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Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect: Atrocity Alert: Burma/Myanmar, Syria and Yemen
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.
Burma/Myanmar
Following a series of attacks on border posts on 9 October in Burma/Myanmar’s Arakhan/Rakhine state, it was reported that nine police officers and eight attackers were killed. The identity or affiliation of the attackers has not been established. The government subsequently declared a state of emergency in Maungdaw and in three other townships in Arakhan/Rakhine state and deployed security forces to the area. Reports of mass arrests and extrajudicial killings of Rohingya have surfaced since a joint army-police counter-operation began on 10 October. The current situation risks exacerbating existing inter-communal tensions in Arakhine/Rakhine state between Buddhists and members of the Rohingya group, a distinct Muslim ethnic minority, which has been systematically persecuted by the government.
Syria
On 8 October the UN Security Council (UNSC) failed to adopt two separate draft resolutions on the conflict in Syria, highlighting the entrenched political divisions between Council members. A draft resolution put forward by the French and Spanish, which would have had the UNSC demand an immediate halt to airstrikes and military flights over the city of Aleppo and urged the immediate implementation of a cessation of hostilities, was vetoed by Russia, with Venezuela also voting against the proposal. The UNSC subsequently voted on a Russian draft text, which would have urged an immediate cessation of hostilities and demanded that all parties prevent material and financial support from reaching terrorist groups. The resolution only received 4 votes in favor, and thus did not have enough support to be adopted. With over 280,000 people already dead, Saturday’s veto condemns countless more Syrians to unnecessary suffering.
A growing number of UN member states and civil society organizations believe that the UNSC demonstrated on Saturday that it is unable to uphold its UN Charter mandate to maintain international peace and security with regard to Syria, and that, therefore, the UN General Assembly should be allowed to take up the issue, utilizing the “Uniting for Peace” mechanism.
Yemen
On 8 October forces from the Saudi-led military coalition reportedly bombed a reception hall in Sana’a during the funeral of a Yemeni government minister’s father. The airstrike resulted in more than 140 people killed, one of the largest death tolls resulting from a single attack since the conflict in Yemen escalated in March 2015. The UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Yemen and the Head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs both immediately condemned the attack, calling for increased measures to ensure the protection of civilians, respect for international humanitarian law, and accountability for the airstrike. The United States and United Kingdom both released statements indicating they would review their support for the Saudi-led coalition. On 10 October the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights issued a statement, later supported by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, that reiterated his call for an independent, international inquiry into violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law since the start of the conflict.
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VDC: Razan was a finalist for Martin Ennals Award 2016
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Yesterday in Geneva, Mr. Ilham Tohti awarded 2016 Martin Ellans Award for Human Rights Defenders for his work in China. In 2014 He was, unfortunately, sentenced to life imprisonment in China because of his work. The Syrian lawyer Razan Zaitouneh and the founder of the Violations Documentation Center in Syria was one of the three finalists alongside Mr. Tohti and Zone 9 Bloggers from Ethiopia.
Bulgaria Bans the Burqa in Public
By Sarah Lafen
Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Europe
SOFIA, Bulgaria — The Bulgarian parliament has passed a bill which bans women from wearing face veils, or burqas, in public places such as government offices, schools, cultural institutions, and public recreation areas. Special exceptions will be made for those who wear the garment for health or professional reasons, as well as those who wear it at cultural events.
The ban applies to both Bulgarian citizens, as well as women entering the country temporarily. Punishment for those who ignore the ban and continue to wear the burqa in the prohibited public places will face a fine of up to 1,500 levs ($860) as well as the suspension of social security benefits.
Supporters believe the ban will boost security amidst recent terrorist attacks in Europe. The ruling Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) party believes the bill will allow for better video surveillance and improved security within the country. Krasimir Velchev, senior GERB lawmaker, maintains that “[t]he law is not directed against religious communities and is not repressive.” Krasimir Karakachanov, co-leader of the nationalist Patriotic Front coalition which backed the bill, considers the burqa to be “more of a uniform than a religious symbol.”
Opponents of the ban believe the ban violates Bulgarian womens’ freedom of expression and religion. Human rights group Amnesty International calls the ban “part of a disturbing trend of intolerance, xenophobia, and racism…” The group’s European director, John Dalhuisen, believes that the security issues that supporters of the ban are concerned with can be addressed with restrictions on the covering of the face in high risk locations only, and not through a blanket ban across the country. Dalhuisen states that “this ban violates their rights to freedom of expression and religion.” The ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms refused to participate in the vote for the bill, saying the ban would “incite ethic and religious intolerance.”
The ban mirrors recent clothing bans in other European nations, such as the ban of the burkini in France, and the ban of the niqab in Netherlands and Belgium. In Bulgaria, the Muslim community makes up for approximately 8% of the country’s population.
For more information, please see:
El Salvador Judge to Reopen 1981 El Mozote Massacre Case
by Portia K. Skenandore-Wheelock
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America
SAN SALVADOR, EL SALVADOR – Judge Jorge Guzman Urquilla in El Salvador has accepted a request filed by Dr. Maria Julia Hernandez Legal Defense agency, the Center for Justice and International Law, and the Association to Promote Human Rights of El Mozote to reopen one of the worst massacres to occur during the country’s civil war in the village of El Mozote.
At least 500 people were killed by the army within three days in December 1981, according to a postwar UN truth commission. Victims’ rights advocates say the number of those killed is much more, closer to 1,000. El Mozote villagers were mostly evangelical Christians that were trying to remain neutral in the war but soldiers suspected them of sympathizing with the rebels and attacked. The army dumped many of the bodies in a small church and burned them. The UN truth commission report found Col. Domingo Monterrosa, commander of the Atlacatl battalion, operations chief Col. Armando Azmitia, and six other officers responsible. In 1984 Monterrosa and Azmitia died when a bomb went off in their helicopter. The US government had trained the Atlacatl battalion that was involved in the killings. The army and the US initially denied that any massacre had taken place, but human rights advocate Ovidio Mauricio has said, “the forensic evidence…is overwhelming” and that in just one grave forensic experts found “136 skeletons of girls and boys, with an average age of six years.”
The Supreme Court ruling in July declaring El Salvador’s amnesty law unconstitutional has former military men and the current government, which grew out of the rebel Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front, concerned that those involved on both sides of the conflict could face prosecution and the decision could create social conflicts. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled that El Salvador should pay reparations to the victims and in 2012 the government accepted the ruling and apologized for the massacre.
For further information, please see:
BBC – El Salvador Judge Reopens El Mozote Massacre Investigation – 2 October 2016
Deutsche Welle – El Salvador to Reopen Prove Into 1981 Massacre – 2 October 2016
The Guardian – El Salvador Judge Reopens Case of 1981 Massacre at El Mozote – 1 October 2016
The News Tribune – Judge Orders Reopening of El Salvador Military Massacre Case – 1 October 2016
Telesur – Salvadoran Judge Reopens Investigation of El Mozote Massacre – 2 October 2016