Tensions Remain High in Ukraine as Gunfire Continues and Presidential Elections Draw Near

By Kyle Herda

Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

KIEV, Ukraine – Ukraine’s interim government will attempt to restore security to the unstable country through Presidential elections on May 25. A vote of more than 50 percent is required for a candidate to be elected; should no candidate receive greater than 50 percent of the vote, a run-off vote between the top two candidates on June 15 will determine the race. The current front-runner, billionaire Petro Poroshenko, served as foreign minister and economy minister, and supports Ukraine’s integration with the West.

Pro-Russian rebel stands in front of a statute of Vladimir Lenin in Donetsk, Ukraine. (Photo courtesy of CNN)

The elections may stand to unite the country more through a leader elected by the people that the entire country has a say in, both the eastern pro-Russians and the western pro-Europeans. Or the elections may lead to further dissolution of the country if one side refuses to recognize the elected leader.

Ukraine troops remain active in the East as gunfire has already killed 24 Ukrainian servicemen. Most recently, an armed attack by pro-Russians on a checkpoint has let free a detained pro-Russian leader.

Residents in the Eastern region of Slovyansk, the center of the pro-Russian rebellion, have grown sick of the conflict and call for an end to the fighting. Resident Lina Sidorenko said the pro-Russians “must stop with this banditry so that there can be peace!” Another 300 Slovyansk residents shouted at Vyacheslav Ponomarev, the separatist leader in Slovyansk, that the fighting cannot continue.

Ukraine’s richest man, Rinat Akhmetov, also joined in the fight against pro-Russians in Slovyansk. “No one will frighten us, including those calling themselves a Donetsk People’s Republic,” Akhmetov declared. He urged his employees to attend protests against the pro-Russians, and a similar protest last week in Mariupol pushed pro-Russians out of government buildings they seized in the Black Sea port.

Two other regions of Ukraine seeing action are Donetsk and Luhansk, both of which had pro-Russian rebels declare independence from Ukraine through referendums in a similar fashion to Crimea.

Amidst this chaos in the East are security forces sent in by Kiev to take back buildings captured by pro-Russian rebels. Russia has asked Ukraine to remove these troops and called the security and military personnel destabilizers.

In response, Russia has what NATO estimates to be 40,000 Russian troops on the border outside of Ukraine. Other countries have called on Russia to move these forces and remove the threat of invasion, something Russia’s Defense Ministry claims to be working on. However, NATO has claimed there is no evidence that Russia has actually removed any troops or dismantled any camps along the border.

For more information, please see:

Reuters – RUSSIA SAYS UKRAINE ELECTION MAY AGGRAVATE CRISIS – 20 May 2014

NY Times – PRO-RUSSIAN REBELS IN UKRAINE FACE CITIZEN ANGER – 20 May 2014

Reuters – FACTBOX: LEADING CANDIDATES IN UKRAINE’S MAY 25 PRESIDENTIAL RACE – 20 May 2014

CNN – RUSSIAN TROOPS STILL AT UKRAINIAN BORDER DESPITE WITHDRAWAL PLEDGE, NATO SAYS – 19 May 2014

The Guardian – UKRAINE: PRO-RUSSIA SEPARATISTS SET FOR VICTORY IN EASTERN REGION REFERENDUM – 11 May 2014

The Democratic Alliance Urges South African Delegation to Reject Immunity for Leaders

By: Danielle L. Cowan (Gwozdz)
Impunity Watch News Reporter, Africa

CAPE TOWN, South Africa – The Democratic Alliance (DA) strongly urges the South African delegation to reject the draft proposal to grant immunity to sitting government leaders before Africa’s regional court for crimes against humanity.

Sandy Kalyan, Democratic Alliance Deputy Chief Whip

DA members say granting immunity to sitting government leaders would be “bad news” for human rights.

The African Union (AU) country members’ Justice Ministers and Attorney Generals were scheduled to meet in Ethiopia on May 15th and May 16th to consider a draft proposal to, in part, absolve sitting African leaders form their part in genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.

The DA argues that granting “sitting heads” of state and senior government officials immunity from jurisdiction of African courts would be an exercise in shielding these leaders from accountability and, in effect, permit such leaders to perpetuate these human rights abuses.

If passed, this proposal would serve no other purpose other than bolster the incentive to hold on to power and undermine the fight for human rights on the continent.

If they were to vote in favor for this draft proposal, the DA states that this would in fact suggest that South Africa sees its own leaders as “above the law,” which is a dangerous precedent. The DA states that this would not reflect the ethics and rule of law enshrined in South Africa’s constitution.

The DA further states that it is critically important for the South African delegation to reject this proposal in its formative stages and to send a message that South Africa is committed to fighting human rights abuses on its own soil and the continent at large. This is especially important because it follows a slew of scandals and abuses of power by its own government.

For more information, please visit:
PoliticsWeb – SA should vote against AU’s immunity proposal – Sandy Kalyan – 14 May 2014
AllAfrica – South Africa: The DA Calls On South African Delegation to Reject Immunity for Leaders – 15 May 2014
DA.org – The DA calls on South African delegation to reject immunity for leaders – 15 May 2014

Syrian Air Force Chief, Gen. Hussein Ishaq, Dies amid Fighting

By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch Managing Editor

DAMASCUS, Syria – The head of Syria’s Air Defense Forces, General Hussein Ishaq, was reportedly killed in combat according to a security official. Ishaq died as a result of injuries suffered during an attack on the Air Defense headquarters near the town of Mleiha southwest of Damascus.

The death of General Hussein Ishaq is a psychological blow for the Assad Regime, in three years of fighting he is one of the only high ranking officials to have been killed by opposition forces. (Photo Courtesy of the BBC)

The director of the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Rami Abdel Rahman, said Gen Ishaq’s death was an “important psychological blow” to the regime. The observatory reported that General Ishaq was killed in clashes with fighters from the al-Nusra Front and other Islamic rebel groups. Because the rebel groups have no air force the Air Defense Forces are rarely used for defense and instead have been deployed against the rebel forces, bombarding rebel held areas. The Syrian Air Forces has conducted numerous bombardment campaigns against rebels and rebel held areas, often using destructive barrel bombs that indiscriminately target areas sympathetic to rebel forces. Rami Abdel Rahman told the press, “the regime’s Air Defense Force is to face a possible US attack, but in this war it is using its firepower against the rebels,”

The city of Mleiha has been under regime bombardment for more than a year but in recently weeks Mleiha has seen heavy fighting between regime and rebel forces which is strategically important due to its proximity to the capital. Forces loyal to the Assad Regime have carried out a heavy bombing campaign round the region. General Ishaq is one the only high ranking military officers to have been killed in the Syrian Civil war so far.

The Observatory reported that despite the regimes initial advancements in the city, rebels have regained ground and have seized several buildings around central town hall. While the military remains in control of the Capital of Damascus the rebel’s continue to hold a number of towns and villages on the outskirts of the city; despite frequent airstrikes and a crippling blockade enforced by the military.

More than 150,000 people have been killed over the past three years of Syria’s bloody Civil War and millions of civilians have become refugees and internally displaced peoples.

For more information please see:

Al Jazeera – Syrian Air Force Chief Dies in Combat – 18 May 2014

BBC News – Syria War: Air Defense Chief Gen Hussein Ishaq Killed – 18 May 2014

Times of Israel – Syrian Air Force Chief Said Killed Near Damascus – 18 May 2014

The Wall Street Journal – Syrian Air Defense Chief Killed, Says Official – 18 May 2014

MARYLAND LAW PROTECTS TRANSGENDERED INDIVIDUALS FROM DISCRIMINATION

By: Lyndsey Kelly
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

ANNAPOLIS, United States – After a Maryland senate vote of 32-15 on 4 March 2014 in favor of a bill preventing discrimination against people who are transgender, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley signed the bill into law on Thursday, 15 May 2014. The bill’s sponsor Sen. Richard Madaleno along with 31 Democrats and one Republican supported the passing of the bill. Sen. Madaleno who fought for eight years to convince his colleagues to pass the bill states that the bill “provides important protections for people who are just trying to live their lives”

Maryland Governor signs bill to stop discrimination against transgendered people

The law set to take effect on 1 October 2014 will prohibit discrimination against transgendered people on matters relating to housing, employment, credit, and the use of public restrooms. Governor O’Malley called the measure an “important step to protect the dignity and equal rights of all Marylanders.”

Opponents of the bill have labeled the measure a “bathroom bill”, as it protects a transgendered person’s right to use the restroom for the gender with which the individual identifies.  Kathy Szeliga, a Republican member of Maryland’s House of Delegates, has spoken outwardly about her opposition to the bill. Szeliga has expressed her concern that the measure will allow predators into opposite sex restrooms. Szeliga said, “this is just not right”, she has also stated that the law will have unintended consequences.

Opponents hope to collect 18,579 signatures by 31 May 2014 and a total of 55,736 signatures by 30 June 2014 in order to get a referendum on the ballot for November’s election. This would ensure that voters get the last say regarding the measure.

Approval of the bill makes Maryland the 18th U.S. state to pass a law protecting transgendered individuals from discrimination. The measure will alter Maryland’s laws to conform to the changing attitudes of United States citizens regarding transgendered people. U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel agrees with the shifting views regarding transgendered individuals and stated on Sunday, 11 May 2014 that the military should review its ban on transgendered people serving in its ranks.

The measure is in line with the Maryland Governor’s liberal policies which have been passed during O’Malley’s eight years as Governor. In 2012, O’Malley passed The Dream Act, legalized same-sex marriage, repealed the death penalty, and passed tougher gun laws. Governor O’Malley says that the law prohibiting discrimination against transgendered people will help create an “open, respectful, inclusive world that we want for all of our children.”

 

For further information, please see:

ABC NEWS – Maryland Bill To Stop Transgender Discrimination Signed – 16 May 2014

ABC NEWS – Maryland Senate Oks Bill To Stop Transgender Discrimination – 16 May 2014

THE BALTIMORE SUN – O’Malley Signs Maryland Transgender Rights Bill – 16 May 2014

REUTERS – New Maryland Law Makes Transgender Discrimination Illegal – 16 May 2014