The International Center for Transitional Justice
www.ictj.org
May 31, 2004
HEADLINES
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Three
More Mass Graves Found Near Srebrenica
Burundi: UN Delegation to
Recommend Commission of Inquiry Into Massacres
Cambodia: “Day of Rage”
Commemorates Khmer Rouge Victims
Chile: Supreme Court
Disappearance Case and Appeals Court Pinochet Immunity Case
Democratic Republic of the
Congo: Peace Agreement Signed, ICC Asked to Investigate
Côte d’Ivoire: UN Report
Recommends Accounting for Past Crimes
Indonesia: May Riots
Commemorated
Iraq: Bremer Announces
Reparations Program
Liberia: Catholic Church
Calls for a War Crimes Tribunal
Rwanda: Presiding Judge
Withdraws From Case at ICTR
Timor-Leste: Wiranto’s Arrest
Warrant Appealed
United States:
First Truth Commission in U.S. to Open Next Month
The International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) and the Human Rights Center (HRC) at the University of California, Berkeley have released a report providing a portrait of the nuanced and often sophisticated perspectives of ordinary Iraqis toward transitional justice and social reconstruction. The report reveals much about Iraqi sentiments on several key issues: past human rights abuses, justice and accountability, truth-seeking, de-Ba‘athification, reparations, and social reconstruction and reconciliation. Perhaps most important, the findings show that Iraqis, as the victims of Saddam Hussein’s regime, are eager to be consulted and have strong views about what should happen in their country, particularly on issues related to justice, human rights, and social reconstruction.
See: Iraqi Voices: Attitudes Toward Transitional Justice and Social Reconstruction
BOSNIA AND
HERZEGOVINA
Three More Mass Graves Found Near Srebrenica
May 17, 2004
The Srebrenica Commission has discovered three more mass graves containing the remains of victims of the 1995 massacre. Bosnian Muslim officials believe there are perhaps 20 more that are still undisclosed. In related news, NATO peacekeepers have detained Milovan Bjelica, an aid to Radovan Karadzic, who has been indicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). Officials believe Bjelica has been a key organizer of a network that has helped Karadzic evade arrest.
See: AP, Panel Finds Mass Graves Around Srebrenica
AFP, NATO-led peacekeepers in Bosnia arrest suspected Karadzic supporter
BBC, Kradszic supporter held in Bosnia
For more detailed weekly updates on the ICTY, please see Tribunal Update by The Institute for War and Peace Reporting, the UN Public Information Services’ ICTY Weekly Update, and the Coalition for International Justice’s Latest Reports. See also the International Center for Transitional Justice/Bard College’s audio/video archive of the Milosevic trial.
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BURUNDI
UN Delegation to Recommend Commission of Inquiry Into Massacres
May 26, 2004
After a week-long visit to Burundi, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General Tuliameni Kalamoh has announced that he will recommend to the UN Security Council the formation of a commission of inquiry into massacres that have occurred since 1962. The commission would be expected to identify the crimes and the perpetrators and submit a report to the Security Council.
See: UN IRIN, UN to Review Viability of Inquiry Into Massacres
UN IRIN, UN Team to Recommend Inquiry Into Massacres
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CAMBODIA
“Day of Rage” Commemorates Khmer Rouge Victims
May 21, 2004
On May 20, Cambodians commemorated the victims of the Khmer Rouge killing fields and called for trials for the leaders. The annual “day of rage” marks the anniversary of the Khmer Rouge’s launch of a drive toward a totally agrarian society.
See: Reuters, Cambodians
Remember Killing Fields on ‘Day of Rage’
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CHILE
Supreme Court Disappearance Case and Appeals Court Pinochet
Immunity Case
May 29, 2004
A Chilean court has stripped former dictator Augusto Pinochet of immunity from prosecution. An appeal against the decision could still be launched at the Supreme Court, which has consistently found that Pinochet is neither physically nor mentally fit to stand trial. In a related case, a Santiago court has sentenced Manuel Contreras, the former head of Chile’s secret police during the Pinochet dictatorship, to 15 years in prison for the 1974 disappearance of journalist Diana Aaron. The decision was based on a recent interpretation of law by Chilean courts that forced disappearances are cases of ongoing aggravated kidnapping, and are thus not covered by the 1978 amnesty law decreed by the Pinochet regime.
See: The Guardian, Pinochet
stripped of immunity
BBC, Pinochet’s police chief
jailed
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DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
OF THE CONGO
Peace Agreement Signed, ICC Asked to Investigate
May 18, 2004
Seven armed militia groups in the Ituri region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have signed a peace agreement with the government, vowing to disarm and to participate in the democratic transitional process. At the beginning of the negotiations, Interior and Security Minister Theophile Mbemba Fundu vowed to bring to justice perpetrators of crimes against humanity in Ituri. The government has asked the International Criminal Court to investigate crimes under its jurisdiction in the DRC.
See: Mail & Guardian, “Last-chance” talks for DRC warlords
UN IRIN, Ituri Militia Leaders Commit Themselves to Peace, Transition
UN News Service, Armed Groups in Northeastern DR of Congo Sign Peace Agreement - UN
ICC, Prosecutor
receives referral of the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo
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COTE D’IVOIRE
UN Report Recommends Accounting for Past Crimes
May 18, 2004
A Commission of Inquiry appointed by the United Nations Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights has submitted a report to the Security Council recommending prosecutions, reforms, and the establishment of a truth and reconciliation commission. The three-member Commission of Inquiry conducted its investigation at the request of President Laurent Gbagbo. It also recommends the investigation of deaths that occurred during a banned demonstration earlier this year.
See: UN News Service, UN Recommends Nation-Building Programme for Côte d’Ivoire
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INDONESIA
May Riots Commemorated
May 16, 2004
Indonesians recently commemorated the victims of riots that led to the fall of former president Soeharto six years ago. At that time, thousands of people were killed and dozens of women, mostly Chinese-Indonesians, were raped. The violence has never been investigated. A “Brotherhood Monument” is being built in West Jakarta as a symbol of reconciliation, but many victims have questioned the efficacy of such a symbol when little has been done to uncover the truth.
See: Jakarta Post,
Memorial
to commemorate 1998 riots
Jakarta Post, ‘No
officials apologized for riots’
Jakarta Post, May
monument won’t wipe away grief, pains of riot victims
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IRAQ
Bremer Announces Reparations Program
May 27, 2004
Paul Bremer, the head of the U.S. administration in Iraq, has announced the creation of a $25 million reparations fund for victims of Saddam Hussein’s regime. The money will come from oil revenue and foreign assets and will be controlled by Iraq’s interim government after the June 30 transfer of power. Critics have stated that the amount will not be enough to cover all the likely requests for compensation.
See: AFP, Iraq
unveils 25-million-dollar compensation fund for Saddam crimes
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LIBERIA
Catholic Church Calls for a War Crimes Tribunal
May 25, 2004
The Catholic Church in Liberia has called for the establishment of a war crimes tribunal in order to prevent future human rights violations. The Archdiocese of Monrovia has stated that it does not oppose other transitional justice mechanisms, such as a truth commission, but believes a tribunal is necessary.
See: The News (Monrovia), Catholic Church Calls for War Crimes Tribunal, Says It Would Set Deterrence
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RWANDA
Presiding Judge Withdraws From Case at ICTR
May 19, 2004
At the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), presiding judge Andresia Vaz from Senegal has withdrawn from the trial of four former senior officials in the Rwandan interim government. Lawyers for the accused called for Judge Vaz’s withdrawal, stating that she was not impartial because she had once provided accommodation for a member of the prosecuting team. The ICTR president has not yet named a replacement.
See: Hirondelle, Another Judge Pulls Out of Case At Rwanda Tribunal
Hirondelle, Rwanda Alarmed By Resignation of Top Tribunal Officials
Hirondelle, Tribunal Not Victim of External Pressure - ICTR Spokesman
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TIMOR-LESTE
Wiranto’s Arrest Warrant Appealed
May 31, 2004
East Timorese Attorney General, Longuinhos Monteiro, has attempted to appeal the recently issued arrest warrant for former General Wiranto, top military Indonesian leader during the violence of 1999. The appeal was rejected, but Monteiro stated that he will not request that Interpol issue an international warrant for Wiranto’s arrest. In addition, President Xanana Gusmao met with General Wiranto for a “reconciliation meeting,” despite civil society opposition and warnings by Foreign Affairs Minister Jose Ramos Horta. President Gusmao believes that energy and funds should be diverted to projects that help the Timorese people.
See: Sydney Morning Herald, Lay off Wiranto, Gusmao tells law man
The Independent, East Timor’s bitter enemies meet at last
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UNITED STATES
First Truth Commission in U.S. to
Open Next Month
May 16, 2004
The first truth commission in the United States is due to be inaugurated next month. The Greensboro Truth and Community Reconciliation Project in North Carolina will swear in a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to address the 1979 racial killings by the Ku Klux Klan and the American Nazi Party. Seven commissioners will review documents and hear testimony about the incident and produce a report, including recommendations for reconciliation and healing.
See: Common
Dreams, First Truth and
Reconciliation Commission in the United States Set for June 12
Greensboro Truth & Community Reconciliation Project
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Editor: Patrick J. Pierce
Patrick J. Pierce serves as a consultant to the ICTJ.
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The International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) assists countries
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