Missiles Strike Four Hospitals in Syria

By Brittani Howell

Impunity Watch Reporter, The Middle East

DAMASCUS, Syria – Nearly 50 civilians were killed on Monday, as four hospital facilities were struck by missiles. The United Nations stated that the airstrikes were a blatant violation of international law.

The remains of the Doctors Without Borders Hospital in Maraat al-Numan. (Photo courtesy of CNN)

In the town of Azaz, near the Turkish border, fourteen people were killed and another 30 were wounded, as airstrikes struck a school and the children’s hospital. Local news footage showed ambulances unloading children on stretches at the Kilis State hospital.

The Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu accused Russia of conducting the airstrikes that hit the hospital and school, killing children. Turkey’s foreign minister called it an “obvious war crime.” Russia denied responsibility for the attacks, stating that their country does not bomb indiscriminately and does not target civilians. The United States State Department, however, claimed the Syrian regime for the attacks.

Unicef, the United Nations children’s agency, stated, “We at Unicef are appalled by reports of attacks against four medical facilities in Syria – two of which were supported by Unicef.” It continued, “One is a child and maternal hospital where children were reportedly killed and scores evacuated.” “Apart from compelling considerations of diplomacy and obligations under international humanitarian law, let us remember that these victims are children,” Unicef continued.

Another attack occurred on Monday at Maarat al-Numan, in the Idlib province, as a Doctors Without Borders hospital was struck by missiles four times within minutes. According to Doctors Without Borders, seven people were killed with another 8 people missing and presumed dead. Of those killed, five were patients, one was a caretaker, and one was a hospital guard. The eight unaccounted for are staff members, patients also may be missing, however it is not clear how many.

Massimilian Rebaudengo, Doctors Without Borders’ head of mission, stated, “This appears to be a deliberate attack on a health structure, and we condemn this attack in the strongest terms possible.” He continued, “The destruction of the hospital leaves the local population of around 40,000 people without access to medical services in an active zone of conflict.”

Doctors Without Borders claimed that the Syrian government was responsible for the airstrikes in the Idlib province. The Syrian ambassador to Russia accused the United States led coalition for the attacks in Idlib. The United States stated that the coalition did not conduct any military operations in the area.

Riad Hijab, the head of the high negotiations committee, stated on Sunday, “Everyday, hundreds of Syrians die from airstrikes and artillery bombardment, poison gas, cluster bombs, torture, starvation, cold and drowning.” He continued, “The Syrian people continue to live in terror and in utter despair after the international community failed to prevent even the gravest violations committed against them.”

According to Physicians for Human Rights, 697 health care workers have been killed in 336 attacks on medical sites over the course of the Syrian conflict. The vast majority of attacks are carried out by the Syrian government and its allies according to Physicians for Human Rights.

For more information, please see:

CNN – Syria: At least 22 Killed in Strikes Against 2 Hospitals, Sources Say – 16 February 2016

Reuters – Missiles in Syria Kill 50 as Schools, Hospitals Hit; Turkey Accuses Russia – 16 February 2016

Al-Jazeera America – Deadly Airstrikes Destroy Three Hospitals, School in Syria – 15 February 2016

The Guardian – Airstrikes Hit Two Syrian Hospitals, with Turkey Condemning ‘Obvious War Crimes’ – 15 February 2016

The New York Times – Syrian Hospitals Hit as Battlefield Grows More Chaotic – 15 February 2016

War Crimes Prosecution Watch Volume 10, Issue 25 – February 22, 2016

War Crimes Prosecution Watch is a bi-weekly e-newsletter that compiles official documents and articles from major news sources detailing and analyzing salient issues pertaining to the investigation and prosecution of war crimes throughout the world. To subscribe, please email warcrimeswatch@pilpg.org and type “subscribe” in the subject line.

Opinions expressed in the articles herein represent the views of their authors and are not necessarily those of the War Crimes Prosecution Watch staff, the Case Western Reserve University School of Law or Public International Law & Policy Group.

Contents

INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT

Central African Republic & Uganda

Darfur, Sudan

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Kenya

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International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda

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Court of Bosnia & Herzegovina, War Crimes Chamber

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Domestic Prosecutions In The Former Yugoslavia

MIDDLE EAST AND ASIA

Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia

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WORTH READING

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Truth and Reconciliation Commission

Commentary and Perspectives

China Moves 9,000 Villagers From Their Homes to Build Giant Telescope

By Christine Khamis

Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

 

BEIJING, China –

The Chinese government has decided to relocate over 9,000 villagers from their homes in Guizhou province as it continues to build the world’s biggest radio telescope. The telescope is designed in part to observe signs of extraterrestrial life but will also gather significant amounts of data on space phenomena.

The telescope under construction in Guizhou province. (Photo courtesy of the New York Times)

The relocation of the villagers, who live in one of the poorest provinces in China, was announced on Tuesday. 2,029 families are being moved in order to ensure an optimal electromagnetic environment for the telescope. The people being moved are those who were within a three mile radius of the telescope location in Pingtang and Luodian counties in Guizhou. Villagers do not appear to be resisting the move at this point.

Chinese authorities plan to compensate each person being moved with $1,800 from its eco-migration bureau. This is not the first forced mass relocation ordered by authorities to make room for a project, and there have been many complaints among citizens about the move and the compensation offered by the government. Millions have been displaced to make room for infrastructure or “poverty alleviation” projects. Work on the Three Gorges Dam displaced more than a million people living on the Yangtze River, for instance.

Work on the telescope is set to conclude in September of this year. Chinese authorities say that the location of the telescope in an isolated area of Guizhou make it an ideal place to receive extraterrestrial messages. The telescope is just one piece of China’s plans in regard to space exploration. China has also aspired to put an astronaut on the moon and a space station in orbit as part of its space program.

Wu Xiangping, director-general of China’s Astronomical Society told state-run news source Xinhua that the telescope will help scientists to “search for intelligent life outside of the galaxy”.

 

For more information, please see: 

HNGN – China Telescope To Be World’s Largest, Will Displace 9,000 – 19 February 2016

Business Insider – 9,000 Chinese villagers are being displaced to build this massive radio telescope in search of alien life – 17 February 2016

The New York Times – China Telescope to Displace 9,000 Villagers in Hunt for Extraterrestrials – 17 February 2016

The Guardian – China Uproots 9,000 People for Huge Telescope in Search for Aliens – 16 February 2016

Delhi Water Shortage Worsens Amidst Protests

By Christine Khamis

Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

NEW DELHI, India 

Protesters from the Jat community in India have damaged equipment in the Munak canal, leading to Delhi authorities setting strict water rationing rules. Delhi schools are closed on Monday because water supplies in the area are in danger of running dry. Seven out of nine water treatment plants have closed due to the protests. Irrigation engineers are currently attempting to restore water to the area.

Violent demonstrations are ongoing, with protestors violating curfew rules and forcing the closure of roads and railways. India has deployed its army to quash the protests, which is reported to gave opened fire on them in some areas. At least 12 people have been killed by security forces, with another 150 sustaining injuries. Protesters have continued to throw rocks at security forces, attack vehicles and set buildings and other public property on fire.

Jat Protesters. (Photo courtesy of BBC News)

Delhi’s government has sought out assistance with the water shortage from the Supreme Court. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government is also in the process of forming a committee to consider the protesters’ demands.

The Jat protesters are campaigning for guaranteed jobs within India’s caste system. India’s constitution incorporates an affirmative action program in which the lower castes in its system have reserved and protected opportunities in education, employment, and government.

There are three categories of lower castes: the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes, and the Other Backward Castes (OBC). The Scheduled Castes, called Dalits, are the lowest in the caste system. The Scheduled Tribes generally live in remote areas. The OBCs are disadvantaged but are not as excluded from Indian society as the other two groups. They are essentially considered to be those in the lower castes who are considered backward simply because they did not belong to the upper castes.In 1989, benefits were extended to those in the OBC category.

In March 2014, India’s government announced that it planned to recategorize the Jats as falling into the OBC category, which would entitle the Jats to be part of a government quota system for jobs. India’s Supreme Court recalled the plan in 2015 because in its view, the Jats are not entitled to OBC status.

The Jats believe that the Supreme Court’s decision places them at a disadvantage because they are not entitled to the same job quotas as those in the other lower castes.

 

For more information, please see:

ABC News – Deadly North India Protests Lead to New Delhi Water Shortage – 21 February 2016

BBC News – Water Crisis Fears in Delhi Over Jat Caste Unrest – 21 February 2016

The Economic Times – Jat stir: Delhi Reels Under Water Crisis; Schools to be Shut on Monday – 21 February 2016

The Sydney Morning Herald – Delhi water crisis: Schools, Factories Close as Indian Army Deploys to Quell Protests – 21 February 2016