|
7)
Security Chaos in Ramallah lead to the death of Ahlam Duqmaq
Where was the
responsibility of the PA and its security services?
On Saturday 1.7.00 at about 12:30 in the afternoon,
Raji Fares Saqer from Am’ari Camp used an illegally possessed personal
rifle to shoot and kill Ahlam Duqmaq (25 years) while she sat alone in her
father’s butcher shop in Ramallah lower town.
Al-Ayyam
daily newspaper 2.7.00
Governor: We’ve
detained the assailants and justice will find its way
Ramallah: A young
woman is killed in broad day light
Calm was restored in
the main streets of Ramallah and al-Bireh last night, following the mass
demonstrations that broke out after the killing of a young woman by gun
fire.
Governor of Ramallah
and al-Bireh District Mustafa Issa said in a press release that (all the
assailants were detained and an investigation into the crime is underway
so that justice may find its way based on the Palestinian judiciary). He
affirmed that the authority will punish anyone who threatens to people’s
lives and property.
In addition, efforts
were undertaken last night in order to restore calm in Ramallah after
the state of chaos that spread in the area after Ahlam Duqmaq was
killed, by three bullets shot at her by a young man, when she was in her
father’s butcher shop.
An eye-witness
said: (three young men arrived in a car to the Duqmad shop, one of them
went into the shop and we heard gun-fire, after the car left, I entered
the shop and found Ahlam on the floor with blood covering her head and
chest).
After the news of
the crime spread, there were demonstrations of anger and outrage during
which young men closed the streets and burnt car tires, closed shops and
damaged property (some restaurants were completely destroyed). Hundreds
of young men participated in those actions, following a call from the
“Fateh” movement in Ramallah and al-Bireh for protests against the
crime. The demonstrators called on security officers in the region to
resign because they were unable to protect citizens.
The Head of the
General Intelligence Service in the West Bank, Tawfiq al-Tirawi assured
the demonstrators that (the assailants would be punished).
According to
security sources, Ahlam Duqmaq was the victim of a dispute between her
brothers and the assailants, but she had nothing to do with their
business.
As a result of the killing many young men rampaged
through the streets of Ramallah and al-Bireh forcing shops to close and
burning tires and damaging some property.
The Palestinian community was shocked by
this crime, and the consequences that followed. Many people lost property
and were terrified by the demonstrations that lasted for several hours and
during which armed young men fired repeatedly into the air.
After she was shot, Ahlam was taken to
Ramallah government hospital where doctors tried unsuccessfully to save
her life. She passed away even before they could take her into the
operating room (according to Dr. Hosni ‘Atari Director of the hospital, in
al-Quds newspaper 2/7/00).
A general commercial strike dominated Ramallah and
al-Bireh for three days (Saturday 1/7 noon, until Tuesday 4/7/2000
morning) in protest against the killing. Signs of damage and riot were
present in the streets of the two twin cities.
Colonel Jibreel al-Rujoub, Head of the Preventive
Security Service in the West Bank declared on Tuesday 4/7/2000 that life
will return to normal starting Tuesday morning.
Al-Quds daily newspaper on 4/7/2000
Al-Rujoub: We took
the necessary measures, normal life will resume in Ramallah from today’s
morning. We’ll detain anyone who breaks the law.
Colonel Jibreel
al-Rujoub Head of the Preventive Security in the West Bank announced
that all necessary measures were taken to restore normal life in the
District of Ramallah and al-Bireh starting from this morning.
He added that the
Police will stand firm against any attempt to disturb natural life, and
will detain anyone who violates the law, including collecting all
illegal weapons.
He said: (all
scoundrels will be detained, and the rule of law will dominate in order
to maintain a healthy and stable atmosphere, and what the Palestinian
people deserve.)
He described the
situation in Ramallah and al-Bireh in the last three days as a “national
sorrow”. And affirmed that all national “structures” have to respect the
Authority and obey the law. He added that some individuals have abused
the law and crossed the red lines, and they will be punished.
He clarified that
all “evil members” of the society must be uprooted, and called for
national unity and evaluation of some practices and behavior of others
to learn the lessons for a better future.
Because of the security chaos and the mass
demonstrations that followed the killing of Ahlam Duqmaq, President Yasser
Arafat decided to refer the case to the State Security Court which was
convened rapidly on 3/7/00 after midnight, and issued its judgment of
death penalty for the first suspect Raji fares Saqer (29 years) and
imprisonment for the two other suspects, and the release of Walid brother
of the 1st suspect.
According to the testimonies of members of
the Duqmaq family, and the suspects, a dispute had been going on between
the Duqmaq family and the Saqer family, which started about one month
before the crime.
Al-Ayyam Arabic
Daily Newspaper 3.7.00
Ramallah: Killer of Ahlam Duqmaq gets Death penalty
The State Security Court issued today morning (at
dawn) a judgment of death penalty by hanging, against Raji Ibrahim
Saqer, 29 years, on the charge of intentionally killing the young woman
Ahlam Duqmaq, and imprisonment of 6 months for illegal possession of
weapons.
The court also sentenced Jamal Hasan Khalil
al-Azze (24 years) to 12 years imprisonment of hard labor, and 6 months
for illegal possession of weapons.
The court also ordered the release of Walid Fares
Ibrahim Saqer, but did not issue any decision regarding the 4th
suspect Ibrahim Fares Ibrahim Saqer (35 years) who currently is a
fugitive.
The court held its session late last night,
chairman of the court was judge Fathi Abu-Srour, with two members; judge
Ahmad al-Hindy and judge Ahmad Abu-Dayeh. The Defense lawyers were
Mahmoud Qaraen and Mohammed Iqab. The Prosecution was presented by
general Prosecutor Bassam Darwish, with the presence of Military
Attorney General Khaled al-Qidra, and some citizens.
A general commercial strike took place in Ramallah
and al-Bireh yesterday mourning the killing of Ahlam Duqmaq, and in
protest against the damage of many shops and property in the city.
On Saturday, many youngsters armed with guns,
rampaged through the streets of Ramallah and al-Bireh firing into shops
and in the air. This wave of vandalism was condemned and rejected by
many people and lawful organizations.
The newspaper added that there was protection
deployed by the security services on the Duqmaq family house prior to
the killing of the young woman.
One of Ahlam’s brothers, called Hammoudeh,
told the State Security Court that the first suspect, Raji Saqer, argued
with him and shot him in the town center (of Ramallah) with an automatic
machine gun, and he just escaped death, on the Friday afternoon before the
crime. He added: (I went after that to the General Intelligence office in
Ramallah and told them of the incident. Moreover, my mother called me and
said that Ibrahim Saqer (Raji’s brother) attacked the house with some of
his friends and opened fire at everything, and he beat Ahlam, and we
informed the police of that as well.)
Ahlam’s family refused to bury her body
“until her killer was buried first”, but after the judgment of the court,
around 3000 people participated in her funeral which took place on Monday
3/7/2000.
After the decisions of the court were
announced, violence clashes broke out between members of the National
Security Forces and young men from Am’ari camp who were protesting against
the judgments. During these clashes which 14 people were injured by
gunfire. Some young men also damaged the traffic lights, signs, and some
property on the main Ramallah-Jerusalem road outside Am’ari camp.
On Tuesday 4/7/2000, al-Ayyam daily
newspaper published a full report of the State security Court’s session
during which the main suspect, Raji Saqer, confessed to his crime.
Al-Ayyam
daily newspaper 4/7/2000
… and Raji explained
details of the crime to the court:
(We waited for the
Duqmaq family to solve the problem at the family level, especially after
they wounded my brother Nasser. I went with my friend Jamal the
following day in a black car and American license, I had my gun with me
and Jamal had an automatic M16 rifle, I was looking for one of their
family, I was very upset. I went to their butcher shop. I stopped the
car exactly in front of the shop window and got out while Jamal stayed
in the car)
Jamal denied that he
knew what Raji was after, he said:
(I thought we were
going on one of our normal rounds that we did almost every day)
Raji continued:
(Before entering the
shop I asked one citizen at the door if there was anyone inside, he said
there was no one in the shop. I entered the shop and did not see anyone
inside)
Raji confessed here
that he opened fire extensively at the shop window but insisted that he
did not realize there was someone inside it.
He added:
(I only wanted to
send a message to the Duqmaq family to urge them to apologize to my
brother, I only fired at the fridge and glass)
The main witness in
the case, Suleiman Jabarin 50 years, who specializes in selling sheep to
the butcher shop owner Matar Duqmaq (Ahlam’s father) said that he saw
Raji get off the car carrying his gun, so Jabarin asked him about that
and said there was no one in the shop.
The eyewitness
continued, after he pointed to the 1st suspect in the court:
(The suspect entered
the shop and we heard gun fire, then we saw him run out of the shop and
the car waiting for him left in a hurry)
Raji said that he
returned home to Am’ari camp with Jamal, and they were surprised when
they discovered that a young woman from the Duqmaq family was shot, and
he sent some of his friends to the hospital to check and see what
happened.
Although the suspect
claimed he shot at the shop from outside, the autopsy report affirmed
that Ahlam was shot at from very close range (from 30 cm maximum) two of
the bullets went through her body, this meant the killer intended to
kill his victim.
The court issued its
judgment of death against Raji, with 6 months imprisonment for
possession of an illegal weapon, and 12 years imprisonment against Jamal
al-Azze the 2nd suspect.
Outrage…and
Reactions:
Many statements and communiqués were issued
and distributed by different national groups, personalities and
organizations condemning the wave of violence, damage, and gunfire that
took place in Ramallah.
Al-Quds
daily newspaper, 11/7/2000
Committee of Monitoring and Human Rights in
the Palestinian Legislative Council discussed in its weekly meeting in
Gaza the incidents that occurred recently in Ramallah. Qaddoura Fares,
Head of the Committee affirmed the priority of the rule of the law, and
the need to take the appropriate measures against anyone who violates the
law. He said that the Palestinian police must be the only party
responsible for detaining citizens and implementing the law.
Al-Istiqlal
weekly newspaper, 6/7/2000
Member of the
Legislative Council, Marwan al-Barghouthi, who is also a senior official
in “Fateh” movement, criticized the security services for not dealing
firmly with the incident that occurred, before it developed into serious
violence that resulted in the killing of an innocent victim.
He added:
(Individuals should
not be left free with weapons in their hands to terrorize people. Such
persons must be punished because lives of people are valuable)
This case was also
discussed in the meetings of the Palestinian National Council in Gaza,
during which Abdel-Jawad Saleh described the actions of gun fire that
took place in Ramallah as “live practice for a local combat” like the
internal wars that happened in Amman and Beirut.
Business men spoke
about the damage that occured which probably cost millions of Shekels.
Ahlam’s
mother: (I want him hanged, his soul for her soul)
At last Ahlam’s mother spoke. She said in
deep sorrow:
(I demand that he “Raji, the 1st
suspect” be hanged because he killed my daughter. His soul for her soul.
This killer achieved what he wanted, because the day before the crime he
came at noon to the house and I was alone. He shot more than 18 bullets in
front of all the neighbors)
One of Ahlam’s sisters said:
(We are Moslems, and Islam says “the killer
must be killed”)
Ahlam’s father said:
(I never heard of such a savage crime in my
life, the judgement ‘death penalty’ must be executed)
The PHRMG strongly condemns the crime, and
states that:
1) Referring the case to the State Security
Court was inappropriate and unlawful. Such cases must be dealt with by the
civil judiciary which has sole jurisdiction over such crimes.
2) The spread and use of illegal weapons by young
men as demonstrated by what happened before, during and after the crime
and the failure to deal with such serious phenomena firmly and rapidly
eventually will lead to having a security chaos rather than the rule of
civil law.
3) The Palestinian Security Services did
not carry out their duties effectively. They failed to protect citizens or
their property throughout all phases of the case. We must emphasize that
two members of the Duqmaq family notified the Authority of the threats
imposed on them;
Buthaina, Ahlam’s sister who is an attorney,
informed President Arafat personally, and Hammouda, Ahlam’s brother,
reported Raji’s attempt to kill him to the General Intelligence.
4) The Palestinian police did not intervene
to stop groups of young men from damaging property or from spreading
terror in the streets of Ramallah and al-Bireh. Such violations must be
dealt with firmly by the police.
The PHRMG once again demands:
1) The abolition of State Security Courts because
they are illegal and fail to provide the guarantees of defense and allow
for no appeal of their decisions.
2) Canceling the judgment of death penalty
issued by the State Security Court in this case, and referring the case to
a civil court which has jurisdiction over such cases.
3) Efforts be deployed to assure the rule
of law among all citizens with no favoritism.
4) careful firmness in monitoring the
possession of weapons in all circumstances and by all citizens, and
punishment of those who violate those laws.
Annex 1
A
statement by the Council of Palestinian Human Rights Organizations
Following a series of savage crimes, the last of
which was the cold blooded murder of Ahlam Duqmaq, 25, while she sat in
her father’s butcher shop on 1/7/2000 and the accompanying protests and
violence against people and property and the terrorizing of the populace
by some individuals, we assert unequivocally, that these harmful and
destructive occurrences would not have taken place if the PA had worked
to implement the principle of the rule of law, to punish those found to
violate it after a fair judicial hearing, to fight corruption, and to
allow the institutions of civil society to play their vital social role.
The Council of Palestinian Human Rights
Organization declares that:
1)
The human rights organizations have on numerous occasions warned
of the state of chaos and instability resulting from the absence of
law. What happened in Ramallah and al-Bireh was a natural result of the
deteriorating security situation and the failure of the Authority to
protect its citizens and to pursue those who violate the law.
2)
The cold-blooded murder of an innocent citizen and the resulting
violence and damage indicates the gravity of the dangerous situation
that could lead to a social explosion.
3)
The seriousness of this crime, however, is no excuse for
referring it to a State Security. These courts are illegal and do not
provide the basic assurances of a free and fair trial, an aggressive
defense, or the right of appeal. They also represent an illegitimate
infringement upon the civil system.
4)
We demand that those who commit such crimes be punished
regardless of their family connections or political affiliation.
Annex 2
An explanatory
statement from the family
Of martyr Ahlam
Duqmaq
7/7/2000
Following the sad
incidents that recently occurred were caused by irresponsible
individuals from outside the national community, that led to the death
of Ahlam, we wish firstly to express our deep appreciation and gratitude
to all the national, social and political forces and organizations that
expressed their condemnation of the sad crime, we also express our
thanks and gratitude to President Arafat for his concern and for taking
immediate measures against the killer.
We wish to clarify
that we have committed ourselves to the instructions of President Arafat
in order not to leave any chance for those ill-minded persons to stir
internal dispute. We affirm that we will not accept any family or
“tribal like” reconciliation, and demand the execution of the death
penalty judgment.
|
