Weekly STAND Education Update 

10/14-10/20

DRC, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, Libya 

Walk in Registration Available for the United to End Genocide national conference in Washington D.C. on Oct. 22 24 http://goo.gl/BYJBc

DRC 

President Kabila is confidant in his ability to win the upcoming election on November 28^th. “Who will win the elections? There is one thing of which I am sure and certain, and that is that I will not lose them,” Kabila told a press conference in Kinshasa. When asked what he would do if he lost, he answered that there was more to life than politics and he would step aside. However opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi has also expressed confidence in presidential success, which means the anticipation surrounding the results of the elections will only increase in the remaining weeks. (http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/10/i-will-not-lose-presidential-vote-dr-congos-kabila/)

However if the election can actually happen in a mere six weeks is becoming even more uncertain. The Congolese government hasn’t even settled on a format for the ballot, which must accommodate 19,000 parliamentary candidates vying for only 500 seats, as well as the 11 presidential candidates.  Ballots must also be printed and delivered securely to polling sites around the country. The election timetable is thus seriously threatened; however if the election does not happen on November 28^th, the opposition is already saying they will no longer recognize Kabila as head of state once his constitutional term runs out on December 6^th. (http://freefairdrc.com/en/latest-news/blog-posts/114-panelists-at-brookings-event-on-drc-warn-of-possible-chaos-in-upcoming-elections)

South Africa based MTN Group is interested in entering the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) wireless market by purchasing Vodacom Group’s 51% stake in Vodacom Congo. If the acquisition occurs, MTN Group will follow France Telecom as the second largest group to enter the Congolese mobile market this year. (http://www.telegeography.com/products/commsupdate/articles/2011/10/18/mtn-considers-vodacom-congo-acquisition/)

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is six months behind schedule in finalizing provision 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Act, which will require companies to disclose whether they use tantalum, tin, gold or tungsten mined in the DRC. At a roundtable on Tuesday, companies expressed their concern over implementation and cost. Participants also raised concern over unintentionally caused economic harm on the Congolese, as companies such as Apple and Hewlett-Packard have pulled out of the region entirely to avoid the fine print. However the link between human rights abuses, mining and electronics consumption remains clear, which still requires action by the global community. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/sec-struggles-to-write-conflict-minerals-regulations-for-companies/2011/10/18/gIQAvZqfvL_story.html)

The Rwandan government has announced that it will soon send 70 tons (70,000Kgs) of untagged minerals that were smuggled into the country back to the DRC. (http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/18400-rwanda-to-send-back-minerals-to-the-drc.html)

Happy Congo Week! (http://congoweek.org/)

Sudan

The judges of the International Criminal Court issued a decision asking Malawi to submit an explanation on why it did not execute an arrest warrant issued for Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir during his visit last week.

The leader of Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) Tijani el-Sissi, will arrive in Khartoum this week.

The US Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on 12 October announced the liberalisation of regulations imposed upon US companies exporting food products to Sudan and Iran. to launch the implementation of a peace deal signed with the Sudanese government three months ago.

At least four people have been killed and three others wounded in a cattle raid in Jale payam [district] of Bor county on Saturday, October 15, according to a local official.

Sudan’s army said on Friday, October 14, it will not withdraw troops from Abyei unless a deal signed with South Sudan on managing the hotly-contested region is fully implemented.

Darfur rebel Sudan Liberation Movement led by Minni Minawi (SLM-MM) denied any link with the killing of three peacekeepers and claimed that Monday’s attack was done by a pro-government militia leader.

UNHCR reports that an estimated 28,500 Sudanese refugees from Blue Nile State have entered Ethiopia.

Libya and Syria

The Libyan National Transitional Council (NTC) announced on Thursday that former Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi, is dead. Qaddafi’s death comes as NTC forces battled the last bastions of loyalist forces in the cities of Surt, Qaddafi’s birthplace and the site of his death, and the city of Bani Walid which NTC forces capturedon Monday. Details on the exact nature of Qaddafi’s death remain unclear.

A large rally was held in the Syrian city of Aleppo expressing support for Syrian President Bashar-Al-Assad. However, throughout the country violence by Syrian security forces against civilians and perceived opposition figures has continued. On Monday, NYT reported that some twenty-five civilians had been killed by Security forces in the city of Homs, with Al-Jazeera reporting a further eight civilian deaths on Wednesday.  Clashes also occurred elsewhere in the country between security forces and defectors resulting in some nine dead.

NYT reported Thursday on the harsh situation faced by Syrian refugees who have fled into neighboring Lebanon from the Assad regime’s crackdown.  Refugees told of inadequate supply of basic needs, harassment and neglect by local administrations as well as the danger of cross-border raids and kidnappings by Syrian security forces. 

The education update is produced every Thursday to update STAND members and the advocacy community about developments with regards to genocide and crimes against humanity.  For more information contact the following:

Education Coordinator: Sean Langberg education@standnow.org 

Sudan Education Coordiator: Emma Smith esmith@standnow.org

DRC Education Coordinator: Siobhan Kelly skelley@standnow.org

Emerging Crises Education Coordinator: Tom Dolzall tdolzall@standnow.org 

  Weekly Update from the STAND Education

Team 9/23-9/29

DRC, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, Libya

Major Developments:

• Major political parties in DRC are meeting in Ethiopia to chart the course for a peaceful electoral process
• Satellite Sentinel Reports the Sudanese army is gathering troops at the boarder of Blue Nile state
• Continued fighting in Sirte, Libya displaced residents with rebel, loyalist, and NATO forces all battling for control of the city

Be sure to register for the United to End Genocide national conference in Washington D.C. on Oct. 22-24 http://goo.gl/BYJBc

DRC

In response to political violence and allegations of voter fraud, major Congolese political parties are participating in talks in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to chart the path towards a peaceful November 28^th election that is not marred by the same clashes that occurred in the run-off election in 2006. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15065935) 

In addition to the presidential election on November 28^th, there will also be a legislative election. On Friday the DRC’s National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI) announced that 19,497 candidates will be running for the November 28 parliamentary elections for only 500 seats. The legislative election is particularly important in the Congo, as the largest coalition in parliament holds the power to name the prime minister and also form a cabinet to deal with the day-to-day business of governing. This legislative election is far more competitive than the 2006 elections as the number of candidates vying for a seat has dramatically increased. (http://congoplanet.com/news/1890/more-than-19000-candidates-to-run-for-parliament-in-november.jsp)  

With only 2 months to go before the elections, opposition party members are currently in the midst of negotiations to pick one common candidate to oppose incumbent President Kabila. A likely choice is Etienne Tshisekedi of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress. However at 78, the veteran politician is almost twice as old as the 40-year old President Kabila which could deter some voters from supporting him. (http://www.voanews.com/english/news/africa/Congolese-Parties-Near-Deal-on-Choice-To-Oppose-Kabila-130677373.html) 

A report has surfaced in Kinshasa suggesting that hundreds of thousands of voters in the official register may be fake. The report was originally commisioned by the government through the Belgian company Zetes, who were contracted to identify the number of doubloons (voters who show up twice in the system) are registered out of the total 32 million. Currently the figure appears high, and could point towards gerrymandering of electoral districts which could over-represent and under-represent districts in parliamentary seats. (http://congosiasa.blogspot.com/) 

President Joseph Kabila told the UN General Assembly last week that the country was now at peace. He said that because the country is now at peace, it must focus more on development and reconstruction which meant the role of MONUSCO (the longest peacekeeping mission deployed by the UN) should be advised. He added, “The elections are proof of the return to peace that all Congolese have wanted and have now realized. Today, peace and security prevail throughout the national territory. All state institutions are in place and functioning normally.” The contradictions between his statements at the UN and the reality on the ground are alarming. (http://congoplanet.com/news/1889/dr-congo-has-returned-to-peace-kabila-tells-un-general-assembly.jsp) 

Five Democrat congressmen sent a letter to the United States Securities and Exchange Commission encouraging them to immediately release long-awaited new rules on conflict minerals originating from the DRC. Section 1502 of the Dodd Frank law requires companies that use tin, tungsten, tantalum or gold in their manufacturing processes to ensure that they are not sourcing minerals that benefit armed groups operating in the DRC and to publicly report on their supply chains. While Section 1502 has been passed, it is far from being implemented. (http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/1007-other/183935-house-dems-tell-the-sec-to-finish-up-conflict-mineral-rules)

This weekend over 500 people participated in the “Informed Activism: Armed Conflict, Scarce Resources and Congo” international summit at Clark University in Worcester, MA. (http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2011/09/24/mass_summit_puts_spotlight_on_congos_violence/) 

Sudan

South Sudan launched an official national Disarmament Demobilization and Reintegration strategic plan on Wednesday, days after the cabinet passed a resolution allowing the removal of 150,000 combatants from the new country’s rebel group turned national army the SPLA.

The Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) dismissed the head of its delegation to the Doha peace process two months after the signing of a peace agreement between the government and another rebel group, Liberation and Equality Movement (LJM).

Washington-based Satellite Sentinel Project (SSP) said that the Sudanese army is massing heavily equipped troops to attack rebel positions in Blue Nile state.

Heavy fighting erupted in Sudan’s border state of South Kordofan after the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement North (SPLM-N) attacked army positions, the latest sign of an escalating conflict.

North and South Sudan agreed to open 10 border crossing points to allow for the movement of people across the border.

Human Rights Watch called on the Sudanese government to end their clampdown on opposition party members and critics of the government.

Syria and Libya

Fierce fighting continued in Libya this week as rebel forces continued their offensive to seize the cities of Bani Walid and Sirte which remain under the control of forces loyal to Col. Muammar Qaddafi. The British Ministry of Defense told BBC news that RAF and NATO have been providing extensive close air support to rebel forces in both cities. The humanitarian situation for civilians in both cities has reportedly been deteriorating with basic services such as clean drinking water becoming scare, and that Qaddafi forces have tried to prevent civilians from fleeing. Col. Qaddafi remains at large, however the National Transitional Council has reported that new intelligence indicates he may have fled into nearby Nigeria.

NYT reports that since the outset of civil conflict in Libya, over 200,000 Nigerian migrant laborers have fled back over the border into their home country in Nigeria. The fleeing laborers face a precarious journey, lacking for food and medical supplies and the Nigerian government and border towns are struggling to adequately address the massive influx.

A UN resolution “demanding an immediate end to all violence" in Syria is scheduled to come to a vote next week. The resolution has been crafted by the United States, UK, France, Portugal and Germany. An earlier provision in the resolution calling for immediate sanctions has been removed however over concerns about the reactions of other security council members, however a provision will remain which "expresses its determination, in the event that Syria has not complied with this resolution, to adopt targeted measures, including sanctions".

Violence continued throughout Syria this week was security forces cracked down on continuing protests and came into conflict with Syrian military who have switched to the side of the protestors. BBC news reports that a prominent Syrian scientist was killed outside his home in Homs on Thursday, one among several recent deaths in the Syrian scientific community. In the city of Rastan, major clashes occurred between Syrian security forces, including armored elements, and defecting forces entrenched within the city.

The education update is produced every Thursday to update STAND members and the advocacy community about developments with regards to genocide and crimes against humanity.  For more information contact the following:

Education Coordinator: Sean Langberg education@standnow.org 

Sudan Education Coordiator: Emma Smith esmith@standnow.org

DRC Education Coordinator: Siobhan Kelly skelley@standnow.org

Emerging Crises Education Coordinator: Tom Dolzall tdolzall@standnow.org 

  Weekly Update from the STAND Education

Team 9/15-9/22

DRC, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, Libya

DRC

Elections:

There are currently twelve candidates vying for the presidency in November. Ultimately, this election represents a referendum on President Kabila’s popularity amongst his constituencies. Due to the constitutional amendment passed earlier this year, the election will be only one round where the plurality takes all, in contrast to the 2006 elections which took place over two-rounds and majority won. This means Kabila does not need to win a majority of a vote but rather needs to ensure the opposition remains divided so he can win with the smallest percentage of the vote possible. For example, even if Kabila wins only 35% of the vote, if the remaining 65% of the vote is divided between competing opposition candidates, he will serve a second term as president.

The opposition’s main chance of defeating Kabila in the elections is to unite around one candidate – however the chances of this happening remain slim. There are deep divisions within the opposition party, and for the time being has split into two major wings. Though it is possible for an opposition party member to gain real traction in this election, they will have to combat Kabila’s deep pockets, state media and security services.

Source: http://congosiasa.blogspot.com/

Other News:

A group of gunmen dressed inarmy fatigues burst into a bar on Sunday night (Sept 18^th) in Gatumba, Burundi and killed 36 people and wounded 15. In recent months, Burundi has witnessed a string of mysterious killings throughout the country. Some point to the government, saying they are systematically rooting out the opposition. Opposition members use neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo to reorganize their members, and Sunday’s attackers were seen by witnesses as fleeing across the border into DRC. This is by no means saying they are Congolese, but rather taking advantage of the instability in the Kivu Provinces to coordinate action against the authoritarian government.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/20/world/africa/fatal-bar-shooting-exposes-burundis-instability.html?_r=1 

Democratic Republic of Congo’s economy will probably grow 6.9 percent this year, the central bank said, raising its forecast from 6.5 percent. Annual inflation will probably accelerate to 17 percent for the year, up from an earlier projection of 13 percent. 

On September 16^th The California Legislature passed SB 861, a law that requires public companies to comply with the Dodd-Frank provision on conflict minerals if they want to do business with the state of California.

Eastern Congo Initiative report on the technical issues threatening free, fair and transparent elections in DRC: http://library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1103318109797-30/Eastern+Congo+Initiative.pdf 

Sudan and South Sudan 

President Salva Kiir Mayadrit will lead a delegation of the newly independent South Sudan to participate for the first time at the meetings of the UN General Assembly in New York. President Barak Obama will meet in the margins of the UN General Assembly with President Kiir Mavadrit.

Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir today appointed the leader of the Liberation and Equality Movement (LJM) Tijani el-Sissi at the head of Darfur Regional Authority(DRA). The Sudanese president has also issued a degree appointing a new governor for the country’s unrest-hit southern state of Blue Nile.

The Sudan People’s liberation Movement for Democratic change (SPLM-DC), the official opposition party in the newly-independent country of South Sudan, has appointed Sisto Olur Erista as the new interim Secretary General replacing Sandra Bona Malwal. Malwal resigned from her position on Friday 16, saying she was a single parent and needed to spend more time with her children and focus on gender issues. Other officials including the secretary for finance, and secretary for populace and syndicated organization also resigned.

Sudan’s army has claimed it wrestled control of a strategic area in the country’s unrest-hit southern state of Blue Nile as its newly appointed governor vowed to restore stability. Blue Nile State has been the scene of violent confrontations between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and fighters of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement North (SPLM-N).

The UN Human Rights Council reported that the human rights situation in Sudan and the newly independent Republic of South Sudan is undermined by curtailment of civil freedoms in the former and localized violence in the latter. UN experts say that Khartoum needs to reform the way in which its security apparatus behaves towards freedom of expression and political activists while Juba needs to take concrete steps to protect civilians and address impunity in conflict zones.

Sudanese army clashed Tuesday with the rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) in the remote area of North Darfur near the triangle border with Chad and Libya. Sudanese army deployed troops along the border with Libya when Gaddafi supporters fled to neighboring countries.

President Obama met Tuesday at the UN with MustafaAbdel-Jalil, the head of Libya’s National Transitional Council (NTC) and praised Libyan rebels for toppling the regime of Muammar Qaddafi.  On Thursday the United States also formally reopened itsembassy in the Libyan capital of Tripoli.

Fighting between Libyan rebels and Qaddafi loyalists remains underway in several stronghold towns throughout the country.Rebel forces reportedon Thursday that the major Southern city of Sabha had been taken by rebelforces, as well as those of Al-Jufra – Hun, Waddan and Sokn. The loyalist stronghold of Bani-Walid remains contested however with fierce fighting continuing since a rebel assault last 

week was repelled. In consideration of ongoing fighting, NATO announced on Wednesday that it intended to extend its bombing campaign three months in order to provide air support to Libyan rebels fighting the last pockets of resistance from forces loyal to Col. Muammar Qaddafi.

BBC news reports that Syrian security forces have killedfive protestors in their continuing crackdown on the city of Homs. Security forces have also continued to conduct reprisals in other areas of north-west Syria and in the city of Hama.

The education update is produced every Thursday to update STAND members and the advocacy community about developments with regards to genocide and crimes against humanity.  For more information contact the following:

Education Coordinator: Sean Langberg education@standnow.org 

Sudan Education Coordiator: Emma Smith esmith@standnow.org

DRC Education Coordinator: Siobhan Kelly skelley@standnow.org

Emerging Crises Education Coordinator: Tom Dolzall tdolzall@standnow.org

Weekly Update from the STAND Education

Team 9/2-9/8

                    Libya, Syria, DRC, Sudan, South Sudan

Libya and Syria

Mustafa Abdel-Jalil, head of Libya’s National Transitional Council (NTC), arrived in Tripoli on Tuesday.  In a keynote speech, Mr. Abdel-Jalil called upon Libyans to rally around democratic ideals, moderate Islam and for the country to move towards reconciliation as the civil conflict enters its final stages.

Fighting continues between rebel forces and Qaddafi loyalists in pockets of the country. Negotiations between rebel forces and loyalists in the pro-Qaddafi stronghold of Bali Walid fell apart over the weekend after loyalists inside the town launched rocket artillery at rebel forces.  Rebel forces have since moved to capture the town with fighting ongoing.

BBC News reports that French President Nicholas Sarkozy and British Prime Minister David Cameron arrived in Libya on Thursday and were greeted with enthusiastic crowds. The two heads of state are meeting with leaders of the NTC and have pledged continued support for the new Libyan state while expressing their concerns about the challenges the new Libyan government will face.

Al-Jazeera reports that the Syrian dissidents and opposition figures have completed the formation of the Syrian National Council. The council, consisting of about 140 opposition figures both within Syria and in exile, aims to unify the disparate Syrian opposition groups into a cohesive political force.

DRC

Following violent political protests that left at least one dead and up to eight wounded, Kinshasa has issued a 5-day ban on political protests. However on Tuesday, the country’s justice minister has pledged a deep commitment to ensuring the November elections are “democratic” and “transparent”. The minister added that the government will "continue to expand the space of fundamental freedoms and reinforce the arsenal to protect human rights." 

In response to the escalating tension surrounding the November 2^6th election, current President Kabila has begun the process of reshuffling his cabinet in order to attract votes in areas traditionally considered opposition strongholds. This is considered a strategy to counter the 11 other candidates who are officially on the ballot, and has included bringing new ministers on board from a variety of ethnic and geographic groups.

Democratic Republic of Congo signed three cultural agreements with the government of Iran. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) in the fields of cinema, culture and news exchange. The Minister of Culture in Iran, Mohammed Hoseini, cited close cultural ties with the DRC as the framework for the MoUs, which now serve as the foundation for future collaboration between the two countries.

There are an estimated 1.7 million internally displaced people (IDPs) currently in the DRC, with the vast majority located in North and South Kivu in the eastern providence.

Sudan and South Sudan

The latest OCHA situation report on Blue Nile and South Kordofan reported that over 155,000 people were initially displaced by violence in Blue Nile according to SCRS (although likely many who fled from Ed Damazine have returned to their homes). Also, at least 8,000 were recently displaced in the Rashad and Talodi localities in South Kordofan according to HAC. These figures have not been confirmed by the UN due to restricted access.

Sudanese President Omer Hassan al-Bashir Tuesday appointed Ali Osman Taha as first vice-president and picked a Darfurian and member of the ruling party as vice-president.

During a meeting with a delegation of the rebel Justice and Equality Movement, US special envoy to Sudan called on Darfur rebels to unite their efforts for a comprehensive and inclusive peace process. Princeton Lyman, met on September 12^th in the Ugandan capital with two leading members of the rebel group, JEM vice president Ahmed Adam Bakheit and secretary for presidential affairs Mansour Arbab.

The president of newly independent South Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit, on Friday accused the Sudanese government of stopping cross-border trade with his country, resulting in increased prices of basic commodities.

A United Nations official reported that Sudan and newly independent South Sudan on Thursday agreed to completely withdraw their respective armed forces from the contested oil-producing border region of Abyei before October. 

The education update is produced every Thursday to update STAND members and the advocacy community about developments with regards to genocide and crimes against humanity.  For more information contact the following:

Education Coordinator: Sean Langberg education@standnow.org 

Sudan Education Coordiator: Emma Smith esmith@standnow.org

DRC Education Coordinator: Siobhan Kelly skelley@standnow.org

Emerging Crises Education Coordinator: Tom Dolzall tdolzall@standnow.org

Weekly Update from the STAND Education Team 9/2-9/8

Libya, Syria, DRC, Sudan 

Libya and Syria 

• BBC News reports that some elites who served in the government of Col. Muammar Qaddafi fled into neighboring Niger. Niger’s foreign minister stated that they will allow Qaddafi loyalists to stay in the country or move through and cited the difficultly in adequately controlling their vast border.

• Libyan rebels are continuing negotiations with the remaining pockets of pro-Qaddafi loyalists within Libya. Rebel forces have surrounded loyalist strongholds such as the town Bani Walid, but have largely ceased hostilities in the area in hopes of finding a peaceful solution with the remaining loyalists.

• Conflicting reports have surfaced throughout the week about the whereabouts of Col. Muammar Qaddafi. NYT reports that earlier in the week Libyan rebels claimed to have located and surrounded the dictator, but sparse details and conflicting statements from varying rebel sources indicate the situation remains fluid. Qaddafi released another message on September 8th vowing continued resistance and dismissing claims that he may have fled to Niger.

• Beginning on Wednesday and continuing throughout the week, Syrian security forces conducted sweeps in the city of Homs targeting alleged opposition figures, deserting Syrian military tropps and protestors. NYT reports that 17 civilians were killed during the sweep in Homs. Defection, desertion, and refusal to fire on civilians is allegedly on the rise among Syrian military forces in the past weeks.

• NYT reports United Nations Secretary General Ban-Ki-Moon called on Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad to take "bold and decisive measures before it’s too late" and signaled the United Nations desires to take "coherent measures" in regard to the situation in Syria. NYT also reports that Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a traditional ally of President Assad,called again on Thursday for the Syrian government to end the violent crackdown and open talks with the opposition. 

DRC

• The election buildup reached a breaking point this week after political clashes in the capital city of Kinshasa killed at least one civilian and injured several.  Opposition party member Etienne Tshisekedi announcement that he is running for the precidency triggered the violence.  Supporters of current President Joseph Kabila’s People’s Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD) attacked the headquarters of the rival Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDSP) following an arson attack on the PPRD’s headquarters, resulting in offices and a TV station being burnt to the ground.

• Election violence resulted in a crackdown by the government on political protests for the five days following the shootout. Despite the crackdown, tensions continue to rise as conflict between the two major parties continues to escalate. Today, police used tear gas to disperse hundreds of opposition supports in the capital who were demonstrating against allegations of election fraud.  

• Candidates have until Monday September 12^th to declare their candidacy for the November 28^th election. Yesterday the son of former dictator Mobutu Sese Seko and another leading opposition figure, Vital Kamerhe, formally declared their candidacy. President Joseph Kabila is expected to join the race formally by the end of this week. 

• Despite the apparent role voter fraud is playing in instigating violence, tension and unrest around the country, little is being done to rectify apparent flaws in the registration process. The International Crisis Group released a new report on the electoral process raising concerns about voter registration, monitoring and fraud. Across the country more than one million more voters registered for the election than originally estimated, and though the last physical census in the country was in 1984, it still raises questions. Allegations include fake voters, children and foreigners registering and citizens registering multiple times. In addition, there is minimal monitoring of the registration process, which means it is extremely vulnerable to fraud. Despite all these factors, the ICG has not called for an audit of voter registration. 

• The International Monetary Fund estimated that the DRC could exceed a forecasted growth rate of 6.5% this year. The announcement follows the quarterly report issued by the IMF, who currently has a 3-year $560 million credit arrangement with the country. However transparency in the mining sector remains one of the largest obstacles to economic growth. Robert York, the IMF’s chief of mission to Congo, said in a statement that “making progress in enhancing governance and transparency in extractive industries is essential." The upcoming elections are an opportunity to usher in a new age of transparency, accountability, and democracy in Kinshasa, however escalating political violence and lack of international attention are obstacles to creating social change. 

Sudan

• The United States special envoy to Sudan Princeton Lyman expressed concern over the recent upsurge in fighting between government forces and Sudan People Liberation Movement North (SPLM-N) in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states.

• Sudan’s governing National Congress Party (NCP) vowed to quell the rebellion in the country’s southern state of Blue Nile, saying it is a prerequisite to any dialogue with the armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement North (SPLM-N). A firefight was heard on Tuesday evening in the capital of Sudan’s southern state of Blue Nile prompting the country’s army to downplay the events as accidental.

• Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir has declared a state of emergency in the Blue Nile State and dismissed its governor Malik Agar amid reports of aerial bombardments and concomitant displacement in the unrest-hit region.

• International aid agencies have began providing emergency assistance to fleeing Sudanese in Ethiopia as the refugee population that escaped recent conflict from Sudan’s Blue Nile state swells to around 20,000.

• An advance delegation of the former rebel Liberation and Equality Movement (LJM) is expected to arrive in the Sudanese capital Khartoum in accordance to a peace deal they signed in Doha last July. President Omer Hassan Al-Bashir appointed his chief negotiator at the Doha peace process as the head of a new office to follow-up the realization of peace in Darfur, days before the arrival of former rebels to Khartoum. 

• Sudanese opposition forces will organise a demonstration on Friday demanding to stop the war in South Kordofan and Blue Nile and to investigate who started the attacks.

• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) released a report saying repeated waves of inter-communal violent conflict and rebel activities in South Sudan have led to the deaths of more than 1,500 people and the displacement of over 73,000 in recent months. 

The education update is produced every Thursday to update STAND members and the advocacy community about developments with regards to genocide and crimes against humanity.  For more information contact the following:

Education Coordinator: Sean Langberg education@standnow.org 

Sudan Education Coordiator: Emma Smith esmith@standnow.org

DRC Education Coordinator: Siobhan Kelly skelley@standnow.org

Emerging Crises Education Coordinator: Tom Dolzall tdolzall@standnow.org

 Weekly Update from the STAND Education Team 8/26-9/1

Libya, Syria, DRC, Sudan 

Major Developments: 

• Rebels in Libya, with support from NATO, captured most of Tripoli and attention shifted to recreating destroyed institutions.
  

• Protests broke out in the capital of the DRC regarding allegations of fraud in the preparations for upcoming elections.
  

• Over 26,000 South Sudanese have been displaced because of ethnic violence surrounding cattle raids in Jonglei State
  

Libya and Syria

• NYT reports that The National Transitional Council (NTC) has given Col. Muammar Qaddafi and forces, particularly those in Qaddafi’s home town of Surt which remains a loyalist bastion, an ultimatum to surrender to rebel forces. Negotiations between rebels and Qaddafi loyalists in Surt are reportedly ongoing.
  

• Col. Qaddafi remains at large, and his wife and three children along with their families were reported to have fled to nearby Algeria. Both Col. Qaddafi and son Saif al-Islam Qaddafi allegedly remain in Libya and have vowed continued resistance in released messages according to BBC News.
  

• As Libyan rebel forces consolidate control of the Libyan capital of Tripoli from forces loyal to Col. Muammar Qaddafi, BBC News, Human Rights Watch and Al-Jazeera report that evidence of several mass killings has been uncovered. Human Rights Watch reports that eighteen bodies were discovered outside of a building allegedly controlled by pro-Qaddafi internal security forces.  Another seventeen bodies were discovered in an empty building in the Gargur district.  In both cases, the nature of the gunshot wounds and survivor testimony indicates that the victims were civilians and opposition figures tortured and then executed by Qaddafi loyalists as they retreated from the rebel advance.  HRW reports that several similar sites exist throughout the city but at present responsibility is difficult to assess.
  

• Libyan rebels have largely consolidated control of the Libyan capital, but the disparate rebel groups now face the task of maintaining order and returning basic services to Tripoli’s population.
  

• Amnesty International released a statement on August 31, concerning potential abuse of black Libyans by rebel forces.  They have been the target of rebels because many were hired as mercenaries by Qaddafi.
  

• NYT reports that Iran’s foreign minister has released a statement calling upon Syria to recognize the “legitimate” demands of Syrian protesters and hoped for a peaceful resolution to the crisis. Earlier in the week the European Union stepped up sanctions on Iran’s al-Quds brigade of the Revolutionary Guards Corp., alleging that Iranian group was aiding Syrian security forces.
  

• BBC News reports that Adnan Bakkour, Attorney General of the Syrian city of Hama,has released a video protesting the regimes crackdown and announcing his resignation.  In the video, Bakkour details alleged human rights abuses, including summary executions, by Syrian security forces.
  

• NYT reports that on August 28 Turkish President Abdullah Gul stated that he has “lost confidence” in the Syrian regime.
  

• NYT reports that Syrian security forces have been conducting neighborhood sweeps in the city of Hama, arresting suspected protestors and opposition figures. Elsewhere in Syria, protestors have continued to rally despite violent reprisals by security forces.
  

DRC

• Despite record turnout for registration, officials now fear the November elections will be delayed due to spirally costs and the loss of voting equipment. Despite the state relying heavily on international aid in the 2006 elections, Kinshasa is expected to take the lead on ensuring the elections are free and fair while international organizations are backing off. This has already led to controversy; the international community fears the elections will not be legitimate or not even take place while domestic opposition parties are already accusing President Kabila of rigging the elections. Despite being only 3 months away from the election date, voting equipment such as ballots and booths have yet to reach the country. This has further increased the cost of the elections from $700 million originally to $1.2 billion.  How the government will cover 70% of elections costs, as Kinshasa originally promised, is unclear. 
  

• In response to allegations of fraud surrounding the elections, hundreds of protestors took to the streets in Kinshasa.  Police fired tear gas in response until the protests ceased.
  

• Though debt is a universal problem, it is particularly accentuated in DRC. The debt burden of the country is now equal to its GDP at $13 billion, though international donors are now advocating for debt reduction for the country since it cannot handle a debt burden that exceeds $4 billion.
  

• Congolese authorities are investigating a MONUSCO driver accused of trying to illegally export minerals into Rwanda. Officials in the North Kivu province, an area known for its mineral abundance, say they stopped the driver last week and found 1,200 kilograms of casserite which is considered a ‘conflict mineral’ by international organizations. MONUSCO has spoken against the incident, saying it works hard to prevent trafficking of illicit minerals, and promising an internal inquiry into the breach of ethics.  The man was sentenced to three years in prison.
  

Sudan

• Sudan’s Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday it submitted an official complaint to the United Nations Security Council, accusing South Sudan of causing instability in South Kordofan state, the latest sign of growing tension between the two nations. In response, South Sudan denied Sudan’s accusation, suggesting that the blame for South Kordofan’s troubles rests solely with Khartoum’s.
  

• A Dinka Ngok delegation from the dissolved Abyei administration last week held talks with the commander of the UN forces in the region nearly four months after North Sudan’s army invaded the disputed oil-producing region
  

• The leader of the opposition National Umma Party (NUP) Sadiq al-Mahdi urged the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) to make the necessary concessions to end the current conflicts in Sudan and to achieve a democratic transition, after South Sudan seceded in July.
  

• President Omar Hassan al-Bashir on Saturday ordered the release of all Sudanese journalists, saying Khartoum respects responsible freedom of expression. Witnesses said the decision to free about six journalists in detention came after he attended an annual function by journalists linked to the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. 
  

• Sudan’s President Omar Hassan al-Bashir announced a two-week unilateral ceasefire in Southern Kordofan state, a week after the U.N. called for an investigation into reports of violence and abuses there. 
  

• The secretary-general of the armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), Yasir Arman, has fulminated against the rule of the National Congress Party (NCP) and revealed preparations to convene a summit between his party and rebel groups from Sudan’s western Darfur region.
  

• The United Nations estimates that 26,800 individuals in three villages have been displaced by recent ethnic fighting in South Sudan’s troubled Jonglei state.  Violence erupted after a series of cattle raids in an effort to secure food resources during the driest months of the year.
  

The education update is produced every Thursday to update STAND members and the advocacy community about developments with regards to genocide and crimes against humanity.  For more information contact the following:

Education Coordinator: Sean Langberg education@standnow.org 

Sudan Education Coordiator: Emma Smith esmith@standnow.org

DRC Education Coordinator: Siobhan Kelly skelley@standnow.org

Emerging Crises Education Coordinator: Tom Dolzall tdolzall@standnow.org

Weekly Update from the STAND Education Team

Sudan, DRC, and Syria 

Sudan 

• President Obama announced Thursday, August 18, 2011 his nomination of Susan D. Page as the Ambassador to the Republic of South Sudan, Department of State Susan D. Page currently serves as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of African Affairs.  Prior to this assignment, she was Regional Director for Southern and East Africa at the National Democratic Institute. 

• Sudan has once again threatened to expel the UN-AU Joint Peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID) over the contents of a UN Security Council’s resolution extending the mission’s mandate. On 29 July, the UN Security Council voted the extension of UNAMID for one more year, asking the world’s largest peacekeeping operation in Sudan’s troubled region to make full use of its capabilities and prioritize the protection of civilians; safe, timely and unhindered humanitarian access. The resolution further asked Khartoum to create suitable conditions to engage a process for political dialogue in Darfur and remove a number of restrictions in freedom of expression and other rights limited by the state of emergency law imposed in the region. Sudan has quickly denounced the resolution, saying it attempts to manipulate the mission’s mandate and tarnish the image of the country.

• The Enough Project released information about possible mass graves in South Kordofan on August 17^th.  Following closely on the U.N. report calling for investigations into human rights violations in Sudan, the Satellite Sentinel Project, or SSP,  released a report of possible mass graves in and around Kadugli, the state capital of South Kordofan, where heavy fighting has taken place since June. The evidence of these mass graves is based on satellite imagery that has been corroborated by multiple eyewitness accounts.

• A new UN report has reiterated claims that human rights abuses allegedly committed during the conflict in Sudan’s state of South Kordofan may amount to “war crimes” and “crimes against humanity,” and must therefore be fully investigated. A UN official last week said that at least 200,000 people in South Kordofan have been killed, injured or forced to flee their homes and land since the fighting erupted. Al-Bashir denies any wrongdoing and denigrates the ICC as a tool of a Western conspiracy to dismantle his regime. The current governor of South Kordofan Ahmed Haroun is also wanted by the Hague tribunal. On August 14^th, a Sudanese parliamentarian accused South Sudan and the West of supporting the rebellion in the country’s southern state of South Kordofan in order to create a pretext for the deployment of UN troops.

Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

• Voter registration wrapped up for the November elections with 31 million registering to vote out of a total population of 71 million.  This is up from 26 million registered voters in the 2006 elections.  Presidential candidates also officially declared candidacy with Kabila as the frontrunner.  Currently, there are two main opposition candidates and it is thought they will have to form a coalition in order to defeat Kabila.

• David Aronson’s article “How Congress Devastated Congo” sparked heated debate in the DRC advocacy community.  The article states the Dodd-Frank law has “unintended and devastating consequences” and criticizes the conflict-minerals narrative as simplistic.  The Enough Project, led by John Pendergast and proponent of the conflict-free movement, issued a response that defended the Dodd-Frank provision which requires companies to trace supply lines of minerals mined in the DRC.  The advocacy community opposed to the conflict-free exclusive narrative argue that issues such as civil society empowerment, security sector reform, and governance reform need to be addressed for real progress to be made.

Syria

• Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad continued his assault on civilians following protests against his administration.  Most recently, al-Assad ordered an assault on the port-city of Latakia.  Warships and tanks killed more than twenty-four people before being called away from the city.  In response to the ongoing violence, President Obama called for al-Assad to resign and issued new sanctions against Syria.  Below are links from the US government and EU administration regarding their withdrawal of support.

http://goo.gl/IMmRx White House Fact Sheet 

http://goo.gl/Geci7 Obama’s statement on Syria

http://goo.gl/35rQx EU statement on Syria

http://goo.gl/KAWvu Clinton’s remarks on Syria

http://goo.gl/s5LJs Executive order issuing sanctions

The education update is produced every Friday to update STAND members and the advocacy community about developments with regards to genocide and crimes against humanity.  For more information contact the following:

Education Coordinator: Sean Langberg education@standnow.org

Sudan Education Coordiator: Emma Smith esmith@standnow.org

DRC Education Coordinator: Siobhan Kelley skelley@standnow.org

Emerging Crises Education Coordinator: Tom Dolzall tdolzall@standnow.org