In this week’s review, news about the passing of Khmer Rouge Tribunal convict Nuon Chea, the Gambian Truth and Reconciliation and Reparations Commission, and possible ethnic cleansing and human rights violations in Kashmir
ECCC Accused in Case 002/01 and Case 002/02, Nuon Chea, passes away
Nuon Chea, the former Cambodian Khmer Rouge deputy leader, also known as Brother Number Two, passed away on 4 August 2019. Nuon Chea was appointed Deputy Secretary of the Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK) in 1960 and served as Pol Pot’s deputy in the 1975-79 regime whose rule resulted in the deaths of approximately 2 million Cambodians from a combination of starvation, disease, overwork and execution. Nuon Chea was indicted and sent to trial for crimes against humanity, grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions and genocide. He was found guilty of crimes against humanity by the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) in 2014 and in 2018 he was found guilty of genocide. He was sentenced to life in prison for both convictions. (BBC News, Reuters UK)
The Gambia to release three self-confessed hitmen under Jammeh’s rule-following TRRC testimony
Three former members of the Gambia’s paramilitary organisation are due to be released following their confessions before the national Truth and Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC). During the regime of the Gambia’s former ruler Yahya Jammeh, Malick Jatta, Omar Jallow and Amadou Badjie belonged to the so-called Junglers unit. Following the creation of the TRRC, they were among six squad members arrested in 2017. Last month, they confessed to the alleged crimes including the murder and torture of several civilians and journalists. While they have not been released yet, their pending release sparked an outcry in the Gambia, especially from victims. The Minister of Justice defended the decision, hoping the move will encourage more confessions and contribute to societal healing. At the same time, he clarified that the decision should not by any means be understood as granting them amnesty. The decision of whether to prosecute the men lies within the competence of the TRRC. The TRRC was not vested with a mandate to prosecute. Instead, it was tasked with fact-finding, and its mandate also includes making recommendations of whom to prosecute. However, it shall identify those who bear the greatest responsibility for human rights violations. (BBC, The Voice Newspaper Gambia)
Fears of Ethnic Cleansing in Kashmir Following India’s Revocation of Region’s Special Status
Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Imran Khan, has expressed fears that India may carry out ethnic cleansing in Kashmir, following India’s decision to revoke the territory’s special status and divide it in two. Kashmir has held special status since 1954, which granted it a degree of autonomy from India that many Kashmiris consider necessary to protect their interests as India’s only Muslim-majority state. The Secretary-General of the ICJ has said that the changes violate India’s constitution and international law and jeopardise the right of Kashmiris to be adequately represented. India announced the changes in the midst of a communications blackout in Kashmir and there are reports of a heavy security presence in the streets. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has reported human rights violations in Kashmir throughout 2018 and 2019, including unlawful killings, enforced disappearances and torture, and has called for the Indian government to “fully respect the right of self-determination of the people of Kashmir as protected under international law.” (The Guardian, ICJ)
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