BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
Two victories in a row for war crime victims!
For the first time in the history of BiH, two victims of wartime sexual violence have been awarded compensation for the pain they went through.
A historic victory was attained for the first time on June 24. Less than a week later, another victim of rape obtained justice. In both cases, the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina condemned the perpetrators to several years in prison. They were also asked to pay monetary compensation to the victims, which is a first.
Both victims, who had been waiting for justice for more than 20 years, eventually turned to TRIAL for help. The NGO offered them legal assistance and urged legal institutions to take action, which led to further investigations, indictments and finally, to these two landmark rulings.
Many women were raped or submitted to other forms of sexual violence during the Bosnian war. The numbers are staggeringly high, ranging from 20,000 to 50,000. Courts in BiH have already prosecuted and sentenced several war criminals for sexual violence. However, no victim had ever obtained compensation as a result of criminal procedures before.
It appears that the fight for victim’s rights has finally commenced in BiH. We hope that these decisions will pave the way towards greater justice for the thousands of war crime survivors who are still waiting for redress.
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NEPAL
When a disaster exacerbates another
The earthquakes which recently shook Nepal had disastrous consequences on its inhabitants. For the victims of grave violations and their next of kin, the disaster only exacerbated already strenuous living conditions.
The victims with whom TRIAL works in Nepal are all safe, but their burden is heavier than it has ever been. Hom Bahadur Bagale attests:
“I worked with the Nepalese police before being fired and tortured for daring to challenge an order. Since then, I have been unemployed but I do all I can to feed my family and recover from the trauma that I was subjected to. The earthquake only worsened our plight.”
Ram Maya Nakarmi is the sole caregiver for her children since her husband went missing when the Nepalese police took him away during the civil war: “The hardships that the earthquake triggered would have been less consequential if I had not been so poor and if I had a plot of land. I would have built a temporary shelter instead of seeking refuge in our neighbour’s field.”
Victims of human rights violations do not only suffer from the blatant absence of justice, but also from the lack of financial support in the aftermath of the quake. It is time for the Nepalese authorities to engage in softening the blow of these successive afflictions.
Discover the testimonies of Bagale et Nakarmi on Storify
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BURUNDI
The crisis explained by Bob Rugurika
As presidential elections are due to take place on 30 July, Burundian media and opponents to Pierre Nkurunziza’s third mandate are held on a tighter leash than ever.
Bob Rugurika, Head of Radio Publique Africaine (RPA) is amongst them. During a visit in Geneva, he has explained the current crisis to TRIAL and shared his hopes for the future of the country.
Although threats to his safety have forced him into exile, Bob Rugurika continues his work as a journalist and documents from abroad the violence committed in Burundi. “We hear of many political opponents being arrested, and the number of extrajudicial killings is increasing”, he reports.
Contrary to the government’s claim, the crisis is not of ethnical, but of political nature according to Rugurika: “(…) the power in place is trying to divide to rule, it stirs up ethnical differences on a purely electoral purpose”. The journalist also denounces State violence.
What can be done against impunity when the State apparatus itself is the main culprit? Rugurika believes the international community oughts to intervene to re-establish the rule of law in Burundi. According to him, there is also a need “to implement sanction mechanisms against the perpetrators”.
Read the whole interview (in French)
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DRC
Documenting crimes of sexual violence to fight them better
Caught in the crossfire of the wars plaguing the region, the civilian populations of eastern DRC continue to bear the brunt of a violence without a name.
In the space of 20 years, tens of thousands of women, men, boys and girls have been the target of rape and sexual violence. Perpetrated by State forces as well as the numerous armed groups scattered over the territory, these despicable acts often go unpunished.
The feeling of shame, the fear of stigma and threats often force victims of rape and sexual violence to remain silent, while protection and security concerns discourage them from seeking legal assistance.
In June 2015, TRIAL trained 35 human rights defenders to document crimes of sexual violence. The aim is to help South Kivu NGO representatives provide victims with an effective means of accessing justice.
During three days of intense discussions, key actors of the civil society were provided training to improve their knowledge of documentation and to prepare and conduct interviews with survivors. The coming months will be dedicated to documenting actual cases of sexual violence.
Documenting the violence endured will not only empower victims, but also facilitate the prosecution of perpetrators of these unspeakable crimes and so help fight against impunity.
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BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
Remembering Srebrenica
Saliha Osmanović lost all taste for life when her husband Ramo and son Nermin were slain at Srebrenica 20 years ago.
It is in her village that the worst massacre since the end of World War II took place. During the month of July 1995, more than 8,000 Bosnian men and boys were killed by the Serbian nationalist forces. Ramo and Nermin were among the executed.
“The remains of Ramo and Nermin were eventually found in mass graves, and I buried them in 2008 at the Potocari Memorial Centre. […] July 11th is always a particularly difficult day for me. It reminds me that the world was watching then, but it failed us.”
On 11 July 2015, the 20th anniversary of the genocide of Srebrenica was commemorated. 20 years have gone by, but the mourning is unending for the victims’ families which still have to bury their dead. Each year, more mass graves are discovered and corpses exhumed, identified and buried again. This year, 136 victims were reinterred at the Memorial Centre of Potocari in Srebrenica.
It is to honour the victims and their loved ones that commemoration of the genocide takes place each year, and in order not to forget the crimes that were committed. At a time when the world is torn by wars, rekindling the memory of Srebrenica is more important than ever.
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More info
#Justicematters to you? Share your statement!
This Friday 17 July marks the day of International Criminal Justice. On this occasion, the International Criminal Court is launching its #justicematters campaign on social media. Interested in participating? Take a piece of paper, write down a few words on why justice matters to you, take a picture of yourself with the reply and post it on the Court’s Facebook page. Join the movement!
Providing training to Nepalese lawyers
This month TRIAL will hold, in partnership with the Kathmandu School of Law (KSL), a coaching session for Nepalese lawyers. During four days that promise to be fruitful, themes such as crimes under international law, Nepalese criminal procedure, the documentation of international crimes or the responsibility of the State will be addressed.
... and Congolese lawyers
How can we prove that an international crime has been commited ? and demonstrate the State’s responsibility for sexual violence and murder ? What are the ways to protect victims and witnesses ? During a training session that took place end of June 2015, TRIAL has tackled those issues with eight lawyers from Bukavu.
Advocating for justice in Burundi
On the occasion of Bob Rugurika's visit to Geneva, TRIAL has carried out a number of advocacy activities before the United Nations.
Don't miss our next Newsletter in September!
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