Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies (DCHRS): Death Toll since March 15, 2011

Death Toll since March 15, 2011

Click here to read the release

The Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies (DCHRS) is an independent human rights NGO that monitors the human rights situation in Syria. In its thematic reports, the DCHRS issues a first indication of the casualties that it has managed to document to date. Through monitors who operate within Syria, DCHRS gathers information from across the country. However, the center’s access to information from Kurdish-held and ISIS-held territories is limited. The DCHRS is also unable to obtain accurate records on the number of Syrian regime forces killed in action, because these figures are not published by the regime.

Death Toll since the Beginning of the Syrian Revolution on March 15, 2011 through to December 31, 2014

Throughout March 15th, 2011 to December 31st, 2014, the Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies (DCHRS) documented a provisional total of 108,072 casualties. 79% of those killed were civilians. The remaining 21% belonged to one of the fighting factions. The number of documented children during the indicated period is 11,145 Children victims at a rate of 23% of the total victims. The documented number of women casualties is 7,720 at a rate of 16% of the total victims.

The most common cause of death was the shelling of residential areas. Moreover, the Assad regime used airstrikes, barrel bombs, and scud missiles targeting random residential areas, which caused the death of 28,889 people in that period. The total number of prisoners and detainees who were tortured to death in the detention centers of the Syrian government authorities is 4,886 victims, some of whom died simply due to starvation, disease, and ill treatments. Sniper fire and indiscriminate shooting killed 10,011, whereas 1,270 persons were murdered in extrajudicial killings.  Armed groups such as ISIS killed 1,660, whilst the source of the bullets that killed another 619 persons cannot be attributed to a particular group.

Due to the besiege imposed by the Syrian regime in many areas across the country, the number of people who died due to starvation during the indicated period is 1,265, about 98% of whom fell in the Damascus suburbs area. Various explosions killed 1,336 people. Finally, 105 persons were killed as result of airstrikes by the U.S.-led international coalition which began on September 23, 2014.

Death Toll for 2014

Throughout January 1st, 2014 to December 31st, 2014, the DCHRS documented a provisional total of 26,178 casualties. 70% of those killed were civilians. The remaining 30% belonged to one of the fighting factions. The number of documented children during the indicated period is 3,296 Children at a rate of 12% of the total victims, and the number of women casualties is 1,736 at a rate of 7% of the total number of victims.

The most common cause of death was the shelling of residential areas, which caused the death of 12,549 people in the year 2014. Sniper fire and indiscriminate shooting killed 1,303, whereas 2,275 people were tortured to death in the detention centers of the Syrian government authorities. A further 347 persons were murdered in extrajudicial killings.  Armed groups such as ISIS killed 968, whilst the source of the bullets that killed another 569 persons cannot be attributed to a particular group.

Due to the besiege imposed by the Syrian regime in many areas across the country, the number of people who died due to starvation during the indicated period is 395, about 98% of whom fell in the Damascus suburbs area. Various explosions killed 202 people. Finally, 105 persons were killed as result of airstrikes by the U.S.-led international coalition which began on September 23, 2014.

Death Toll for month of December 2014

In December 2014, the DCHRS documented a provisional total of 1505 casualties. 71% of those killed were civilians. The remaining 29% belonged to one of the fighting factions. Women and children respectively made up 5% and 11% of the total number of war casualties.

The most common cause of death was the shelling of residential areas, which caused the death of 663 people in November. Sniper fire and indiscriminate shooting killed 77, whereas 100 people were tortured to death in the detention centers of the Syrian government authorities. A further 36 persons were murdered in extrajudicial killings.  Armed groups such as ISIS killed 52, whilst the source of the bullets that killed another 63 persons cannot be attributed to a particular group. 27 died from starvation, which is a direct result of the siege that the Syrian regime imposes in many areas. Various explosions killed 32 people. Finally, 10 persons were killed as result of airstrikes by the U.S.-led international coalition.

Out of all the Syrian regions, most deaths were recorded in the Aleppo province. Violent clashes between regime forces and various armed groups have engulfed large parts of Aleppo city as well as the surrounding countryside. The Syrian regime has also targeted people in this area with barrel bombs. Almost one in six casualties this month occurred in Aleppo (415 people). 63% of those were civilians (262 people).

Through analysis of the casualties, it is possible to obtain a general picture of the human rights situation in Syria. Two observations indicate that the Syrian regime continues to actively target civilians. First, 71% of the total casualties are civilians. Secondly, about 41% of the casualties were the results of shelling, missiles, barrel bombs, and airstrikes. These methods of warfare belong exclusively to the regime and are associated with a high number of civilian deaths. The evidence collected by DCHRS points to grievous violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law. Torture and extrajudicial killings constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The DCHRS advocates for the protection of Syrian civilians. As a member of the International Coalition for the Responsibility to Protect (ICRtoP), the DCHRS calls upon the international community to fulfill its Responsibility to Protect with regard to Syria. DCHRS also appeals to medical and humanitarian organizations to provide relief to ease the suffering of the Syrian people inside Syria and abroad.

Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies (DCHRS)

Five Years after the Earthquake Haiti Still Waits For Relief and Justice

By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch, Managing Editor

PORT–AU–PRINCE, Haiti – Five years ago, on a sunny Tuesday afternoon, a devastating 7.3 magnitude earthquake devastated The Haitian capital of Port-Au-Prince and the surrounding community, destroying entire communities and claiming the lives of about 220,000 people. The quake, which also created 1.5 million internally displaced peoples, was the most devastating natural disaster in modern North American history. Five years after the deadly earthquake Haiti is still struggling to recover, at least 80,000 Haitians continue to live without a “proper roof” over their heads and many Haitians fear that the Haitian government and international community’s “Build Back Better” campaign is failing and the members of the international community have not been held accountable for mistakes made in Haiti even as Haitians continue to suffer.

A man walks past a camp for people displaced by the earthquake on March 4, 2012 in Port-au-Prince. (Photo courtesy of NBC News)

Billions of dollars were donated and pledged by state government, NGOs, private corporations and private citizens, to rescue, recover and rebuilding process in Haiti during the days and months that followed the Earthquake. In the United States alone tens of millions of dollars were raised by the American Red Cross through a texting campaign that allowed cellphone users to donate ten dollars to the Red Cross by sending a text message. However, five years after the quake many are asking where the billions pledged to rebuild Haiti have been spend. According to the United Nations in total $13.34 billion has been earmarked for the crisis through 2020, though two years after the quake, less than half of that amount had actually been released, according to U.N. documents.

The United States government has allocated $4 billion; $3 billion has already been spent, and the rest is dedicated to longer-term development projects. The Haitian government reports that 90% of the refugee camps established after the devastating quake have been destroyed and its residents have found more permanent housing. However, nearly 80,000 live day to day without a proper roof over their heads and according to the International Organization for Migration. Many of these people live in displacement camps. Private land owners in Haiti have forcibly evicted homeless quake victims who they see as illegally squatting on their land. “Although we are happy to report on the fifth anniversary of the earthquake that IOM has registered a 94 per cent decrease in the number of Haitians displaced, and a 93 per cent decrease in the number of sites still housing displaced populations, the international community must not forget the almost 80,000 persons that continue to wait for their chance to rebuild their lives with a proper roof over their heads,” said Gregoire Goodstein, International Organization for Migration Chief of Mission in Haiti.

In the months after the Haitian Earthquake the country was struck by an outbreak of Cholera that killed more than 8,000 people and sickened more than 700,000 since human waste was dumped into Haiti’s principal river in October 2010. Scientific studies have concluded that cholera was likely introduced to Haiti by United Nations peacekeepers from Nepal, where the disease is endemic. Haiti has called for the United Nations to be held liable for introducing the disease to Haiti and have called on the United Nations to step up its efforts to fight the deadly disease and provide for survivors. Last Friday a case seeking compensation for the victims of the outbreak was through out of court in the United States. Judge J. Paul Oetken argued that the UN’s charter provides broad legal immunity and that the international body has not waived it. “Where such an express waiver is absent, the United Nations and [its operation in Haiti] are immune from suit,” Oetken wrote. The United Nations has repeatedly declined to comment on the lawsuit but has said it is working with Haiti’s government to eradicate cholera. In December 2012, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced a $2.27bn initiative to help eradicate cholera in Haiti.

For more information please see:

NBC News – What Does Haiti Have To Show For $13 Billion In Earthquake Aid? – 11 January 2015

CNN International – Five Years after the Quake: Haiti at a Crossroads – 12 January 2015

Al Jazeera – UN ‘Immune’ From Haiti Cholera Lawsuit – 10 January 2015

International Organization for Migration – Five Years after 2010 Earthquake, Thousands of Haitians Remain Displaced – 9 January 2015

ICTJ | In Focus: A Look Back at 2014

WCPW–Vol. 9, Issue 21–12 JAN 2015

The Brutal Killing of a Bull Sparks Debate of Animal Cruelty in Colombia

by Mridula Tirumalasetti

Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BOGOTA, Colombia–A bull brutally killed during a popular festival in a city in northern Colombia has re-sparked the debate over bullfighting, indignation, and traditions of animal cruelty in the South American country. The capital, Bogota has banned bullfighting, however the event is still popular in other cities around the country, such as in the town of Turbaco in the Bolivar province, where this particular incident took place.

Bullfighting is popular in Colombia (photo courtesy of The Latin American Herald Tribune)

Corralejas, or bullfighting events, allow the general public to fight the bull inside the ring. The Mayor of Turbaco, Myron Martinez, defended the corraleja, calling it a local tradition. He said, “In ‘corraleja’ festivals there are always injuries, there are always animals beaten and horses killed. These are the kinds of incidents that form part of the traditions and customs of such festivals.”

Many others have criticized the event. Animal rights activists and a few government officials have demanded that legal action be taken after a video was uploaded to the internet in which a bull was chased and harassed by at least 20 people during the corraleja. The bull was then killed with machetes, rocks, knives, and kicks. “I have to say it is totally barbaric, where people with sticks, stones, and knives, and with utter cruelty, kill the bull,” said Environment Minister Gabriel Vallejo. Spokesman Andrea Padilla of the NGO AnimaNaturalis International argued that the video should be seen all over the world to raise awareness of animal cruelty. Padilla said what happened in Turbaco “should be condemned by all Colombian and the international community, because this is horror and violence at its very worst, with the consent of local authorities.”

The Ministry of Culture also gave a statement that called for severe punishments for those who committed these “barbaric” acts. They have further demanded that there should be a public debate about whether such events should even be allowed to go on. Jorge Otarola, a public defender, called the images “Dante-esque, painful and inhumane.” He spoke to The Associated Press and said, “The state’s intervention is needed because, even though traditions should be respected, they must be updated to reduce the suffering of animals.”

The Colombian Attorney General’s Office issued a statement where they said an investigation will be opened that could result in criminal charges filed against Mayor Martinez and Julio Quintana, who was the organizer of the corraleja.

For more information, please see:

The Latin American Herald Tribune–Bull Beaten to Death by 20 Colombians Angers Colombians–5 January 2015

The Guardian–Horrific scenes as bull stabbed and beaten to death at Colombian festival— 5 January 2015

GlobalPost–Bull beaten to death by 20 people angers Colombians–5 January 2015

Fox News–Brutal killing of bull in popular festival sparks outrage in Colombia–5 January 2015