Author: DAVAO TODAY

Thailand: Government-Backed Militias Enflame Violence
Abuses and Impunity Fuels Reprisal Attacks in the South

(London, April 18, 2007) ? The Thai government?s growing reliance on abusive militias for security as it fights a growing insurgency in the southern provinces places civilians at increasing risk, Human Rights Watch said today.

On April 9, government-backed village defense volunteers in Ban Pakdi village of Yala province?s Ban Nang Sta district fired on a crowd of Muslim funeral goers, killing four students and injuring at least five other people. The incident occurred after Unit 4202 of the Army rangers, an army-trained and equipped paramilitary force, fired on a civilian vehicle in Ban Ta Seh village of Yala?s Muang district on March 9, killing Abukari Kasoh, a 15-year-old student, and seriously wounding his brother-in-law, Afandi Pohma.

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News Release Issued by the International Secretariat of Amnesty International
17 April 2007

Make Some Noise: Corinne Bailey Rae to release single from forthcoming album for Amnesty International
Corinne Bailey Rae is set to release the second single from the forthcoming Make Some Noise album for Amnesty International. Her version of John Lennon’s ‘I’m Losing You’, from Lennon’s 1980 album Double Fantasy, will be released on 23rd April.

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News Release Issued by the International Secretariat of Amnesty International
17 April 2007

Make Some Noise: Corinne Bailey Rae to release single from forthcoming album for Amnesty International
Corinne Bailey Rae is set to release the second single from the forthcoming Make Some Noise album for Amnesty International. Her version of John Lennon’s ‘I’m Losing You’, from Lennon’s 1980 album Double Fantasy, will be released on 23rd April.

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News Release Issued by the International Secretariat of Amnesty International
17 April 2007

Pakistan/South Africa: Khalid Mehmood Rashid appears after 18 months of secret detention

Amnesty International today received information from Pakistan sources that Khalid Mehmood Rashid, who disappeared after being handed over by South African government officials to agents of the Pakistan Government on 6 November 2005, appeared before the “Federal Review Board” in the Supreme Court Building in Islamabad on 12 April 2007.

Although the authorities reportedly have been ordered to transfer him to a prison in Rawalpindi and allow him access to his family and medical care, Mr Rashid was still in the custody of the Inter-services Intelligence [ISI] on 16 April.

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