Brazilian Rancher Convicted for 2005 Murder of an American

By: Brandon Cottrell
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

BRASÍLIA, Brazil – In 2005, Dorothy Stang, age 73, was murdered after being shot six times near the northern state of Para, Brazil.  Vitalmiro Bastos de Moura, a rancher who had been arguing with Stang at the time over land use, was convicted and sentenced to thirty years in prison for the third time.

Vitalmiro Bastos de Moura sits in a courtroom during his trial for the murder of U.S.-born nun and activist Dorothy Stang. (Photo Courtesy Reuters)

Prior to her death, Stang spent over thirty years trying to save the rainforests in Brazil.  In particular, she wished to prevent wealthy landlords from exploiting the rainforests.  She also defended the rights of the poor settlers, who were being confronted by ranchers trying to take their land. Her continually campaigning resulted in an attempt to prevent Moura from seizing land.

Prosecutors say that Moura is one of several who hired gunmen to kill Stang.  This is also not the first time that violence has plagued a conflict involving Brazil’s natural resources.  Over the past thirty years, at least one thousand people have been murdered and many others have been kidnapped, with many of these crimes occurring in Para.  These crimes, which are generally carried out by gunmen hired by the loggers, ranchers, and farmers who wish to silence protestors like Stang are very rarely prosecuted and those that are prosecuted rarely result in convictions.

While prosecutors were able to convict Moura of murder in 2007 and in 2010, Moura’s lawyers were able to get the conviction overturned both times.  Moura’s lawyers argued that there was not sufficient evidence linking him to the crime in 2007 and that they did not have enough time to prepare his defense in 2010.

Of the others involved in the murder of Stang, one is appealing his thirty-year sentence and the self-confessed killer is serving the remainder of a twenty-seven year sentence under house arrest.  Another suspect, however, is still at large.

Barbara Richardson, Stang’s sister, said that while the repeated trials have been upsetting that it at least “keeps the injustice of the system before the people’s eyes.”  Additionally, many of Stang’s fellow activists were happy to see justice in this case, as they have “fiercely criticized Brazil’s judiciary system as moving to slowly and being too lenient.”

Others also tout the conviction as “a symbol of the end of impunity for the killings of landless squatter farmers who often have clashed with big landowners.”

 

For more information, please see:

BBC – Rancher Convicted Over Murder Of US Nun Dorothy Stang – 20 September 2013

Global Post – Brazil Rancher’s Conviction Upheld In US Nun’s Death – 20 September 2013

Reuters – Brazilian Rancher Found Guilty Of Ordering American Nun’s Death – 20 September 2013

USA Today – Rancher Gets 30 Years In Death Of U.S. Nun – 20 September 2013

 

Russia Accuses the West of Exploiting Syrian U.N. Deal

By Darrin Simmons
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

 DAMASCUS, Syria-Accusations of exploitation have been directed towards the U.S. and other major Western players involved in dealing with Syria’s chemical weapons.  Russia has claimed that the West is using the chemical weapons deal in the United Nations to threaten force against President Bashar al-Assad.

Lavrov and Kerry discussing Syria on Sunday.

The U.S., France, and Britain are pushing for a council resolution of the United Nation’s Charter, which if passed would authorize military intervention or sanctions if Damascus were to back out of its commitments.

The first commitment issued to Assad by the U.S.-Russia accord was met with compliance when he provided information about Syria’s chemical arsenal to the United Nations.  However, major powers on the U.N. Security Council have been in disagreement with how to further proceed.

Russia and China have blocked three draft resolutions on Syria since the start of the 2011 uprising against Assad.  Both countries oppose Western threats against an ally which Moscow has continually armed and supported during the civil war.

“They [the West] see in the U.S.-Russian deal not a chance to save the planet from significant quantities of chemical weapons in Syria, but as a chance to do what Russia and China will not allow, namely to push through a resolution involving the threat of force against the regime and shielding the opposition,” stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Lavrov further claimed, “An international presence is needed on the perimeters of the areas where the experts will work.  We are willing to send our troops and military police to participate.”

Lavrov concluded saying, “I do not think that there is a need for a major contingent.  I think military observers will be sufficient.”

In responses, a U.S. State Department official reported that other council member states of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons had not yet seen the information regarding the chemical weapons status in Syria.  “We will make an evaluation of the document after it has been distributed to member states,” said the official.

Should the council resolution be passed, the world would see the destruction of nearly 1,000 tons of mustard gas, VX, and sarin which are believed to be in the possession of Syria.  The U.S.-Russia accord has also shown promise of a revised international political solution to the Syrian conflict as a whole.

For more information, please see the following: 

Aljazeera-Russia says West exploiting Syria deal-September 22, 2013

Reuters-Russia says West exploiting Syria deal to threaten force-September 22, 2013

Voice of America-Lavrov: US Trying to Blackmail Russia on UN Syria Resolution-September 22, 2013

Voice of Russia-Russian foreign chief Sergei Lavrov says US ‘overtly blackmailing’ Moscow on Syria-September 21, 2013

Most Nairobi Mall Hostages Rescued

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

NAIROBI, Kenya – Most of the hostages caught in the Nairobi mall attack in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, have been rescued. Kenya’s military reported that it has secured “most parts” of the upscale shopping mall where al-Qaeda linked militants armed with assault rifles and grenades killed 68 people in an attack and two-day siege.

Military and police trying to capture the gunmen (photo courtesy of AP)

The assault began before sundown on Sunday.

The militants are believed to be from Somalia’s al-Shabab movement. Now only a small number of hostages remain under the control of the militants.

“All efforts are underway to bring this matter to a speedy conclusion,” the government’s defense forces statement reported.

Officials have not immediately released the number of hostages that were rescued or the number of hostages that remain in the mall. Four Kenyan military personnel were wounded in the rescue operation, the military said.

Many of the rescued hostages, mostly adults, were suffering from dehydration, a military spokesman told The Associated Press. The military spokesman, Col. Cyrus Oguna, also refused to release the number of hostages rescued or that remained, but did state that some of the attackers had “most probably” been killed in the operation.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called the attackers “ruthless and completely reckless terrorists.” Kerry spoke Sunday with Somalia’s foreign minister and U.N. ambassador.

There are now reports that the gunmen are currently holed up in a supermarket. Civilians in the complex are believed to be held as hostages or in hiding.

Correspondents say the full extent of the attack will not be known until the military is back in control.

The BBC’s Gabriel Gatehouse says he cannot see or hear anything that suggests a “final push” by security forces that surround the complex.

The Somali militant group al-Shabaab claimed responsibility on Twitter for Saturday’s attack, which was allegedly carried out by 10 to 15 gunmen with AK-47s and other sophisticated weapons. Al-Shabaab, which said the attack was retribution for Kenyan forces’ 2011 push into Somalia, threatened more violence.

“The Mujahideen entered #Westgate Mall today at around noon and are still inside the mall, fighting the #Kenyan Kuffar inside their own turf,” the group said on Twitter.

“What Kenyans are witnessing at #Westgate is retributive justice for crimes committed by their military,” the group said.

Some witnesses said the militants released Muslims, but non-Muslims were targeted.

This is one of the worst incidents in Kenya since the attack on the U.S. embassy in 1998.

For more information, please visit:

BBC News – Nairobi Westgate attack: ‘Most hostages are rescued’ – 22 September 2013
Huffington Post – Most Nairobi Mall Hostages Rescued, Kenyan Army Says – 22 September 2013
USA Today – Kenya military says most hostages rescued in mall siege – 22 September 2013
Ryot – Kenya Military Says Most Hostages Have Been Rescued Following Bloody Attack at Westgate Mall (GRAPHIC PHOTOS) – 22 September 2013
Chicago Tribune – Kenya says it’s in control of Nairobi mall, ‘most’ hostages freed – 22 September 2013
CNN – 39 killed and more carnage feared as Kenya mall attackers face off – 21 September 2013