China Sentences Uighur Scholar to Life in Prison for “Separatism”

By Hojin Choi

Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

XINJIANG, China – China sentenced a Uighur scholar, Ilham Tohti, often referred to as “Uighur Nelson Mandela,” to life in prison for “separatism.” Nelson Mandela is the former president of South Africa who fought for democracy and against racial discrimination in the country. Tohti is an Economics professor at Minzu University, in Beijing. He was convicted after a two-day trial in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang.

The New York Times described him as “the most visible symbol of peaceful resistance by ethnic Uighurs to Chinese policies.” Tohti has been known for his works on human rights issues in Uighur. He has done extensive research on relations between Uighur and Han, the majority ethnic group in China. The Xinjiang region is where Uighur people have claimed democratic independence, but in return the Chinese government has insisted that so-called Uighur separatists and extremists have been committing continuous terror attacks in China. The ongoing dispute and the oppressive policies put in place by the Chinese government have brought international attention.

Professor Ilham Tohti is known as a rare moderate commentator on China’s ethnic policy issues (AP)

However, the Chinese government seems to have a different opinion about the professor. Tohti was charged with organizing and leading a separatist group. The prosecution argued that he had “internationalized” the Uighur’s independence issues by posting relevant foreign articles and holding interviews with foreign news agencies.

In a statement from the Xinjiang police, he was accused of colluding with foreign forces and spreading separatist ideas. It also argued that Tohti had taught his students about “violent Uighur resistance” and encouraged them to overthrow the Chinese government. During his trial, the prosecution offered evidence such as his class materials and the website he had operated. The officials used the materials to demonstrate his viewpoints on Uighur identity and China’s ethnic policies. They also argued that the alleged separatist group run by Tohti included several of his students. Reportedly, seven students were also detained for issues related to Tohti’s case and they will be tried soon.

According to his lawyer, Tohti “showed great spirit in court.” The lawyer added that “he gave an eloquent defense to every accusation. He maintained his innocence from the beginning to the end. He gave a brilliant 90-minute defense speech at the end of the trial.” The lawyer also said that he now worries about Tohti’s family, as they will face financial difficulties, living without the head of the family. Tohti has two sons, 5 and 8, and the court ordered confiscation of all his assets. Tohti was first arrested in January, and he had been detained until the trial without the rights to see his family for eight months.

The majority of international organizations and foreign governments condemned the Chinese government for the trial. The White House requested his release and said that he is a “respected professor who has long championed efforts to bridge differences between Uighurs and Han Chinese.” Tohti’s harsh sentence was considered “retribution for Professor Tohti’s efforts” to promote the human rights of the Uighur people.

A spokesperson for the U.S. embassy in Beijing asked the Chinese government to begin “differentiating between peaceful dissent and violent extremism.” International human rights group Amnesty International released a statement criticizing the purpose of the trial and its political background. “Tohti worked to peacefully build bridges between ethnic communities and for that he has been punished through politically motivated charges,” it said.

For more information please see:

The New York Times – China Sentences Uighur Scholar to Life – 23 September 2014

The New York Times – The Price of China’s Uighur Repression – 25 September 2014

CNN – China sentences prominent Uyghur scholar to life in prison for ‘separatism’ – 24 September 2014

CTV News – The case of scholar Ilham Tohti, the ‘Uighur Nelson Mandela’ – 25 September 2014

The Diplomat – Ilham Tohti and Islamic State: How China Defines Terrorism – 26 September 2014

China Denies Alleged Involvement with Hacking the U.S.

By Hojin Choi

Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BEIJING, China – China refuted the U.S. hacking charges alleged in a Senate report. The report said the Chinese government backed hackers who intruded into computer systems of U.S.-based private companies. The companies included U.S. airlines, technology companies, and some contractors for the U.S. military.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said during a daily briefing that the report was groundless and urged that the U.S. must stop “irresponsible assaults and accusations.” Lei went on to blame the U.S. for cyber-attacks on other countries. He said the U.S. government should “stop large scale and systematic cyber-attacks against other countries and do more to uphold peace and security of the cyberspace.”

Lei also pointed out that “[t]he Chinese law bans all the activities that sabotage internet security, including hacker attacks, and resolutely combats relevant criminal activities.”

The U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee made public of its report on May 17. The report was produced after a year long probe. The report says that hackers linked to China invaded the U.S. Transportation Command (Transcom) at least 20 times in one year. Transcom is a private company that moves troops and military goods across the globe.

Senator Carl Levin, D-Mich (right) and Senator Jim Inhofe, R-Ok (left) reporting on Capitol Hill in Washington (AP)

The report emphasized the cyber weakness of private military contractors. The military itself has strong cyber security, but private companies do not. Cyber security expert Dmitri Alperovitch commented that “the military uses secret or top-secret networks that are not on the Internet, but private companies do not.” He added that China has recently showed a strong interest in the logistical patterns of the U.S. military.

The report also voiced concern about a lack of information sharing among U.S. government entities. According to the report, there had been about 50 intrusions or other cyber events into Transcom’s system, and at least 20 of them were successful. However, Transcom was aware of only 2. The committee’s top Republican, Senator Jim Inhofe, called for a “central clearinghouse” to help the contractors report suspicious cyber activities to the government and military.

“These peacetime intrusions into the networks of key defense contractors are more evidence of China’s aggressive actions in cyberspace,” said Senator Carl Levin, the chairperson of the committee. In May, the U.S. accused five Chinese military officials of hacking nuclear, metal, and solar companies. According to Community Health Systems, one of the largest U.S. hospital groups, Chinese hackers attacked and stole personal data of some 4.5 million patients just last month.

For more information, please see:

Reuters – Chinese hacked U.S. military contractors: Senate panel – 18 September 2014

The Wall Street Journal – Chinese Hacked U.S. Military Contractors, Senate Panel Says – 18 September 2014

PCWorld – China says US hacking accusations are ‘totally groundless’ – 18 September 2014

Global Post – China refutes U.S. hacking charges – 18 September 2014

Confronting Ebola: Is quarantine the answer?

By Ashley Repp
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

MONROVIA, Liberia- The fight to stop the spread of the deadly Ebola virus has been unsuccessful; the death toll has risen, as well as the number of those infected. People in Liberia, an epicenter of the disease, have struggled to cope with the existence of Ebola within their country’s borders. Some are convinced that saying the word “ebola,” will bring the virus to the village. Others believe that it is nothing but a government hoax to get peoples’ blood. And some are consumed by fear, skeptical of medical personnels’ ability to help stop the virus as more and more people taken into hospitals for treatment never emerge. This fear has caused many people to hide in their homes when they become ill, relying on their family for care, and infecting them in the process. But one of the newest issues in grappling with this virus, are the containment methods being employed to stop the virus.

Ebola 2
Liberia, epicenter of outbreak, declares state of emergency (Photo courtesy of BBC)

 

In West Point slum in Monrovia, residents are being detained by police. No one is allowed in or out. Barbed wire lines gaps between buildings and officials stand ready to enforce. As a result of this confinement, people are unable to go to work, unable to feed themselves or their families, and the formerly minimal sanitation is now nonexistent. These quarantine policies have done nothing to quell fear, and instead, have provoked panic and desperation in an already tense community, rattled by the Ebola crisis. One man interviewed from the other side of a quarantine gate in the slum likened the containment process to being penned up like an animal. Others have expressed concern over the fact that the dead are not necessarily getting proper burial rites, according to local and religious practices and beliefs. For example, one man interviewed asserted that among the dead was a Muslim man, and particular burial practices must be followed.

While there is an apparent need to contain the virus, and quickly, the quarantine practices walk the line of inhumane, even under the given circumstances. Effective communication lines need to be formed between medical workers and villages so that the fear many have of doctors, nurses, and hospitals can be eliminated. But with the limited resources at government and aid groups’ disposal, the battle to contain the spread of Ebola will be challenging. Educating people as quickly as possible on the spread of the virus and the role of doctors may be the best low budget and most effective method of containment.

For more information please see:

The New York Times- What you need to know about the Ebola outbreak– 22 Sep 2014

PBS- Frontline: Ebola Outbreak (Documentary)– 9 Sep 2014

Discovery Health Channel- Ebola: Inside the deadly outbreak (Documentary)– 2014

CNN- Angry, scared and hungry: inside the Ebola quarantine zone– 26 Aug 2014

ICC to investigate war crimes in Central African Republic

By Ashley Repp

Impunity Watch news reporter, Africa

The ICC has begun official investigation into crimes against humanity in the Central African Republic. Fatou Bensouda, prosecutor for the ICC stated that the list of alleged crimes is simply too serious to ignore, and includes rape, pillaging, murder, and use of child soldiers. As a result, formal evidence to mount a case will be collected.

Man chases a suspected Seleka member Image courtesy of The Atlantic

Photo: Man Chases a suspected Seleka member (Courtesy of The Atlantic)

The violence began after a coup in March of 2013. The Muslim group, Seleka, overthrew the president and installed the politician of their choice, Francois Bozize. Violence escalated, and a Christian group formed, called anti-balaka, which translates somewhat to anit-machete. As the nation began to split along sectarian lines, creating stark contrast between the Muslim minority and Christian majority, violence and crimes against humanity became more glaringly obvious to the international community. After proving that he was unable to quell the violence, Francois Bozize was pressured by world leaders to step down from his position as president.

An interim president from the Christian majority was installed, and she in turn, selected a Muslim prime minister, in an attempt to reduce the sectarian violence. This also has provide ineffective at quelling the violence, and now, the ICC has decided that it must step in to mount a case against those who perpetrated the violence. The UN has also sent troops to the country in an effort to help reduce the violence and crimes against humanity.

While the violence has certainly taken a toll on the nation, and efforts by the ICC may be warranted, many Africans are skeptical of the ICC, if not unsupportive. The ICC currently has eight investigations open, and all of the cases are in Africa. In many regards, these efforts may come across as a new form of imperialism, with the sights set on Africa. As one man the Central African Republic noted, “Normally we Africans are against the actions of the ICC, but for the Central African case, it’s a necessity because the Central African justice system doesn’t have the means or the desire to judge those responsible for this crisis.”

Beyond many African countries feeling targeting by the ICC, there is doubt, in many minds, that the ICC has the ability to carry out justice, as it has mounted cases against many, with no real punishment or ability to even capture those it charges with crimes. So while the Central African Republic continues to cope with the violence that has gripped the country, all it can do is wait and see if ICC efforts will be able to bring to justice those who perpetrated the crimes against humanity.

 

For more information, please visit:

The Wall Street Journal- The International Criminal Court opens second Central African Republic probe– 24 Sep 2014

ABC News- ICC opens new Central African Republic probe– 24 Sep 2014

 All Africa- Central African Republic: Hague court opens probe in Central African Republic– 24 Sep 2014

Aljazeera- ICC to probe possible war crimes in CAR– 25 Sep 2014

US Reaches $554 Million Settlement with Navajo Nation

By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch Managing Editor

WINDOW ROCK, Navajo Nation – On Thursday the Navajo nation reached a 554 million settlement with the United States government, ending years of litigation. The landmark settlement stems from a 2006 lawsuit in which the Navajo nations claims the United States Government mismanaged natural resources and trust fund assets dating back to 1946. The Navajo nation charged the federal government with failing to properly managed, invest and account for tribal funds and resources derived from the tribe’s 14million acres of trust lands, which are leased for various purposes, including farming, grazing, mining and timber harvesting. The Navajo Nation semi-autonomous reservation is the largest Native American reservation in the United States with 300,000 members and 27,000 square miles of territory in three states, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico. Despite the nation’s vast resources wealth many of the tribal members who live in remote areas of the reservation live without basic modern amenities, including electricity and running water. The Navajo lawsuit alleges that the Bureau of Indian affairs miss-management of Navajo assets contributed to extreme poverty on the reservation and prevented the nation from taking actions of its own.

Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly presents Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell with a blanket after signing the $554 million settlement reached between the Navajo Nation and the Untied States government on Sept. 26, 2014, at Window Rock Veterans Memorial Park in Window Rock. (Photo courtesy of The Arizona Republic)

On Friday the United States Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell, under whom the Bureau of Indian Affairs is managed, led a delegation of federal officials at a signing ceremony at tribal headquarters in Window Rock. After the ceremony she said that the funds will be transferred to the Navajo Nation within weeks. “By the end of the year, we believe the check will actually be here and in the bank and earning interest,” Jewell said.

United States President Barack Obama has directed that future interactions with Native American tribes should be based on a government-to-government status, recognizing that tribes should exercise self-governance and self-determination, Secretary Jewell. “Our job with 21/2 years remaining is to make sure that we deepen the relationship with Indian country, so no president coming after President Obama — Republican, Democrat or independent — can undo the good work that we’ve started, because we need to move forward in this next generation,” Jewell said.

Acting U.S. Assistant Attorney General Sam Hirsch, who attended Friday’s ceremony, said President Obama has long worked to strengthen ties between the United States and the Navajo Nation, adding that “it reflects my personal commitment to resolving long-standing lawsuits rather than wasting the time and resources of both the United States and Indian tribes in contentious litigation.”

The landmark legal settlement, which concluded eight years of litigation, is the most paid by the federal government to a single Native American tribe. Ben Shelley, President of the Navajo Nation, said the agreement does not fully compensate the nation for the loss of revenue suffered and harm caused by the federal governments action’s over the past several decades. However, he believes the settlement marks a turning point in the relationship between the federal government of the United States and the Navajo Nation. “The trust litigation has been a protracted battle and, in the end, it was a victory for tribal sovereignty,” Shelly said in a statement. “After a long, hard-won process, I am pleased that we have finally come to a resolution on this matter to receive fair and just compensation for Navajo Nation.”

For more information please see:

The Arizona Republic – U.S. Government Formally Agrees to Pay Navajos $554 Million – 26 September 2014

CNN International – Navajo Nation to Sign $554 Million Settlement from U.S. Government – 25 September 2014

The Los Angeles Times – U.S. Settlement with Navajo Nation is Largest Ever for a Tribe – 25 September 2014

The Washington Post – U.S. to Pay Navajo Nation $554 Million in Largest Settlement with Single Indian Tribe – 25 September 2014