Colombians Flee Venezuela

August 31, 2015

By Kaitlyn Degnan
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BOGOTA, Colombia — A border dispute between Venezuela and Colombia has forced hundreds of Colombians living in Venezuela out of their homes, and over the border into Colombia. Civilians living in the border region have reported that Venezuela National Guard forces have thrown people out of their homes, and in some cases have demolished houses belonging to Colombian migrants.

Colombians flee Venezuela during border crackdown. (Photo courtesy of Reuters).

A firefight between Venezuelan forces and smugglers injured a number of forces, and caused President Nicolas Maduro to order the closing of several border crossings to Colombia. He also declared a state of emergency in six western cities along the border, suspending a number of constitutional rights. The suspension allows the National Guard to search homes and businesses without a warrant.

Maduro cited concerns of increased instances of smuggling and paramilitary activity in Colombia for the closures. Since the closing over 6,000 Colombians have left Venezuela – 1,000 were deported and another 5,000 left voluntarily.

Talks between the foreign ministers of the two nations failed to produce any results. Maduro said that he would not open the border until the Colombian government “regained its sanity” and did more to protect the border.

Some have accused Maduro of prolonging the dispute to detract attention from the country’s economic issues.

Civilians have been using the Tachira River, which divides Venezuela from Colombia, to flee the country. The Colombian government has mobilized disaster relief resources to provide aid to those coming into the country.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has recalled the ambassador to Venezuela after his request to send an ombudsman to observe the human rights situation in the border city of San Antonio del Tachira order was denied. He also called for an emergency meeting of the Union of South American Nations and the Organization of American States.

Santos’s handling of the border crisis has been heavily criticized by opposition leader Alvaro Uribe, saying that Santos has done nothing to counter Maduro’s aggression.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has called for the two countries to work to resolve the crises, reminding them of their obligations under international law. “We urge the Venezuelan authorities to ensure that the human rights of all affected individuals are fully respected, particularly in the context of any deportations,” said Rupert Colville, a spokesman for the Commissioner.

For more information, please see:

BBC – Colombians leave Venezuela in droves over border crisis – 26 August 2015

Business Insider – ‘I lost everything overnight’: Colombians are fleeing Venezuela with all of their possessions amid border crackdown – 26 August 2015

Reuters – Distraught Colombians flee Venezuela as border dispute intensifies – 26 August 2015

The Guardian – Colombia and Venezuela recall ambassadors amid border crisis – 28 August 2015

The Washington Post – Venezuelans to rally in support of closing Colombian border – 28 August 2015

SNHR: Forced Disappearance in Syria

August 30, 2015

Dahaya-EUROMID-english

Citizens Demand Governmental Reform as Garbage Lines the Streets of Lebanon

August 30, 2015

By Brittani Howell

Impunity Watch Reporter, The Middle East

BEIRUT, Lebanon – Protests over uncollected trash transform into anti-government protests in Lebanon this week. The “You Stink” movement expresses protestors’ discontent with the government.

Man rummages through pile of trash on Lebanon street. (Photo Curtesy of the New York Times)

The garbage crisis has been going on since July. Landfills became overfilled and the residents neighboring one particular landfill, blocked garbage trucks from entering because of potential environmental hazards. Since July, garbage has been collecting in the streets of Lebanon.

For many, the garbage filling the streets is the last straw. Mohammad Rizk, a sandwich shop owner, told the New York Times, “Enough. This is Enough. No electricity, we said O.K. No water, we said O.K. But the trash?”

The country cannot meet the power needs of its citizens and many have needed to purchase generators or merely go without power for hours at a time.

In addition, running water is only available for a few hours on certain days, even though Lebanon has water resources that neighboring countries would envy. When the water is running, it flows into the streets from the neglected, broken pipes. Citizens are thus forced to buy water to fill personal water tanks for daily use, or use salty water from wells.

Lebanon’s infrastructure is further strained as refugees from war torn areas seek shelter. As many as 1.3 million refugees from Syria have sought shelter in Lebanon, a country of 4 million people.

Lebanon’s Parliament has failed to elect a new President for 15 months. The sectarian nation is currently seeking a Christian to fill the Presidency, but the different religious sects have not reached an agreement on the person for the job.

The Parliament has been unable to even come to terms with a solution for cleaning up the garbage that lines the streets and adjourned from an emergency meeting held Tuesday with no solution.

Sunday’s protest turned violent. Sticks and stones were thrown at police officers and tear gas and hoses were turned onto protesters. Over 400 protesters and security forces were injured during the protest, according to the International Community of Red Cross. Subsequent planned protests have been delayed as 32 of the protesters were arrested.

Earlier this week Prime Minister Tammam Salam threatened to resign if the meeting on Tuesday was not productive regarding possible solutions to the garbage problem. If Salam did resign, Lebanon would be thrown into additional chaos, as it is the President who appoints the Prime Minister.

For further information, please see:

The Wall Street Journal – Anger Over Garbage in Lebanon Blossoms into Demand for Reform – 28 August 2015

The New York Times – As Trash Piles Up, So Does Contempt for Lebanon’s Government – 27 August 2015

CNN – Lebanon: How Piles of Trash Led to a Violent Uprising Against the Government – 24 August 2015

Reuters – Lebanon Protest Postponed as U.N. Urges Restraint – 24 August 2015

Europe’s Migrant Crisis: 71 Refugees Found Dead in Austria

August 29, 2015

by Shelby Vcelka

Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Europe

VIENNA, Austria–

UN has called on European nations to collectively improve efforts to solve the growing migrant crisis, including prosecuting human traffickers preying on refugees. This mandate has come after 71 migrants were found dead in an abandoned truck this past week in Austria. The refugees were likely fleeing Syria and suffocated in the back, after the truck was abandoned on the side of the road.

Bodies found inside an abandoned vehicle in Austria are being loaded for transport to a forensics institute for autopsy. The 71 victims are believed to have suffocated inside the truck while migrating to Austria. (Photo courtesy of The New York Times)

The truck was found on August 27^th, after traveling from Hungary to Austria. The partly decomposed bodies were found inside, piled on top of each other. Damage to the inside of the truck suggests that the refugees had attempted to get out before suffocating to death. Those dead include 59 men, 8 women, and 4 children, including one small infant. Papers from Syria suggest that many came to escape war-torn Syria, but Bangladeshi authorities have also claimed that some of the refugees came from there.

Though their identities are unknown as of yet, at least four people in Austria have been arrested in connection with the deaths. “We are talking about human trafficking, homicide, even murder,” said Johann Fuchs, state prosecutor of Eisenstadt. Autopsies are currently being conducted, with charges of human smuggling, danger to public safety leading to death, or murder being contemplated for those arrested.

The deaths are in connection with the biggest rise in migrants to Europe since the end of the Second World War. A UN report states that migration by boat alone has risen by 40% compared to 2014; the total number of refugees that had crossed the Mediterranean to reach Europe had increased from 219,000 in 2014, to 310,000 as of August 2015. More than 2,500 people have died at sea attempting to cross the Mediterranean, not including the 150 people that died crossing from Libya on Thursday. The cause of the deaths, officials say, is due to overcrowding of boats and the way people are packed into those boats.

Melissa Fleming, a UN spokeswoman, said the deaths of the refugees found in Austria clearly demonstrate “the desperation of people seeking protection or a new life in Europe….We believe this [event] underscores the ruthlessness of people-smugglers who have expanded their business from the Mediterranean Sea to the highways of Europe. It shows they have absolutely no regard for human life.”

For more information, please see–

Al-Jazeera–Arrests made after 71 dead refugees found in Austria— 28 August 2015

CNN–Italy arrests 10 in migrant deaths at sea; Austrian officials sort out deaths on land— 28 August 2015

The Guardian–A week in Europe’s migrant crisis – a visual guide— 28 August 2015

Miami Herald–Austrian officials: 71 migrants likely suffocated in truck— 28 August 2015

Miami Herald– Europe’s migrant crisis brings tragedy by land and sea— 28 August 2015

The New York Times-Europe Reels From More Migrant Deaths on Land and Sea— 28 August 2015

BBC–Migrant deaths: UN warns of ‘crisis of solidarity’— 29 August 2015

Syria Deeply: This Week August 28, 2015

August 28, 2015

Dear Readers,

Welcome to the new, revamped Syria Deeply weekly newsletter. We’ve rounded up the most important stories and developments from Syria and the Syrian diaspora.

Syrian Druze Dragged Into Civil War

Following the slaughter of dozens of Syrian Druze by Jabhat al-Nusra, the Syrian arm of al-Qaida, earlier this summer, many young Druze who spoke to Syria Deeplyexplained that an intense debate has been sparked in their communities about whether to take sides in the ongoing civil war. As the Syrian government continues to lose ground to rebel groups, some are saying the Druze must take a definitive stance in support of the uprising.

Syrian Government Continues Attacks on Douma

For more than a week Syrian government forces have launched airstrikes on the Damascus-area town of Douma, which is under rebel control. During the first attack alone – on August 16 – more than 110 civilians were killed within a matter of hours as bombs rained down on markets and neighborhoods.

Douma’s local city council has declared the town a “disaster zone” and called on the U.N. to intervene to halt Assad’s attacks. Speaking to Syria Deeply, witnesses and paramedics described scenes of carnage and massacre.

Aleppo Residents Hit Hard By Heatwave

Residents of Aleppo have been enduring an intense heatwave that has seen temperatures reach 108 degrees Fahrenheit. The heatwave comes on the heels of a devastating water shortage that left many locals ill, according to UNICEF.

Syria Deeply spoke to locals in Aleppo, who described the difficulties of coping with the heatwave at a time when their community is already besieged by the Syrian government.

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