Ruhi Bhaidani

In addition to violence in Bangui, the proposed political process under the interim government of Catherine Samba-Panza has been further destabilized. Samba-Panza’s efforts to ensure a smooth election were stymied this week when “armed groups and politicians in Central African Republic boycotted the start of a political forum.” Election discussions began on October 13, but have since been postponed due to the armed opposition and boycott of the event by about 10 of the 50 political parties scheduled to participate, on the grounds of “political fraud.”

The United Nations reports that on October 18, seven UN police were attacked and illegally detained by armed men, allegedly associated with anti-Balaka forces. Although the police were freed the same night, their equipment and weapons were taken away from them by their captors, according to UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric. This week, three unidentified men fired upon another UN agency, the Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission (MINUSCA), based near Bangui. Peacekeepers responded by killing one assailant and seizing several weapons.

Violence and discord within CAR increased on Sunday, October 18, when anti-Balaka forces kidnapped the vice president. CAR’s National Transitional Council Vice President, Léa Koyassoum Doumta, was abducted as she was coming home from a funeral near Bangui. She was released after two hours of negotiation with a list of demands for the government. Later on Sunday, the militias kidnapped six Central African gendarmes. The anti-Balakas demanded, among several other demands, the release of many people arrested last week. The International Criminal Court is continuing an investigation on war crimes by both Séléka and anti-Balaka forces.

Great Lakes of Africa: Burundi

Lindah Mogeni

Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, condemned the murder of 11 people in Burundi’s capital, Bujumbura, and extended his condolences to the bereaved families. Of those killed, nine were civilians, one of whom was a staff member for the International Organization for Migration, and the remaining two were police officers. The Secretary-General further appealed to Burundian authorities to investigate the killings and bring the perpetrators to justice.

The United Nations denotes that Burundi is in the midst of a dour post-civil war political crisis after its president, Pierre Nkurunziza, decided to run for a controversial third term in April of this year. This action has been widely regarded as unconstitutional by the opposition, civil society, and sections of his own party, as well as “contrary to the spirit of the 2000 Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement for Burundi” that ended Burundi’s civil war in 2006.

Since President Nkurunziza’s “non-inclusive and non-consensual” re-election in July, the crisis has escalated with frequent police-targeted attacks by the opposition and summary executions by the Nkurunziza government. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has registered an estimated 130 killings and hundreds of cases of arbitrary arrest and detention in Burundi since April.

The African Union (AU) announced its decision to launch an investigation into rights abuses and called for “targeted sanctions, including travel bans and asset freezes,” against all Burundian stakeholders whose actions and statements contribute to the perpetuation of violence and impede the search for a solution. Moreover, the AU’s Peace and Security Council is considering a contingency plan that involves deploying an African-led Mission to curb the spread of violence in the country.

United States Special Envoy for the Great Lakes region, Thomas Perriello, reiterated the frequency of ongoing abuses in Burundi and further expressed the United States’ concern for the safety of journalists and state of the media. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), joined by its affiliate Union Burundaise des Journalistes, shared this concern as they condemned the execution of a cameraman named Christophe Nkezabahizi, his wife, and two children.

The International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) also condemned the acts of violence and has emphasized its steadfast cooperation with the mediation process led by Uganda’s President, Yoweri Museveni. The ICGLR urges that all parties involved in the process adhere to the Pact on Security, Stability and Development in the Great Lakes Region, as well as the Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.

Middle East and North Africa: Syria

Maddie King

This week there has been a massive escalation of foreign involvement in Syria, with an increase in support for Assad against growing terror threats. Russian airstrikes continue in Damascus, Idlib, Dier Ezzor, Aleppo and Hama, though they have declined in the past few days in favor of heightened ground assaults. Russia has also moved to establish an information-sharing mechanism with Israel to explore the potential for future cooperation, and has met with Saudi Arabian leaders with the goal of cooperation in preventing the establishment of a terrorist caliphate. Simultaneously, hundreds of Iranian troops have been deployed in Syria to work in conjunction with Hezbollah’s ground presence in the region. Like the Russian campaign, the Iranian military campaign has focused its action in regions in northern and central Syria, rather than Eastern Syria, where ISIS’ presence is most concentrated. Finally, the leader of the Cuban military visited Syria this week, leading to widespread speculation that Cuba will begin providing aid and military support to Assad’s regime in the near future.

In response to this increase of foreign involvement, the European Union has raised sanctions against Assad’s regime and called on Russia to end its current military campaign. The United States has decided to terminate its failed $500 million program to train and equip moderate Syrian rebels in favor of increasing military support to established units, including the Kurdish YPG militia, which recently entered a new coalition with Syrian Arab groups in order to fight the Islamic State in northern Syria. The Kurdish YPG militia has consistently proven one of the most successful ground forces against the emergence of ISIS, however, a report released by Amnesty International on October 13 indicates that the group may have been involved in war crimes in a campaign actively displacing the area’s local Arab population.

In Aleppo, fighting has intensified between ISIS, government forces, and rebel groups to establish control in the region, concentrated in the towns of Ahras and Tel Jabin. ISIS continues to lay siege on a state airbase near Aleppo, and Aleppo is likely to remain a highly contested area over the next few weeks.

Southeast Asia: Burma

Sophie Back

Violence persists in Kachin state despite Myanmar’s much-anticipated peace treaty, which was signed this Thursday with eight minority insurgent groups. The Kachin Independence Army, and other major insurgent groups in the north were conspicuously absent at the televised signing of the treaty this week. Despite talks of election postponement on Tuesday, the elections are set to go ahead as scheduled, though election officials announced that polls will not be held in areas beyond government control.

Tens of thousands of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) remain in Kachin Province following the outbreak of fighting in June, however the Myanmar state continues to block United Nations agencies from providing humanitarian aid to vulnerable communities. This week, a fact-finding mission conducted by the ASEAN Parliamentarians on Human Rights (APHR) demanded that the Myanmar government allow for the provision of basic rights and aid to IDPs throughout Burma. APHR, which includes parliamentarians from Cambodia, Indonesia, and Malaysia, reiterated its support for the Myanmar government in conducting “free and fair” elections in November. The mission also reported that though the potential for intercommunal violence in Rakhine province remains acute, ethnic segregation enforced by the Burmese government is unwarranted and has led to the “entrenchment of divisions between Buddhist and Muslim communities and should be addressed immediately.”

As the monsoon season draws to a close and the Bay of Bengal-Andaman Sea route to Southeast Asia reopens, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has predicted a new surge in “irregular” migration from the shores of Western Burma. In the first half of 2015, 31,000 people had been trafficked along this route, representing a 34% increase from the previous year’s figure. Vivian Tan, a spokeswoman for UNHCR, told Guardian Australia that “this [upward] trend is likely to continue unless the root causes are addressed.”

Human Rights experts from The Arakan Project and Fortify Rights warn that measures to dismantle trafficking routes have merely disrupted them. There are currently 140,000 internally displaced Rohingya people living in Rakhine state and approximately 2,500 Bangladeshi and Rohingya people in detention or in shelters in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. In Bangladesh, 200,000 refugees are reported to be living in unofficial camps. In light of Malaysia’s open-door policy for Rohingya refugees, neighbouring states have turned to either detaining migrants or, as is increasingly the case, aiding them in their passage to Malaysia rather than ensuring the safety of migrants in existing refugee camps.

South Sudan

Jason Qu

On October 12, the Ugandan Government declared that they would begin a full withdrawal of Ugandan People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) troops from South Sudan; the number of troops estimate in the thousands, with no specific figures available. This withdrawal of not only UPDF forces, but all foreign troops, was a key demand from Riek Machar and the opposition as part of the shaky Compromise that concluded in August. Uganda deployed troops into South Sudan in 2013 as a response to a request from President Salva Kiir as the country descended into civil war. Although the UPDF was supposed to begin withdrawing, there have been no signs of movement of said troops, according to IGAD’s Monitoring and Verification Mechanism for South Sudan. Juba has cited that key portions of the August agreement have yet to be signed, and until they are, a guarantee can not be made for the withdrawal of foreign forces. The opposition led by former Vice President Machar retorted that the signing of that particular section of the agreement was not a prerequisite for UPDF withdrawal.

On October 16, President Kiir, leader of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), has announced that all leadership positions in the SPLM be vacated, except for his position as Chairman. Kiir declared that these positions would be filled within a month’s time, which coincides with a SPLM convention that is expected to be attended by SPLM supporters loyal to the president. SPLM-In Opposition (SPLM-IO) leader Riek Machar says that this move will undermine the August peace deal, which called for unity between the factions of the SPLM. The aforementioned SPLM convention would take place before the deadline for a unity government passes, which means that opposition SPLM factions such as Machar’s will likely not be present.

A spate of new violence continues to sweep across South Sudan, with Unity State and Warrap State as flashpoints for fighting this week. Earlier this week in Warrap State, 90 people were reported to have been killed and 144 injured in intercommunal land disputes between the Luacjang and Ananatak communities, which lasted until the South Sudanese Army intervened. This new fighting represents the fragile ethnic and clan-based lines that shape South Sudan and contribute significantly, among many other factors, to its instability, both within and outside the context of the civil war. Unity State, which is an oil-rich region, has often been the site of combat between the rebels and the SPLA since late 2013 when the crisis in South Sudan began. Hundreds of thousands are displaced within Unity State, and remain out of reach of food assistance and medical care.

On October 16, Justice and President of the South Sudan Supreme Court, Chan Reec Madut declared his support for President Salva Kiir’s executive order to increase the number of states in South Sudan from 10 to 28. The announcement comes before legal challenges to said order are due to appear before the Supreme Court. Legal challenges are expected to be raised by the SPLM-IO and other Sudanese civil society groups, and the move has been condemned by international bodies such as the EU and IGAD. Opponents of the move declare that it is in violation of the South Sudanese Transitional Constitution and would throw a wrench in peace negotiations, whose conditions are based on the existing 10 states. Rebel leader Oloni of the Shilluk militia threatened to take up arms again if the executive order is not reversed. In reaction to fury from the opposition–especially since a key demand of the rebels in the August peace deal was judicial reform to ensure neutrality–Justice Madut denied any partisan motivations behind his statement of support for the President’s executive order. Instead, he stated that he believes the order will give local bodies more power in terms of governance, social services, etc.

Sudan: Darfur

Jason Qu

The Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF), a coalition of the SPLM-North and other rebel groups in Sudan, fears a split after disagreements between key members regarding the SRF Presidency. The Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), as well as their respective factions, supported a transition of SRF leadership to JEM leader Jibril Ibrahim, but the SPLM-N and its allies claim that reforms need to be made with voting procedures before any effective change in leadership can occur. SPLM-N Spokesman Mubarak Ardol refuted reports about the change in leadership, claiming they had not been officiated by the SRF. This dispute could divide one of Sudan’s largest and most organized umbrella rebel organizations, which would have significant impacts on their ability to negotiate with Khartoum as a united body.

Recent reports have surfaced that the Sudanese Government has been denying food rations and containers to UNAMID peacekeepers. Although Sudan has been met with criticism from the UN regarding this action, the Sudanese Government defends their position, claiming that UNAMID officials have failed to comply with customs requirements for the food containers and that their actions are in accordance with Sudanese law. This also comes as Sudanese Government and Sudanese representatives to the United Nations have been calling for the end of the UNAMID mission, and discussing withdrawal dates with the United Nations Security Council. The Sudanese government claims that communal fighting is under control, and that funds from the expensive UNAMID mission could be diverted for greater development in Sudan.

The week-long National Dialogue Conference that was launched on October 10 in Khartoum, but boycotted by dozens of rebel organizations, international bodies, and political organizations, resulted in a number of pledges for new reforms and legislation by President Bashir, ranging from judicial reform to improving economic transparency within Sudan. He also pledged a commitment to a referendum on the status of Darfur, scheduled for April 2016, which will decide whether the five states that make up Darfur will formally become one autonomous region. His pledge also includes a one-year extension of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur. Rebel groups are concerned about statements that pledge the deployment of more Sudanese security forces across Sudan, and the extension of full government authority throughout the entire country. Nevertheless, the SRF has declared its intention to sign a ceasefire if the Sudanese Government pledges its commitment to AU-facilitated peace talks.

Get to know the 2015-2016 Task Force

Ruhi Bhaidani serves as Central and West Africa Conflict Coordinator, and has been a STAND member for over four years. As president of her high school’s STAND for Peace club, she organized a concert to draw attention to ongoing genocidal violence around the world. Ruhi is a freshman at the University of Chicago.

Lindah Mogeni serves as STAND’s Great Lakes Conflict Coordinator, and is a senior at Barnard College studying Political Science. Lindah comes to STAND with extensive human rights advocacy and research experience, and spent three months in 2014 as a Fieldwork Research Intern with the United Nations Stabilization Mission (MONUSCO) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Maddie King serves as STAND’s Middle East and North Africa Conflict Coordinator, and is a junior at Johns Hopkins University, where she is pursuing majors in International Studies and Global Environmental Change and Sustainability and a minor in Islamic Studies. She is passionate about addressing issues of refugee resettlement, particularly as they relate to the roots of displacement.

Sophie Back serves as STAND’s Southeast Asia Conflict Coordinator, and is a third year student at University College London pursuing a degree in History and Political Science. An outspoken advocate for Amnesty International on campus, Sophie comes to STAND after spending the summer in Vietnam, where she led a team that organized workshops to prepare students for the implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community free trade area.

Jason Qu serves as STAND’s Sudan and South Sudan Conflict Coordinator, and is a junior at the Bronx High School of Science. He is also Vice President of the Amnesty International chapter at his school, and is extensively involved in Model United Nations and the Muslim Student Association at Bronx Science.

Ruhi Bhaidani

Although it seemed as if some progress had been made in Central African Republic (CAR) under the interim government of Catherine Samba-Panza and the new constitution passed by the transitional council, fears of escalating violence have once again shaken the nation to its core. On September 26, at least 37 people were killed in the capital, Bangui, and several more wounded. The fighting began after the body of a motorcycle-taxi driver was discovered on the night of the 26th with anti-Muslim slogans inscribed on his dead body. Though many Muslims have fled CAR fearing violence from the Christian anti-Balaka militia, some sought revenge and attacked the Christian neighborhood of Bangui. According to Moctar Mahamat, a resident living in the now-desolate capital’s Muslim Quarter, “At the sight of the mutilated body, young neighborhood self-defense militiamen wanted to avenge the killing of the Muslim.”

Anti-balaka militia forces became involved in the violence in response to the uprisings of the Muslim militias. Amadou Rufai, a mayor in Bangui’s Muslim Quarter, fears that the anti-Balaka’s involvement means the continuation of violence.

The situation further deteriorated on Monday, September 28 when more than 500 inmates escaped from the main prison in Bangui, destabilizing much of the order put into place by the Interim Government. Many of the escaped prisoners, which included at least 60 high-level inmates, proceeded to loot and destroy the offices of several prominent international aid organizations. The violence caused President Samba-Panza, who was attending the United Nations General Assembly meetings in New York City, to return home to address the clashes.  The prison break has jeopardized the ongoing peace process in CAR, as well as the presidential election planned for October 18. On the Monday following the violence, three teenagers were killed, one of whom had been decapitated, and four children between the ages of 7 and 17 were severely wounded by gunshots and grenade fragments. These clashes resulted in the destruction of the International Organization for Migration offices in Bangui. Mob violence reportedly forced American Marines to rescue two of the organization’s employees.

According to United Nations estimates, the clashes have killed thousands of people in the past few years, displaced 380,000 people, and driven 464,000 individuals to neighboring countries for safety. In the past few weeks alone, at least 27,000 Central Africans have been internally displaced.

Great Lakes of Africa: Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)

Lindah Mogeni

The Former DRC Special Representative to the United Nations Secretary-General, Martin Kobler, and UN Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region, Said Djinnit, conveyed to the UN Security Council their doubts regarding the sustainability of political progress attained in the DRC. They also expressed concern regarding political tensions given the upcoming 2016 presidential and legislative polls. Kobler further appealed to the DRC government to address issues pertaining to the electoral process such as the elections’ budget, electoral calendar sequence, and voter eligibility.

On the subject of human rights, Kobler asserted that more than 2,200 violations affecting 5,400 victims have occurred in the span of this year, half of which were committed by state agents. He condemns the limited progress with regard to holding perpetrators accountable and ensuring justice.

United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, appointed Maman S. Sidikou of Niger as his new Special Representative to succeed Kobler and head the UN Mission in DRC (MONUSCO). The DRC government appealed to Sidikou to foster cooperation between MONUSCO and the FARDC. In early February, the UN suspended MONUSCO support for two FARDC-affiliated battalions whose generals were accused of grave human rights violations.

The former Commander of the Patriotic Resistance Forces in Ituri, Germain Katanga, urged the International Criminal Court judges for a reduction in his prison sentence. The Congolese militia leader was previously sentenced to 12 years in prison for his collusion in war crimes, crimes against humanity, and an attack on Bogoro village on February 24, 2003 that resulted in 200 deaths by gunshot and machete. Though Mr. Katanga expressed remorse and regret, the ICC judges have yet to give a date for the rendering of his decision.

The High Court of Beni city, North Kivu province, sentenced 12 people to penalties for criminal conspiracy, including machete killings, and other serious crimes committed in Beni and the surrounding area. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) provided logistical support for the hearings.

Middle East and North Africa: Syria

Maddie King

Russia’s airstrikes against ISIS in Syria have continued, and most recently started launching naval strikes. A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State said on Wednesday that more than 90% of Russia’s airstrikes in Syria have not targeted areas controlled by ISIS and have instead largely targeted more moderate opposition groups including Liwa Suqour al-Jabar, a group trained by the CIA, whose main weapon depot was destroyed last week by the campaign. Reports indicate that leaders of the Kurdish resistance are considering an alliance with Russia and Assad. In response to Russia’s gains in the region, Saudi Arabia and its allies have committed to increase military aid to Syrian rebels in the coming months.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights notes that the northwestern region of Syria has seen “the most intense fighting in months” as the Assad regime, with the assistance of Russian air strikes, recaptured areas in the provinces of Idlib and Hama earlier this week. At the same time, ISIS seized territory from rival rebel groups near the city of Aleppo on Friday, killing a senior commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in the process. Losing Aleppo would be a major political setback for the Assad regime.

Concerns over public health in Syria are rising in light of a typhoid outbreak in a refugee camp in the Yarmouk district of Damascus. Access to medical care has dramatically declined during the conflict, with nearly 60% of hospitals shut down or functioning only partially.

Southeast Asia: Burma

Sophie Back

This week opposition leader Aung Yang Suu Kyi has announced that, should her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), win a majority in the elections, she will become president of Burma, regardless of the constitution, which currently prohibits her from doing so. The leader of the NLD remains silent on the issue of ethnic tensions in Burma in order to promote ‘reconciliation’. However, the leading opposition party has promised to ensure equal rights for all nationalities and religions if it wins on 11/08.

The Myanmar government is to sign a permanent peace deal with 7 militant ethnic groups next week in an attempt to establish greater stability in the run up to the elections. The peace deal, which has caused much controversy, includes just half of the groups that had been involved in the negotiations prior to this week’s announcement, and a third of all Burma’s insurgent groups.

The rights of minority religious groups have come under further threat, as thousands attended a rally in Yangon led by Buddhist Ma Ba Tha campaigners to celebrate the passing of four new bills, which penalize polygamy, large families, and intermarriage between religions. The protesters claim they are reacting to an “Islamic Invasion”.

FORUM-ASIA has concluded its conference on religious rights in Southeast Asia with the publication of a declaration asserting a regional commitment to protect religious rights. Amnesty International has also launched a campaign to free Burma’s political prisoners this week. However, tensions remain high between the Myanmar government and the international community as Foreign Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin bit back at the UN during the 70th General Assembly this week. Accusing the institution of being outdated and unsympathetic. He criticised the Human Rights Council for labelling Burma’s “systematic human rights violations” as the cause of the migrant crisis, and the Security Council for its closed-door briefing on Burma’s migrant crisis in May.

Three hundred and forty five Rohingya migrants have fled from refugee camps in Indonesia’s Aceh province. The refugees are believed to be travelling to Malaysia with the help of smugglers, following the anti-human trafficking crackdown in Thailand which has shifted human trafficking routes southwards. Earlier this week a report by the Indonesian police rejected the claims of sexual assault made by four Rohingya women in Aceh province on the grounds that the medical examinations found no trace of sexual assault. Police now suspect that the women’s claims were a desperate attempt to gain passage to Malaysia. The regional clamp-down on human trafficking has made migrants resort to greater lengths to seek work and freedom from persecution. With ‘sailing season’ due to recommence over the next few days, ASEAN states are on high alert as many more prepare to set sail on the perilous journey across the Indian Ocean.

South Sudan

Jason Qu

The United Nations Security Council has extended, the UNMISS mandate in South Sudan for an additional two months, urging parties in the South Sudanese Civil War to abide by a crumbling ceasefire and peace agreement. This extension gives UNMISS new powers to monitor the ceasefire as new parties to the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission. The resolution also calls for the United Nations and UNMISS to procure and deploy greater numbers of helicopter aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles in order to better monitor the situation in South Sudan. President Salva Kiir has declared his government’s opposition to this provision, citing a lack of dialogue between Juba and the United Nations over the controversial issue of drone aircraft use.

Mediators in South Sudan have reported new fighting in Western Equatoria and Central Equatoria States, as the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) burned down a town in Mundri, killing civilians and indiscriminately using ordnance to destroy almost all properties in the area. SPLA officials and Western Equatoria have published conflicting reports regarding the cause of the fighting. In neighboring Central Equatoria, three SPLA soldiers were allegedly killed by a rebel group in the area after locals reported that the army was trying to expel residents from their homes to loot them. Thousands have been displaced across South Sudan as a result of this new crop of fighting.

Local officials in South Sudan’s turbulent Unity state accused rebel forces loyal to former Vice President Machar of raiding the area of Wangkei Payam, and attacking a group of cattle traders. The rebel forces deny responsibility for the killing of ten civilians, the looting of property, and the raid of herds of cattle. In Unity state’s Leer County and Koch County, SPLA and rebel troops clashed with each other. Government troops also allegedly launched aerial attacks on civilians in the area using helicopter gunships. A rebel spokesman claimed his forces had briefly attacked Leer country before a SPLA counterattack, and that rebels in both counties suffered between of 18 and 40 casualties at the hands of the government.

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development, SPLM-IO (In Opposition), civil society groups, and a number of mediating bodies have urged President Kiir reverse a previous decision to increase the number of states in South Sudan from 10 to 28. They are claiming partitions of existing states could be counter-productive to the implementation of any agreed peace agreement. Kiir is expecting a legal challenge in the South Sudan Court, but does not enter any proceedings without support, as his executive order still has its mixed opinions from the South Sudanese people. Apart from legal challenges, rebel groups have also declared their opposition to and condemnation of this decree.

Sudan: Darfur

Jason Qu

Three rebel leaders of factions belonging to the Sudan Liberation Movement have changed their minds regarding what was formerly a boycott of talks with the Sudanese Government. They arrived in Khartoum with Chadian President Idriss Deby, on October 9, as part of a national dialogue conference backed by Sudanese President Bashir. Bashir is reported to have asked Deby to convince more rebel factions to come to the table, but many of them still refuse, citing a failure to implement Darfur peace agreements in the past. Instead, the armed and political groups that are not attending, which number over 60, say they would prefer the African Union, which was not present at the conference regarding the national dialogue initiative launched by Khartoum, along with the EU and UN, to help create a comprehensive agreement and path to the end of conflict, rather than hold direct talks with Khartoum.

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which holds a minor presence in Sudan’s legislative branches, has claimed they have been in discussions regarding future ceasefire and political negotiations, with the Sudan Revolutionary Forces (SRF), one of the largest rebel groups in Darfur, Blue Nile State, and South Kordofan. President Bashir has verbalized a commitment to extending a recent two-month ceasefire declared in September into a permanent agreement if rebel groups demonstrate a “willingness for peace.” The DUP, which is not in attendance, pledged to convey these commitments to the SRF, who will also not be attending the conference in Khartoum, along with a number of other rebel factions.

In the national dialogue conference, which began on October 11, SLM rebel leaders Imam Abu al-Gasim and Thaer Hajer have urged that Sudan President Bashir separate talks to end the armed conflict and resolve a political crisis in Sudan, claiming that talks to end war in Sudan have to be taken with a different consideration as there are different issues to resolve. On top of this, the SLM factions present demanded that Bashir release political prisoners. Imam cited continued Sudanese bombing of civilians in areas where rebel forces are present, as a lack of commitment to a government-declared ceasefire, and demanded that any future permanent ceasefire include all of Darfur. Nevertheless, Khartoum is aware that any peace deal will have to include armed groups other than the SLM, such as the SRF.

Get to know the 2015-2016 Task Force

Ruhi Bhaidani serves as Central and West Africa Conflict Coordinator, and has been a STAND member for over four years. As president of her high school’s STAND for Peace club, she organized a concert to draw attention to ongoing genocidal violence around the world. Ruhi is a freshman at the University of Chicago.

Lindah Mogeni serves as STAND’s Great Lakes Conflict Coordinator, and is a senior at Barnard College studying Political Science. Lindah comes to STAND with extensive human rights advocacy and research experience, and spent three months in 2014 as a Fieldwork Research Intern with the United Nations Stabilization Mission (MONUSCO) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Maddie King serves as STAND’s Middle East and North Africa Conflict Coordinator, and is a junior at Johns Hopkins University, where she is pursuing majors in International Studies and Global Environmental Change and Sustainability and a minor in Islamic Studies. She is passionate about addressing issues of refugee resettlement, particularly as they relate to the roots of displacement.

Sophie Back serves as STAND’s Southeast Asia Conflict Coordinator, and is a third year student at University College London pursuing a degree in History and Political Science. An outspoken advocate for Amnesty International on campus, Sophie comes to STAND after spending the summer in Vietnam, where she led a team that organized workshops to prepare students for the implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community free trade area.

Jason Qu serves as STAND’s Sudan and South Sudan Conflict Coordinator, and is a junior at the Bronx High School of Science. He is also Vice President of the Amnesty International chapter at his school, and is extensively involved in Model United Nations and the Muslim Student Association at Bronx Science.

STAND publishes weekly news updates compiling the most important weekly developments related to emerging and ongoing mass atrocities in each of our five conflict zones. These reports are produced by STAND’s Education Task Force, comprised of college and high school students who specialize in a particular conflict zone, and are passionate about STAND’s role in the genocide prevention movement. 

Get to know the 2015-2016 Task Force

Lindah Mogeni serves as STAND’s Great Lakes Conflict Coordinator, and is a senior at Barnard College studying Political Science. Lindah comes to STAND with extensive human rights advocacy and research experience, and spent three months in 2014 as a Fieldwork Research Intern with the United Nations Stabilization Mission (MONUSCO) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Maddie King serves as STAND’s Middle East and North Africa Conflict Coordinator, and is a junior at Johns Hopkins University, where she is pursuing majors in International Studies and Global Environmental Change and Sustainability and a minor in Islamic Studies. She is passionate about addressing issues of refugee resettlement, particularly as they relate to the roots of displacement.

Sophie Back serves as STAND’s Southeast Asia Conflict Coordinator, and is a third year student at University College London pursuing a degree in History and Political Science. An outspoken advocate for Amnesty International on campus, Sophie comes to STAND after spending the summer in Vietnam, where she led a team that organized workshops to prepare students for the implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community free trade area.

Jason Qu serves as STAND’s Sudan and South Sudan Conflict Coordinator, and is a junior at the Bronx High School of Science. He is also Vice President of the Amnesty International chapter at his school, and is extensively involved in Model United Nations and the Muslim Student Association at Bronx Science.

Education Update 10/09/15

Great Lakes of Africa

Lindah Mogeni

The President of the Civil Society of Beni, Teddy Kataliko announced that in the past year, an estimated 500 civilians have been massacred by axes, hammers, and machetes in the Beni territory of North Kivu province. Speaking on behalf of local civil society groups, Kataliko suggested that the murders should signal a wake-up call, and implored the government and the UN Stabilization Mission (MONUSCO) to improve and ensure civilian protection in Beni.

Local civilians in the southwest of Lubero territory, North Kivu, have raised concerns regarding the two week continuous presence of activist armed groups comprised of the NDC Sheka militia and the Lafontaine militia. Sources indicate that the groups have occupied several villages and that their sporadic actions, including kidnapping and looting, resulted in the displacement of residents.

Julien Paluku, the governor of North Kivu, adamantly denies allegations pertaining to the presence of Rwandan troops in the province. In an appeal for calm, he insisted that no such security arrangement between Rwandan and Congolese defense ministers was agreed upon.

Some residents and local civil society organizations have reported sightings of Rwandan soldiers in Mwesso, Masisi and Rutshuru. Dismissing the allegations as rumors and iterating that the Armed Forces of DRC (FARDC) are currently fighting FDLR rebels (many of whom are responsible for the Rwandan genocide) in the eastern region of DRC, Julien Paluku appealed to North Kivu residents for calm.

Jean-Pierre Bemba, Congolese senator and former Vice-President, has been indicted by the International Criminal Court and is facing charges of witness tampering during his first trial, where he faced charges for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in the Central African Republic in 2002 and 2003. Four others, having acted as collaborators in his witness tampering ring, are facing charges as well.

The Presidential Majority has tightened its ranks and in a show of solidarity, signed a letter confirming their support for Joseph Kabila’s potential re-election in 2016.

Middle East and North Africa

Maddie King

On September 27, Russian officials announced an intelligence sharing anti-ISIS coalition with Iraq, Iran, and Syria. In the first three weeks of September, Russia deployed 2,000 troops into Syria and launched an airstrike campaign expected to last three to four months. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, this airstrike campaign has already successfully struck 60 targets in Syria, including five targets around Homs and three in Raqqa. The Russian air force reports that they have killed approximately 300 ISIS militants. First responders in Homs report that Russian air strikes have killed at least 34 civilians, and injured over 72. Local activists say that the residential neighborhoods targeted by the strikes could not have been a Syrian military target for Russia.

The United States-led coalition to fight ISIS remains strongly opposed to the Russian campaign, however, in his United Nations address this week, President Barack Obama conceded a willingness to cooperate with any nation to resolve the conflict. The U.S. Air Force’s senior intelligence officer claims that Russian forces are using “dumb bombs” instead of weapons guided by lasers or satellites, which are less precise and more likely to inflict civilian casualties. Reports indicate that these attacks have already caused casualties of multiple civilians and US backed rebels, though the Kremlin has denied this. Due to the location of the majority of these attacks—in Homs, a city without a concentrated ISIS presence— there is concern that Russia’s intervention is focused on fighting anti-Assad forces rather than defeating ISIS.  

Russia’s intervention is coming on the heels of another failure of US policy in Syria. In May, the United States launched a program to “train and equip” moderate Syrian rebels in Turkey. This program, which initially aimed to train 5,000 rebels per year, dispatched its first group of fighters (about 50) into Syria in July, where they came under immediate attack. This week the second group was dispatched to equally disastrous results— with these US backed rebels being forced to surrender vehicles and ammunition to Jabhat al-Nusra, an al-Qaeda affiliate.

Southeast Asia

Sophie Back

With the elections drawing closer, the prospect of ‘free and fair elections’ is of growing concern in Burma. This week, the Chair of the New Democratic Army-Kachin proposed an edict barring three parties from campaigning in Burma’s first multi-party elections. Elsewhere, voting rights have been granted to long-term migrant workers, a development set to enfranchise thousands of workers. However, in Kachin state over 10,000 remain excluded from the vote on the basis of security threats. The Union Election Committee (UEC) is resisting calls to extend voting rights to shorter-term migrants due to the ‘risk of electoral fraud’.  

Cases of bribery, flawed voter lists and religious coercion have also made the news this week, and further doubt has arisen about the potential for a peaceful transition after the election, as ten out of eighteen armed minority groups refused to sign this Wednesday’s ceasefire agreement as a “final decision”.

At a meeting of the Partnership Group on Myanmar this week, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon stated, “I am deeply disappointed by the effective disenfranchisement of the Rohingya and other minority communities. Barring Rohingya parliamentarians from standing for re-election is particularly egregious.” The group stressed the need for action to tackle the worsening state of camps for internally displaced persons and to grant citizenship to the Rohingya. Formed in April 2014, the group is comprised of UN member states, which convene to discuss and support strategies for democratization, socio-economic development, among other national issues.

There are growing concerns over the welfare of Rohingya migrants and the willingness of Southeast Asian states to offer protection and asylum. The capture of three Rohingya men on Wednesday in Thailand exposed a new stretch of the trafficking network from Burma to Malaysia, which is facilitated by both civilians and state officials. Elsewhere, Cambodia has been making frequent use of the escape clauses in its $55 million deal with Australia to help tackle the influx of refugees. In Aceh province in Indonesia, four Rohingya women were sexually assaulted by local men outside of a camp that houses hundreds of Rohingya migrants. The assault triggered a mass walkout among camp members, who are among thousands of Bangladeshi and Rohingya migrants that arrived in Indonesia by boat this summer.

South Sudan

Jason Qu

On October 3, over 52 South Sudanese army personnel and rebels were killed in fighting that is a direct violation of a ceasefire agreed upon only weeks ago. The South Sudanese Government has said that rebels are mobilizing in Unity State, where the fighting took place, and in Upper Nile State. President Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar blame one another for violating the terms of the ceasefire.

President Salva Kiir has issued a presidential decree, with a provision to expand South Sudan’s 10 states to 28 new states. His supporters say that this plan would give more power to local people and help support greater public services. The SPLM-In Opposition claims that this was done in order to complicate the peace process, as new states could potentially force both sides to renegotiate the distribution of parliamentary seats per state, as well as reassess agreements on governmental and public institutions that were based on the 10 original states.  

The armed opposition in South Sudan has called for the UN to extend the UNMISS mission in South Sudan for an additional three years. They are requesting additional protection for civilians in an environment that remains extremely hostile, in the face of a crumbling ceasefire. A request has also been made for the UN to monitor the scheduled elections in order to ensure that they meet the standards of the international community.

Sudan: Darfur Conflict

Jason Qu

The Sudanese Government has delayed trials of four opposition figures belonging to the Reform Now Movement (RNM), who are on trial for charges including “disturbing the peace.” They could face prison time, fines, or even lashes if found guilty at their trial. RNM has decried the trial as a violation of the Sudanese Constitution, which is supposed to provide rights to free speech.

A South African UN peacekeeper working for UNAMID in Darfur was killed after his convoy in North Darfur was allegedly ambushed. Four other soldiers were wounded in the ensuing firefight and taken to a UN medical facility in El Fasher. Ban Ki-Moon condemned this attack, as did the UNSC, which called for an investigation into the attack.

Rebel movements in Darfur, such as the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), will not be attending talks in Chad’s capital regarding the Darfur Conflict. The Sudan Liberation Movement for Justice/Karbino (SLMJ-K), however, will be attending. Many other members of the opposition claim that they were not invited and have no intention to speak unless certain terms are guaranteed. The Sudanese Government asserts that the rebel movements are not interested in a negotiated settlement and prefer to continue fighting. This is another obstacle to finding a resolution to a decade long conflict in Darfur, which has killed as many as 300,000 people.

Stay tuned for a separate update about developments in the Central African Republic.