Nigeria’s Continued Success Against Boko Haram

By Tyler Campbell

Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

 

ABUJA, Nigeria – Late on April 16, 2014 heavily armed Boko Haram Islamists raided a Government Girls Secondary School and abducted nearly 200 girls from their dorms. Around 9 p.m. gunmen overtook soldiers guarding the school in a lengthy gun battle and forced nearly 200 girls onto trucks and vans. As they left the town they set fire to homes and business throughout the town.

(Loading those recused from Boko Haram onto trucks. Photo courtesy: Pan Atlantic Journal)

These scenes have become frighteningly commonplace in Nigeria. Terrorist organizations like Boko Haram, which roughly translates to western education is forbidden, had become an accepted part of life. This was true, until newly elected president Muhammadu Buhari declared all out war on these types of organizations. At first there was major backlash against president Buhari and his policy of eliminating these groups by December 2015. In fact, attacks by Boko Haram and other groups intensified right after Buhari’s election. Finally it seems the tides are starting to turn against these organizations and Nigeria’s military is racking up some notable accomplishments.

 

On September 23, the Nigerian military had one of these notable accomplishments. The military conducted raids on two Boko Haram camps and freed 241 women and children being held there. Along with freeing these prisoners they also captured 43 militants. One of these 43 was a notable Boko Haram kingpin named Bulama Modu.

 

Along with capturing militants, the Nigerian military destroyed the camps and captured weaponry, which ranged from AK-47’s to bows and arrows. One captured militant even gave up the location of a Boko Haram IED factory in the Dara Jamel village in Nigeria. The attitude of surrender seems to be spreading throughout the Boko Haram. Many militants have been caught burying their weapons and fleeing or surrendering to Nigerian troops.

 

Today a remaining pocket of Boko Haram terrorist attempted to make a last stand against the advancing forces of the Nigerian 120 Task Force Battalion. The Battalion successfully repelled the advance and inflicted heavy casualties on group. After the advance, a minimum of 100 militant bodies were found. The task force also captured a sizeable arms cache, which included 2 Rocket Propelled Grenades and supplies for making more IED’s.

 

As Boko Haram continues to retreat and lose ground they have been forced underground and out of the country. In the coming months it is likely that the group will turn more and more toward guerilla type tactics. This trend is already beginning to materialize. Last month Boko Haram claimed multiple suicide bombings  throughout Nigeria. Unfortunately, this is a price Nigeria and the surrounding area will have to pay as Boko Haram is slowly overwhelmed.

 

For more information, please see:

All Africa – Nigerian Army Kills Scores of Boko Haram Insurgents in Yobe State – 7 October 2015

Nigerian Army ­– Press Release – 23 September 2015

CNN – Nigerian forces free 241 women, children in Boko Haram camps, arrest kingpin – 23 September 2015

CNN – As many as 200 girls abducted by Boko Haram, Nigerian officials say – 16 April 2014

California Governor Signs Right-to-Die Legislation

By Samuel Miller
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America and Oceania

SACRAMENTO, CA, United States of America — California Gov. Jerry Brown signed “right-to-die” legislation on Monday that will allow the terminally ill to legally end their lives. California has joined four other states that allow terminally ill patients to legally end their lives with a doctor’s supervision.

Advocates of the Right-to-Die Legislation Illustrate the Case of Brittney Maynard. (Photo Courtesy of BBC News)

The California legislation is modeled after the Death with Dignity law passed by Oregon voters in 1994, which made that state the first in the nation to allow some terminally ill patients to choose the time of their own death.

In a rare personal message, Gov. Jerry Brown provided insight into his deliberations before deciding to sign the bill, reflecting on religion and self-determination as he weighed an emotionally fraught choice.

“In the end, I was left to reflect on what I would want in the face of my own death,” said Gov. Brown. “I do not know what I would do if I were dying in prolonged and excruciating pain. I am certain, however, that it would be a comfort to be able to consider the options afforded by this bill.” Gov. Brown has previously been treated for prostate cancer and melanoma.

Brown’s signature on the right-to-die legislation Monday capped an intensely personal debate that dominated much of this year’s legislative session and divided lawmakers. Many lawmakers also drew on personal experience to explain their decisions to support or reject legislation making California the fifth state to allow terminally ill patients to use doctor-prescribed drugs to end their lives.

The measure applies only to mentally sound people and not those who are depressed or impaired. The bill includes requirements that patients be physically capable of taking the medication themselves, that two doctors approve it, that the patients submit several written requests and that there be two witnesses, one of whom is not a family member.

Supporters hope that adoption of right-to-die legislation in the nation’s most populous state will spur approval elsewhere, although legislation introduced this year in at least two dozen other states stalled. Opponents said Monday that they were disappointed the governor relied so heavily on his personal experience in his decision and that they were considering options to stop it.

Among those opposed to the law are religious groups and advocates for people with disabilities, who worry it could open the door to all kinds of terrible scenarios, such as premature suicide, coerced early death and overriding God’s will.

At the center of the debate was Brittany Maynard, a 29-year-old California woman with brain cancer who drew national attention for her decision to move to Oregon to end her life. Prior to Ms. Maynard taking her own life, she told California lawmakers that the terminally ill should not have to “leave their home and community for peace of mind, to escape suffering and to plan for a gentle death.”

For more information, please see:

ABC News — Gov. Brown Signs California Right-to-Die Measure – 6 October 2015

CNN — California governor signs ‘right to die’ bill – 6 October 2015

Washington Post — Jerry Brown just signed right-to die-legislation in California. Here’s how we got here. – 6 October 2015

BBC News — California enacts right-to-die law for terminally ill – 5 October 2015

WebMD — CA Governor Signs Right-to-Die Bill Into Law – 5 October 2015

North Korea Releases South Korean NYU Student After Six Month Detainment

By Christine Khamis

Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

SEOUL, South Korea –

North Korea has released and deported South Korean student Joo Won-moon after detaining him for six months. Mr. Joo was caught crossing the North Korea-China border in April and was arrested for what North Korea called a serious violation of its laws. Upon Mr. Joo’s release, North Korea stated that it deported him as a humanitarian measure.

A screen-shot of Mr. Joo during an interview with CNN in May. (Photo courtesy of NPR)

On Monday, Mr. Joo was handed over to South Korean officials at Panmunjom, a village on the border of North and South Korea. The South Korean government has stated that its National Intelligence Service will investigate Mr. Joo’s act of crossing into North Korea. Mr. Joo’s crossing into North Korea was a violation of South Korea’s national security law, which forbids unapproved travel to the North.

Mr. Joo is a permanent citizen of the United States and attends New York University. At the time of his detainment, Mr. Joo was taking a semester off from NYU and had traveled to North Korea after trying unsuccessfully to find employment in California.

Mr. Joo states that he was treated well by North Korean officials during his detainment. He recently appeared in front of North Korean state media and gave a statement saying that he had not been allowed to contact his family but wanted them to know that he was healthy. In his media appearance, Mr. Joo also acknowledged that he had entered the country illegally and read from a speech praising North Korea and its government.

Mr. Joo’s recent appearance in front of the North Korean state media. (Photo courtesy of International Business Times)

In an interview with CNN in May, Mr. Joo stated that he had hoped to improve relations between North and South Korea with his act of crossing the China-North Korea border. Mr. Joo told CNN that he had hoped that some great event would happen and that it would hopefully have a positive effect on the relationship between North and South Korea, but that he was not sure at the time what great event his actions could lead to.

North Korea currently has three other South Koreans detained for crimes of espionage. South Korea states that the charges against them are “groundless”. While South Korea welcomes Mr. Joo’s release, the South Korean Unification Ministry has called for North Korea to free the three detained South Koreans as well.

North Korea is also holding a Korean-Canadian pastor who has confessed to crimes aimed at overthrowing the state, according to North Korea’s state media.

North and South Korea came to an agreement in August to improve ties after a period of heightened conflict. One of their attempts at improving ties is to allow families separated since the Korean War to temporarily reunite with their family members later this month.

 

For more information, please see:

Associated Press – North Korea Releases Detained South Korean Student – 5 October 2015

CNN – North Korea Releases NYU Student – 5 October 2015

International Business Times – North Korea to Release Detained New York University Student – 5 October 2015

NPR – North Korea Releases Detained NYU Student to South Korea – 5 October 2015

New York Times – N.Y.U. Student Detained in North Korea Is Released, South Says – 5 October 2015

 

Reuters – North Korea Frees South Korean Student Held Since April — 5 October 2015