Syrian Government’s Attack Kills Children On Playground

By Emily Schneider
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

DAMASCUS, Syria – Syrian opposition is alleging that the Syrian government used a cluster bomb recently in an attack that killed ten children on a playground. After a lull in fighting, children were allowed outside for a rare moment of leisure on Sunday. That’s when the fighter jets began to bomb the area.

The row of bombs shown in footage following the Syrian government’s attack on a playground. (Photo courtesy of Al Jazeera) 

Deir al-Assafir recorded the aftermath of the attack in a video posted on YouTube. In that video, a woman stands over the body of a young child and curses Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and asks why the child had to die. The video opens by panning over what appear to be two bodies of little girls on the playground then shows two more bodies in a car. Viewers then see adults carrying what appear to be limp bodies of more children. One girl sits on the ground crying until an adult comes and picks her up. The video has spread rapidly over social media sites.

Alexia Jade, a spokeswoman for the opposition-run Damascus Media Office, said residents in Deir al-Assafir believe the attack was a retaliation effort on the part of the government for rebels taking over a nearby military airport. Rami Abdulrahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, however, said it’s unclear what exactly happened or what the motivation was behind the attack.

“None of those killed were older than 15 years old. There are two women among 15 people wounded, mostly hit as they were inside the courtyards of their houses,” Abu Kassem, an activist in the village told Reuters news agency.

“There were no fighters inside Deir al-Asafir when the bombing occurred. They operate on the outskirts. This was indiscriminate bombing.”

According to al Jazeera reporter, Rula Amin, reporting from Beirut, “The residents in the village insist there was a lull in fighting. It’s a village controlled by the opposition. They believe the government was doing this as a vengeance act as the rebels have been making significant advances around that area, in the eastern part of Damascus, taking control of more areas.”

Activists claim cluster bombs were used in the attack on the playground, but this allegation has not been verified. Videos showed a row of what seemed to be unexploded small bombs, not necessarily cluster bombs.

Activists say at least 3,000 children are among more than 38,000 people killed since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime began in March last year.

 

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Syrian Children ‘Killed by Cluster Bombs’ – 26 Nov. 2012

BBC – Syria Cluster Bomb ‘Kills Ten Children’ – 26 Nov. 2012

CNN – Opposition Says Shelling Kills Ten Children in Syria – 26 Nov. 2012

Gulf News – ‘Air raid kills 10 children near Damascus’ – 26 Nov. 2012

 

Guatemalans Struggle to Overcome Atrocities of Rios Montt, Violence, Natural Disasters

By Brittney Hodnik
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala — In January 2012, former president, General Efrain Rios Montt was arrested and formally charged with ordering genocides throughout the country of Guatemala.  Although he is no longer in power, the country is still struggling with violence, drugs, and poverty.

Men, women, and children suffer from violence and natural disasters in Guatemala with little help in sight. (Image Courtesy of The Examiner/Getty Images)

 Under the reign of Rios Montt, hundreds of innocent men, women and children were killed.  Soldiers under Montt’s control raped women in front of their children.  Soldiers forced many teens to join the “civil self-defense group” and if they did not, the soldiers assumed they were guerillas, according to Amnesty International.

Peace accords were signed in 1990, and a minimal investigation into the thousands of murders began.  Current President, retired General Otto Perez Molina is trying to cover up the genocide, reports Amnesty International.  Although the country seems to be in a much better place, it is still struggling with high crime rates and violence, and also plagued by a bit of bad luck.

Last week, seven men were killed execution style at a medical complex in Guatemala City, according to Fox News.  It is believed that the Zeta drug cartel is responsible for the violence.  The Zeta drug gang moved from Mexico to Guatemala in 2008, reports Fox News and has caused problems for the country ever since.

According to Fox News, Guatemala has an average of 16 homicides a day.  It is considered one of Latin America’s most violent countries because of the local gang activity and other organized crime.

Besides the violence and drugs, Guatemala has fallen prey to Mother Nature.  Since November 7, 2012, Guatemala has felt over 100 earthquakes – most markedly the 7.4 magnitude earthquake on November 7 destroying much of the infrastructure there.  The Examiner reports that other natural disasters including floods, mudslides, volcanoes, and hurricanes have also devastated the country of 15 million people.

Guatemala’s economic situation is a problem when it comes to recovery.  The majority of the population does not have insurance and must rely on the government and outside governments for help, reported by The Examiner.  Now, after Hurricane Sandy devastated the East Coast of the United States, many donations will go there before sending the money to an outside country, reports The Examiner.

Overall, the population has not recovered from the genocides in the 1980s, and is continually held down by poor economy and natural disasters.  Many people seek justice through the conviction of General Efrain Rios Montt for the atrocities committed 30 years ago, hopefully bringing the country closure for a terrible period in its history.

For further information, please see:

Fox News Latino — Five Bodies Found in Vehicle in Southern Guatemala — 24 November 2012

Fox News Latino — Guatemala Blames Drug Gang for Massacre — 23 November 2012

Amnesty International — The Two Guatemalas of Rios Montt — 22 November 2012

The Examiner — Guatemalan Earthquakes and the U.S. War on Drugs in Perspective — 22 November 2012

Syrian Revolution Digest – Monday 26 November 2012

Who Speaks for Rayaan?

Syrian Revolution Digest – November 26, 2012 

Pro-Assad militias describe their operations against the rebels in Damascus, Homs and elsewhere as “clearing slums,” but considering that millions of people have been displaced as a result of these operations, the overwhelming majority of whom are Sunnis, the development is nothing less than a massive ethnic cleansing effort. Since, for now, an Alawite enclave along the coast has already been secured, except for regions in north Lattakia, the current drive seems aimed simply at disrupting rebel activities, irrespective of long-term impact. The slums have for decades provided shelter to immigrant families from rural areas searching for jobs and advancement opportunities and emigrant middle class families from the inner cities driven out by inflationary pressures. By pushing them out, the “clearing” operations have produced a major humanitarian disaster. But, judging by increased rebel activities in these areas, the operations have proven a total failure in terms of military strategy. Still, the madness continues, coupled with opposition irrelevance and international indifference. So, who speaks for Aisha and Rayaan? Who speaks for the thousands of children that have been killed in this conflict?

Today’s Death Toll: 168 (including 6 women and 5 children)
90 in Damascus and suburbs (including 28 who died under torture in Daraya and 6 in Dahadeel)
35 in Aleppo
11 in Hama
10 in Homs
8 in Daraa
7 in Idlib
4 in Quneitra
2 in Deir Ezzor
1 in Raqqah

Points of Random Shelling: 248
75 by mortar
140 by artillery
33 by missile
10 by warplanes (including three uses of barrel bombs)
2 uses of cluster bombs

Clashes: 140
Rebels liberated a police station at the Jordanian-Syrian border, attacked checkpoints in Quneitra, and repelled multiple regime attempts to storm Daraya and the cities and towns of Eastern Ghoutah in Damascus (LCC).

 

News

Strike from Syrian plane reported near border with Turkey

As battle raged in Syria, Russia sent tons of cash to Damascus, flight records show

Medvedev: Support of Syria Rebels ‘Unacceptable’

Syrian rebels claim dam seized; looting plagues Aleppo

Rebels Claim They Seized Air Bases and a Dam in Syria

NATO to Decide on Turkey Missile Defense

Syria rebels close Aleppo ring as France finances opposition

Syria opposition names London ‘ambassador’ Originally from the central city of Homs, the 62-year-old former teacher set up the SCHR in 1986 and was imprisoned several times, before moving to London, where he represented the Syrian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood.

 

Special Reports

Assad’s Troops Wipe Out a Playground Full of Children in Syria
The United States has kept its hands in its pockets so far, in part because our diplomats say that the Syrian rebels have long been too fragmented and disorganized for any hope of real cooperation. Will a playground full of dead children sway the State Department to take a more assertive stance? Probably not.

Fighting to Hold Damascus, Syria Flattens Rebel ‘Slums’
For the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, the stakes in Damascus are nothing short of retaining control of the nation itself. “If they lose Damascus, they lose the state,” says Patrick Seale, a British author and Syria expert. Senior security officials within the Assad regime say partial demolitions of pro-rebel neighborhoods in and around Damascus are a key element of an ambitious counterinsurgency plan now unfolding. The plan also involves the expansion of regime-funded militias known as “Popular Committees” within the capital.

Syria crisis: Kidnappings compound conflict fears
As the conflict between the Syrian government and opposition fighters continues, kidnapping has become a source of much needed money in a struggling economy, the BBC’s Lina Sinjab in Damascus reports.

As Kurds Fight for Freedom in Syria, Fears Rise in Turkey of Following Suit
Just 25 miles from Aleppo, which has been pounded into dust by Bashar al-Assad’s air force, the Syrian town of Afrin is a picture of domestic tranquility. But that’s because it’s being run by a relatively unknown player in Syria’s civil war: Syrian Kurds.

Syria rebel officers plan post-Assad army
Syrian rebel officers have formed a commission to lay the foundations for a future army and liaise with the political opposition on issues such as arming fighters on the ground, a spokesman said on Monday.

In One Corner Of Syria, A Rebel Victory Results In Friction
When Syrian rebels seized the border post at Ras al-Ayn on Nov. 8, they celebrated the victory and went on to “liberate” the town, a place where both Arabs and Kurds live on Syria’s northeast border with Turkey. But the Kurdish inhabitants quickly saw their “liberation” as a disaster. Within days, dozens were dead in clashes between Kurdish militias and the rebels.

Teen group shows support for Syria
Follow this link to register for FDD’s Washington Forum 2012 “Dictators & Dissidents”

Announcement
The Foreign Policy Initiative (FPI) invites you to its 2012 Forum to be held on Tuesday, November 27th, at the Newseum’s Knight Conference Center, where Members of Congress, foreign dissidents, and leading policy experts will discuss “The Price of Greatness: The Next Four Years of U.S. Foreign Policy.” (RSVP Here).

N.Y. teen group shows support for Syria
I am glad to be an adviser in this effort.

Students around the country are getting involved in something global and something powerful. With a click of a mouse and a bit of green paint, teenagers across the United States are reaching out, pledging their support and making a difference. Students around the country are becoming … Syria. “I Am Syria is a campaign for the Syrian people, and its purpose is to let them know that we support them and that they are not alone,” said Abby Cordaro, a sophomore at Immaculata Academy. “Its main goal is to spread awareness about the conflict in Syria.”

More on the I Am Syrian Campaign can be found on its dedicated website. Educators will find this page in particular to be of interest and use.

Meanwhile, no one seems in a position to speak for this little girl. Her name was Rayaan. 

 

Video Highlights

Leaked video shows pro-Assad militias abusing the injured after they stormed a field hospital for rebels. The go from one injured to another asking him to tell them where the weapons are hidden threatening to shoot him if he failed to reply http://youtu.be/p3Bex1oMAHA

This leaked video is from Deir Ezzor City shows part of the “sweep” operations conducted by pro-Assad militias in the old market http://youtu.be/FgT7qimaWUk

Scenes from the clashes in Deir Ezzor City http://youtu.be/Y5vRksGWbMs , http://youtu.be/VZbRU70jXb0 ,http://youtu.be/b4lcUJkz7w4

Rebels attack a checkpoint in Ruknaddine Neighborhood, Damascus City http://youtu.be/gMnAVukcGDg Sounds of mortar fire can be heard in the plush Mazzeh Neighborhood http://youtu.be/xxawwjAdDjs ,http://youtu.be/TPGZYMLU25U

The shelling of the town of Zabadani continues http://youtu.be/s8GJ5_I_6E8

The pounding of the town of Rastan, Homs Province, continues http://youtu.be/03cPoBiJ3ns ,http://youtu.be/gKGJvQfFa3Q

Fighter jets keep pounding neighborhoods and towns in Aleppo: Bab El-Hawa http://youtu.be/gr2vQv2qp5Y ,http://youtu.be/36M489AwmYk Dar Azzah http://youtu.be/DSrzhSBUv-M Elsewhere http://youtu.be/7yaE6NQYuQo

Clashes in Old Aleppo http://youtu.be/xTzhAhT85QQ , http://youtu.be/AZVB1jTiYog , http://youtu.be/LSrYLDh77To

A local rebel leader calls on “tent officers,” as defectors based in Antakya are known, to come join him and his comrades in the trenches, “there is more honor and dignity in it for you.” http://youtu.be/3JCAeY46zso

Mursi Issues new Decree, and is met With Criticism

By Ali Al-Bassam
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt — Last Thursday, Egyptian President Mohammed Mursi issued a controversial decree banning judicial challenges to his decisions, thereby nearly seizing near-absolute powers.  The decree was met with heavy criticism, mostly from his opponents, who have held heavy protests throughout Egypt since his announcement.  They have called the decree a “sudden snatch of sweeping powers.”

Egyptian president Mohammed Mursi’s recent decree has been criticized as a “near-absolute” power grab. (Photo Courtesy of Al Ahram)

The decree also extends the work of the constituent assembly drafting Egypt’s constitution by eight weeks, in what is seen as a compromise between Islamists and other representatives as they work together to settle differences in determining the constitution.  Mursi’s office said that it hopes the extension provides enough time for the political groups involved to find “common ground.”

Responding to the criticism, Yasser Ali, an aide to Mursi, said that the decree was limited to “sovereignty-related issues,”  yet Mursi’s opponents believe otherwise.

In an effort to quell the turmoil created by the decree, Mursi met with the Supreme Judiciary Council last Monday in a five hour meeting.  The Judiciary Council had also criticized the decree, calling it an assault on the branch’s independence.  The decree prevents any judiciary body from dissolving the constitutional assembly.  To protest the decree, many judges and prosecutors refused to come to court in Cairo and other cities during Sunday and Monday.

Meanwhile, protests throughout Egypt turned violent as pro and anti-Mursi demonstrators clashed with one another, leaving one protester dead and hundreds wounded.  The Muslim Brotherhood planned to hold a rival rally this Tuesday, but cancelled it in an effort to ease public tension.  The opposition will continue with their protests on Tuesday.

Among Mursi’s critics is Nobel Laureate Mohammed ElBaradei, who called Mursi Egypt’s new pharaoh, and has recently branded him as a God.  “Morsi today usurped all state powers and appointed himself Egypt’s new pharaoh.  A major blow to the revolution that could have dire consequences,” said ElBaradei in a Twitter post.

Tharwat el-Kherbawy, a lawyer and former Muslim Brotherhood member, called those who accepted the decrees “slaves,” and his supporters “mutants.”  Referring to the decree, el-Kherbawy said it was “not permissible for Mursi to make himself like a God.”

Amr Hamzawy, a liberal member of the dissolved parliament, said that the decree is a sign that Egypt was heading toward “an absolute presidential tyranny.”

The decree drew warnings from the West, who urged Mursi to uphold democracy.

Mursi says that his decisions were “necessary to protect the revolution that toppled Mubarak nearly two years ago and to cement the nation’s transition to democratic rule.”

For further information, please see:

Al Jazeera — Egypt’s Morsi Stands by Decree — 26 November 2012

BBC News — Egypt Crisis: Mohammed Mursi Tries to Defuse Tension — 26 November 2012

Al Bawaba — Morsi’s Power-Bender Reminds Egypt That Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely — 25 November 2o12

Al Ahram — Morsi Rocks the Boat — 23 November 2012

Foster Children Removed From UK Couple Because of Political Ideologies

By Alexandra Sandacz
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

LONDON, United Kingdom – Britain faced a political scandal when three children were removed from their foster parents after a social worker discovered the couple’s membership in the right-wing party, UKIP, which supports the independence from the European Union.

The Rotherham Borough Council ordered three children be removed from their foster parents due to the couple’s political ideologies. (Photo Courtesy of RT)

Although various reports determined that the three migrant children were happy with the couple and no concerns were raised over the care provided, the Rotherham Borough Council in Northern England ordered the removal and defined the parents as unsuitable to provide foster care.

Joyce Thacker, the director for children and young people’s services at Rotherham Council, reasoned that the children were placed with the couple solely for emergency purposes and were never meant to stay with the English couple permanently. Thacker continued, “If the party [UKIP] mantra … is ending the active promotion of multiculturalism, I have to think about that. I think they [UKIP] have very clear views on immigration.”

On the contrary, UKIP party leader, Nigel Farage, said authorities “clearly have no understanding of UKIP and by their actions, clearly no desire to know.” He believed that the council was “partially backtracking” by allowing the couple “to adopt. But by the sounds of it, only white children.”

The UKIP party’s stance on immigration says “the tide of mass EU immigration has pushed down wages and restricted job opportunities. Only by leaving the EU can we regain control of our borders.” The party desires a freeze on immigration for 5 years and believes immigrants “must be fluent in English, have minimum education levels and show they can financially support themselves.”

The Rotherham Council decided that the three children were not “indigenous white British” and “social workers had raised concerns about the UKIP political party’s stance on immigration.” However, after great criticism, the children’s removal will be reviewed.

Education Secretary, Michael Gove, stated that the social workers made “the wrong decision in the wrong way for the wrong reasons” and he  will investigate the decision. He continued, “we should not allow considerations of ethnic or cultural background to prevent children being placed with loving and stable families. We need more parents to foster, and many more to adopt.”

In addition, Rotherham Council Leader, Roger Stone, announced that the Department of Education will investigate and “will focus on the information, advice and evidence gathered before making this decision, the nature of the decision itself and how it was communicated.”

For further information, please see:

Postcode Gazette – Sheffield does not ban foster carers over political views – 26 November 2012

The Independent – Council will investigate why children were removed from Rotherham foster family who were Ukip members after Michal Gove and Ed Miliband weigh in to row – 24 November 2012

NBCNews – Kids removed from UK couple over support for ‘independence’ from Europe – 24 November 2012

RT – Politics over parenting: UK foster family’s children removed over ‘racist’ party support – 24 November 2012