August 5
TRINIDAD:
Death row inmates on hunger strike
Death row prisoners have been on a hunger strike for the past three days
to protest inhumane living conditions, and they plan to continue doing so
for as long as it takes, it was learned yesterday.
Prisons Commissioner John Rougier has said however that he is unaware of
the strike and would "look into it" in the shortest possible time.
Attorneys representing some of the condemned killers confirmed that the
hunger strike was in progress, and said they were contemplating legal
action to force the prison authorities to address the situation.
The Express understands that the strike action had to do with changes
introduced by a senior officer at the prison, who was transferred there
about 3 months ago.
That officer reportedly cut back on food rations, reduced the time which
the prisoners had for airing and stopped certain prescriptions that had
been given by the Prison Medical Officer from being filled.
In a joint letter from 17 Death Row prisoners in one division of the Port
of Spain jail, the prisoners declared: "We will not desist from our course
until we are assured that our rights will be respected and there is
visible improvement. We are convicted of murder, yes. But we remain humans
and have decided to express our dissatisfaction..."
They included a list of their demands, which include airing for at least 3
times a week and reintroduction of a supply of fruits and vegetables.
They also want the Prison Medical Officer's recommendations for medication
and their diet be respected and fulfilled.
The letter stated that while prison rules state that Death Row inmates are
entitled to airing and sunlight once per week at the most, they are not
aired as regularly as inmates of the other classifications.
The prisoners also expressed dissatisfaction with their daily diet. They
claimed the senior officer, contrary to prison rules and medical advice,
removed vegetables, fruits, and fresh bread, from their menu.
Apart from the 17 prisoners who penned the letter, who are all on hunger
strike, it is understood that several other prisoners who are in other
divisions of the almost 85-member death row population have also gone on
the strike.
Very limited information was forthcoming as to the well-being of the
striking prisoners, apart from reports that they were "lying around in
their cells" and not communicating.
(source: Trinidad Express)
BURUNDI:
UN reports 34 summary executions in Burundi in July
The United Nations announced Thursday in Bujumbura that a total of 34
summary executions of civilians reportedly occurred in Burundi just in
July 2005.
Military observers at the United Nations Operation in Burundi (UNOB)
announced the figures.
The UN peace mission in Burundi currently has about 100 military observers
on human rights in 29 teams covering all the 17 provinces of the country.
The epicentre of human rights violations is in Bujumbura Rural, a province
west of the Burundian capital where the war between the government army
and the rebel National Liberation Front (FNL) is still ongoing.
Civilians were oftentimes killed after being accused of collaborating with
the enemy in the unending civil war in the province, UN sources added.
Ismail Diallo, head of the human rights protection unit at UNOB, used a
press conference here to criticise government forces for not facilitating
access and investigation work by UN military observer teams deployed on
the ground.
(source: Angola Press)
