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Author Archives: Mac Hamilton

Stateless People: The Banyamulenge of Eastern Congo

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By Katy Lindquist, Central Africa Conflict Education Coordinator

This is the first in a series of posts highlighting cases of statelessness throughout the world. Click here for more information about the series.

The Banyamulenge are a stateless people from South Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the Congo-Rwanda border. The marginalization and displacement of the Banyamulenge, a Tutsi minority group, from their home in eastern Congo has led to decades of violence in the region. The Banyamulenge have faced extreme processes of marginalization due to complex historical struggles, political motivations from both inside and outside the Congo, surrounding catastrophes in central Africa, and a lack of coherent leadership and organization from the Banyamulenge themselves. The Banyamulenge have continually exercised a remarkable amount of agency and have refused to occupy the “victim” role that is often prescribed to them.

Sources diverge on when the Banyamulenge migrated to the area now known as South Kivu in the DRC from Rwanda, but the general consensus is that the first original migration took place in the late nineteenth century. Differing cultural traditions and lifestyles differentiated the Banyamulenge from their Congolese neighbors from the time of their first arrival in Congo. Belgian colonization emphasized this stratification. The Belgians manipulated ethnicity to organize and remodel administrative units in the Congo. With Belgian favor clearly given to other larger ethnic communities in South Kivu, the Banyamulenge found themselves divided and dispersed through the South Kivu province with little control over their political situation. After independence in 1960, Mobutu Sese Seko, president of the DRC from 1965 to 1997, continually constructed and reconstructed the ethnicity of the Banyamulenge in order to gain greater political power. Mobutu showed favor to the Banyamulenge during the beginning of his term. However, during the 1980s, as ethnic tensions between Hutu and Tutsi in Rwanda and Burundi began to rise, then so did tensions about about the Banyamulenge’s place in South Kivu. Because of the influx of refugees from the Rwandan and Burundian genocides in 1994 and 1995, the citizenship of the Banyamulenge was violently contested.

From the beginning of the 1990s, many Banyamulenge youth crossed the border into Rwanda to enroll in RPF (Rwandan Patriotic Front) training camps. As the attacks on the Banyamulenge community became increasingly violent in 1993, more and more Banyamulenge joined forces with the RPF. In July 1996, the first confrontation between RPF-trained Banyamulenge troops (that would later evolve into the AFDL) and the Congolese troops took place. After this first confrontation, the 1996 Banyamulenge rebellion took off. Banyamulenge troops began attacking and taking over major Congolese cities such as Bukavu, Goma, and Uvira. Thousands were killed, including many Banyamulenge soldiers, along the way. Ultimately the “First Congo War,” which began as a small rebellion by the Banyamulenge to regain citizenship rights, ended with the overthrow of Mobutu, thousands of dead Banyamulenge, and a Rwandan political presence that that continues today, visible in M23 actions in eastern Congo.

By the time Kabila took power in late 1997, Rwanda’s presence in Eastern Congo had become very powerful. To respond, he expelled all foreign troops from the Congo in July 1998. Because of their alliance with Rwanda in the 1996 AFDL rebellion, the Banyamulenge had virtually ostracized themselves from the rest of Congolese society. Their only ally was the powerful and self-interested Rwanda. In a forced alliance with the RPF, the Banyamulenge helped launch a second rebellion in Eastern Congo on August 2, 1998 in an attempt to regain footing within Congo. In addition to the growing gap between the Banyamulenge and the rest of Congolese society, the rebellion caused deep rifts within the Banyamulenge community.

Following the conclusion of the Second Congo War, many Banyamulenge fled from Congo. When the Congolese government revoked citizenship from the Banyamulenge in October of 1996 following the violence of the Second Congo War, this resolution was enforced. Many Banyamulenge found themselves in refugee camps in Rwanda and Burundi. Even in refugee camps, the Banyamulenge did not find safety. In 2004, a group of Hutu extremists brutally attacked an unarmed group of Banyamulenge residents of the Gatumba Refugee Camp in Burundi, near the Congolese border, killing 152 and injuring 107. Similar stories of attacks on Banyamulenge in refugee camps are common. Banyamulenge refugees often moved from camp to camp in an effort to find more security. Since 2000, many Banyamulenge survivors have been relocated to the United States. The largest group of Banyamulenge refugees is found in Portland, Maine.

Though the Banyamulenge have direct ties to the M23 through their involvement in Rwandan backed rebel movements in the past, M23 has had difficulties recruiting from the Banyamulenge community. There are only a few relatively unknown Banyamulenge officers in the M23 and a few senior Banyamulenge who had been in the CNDP (National Congress for the Defence of the People) are quite dismissive of the M23. However, as the M23 gains greater political power in the region (as exhibited through the recent capture of Goma in North Kivu), greater participation of the Banyamulenge in the movement is increasingly likely.

The history of the Banyamulenge in many ways reflects the larger history of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Banyamulenge, an extremely small minority group in eastern Congo, have played central roles in the politics of both Mobutu and Laurent Kabila. Time and time again, the Banyamulenge have attempted to improve their livelihood in the face of extreme processes of manipulation, discrimination, and violence. Though there are few Banyamulenge left in eastern Congo, their presence around the world has not been ignored. The thriving diaspora in Maine has built numerous churches and has mutually reshaped both Banyamulenge and Maine culture. Last year, the Banyamulenge diaspora in Portland held a national convention for diaspora members across the United States. In fact, one of the diaspora members from Portland is a very good friend of mine who is studying to be an engineer at Colby College. He hopes to return to Central Africa one day to join his family and friends in rebuilding a new and free life in Congo. The Banyamulenge may be “stateless,” but their remarkable history of agency and their belief in a life free of discrimination and marginalization has already led to the remaking and reshaping of new homes around the world.

Stateless People and their Discontents

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Article 15 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that, “Everyone has the right to a nationality,” and, “No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his [or her] nationality nor denied the right to change his [or her] nationality.”

This tenet is particularly important because citizenship entitles people to legal protections, and civil and political rights of a state. Increasingly, more people are without these rights. Statelessness can happen for a variety of reasons, including the transfer of territory, marriage laws, administrative practices, discrimination, lack of birth registration, denationalization, or renunciation. Forced displacement, an issue often caused by mass atrocities, makes people particularly vulnerable to statelessness.

The issue of statelessness is rapidly becoming more urgent–in the course of 2006, the number of stateless people climbed from 2.4 million to 5.8 million people. Using looser criteria, the United Nations’ High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) says the number may be more like 15 million.

A 2007 publication by the UNHCR highlights cases of statelessness, including those in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, DR Congo, the Gulf states, and the former Soviet Union, and women made stateless because of marriage laws. Over the next month, STAND will be highlighting cases of statelessness in DR Congo, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Laos, and Burma, delving into those rendered stateless and the rights they have been deprived of due to their lack of nationality. Many of these cases have led to allegations of mass atrocities or occurred in the aftermath of mass atrocities, which will be further discussed in the series.

How does statelessness increase a group’s chances of being targeted for mass atrocities? Much of it has to do with the conditions under which someone becomes stateless — statelessness, like genocide and mass atrocities, can be used as a tool by a government or other political or armed group to maintain control over an area or population. States may take away citizenship or other rights when someone has spoken out against them, when there are land-sharing issues, or when there are a lack of resources to sustain a population–among many other reasons. We hope you’ll join us to learn more about this issue and the people it affects worldwide.

If you are interested in writing a post on another case of statelessness, please write to the STAND Education Team at education@standnow.org.

“Nya:Weh Sgeno,” Thanks for Being

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By Jamie Sullivan, STAND alum

My father is Seneca, one of the five nations of the Haudenosaunee (more commonly referred to as Iroquois). He left when I was ten months old. We met once in 2007. I’ve met the rest of my Seneca family members several times since. My mother is Irish and Italian.

My mother’s family celebrates Thanksgiving every year. It’s one of the few times out of the year that almost the whole family gets together. Up until this year, I’ve hesitantly partaken in celebrating Thanksgiving with them because I love my family and enjoy seeing them. The delicious food never hurt my decision either!

When STAND called on me to ask my family to sign petitions to end the genocide in Darfur, I participated. I did so out of love, anger, and frustration for all people who have been affected by genocide–myself and my Seneca family included.
I grew up in Western Massachusetts, most recently living in Amherst. Amherst was named after Jeffery Amherst, a man who supported the deliverance of smallpox-infested blankets and handkerchiefs to Seneca people, saying he would support any “other method that can serve to Extirpate this Execrable Race.” Not only is the town named after Amherst, but Amherst College’s mascot is still “Lord Jeffrey Amherst,” and businesses in the town such as the Lord Jeffery Inn, memorialize his name. The effects of his attempted genocide still impact us today. There are only about 8,000 tribal members, with only about 200 who can speak Seneca fluently.

The history of devastation by genocidal acts, racism, sexual violence, appropriation, and oppression continues to affect Seneca, and indeed all, Native people every day.

The psychological trauma of genocide affects families intergenerationally. The United States government has treated Native peoples deplorably: treaties are not upheld, Native women are 2.5 times more likely to be sexually violated by mainly white perpetrators and systematically receive little legal help, Natives have been forcibly sterilized, relocated, unjustly incarcerated, and culturally assimilated. This list is by no means complete. Due to these collective and repeated traumas, Native people suffer from a range of physical and psychological problems such as pervasive alcoholism, drug abuse, lowered life expectancy, and more. Yet we are still here. It is best to go to the MAT rehab LA to put an end to this mental trauma and addiction as it slowly degrades the quality of our life day by day.

Last week I moved to Maryland, about 400 miles away from my mother’s family and far from “the rez” in New York. For the first time in my life, I don’t feel forced to celebrate yet another holiday commemorating the genocide of Native Americans. Of course, there’s still a societal pressure to run out to the grocery store and get a turkey. To wear a racist headdress and insight more hatred by perpetuating Native American stereotypes (such as recent actions by Senator Scott Brown’s staffers). My family and friends were shocked when I told them I don’t have anything planned for Thanksgiving. It’s hard to explain to my mainly white family and friends that I’m sick of the implicit and explicit racism that Thanksgiving symbolizes and perpetuates.

There are several theories on how to go about altering the celebratory racism of American culture that is highlighted during Thanksgiving. Some of my Seneca family celebrate Thanksgiving. Other “Indians,” like myself and my father, do not celebrate, or do so regretfully. Some Indian rights activists resist holidays like Columbus Day and Thanksgiving by protesting and proposing the renaming of the day (e.g., First Peoples Day or National Day of Mourning).

Indians and non-Indians alike have different reasons as to why we do or do not participate in inhumane holidays like Thanksgiving. For me, I plan on mourning the loss of the lives, culture, and rights of the Seneca people. I will mourn the loss of all tribes and indigenous peoples who have been affected by US imperialism. Yet I will also celebrate the continued existence and resilience of indigenous survivors in the face of genocide and oppression. I will read the Thanksgiving Address that my father wrote out for me in the Seneca language. To echo the words of the Seneca people: “Nya:Weh Sgeno.” Thanks for being.

STAND Responds to President Obama’s Burma Visit

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By Alex Colley Hart, Burma Education Coordinator

On Monday, November 19, President Barack Obama will become the first ever sitting U.S. president to visit Burma. The U.S. has been a staunch critic of the military junta, which has ruled the country for much of the past 50 years and committed numerous human rights violations. Such violations include the use of forced labor, child soldiers, sexual assault, and torture, mainly against the country’s minority ethnic nationalities. However, in the past two years Burma has undertaken numerous democratic reforms and opened itself up to the world. The U.S. has responded to these reforms by re-establishing diplomatic ties and easing economic sanctions. Obama’s visit comes just a year after a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

STAND acknowledges President Obama’s trip as an important opportunity for constructive engagement between the two governments, but expects the President to use the trip to directly address an area of great humanitarian importance: the ongoing mass violence against the Rohingya in Rakhine State.

The Rohingya are stateless peoples that have been referred to by the United Nations as the world’s most persecuted minority. There are as many as 800,000 Rohingya in western Burma, all of whom are considered illegal migrants. The Rohingya are not allowed to travel without official permission, banned from owning land, prohibited from having more than two children, used for forced labor, denied access to public education and healthcare, and forced to live in camps. Additionally, recent conflict between the mostly Muslim Rohingya and mostly Buddhist Rakhine has drastically increased the suffering in the region. To date, over 110,000 people have been displaced as a result of the conflict.

STAND urges President Obama to examine the violence in Rakhine State with the Myanmar government. Specifically, President Obama should:

  • Pressure the government to repeal the 1982 citizenship law, which denies citizenship and, consequently, many rights to the Rohingya;
  • Urge the government to allow unhindered humanitarian and media access in all parts of the country, particularly in areas of conflict like Rakhine State; and
  • Advocate for deployment of UN observers to Rakhine state to monitor the ongoing degradation of the rights of the Rohingya.

No people, regardless of their ethnicity, should be denied their basic human rights. It is important that President Obama emphasize to the Myanmar government that its reaction to the conflict in Rakhine State, and specifically its treatment of the Rohingya, will indicate the genuine nature of Burma’s recent democratic reforms, and thereby determine the future of US-Burma relations.

What are YOUR thoughts on President Obama’s visit to Burma? Is it an opportunity for constructive engagement, or a premature reward to a government that still perpetuates numerous human rights violations? What should the President say and do while in Burma? Join the conversation on our Facebook page, or Tweet @standnow with your thoughts.

 

Weekly News Brief 11/08/12

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SUDAN

On Monday, November 5, the government of Sudan was condemned for ‘arresting and summarily executing 16 civilians of the Nuba tribe.’ According to Arnu Ngutulu Lodi, spokesman of the (SPLM-N), the government executed the civilians because they were ‘suspected to be SPLM/A-N supporters’. Paramount chief Adam Juju and his brother Abdalla Juju had been targeted since the May 2011 elections, ‘because of their ethnic background’ and support for the SPLM-N candidate. South Kordofan governor, Ahmed Mohamed Harun, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur, is considered the mastermind behind the killing of members of the Nuba tribe.

Meanwhile the family of journalist Somaya Ismail Ibrahim Handoussa, has launched a criminal investigation into the activities of the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS). Handoussa’s body was found “dumped in the outskirts of Khartoum north (Bahri) with a shaved head, clearly showing signs of torture, psychological and physical exhaustion.” She had worked for several Sudanese newspapers including al-Sahafa. She reportedly disappeared from her family home on the evening of October 29, when she was arrested by seven NISS officers and taken to one of the ‘ghost houses’ of the security apparatus. She was allegedly accused of “opposing the regime and insulting President Bashir.” Sources told Radio Dabanga that “the officers directed racist insults at her and her tribe” and that “they shaved her head completely, under the pretext that her hair looks like the hair of Arabs, while she belongs to a group of slaves in Darfur.”

SOUTH SUDAN

Security in Jonglei has improved, said State governor Kuol Manyang. Jonglei is the site of conflict perpetuated by rebels loyal to renegade David Yau Yau. The governor urged local chiefs to advise youth not to engage in fighting. The SPLA has since promised to pursue Yau Yau until he is he surrenders. Kuol said that the insurgency will not survive beyond February 2013, pledging the army’s commitment to end the insurgency. For more in-depth information about the Jonglei conflict, see the HBSA’s report here.

South Sudan’s army has also pledged to withdraw its forces from the demilitarized buffer zone along the tense border with Sudan. Military and security delegations from both countries are currently meeting in Juba. Both sides have agreed to remove their troops 10km from the temporary borderline proposed by the African Union to establish the demilitarized zone.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

The Supreme Court of Canada refused to hear the appeal in the case against Anvil Mining by the Canadian Association Against Impunity (CAAI).  In November 2010, families of the Congolese victims through the CAAI filed a class action suit against Anvil Mining accusing it of funding (through provision of trucks, food, lodging, and other logistics) the rebel army that raped, murdered, and brutalized the people of the town of Kilwa in eastern Congo.

An article released by DW, a German news source, states that gorilla tourism in eastern Congo is funding rebel groups, particularly M23 rebels. Virunga National Park is home to a third of the world’s 786 surviving mountain gorillas. Tourists pay as much as $750 to visit the park. M23 rebels, have gained control of large parts of the park and are running their own treks at almost half the price of tourist agencies. “Gorilla Tourism” could be the go-to industry for rebel groups if the mining industry becomes better regulated. The situation begs the question of what this type of profit making endeavor will mean for the endangered gorillas, tourists, and the environment.

On Friday, Uganda threatened to withdraw peacekeeping forces in Somalia if the U.N. did not withdraw its report accusing Kampala of aiding rebels in eastern Congo.  However after meeting with Ugandan President Museveni, Wendy Sherman (U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs) claims that she fully expects that “Uganda will continue to play the leadership role it has, both diplomatically and in terms of military security.”  In addition to this statement, Sherman states that the ongoing efforts by the ICGLR (International Conference on the Great Lakes Region) are an “indication of the region’s collective desire for peace.”

In other news, Lushebere farm in North Kivu has recently reopened. The farm was closed in 1993 due to the extreme violence that was emerging in the region. Houses, fields, schools, health centers, markets, churches and the famous eucalyptus trees of the region were burnt down.  However within the last year, over 20,000 eucalyptus trees have been re-planted and infrastructure is improving. The opening of the Lushebere farm acts not only as an economic and environmental success, but also stands as a beacon of hope for peace and development in the region.

BURMA

The World Bank will grant Burma $80 million and has promised additional funding for the first time in 25 years following recent reforms. According to the World Bank, it will assist the country in three main areas: public finance management, regulatory reform, and private sector development. Civil society organizations in Burma have criticized the hasty loan, saying that “the confirmation of the grant was done in haste, raising questions about whether the projects chosen for funding are well designed to meet the interests of people in local communities.”

Last Wednesday, October 31, the Myanmar government rejected a call from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to open talks on ending the recent violence between Muslim Rohingya and Buddhist Rakhine. The Myanmar government responded to the call by saying the conflict was internal and thus not the responsibility of neighboring countries. The Rakhine State government announced on Tuesday, November 6, that it would form a new committee to investigate the role of “illegal aliens” in the ongoing conflict. The Rohingya are largely considered illegal migrants from Bangladesh and are denied citizenship and other rights by the Myanmar government. The committee aims to restrict travel among towns, especially by the Rohingya peoples. This announcement, when viewed next to the Myanmar government’s statement, can be interpreted as an early-warning sign for further atrocities against the Rohingya.

SYRIA

UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi is calling for a binding UN resolution to call for a transitional administration based off of an earlier declaration adopted in Geneva. “I believe that if the crisis is not solved in a right way, there will be the danger of Somalisation. It will mean the fall of the state, rise of war lords and militias,” he said. David Cameron, the Prime Minister of Britain, has said he will support granting President Bashar al-Assad a safe passage out of Syria to help end the civil war. He added, “Of course I would favour him facing the full force of international law and justice for what he’s done. I am certainly not offering him an exit plan to Britain, but if he wants to leave he could leave, that could be arranged.” Al-Assad has responded in an interview with Russian media, saying, “I am not a puppet… I am Syrian and I must live and die in Syria.”

50 people were killed in a suicide car bomb in the central province of Hama on Monday. Fighting also erupted on the edge of the Yarmuk Palestinian refugee camp in Damascus. Sources say that 21 people have died from shelling at the camp carried out on Sunday and Monday. Nationwide, at least 192 people were killed in Monday’s violence, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, including 53 civilians, 85 soldiers and 54 rebels. On Tuesday, opposition activists reported 140 people had been killed that day, after bombs exploded in several districts in Damascus. 87 people were reported to have been killed on Wednesday, mostly in Damascus and its suburbs and Idlib. For a short video update on the situation in Syria, click here.

Syria’s main opposition bloc agreed on Monday, at a 4-day conference in Doha, to broaden its structure to work with 13 other groups. Participants “have agreed a restructuring plan and to reduce the number of [current] members of the general secretariat to accommodate 200 new members representing 13 political groups and independents,” said SNC spokesman Ahmad Kamel. The meeting is expected to discuss an initiative by leading dissident Riad Sief, who has been touted as the potential head of a new government-in-exile. Called the Syria National Initiative, his plan seeks to form a political leadership that will turn into a government of technocrats. Syria’s government has condemned the Doha meeting, deeming it an attempt at foreign intervention by Israel and the United States. The Syrian National Council, which has recently been condemned for shutting women out of the leadership, has added two women to the secretariat.

Many refugees in Turkey said the situation for them is better than other refugees who have fled to Lebanon, Jordan, or Iraq, but that the lack of a common language makes it impossible for Arabic-speaking Syrians to enroll in local schools without first learning Turkish. Abu Tareq, a father from Homs, said that it’s imperative that the children study. “My son is seven years old, soon he’ll be nine and won’t know how to read.” Mustafa Shaker, who taught mathematics in Damascus before he fled with his family to Antakya, Turkey last year, began by teaching 16 children in his home. The number has grown to 300 children, mostly between the ages of 5 and 14. “We made the curriculum from the first day: no politics or discussion of political groups,” Shaker said. Another teacher explained how the only difference from Syrian schools and al-Bushayer is the exclusion of the ruling Baath party’s “nationalism” course that all students are forced to take inside Syria. “The kids don’t have political ideas. They don’t support [President Bashar al-Assad] or [the opposition] Free Syrian Army, they’re just here to study.” For more on this school and its teachings of tolerance, click here.

Weekly News Brief 11/1/12

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SUDAN

In an African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) meeting held on October 24, a decision was made to give Sudan and South Sudan an additional six weeks to reach consensus on a negotiated solution on the final status of Abyei. Sudan favors a partitioning of Abyei, while South Sudan favors a referendum vote by citizens residing in the area. On October 28, South Sudan said it is seeking international support to push the Sudan to accept an African Union proposal to resolve the dispute over the contested fertile and oil-producing Abyei region by a referendum in October 2013–the method that was agreed to in the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement. Also in Abyei, community leaders have alleged that members of the Misseriya ethnic group raided 108 cattle on Wednesday. A cattle raid in Jonglei also injured a man in Twic East county. Two weeks ago, three people were killed in an attempted raid in the same area, and last week four were killed in Akobo County.

South Kordofan rebels reported that Sudanese warplanes bombed several villages in the Nuba Mountains on Tuesday, October 30. The bombing began at 8 AM and continued until 3 PM, injured a child, killed nine heads of cattle, and destroyed the crops of local residents. The SPLM-N is far from innocent, however, as they bombed Kadugli on Tuesday–the fourth bombing of the capital of South Kordofan since last June. In a recent report, the UN estimated that 520,000 people have been internally displaced displaced or severely affected by conflict in South Kordofan and 205,000 people from South Kordofan and Blue Nile have fled to South Sudan and Ethiopia.

Agreements signed by Juba and Khartoum on 27 September have begun to positively impact the price of goods for the citizens of Unity state. The Bul Nuer ethnic group of Unity signed a cross-border agreement with the Misseriya, allowing them grazing rights in the state. Allegedly, this allowed some of the Misseriya to carry out lucrative smuggling into Unity from north Sudan. Flooding and road infrastructure is hampering trade for some counties, who have yet to benefit from the opening of the border.

SOUTH SUDAN

Sudanese President al-Bashir is expected to visit Juba the first of week of November. He had been scheduled to visit Juba in April but the trip was postponed due to a conflict around the Heglig oil field, which has been been claimed by South Sudan. It is hoped that Bashir’s visit will help restore ties between the Sudan and South Sudan.

A member of the South Sudan Civil Society Alliance (SSCSA) was kidnapped at gunpoint on Monday, October 22. Relatives and friends say the men were members of South Sudan’s security services. He was found in bad shape and abandoned at a graveyard on Friday, October 26. This is the second such attack on civil society activists in the last four months, the first being the chairperson of SSCSA. Athuai, the chairperson, said his colleague told him that the group had threatened to kill him if the civil society group keep on talking “nonsense,” calling him and the alliance “traitors” who must be dealt with accordingly.

Following a dispute with Sudan over oil transit fees that deprived South Sudan of 98% of its income, they were forced to reduce expenditures. Despite the huge drop in revenue, the government promised that an austerity programme would not affect the salaries of civil servants, police, soldiers and other government employees. However, Some of South Sudan’s ten state governments have cut salaries of their employees, blaming the oil-dispute-induced austerity measures. The Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning has issued a statement informing civil servants that they have not directed any cuts in salaries, and that this is the responsibility of state, not national, governments.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

On the night of October 25th, an assassination attempt was made on Dr. Denis Mukwege, the founder of the Panzi Hospital in Bukavu, eastern Congo. Due to the intervention of Dr. Mukwege’s security guard who was shot and killed, he survived the assassination attempt. The shooters are still unidentified. Panzi hospital is well known worldwide for its work rehabilitating victims of sexual violence, and Mukwege is an internationally renown activist against sexual violence in the Congo. His work for the people of Congo, especially women, is invaluable and his life is being celebrated around the world this week.

Last week, a UN report was leaked accusing both Rwanda and Uganda of supporting the M23 rebels in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The “scathing 44 page report” accused Uganda of “providing intelligence and political guidance” to the M23 rebels, and Rwanda of “directly commanding the militants.” Rwanda’s envoy to Kampala, Frank Mugambagye, denied these accusations, stating that he “knows that ICGLR (International Conference on the Great Lakes Region) member-countries are looking for a solution to the conflict.”

Proposals are currently being submitted by various parties in the Democratic Republic of the Congo concerning a possible increase of state participation in mining projects to 35% from 5%. The new law is expected next year. Some miners, such as Chinese-controlled MMG Ltd, are “rattled” by this potential new mining code and are attempting negotiations with the Congolese government.

There is growing Congolese dissent about the recently imposed border restrictions between North Kivu and Rwanda, which restricts transportation to and from Congo from 6 PM to 6 AM. A New Times Editorial calls these restrictions “unilateral” and “shortsighted” and predicts that the restrictions “will only ratchet up the suspicions and ill feelings between the two countries.”

In Rwanda, opposition politician Victoire Ingabire, has been sentenced to eight years in prison by the Rwandan High Court, according to local journalists in Kigali. Originally facing a possible sentence to life in prison, Ingabire’s eight year sentence has been called a “relatively mild sentence.” She was charged on counts of “treason and genocide denial” and the Rwandan government claims she financed the FDLR Rebels operating in Eastern Congo. There are doubts and speculations by both the national and international community about the “fairness” of Ingabire’s trial.

BURMA

Violence has again erupted in Burma’s western Rakhine State. According to reports, as many as 112 are dead and just under 3,000 homes burned last week following clashes between Buddhist Rakhine and Muslim Rohingya. The Myanmar government has turned down an offer by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to host talks aimed at resolving the increasingly dire situation in Rakhine State. For an in-depth analysis by Alex Colley Hart, STAND’s Burma Education Coordinator, click here.

The UN has reported that illegal cultivation of opium, which is used to make heroin, has increased for the sixth successive year in Burma despite government efforts to curtail output. Burma accounts for 25% of the world opium production, making it one of the world’s largest producers of opium, second only to Afghanistan. Most of the country’s opium is produced in the northern parts of Burma that border China, specifically Kachin State and Shan State, and the profits are often used to fund various ethnic militias in their fights against Myanmar government forces. Most of Burma’s opium crop is believed to be sold to China.

SYRIA

The latest ceasefire in Syria for Eid al-Adha, was broken within hours of coming into effect. A car bomb exploded in the capital Damascus on the morning of October 26 and a second went off in front of a church in Deir Az-Zor the next day. Activists also reported shelling and shooting in Aleppo, the suburbs of Damascus and Homs. Two bombs went off in Damascus on October 31, one killing at least six people and wounding 13 near a Shia shrine, state media and opposition activists said. Southwest of Damascus, an explosion on Wednesday occurred in Moadamiyat al-Sham, and was a scene of heavy battles between rebels and troops, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. At least a hundred people are reported to have been killed since the start of the truce.

According to Al Jazeera, the US has called for a major overhaul of Syria’s opposition, saying it is time to move beyond the Syrian National Council (SNC) and bring in groups fighting in the frontlines of combat. "This cannot be an opposition represented by people who have many good attributes but who, in many instances, have not been inside Syria for 20, 30, 40 years," Clinton said during a visit to Croatia on Wednesday. The SNC is a largely foreign-based political group which has been among the most vocal proponents of international intervention in the Syrian conflict. Clinton says the meeting in Doha, Qatar next week is a chance for the opposition to form new leadership–this time with representatives of groups fighting within Syria.

Lakhdar Brahimi, the UN-Arab League envoy, has expressed hope, after holding talks in Beijing with Yang Jiechi, Chinese foreign minister, that China will play an active role in helping end the violence in Syria. "China believes that the situation in Syria is worsening by the day … The only realistic way out is to resolve the Syria issue through political channels," said Yang.

Although Turkey initially supported the rebel uprising in Syria, now, after hosting approximately 140,000 refugees, it seems eager to find an end to the conflict even if that means Assad staying in power. Increasing Turkish opposition – especially in areas along the border with Syria – to Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan’s heavy involvement in the conflict is likely to be the main reason behind the government’s rethink of its policy.

For Al Jazeera’s Live Blog on Syria, click here.

Violence Continues in Burma’s Rakhine State

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By Alex Colley Hart, Burma Education Coordinator

According to reports, as many as 112 are dead and just under 3,000 homes burned last week following clashes in Burma’s western Rakhine state resulting from ongoing conflict between Buddhist Rakhine and Muslim Rohingya. The fighting began in June of this year and has displaced at least 90,000 people, with no sign of easing any time soon. The conflict has the potential to become increasingly violent and devastating to the region due to the conflict’s deeply rooted ethnic and racial tensions. 

There is no doubting the complexity of the ongoing conflict between the Rohingya and Rakhine. Both the Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Myanmar President Thein Sein have denied responsibility for the stateless Rohingya. According to a Human Rights Watch report, which also published satellite photos showing the recent destruction of homes in the Rakhine town of Kyauk Pyu, the Myanmar government has done little to address the root causes of the conflict. Additionally, the report also states that the United Nations and humanitarian aid programs were denied access to the region when fighting broke out in June and only some have been allowed to return. Rape and mass arrests have also been reported in addition to the ever-increasing body count.

Although the US has expressed concerns about the ongoing violence and lack of government response, the US has continued to engage with the Myanmar government through the easing of sanctions, the lifting of travel bans, and even an invitation to observe joint military exercises in the region; all despite the government’s continued neglect of the Rohingya. The US, EU, and others must make it clear to the Myanmar government that for continued engagement it must take actions to demonstrate the solidity of its recent reforms, specifically by allowing humanitarian organizations access to the region and finding a mutually agreeable solution to the conflict in Rakhine State. STAND as well as the rest of the international community will continue to closely watch the ongoing conflict in Rakhine State. There is absolutely no reason for the Myanmar government to not address these conditions if in fact it has truly reformed for the better.

Note: STAND uses "Burma" when referring to the country, and "Myanmar" when referring to its government.

Weekly News Brief 10/4

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SYRIA

Last Thursday, rebels launched a major assault on government forces in Aleppo. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that 20 rockets hit the central district, some striking an office of the political security service. Since then, historic markets, called souks, were set ablaze, and car bombs continued, killing at least 48 people yesterday and wounding 72. Damascus is also suffering, seeing renewed violence between the government forces and rebels. It is approximated that on Wednesday alone at least 236 people were killed by violence across the country.

A mass text message sent by Assad’s army read,

Dear anyone that has taken up arms against the State; and has made money. You have two choices; either be killed facing the State or the State will kill you to get rid of you, you decide.

To take up arms against the State; they sent you to die…you are in trouble, leave your weapon and save your life. Syrian Arab Army To take up arms against the State; the game is over…the countdown has begun to expel all militants from neighboring countries…the State embraces her children’s choices. Syrian Arab Army To take up arms against the State: they took the money and abandoned you so you can die, your chance of survival by leaving arms and surrender yourself.

On the Syria-Turkey border, five Turkish civilians were killed by a Syrian government shelling. In response, Turkey authorized the use of force in Syria, not as a declaration of war, but as a “warning” to the authorities in Damascus.

On Friday, the UN human rights council extended the mandate of its investigation into war crimes in Syria by six months. The resolution was adopted with 41 states in favor, three states against (China, Cuba, and Russia), and three abstentions. Since it was set up last year, 1,100 victims, refugees, and defectors have been interviewed. The UN High Commission for Refugees say that the number of Syrian refugees in neighboring countries has more than tripled since June to over 316,000, and estimate that by the end of the year the number will double again. The time of year is especially troubling for those living in tents, as the average low temperature in mid-March is just above freezing. There have been riots in the camp in Jordan due to poor living conditions and rising numbers of refugees.

On the international front, Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Ergodan has expressed his disappointment in Russia. “Let alone raising its voice against Syria, it stands by the massacre […] China stands by Russia, and although (Chinese President) Hu Jintao had told me they wouldn’t veto the plan (for a safe zone) for a third time, they did at the U.N. vote," Erdogan said. Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari proposed a two-stage plan on Friday to bring the Syrian government and opposition together to discuss a political transition and end to the civil war. The two-part plan has been given to envoy Brahimi to consider. Iraq has also said that flights departing from Iran and into Syria’s airspace will be asked to land for weapons inspections to ensure that weapons are not being delivered to Assad’s troops.

US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta cited US intelligence, saying that Syrians have moved some of their chemical weapons capability to better secure it, but that the main sites remain intact and secure under government control. The US has unveiled $45 million more dollars for humanitarian aid and civilian opposition in Syria.

BURMA

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with Myanmar President Thein Sein on Wednesday September 27 to further discuss the easing of the US ban on imports from Burma. Clinton, however, made it clear that in order for Burma to receive further aid from the US, the Myanmar military must sever all ties with North Korea.

During the morning of Thursday, September 28 Myanmar President Thein Sein addressed the UN General Assembly in New York and congratulated opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s recent awards given to her in the US. He also urged the international community to be patient and said the process of democratization was complex and very delicate. He also briefly addressed the importance of creating peace within Burma’s states, especially in Rakhine State where thousands have been displaced due to fighting between the Rohingya and Rakhine. He claimed that the Myanmar military was dedicated to peace and has signed ten different ceasefire agreements. To see the English translation of Thein Sein’s speech, click here.

Interested in Aung San Suu Kyi’s recent visit to the US? Check out Danny Hirschel Burns’ post about the experience here!

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

Since May, the UNHCR has helped more than 25,000 Congolese return to their homes in DRC from neighboring Republic of Congo. Upon arrival, families are given an aid package and take part in reintegration activities to help ensure a sustainable return. However, Equateur remains one of the most remote provinces in DRC, lacking basic socio-ecoomic structures and infrastructure.

Last Thursday, President of Rwanda Paul Kagame walked out of a UN meeting following a Belgian reference to allegations of Rwanda aiding rebels in eastern DRC. The Rwandan delegation in New York said that the walkout was not a political move, but because he had another meeting to go to. During the meeting, Congolese president Joseph Kabila insisted that his country is victim to foreign interference.

A series of nighttime shootings and grenade attacks in Goma have killed up to 12 people. Goma, the capital of North Kivu in eastern Rwanda, has witnessed violence since March when hundreds of soldiers defected from the army of Bosco Ntaganda. Ernest Kyaviro, spokesman for the provincial governor, said, “I think there is an infiltration of the city by M23 who are carrying out these terrorist acts.”

On September 21, World Peace Day, Congolese activists took to the streets, demanding an end to the violence that has engulfed the country for over two decades, and a transformation of the political system maintaining the status quo.

Patrick Mulemeri, one of the main organizers of the Congo Peace Network (CPN), says that, “We are studying new forms of activism, like boycotts and the refusal to pay bills. [In the end], nonviolence has its role in bringing about democratic change in our country. Nonviolent methods will be successful, because they don’t harm anyone. They also have the potential to involve the majority of the population, who have been the victims of this system that has governed us since independence.”

British-Congolese activist Natasha Makengo is a Britain-based activist using art and music as tools for activism. She says, “I want people to know that violence and conflict is not something completely alien to us here. Yes, it is happening in the Congo, but it happens every day here in the UK too, it affects all of us.” For more on Natasha, click here.

SUDAN

An Antonov aircraft of the Sudanese Air Force killed a man and his three children. Sheikh Joma’a Saleh, and his three sons, Hawa, Adam and Abdullah, were killed when the aircraft dropped three bombs at approximately 30 kilometers west of Tabit in North Darfur on Wednesday morning. Citizens from East Jebel Marra urged the Security Council and the UN to immediately intervene.

Sudan President Omar Al-Bashir will be visiting South Sudan this month. His visit is expected to cement the agreements on security, oil, citizenship and trade. The security agreement will provide for the establishment of a buffer demilitarized zone along the unmarked 1800 km common borders. It also renews the commitment of both parties to refrain from supporting rebel groups in the other state.

SOUTH SUDAN

South Sudan chief negotiator Pagan Amum has said there will be no further talks on Abyei and Heglig. Amum said their side as the government was to accept the proposal by the mediators. And that’s exactly what they did. “President Salva Kiir Mayardit never hesitated but Sudan refused it,” said Amum. The two parties failed to agree on the participation of the Misseriya pastoralists. The disagreement is over whether only Misseriya permanent residents should be able to vote, or whether Misseriya have a historical right to the land and thus all should be able to vote.

Rebel leader David Yauyau is being accused of recruiting young people to implement political interests. Pibor County Commissioner, Joshua Konyi condemned the militia of killing innocent civilians in the area. He held a meeting with the chiefs in the county, attempting to persuade them not to allow their young men to join the rebel group. 

Weekly News Brief 9/21

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Syria

Last Friday, air strikes hit rebel-held police stations in Aleppo, right before talks before UN Envoy Lakhdar Brahimi was scheduled to meet with opposition groups. On Saturday, Brahimi met with President Bashar. After the meeting, Brahimi said, “This crisis is deteriorating and represents a danger to the Syrian people, to the region, and to the whole world.” For some of Brahimi’s comments, see Al Jazeera’s video here, and the full interview here. Clashes in Aleppo and Damascus continued Saturday, and the Syrian army, after a week of fighting, has taken over most of the central district of Midan. There are reports that today, September 20, between 54 and 110 people were killed in air strikes in the northern province of al-Raqqa. For more on the situations in Apello, Homs, Idlib, and more, see Al Jazeera’s article here.

Iraq’s fugitive vice president, Tareq al-Hashemi, who fled Iraq in December, says that Iran is using Iraqi airspace to fly supplies to al-Assad’s forces, and that Iraqi militia fighters have crossed into Syria to support his troops. Iran, however, says that the country is still undecided upon whether or not to assist the Syrian government. Turkish authorities have begun to take steps to stop Syrian refugees from entering their country. While refugees have been tolerated up until now, a Syrian refugee says that police gave him 24 hours to leave. Saudi Arabia, which has been critical of the Assad regime’s crackdown on opposition groups, is blocking Syrians from performing the annual Muslim pilgrimage of Hajj this year.

Russia and China vetoed three rounds of sanctions against Assad, saying they were tricked into the Libya decision, and are determined to fight for a political solution to the Syria crisis. Pope Benedict, on a three day visit to Lebanon, called for a halt to weapons imports to Syria, calling them a “grave sin” and calling Arab uprisings a positive “cry for freedom,” as long as they include religious tolerance. OnMonday, the Syrian Contact Group, which includes Foreign ministers from Egypt, Iran, and Turkey, met for the first time, optimistic that diplomatic means can end the crisis in the country. Saudi Arabia, who is part of the group, was not present. Today, diplomats from over 60 nations and the Arab League met in The Hague to discuss toughening and improving sanctions against the Assad regime.

According to the former head of Syria’s chemical arsenal, the Syrian regime plans to deploy chemical weapons “as a last resort.” Human Rights Watch has called for an end to both regime and opposition use of torture and executions, reminding is that opposition forces also must respect human rights. For their report, click here.

For Al Jazeera’s Live Blog on Syria, click here.

Sudan

On Wednesday, September 19, Minnawi’s fighters (SLM-MM) clashed with Sudanese troops in North Darfur and captured 12 vehicles, according to statement by the rebel group spokesman Adam Saleh Abkr. The Sudanese army convoy was heading to Jebel Marra.

Minnawi’s movement signed a peace agreement with the Sudanese government in May 2006, but the group resumed hostilities with Khartoum in 2010, citing lack of implementation of Abuja agreement. Consequently, Minnawi could not join the Doha process as Khartoum preferred only negotiating for the implementation of the signed deal.” In November 2011, the group forged a rebel alliance, the Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF), with the SLM-AW, SPLM-North and Justice and Equality Movement (JEM).

According to U.S. Special Envoy for Darfur, Dane Smith, the security situation in Darfur deteriorated compared to 2011. ”We are disappointed with the degree of implementation of the Doha agreements,” he noted. Although the basic structures of the Darfur Regional Authority are theoretically viewed to be in place, due compensation, disarmament of militias, and other pertinent, tangible benefits to the people of Darfur remain to be realized. “I think that the militias are a problem and certainly some of the security forces that have been drawn from the militias. In particular we see problems with the central reserve police,” he added.

Meanwhile Sudan Armed forces (SAF) has announced the seizure of a rebel position in Blue Nile state on Wednesday, September 20, 2012. SAF spokesperson, Al-Sawarmi Kahlid, said the Sudanese troops took the control of Sarkam area located on the south-western part of Blue Nile state. Fighting between government forces and SPLM-N in Blue Nile started in September 2011 following the failure of talks to end clashes between the two parties in the neighboring South Kordofan.

But when contacted for comment regarding the incidence, SPLM-N spokesperson Arnu Ngutulu Lodi could not confirm the facts of the fighting, but pledged to supply more details at a later time. Political talks between the two parties are “complicated by the delay of humanitarian access to the rebel held areas and also the slow progress in the discussions over security issues between Sudan and South Sudan,” according to analysis. Although in Addis Ababa the UN Security Council is expected to meet next week to discuss on the process, already the indirect talks have been stalled over demands from both sides.

South Sudan

The South Sudan Human Rights Society for Advocacy (SSHURA) is intensifying the campaign against the death penalty in the country, saying killing people as punishment is an “outrageous and inhumane” act toward the right to life. According to Biel Boutros Biel, the Executive Director of SSHURSA, “the death penalty must be scraped off in the books of South Sudan.” The issue of the death penalty was first raised and condemned by the Comboni Missionaries. Last month, the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights strongly criticized South Sudan after two men were executed in a central prison located in the country’s capital Juba. The executions, according to the UN, largely contradict the global trend and position on the death penalty, as many countries strive to abolish the practice, which was endorsed by it General Assembly.

In Yambio, South Sudan, the SPLA and UPDF have intensified the hunt for the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) led by Joseph Kony. According to the report, “Two thousand soldiers from the Uganda People’s Defense Force (UPDF) and 500 from the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) were officially handed in a ceremony in Yambio, attended by heads of Diplomatic Corps, Defense Ministers and senior military officials from the two Countries.”

Previously, 360 soldiers of the Forces Armées Centrafricaines (FACA), Central Africa Republic, were handed over to the AU on September 12. The African Union Ambassador on the LRA Francisco Madeira hailed the commitment by the two countries, saying, “the immediate plan…will be to deploy these troops to protect the vulnerable population ,to track and combat LRA elements and also facilitate where necessary the delivery of Humanitarian assistance.”
The significant military pressure by both UPDF and SPLA is expected to cause more LRA defection and surrenders as well as rescue of abductees still being held hostage.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Yesterday, there was a hearing before the US House of Representatives Subcommittee on Africa to discuss the issue of the M23 in eastern Rwanda. “Congress, in your hands you have the salvation of all Congolese people,” said Ntambo Nkulu Ntanda, bishop of the United Methodist Church of North Katanga, Congo. Also present was Mark Schneider of the International Crisis Group, who testified that the international community should consider expanding sanctions to reach those responsible for supporting the M23. Jason Stearns of Congo Siasa, said the United States should “take the lead in exerting economic pressure on Kigali.”

Herve Ladsous, the UN Under-Secretary for Peacekeeping Operations, has said that the M23 is establishing a ‘de facto administration,’ controlling populations and taking taxes. DR Congo’s Mines Minister Martin Kabwelulu suggests embargoing minerals coming from Rwanda as a partial solution to the problem. It is well known that many minerals are smuggled from Congo to Rwanda and sold to other countries. For more on this, see Jason Stearns’ interviews with the UN Group of Experts earlier this year. On September 27, there will be a meeting to discuss the situation at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City.

In other news, Sudan and Uganda have sent 2,500 troops into the DRC and Central African Republic in pursuit of Joseph Kony and the Lord’s Resistance Army. 2,000 of the troops come from the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) and 500 from the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA).

In western Congo, where the capital, Kinshasa, lies, there is a strong underground scene of politically conscious musicians. Sick of false promises by politicians, they rap to express themselves and denounce the corrupt government. Kinshasa is often considered the home of African music–interested in hearing more? Check out Staff Benda Bilili, a band consisting of disabled artists and street children making reggae-inspired activist music, Kin Mafia Style (KMS) and Lexxus Légal.

Burma

On Monday September 17, Myanmar pardoned more than 500 prisoners including many political detainees and foreigners. The amnesty comes before Myanmar President Thein Sein is due to visit the US and UN later this week. However, opposition groups estimate more than 300 prisoners of conscience remain behind bars.

Also, Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and opposition leader of Burma, is in the US this week for a 17 day trip. On Wednesday September 19, she accepted the Congressional Medal of Honor, the highest civilian honour in the nation. She is later due to meet with President Barack Obama before traveling to other parts of the US.

Weekly Education Update: News from the Summer

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 Welcome back, upSTANDers! It has been quite the summer on many fronts, and the new Education Team is excited to present our first News Brief! Have news tips? Email us at education@standnow.org or tweet at @standnow.

SYRIA

According to Al Jazeera, "Violence in Syria has escalated into what the Red Cross calls a civil war. Activists say at least 18,000 people have died since the uprising began in March last year. The government of Bashar al-Assad, increasingly losing territory to rebel fighters, blames "terrorists" and "armed gangs" for the unrest, while the opposition and other nations have accused Assad’s forces of crimes against humanity."

In recent months, several high-profile figures in President al-Assad’s government have defected, including Syria’s prime minister. However, the opposition to al-Assad’s government are not united. Though they call themselves the Free Syrian Army (FSA), they operate independently and based on geographic area. Interaction between the groups is relatively rare. Some groups are secular and others hope for an Islamic state in Syria. What happens if the Syrian regime falls? No one can say for sure, but the shaky alliance between very ideologically different groups makes the future look less than secure.

In addition to the political issues, the refugee situation along Syria’s border is also escalating, with a dramatic increase expected as violence escalates on both sides. Al Jazeera says the number in Turkey could reach 200,000 and many others may flee to Jordan. Compared to previous weeks where the influx included 400-500 people per day, the UNHCR is now seeing peaks of up to 5,000 per day. Notably, the government has begun using air strikes, and representatives of the Free Syrian Army in Washington, DC are calling for a no fly zone. This would mean include using foreign military assets to attack Syrian air defenses and perhaps even engage Syrian aircraft directly. Turkey and France are both supporting a no fly zone, and Turkey is moving toward establishing safe zones along the border inside Syria. For another perspective, see this report from Russia Today.

On August 2nd, Kofi Annan, former secretary-general of the United Nations, resigned as the UN and Arab League joint special envoy to Syria because of "increasing militarization on the ground" and "the clear lack of unity" at the UN Security Council. On August 17, he was replaced by Algerian diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi, who is committed to finding a political solution to the conflict. As an Arab League envoy, Brahimi helped negotiate the end of Lebanon’s civil war.

Al-Assad responded on state television on August 28th: "The truth is that Syria doesn’t need a green light when dealing with its internal affairs, neither from our allies or our enemies. And if we look back we will see that the army is the main reason this country is still standing on its feet," as well as "The operation that’s going on now is the cleansing of our nation."

What do you think about the situation in Syria? Do you think it warrants a no fly zone, or do you think a political solution can be maneuvered? Email your thoughts to education@standnow.org.

You can view Al Jazeera’s Syria Live Blog on Syria here.

SUDAN AND SOUTH SUDAN

In spite of Sudan and South Sudan’s successful oil-revenue mediation in early August, bilateral negotiations on unresolved border, citizenship, and territorial administration issues remain at an impasse. Early last week, the Sudanese government in Khartoum accused their South Sudanese counterparts of unilaterally appointing a governing administration in Abyei, a prerequisite for the disputed border area’s much-delayed vote on its territorial future. U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan Princeton Lyman called on both parties to find common ground in the African Union’s interim “buffer zone” proposal concerning Sudan and South Sudan’s border security disagreements. Top Chinese diplomats, similarly, reiterated their support for a negotiated settlement between the neighboring countries, highlighting prospects for economic, commercial, and cross-cultural cooperation between Sudan and South Sudan.

In the disputed border state of South Kordofan, clashes re-emerged between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement–North (SPLM-N), which has waged a low-intensity insurgency since last June. Meanwhile, the SPLM-N reiterated its call for the implementation of humanitarian corridors between Ethiopia, South Sudan, and South Kordofan and Blue Nile, which have suffered severe food insecurity as a result of continued conflict and Khartoum’s restrictions on humanitarian access.

In South Sudan, the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) struggled to consolidate its hold over Jonglei, an eastern state which has encountered waves of inter-communal violence and nascent insurgency in recent months. Early last week, in Jonglei’s Pibor County, Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) forces engaged in successive clashes with rebels loyal to David Yau Yau, a former SPLA general; at least 40 SPLA soldiers died in combat, according to Western press reporting. Pibor has been a central focus of South Sudan’s state-wide civilian disarmament campaign, which the United Nations and Human Rights Watch have criticized for resulting in extrajudicial killings, torture, and mass rape against civilian populations.

BURMA

As Burma slowly reforms their corrupt military regime, the US government has decided to lift certain investment sanctions on the country. Reform however, has been dotted with episodes of terror against the Kachin and the Rohingya–behavior characteristic of the regime.

Within the past week, President Thein Sein has changed members of his Cabinet, including the Information Minister, widely seen as an opponent of reforms. This minister was replaced by Aung Kyi, a previous liaison between Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma’s former military junta. As Thein Sein said in May, "conservatives who do not have a reformist mindset will be left behind." He seems to be backing this up with the removal of notable hardliners Khin Maung Myint and Zaw Min, ministers of construction and electric power. Political opponents are more skeptical. Clashes in Arakan state and against the Kachin continue.

On Monday, a third round of peace talks will be taking place between the Karen National Union and the Burmese government. Violence has continued despite a peacefire agreement in January. For more on the marginalized Kachin and Rohingya populations, check out our summer blog post on Burma here.

Thein Sein plans to cut down the budget allocated to the military from 23.5% to 14.5%. A commendable aim, scholars are worried about the members of the military who must be cut in order to reduce the budget. As many may not be fit for civil service, they will have to be absorbed into the private sector–a sector still slowly growing in Burma.

Say you heard them first! Burmese indie rock bands Side Effect and Bloodsugar Politik are gaining popularity abroad-check them out and support the arts in Burma!

DRC

This summer, the news coming out of eastern Congo concerned Rwanda’s involvement in aiding members of an armed group called M23. Rwanda in not new to proxy wars in Congo. The M23 group is responsible for forcing 270,000 people from their homes in recent months, according to Reuters. Rwanda strongly denies involvement in the M23, although they have been linked to aiding Thomas Lubanga, who was indicted in March by the International Criminal Court, and his co-accused Bosco Ntaganda, who remains at-large in eastern DRC, and who is the orchestrator of the M23. For more information on the UN group of experts report and Rwanda’s rebuttal, see Jason Stearns’ excellent analysis here.

For President Paul Kagame’s response, see his interview with Al Jazeera.

In response, and shocking to many Rwanda scholars in the US, the United States has withdrawn all military aid from Rwanda. Germany, the Netherlands, and Britain have taken similar steps.

There have also been recent reports concerning an ebola outbreak in northeastern DR Congo. At least 10 people have died during the outbreak, which was reported on August 17. According to the World Health Organization, "Ebola is introduced into the human population through close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals." Fruit bats are considered to be the natural host of the virus. The fatality rate of this particular strain of ebola is estimated at 40%. As Congo struggles for security and justice in the far east, this ebola outbreak could cause another type of crisis in the north.