April 1
TAIWAN:
Murder of child fuels death penalty debate in Taiwan ---- Executing criminals
is not the answer, says Holy See representative
The apparent random beheading of a 4-year-old girl in Taipei by a stranger has
reignited the debate over Taiwan's use of the death penalty.
The young girl nicknamed "Little Light Bulb" was with her mother Claire Wang
who was cycling toward a metro station March 28 when a 33-year-old unemployed
man attacked her with a meat cleaver.
The suspect, Wang Ching-yu, has been taken into custody; police say he has a
history of drug abuse and mental illness.
The attack and widespread public outrage reignited the death penalty debate in
Taiwan, which has executed 32 criminals since 2010.
Much of the discussion has occurred online with many netizens endorsing the
country's use of the death penalty.
A digital image that included the words: "Support the death sentence for use
against killers who murder kids," received more than 230,000 shares on Facebook
in less than 24 hours. A Facebook page dedicated to the same theme received
more than 240,000 "likes" within a similar time period.
Many Taiwanese netizens also have accused death penalty opponents of ignoring
the security and safety of Taiwanese society.
The Facebook page Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty has been inundated
by messages from death sentence supporters upset over the child's horrific
murder.
The group even came under fire from a Kuomintang lawmaker, Yan Kuanheng, who
posted on Facebook: "Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty don't cover up
for all death penalty prisoners, especially child murderers!"
The group's chief executive Lin Hsinyi responded to death penalty supporters on
Facebook.
"I know everyone is sad and angry. But simply shouting at death penalty
opponents cannot solve the real problem," wrote Lin.
David Chiu, a Catholic in Taipei and death penalty opponent, said supporters of
capital punishment are reacting emotionally.
"People are now using the death penalty debate as a way to express their
emotions," Chiu told ucanews.com.
The outgoing Holy See representative in Taiwan, Msgr. Paul Russell, said he
regretted that he was not able to influence an anti-death penalty movement
during his term in office, which began in 2008.
"We have not succeeded in building a greater consensus for the abolishment of
the death penalty," Msgr. Russell said March 30.
"People will continue to commit very terrible crimes. We saw it couple of days
ago at the MRT in Taipei," he said. "But executing criminals is not the answer.
Pope Francis is very clear on this point."
As part of the Year of Mercy, Pope Francis in February called for a global
moratorium on the use of the death penalty.
Claire Wang, the mother of the young victim said on her Facebook account that
she does not want people to use her daughter's death to argue over the death
penalty.
"For me, it just my beloved one gone accidentally. I really want to peacefully
manage the things left behind," Wang wrote.
Talking to media, Wang also cautioned against using her daughter's murder as
fuel for political arguments, AFP reported.
Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan's president-elect, has said that if the death penalty is
to be abolished there needs to be a public consensus on the issue and a
well-thought-out and implemented policy. Taiwan had a moratorium on the death
penalty from 2006 to 2010.
(source: ucanews.com)
NIGERIA:
Death penalty on Boko Haram suspects could boomerang
A series of death sentences Boko Haram insurgents for their roles in the deadly
attacks that have claimed thousands of civilians have been hailed in Cameroon
as a breakthrough.
However, experts warn this could rebound badly in the wake of suggestions the
Nigerian Islamic militant sect could carry out reprisal attacks.
Recently, Cameroon sentenced to death more than 80 Boko Haram insurgents for
carrying out attacks in the country's Far North Region.
A military court in this region worst hit by the insurgency by the sect imposed
capital punishment on the 89 terrorists after finding them guilty of crimes
against humanity.
The judgment handed down on March 18 marked the most extreme implementation of
a controversial anti-terrorism law President Paul Biya promulgated in December
2014 in reaction to the merciless attacks the Boko Haram carried out in the
central African country.
The law specifies terrorist crimes as "actions likely to cause death, endanger
or damage the physical integrity of another, damage to the nation's natural
resources, environment or cultural heritage with the intent of intimidating the
population, provoking a situation of terror or forcing the victim, the
government and/or an organisation, national or international to accomplish or
abstain from accomplishing any act whatsoever, to adopt or renounce a
particular position, or to act according to certain principles."
It aims to punish "disturbing the normal functioning of the public services,
the provision of essential services to the population, or creating a situation
of crisis within the population and creating a general uprising in the
country."
The law prescribes the death penalty for "any activity which can lead to a
general revolt of the population or disturb the normal functioning of the
country" and for "anyone who supplies arms, war equipment, bacteria and viruses
with the intention of killing."
The death penalty also applies to people found guilty of kidnapping with
terrorist intent, as well as for "anyone who directly or indirectly finances
acts of terrorism" and for "anyone who recruits citizens with the aim of
carrying out acts of terrorism."
The law also punishes people and companies found guilty of promoting terrorist,
as well as people who give false testimony to administrative and judicial
authorities in matters of terrorism, with various fines and prison terms.
A military magistrate, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the convicts would
not be allowed to plea.
"The sentence is not subject to appeal," the magistrate said.
Recently, Chad executed 10 Boko Haram members convicted of acts of terrorism.
They were convicted over their roles in twin attacks on the capital in June,
which killed at least 38 people.
A month after the attack, Chad reintroduced the death penalty for escalating
acts of terror.
Cameroon and Chad form part of an 8,700 troops Multi-National Joint Task Force
set up by countries of the Lake Chad Region- also including Benin Niger and
Nigeria- to fight the terrorists.
Security experts nonetheless are worried the death sentence could create a
backlash from the lethal sect.
David Otto, Chief Executive Officer of the United Kingdom-based global security
provider, TGS Intelligence Consultants, Boko Haram would "surely react."
He mentioned the areas further south in Cameroon as vulnerable to reprisals.
"The government has no clue on the potential martyrdom effects this will
create. One must be reminded that no amount of punishment frightens a man who
is not afraid of death," warned Otto.
He said Cameroon "has weighed the cost benefit analysis of de-radicalisation
and reintegration into society and it has chosen the cheapest option, attaching
a legal justification on it."
"The government has to be careful not to draw Cameroon into a global jihadist
lens. I suspect we will see some attacks within the next 8 weeks."
Nigerian preventive terrorism expert, Temitope Olodo, concurred the death
sentence would increase the possibility of attacks.
"The use of the death sentence should be discouraged because it is not an
effective deterrent to violent extremism. The sentencing would rather motivate
the insurgent that encourage them to carry out more attacks against Cameroon in
the name of revenging the death of their falling comrade," Olodo said.
He added, "If members of Boko Haram view the 89 convicts as martyrs, then we
have a big hurdle to address in the future."
Cameroon's Communication Minister, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, appeared to justify
the capital punishment arguing Boko Haram has killed at least 1200 people in
Cameroon since 2013 when the terrorists started cross-border strikes in
Cameroon.
Boko Haram, whose reign of terror has split to neighbouring countries, aims to
institute Sharia, or Islamic law in Nigeria.
It has killed at least 20,000 people and displaced more than 2 million since
its insurgency began in Nigeria.
It is feared as the world's deadliest terrorist organisation.
(source: news24.com)
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