Human Rights Watch Background Briefings - 2000
| HOME | SITEMAP | SEARCH | CONTACT | REPORTS |PRESS ARCHIVES |
|
|
Human Rights Watch Background Briefings - 2000 |
| Last Updated December, 2000 | |
|
Ivory Coast: Election Violence in Abidjan: October 24-26, 2000
(New York, December 20, 2000)
A Human Rights Watch fact-finding mission in Abidjan in the aftermath of the presidential elections found that violence was perpetrated against civilians by all sides in Abidjan between October 24 and October 26, 2000. Human Rights Watch uncovered overwhelming evidence of state-sponsored human rights violations, with a clear ethnic and religious focus.
Ivory Coast: Election Violence in Abidjan: October 24-26, 2000
Urgent Concerns: Conditions Of Detention For Foreigners In Greece
(New York, December 20, 2000)
The Greek Government should as a matter of urgency take measures to alleviate the extreme overcrowding and other appalling conditions of detention for foreigners held in police facilities in Greece. The United Nations (U.N.), Council of Europe (CoE), European Union (E.U.), Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and other intergovernmental bodies should ensure that Greece, as a member state complies fully with international and regional standards for the treatment of detainees.
Urgent Concerns: Conditions Of Detention For Foreigners In Greece
Fueling Aghanistan's War
(New York, December 15, 2000)
Afghanistan has been at war for more than twenty years. During that time it has lost a third of its population. Some 1.5 million people are estimated to have died as a direct result of the conflict. Another 5 million fled as refugees to Iran and Pakistan; others became exiles elsewhere abroad. A large part of its population is internally displaced. Afghanistan has virtually the world's lowest life expectancy and literacy rates and the highest rates of infant, child, and maternal mortality. It is suffering from a devastating drought and, with Somalia, is one of the world's two hungriest countries.
Fueling Aghanistan's War
Update on Human Rights Violations in the Niger Delta
(New York, December 14, 2000)
The restoration of civilian rule in Nigeria has not produced a reduction of human rights violations in the oil producing regions of the Niger Delta, even though the location and types of abuse have changed to some extent. Since the inauguration of President Olusegun Obasanjo in May 1999, the government has continued to show a disturbing willingness to deploy indiscriminate lethal force in response to criminal activity, ethnic conflict, or protests related to oil production.
Update on Human Rights Violations in the Niger Delta
Memorandum on Human Rights and Rule of Law Priorities in Yugoslavia
(November 17, 2000)-- The November 24-25 summit in Zagreb, with the participation of fifteen European Union (E.U.) states and Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia, provides a unique opportunity for the E.U. to assess the transition in Yugoslavia and to improve the dialogue with the new authorities in Belgrade on a variety of issues, including human rights.
Memorandum on Human Rights and Rule of Law Priorities in Yugoslavia
Human Rights Defenders in the Barcelona Era (November 2000) -- In a background paper marking five years of the Euro-Mediterranean common security project, Human Rights Watch criticized continuing government attacks against human rights defenders in the region. The group urged the foreign ministers meeting at the Marseilles summit today to make an "unambiguous commitment" to upholding freedom of expression and association, and to fulfill the commitment of the process begun in Barcelona in 1995 to make human rights and democratic freedoms an "essential element" of Euro-Mediterranean relations. Human Rights Defenders in the Barcelona Era Xinjiang, China's Restive Northwest (November, 2000) -- Increasing separatist activity over the last five years in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region (XUAR) in China's northwest is fueling ongoing repression in the region, with Chinese authorities carrying out large scale arrests, trials, and executions. Xinjiang, China's Restive Northwest Azerbaijani Parliamentary Elections Manipulated (New York, October 30, 2000) Parliamentary elections scheduled for November 5 were to have been a test of Azerbaijan's commitment to the rule of law and to its obligations as a country seeking accession to join the Council of Europe. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) voted on June 28 to recommend to the Committee of Ministers that Azerbaijan be admitted to the Council of Europe and asked Azerbaijan "to ensure that its planned elections be free and impartial." The Council of Ministers is unlikely to vote on Azerbaijan's accession until after the parliamentary vote. Azerbaijani Parliamentary Elections Manipulated Turkey: Draft Prison Laws Need Wider Debate (New York, October 28, 2000) Human Rights Watch welcomes the Justice Ministry's apparent abandonment of plans to impose a regime of isolation in its new F-type high security prisons. However, the organization believes that further work on the draft laws issued last week will be necessary in order to allay fears among prisoners and their families. In recent months the Turkish authorities have used violence and the law to suppress the debate on the future of its prison system. Turkey: Draft Prison Laws Need Wider Debate Elections in Egypt Elections for Egypt´s 454-member People´s Assembly began on October 18, 2000. Fifteen political parties are contesting 444 parliamentary seats, the remaining ten seats to be filled by presidential appointment. These are the first parliamentary elections in the country´s history to be held under full judicial supervision. Elections in Egypt Oct 19, 2000 Municipal Elections in Kosovo Municipal elections in Kosovo will take place on October 28, 2000. As in Bosnia and Hercegovina, Kosovo's first post-conflict elections will have a profound impact in shaping the democratic development of the province, with ramifications for the rule of law, human rights, and the overall security situation. The experience of Bosnia demonstrates that unless elections are conducted in conformity with the highest international standards, the results will serve only to undermine international efforts to build a lasting peace in Kosovo. Municipal Elections in Kosovo Serbia: Elections Unlikely to be Free or FairIn the beginning of September, Politika, the main government-controlled newspaper in Serbia, published an editorial accusing opposition leaders of treachery, calling them "individuals who entered the sixth decade of their lives without ever having done anything practical," "well-fed dogs," and "Freemasons." Serbia: Elections Unlikely to be Free or Fair September 15, 2000 Indian Prime Minister's Trip to Washington (New York, September 14, 2000) During Indian Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee's state visit with President Clinton on September 15, both sides will probably try to avoid "controversial issues." But Human Rights Watch has documented extensive human rights problems in India, which should certainly be on the two leaders' agenda. This briefing describes some of these problems and includes specific questions to be put to the President and Prime Minister at the joint press conference scheduled for the same day. Indian Prime Minister's Trip to Washington Unfinished Business: Justice for East Timor One year after the U.N.-supervised referendum on the future of East Timor and the scorched earth destruction that followed, not a single perpetrator has been brought to justice. What took place last September is not in serious dispute. On August 30, 1999 East Timorese overwhelmingly voted for independence. Immediately after U.N. officials announced the results on September 4, Indonesian army-backed militias began a campaign of murder, arson, and forced expulsions. Unfinished Business: Justice for East Timor August 2000 Human Rights in Nigeria: A Briefing for the Visit of President Clinton - Summary The human rights situation in Nigeria has improved a good deal since President Olusegun Obasanjo came to power in May 1999. Civil and political rights, which were substantially eroded under fifteen years of military rule, have been reestablished. The Nigerian media, possibly the largest and most diversified in sub-Saharan Africa, played a critical role in the reestablishment of democracy and have flourished in the more liberal environment. Human Rights in Nigeria: A Briefing for the Visit of President Clinton - Summary August 22, 2000 Civil and Political Rights Violations in Kuwait Human Rights Watch welcomes Kuwait's submission of its first periodic report on implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) but wishes to draw to the attention of the Human Rights Committee certain deficiencies relating to the report and to Kuwait's application of the Covenant. Civil and Political Rights Violations in Kuwait Human Rights Watch's submission to the UN Human Rights Committee July 2000 The Need for Human Rights Benchmarks Zambia, once promoted as a model for democracy in Africa, has in recent years been distinguished by a pattern of ongoing human rights abuses targeting the independent media and the political opposition. The Need for Human Rights Bench Marks A Human Rights Watch and Afronet Memorandum July 14, 2000 Moluccan Islands: Communal Violence In Indonesia Clashes between members of Muslim and Christian communities in the Moluccan island region of Indonesia have led to more than 200 deaths since June 21. Official government sources, which in the past have often underestimated casualty figures, report that nearly 3,000 people have been killed since communal conflict first broke out in the region in January 1999. Moluccan Islands: Communal Violence In Indonesia June 2000 Mexico: Winning the Electoral Battle, Losing the Human Rights War As Mexicans head to the polls on July 2, they will be participating in a process as closely watched for its procedure as for its outcome. In a political system widely denounced as blatantly fraudulent only a few years ago, recent reforms have provided a much cleaner electoral environment. Mexico: Winning the Electoral Battle, Losing the Human Rights War June 2000 The International Monetary Fund's Staff Monitoring Program for Angola: The Human Rights Implications On April 3, 2000, as part of a larger agreement between the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the government of Angola to reform the economy, the IMF and government reached an agreement to monitor oil revenues that would be supervised by the World Bank. Human Rights Watch believes that this is a positive first step in establishing transparency and accountability within the government of Angola. This backgrounder explains several of the provisions within the oil monitoring agreement, their relevance to human rights, and provides detailed recommendations to ensure maximum transparency and accountability in the agreement in order to foster a climate that can lead to greater respect for human rights. The International Monetary Fund's Staff Monitoring Program for Angola: The Human Rights Implications June 2000 Israel's Proposed "Imprisonment of Combatants not Entitled to Prisoner of War Status Law" (June 2000) International humanitarian law categorically prohibits hostage-taking. On April 12, 2000 Israel's highest court ruled that the administrative detention of Lebanese nationals as "bargaining chips" -- hostages -- was illegal under Israeli domestic law, making Israel's continued detention of Lebanese nationals Sheikh `Abd al-Karim `Obeid (held since 1989) and Mustafa al-Dirani (held since 1994) as hostages a violation of Israeli domestic law as well. On June 11, 2000, in a transparent attempt to legitimize an illegal situation, the Israeli Cabinet unanimously approved draft legislation entitled "Imprisonment of Combatants not Entitled to Prisoner-of-War Status Law, 5760-2000". Israel's Proposed "Imprisonment of Combatants not Entitled to Prisoner of War Status Law" June 2000 What Will It Take? Stopping Violence Against Women: A Challenge to Governments Five years after the Beijing Conference, are women better off? In one key area, combatting violence against women, the answer is a resounding no. Stopping Violence Against Women: A Challenge to Governments June 2000 Escalating Repression in Serbia: An Update on Harassment of the Otpor (Resistance) Movement During May 2000, the Serbian government intensified its efforts to silence opposition to the government of Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic. On May 17, Serbian police raided Studio B television—a prominent opposition television station in Belgrade—accusing it of being "in the service of NATO machinery." That same day the government closed Radio B2-92, Radio Index, and the Blic daily, all independent media outlets. Escalating Repression in Serbia: An Update on Harassment of the Otpor (Resistance) Movement June 2000 Burmese Refugees in Thailand at Risk As the Asian Development Bank begins its annual meeting in Chiang Mai, Human Rights Watch expressed concern over the worrisome shift in the implementation of Thai refugee policy. Burmese refugees who remain in urban centers are increasingly vulnerable to arrest and, in some cases, forcible return to Burma, where their lives are at risk. Burmese Refugees in Thailand at Risk May 6, 2000 The U.N. Sanctions Committee on Angola: Lessons Learned? On April 18, the United Nations Security Council will debate the U.N. Panel of Experts report on the sanctions regime against the rebels of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), which was submitted to the Security Council on February 28. The Security Council is expected to issue a resolution that will shape the future of the sanctions regime in Angola. The U.N. Sanctions Committee on Angola: Lessons Learned? April 17, 2000 U.S. Programs to Develop Alternatives to Antipersonnel Mines Nearly four years ago, in May 1996, the United States began a search for alternatives to antipersonnel landmines so that the U.S. military could completely eliminate their use "as soon as possible." A little more than a year later, a target date of 2006 was established for fielding alternatives, thus permitting the U.S. to join the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty (Ottawa Convention) at that time. U.S. Programs to Develop Alternatives to Antipersonnel Mines April, 2000 Peru: Law of Protection from Family Violence Domestic violence is a widespread problem in Peru, and women, overwhelmingly, are its victims. In 1998, the National Police received nearly 28,000 reports of domestic abuse. Yet with many victims reluctant to report domestic violence, the real number of women who live in violent interpersonal relationships almost certainly is much higher. For example, a 1999 survey undertaken by the National Institute of Statistics in metropolitan Lima found that no less than 82 percent of the 2,460 women who were interviewed said that they knew someone who had suffered some kind of domestic abuse within the previous twelve months. Law of Protection from Family Violence March 31, 2000 Justice for East Timor The individuals responsible for the killing, mass destruction, and forced expulsions that convulsed East Timor last September must be brought to justice. The United Nations and its member states, actively involved in East Timor at the time of the carnage, have a particular obligation to see that justice is done. International investigators have called for establishment of an international tribunal. Justice for East Timor March 30, 2000 Landmines in Mozambique: After the Floods While the floods in Mozambique during the past month have undoubtedly reversed much of the progress made recently on many fronts in Mozambique, their impact on the country's well-established mine action programmes remains mostly unknown at this point. It is not yet possible to evaluate the impact of the floods that have devastated the southern and central region of the country, including the mine-affected provinces of Maputo, Gaza, Inhambane, Sofala and Manica. Most areas affected are still inundated by the floods with the possibility of more floods as river levels increase again. In the areas where the flood is receding, there is still little mobility with few villagers returning home. In addition to mines, many other life-threatening problems confront Mozambique as a result of the flooding including the threats of malaria and cholera. Landmines in Mozambique: After the Floods March 28, 2000 Tajikistan's Parliamentary Elections (New York, February 25, 2000)--Six parties will contest elections to the lower chamber of a new bicameral parliament in Tajikistan on February 27, 2000. The vote will mark the first multiparty elections since the June 1997 peace agreement that ended Tajikistan's civil war, and are seen as the culmination of the peace process. Tajikistan's Parliamentary Elections International Trafficking of Women and Children February 22, 2000 Trafficking in persons -- the illegal and highly profitable transport and sale of human beings for the purpose of exploiting their labor -- is a slavery-like practice that must be eliminated. Human Rights Watch has been involved in documenting and monitoring this serious human rights violation for many years. We have reported on the trafficking of women and girls from Bangladesh to Pakistan (Double Jeopardy), from Burma to Thailand (Modern Form of Slavery), and from Nepal to India (Rape for Profit). We have also conducted extensive research regarding other incidences of trafficking, including the trafficking of women from Thailand to Japan and from Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union to Bosnia. Reports resulting from these investigations are forthcoming. Backgrounder on Russian Fuel Air Explosives ("Vacuum Bombs") February 2000On December 27, 1999, Interfax reported Russian forces were using fuel-air explosive bombs in the fighting in Chechnya.(1) The use of fuel-air explosives (FAEs), popularly known in Russia as "vacuum bombs," represents a dangerous escalation in the Chechnya conflict--one with important humanitarian implications. Testimony before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs by Regan E. Ralph, Executive Director Women's Rights Division, Human Rights Watch (New York, February 15, 2000) -- Since the election of President Khatami in May 1997, Iranian reformists have spoken openly of respecting basic freedoms and the rule of law. In Iranian society generally, many petty social restrictions have been eased. The atmosphere surrounding the current parliamentary election campaign in Iran is notably freer than the last time around, in March 1996. But a number of human rights issues still impede a truly free and fair election in the Islamic Republic, and little has changed in the legal framework by which rights are protected in Iran. Parliamentary Elections in Iran February 15, 2000 More... |
|