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Greece Continues to Postpone Reform for Asylum Seekers

By Ricardo Zamora
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe Desk

ATHENS, Greece – The Greek government has failed to follow through on a January promise to reform its asylum system.  Under the current asylum procedure, Greece continues to recognize as few as 0.05% of asylum seekers as refugees in their first interview and leaves them with no guarantee against the risk of deportation back to their countries where they are subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment.

Human Rights Watch reports that Greece’s current policy is inconsistent with Article 39 of the EU’s procedures directive and articles 13 and 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights.  Greek’s failure to adopt policies consistent with the EU directives have prompted the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to withdraw from participation in Greece’s asylum procedure.  Human Rights Watch is urging the UNHCR to reconsider.

Earlier this year Greece proposed a presidential decree to adopt relevant emergency reforms to address asylum issues.  However, the decree, which was previously postponed until September 1, 2010, has been postponed once more, making it unlikely to be implemented before the end of 2011.

“Despite its formal commitments, the Greek government has utterly failed to meet its most basic responsibilities to protect refugees,” said Bill Frelick, Refugee Program director at Human Rights Watch.  “The UN refugee agency has a mandate to protect refugees when a government is unable or unwilling.  It needs to step in now and take over processing asylum claims.”

But the delays are not entirely the government’s fault.  Serious domestic problems are also prohibiting Greece from being able to meet the demands of asylum reform proponents.  For example, the recent financial crisis has drained the government’s already scant resources, making it difficult to implement the changes set out in presidential decree.

Greece is also receiving burdens from the international arena.  Due to its location at Europe’s external border, it has to address over 10,000 requests by other EU nations wanting to funnel their own asylum seekers to Greece.  Thus, Greece has to process not only the asylum seekers of other EU nations, but its own as well.

“Greece is seriously and unfairly overburdened,” Frelick said.  “EU member states need to recognize that, stop sending migrants back to Greece, and reform the Dublin regulation.  Without that, the benefits of reforms in Greece will be undermined by ever greater numbers of returns from other EU states.”

For more information, please see:

Human Rights Watch – Greece: Asylum Reform Delay Unacceptable – September 20, 2010

Human Rights Watch – Open Letter to the Government of Greece on Reform of the Asylum and Immigration System – July 28, 2010

UNHCR – UNHCR Chief Gutteres Backs Planned Greek Asylum Reform – January 20, 2010

KENYAN ACTIVISTS ARRESTED IN UGANDA


By Elly On
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

KIREKA, UGANDA-Two Kenyans, a lawyer and a human rights activists, were illegally arrested and detained without due process in Uganda on September 15, 2010.

The two activists, Al-Amin Kimathi and Mbugua Mereithi were arrested at Entebbe International Airport on September 15, 2010 upon their arrival. They were taken to the headquarters of Ugandan police’s Rapid Response Unit located in Kireka, Kampala. The unit is known for brutal violations, torture, extrajudicial executions, and illegal detainment of criminal suspects.

The two activists were travelling to Uganda to attend the scheduled hearing of suspects who were charged with terrorism for bombings that took place in Kampala on July 11, 2010. The bombings resulted in death of 70 people who were taching a World Cup soccer match in Kampala. Upon arrival at the airport, the two activists were taken by the Ugandan police and never appeared to the hearing scheduled for September 16, 2010. Rwakafuuzi, the lawyer representing some of the suspects, found out that both of the activists were taken to Kireka. It is unclear as to what grounds they were arrested for.

The Rapid Response Unit, formerly known as the Violent Crack Crimes Unit, is known for its torturing and killing its suspects. In September 2009, a journalist named Robert Kalundi Sserumaga was arrested, beaten and held overnight in Kireka for making remarks about Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni’s upbringing. Recently, at least two suspects have died in Kirekia while being held by the agents of Rapid Response Unit. In both cases, suspects were beaten to death during interrogations for alleged theft.

For More Information, Please See:

Associated Press-Ugandan Police Arrest 2 Kenyan Rights Activists – 17 September 2010
BBC News-Kenyans Held in Uganda over Kampala World Cup Attack – 17 September 2010
Human Rights Watch Uganda-Kenyan Activists at Risk of Torture – 17 September 2010

Italy Outsources Border Patrol Duties to Libya: Fires Live Munitions at Unarmed Civilians

By Ricardo Zamora
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

MILAN, Italy – Libyan officials on board Italian Naval ships continue to fire on boats suspected of carrying illegal African migrants.  Such use of force between the coasts of Italy and Libya has been commonplace since May 2009.

On May 14, 2009, Italy and Libya entered into a joint agreement to curtail the flow of migrants from Libya to Italy.  The terms of the agreement explained that Italy would supply reconnaissance vessels to be operated jointly by Italian and Libyan officials for the purpose of intercepting boats attempting to smuggle African migrants into Italy.  The agreement added that Italian officials were not to physically participate in boat interceptions and were on board the vessels only in a “maintenance” capacity.

The most recent incident occurred on Sunday, September 12, when Libyan officials on board one of the several Italian vessels opened fire on a Sicilian boat located 30 miles off the Libyan coast, Italian officials report.  The incident occurred in international waters.

Further investigation revealed that the boat was, in fact, an Italian fishing trawler occupied by ten men – all of them Italian nationals.  Although none of the ten occupants were wounded, the boat’s captain openly condemned Libya’s and Italy’s actions and inactions.  Italy has apologized for what it called a “mistake.”

“The fact that the Libyan patrol fired because it mistook the Italian boat for a ship of migrants does not make it any less serious,” center-left Democratic Party senator Giuseppe Lumia said.  “Here, it’s a question of respect for international norms and fundamental human rights.”

While only Libyan officials fired upon the Italian trawler, human rights groups worry that Italy’s silence over the matter implies that it does not condemn the use of deadly force on innocent civilians.  Both governments said they are investigating the incident.

“The Libyans and Italians appear to agree that it was a mistake to shoot at Italian fishermen, but imply that it’s OK to shoot at migrants,” said Bill Frelick, Refugee Program director at Human Rights Watch.  “The bullet-riddled boat shows a reckless use of potentially lethal force that would have been just as bad if it had actually targeted nonthreatening migrants.”

Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said the event would not have any repercussions on Italian-Libyan relations.

For more information, please see:

HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH – Libya: End Lice Fire Against Suspected Boat Migrants – September 16, 2010

SAHARA REPORTERS – Libya: End Live Fire Against Suspected Boat Migrants – September 16, 2010

REUTERS – Libya Apologizes for Firing at Italian Boat – September 14, 2010

Three Chinese set themselves ablaze after being evicted

By Joseph Juhn
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BEIJING, China – Three people in eastern China were in serious condition in hospital on Sunday after they set themselves on fire in protest against forceful eviction by the local government officials, according to reports from Chinese state media.

Instantly after the incident in Jiangxi province, Chinese online reports showed graphic pictures of at least two people engulfed in flames, but it is suspected that many other reports were quickly deleted by government Internet censors.

Pictures showed one person standing on the roof of a residential building entirely engulfed in flames, while another photo showed another person jumping from the building while on fire. The trio remained in life-threatening condition, the report said.

This incident took place on Friday in Fuzhou when Luo Zhifeng, 59, her daughter Zhong Ruqin, 31, and family friend Ye Zhongcheng, 79, set themselves on fire, according to reports from rednet.cn, an official news website based in Hunan province.

The three were reportedly discontent with compensation provided in return for their forced eviction from their homes and neighborhood to make way for a bus terminal.

In recent days, China has witnessed a surge of violent protests over land seizures as local government officials forcibly evict residents to make way for infrastructure projects and property developments, thus causing official discomfort over potential social unrest.

Such incidents began to emerge last year as profit-minded officials and businesses sought to exploit on a nationwide trend of property boom by forcing residents out and developing their land, according to previous reports.

This led to a fatal incident in April, when a Communist Party official in Henan province was detained after he allegedly ordered a truck driver to run over a protester, who died as a result, in a land dispute.

Another case involved a 47-year-old woman who set herself on fire in November in Sichuan province over the planned demolition of her husband’s garment-processing business. She also died 16 days later.

These incidents, in addition to growing public anger over rapidly increasing housing prices, led to the government’s adoption of a series of preventive measures to stabilize the property market.

For more information, please see:

ABC Radio Australia – Three Chinese Set Themselves Ablaze in Property Row – 12 September 2010

Etaiwannews – Three Chinese Set Themselves Ablaze in Property Row – 13 September 2010

Adelaide Now – Three set themselves ablaze in China row – 12 September 2010

Human Rights Groups Condemn Murder of Colombian Indigenous Leader

By Ricardo Zamora

Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

RIOHACHA, Colombia – Another human rights activist was gunned down last week week, the latest murder in the ongoing struggle between human rights supporters and guerilla groups. Human rights groups are urging Colombia to be more proactive in protecting activists and in prosecuting and punishing those responsible for this and other crimes against humanity.

Luis Alfredo Socarras Pimienta, a local dentist, dental-care campaign organizer, leader of the Wayuu indigenous people, and human rights activist was gunned down last Friday in the doorway of his home. The unidentified gunman reportedly fled the scene after the shots were fired.

Over the past year, Pimienta had organized several demonstrations to protest the human rights violations and egregious living conditions the Wayuu people were subjected to. The Wayuu people used the demonstrations to urge the Colombian government to respect their human rights and assist them in obtaining a better quality of life.

During the year Pimienta also ran for the position of mayor of the Manaure municipality and for a position on the Polo Democratico Alternativo party.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) reports that Pimienta was widely recognized as a human rights activist and indigenous leader of the Wayuu poeple. The Commission explained that “attacks against leaders break down the cohesion of indigenous people when it comes to defending their human rights, and undermines their sociocultural integrity” and “that the work of human rights defenders is an essential component in building a solid and lasting democracy.”

In short, the IACHR says that it urges the State to protect activists because a leader’s removal essentially disintegrates the cohesion, and therefore the voice, of prejudiced groups, whether indigenous peoples or otherwise.

Guerilla groups and others opposing the movement for human equality thrive by capitalizing on the weakness of the individual. Without leaders such a Pimienta, indigenous groups cease to have a collective voice, leaving only the voices of independent and unintegrated individuals which are unlikely to be heard or understood by local or federal governments.

Created by the Organization of American States (OAS), the IACHR is an independent panel consisting of seven independent members equally representing its 35 member nations. It assists in unifying the voices of victims of human rights violations.

For more information please see:

CNN – OAS Human Rights Commission Condemns Colombian Activist’s Slaying – August 2, 2010

Colombia Reports – OAS Body Condemns Murder of Indigenous Leader – August 2, 2010

Indigenous Peoples Issues & Resources – IACHR Condemns Murder of Human Rights Defender of Wayuu People in Colombia – August 2, 2010