Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect: Atrocity Alert: South Sudan, Burma/Myanmar and Iraq

Atrocity Alert is a weekly publication by the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect highlighting and updating situations where populations are at risk of, or are enduring, mass atrocity crimes.

South Sudan

The UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Adama Dieng, visited South Sudan from 7 to 11 November to meet with government officials, and religious and community leaders amidst ongoing reports of targeted ethnic violence throughout the country. Since widespread fighting broke out between the army and rebel soldiers in Juba between 7 and 11 July this year, there has been growing ethnic polarization, with increasing use of hate speech in the media, as well as targeted killings and rapes. Following visits to Juba and Yei, Special Adviser Dieng released a statement emphasizing that, “the signs are all there for the spread of this ethnic hatred and targeting of civilians that could evolve into a genocide, if something is not done to stop it now.” The UN, African Union and Inter-governmental Authority on Development must urgently engage with the government of South Sudan to ensure immediate action is taken to end violence, prevent further fracturing of South Sudanese society, and protect populations from atrocity crimes, regardless of their ethnic or political affiliation. The UN Security Council should impose a long overdue arms embargo to halt the flow of weapons to South Sudan and into the hands of those who target and kill civilians.

Burma/Myanmar

The situation in Burma/Myanmar continues to deteriorate following the start of a joint army-police operation in Arakan/Rakhine state on 10 October. Violence between the army and the Rohingya population – a distinct Muslim ethnic minority group – has escalated while humanitarian assistance for more than 150,000 people remains suspended. On 12 and 13 November the army responded to an attack that killed two soldiers by deploying helicopter gunships to several Rohingya villages, resulting in the death of more than 30 people. There are reports of the widespread destruction of Rohingya buildings and mosques in army-led “clearance operations” as well as ethnically-motivated attacks on Rohingya civilians, including allegations of rape and sexual assault of women and young girls. Under existing discriminatory laws in Burma/Myanmar, the Rohingya minority have been systematically disenfranchised and marginalized.

Reuters

Iraq

On 14 November Human Rights Watch released a report detailing a pattern of unlawful demolition of buildings, homes, and entire villages within Kirkuk and Nineveh governorates between September 2014 and May 2016 by Kurdistan Regional Government security forces and Peshmerga fighters in areas where they have defeated the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). The report follows the 11 November announcement by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights of alleged revenge killings and home demolitions in Kirkuk by civilians and members of the Iraqi security forces since the start of the Mosul offensive on 17 October. While the offensive has revealed further atrocities perpetrated by ISIL, forces combatting the group must ensure their own actions consistently comply with international humanitarian and human rights standards. As the military campaign to liberate Mosul from ISIL continues, it is essential that all parties take effective measures to ensure the protection of civilians and uphold their obligations under international law.

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ICTJ: New Accord Consolidates Path to Peace in Colombia

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New Accord Consolidates Path to Peace in Colombia
BOGOTA, November 16, 2016 – The International Center for Transitional Justice welcomes the announcement that the Government of Colombia and the Armed Revolutionary Forces of Colombia – People’s Army (FARC-EP) have agreed on a series of modifications to the peace accord, after the original version was narrowly rejected in the October plebiscite vote.

“With this new agreement Colombia is advancing toward the consolidation of the peace process,” said ICTJ President David Tolbert. “We are encouraged by the parties’ commitment to find the way forward in an expeditious and efficient manner to keep the momentum of the peace process on track.”

“The agreed-upon changes demonstrate the considerable flexibility and understanding of the negotiating parties,” underscored Maria Camila Moreno, Director of ICTJ’s Office in Colombia. “We hope that this will set an example for the entire country, especially during the very complex peacebuilding process that is set to begin.”

ICTJ has been working in Colombia since 2006 to achieve the realization of victims’ rights. It reiterates its commitment and willingness to offer its knowledge and national and international experience in support of the full implementation of the Comprehensive System for Truth, Justice, Reparations, and Guarantees of Non-Recurrence contained in the new peace accord.
PHOTO: Demonstrators in Bogota hold hands in support of a peace accord between the Colombian government and the FARC. (AP Photo/Ivan Valencia, File)

Colombia Signs Revised Peace Deal

By Cintia Garcia

Impunity Watch Report, South America

BOGOTA, COLOMBIA—The President of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos and FARC leader, Rodrigo Londono, also known as Timochenko, signed a revised peace deal ending fifty-two-years of war. The new signing comes after the previous deal was rejected by the citizens of Colombia on October 2. The new deal will not be put to a popular vote, instead the deal will be given to Congress for approval.

Colombia signs revised peace deal with the FARC. (Photo Courtesy of Al Jazeera)
Colombia signs revised peace deal with the FARC. (Photo Courtesy of Al Jazeera)

Unlike the previous signing of the deal, which was attended by 2,500 people including dignitaries, the new signing took place in a ceremony of 800 attendees in Bogota at the Colon Theatre. The revised deal includes the concerns of the citizens who voted against the previous deal. President Santos reminded Colombia of the urgency to approve the deal and ending Colombia’s civil war. He stated, “This new accord allows us to work together as a nation to recover the most affected regions due to conflict, to reconcile ourselves, to make use of new opportunities for growth and progress.”

The revised deal includes changes to fifty-seven points in the original document such as: the FARC will need to hand over its assets to the government, which the government will use to compensate victims of the war; Family values were addressed in accordance to the concerns of religious communities; a 10 year limit was put in place for the transitional justice system; FARC must provide information in connection to drug trafficking; the deal will not be integrated into the constitution.

The deal did not include tougher penalties and sentences for the FARC nor did it bar the FARC from political participation.

Congress is expected to vote on the deal within the next week. The deal must receive majority votes. Former president Uribe and his party, the Democratic Centre, will cast a No vote. They claim that the revised deal does not address their concerns, including harsher penalties against FARC members. They are also demanding for a popular vote. It is believed that the deal will pass since the president’s party holds the majority within Congress.

For more information, please see:

Wall Street Journal—Colombia’s Santos Inks New Peace Deal With FARC—25 November 2016.

AL Jazeera—Colombia Signs Revised Peace Deal With FARC Rebels—24 November 2016.

BBC—Colombia Signs new Peace Deal with FARC—24 November 2016.

The New York Times—Colombia and FARC Sign New Peace Deal, This Time Skipping Voters—24 November 2016.

Egyptian Human Rights Activist Banned from Travel

by Yesim Usluca
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt — On Wednesday, November 23rd, a prominent Egyptian human rights activist was banned from leaving the country as she attempted to board a plane.

Director of the El Nadeem Center for Rehabilitation Victims of Violence subjected to travel ban due to alleged involvement in Egypt’s ongoing foreign funding case (Photo courtesy of Financial Times)

Ms. Aida Seif Al-Dawla, Director of the El Nadeem Center for Rehabilitation Victims of Violence, was attempting to board a flight before she was stopped by Egyptian authorities. A statement released by the Center indicated that she was traveling to Tunisia to attend a conference bringing together NGOs working on rehabilitating victims of violence in North Africa.

An airport security official stated that the travel ban was implemented because of Ms. Al-Dawla’s involvement in the “ongoing trial implicating the majority of the most active human rights groups in Egypt.” Ms. Al-Dawla issued a statement in which she indicated that the travel ban is aimed at “eradicating the rights movement” in an attempt to cover up the government’s systematically committed violations. Her statement further indicated that the government’s attempt to “prevent individuals who dedicated their efforts to support and alleviate the pain” of violence victims “will not work.” Egyptian human rights activists stated that the travel bans are “part of the authorities’ attempts to silence criticism from civil society groups.”

The Egyptian government had attempted to shut down the Center earlier this year. In February, the Health Ministry had threatened to close the Center due to “violations,” which included “shifting its focus from operating as a medical facility to working in human rights and advocacy.” The threat had attracted local and international criticism and outcries from rights groups. In early November, Egypt’s Central Bank had ordered the freezing of the El Nadeem Center’s bank account. The Bank had lifted the freeze shortly thereafter when the Center documented that it does not fall under the authority of the Social Solidarity Ministry.

Ms. Al-Dawla is one of many human rights activists who have been banned from travel for their involvement in the country’s pending foreign funding case. Earlier this week, the Egyptian legislature also ordered issued travel bans for Ms. Azza Soliman, lawyer and head of the Center for Egyptian Women Legal Assistance, and Mr. Ahmed Ragheb, lawyer and Director of the National Community for Human Rights and Law. Both were on their way to attend international conferences, and were informed that the ban was the result of a judicial order, issued without their knowledge, regarding the case involving illegal foreign funding of NGOs.

For more information, please see:

Ahram Online—Egyptian activist Aida Seif El-Dawla banned from travel: Nadeem Centre—23 November 2016

All Africa—Egypt: El Nadeem Center Director Aida Seif El Dawla Banned From Travel—23 November 2016

New York Times—A Top Egyptian Human Rights Activist Banned From Travel—23 November 2016

Financial Times—Egypt imposes travel bans on human rights activists—23 November 2016

 

Relocated Refugee Children from Calais Forced into Labor

By Sarah Lafen

Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Europe

PARIS, France — Child refugees, who have been sent away from the migrant camp known as the “Jungle” in Calais, France to other parts of the country, have allegedly been forced into physical labor at their new locations.

Teenage refugee boys wait at a reception center in Southern France (Photo Courtesy of the Guardian)
Teenage refugee boys wait at a reception center in Southern France (Photo Courtesy of the Guardian)

Safe Passage, an organization run by the immigration charity Citizens UK, claims that refugee children are being forced to work on local farms without pay.  Legal interviews of unaccompanied refugee children were conducted, in which minors told interviewers that they were ordered to work on farms picking apples for French supermarkets.  The minors were too scared to refuse the work because they feared doing so would harm their chances of claiming asylum in the United Kingdom.

Of 33 teenage boys interviewed, one quarter admitted they have not been given clean clothes since arriving approximately four weeks ago.  39% of the minors who were interviewed said they felt better off at the Calais camp.  On boy interviewed in Northern France told interviewers “[i]t is horrible. We worked all day picking apples and were left to eat the rotten ones. The rest went to be sold in France. We just want to be with our family in the UK.”

Many minors are considering or have already absconded from their base centers, as they are not being given enough information about the status of their asylum claims.  Three of the boys have not spoken to anyone official regarding their asylum claim since their arrival at the center.  Two of the boys interviewed said they were considering running away from the center they were living in, and two who were originally scheduled to be interviewed had already run away.

About one quarter of the boys interviewed said they had not received clean clothes since their arrival, however they all said they had access to shower, hot water, and at least three meals per day.

Rabbi Janet Darley, Citizens UK Leader, said that the group is “hugely concerned about the safeguarding of children in the CAOs in France.”  Darley emphasized that while “the CAOs are, on the whole, safe places for the children to live, they cannot be used as an excuse to delay the transfer of children to the UK.”

In addition to taking part in forced labor, minors have also reported that they are being forced to share living accommodations with adults.

 

For more information, please see:

The Huffington Post — Refugee Children Say They’d be ‘Better Off’ in Squalid Calais Camp than New Centres — 21 November 2016

RT — Refugee Children from Calais Camp Forced to Work on Farms in France – Report — 20 November 2016

The Guardian — Child Refugees Forced to Work for Nothing After Leaving Calais — 19 November 2016

The Independent — Calais Refugee Children Forced to Work on Fruit Farms and Share Accommodation with Adults, Charity Claims — 19 November 2016