Sty Inrternat I 0 NAL. ,/U/Y 2000 L'o

Arnne sty INrTERNAT I 0 NAL. ,/u/y 2000 l'o/. No.4 N EWS

ISRAEL/LEBANON A prisoner learns of his imminent release from Khiam ejoceph Barrak/AFP KHIAM DETENTION CENTRE'S DOORS FORCED OPEN n FOR TEH FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE, I Then, in the wake of Israel's with- of Israeli soldiers — including airforce 1eel I am alive... For the first Irom south Lebanon, the vil- navigator Ron Arad — missing after time since her detention. I lagers of Khiani stormed the detent- capture by armed groups during the talked to (:osette. For the first time in ion centre, freeing the prisoners. 1,ehanese war. It was only in 1995 that INSIDE ow life I believed that Suleiman These limments when detainees the hostages began to receive letters Immacul&e 2 Ramadan is still alive.., for the first walk from darkness into the sun are from the Al groups who had been Birhaheka time in Inv life, the tears falling now what AI is all about. For years, Al writing for three years and were cam- receives htunan from my eves are tears of jt)y..." gomps and thotisands of its members paigning for their release. rights award Uhina Nahlawi, a volunteer for the wrote to the detainees of Khiam; not AI delegates who visited Lebanon I,ebanese Font 'RV U p Committee for one of their letters was ever passed on in May were overjoyed to meet many Iran 2 the Support of Lebanese DetaMees in to am' of the prisoners. For seven of these fOrmer hostages with their Israeli Prisons, posted these words on years, until 1995, detainees were even families. "We now feel wc have friends WORLDWIDE a Khiam internet discussion site on denied visits from families and from in many places", said Ahmad Taleb, APPEALS 23 May. Earlier that day the gates of the International (:ommittee of the one of- those who, during 13 years' Khiam Detention Centre had at last Red Cross (I(RC). detention ni Israel, was never charged Honduras been Nwced open and 144 prisoners. - rhe freedom of the Khiam with or tried for any offence. Myanmar men and women, iliost of whom had detainees was the culmination of At the time of the fall of Khiam, Guinea languished there for years, were finally other releases of Lebanese from other IA-bancse continued to be held Mexico released. Israeli ,jails: 13 Lebanese hostages in Israel, including Mustafa al-Dirani, Suleiman Ramadan spent nearly 15 were released on 19 April after spend- severely tortured after his arrest in Malaysia 8 years in Khiam from the time of his ing almost 14 years detained ill Israel. 1994 and held without even access to arrest at the age of 20. lie is said to Some, like the detainees of Khiam. the ICRC. have spent three years in solitary con- had never been carged or tried: AI calls for the release of all those finement and had a leg amputated others had been held for up to 12 Lebanese nationals still held as while he was in prison. The detention years after the expiry of their sen- hostages M Israel. The organization of Cosette Ibrahim, a journalist, in tences. Around 1990, some were told also continues to campaign on behalf September 1999 sparked worldwide that thev were being held as "bargain- of the missing Israeli nationals. protests and demonstrations. ing chips" ni exchange for the return IMMACULEE BIRHAHEKA RECEIVES MARTIN ENNALS AWARD

T HISuman YEAR'S Rights MARTIN Defenders ENNALS was given AWARD to FOR linmacuIC:e Birhaheka, Director of Promotion and Support of: Women's Initiatives (PAIF) in the Democratic: Republic of the (:ongo. Immaculde Birhaheka has worked for many years to inform Congolese W0111(11 of their rights and to empower them to deal with the :authorities and the gender discrimination in the legal system. She has taught them self-help methods, initiated commutnty- funded projects, and helped women resist illegal taxes and extortion. She was one of the few with the courage to con- front the authorities on sensitive issues such as rape. In 1995 she and her col- leagues began producing a weekly radio program M Kiswahili on women's rights. In recent Years Immaculee Birhaheka Immaculee Birhaheka (lift) and IRAN has spliken out strongly against human Mary Robinson rights abuses occurring in her country, CLAMPDOWN ON FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION not hesitating to publicly denounce mass N A PERIOD OF HIGH POLITICAL TENSIONFree): Ezzatollah Sahabi, publisher of killings and ethnic intolerance. As a as the second round of parliamentary Farda (Tomorrt/IV's Iran) and result she has received increasing threats elections took place in Iran, journalists, Alireza Alavitabar, editor of Sobh-e Emrouz from both rebel groups and the intellectuals, a student leader nid (This Morning). All three were detained, Rwandesc military ill Goma. On 16 human rights advocates were arrested, interrogated and later released on bail. January 2000, she was arrested and held and at least 13 newspapers — mans: per- jamileh hadivar, a member of parlia- in a military detention centre where she ceived to he allied to reformist candid- ment, was also summoned and WaS was humiliated and beaten. Shc was ates — were closed down. I.C1)0F1C(Ily SchedlIksd to appear before released the same day, but has received Among those detained were two the Revolutionary Court shortly there- further threats from rebel soldiers. women — Mehrangit Kar, .1 lawyer. and aller. The UN High Commissioner for Shahla I aitit. a publisher. They were ini- Ali Afshari, a representative of the sun Human Rights. Mary Robinson, pres- tially held incommunicado, and thought dent organization Dallar-e Tabk0n-c ented the award at a ceremony in to be at risk ot ill-treatment. Shahla %UMW, and Akbar Ganji, a well-kninvn Geneva. Swityerland, on 13 April, saying:

Ahiji has a history of health problems. journalist, were also arrested after the - I have a real sense of the need for the Both are campaigners for women's mid conference. Akbar Gariji reportedly kind of commitment Immaculee other human rights. They were arrested faced 10 charges relating to articles he Birhaheka has shown, and I know from on 20 April, shortly after taking part in wrote implicating senior Iranian politi- our offices in Kinshasa and in Goma an academic and cultural conference in cal figures in the 1998 killnigs of a num- how important that work adding: Berlin. Germany, where political and ber of intellectuals and writers, and to 'When the Declaration on Htunan social reform in Iran Were publicly debat- statements he made at the Berlin confer- Rights Defenders was adopted in ed. At the Mile of writing, their lawyer, ence. lie Was believed to be at risk of ill- December 1998. we all knew that it was Shirin Hradi, also a well-known human treatment OF even torture. not enough. and that a practical meas- rights advocate, had not been Ahnyed to ure is now needed to ensure that human see them. Both women were refused hail. • WHAT YOU CAN DO: rights defenders have adequate protec- 'Hie Berlin conference was inter- Please write, calling for the inimediate tion and support... I lupe the step will rupted by strong protests by Iranian and unconditional release of Mehrangiz he taken for a Special Rapporteur on political groups in exile. It received kar, Shahla Lahiji, Ali Afshari and Akbar human rights defenders.- enormous publicity within Iran, and Ganji as prisoners of conscience if they The Martin Ennals Award fin- Human some religious figures reportedly continue to be detained. Write to: Rights Defenders. created in 1993, is a accused sonic of (hose who attended of Leader of the Islamic Republic, his result of a collaboration of 10 leading apostasy, or turning away from Islam. Excellency Ayatollah Saved 'Ali human rights organizations, including Some members of the Iranian.judiciars: Khamenei. The Presidency, Palestine Al. It is granted annually to someone apparently considered attendance at the Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection, Tehran, who has demonstrated an exceptional conference to have been -harmful to Islamic Republic of Iran, and to: Head of record of combating human rights abuses national StTlIFity. Other people arrested Judiciary, Ilis Excellency Ayatollah by courageous and innovative means. following their participation ;it the con- Niahnumd Hashemi-Shahrudi, Ministry The prize is CSS17,000, and is aimed to ference nicluded Hamid Reza.lalaipour, oLlustice, Park-e Shahr, Tehran, Islamic encourage human rights defenders who a journalist for ,A.ti-e Azatlegan (Era of the Republic of Iran. are in need of: protectitm.

(From WOMehrangiz Kar, Shahla Lahiji, Akbar Ganji, Mi Afshari and Jamileh Kadivar © Heinrich Boll Foundation

i, - - v ,.6 0 July 2000 Vol. 30 No.4 AMNESTY INTFRN.ATION11. NEWS

Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines.

G Singapore,OVERNMENT MINISTERS Thailand FROM and BRUNEI, Viet Nam CAMBODIA, will converge on Bangkok. Thailand, on 24 July 2000 for the annual meeting of ,Association Of South-East Asian Nations — ASEAN. They will also be,joined Ily a range of dialogue partners inchiding Australia, Canada, the European Union (EU), Japan, New Zealand and the USA to discuss issues of regional and international concern. One issue which AI will press to be put high on the agenda will bc that of controlling the arms and security trade. This meeting brings together several of the world's leading arms manufacturing and exporting states, together with a number of Asian states which have imported (or manufactured their own) military and security equipment which have been used to violate human rights. The meeting provides an ideal opportunity to combat the trade in repression in Asia. It is almost a Year since the world looked on in horror as armed militia groups, assisted by the Indonesian security forces, unleashed a wave of violence and unlawfUl killings against the East Timorese people who were seeking independence. Although the international community condemned the violence — and the EU, USA and Australia finally imposed arms embargoes in September 1999 — for many it was too lit- tle, too late. One of those was pro-independence activist Bernardino Guterres. The 25-year-old was seized on the streets of Dili on 26 August 1999 by the Indonesian police, kicked and beaten. He knew his life was in danger and tried to flee. But as he ran, a police officer shot him in the head. The picture of his killing, published in Time magazine two weeks later, showed the police officer with a weapon resem- bling an SSI-V1 assault rifle. These weapons had been man- tifsctured in Indonesia by PT Pindad under licence fr()rn the Belgian company EN Herstal. Earlier in the year, on 15 July, the (Thief of the Indonesian Armed Forces admitted that a UK-made Hawk jet flew twice over Dili ill a clear attempt to intimidate the population below. The flyover occurred despite repeated assurances by the Indonesian authorities that UK-supplied military equipment would not be used against civilians in East Tinuir. s .." Further evidence of foreign arms transfers aiding the it II Palden Gyatso with the instruments with repression of East Timor arose when an Al research mission which he was tortured in Nfav 1999 uncovered the casings of bullets for assault rifles JDDavid Hqffmann left after an attack on civilians in Dili. The bullets had been manufactured by the Finnish company Patria 1:aptia Oy. During the 1990s, governments including those of the USA, Australia, Belgium, China, France, Germany and the UK allowed arm(nired persontwl carriers, water cannon, fighter and transport aircraft, helicopters, light weapons, tear gas, enned control and other security equipment to be transferred to Indonesia. Over the last decade. many of these weapons have been turned on political activists, journalists and human rights workers in East Timor and elsewhere in Indonesia. The case of East Timor is sadly not unique. Mass human r ights violations are still being carried out in many armed Com ba tin g conflicts around the world by government and armed opposition forces who are given virtually unrestricted access to small

training. A arms, light weapons and associated military equipment and sia's trade in Even in lands nominally at peace, the same easy availability of small arms — pistols, assault rifles, sub-machine guns, landmines, mortars — and of paramilitary equipment and services repression allows many governments to arbitrarily detain, murder, tor- lure and ill-treat th()se civilians identified as political oppo- nents. They know the arms supplies will continue. Al is seeking to highlight the international complicity in such human rights violations, and to shine a spotlight on those governments and companies who have placed electro-shock batons in the hands of the torturer or sub-machine guns in the hands of the "death squads". Although Al takes no position on the arms trade, the organization works to ensure that arms and security equipment, training and expertise are never sent to C countries where they will be used for human rights violati ons. There are some items of equipment that Al considers to have one primary use: to commit human rights violations. Equipment such as leg irons, shackles, thumbscrews, and

juIN 2000 Vol.30 No.4 D D • •

landmines —in the mining of villages to prevent resettlement and of border areas to prevent refugee flows. Government forces have also used civilians as a mine removal tool —human mine-sweepers. /et Other Asian states, such as China, India, Pakistan and South Korea have produced landmines for their own national use. In March 1997, Pakistan stated that it would observe a moratori- um on the export of anti-personnel landmines. However, the state-owned Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) continued to advertise landmines in their December 1998 brochure and 1999 cal- endar. In December 1999, POF offered to sell landmines to an investigative journalist posing as an arms dealer.

I n December 1993, the Philippines re- introduced the death penalty and the government began a search for new execution equipment. Two years later, Al contacted two US companies following Indonesian army electro-shock belts are used for torture Thailand, the USA and Viet Nam, reports that they were considering the officer examines or ill-treatment and must be banned. among many others. From 1971-75 sale of an electric chair and a gas cham- machine guns Gallows, the hangman's rope, gas cham- alone, Cambodia imported over 622,000 ber to the Philippines. The spokesperson mounted on bers, the guillotine, the electric chair landmines from the USA. Many of these of one company was reported as saying: specially modified and other execution equipment must be mines remain in the ground, waiting to "Does it bother me? No, not really, I'm jeeps C Reuters banned. Anti-personnel landmines must kill or maim. not doing the executing." be banned, and their manufacture, trans- Worldwide, there are more than 60 In March 1996, President Fidel Ramos fer and use prohibited absolutely. million landrnines in the ground. The of the Philippines signed a law allowing figure is notoriously hard to estimate as execution by lethal injection (whereby a the majority were laid at random. Mines prisoner is strapped to a bed and an can be found anywhere —in fields, city injection machine delivers a lethal cock- U undreds of thousands of men, streets, along riverbanks, in wells, outside tail of sodium thiopental, pancuronium women and children have already schools, in villages and on roads used by bromide and potassium chloride lost limbs, been deafened, blinded and refugees. through a needle in the arm. The pris- otherwise disabled by landmines. Every To combat this scourge, more than oner dies of suffocation and cardiac year, landmines claim thousands of new 1,300 non-governmental organizations arrest). Although no details are available victims. (NG05) formed the International of the origin of these injection devices, One of those is Yoeurng Choeurng, Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL). such technology has been used in the aged 14, who lives with his grandfather After an inspiring campaign, which USA since lethal injection executions in Bang Ampil, to the west of showed the power of worldwide public began in 1977. Similar lethal injection Battambang town in Cambodia. He said: opinion to influence governments, an executions have subsequently taken "My parents were killed in a landmine international treaty to ban the use, pro- place in China and are planned in accident in the 1980s. Since then my sister duction, stockpiling, sale, transfer or Taiwan. and I have been living with my grandfather export of landmines was signed in 1997. here in Bang Ampil. We cannot return home It came into force on 1 March 1999. By because there are so many mines in the village 25 May 2000, 137 states had signed the where I lived with my parents. But there are Mine Ban Treaty, but many have still to landmines here as well. sign —many of them major producers or Sinceill-treatment 1990 electro-shock have reportedly torture been and "My grandfather has lost his leg because he stockpilers such as China, India, carried out in the prisons, detention was trying to rescue me. I stood on a mine Pakistan, Russia and the USA. Eighteen centres or police stations of at least 58 when I was herding cows that belong to a other Asian states have also yet to sign. countries —including Afghanistan, neighbour I don't remember very much of Al, as a supporter of the ICBL, has called Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, the what happened. I was just walking with the on all the world's governments to sign, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Taiwan. In F cows. I was bleeding and crying and my ratify and implement the Treaty and to over 20 countries, hand-held electro- grandfather saw me and came to help me but specifically ban the use, production, shock batons specifically designed for he stood on a mine a,s well." stockpiling, sale and transfer of anti- use on humans have been used. According to the Mines Advisory personnel landmines. "This is the worst thing — an electric cattle Group, they had trodden on Type 72a In some countries, the use of anti- prod. They use this on your body%If they press anti-personnel blast mines. They each personnel mines is actually increasing. In that button, your whole body will be in shock. had one leg torn apart from below the Myanmar, both the government forces If they do it for too long, you lose conscious- knee. A 1998 US State Department and military forces of different ethnic ness but you do not die. If they press this but- report estimated that there were groups reportedly use mines. It was ton, you can die. They used it all the time on between four to six million mines in reported in January 1999 that Myanmar my body. They tortured me because I was Cambodia. They were laid by both gov- government troops admitted to laying speaking out for independence and I will con- ernment and non-government armed • 7,000 mines since August 1998 along the tinue to speak out." forces. Thirty-six different types of land- Thai border to deter an anticipated These are the words of Palden Gyatso, mines have been found in Cambodia — advance by opposition forces. The 1999 a Tibetan monk who had spent 33 years mines which were manufactured in ICBL Landmine Monitor reports that in Chinese prison and labour camps. He Cambodia itself but also by China, government troops have specifically is one of numerous prisoners who have Hungary, the former Soviet Union, targeted the civilian population with suffered electro-shock torture at the

July 2000 Vol.30 No.4 AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL FOCUS

hands of Chinese security forces. He fled killed and dozens more wounded. has also advertised "electrocoil" — razor to India, smuggling with him some of According to one news report, police wire with an electro-shock element of up the electro-shock instruments which spokesman Ghazali Mohamed Amin said to 5,000 to 7,000 volts built in. have become a favoured tool of Chinese the operation was targeted at the torturers. Acehnese "because they have been here • The fear and pain that flow from the for too long." electro-shock baton have led other pris- Between late 1998 and 2000 a series of oners to acts of desperation. On 15 predominantly peaceful demonstrations Telephonecommunication tapping, interceptionbugging devices, systems, August 1996, (Then Longde, a pro- in support of imprisoned former Deputy closed circuit television cameras and democracy activist imprisoned at Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim were sup- vehicle recognition systems can also be Luoshan labour camp, was visited by one pressed with force by Malaysian police used to perpetuate human rights viola- of the prison guards. The guard kicked using tear gas and water cannon spraying tions. They allow security forces to moni- and punched him and then tortured water laced with chemical irritants. tor, track and better target for action him with electric shocks from a baton. Peaceful demonstrators were also beaten individuals deemed to be a threat to the Two days later the guard with the shock by police wielding batons. In September state. Sometimes such targets are human baton returned and the beatings 1999 a number of demonstrators were rights workers, trade unionists, students resumed. Chen Longde could take no reported to have been treated in hospital and parliamentarians. more. He jumped straight through a for injuries caused by beatings and the In July 1997, Aberson Sihaloho, a third-storey window, driven to suicide by after-effects of the chemicals used in the member of Indonesia's national parlia- his treatment. He survived the fall but water cannon. ment, was sentenced to nine months in suffered serious injuries. Amid mounting intimidation of civil- prison for "insulting" former President Electro-shock stun technology was ini- ians by Indonesian militia and security Suharto. He was one of 200 hundred tially developed in the USA during the forces in East Timor, some 2,000 men, people arrested for speaking at a Free 1970s. Al's research shows that during women and children sought refuge in Speech Forum following the ousting of the last decade over 120 companies, the grounds of the Liquica Parish Megawati Sukarnoputri, leader of the operating in 22 countries, have manufac- Church, west of Dili. On 6 April 1999, main opposition party. Videotape was tured, sold, advertised or sought to pro- they were surrounded by members of the used in evidence at Aberson Sihaloho's cure electro-shock weapons. One of security forces, including Brimob, the trial which, according to his lawyers, these countries, Taiwan, subsequently Police Mobile Brigade, who fired tear gas could easily have been re-edited. A mem- became a leading producer and exporter canisters into the church grounds to ber of the Indonesian Armed Forces, tes- of electro-shock weapons, and a flush the terrified and confused civilians tifying for the prosecution, said he had Taiwanese company reportedly set up out into the open. Armed members of been ordered to monitor and tape the manufacturing facilities in mainland the militia group Besi Merah Putih were proceedings of the Forum. China. In 1995, the UK's role in this lying in wait. There have been reports There have been unconfirmed reports trade was highlighted when the manag- indicating that at least 200 people were that Indonesian security forces have used ing director of a Scottish company, ICL killed. state-of-the-art telephone tapping and Technical Plastics, admitted selling New techniques for crowd control are call monitoring systems to help pressur- electro-shock batons to China in 1990, evolving all the time. UK company ize people during interrogations by con- stating that: 'The Chinese wanted to Cochrane has advertised a mobile carri- fronting them with details of the people copy them." Chinese factories now mass er that, in 15 to 20 seconds, can eject they have telephoned or who have tele- produce electro-shock batons. Reports 200 metres of razor wire sharp enough phoned them. indicate that Chinese companies have to slice through human flesh. The Sometimes technology with a legiti- exported electro-shock weapons to machine provides security forces with mate civilian use is abused by security Cambodia and Indonesia — both coun- the capacity to encircle an entire forces to aid their task of repression. In tries where electro-shock torture has demonstration in a ring of steel. Such a the days following the massacre in been documented by AI. The uncon- system has already been marketed by Beijing on 4 June 1989, the Chinese Malaysian police advancing with tear gas trolled trade in such weapons must be French, South African and UK compa- authorities used images from a comput- and water cannon at a halted. AI is campaigning for the imme- nies and exported to several countries erized closed circuit television system — peaceful demonstra- diate global suspension of the manufac- where police have used excessive force originally supplied by the USA and the tion on 26 September ture, export and use of electro-shock against peaceful protesters. Cochrane UK with World Bank assistance to be weapons until independent medical 1998 investigations have been carried out into their use and effects. 11 • '• •"• D

•

A waterlthough cannon, security tear equipment gas and plastic such as bullets may in certain limited circum- stances have a legitimate use, evidence shows that such equipment is also being used to punish peaceful protest and facilitate human rights violations. Despite this evidence, foreign companies and governments have been busy marketing and selling crowd control equipment to countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia. On 26 March 1998, Malaysian police officers, wielding batons and armed with water cannons and tear gas, entered the Semenyih detention camp intending to forcibly repatriate hundreds of asylum- seekers who had fled the repression in Aceh. A riot ensued in which at least eight refugees and a policeman were • • • .• A

the public and parliamentari- backed Paramilitary Resistance Forces. ans rarely discover who is At least 44 people had been unlawfnlly being trained in what and by killed or had "disappeared" in 1996 whom. Acme but no onc had been bniught to After the 1991 massacre in account. Instead, in March 1997, UK- Dili, East Timor — where based security consultant Sandline mourners attending the International was brought in by the PNG funeral of a Timorese inde- government to provide military training, pendence activist were killed expertise, advice and equipment for by Indonesian security forces operations on Bougainville. When the — US military training for move became known it caused a military Indonesia was cut. In 1995, revolt within the defence forces and the the US Congress agreed to 44 foreign trainers were forced to leave. re-establish a limited pro- Private military and security compa- gram of training in human nies operate outside the normal criminal

rights. However, in March . justice system and on the fringes of mili- 1998, leaked official docu- tary command structures. If human ments revealed that the US rights violations result from their deploy- government had secretly ment it is much harder to hold them to begun to train the account than the regular security forces, used for traffic control. Security forces Indonesian army — including its notori- not least because such personnel can created instant "wanted" posters from ous special forces command, Kopassus — leave the country at any time. Al believes close-up frozen images of student in close quarters combat, sniper tech- that such companies must be registered activists which were broadcast on state- niques, demolitions, psychological and and that they require government run television with a telephone number urban operations. Following the mass authorization for any transfer of person- asking viewers to report those portrayed. human rights violations in East Timor, nel or training. Arrests of prisoners of conscience and US military assistance was cut again on 9 unfair trials followed. The authorities September 1999. However, on 23 May I • also broadcast footage which had been 2000. the NPW YOrk TinteC reported that carefully edited and manipulated to the USA had resumed military coopera- show "counter-revolufionary" demonstration with Indonesia — inviting military T security'he effective trade control is not of something the arms that and tors as the instigators of the violence in observers to,joint exercises in Thailand. can be left in the hands of governments efforts to justify thc crackdown. In 1993, Private companies have also been alone. Civil society and the NGO move- a similar "traffic control" system was involved in the provision of such train- ment in particular must continually keep installed in Lhasa, capital of Tibet ing. The UK company Nitor has devel- the pressure on governments to abide by Autonomous Region. The system had oped a computerized training program their international commitments and the been installed in the central square — a for marksmen with technical advice from promises they gave to protect their citi- pedestrianized area, not known for its a UK police force — some scenarios zens under the Universal Declaration of traffic problems but an area where include trainees firing on unarmed civil- Human Rights and in the Geneva Tibetan pro-independence demonstra- ians. A version has been supplied to the ConvenMins. tions have taken place. Indonesian military. Nitor has also pro- Al members across the world are now vided training facilities for the Malaysian lobbying for strict and effective national

, , • • • special forces, the Hong Kong Police and regional controls on military, security and police transfers. Controls which , and the Singapore Police. While such training may have the potential to bene- are transparent. accountable and will fit communities by providing better ensure that states are never allowed to A isexport not just of arms concerned and security about the equip- skilled police and security forces, those export weapons, training or personnel to ment but also the transfer of personnel, giving such training must ensure that it customers who might use them to violate expertise and training. A number of gov- does not contribute to human rights vio- human rights. ernments such as the USA and the UK lations. Public transparency and account- If you wish to become part of an AI train the military, security and police ability, together with screening of stu- activist network in your country to cam- forces of Asian nations. Unless such dents and stringent end-use monitoring paign on issues relating to the arms and training is stringently controlled there is is essential to ensure that such expertise security trade, please contact us now. a danger of it being used to facilitate transfers, whether by governments or Either email us at: MSP4amnesty.org human rights violations. However, much private companies, do not result in or write to: of this training occurs in secret so that human rights violations. Military. Security and Police Team, In February 1997, Al reported on seri- Amnesty International, ous human rights violations in International Secretariat, Bougainville, Papua New Guinea (PNG), 1 Easton Street. London WC1X ODW, by thc Defence Force and government- United Kingdom.

Right, Brochure advertizing electro- shock batons

July 2000 VoL30 No.4 AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL FOCUS W6DRLDWIDE appeals

HONDURAS STILL NO JUSTICE INPOLICE SHOOTING OF CHILD LOCANDER OBANDO REYES, a 17-year- responsible, and a ballistics test showed where the vic- A old orphan, was shot dead on 10 that the bullets came from the rifle tim is neither April 1999 in a public park in assigned to the identified officer. Despite armed nor a Tegucigalpa, capital of Honduras. this, no measures have been taken to threat to oth- According to reports, a police officer was detain him. ers. Send responsible for his death. AI continues to receive information appeals to: SE Alexander Obando and a friend fell about serious human rights violations Carlos Roberto into an argument with the officer, who against children in Honduras, including Flores Facussé, fired "warning shots" into the air. When police shootings. The persistence of such Presidente de the boys tried to escape in a taxi, the abuses highlights the failure of the la Republica de officer fired at the vehicle and then at authorities to adequately train law Honduras, Alexander Obando as he tried to get out, enforcement officials, to investigate Casa hitting him in the abdomen and chest. reported abuses in which state agents are Presidencial, The policeman fled and Alexander allegedly involved, and to effectively Tegucigalpa, Honduras (fax: +504 235 Obando was taken to hospital where he prosecute those responsible. 6949/234 1484, e-mail: law_bureau@hot- died the following day. Please write, calling for an independ- mail.com). Six prosecutors from the Public ent and impartial investigation into the Ministry's Office of the Special death of Alexander Obando Reyes and For further information, see Honduras: Prosecutor for Human Rights have been for his killer to be brought to justice. Human rights violations against children — involved in the case. Reportedly, a wit- Express concern, too, at the illegal use of update (Al Index: AMR 37/02/00). ness has identified the police officer firearms by police officers in situations

MYANMAR TEACHER IMPRISONED FOR HUSBAND'S POLITICAL ACTIVITIES Pamphlets were distributed prior to the lung problem MA KHINher three-year-old RHIN LEH, daughter a teacher, were and planned march, and the local Military and it is not arrested in July 1999 along with 17 others, Intelligence began to look for Kyaw known if she is in Bago, central Myanmar. Her daughter Wunna. On 19 July, when they could not receiving med- was subsequently released, but Ma Khin locate him, they arrested Ma Khin Khin ical care. Khin Leh was sentenced to life imprison- Leh and their daughter, Thaint Wanna 7 Please write, ment. Khin. Her daughter was released after five asking for her Ma Khin Khin Leh's husband, Kyaw days, but Ma Khin Khin Leh and others immediate and Wunna, is a member of the All Burma arrested in subsequent days were taken to unconditional Federation of Student Unions. He and Military Intelligence headquarters in release as a other pro-democracy activists in Bago Bago. prisoner of were planning a peaceful march on 19 Ma Khin Khin Leh was transferred to conscience. Ma Khin Khin Leh with her July, the 52nd anniversary of the assas- Insein Prison in Yangon and on 3 Send appeals husband and daughter sination of independence hero General December she was sentenced to life to: Colonel Aung San, the father of Daw Aung San imprisonment for "disrupting security" Hla Min, Office of Strategic Studies, Sim Kyi, leader of Myanmar's main and "contact with illegal organizations". Department of International Affairs, c/o opposition party, the National League In January 2000 she was transferred to Ministry of Defence, Signal Pagoda An appeal to the for Democracy. an undisclosed prison. She suffers from a Road, Yangon, Union of Myanmar. authorities am help the vms of human rights violations whose WOMEN TORTURED AFTER DEMONSTRATION GUINEA stories are told here. RPG. She was released without charge months in detention and were sentenced You am help free a T ADIGBEhands and TRAORE feet by four was soldiers, suspended while by her after four days. to prison terms after unfair trials. prisoner o f am- a further two inflicted 50 lashes on her Alpha Conde had been arrested in Please write, asking for prompt and science or stop back and buttocks. She told an AI dele- December 1998 and accused, with 47 impartial investigations into these allega- torture. You am gation visiting Guinea recently that this other detainees, of attempting to desta- tions of torture and calling for those bring liberty to a agonizing ordeal lasted more than 10 bilize Guinea. Al considers him a prisoner responsible to be brought to justice. Send vidim minutes, and was then repeated a few of conscience. His trial began in April appeals to: Son Excellence le General de "disappearance". hours later. She was unable to lie on her 2000. During the march hundreds of peo- Brigade, Lansana Conte, Président de la You may prevent an back for several days afterwards. ple, including women, were arrested and Republique et Chef du gouvernement, execution. Every Tadigbe Traore, a member of the tortured. Some of the women told an Al Presidence de la Republique, Conakry, appeal counts. opposition Rassemblement do peuple de delegation that they had been subjected Guinea (fax: +224 41 16 73), and to: Son Guime (RPG), Guinean People's Rally, to torture, including rape, while held at Excellence, Monsieur Maurice Zoglemou Remember: had been arrested on 21 December 1998 the military barracks at Kankan. Most of Togba, Ministre de la Justice, Ministere Al nwmbers should while attending a march calling for the them were released within days of their de la Justice, Conakry, Guinea (fax: +224 not take up cases release of Alpha Conde, President of the arrest but others spent more than three 41 16 17). from their own countries.

AMNESTY INTERNATIONALAPPEALS July 2000 Vol.30 No.4 MEXICO PEASANT ENVIRONMENTALISTS DETAINED AND TORTURED he and Teodoro (:abrera were arrested R ODOLFOCabrera MONTIEL Garcia have FLORES languished AND TEODORO in by members of the army, who allegedly prison srace their arbitrary arrest by the shot dead another of the villagers. They Mexican army over a year ago. They were held in incommunicado detention have been forced under torture to sign for five days, during which time they selkncriminating statements and were reptrtedly tied and beaten, and charged with crimes they have not were subjected to mock executions in committed. order to extract self-incriminating state- Founders of Ilse Organi:aenen de ments. They were subsequently charged Compesinas Ecologistas de la Sierra de with drugs offences and illegal petsses- Petalkin Coynca de Catakin, Peasant Sion of weapons. Environmentalist Organization of the Three organizations: AI. Sierra Club — Mountains of Petatkin and (;ovuca de a US environmental non-governmental (:atalan, Rodolfo Montiel and Teodoro organization — and thc Miguel Agustin Cabrera were arbitrarily detained after Pro jutirez Human Rights Centre from leading a campaign against excessive log- Mexico,,joined forces in April 2000 to ging in Guerrero state, which was threat- publish an open letter in the Mexican ening the environment and the liveli- magazine Prows° and newspaper ReJorma, hood of local peasant communities. addressed to President Ernest() Zedillo, Following a number of peaceful demon- calling for the immediate and uncondi- strations by the organization, protesters tional release of the two men as prison- began to receive threats. A local ers of conscience. landowner reportedly accused them of On 6 April, Rodolfo Montiel was belonging to an armed opposition awarded the Goldman environmental group, following which army units sta- prize of USS125.000, with which he plans tioned in the state reportedly initiated a to create a trust for the purchase of campaign of harassment against the gation equipment in the regi(in where organization's MCITIhers. he lives. His wife, who collected the Rodolfo Montiel Flores (top) and Rodolfo Monne] cenivened a meeting award on Isis behalf, said: 1\7e arc proud Teodoro Cabrera Garcia CA/ of peasant farmers in the village of of our Rodolfo, but I hope this prize Pizotla on 2 May 1999. It was here that doesn't end up getting hins killed."

MALAYSIA OPPOSITION LEADERS CHARGED WITH SEDITION

N A CASE CARRYING SERIOUS IMPLICATIONS for the independence of lawyers in Malaysia and their ability to carry out their duties free of fear of intimidation, Karpal Singh, leading human rights lawyer and Deputy Chairman of the Democratic Action Party (DAP). is due to go on trial in July on charges of sedition. The charge followed a statement he made in court while acting as the lead defence counsel in the trial of Anwar Ibrahim (former Deputy Prime Minister) • •• in September 1999. He claimed that Karpal Singh's arrest in January 1999 somebody may have poisoned Anwar UZBEKISTAN Ibrahim with arsenic, and he feared that Opposition newspapers have also "people its high places" might be respon- come trader attack: Zulkifli Sulong and GOOD NEWS! sible. The charge against Karpal Singh Cheah Lim Thye, respectively editor and threatens Anwar Ibrahim's right to a fair publisher of tlw opposition Parti Islamic A RSEN( see ARUTYUNYAN li'orlflwide .-Appeals„ipril AND DANIS SIRAZHEY2000) trial, and contravenes international SeMalaysia newspaper Harakah, went on have had their death sentences commut- human rights standards. Karpal Singh is trial in May, charged with publishing a ed. The two men were transferred from a former prisoner of conscience — he was seditious article. If convicted and impris- their death cell in a pristra in Tashkent imprisoned without trial in 1987 under oned, Al would Oillsider all of the ahtwe to a pristra colony 111 the town of is published in cp the Internal Security Act. prisoners of conscience. Andizhan in May. Arabic, English, The prosecutions of Marina Yusoff Under the current broadly defined Arsen Arutvurwan's sister wrote: "Had and French to and Mohamad Ezam Noor, respectively terms of the Sedition Act, both govern- it not been for the work of your organ- hring you news Vice-President and Youth Leader of the ment and opposition figures have made izatitm, your approaches to the media, of Alis concerns opposition Path Keadilan Nasional, statements in the course of public and your persistent work, we couldn't have and campaigns National Justice Party, are other recent electoral debate which could be inter- hoped for a good outcome. When I first worldwide, as examples of what AI believes to bc the preted as potentially seditious. turned to you, my whole family and I well as in-depth government's selective and politically However, only opposition members were desperate and, to tell the truth, reports. motivated use of restrictive laws. Marina have been charged. deepening con- didn't think that anything or anybody Available from Yusoff has been charged with sedition cerns that these prosecutions are a pre- could help. But the miracle came true, Amnesty and Mohamad Ezam Noor has been text to curb the peaceful expression of a miracle worked not by God, but by International charged under the Official Secrets Act. dissenting opinion. people." (address below) Both pleaded not guilty. Thanks to all who sent appeals.

marsly International, 1 Easton Street. I,ndon tILl S MM. 1 "sited kingdom. E-mail: stioletbe-bamneity.org: http://zeuheamnestr.mg Printed in the k Interlace. :Available on .mh.teriplirm at £7 (n412.0(1) fe, one spar ISSN 0308 h,S87. AI Index: .VIIS 21 /04 /0(1