Venezuelan Protesters Clash With Security Forces

By Cintia Garcia

Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

Caracas, Venezuela—Thousands of Venezuela’s opposition members and supporters took to the streets of Caracas on Thursday afternoon in protest against the current government. Demonstrators were met by security forces which turned violent.

Protesters clash with Security Forces in Caracas. (Photo Courtesy of Al Jazeera)

The protesters were disbanded by tear gas and water hoses, turning the highways of Caracas into a violent scene. No immediate reports of arrest or injuries. The demonstration has been sparked by the outrage against the Supreme Court’s decision to nullify congress. Protesters viewed the action by the Supreme Court as the current governments attempt to seize power from the legislative house. The decision by the Supreme Court was overturned. Currently, the legislative house is ruled by the opposition. Furthermore, opposition members are demanding the removal of the seven justices that signed the decision. Many of the protesters carried signs reading “No to Dictatorship.” Demonstrations have taken place this past week, including on Tuesday when twenty people were injured and eighteen were arrested. There is another nation wide protest scheduled.

Venezuela has been enduring severe food and medicine shortages, growing inflation and one of the highest murder rates. Citizens are angry at the lack of basic needs, such as Maria Auxiliadora Soler who has been searching for blood-pressure medicine, “Now I just have a couple of them. I count them every day, and it feels like counting the days I have left to live.”

Maduro’s government blames U.S. government elites for the economic and political crisis in Venezuela. Government officials also claim that the opposition is attempting a coup plot. Diosdado Cabello, a socialist law maker and vice president of Maduro’s United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) stated, “We are not going to surrender and they will never step on Miraflores again, because anyone who betrays his homeland and is imploring an invasion of foreign forces must be treated as an enemy in his homeland, as a traitor to his homeland.”

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera—Protesters Clash with Security Forces in Caracas—6 April 2017.

Reuters—Venezuelan Opposition, Security Forces Clash in Anti-Maduro Protests—6 April 2017.

Telesur—Venezuela Right-Wing Opposition Plans Violent Attacks: Lawmaker—6 April 2017.

Washington Post—Protestors Clash With Government Forces in Venezuela—6 April 2017.

Syrian Town Hit With Two More Airstrikes After Chemical Attack

by Yesim Usluca
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

DAMASCUS, Syria — On Tuesday, April 4th, the Syrian town of Khan Sheikhoun was hit with a chemical attack that left hundreds of civilians, including many children, dead or injured. This Friday and Saturday, April 7th and 8th, the same town was hit once more with a new wave of airstrikes.

Khan Sheikhoun was hit with an airstrike just days after the chemical attack that killed and injured hundreds of civilians (Photo courtesy of Middle East Eye)

Activist Alaa Al-Youssef stated that Saturday’s attack in Khan Sheikhoun targeted a residential neighborhood. The attack reportedly killed one woman and injured her son, while wounding three others.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claimed that Russian planes had carried out the attack with the support of the Syrian government. However, despite the fact that only Russian and Syrian aircrafts have been bombing the town of Khan Sheikhoun, it was not clear which party directed the second wave of attacks. It was also not clear where the missiles had been launched from. However, Russia, which is the main ally of the Syrian regime, had sent a frigate armed with cruise missiles to a port in western Syria. Russia’s decision to send the armed frigate was characterized as a “show of force” in response to the United States.

The latest attacks on Friday and Saturday appear to be retaliatory, and in response to Friday morning’s missile strike by the United States. The United States’ attack had targeted a military base in western Syria used to launch Tuesday’s chemical attack but led to the deaths of nine people. However, despite the fifty-nine Tomahawk cruise missiles that hit this target on Friday morning, the Syrian air force has already resumed its flight operations from this base. On Saturday, a reporter for a state-run Russian network posted a video on Instagram showing a jet rolling down the tarmac at the air force base with the caption “Return to work at Shayrat.”

G-7 foreign ministers are scheduled to meet in Italy on Monday and Tuesday to build “coordinated international support for a ceasefire on the ground and an intensified political process.” Supporters of the Syrian opposition, such as Turkey, heralded the United States’ Friday morning attack, however, other countries, such as Russia and Iran, had the opposite reaction by “harshly condemn[ing]” it. The Foreign Minister of Turkey, Mr. Mevlut Cavusoglu, warned that Friday’s attack by the United States would remain purely “cosmetic” if Syria’s regime is not removed from power and if the intervention does not continue.

For more information, please see:

NBC News—Warplanes Strike Syrian Town Recovering From Chemical Attack: Human Rights Group—8 April 2017

LA Times—Warplanes strike Syrian town already hit by chemical attack—8 April 2017

CNN—Syria strikes: Site of chemical attack hit again—8 April 2017

Chicago Tribune—Syrian town hit by chemical weapons attack is targeted again in airstrikes—8 April 2017

 

Thailand’s Voice TV Suspended for Airing Criticisms of Military Junta

By: Nicole Hoerold
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia 

BANGKOK, Thailand – Thailand’s media regulator has reprimanded a television station for airing comments which criticized the nation’s military. On March 27, 2017, Lt. Gen. Peerapong Manakit of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) announced the decision to suspend Voice TV, a private television station. The week long suspension is the government’s direct response to the station’s criticism of military rule. The complaints were filed by the ruling National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) military junta, which accused Voice TV of broadcasting inaccurate and biased stories.

Prime Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-ocha salutes army officers at Thailand’s Army Headquarters in Bangkok on September 30, 2014. Photo courtesy of Reuters.

Human Rights Watch has criticized the decision to punish Voice TV for the content of its broadcasts. The organization warns that the military junta is simply bullying the media into becoming a mouthpiece for its own advantage. Such regulation will stop the media from reporting on important issues like human rights violations, investigations of official misconduct and government abuse of power.

The controversial statements made by Voice TV related to the raid on Dhammakaya Temple, the army’s killing of a teenage ethnic Lahu activist, the controversial construction of a casino on the border between Thailand and Cambodia, as well as the arrest of anti-government groups for allegedly possessing weapons in a plot to assassinate high-profile politicians.

This is not the first time Voice TV has been punished for reporting uncensored and independent stories. In 2016, the station was sanctioned over 10 times for its controversial reports critical of the junta.

Independent media is crucial to inform the public of rights violations and the honest, uncensored development of news stories. Human rights organizations are therefore calling on Thailand’s government to put an end to the censorship and make a commitment to uphold media freedom.

For more information, please see:

The Nation – Voice TV banned for 7 days – 28 March, 2017

Human Rights Watch – Thailand: Drop Suspension on TV Station for Criticizing Army – 30 March, 2017

Bangkok Post – Media must be wary of losing its voice – 31 March, 2017

Global Voices – Thai Junta’s Media Regulator Suspends Voice TV for ‘Unreasonable Criticism’ and ‘Biased Content’ – 28 March, 2017 

Situation in Congo Worsens as Aids Workers and Police Killed

By Samantha Netzband 

Impunity Watch, Africa Desk Reporter

KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo– Violence has increased in the Kasai region of the Congo as more than 40 police officers were decapitated.  The police officers are said to have been fighting with regional militia known as Kamuina Nsapu.  The Kamuina Nsapu are also said to be responsible for the recent deaths of an American and Swedish aid worker.

UN vehicle in Tshimbulu, Kasai province, 20 March 2017
The United Nations Mission in Kasai. (Photo Courtesy of BBC Africa)

The situation in the Congo has worsened since the beginning of the year with violence escalating to include the death of two humanitarian aid workers: American Michael Sharp and Swede Zaida Catalan.  Secretary General Antonio Guterres spoke after the two aids workers death “Michael and Zaida lost their lives seeking to understand the causes of conflict and insecurity in the DRC in order to help bring peace to the country and its people. We will honor their memory by continuing to support the invaluable work of the Group of Experts and the whole UN family in the DRC.”

The United Nations has continued its work in the country despite the increase in violence and has helped to uncover ten mass graves and seven other mass burial sites.  Since last October over 400 have been killed in the country and over 200,000 displaced.  This has only contributed to the many other humanitarian crisis’ that the United Nations is dealing with in Africa and around the world.  The United Nations has said that as of this year they are dealing with the largest humanitarian crisis since World War II.

For more information, please see: 

ABC News – Congolese militia decapitates more than 40 police: Officials- 25 March 2017

BBC Africa – Militia fighters decapitate 40 police officers in DR Congo – 25 March 2017

New York Times – Congolese Militia Beheads Dozens of Police Officers – 25 March 2017

Washington Post – Congolese rebels behead 42 police officers in dramatic escalation of conflict – 26 March 2017