Border Crisis Between Venezuela and Colombia Continues

By Kaitlyn Degnan
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuela’s crackdown on its border with Colombia has extended to a third state. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced that he extended the state of emergency to an additional 10 provinces on Tuesday evening. As of now, border crossings in the Venezuelan states of Tachira, Zulia and Apure have closed, with Apure’s closing occurring Wednesday morning.

People wait to cross into Colombia over the La Union international bridge in Tachira state, Venezuela. (Photo courtesy of Voice of America)

Some 18,000 of over 5 million Colombians living in Venezuela have crossed the border and returned to Colombia during the month long crisis. Some claim that they were beaten by Venezuelan security forces before crossing rivers to leave the country. Many feared reprisals from the Venezuelan government if they stayed.

The crisis began about a month ago, when Maduro closed a number of border crossings and deported 1,400 Colombians as part of an anti-corruption operation. Maduro has blamed Colombians in the country for Venezuela’s economic woes – the country has been in recession for some time.

Historically, the Venezuelan/Colombian border has been a hotbed of illegal activity, with smuggling and guerilla activity flourishing in the region. Both illegal smuggling and legal trade have suffered due to the border closures.

The declaration of a state of emergency in Venezuela suspends certain constitutional rights, and allows homes to be searched without a warrant.

Throughout the course of the crisis, diplomatic ties between the two countries have worsened, with Colombia recalling its ambassador from Caracas, and the Venezuelan ambassador leaving Bogota shortly after. Tensions rose significantly last week after Colombia claimed that Venezuelan military jets crossed into Colombian airspace. Venezuela has denied the claim.

Maduro and Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos have each separately called for meetings to discuss the border crisis, and both have expressed willingness to discuss the issue.  Ecuador and Uruguay are currently working to broker a meeting.

A “humanitarian corridor” has been created which will allow Colombian children in Venezuela to attend school in Colombia. Work has also been done to facilitate the reunification of families split by the crisis.

 

For more information, please see:

Voice of America – Poll: Nearly Half of Colombians Fear Venezuela War Over Border Crisis – 15 September 2015

BBC – Venezuela extends state of emergency to third border state – 16 September 2015

Reuters – Colombia’s president says Venezuela gestures could solve border spat – 16 September 2015

The Wall Street Journal – Colombia’s Leader Says He’d Meet with Venezuela to Resolve Crisis – 16 September 2015

New Zealand Herald – Venezuela extends border crackdown to 3rd state – 17 September 2015

 

Asylum Seeker Sets Himself On Fire in Immigration Detention Center

By Samuel Miller
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America and Oceania

PERTH, Australia — An Afghani asylum seeker is in a critical condition tonight after setting himself on fire at the Yongah Hill Immigration Detention Centre, located east of Perth. The Afghani asylum seeker managed to obtain gasoline and set himself on fire in Yongah Hill Immigration Detention Center after two previous attempts to take his own life.

An Ambulance Rushes to Perth Following the Incident at Yongah Hill. (Photo Courtesy of BBC News)

The man, Ali Jaffari, has been left with burns covering up to 90 percent of his body after the incident.

The Refugee Action Coalition claim it’s the third time the man has tried to end his own life in six weeks, and say it defies belief that he was able to get the gasoline.

Spokesman for the Refugee Action Coalition Ian Rintoul said the man had been held at Yongah Hill Immigration Detention Centre for about eight months. He went on to question how such an individual would have access to these materials given his prior history.

“How was he allowed to obtain the materials that allowed him to do this?” asked Mr. Rintoul. “Given his known mental state, he should not have been at Yongah Hill and he should not have been able to obtain flammable fluid. There’s simply been no adequate mental health treatment or proper care.”

Mr. Rintoul also commented on the detention of Mr. Jaffari, speculating on the mindset of Mr. Jaffari. “Given that he had been re-detained it was likely that he was simply facing an indefinite detention, and in those circumstances it seemed likely he had no future and no prospect of release,” Mr. Rintoul said.

The facility operator of Yongah Hill, Serco, has so far declined to comment on the matter.

Jaffari arrived in Australia in October 2010 on a boat he boarded in Indonesia. He was granted a permanent protection visa but had that cancelled in May 2014.

Jaffari was convicted of indecently assaulting two boys under the age of 16 at a Geelong swimming pool. It was reported to Yahoo! News that he fondled, kissed and cuddled the boys and joined one of them in the shower in November 2012.

While participating in a sex offenders’ program, Jaffari made admissions regarding accessing child exploitation material. A subsequent analysis of his computer revealed 27 images of child pornography, and he was charged and convicted of possessing those images. For both offences, Jaffari was sentenced to 3 months in jail, but had both prison terms suspended.

Last month, refugee advocates called for an inquiry into conditions at Yongah Hill, after the death of a 27-year-old Afghan detainee who was attacked in a brawl at the center.

The Refugee Action Coalition said the Afghan man had been held for three years, and may have died of a heart attack. Despite being sick for days and asking for medical assistance, he was only given paracetamol, the group claimed.

Soon after his death, angry detainees staged protests at the center, which was also the scene of a brawl involving 50 detainees earlier in July.

 

For more information, please see:

ABC News — Man in critical condition after setting himself on fire at WA’s Yongah Hill Immigration Detention Centre – 16 September 2015

BBC News — Detainee sets himself on fire in Australian centre – 16 September 2015

Yahoo! News — Detainee sets himself on fire at Northam Detention Centre – 16 September 2015

The Guardian — Man in critical condition after setting himself on fire in detention centre – 15 September 2015

Hungary To Arrest Illegal Migrants

by Shelby Vcelka

Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Europe

BUDAPEST, Hungary–

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban warned last Friday that the police would take tougher action against migrants beginning next week. He alleges that the migrants entering the country rebelled against authorities by capturing railway stations, and refusing to be registered as refugees by the UN.

Migrants walk in the sunset after crossing the border into Hungary. (Photo courtesy of PBS.)

Hungary is being used as a transitory state, as migrants are traveling through to reach wealthier countries such as Germany and Sweden. In response, the legislature has passed emergency measures to help restrict the number of migrants coming through Hungary, effective September 15th. Orban has said that from September 15th on, migrants who cross the border illegally will be arrested, and that authorities cannot be forgiving of illegal border crossing. Hungarian prisoners and soldiers are also working on building a fence along the Hungarian-Serbian border to stem the flow of migrants into the country, and discourage illegal migration.

Over 170,000 migrants have crossed over into Hungary this year, with thousands more expected to make the journey. Most of these migrants attempt to avoid being registered in Hungary, afraid that they will be stranded or returned to Hungary once making the journey to a different country. The refugee camps that have popped up all over the country are woefully inadequate, with soldiers tossing food to crowds of migrants. Human Rights Watch, an international human rights watchdog group, have condemned the status of these camps, as they do not provide migrants with the basic requirements of food, water and shelter.

Overwhelmed with the number of migrants that have crossed the border, Hungary is also going to guard the southern border with the army. “Considering that we are facing a rebellion by illegal migrants, police have done their job in a remarkable way, without using force,” Orban said after meeting with Manfred Weber, the chairman of the conservative European People’s Party in the European Union.

Already, backlash against the new, restrictive laws is mounting against the Hungarian Parliament. A major concern for Hungarians is where the migrants will go once they have been arrested for illegal migration, and how much it will cost taxpayers to imprison them. Additionally, Hungarians fear that they will not be able to stem the flow of refugees into the country, even with the fence and new measures. The practical realities of the law, many Hungarians believe, will do nothing but make the situation worse.

For more information, please see–

BBC–Europe migrant crisis: Hungary ‘will arrest illegal migrants’— 11 September 2015

BBC–Migrant crisis: How will UK towns deal with refugees?— 11 September 2015

CBS–Hungary cracking down on migrants crossing border— 11 September 2015

PBS–Hungary enacts tougher laws on illegal immigrants— 11 September 2015

Reuters– Orban: Hungary will arrest ‘rebellious’ migrants— 11 September 2015

Germany Enforces Emergency Border Controls Due to Migrant Influx

by Shelby Vcelka

Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Europe

BERLIN, Germany–

Interior Minister, Thomas de Maiziere, announced that Germany would impose temporary border controls on its border with Austria to deal with the massive influx of migrants. While affirming that Germany had the capacity to welcome a significant number of refugees, de Maiziere called on other European Union nations to do more, and reiterated that migrants cannot choose their host country.

Migrants spend the night in a train station after arriving in Munich. Following Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere’s announcement, the borders between Austria and Germany will be more strictly enforced. (Photo courtesy of BBC.)

Up until now, Germany has had an open policy regarding migration. However, the massive numbers of refugees, who have mainly been turned away from other countries, coming into Germany, has caused an overflow. “The aim of these measures is to limit the current inflows to Germany and to return to orderly procedures when people enter the country,” de Maiziere said at a news conference. Although this goes against the idea of the Schengen zone, which allows for free movement between several different European nations, the agreement permits individual countries to suspend the free movement on a temporary basis.

Germany has also announced that these measures are only temporary, and will only turn away migrants not fleeing war or persecution in their home country. Additional measures include shutting down borders to admit those with passports, and sending police and the army to patrol the borders. The emergency measures are a clear demonstration of how extensive the migrant crisis is, and how Germany has been stretched thin in the past couple of days.

In the meantime, trains between Germany and Austria have been suspended. They are set to resume Monday afternoon. This past Saturday alone, more than 13,000 migrants arrived in Munich, with a total of 800,000 migrants expected to arrive in total. Munich has borne the brunt of the arrivals, as it is the southernmost major city in Germany, closest to the border Austria.

The move to temporarily close the borders also serves as a threat to other European nations. de Maiziere mentioned in his statement that Germany would “first” close its borders with Austria, with the insinuation that borders with other countries would be soon to follow. The implication may be that other European Union countries will have to act to help ease the burden off of Germany.

For many migrants, the move means Germany is no longer pursuing a laissez-faire policy, and that the Dublin Rule of migration is still enforceable. With this, migrants will be forced to register with the first country they arrive in, and any others outside the strict migration quota will be turned away.

For more information, please see–

BBC–Migrant crisis: Germany to start temporary border controls— 13 September 2015

The Telegraph–Border controls return to Europe as continent struggles with refugee crisis— 13 September 2015

Time–Germany Imposes Emergency Border Controls as Migrants Continue to Arrive— 13 September 2015

USA Today–Germany imposes emergency border controls— 13 September 2015

Wall Street Journal–Germany Imposes Border Checks Amid Migrant Wave— 13 September 2015

Exiled Yemeni President Backs out of Peace Talks

By Brittani Howell

Impunity Watch Reporter, The Middle East

SANA’A, Yemen – On Sunday, Yemen’s exiled President, Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi, announced that he will not participate in United Nation’s peace talks with the Houthi rebels. President Hadi stated that there will only be peace talks with the rebels in the event that the Houthis withdraw from the areas they seized and surrender any weapons.

Nader Mohammed, a doctor in Sana’a, in his apartment after an airstrike. (Photo Courtesy of New York Times)

The self-exiled government is making plans to return to the city of Aden by the end of this month. Over 200 soldiers from Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen, have travelled to Aden in order to secure the city so that the exiled government can return. Currently, part of Aden is under the control of al-Qaeda.

Previous attempts to end the conflict and to enter into peace-talks have all failed. Over 4,500 people have been killed since the conflict began. According to the United Nations Human Rights Commissioner, from the start of the Saudi-led offense and through June 30, 1,527 civilians have been killed. Of the 1,527 killed, 941 deaths were caused by airstrikes.

The Saudi-led coalition’s strikes have strayed from military targets and have struck civilian areas, causing many to accuse the coalition of punishing all who reside in areas under Houthi rebel control. Residents in northern Yemen, largely Shi’ite Muslims, have claimed the Saudi-led coalition attacks are a sectarian purge, as the coalition is largely Sunni Muslim.

“They kill innocents and claim to be killing Houthis. They are targeting the whole population.” Stated Adam Mujahid Abdullah, a survivor of an airstrike that targeted residential homes overlooking a university that had been used as a base for Houthi rebels.

Many people have been forced to take shelter in the mountains, as a result of the frequent airstrikes. Dr. Natalie Roberts, from Doctors Without Borders, stated “It’s no kind of life. Waiting in a cave to see if you’re going to get bombed.” Others have been forced South, most forced to walk on foot.

In the province of Marib, 25 fighters from both the rebels and the coalition were killed when the Saudi-led coalition advanced and cut off the Houthi rebels supply lines.

On Saturday, it was alleged that a United States drone attack killed 4 people in the province of Hadramawt. Security officials stated that masked gunmen prevented access to the site of the attack as the victims had been buried near by.

The United Arab Emirates on Saturday mourned the loss of 52 soldiers, who were killed in a Houthi rebels’ missile attack on September 5, 2015. This was the heaviest loss the country has seen since 1971.

For more information, please see:

Los Angeles Times – Yemen’s Exiled President Backs Out of Talks With Rebels – 13 September 2015

Reuters – Exiled Yemeni Government Pulls out of Planned Peace Talks – 13 September 2015

The Associated Press – Yemen’s Exiled President Backs out of Talks With Rebels – 13 September 2015

The New York Times – Airstrikes Take Toll on Civilians in Yemen War – 12 September 2015