[Onthebarricades] Repression news, global South and East, Dec-Jan 07/08

[Andy]

*  SRI LANKA:  Mass roundup of Tamils condemned
*  SINGAPORE:  Police ban protests during ASEAN summit
*  PAPUA NEW GUINEA:  Police threaten "emergency" repression against power 
workers
*  INDIA:  Dissident jailed, charged for endorsing Kolkata unrest
*  BELARUS:  Opposition protester hospitalised by police; appeal for action 
on riot police abuses
*  BOTSWANA:  Police assault residents after unrest
*  BAHRAIN:  Post-unrest crackdown targets Shiites; suspects "are innocent" 
claims parent
*  RUSSIA:  Riot cops break protester's arm
*  TONGA:  State manages to get convictions at last over pro-democracy 
revolt

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gi3QmGRCWxl9hY_Datc2pBs4LwHg

Amnesty joins a protest over Sri Lanka mass arrests
Dec 4, 2007
COLOMBO (AFP) — Amnesty International on Wednesday joined a growing chorus 
of protests over the mass arrests of thousands of ethnic Tamils in Colombo 
by Sri Lankan authorities.
The arrests came after two bomb attacks blamed on Tamil Tigers, but has left 
the island's ethnic Sinhalese-dominated government once again exposed to 
allegation that it is dealing out collective punishment to the Tamil 
minority.
Amnesty said it was "deeply concerned that the arrests have been made on 
arbitrary and discriminatory grounds."
"Those arrested may be detained in inhumane conditions; denied access to 
lawyers, courts and family members; and face the risk of torture, other 
cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment," a statement from the 
London-based group said.
Local rights groups have already reacted angrily to the arrests.
The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA), a private think-tank in Sri Lanka, 
filed a lawsuit against the authorities after the spate of arrests of at 
least 2,200 Tamils were made over the weekend.
The crackdown came in the wake of two bomb attacks last week that left 21 
people dead and more than 40 wounded.
A senior government minister, Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, has said that 1,800 of 
those detained had already been freed.
In June, authorities evicted some 400 minority Tamils out of their 
low-budget hostels in Colombo and took them to the troubled northern and 
eastern regions where Tamils are concentrated.
The expulsion was internationally condemned as "collective punishment" of 
Tamils for the work of Tamil Tiger rebels. The CPA spokesman said Tuesday 
that a lawsuit his group brought against the June eviction was still being 
heard.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/312162/1/.html

Police stress that any outdoor protest during ASEAN summit is illegal
By Patwant Singh, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 17 November 2007 2158 hrs
SINGAPORE: Police have again stressed that any outdoor protest at the ASEAN 
summit is illegal.

Police found out that a group of foreign students plan to stage a protest 
outside the Shangri-La Hotel by standing in groups of four during the 
summit.

Queenstown police have informed some of the organisers that what they were 
planning to do is illegal and they should instead apply for a permit to hold 
an indoor event to give expressions to their views.

Police explained that the public area around the hotel and the summit's 
three other venues have been gazetted as protected areas.

Anyone who compromises the security of the ASEAN summit, including those who 
protest within the protected areas, may be removed to ensure safety. - 
CNA/ac

http://www.theage.com.au/news/World/PNG-govt-warns-electricity-workers/2007/11/14/1194766751789.html

PNG govt warns electricity workers
November 14, 2007 - 4:28PM
The Papua New Guinea government has warned it could use emergency powers 
against electricity workers, who have threatened to strike and impose 
nationwide blackouts.
The workers are threatening to walk out in protest against the reinstatement 
of Patrick Mara as chief executive of the government-owned company PNG 
Power.
Justice Minister Allan Marat said the strike would be illegal.
The government could declare a state of emergency to "clamp down on 
perpetrators" if the health, safety and welfare of Papua New Guineans was 
threatened, he said.
The appointment of PNG Power's chief executive was up to the company board 
and was not an industrial matter, he said.
Union leaders had been misleading members in urging strike action, the 
minister said.
Some PNG Power workers walked off the job this week, and several power 
plants were shut down.
A court order obtained by PNG Power and served on union leaders on Monday 
restrains energy workers from withdrawing their labour or shutting down 
power supplies.
PNG Power board chairman Sari Maso said unions would be in contempt of court 
if they went on strike and cut off power supplies.
Mara was suspended as chief executive after energy workers shut down power 
supplies in July, accusing him of failing to address their grievances over a 
new Enterprise Agreement that cut many of their allowances and entitlements.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1071126/asp/bengal/story_8593368.asp

Riot leader refused bail
Calcutta, Nov. 25: All India Minority Forum president Idris Ali has been 
remanded in police custody till November 28 and 29 by two courts in 
connection with Wednesday’s street riots here.
Ali, who has been expelled from the Congress in the wake of the violence and 
his defence of the “movement”, was arrested last evening on charges of 
attempt to murder, rioting, causing injury to police and public and damaging 
property.
He was first taken to Bankshall Court from the lock-up at the Lalbazar 
police headquarters and then to the Sealdah court as cases had been lodged 
against him at several police stations.
Members of the Congress-backed minority forum and the Milli Ittehad 
Parishad, an umbrella association of 12 Muslim organisations, demonstrated 
outside the court premises. They shouted slogans against Taslima and 
demanded Ali’s release.
Both courts rejected his bail pleas.
Congress leader Somen Mitra ruled out shielding the expelled leader, but 
blamed CPM supporters for the rioting. “Entally, which was the worst hit, is 
a CPM stronghold. The party has an MP, an MLA and even a councillor from 
there. I want the police to arrest the CPM supporters also,” he said.

http://in.news.yahoo.com/071124/48/6nncz.html

Kolkata Violence: AIMF President Idris Ali arrested

By IE
Saturday November 24, 07:47 PM
The President of All India Minority Forum Idris Ali, alleged to be behind 
the large-scale violence during a strike in Kolkata to press for revocation 
of visa for controversial Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen, was arrested 
on the charge of rioting .
Ali was charged with rioting, causing injury to police and public and 
damaging public property, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Detective 
Department) Vishal Garg said.
The Forum chairman was arrested by detective department sleuths near his 
residence on Ripon Lane in Central Kolkata, the epicentre of Wednesday's 
violence during the three-hour shutdown called by the organisation.
Following the violence, Taslima was packed off to Rajasthan the very next 
day.
The violence was controlled after West Bengal government called out the Army 
which conducted flag marches on the streets of Central Kolkata which 
witnessed large-scale violence and arson.
Large areas of Park Circus, Ripon street, Mouali, Mullick Bazar and adjacent 
areas had turned into a battlefield on that day leaving school children and 
office-goers stranded.
The state authorities had to clamp an eight-hour night curfew in 
violence-hit areas on Wednesday night the next day.
This was the first time since post-Babri Masjid demolition 1992 riots that 
the Army had been deployed on the streets of Kolkata.

http://news.webindia123.com/news/articles/India/20071218/851214.html

AIMF chief Idris Ali granted bail
Kolkata | Tuesday, Dec 18 2007 IST

Calcutta High Court today granted bail to All India Minority Forum chief 
Idris Ali, arrested three weeks back for rioting and other criminal 
offences.
A division bench, headed by Justice Amit Talukdar, admitted his bail plea 
and freed Mr Ali though the prosecution opposed the move.
'' He is expected to walk free from jail after 25 days of his arrest,'' Mr 
Ali's counsel, Sekhar Bose told UNI.
The High Court took up his plea for hearing after the lower courts rejected 
the petition.
Mr Ali was arrested from his central Kolkata residence after an irate crowd 
staged blockades at several places in the city's central part demanding 
cancellation of exiled Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen's visa in India 
and in protest against killing of anti-SEZ villagers in Nandigram.
The protest had sparked off violence that left dozens of demonstrators and 
some policcemen, including a senior official, wounded. The Army had been 
called out to quell the violence and curfew imposed as a precautionary 
measure.
Mr Ali was earlier granted bail by Chief Metropolitan Court and Sealdah 
court. He was confined in jail on a district court ruling on the charge of 
rioting and attempt to murder during a demonstration at Amdanga village in 
North 24-Parganas a few years back.

http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2007/12/13/2365/

Beaten by riot police Young Front leader in grave condition 7

11:30, — Politics

Young Front leader Zmiter Hvedaruk, who has been beaten recently, is still 
in grave condition. “Zmiter can speak now, but only in whisper. He can’t 
walk, because he is too weak and feels giddy. This morning he was X-rayed, 
as he has large bruise on his face, but, thanks God, he has no jaws and 
skull fractures,” Katsyaryna Galitskaya said to the Charter’97 press center.

The girl has been staying in the hospital № 9, where Zmiter Hvedaruk was 
taken to. He was brutally beaten during the demonstration “For Independent 
Belarus!” held in the Minsk center.

According to Katsyaryna, the doctors ordered not to let anybody in Zmiter’s 
ward.

Zmiter received a head and brain injury, an abdominal trauma and brain 
concussion. Besides, he had numerous hematomas. Yesterday's night Zmiter 
regained senses, but because of pain shock he didn’t feel fingers of his 
right hand. He can’t walk and complains of severe headache.

It should be reminded that during the rally “For Independent Belarus!” Minsk 
leader of the Young Front was beaten brutally twice: first time, when Zmiter 
was hoisting the huge Young Front flag, he was knocked down and beaten by 
the riot police. And the second time, when police pushed oppositionists out 
of the square, Zmiter carrying the flag, was stroke to the ground, policemen 
beat him at kidneys and head, stamped on him. When riot policemen tried to 
pick him up, Zmiter was already senseless. Then policemen said, “Take your 
man back” and went away. Common people, who saw that cruel offence, called 
for emergency.

Zmiter Hvedaruk is in the emergency department of hospital № 9 (Syamashka 
Str.) He is allowed visitors form 5 to 7 p.m. He will spend there at least 
10 days.

http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2007/12/19/2532/

Belarusian Helsinki Committee requests to bring to justice riot policemen 1

13:28, — Politics

The public association “Belarusian Helsinki Committee” demands to bring to 
account riot policemen who unjustifiably used force on December 12 during 
the rally “For independent Belarus!”

The Belarusian Helsinki Committee has addressed the general prosecutor’s 
office of Belarus with a request to carry out an investigation of the facts 
when policemen committed unlawful acts during disband of a peaceful rally on 
12. 12.12.07, to take steps to find the persons injured by the law 
enforcers, to bring up a criminal action on charges related Article 426 Part 
3 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus.

In line with the Law of the Republic f Belarus “On internal affairs 
 agencies” even in case of lawful act of force law enforcers are discharged 
from liability only in case if the inflicted harm is proportionate to the 
force of counteraction (Article 26 Part 4).

However according to testimony of witnesses and reports of mass media, the 
rally held on December 12 and brutally disbanded by policemen was totally 
peaceful. As a result of use of force by policemen, bodily harm was 
inflicted to several participants. The Young Front leader Zmitser Fedaruk 
was beaten up by policemen, hospitalized with a traumatic brain injury and 
abdomen injury to a hospital No. 9 in Minsk.

Law enforcers who used force against the participants of the rally, which 
caused traumas and bodily harm to them, have obviously transgress their 
rights and authority. Their actions were accompanied with violence over the 
injured party, prevented the latter from exercise of their constitutional 
rights. Human rights activists believe that these actions have elements 
essential to the offence under Article 426 Part 3 of the Criminal Code of 
Belarus.

The Belarusian Helsinki Committee believes that act of force by policemen 
against peaceful protesters and the rally disband were not justifiable, as 
citizens exercised their constitutional right for freedom of assembly, which 
is guaranteed by Article 35 of the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus. 
The importance to guarantee freedom of peaceful assemblies is based on 
international commitments of the Republic of Belarus, which are a part of 
the national legislation and are to be followed at the territory of Belarus.

Participants of the rally didn’t commit actions which would allow law 
enforcers thwart the rally under Article 23 of the Constitution. According 
to the Article 23 of the Constitution restriction of rights and freedoms of 
a person are allowed only in cases prescribed by the law, to the benefit of 
the national security, public order, defense of morality, health of the 
population, rights and freedoms of other persons. The fact of holding the 
meeting without a permission of relevant authorities as such does not mean 
that public order was violated, as actions of the protesters haven’t caused 
temporarily break in the normal functioning of organizations, enterprises, 
public transport and so on, haven’t damaged health, legal rights and 
interests of people. It means that policemen didn’t have a right to limit 
the freedom of assembly.

http://www.mmegi.bw/2007/December/Tuesday18/30.php

Police assault residents after riot?

ONALENNA MODIKWA
STAFF WRITER

SELEBI-PHIKWE: A beauty contest at a Rural Area Dweller (RAD) settlement 
degenerated into an ugly tussle between villagers who could not pay their 
way into the pageant and police officers.

 The incident occurred last Saturday night at Robelela, a RAD settlement for 
the Basarwa community, where the residents claim to have been "brutally 
assaulted" by the police.

Narrating the incident to Mmegi yesterday, one victim said as they milled 
outside the hall, two police officers approached him and ordered him in.

He said all of a sudden the officers started hitting him with their sticks 
(batons) on the stomach and back until he was rescued by an in-law who 
dragged him home.

Another victim said he was sleeping at his home when the police officers 
pounced, demanding to see his brother. "My brother was not around at the 
time so the officers started hitting me all over with their rifle butts."

The victim, who appeared to be in great pain, had stitches in his head and 
bandages on the elbows, face and neck. It is reported that the riot resulted 
in one of the victims who suffered a broken arm being admitted to 
Selebi-Phikwe hospital. It is also alleged that at some point the police 
officers even fired rubber bullets at the victims.

Makgesi Marata, who owns a farm in Robelela and whose employees fell victim 
of the riots, said what happened to his herd boy and others, should not go 
unpunished.
He said the law should take its course.

Marata added that such incidents require the intervention of organisations 
like Ditshwanelo, the Botswana Centre for Human Rights "because the victims 
cannot afford to engage private lawyers". He said though the state, through 
the police, is alleged to be wrong, the settlement's residents are happy 
with the professional assistance they got from Selebi-Phikwe police when 
they reported the matter.

Officer Commanding Superintendent Diana Marathe confirmed that a case of 
"riots at Robelela" had been reported to his office and that some of his 
officers had been dispatched to the settlement to investigate.

"Investigations are still ongoing but it has been reported that riots ensued 
during the beauty contest that was held in Robelela."

But Marathe stated that they are not investigating the police officers for 
the alleged assault but "what could have caused the riots and the causes of 
the injuries that some residents sustained".

http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=204028&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=30283

Gulf national is among riot suspects

  MANAMA

MANAMA: A Gulf national, who is accused of setting fire to garbage bins and 
hurling Molotov cocktails during the recent riots, is among 29 suspects 
detained, it was revealed last night.

Families of about 18 suspects taken into custody were given permission to 
visit them. However, relatives of those involved in stealing weapons from a 
police car before setting it on fire were denied permission, reports our 
sister paper Akhbar Al Khaleej. Meanwhile, the Public Prosecution has 
allowed a secondary school student, also arrested during the riots, to sit 
for exams.

http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=202340&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=30264

Riot suspects 'are innocent'
  By SARA SAMI
FAMILIES of six Bahraini youngsters, held in custody following a 
demonstration in Duraz, rallied yesterday outside the Public Prosecution 
building in the Diplomatic Area for their release.
The six, aged between 16 and 21, were said to have taken part in an illegal 
demonstration on Friday night.
"We had just finished from an anniversary ceremony held for the death of 
Shaikh Abdul Ameer Al Jamri, Bahrain's leading Shi'ite cleric and we were 
heading to buy dinner," father of one of the detainees Ali Mansoor Al Jamri 
told the GDN.
"I was waiting for my son to get the dinner, when suddenly the protesters 
passed by us."
"I wasn't sure what to do when riot police arrived at the scene and I tried 
to get my son, but police got to him first and took him in their custody.
"I went to the police officers and tried to explain the situation to them, 
but they did not listen to me and took him to the Budaiya Police Station.
"The police claim that they saw my son burning tyres during the protest.
Mr Al Jamri's son, 17-year-old Hussain, is currently held for questioning on 
charges of illegal gathering until further investigation.
Others include Hussain Abdul Jaleel Ebrahim, 17, Sayed Ahmed Sayed Majeed, 
17, Bassim Mohammed Abdulaziz, 16, and Abbas Abdul Hussain, 21.
The name of the seventh youth being held in custody was not available 
yesterday.
Layla Ahmed, mother of Sayed Ahmed, claimed that her son was at the wrong 
place and at the wrong time.
"I can't believe that they arrested him for accidentally being there at the 
wrong time," she said.
Ms Ahmed said her son was beginning his final exams tomorrow and has medical 
problems.
"We gave his medical reports to the prosecution in the hope of getting him 
released," she said.

http://www.polit.ru/event/2007/11/27/brokenhand.html

Riot police in St. Petersburg broke Gozman’s arm and promised to vote for 
the Union of Right Forces
During the March of dissenters in St. Petersburg on November 25th Boris 
Nemtsov, Nikita Belykh and Leonid Gozman were detained. While arresting the 
leaders of the
Union of Right Forces (SPS) on the Dvortsovaya Square policemen has broken 
Goizman an arm. In the result Goizman has his arm plastered, and Nemtsov and 
Belykh who are not injured, hold in Moscow a press conference and imparted 
details of the detainment to journalists.
Nikita Belykh was delivered to the 34th police station, Boris Nemtsov to 
that #16, and Goizman to the 79th. For a long time lawyers were not let to 
them, their mobile phones were seized. Although the officials of the St. 
Petersburg main internal affairs directorate (GUVD) deny that the detainment 
has had place, the leaders of the SPS showed journalists reports of the 
detainment. Belykh and Nemtsov argued that they would bring an action 
against the policemen. But it doesn’t concern officers of the 16th station. 
Nemtsov said that they had been responsible and quite correct. They asked 
for autographs, were photographed with him and promised to vote for SPS.
Leonid Goizman wasn’t in luck. SPS cites the statement of charge: “Took an 
active part in the illicit meeting. During the march attracted attention of 
citizens to political problems screaming out ‘Down with Putin!’ and in that 
way manifested his political views. Didn’t react on demands to cease his 
unlawful activity and continue violating the law. Put up active resistance, 
as a result law-enforcement officers had to use force. No special facilities 
have been used. ”
Leonid Goizman considers that against the policemen criminal proceedings 
should be initiated. “When I was detained we just walked along a sidewalk. 
We didn’t scream out any slogans, didn’t carry any posters. When the riot 
police appeared I didn’t offer any resistance. But in the result I got a 
fracture of the spoke bone and my dress was all torn”, told Goizman 
journalists on Monday.

In Moscow the march of dissenters was held a day before and the police also 
took an active part in it. The meeting was scattered, some participants and 
journalists were beaten and detained. The opposition leader Garry Kasparov 
must serve the five-day administrative jail sentence.
According to observers such a close attention of the officials to the 
opposition meetings provided the best publicity for the dissenters.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22880761-5005961,00.html

Seven convicted over deadly Tonga riot
Article from: Agence France-Presse
>From correspondents in Nuku'alofa, Tonga
December 06, 2007 02:59pm
SEVEN Tongans were found guilty today of charges related to last year's riot 
in the capital Nuku'alofa, which left eight people dead and razed much of 
the town centre.
Six were found guilty of a range of charges including riotous assembly and 
destruction of government and private property during the riot on November 
16, which followed a political rally.
A seventh was found guilty of attending a riotous meeting.
All will be sentenced in February.
Six of seven men were cleared of similar charges last month as trials to 
bring rioters to justice gathered pace.
About 150 businesses were displaced by the riot, in which buildings in the 
central business district were looted and set alight.
Among those destroyed were a supermarket owned by the family of Prime 
Minister Feleti Sevele and the offices of Shoreline, a company partly owned 
by King Siaosi Tupou V.
Five pro-reform legislators have been charged with sedition for their 
alleged role in the riot. They are not expected to go on trial until next 
year.
Activists are pressing for reform of the semi-feudal political system under 
which parliament is controlled by the king and nobility.
The Government has agreed to historic changes, which will see elected 
legislators control parliament from 2010, but activists want the reforms 
introduced by next year.