chinadigitaltimes.net/2007/06/chinas_energy_rush_shatters_village_edward_cody.php