São Paulo Runs Dry as Country’s Worst Drought Continues

By Delisa Morris

Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BRASILIA, Brazil — How does the world’s biggest water supply in the seventh biggest economy run out of water?  When that country has its worst dry stretch since the 1930s.

The Atibainha reservoir / Photo courtesy of The Seattle Times

Brazil is sometimes called the “Saudi Arabia of water,” water is so abundant in the area that it’s likened to living above a sea of oil.  However, the taps are starting to run dry.  The problem has been worsened by polluted rivers, deforestation and population growth, the largest reservoir system serving São Paulo is near depletion.

Currently, many residents are enduring sporadic water cutoffs, some going days without it.  Officials have said that water service provided two days a week, drastic rationing, may be needed.

Though the views are grimmer behind closed doors.  In a meeting recorded secretly and leaked to the local news media, Paulo Massato, a senior official at São Paulo’s water utility, said that residents might have to be warned to flee because “there’s not enough water, there won’t be water to bathe, to clean the home.”

Marússia Whately, a water specialist at Instituto Socioambiental, a Brazilian environmental group, said, “We’re witnessing an unprecedented water crisis in one of the world’s great industrial cities.”  She added, “Because of environmental degradation and political cowardice, millions of people in São Paulo are now wondering when the water will run out.”

Some have already had no running water for days.

“Imagine going three days without any water and trying to run a business in a basic sanitary way,” said Maria da Fátima Ribeiro, 51, who owns a bar in Parque Alexandra, a gritty neighborhood on the edge of São Paulo’s metropolitan area. “This is Brazil, where human beings are treated worse than dogs by our own politicians.”

Residents are taking matters into their own hands by drilling wells around homes and apartment buildings.  Others have implemented water conservation methods of hoarding water in buckets to wash clothes or flush toilets.  Public schools are prohibiting students from using water to brush their teeth, and serving sandwiches instead of meals on plates that need to be washed.

The worse forecasts say that São Paulo’s main reservoir system could run dry in 2015.

For more information, please see:

The Telegraph – Taps run dry in Brazil’s biggest city as drought bites – 23 Feb. 2015

The Seattle Times – Severe drought pushes Brazil’s largest city toward water crisis – 21 Feb. 2015

The Independent – Brazil water shortage: Sao Paulo devastated by its worst drought on record – 23 Feb. 2015

Independent.IE – Has Brazil’s largest city just run out of water? – 23 Feb. 2015

Magnitsky Amendment to Serious Crime Bill Introduced in the British Parliament

23 February 2015 – Dominic Raab MP and a group of 22 members of the British parliament from across all parties have submitted an amendment to the Serious Crime Bill, entitled the ‘Magnitsky Amendment’. Co-sponsors of the Magnitsky amendment include no less than seven current Committee Chairs including Rt Hon Keith Vaz MP (Home Affairs Committee), Rt Hon Margaret Hodge MP (Public Accounts Committee) and Rt Hon Sir Malcolm Rifkind MP (Intelligence & Security Committee).

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/20142015/0160/amend/seriouscrimeaddednames.pdf

The Magnitsky Amendment will require the government to publish the names of foreign citizens who are not allowed to enter the UK due to their involvement in money laundering, serious organized crime, torture and gross human rights abuses.

The Magnitsky Amendment aims to ensure greater transparency concerning individuals who have been denied entry to the United Kingdom. It builds on the recommendation adopted by the Foreign Affairs Committee of the British Parliament in its report reviewing the government’s human rights policies, which urged the publication of names of individuals banned from entering the UK due to their involvement in the Magnitsky case.

(http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmselect/cmfaff/116/116.pdf ).

The Magnitsky Amendment is also aimed to harmonize British legislation with the U.S. Magnitsky Act of 2012, which requires the US Government to publish a list of persons banned from entry to the United States because of involvement in corruption, including the corrupt criminal conspiracy uncovered by late Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, responsible for Magnitsky’s torture and death in Russian custody, and other gross human rights abuses. At the moment, the US government has named 32 individuals banned from entering the United States under the U.S. Magnitsky Act.

Explaining the Magnitsky Amendment, Esher & Walton MP Dominic Raab said:

“The British public doesn’t want the henchmen of murderers and torturers, or their bagmen, slipping through UK border controls, buying up luxury apartments in Kensington, sending their kids to public school here and generally enjoying the high life. Parliament has a chance to make sure people know who is being banned from entering Britain, ensure basic moral principle trumps expediency, and send a message that we’re an open and tolerant country – but not for those with blood on their hands or dirty money in their pockets.”

Rt Hon Sir Menzies Campbell QC MP, said: “This amendment would put paid to those whose serious criminal acts abroad do not prevent them from visiting the United Kingdom. It is intolerable that people whose behaviour falls so far short of a proper respect for the sanctity of life and democratic principles should be able to visit Great Britain without hindrance.”

William Browder, leader of the Magnitsky justice campaign and author of the best-selling book, ‘Red Notice: How I Became Putin’s Number One Enemy’ said, “At the moment we can’t prosecute the people who killed Sergei Magnitsky and commit other abuses in Russia because Putin protects them, but Britain shouldn’t let these people into the UK and the government should make it publicly known that they are not welcome here.”

The full list of co-sponsors of the amendment:

Dominic Raab MP
Rt Hon Keith Vaz MP, Chairman, Home Affairs Committee

Rt Hon Sir Malcolm Rifkind MP, Chair, Intelligence & Security Committee
Rt Hon Margaret Hodge MP, Chair, Public Accounts Committee
John Wittingdale MP, Chair, Culture, Media & Sport
Dr Sarah Wollaston MP, Chair, Health Committee
Charles Walker MP, Chair, Procedure Committee
David Davies MP, Chair, Welsh Affairs Committee

Rt Hon Sir Menzies Campbell QC MP
Sir Edward Garnier QC MP
RT Hon Norman Baker MP
Rt Hon Ben Bradshaw MP
Tessa Munt MP
Steve Barclay MP
Sir Peter Bottomley MP
Andrew Rosindell MP
Tim Loughton MP
Nick de Bois MP
Zac Goldsmith MP
Dr Julian Lewis MP
Dr Phillip Lee MP
Jacob Rees-Mogg MP

Sergei Magnitsky was a lawyer for the Hermitage Fund, the largest foreign portfolio investor in Russia. In 2008, he uncovered how a group of Russian officials and criminals stole three investment companies from his client and $230 million they had paid in taxes to the Russian government. Russian officials exposed by Sergei Magnitsky had him arrested on false charges. He was kept in detention for 358 days and killed on 16 November 2009. Russian officials involved in his case were promoted and given state honours in Russia. In the United States, they have been sanctioned under the United States Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act, which denies them U.S. visa and blocks their assets in U.S. financial institutions.

The struggle for justice in Magnitsky case is described in the thriller by Bill Browder, Red Notice, which has reached No 8 on New York Times best-seller list in the first two weeks since its launch and No 9 on the Sunday Times best seller list in the UK.

Two Killed by Explosion at Pro-Kiev March

By Kyle Herda

Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

KIEV, Ukraine – A march in Kharkiv was interrupted today by an explosion that led to the deaths of two and wounding fifteen others. A second bomb was found in a shopping bag in Odessa, but was defused by police.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko pays tribute during the ceremony in honor of the overthrow of Ukraine’s former pro-Russian government. (Photo courtesy of The New York Times)

The rallies today were held in honor of the overthrow of the former Ukrainian President, Viktor Yanukovych, an ally to Russia. Some members of the parades, bearing Ukrainian flags, yelled “glory to the heroes!” Shortly thereafter, an explosion caused over a dozen casualties. Current President Petro Poroshenko said on Facebook, “[t]his is a brazen attempt to expand the territory of terrorism.”

Markian Lubkivskyi, an aide to the head of Ukraine’s SBU security forced, reports that four suspects have been arrested for planning attacks in Kharkiv with a Russian “Shmel” rocket launcher. These citizens, he reports, received weapons and training in Belgorod, a Russian city just across the Ukrainian border from Kharkiv. Moscow has not answered to these claims as of yet. Also, fighting around Mariupol, this time in the village of Shyrokyne, has been reported as well.

Fighting has been on the decline, however, over the past several days. Following the grave situation in Debaltseve, Kiev’s troops made a safe withdrawal and violence in and around the city has dwindled. Kiev reports that both sides are beginning to pull back heavy weapons, in accordance with the recent Minsk agreement. Further, 139 Ukrainian troops and 52 rebels have been exchanged to the village of Zholobok, west of rebel-held Luhansk. While this is not the entirety of prisoners, it is certainly a step in the right direction towards peace.

For more information, please see:

Reuters – Ukraine fears spread of war after blast in eastern city – 22 February 2015

The New York Times – New Violence Belies Talk Of Peace In Ukraine – 22 February 2015

ABC – Blast Hits March in Eastern Ukraine, Killing 2 – 22 February 2015

The World Post – Ukraine Says It Will Start Pulling Back Heavy Weapons – 22 February 2015

NBC – First Ukraine War Prisoner Exchange Completed – 21 February 2015

The New York Times – Ukraine Town Eases Back Into Life After Deadly Week of Fighting – 20 February 2015

Judge Puts Temporary Stop To Obama Administration’s Immigration Reform

By Lyndsey Kelly
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

 WASHINGTON, D.C., United States of America – Recently, U.S. District Judge, Andrew Hanen, blocked the unilateral actions of President Barack Obama from shielding millions of illegal immigrants from deportation, forcing the Obama administration to delay such action. Twenty-six states urged Judge Hanen to block the President’s actions, claiming that it was an abuse of his presidential powers. Texas Governor Greg Abbott, stated “President Obama abdicated his responsibility to uphold the United States Constitution when he attempted to circumvent the laws passed by Congress via executive fiat….” Judge Hanen stated that the Obama administration had not complied with procedures needed for putting his immigration procedures into effect.

President Obama has stated that his administration will comply with the Judge’s order and delay accepting applications from some of the illegal immigrants for deportation relief. However, Obama has said that he disagrees with the ruling and expected his administration to prevail on appeal, stating, “the law is on our side and history is on our side.” Immigration lawyers have states that many applicants that had already filed the necessary paperwork and paid the required fee must not either withdraw their applications or continue with the process in hopes that the injunction is overturned.

The Obama administration’s orders would offer legal reprieve to the undocumented parents of U.S. citizens and permanent residents who have been in the United states for at least 5 years. Thus, removing the threat of immediate deportation. Additionally, the administration would seek to expand the 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program that allows illegal immigrants who arrived in the United States as children to apply for a two-year work permit.

 

For more information, please see the following:

FOX NEWS- Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Obama’s Immigration Executive Action – 17 Feb. 2015.

NBC NEWS – Judge Blocks Obama’s Deferred Deportation Policy For Undocumented Immigrants– 17 Feb. 2015.

REUTERS – U.S. Delays Obama’s Immigration Steps After Judge’s Rebuke – 17 Feb. 2015.

WASHINGTON POST- Federal Judge In Texas Block Obama Immigration Orders – 17 Feb. 2015.

15 People, Including Members of Parlmement, Killed in Mogadishu

By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch, Managing Editor

MOGADISHU, Somalia – At least 15 people, including two members of the Somali Parliament and Mogadishu’s deputy mayor, were killed on Friday in an attack on a hotel often used by government officials in Somalia’s capital 20 others were wounded in the attack. Militant’s reportedly attacked the hotel with a car packed with explosives which was detonated near the main gate of the high-profile Central Hotel. The hotel is located only a few miles from the cede of Somali political power, the Presidential Palace.

Police said they believed several government ministers and MPs were inside the Central Hotel when it was attacked by extremists. (Photo courtesy of Al Jazeera]

Following the explosion heavy gunfire between the militant attackers and hotel guards broke out, witnesses reported. Shortly after a second blasted carried out by a female suicide bomber at a mosque inside the hotel was reported as other attackers shot their way inside the hotel, a reporter said. “I saw … several people burned by the flames of the explosions lying on the blood-filled ground inside the hotel,” said Mustaf Mohamed, a witness who runs a small shop nearby.

Somalia’s Deputy Prime Minister Mohamed Omar Arte was among those inside the Central Hotel at the time of the attack, having just attended traditional Friday prayers. The Deputy Prime Minister suffered minor injuries but survived the attack, state media reported. Transportation Minister Ali Jama Jangeli also suffered minor injuries. Parliament members Hajji Gafe and Ali Omar, as well as Mohamed Aden Guled, Mogadishu’s deputy mayor, were killed in the attack.

Al-Shabaab, an Islamist extremist group which has committed several terrorist acts in Somalia and the region over the past several years has claimed responsibility for the attack, Sheikh Abdiaziz Abu Musab, a spokesman for the terror group, said on Andulus radio, a radio station ran by the militant group. “We have killed more than 20 senior officials working for the apostate government. They gathered thinking they were safe from the mujahedeen,” he said. Al- Shabaab controlled much of Mogadishu from 2007 to 2011. However, the group was pushed out of Somalia’s capital and other major cities by African Union forces.

The presidential palace condemned the attack in a tweet citing President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, “#AlShabaab are un-Islamic and anti-democracy.”

Friday’s assault on the Central Hotel was the second on a hotel in Mogadishu in less than a month. On January 22, three Somali nationals were killed by another female suicide car bomber who blew himself up at the gate of a hotel housing the advance party of the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who visited the country only days after the attack.

For more information please see:

Al Jazeera – Al-Shabab Stages Deadly Attack on Somalia Luxury Hotel – 21 February 2015

CNN International – Police: At Least 15 Dead In Attack on High-Profile Mogadishu Hotel – 20 February 2015

CBS News – Somali Officials Hit In Suicide Attack – 20 February 2015

USA Today – Suicide Bombings at Somalia Hotel Kill At Least 10 People – 20 February 2015