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What You Need To Know: Week of 10/24

Sam Reichman — Mon, 27 Oct 2014 18:18:48 +0000

Burma

The Burmese Army has agreed to withdraw troops from part of Burma’s northern Shan State in which sporadic fighting has reportedly left seven people dead and hundreds displaced. Despite a ceasefire agreement, the Burmese Army was fighting members of the Shan State Army, the armed wing of the Shan State Progress Party, which advocates for greater regional autonomy.

Additionally, the Burmese government announced that it would hold general elections in late October or early November of next year. This will be Burma’s second general election, with the first being held in 2011. As mandated by the Burmese constitution, the parliament, which will be 75% civilian and 25% military, will select the country’s next president in 2016. Democratic icon Aung San Suu Kyi has indicated her desire to run for president, but she appears to be unable to do so due to oddly specific elections rules that many believe was passed to explicitly exclude her from running.

Last week, a controversial bill limiting press freedom was passed by Burma’s upper house of parliament. The measure would establish a council of government officials that could regulate and oversee all television and radio broadcasting services. It also limits foreign ownership of private TV broadcasting. Since Burma’s transition from military dictatorship to quasi civilian led government, press freedoms have been greatly improved. However, some worry that measures like this could limit the country’s progress in this area.

Central African Republic (CAR)

Recent weeks have seen a surge in violence in the Central African Republic. On Thursday, gunmen from the Fulani militia and the predominantly Muslim Seleka militia attacked the town of Yamalé, leaving at least thirty people dead. The attack follows an outbreak of violence in the capital of Bangui that killed at least six the previous week. Violence broke out Tuesday and Wednesday saw clashes between UN peacekeeping forces and the predominantly animist and Christian anti-balaka forces.

International organizations have continued their work as the violence continues. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has struggled to maintain its humanitarian work despite serious security concerns as the violence continues. The United Nations and the World Health Organization both condemned attacks by various militias on hospitals and doctors, and urged all armed groups to “respect medical facilities and allow patients and medical staff unhindered and safe access to hospitals”. The UN estimates that the latest violence has displaced at least 6,500 people.

Meanwhile, CAR’s government announced that it plans to reform its army by creating a rapid intervention unit in an effort to quell the interethnic violence that has plagued the country since December 2013. The government’s armed forces, FACA, were routed by the Seleka militia in 2013, and many members have either ceased to report to duty due to lack of pay or joined various militia groups.

Democratic Republic of Congo

On Monday, October 20, the governor of North Kivu province, DRC affirmed that civilians in North Kivu support ongoing Congolese military (FARDC) operations against the Ugandan Allied Democratic Forces-National Army for the Liberation of Uganda (ADF-NALU) militant groups. The ADF-NALU bears responsibility for over 80 civilian deaths in Beni, North Kivu over the past month. The UN force in the DRC, MONUSCO, will execute a joint offensive strategy to combat the ADF-NALU, in collaboration with the FARDC.

Congolese Minister of Information Lambert Mende referred to last Friday’s attacks on civilians in North Kivu as the consequences of “ADF-NALU terrorist operations”. Mende assured journalists that Congolese officials continue to work closely with their Ugandan counterparts to gather intelligence on ADF-NALU operations. The most recent attack left nearly thirty Congolese civilians dead, the latest in a string of guerilla assaults on unarmed civilians. The Ugandan military chased ADF-NALU rebels into eastern Congo in the 1990s, and today the group continues to terrorize civilians in the region.

In August 2014, the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) gave FDLR militants a six-month extension to voluntarily disarm and return to Rwanda. The ultimatum stipulates that FDLR militants must surrender before December 31, 2014 or face military action by MONUSCO and the FARDC. On October 19, in a joint meeting of the ICGLR and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the UN special envoy for the Great Lakes called upon the leaders of ICGLR and SADC countries to reach a consensus concerning an international response should FDLR militants fail to disarm before the December deadline.

Sudan

Last week in Sudan, Sudanese security forces arrested a journalist in Khartoum. When questioned, the journalist’s family could think of no reason for his arrest and have been unable to reach him by telephone. The journalist worked for the London based newspaper Al-Hayat that publishes in Arabic. In the past, Sudan has been accused of arresting journalists without cause and disrespecting freedom of the press and speech. Sudan is currently ranked 172 out of 180 in the Reporters Without Borders 2014 World Press Freedom Index.

Additionally, reports have emerged claiming that Sudan may be arming South Sudanese rebels. This indicates that Sudan’s government plans to increase military assistance to rebels in South Sudan, which could escalate and prolong the conflict on South Sudanese soil. The news comes from leaked minutes from a high-level security meeting in Khartoum. The South Sudanese rebels have denied Sudan’s involvement in the conflict on many occassions, and have continued to deny it since the release of these minutes. Many experts have warned that should Sudan support the South Sudanese rebels with arms and aid, it will protract and intensify the conflict, and could exacerbate the humanitarian crises on the ground.

Finally, this week Sudan’s defense minister made a surprise trip to China to continue talks with the Chinese defense minister. The Sudanese defense minister claims that the visit was fruitful and that there is a strong bond between China and Sudan’s defense forces. China is the main investor in Sudanese oil production and the Sudanese rely on Chinese arms. Chinese shipments to Sudan include ammunition, helicopters, aircraft, and tanks. Such continued military support from China could contribute to the continuation of armed conflict in both Sudan and South Sudan.

South Sudan

This week in South Sudan, The UN mission in South Sudan has set up provisions for internally displaced persons. These sites will help 28,000 internally displaced persons near three cities in South Sudan. The mission stated that this is a temporary situation for these IDPs and that once stability in the region is restored, they hope that the IDPs can return home. As the mission has been building thee sites outside of Juba, Bor, and Bentiu the mission has seen the continued decline of living conditions as the conflict continues. The situation in all of these places is dire, especially outside of Bor and Bentiu, where the rainy season has destroyed crops and flooding has spread disease, exacerbated by the area’s lack of health care professionals.

Additionally, a report has emerged that South Sudan’s crisis is threatening its development. According to South Sudan’s finance chief, the conflict has caused the country to have to re-direct its focus to security and emergency relief instead of development programs. The finance minister said that South Sudan must focus on achieving peace before the country can create sustainable economic growth or improve the humanitarian situation of its citizens. The report also commented on humanitarian aid to South Sudan. USAID increased its aid to 180,000 US dollars in August to attempt to quell the drastically deteriorating humanitarian situation.

In a meeting last week between three members of the South Sudanese ruling parties in Arusha, Tanzania, each party accepted responsibility for starting and continuing the conflict that has devastated South Sudan these last ten months. The admission of guilt from all three parties suggests the possibility that a peace deal may soon be reached. The meeting in Tanzania showcased the effect of intense international pressure for the South Sudanese to create a successful peace deal between the three factions.

Syria

Reuters is reporting that the Syrian air force has stepped up attacks on rebel held areas, reportedly striking up to 200 times in recent days. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the government has launched up to 210 raids in recent days – including with the use of barrel bombs – focused on provinces in the east, north and west of the country. Areas affected by the raids included Hama, Daraa, Idlib, Aleppo and Quneitra provinces as well as the Damascus countryside. Before this increase in strikes, the Syrian military only launched aerial raids at a rate of 10-20 strikes a day. The increase of government attacks heightens fears that the Assad regime is using the United States coalition’s bombardment of ISIS held area to attack opposition forces, including more moderate and western-backed factions.

The heightening of air strikes could also signal the Syrian government’s desire to weaken moderate opposition forces before the United States trains and arms them. Despite the US and Syrian government’s mutual opposition to the Islamic State (IS), the United States does not want to help the Assad regime. This stems from the understanding that the Assad regime is in large part responsible for the creation of IS and other terror organizations, who have flourished in the vacuum of power created by divisions formed after Assad’s brutal crackdown on dissent, civil liberties, and peaceful protest.

Lawmakers in Iraq’s Kurdistan region have moved to authorise Kurdish Peshmerga’s mobilisation to Kobane, the Syrian-Turkish border town with a primarily Kurdish population, currently under siege by IS. Youssef Mohammed, the speaker of parliament said, “This is a big turning point in Kurdish history. Troops used to be sent to occupy Kurdish lands, but now we are sending soldiers to protect our Kurdish brothers abroad”.

Emerging Conflicts: Pakistan

At least 13 people were killed in the southwestern city of Quetta on 23 October in a series of attacks. Eight members of the Hazara minority were killed when gunmen opened fire on a bus. Soon after, a bomb on a motorcycle exploded targeting a car used by security forces. Two people were killed and 12 were wounded in the attack. There was also an attack which killed two and wounded 30. The cleric Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman, the head of a Sunni religious party and supporter of the Taliban, was targeted but he was not severely hurt. He has been targeted in the past for his willingness to work inside the democratic system.

No group has taken responsibility for the attacks yet, but Taliban-linked Sunni militant group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi is the main suspect. However, Quetta is the provincial capital of Baluchistan and Baluch separatists are also suspected. The majority of victims were Hazaras, a Shi’ite ethnic group that has been repeatedly targeted. Hundreds of Hazara protested the killings later in the day. About one-fifth of Pakistan is Shia and over 800 have been killed attacks since 2012.

The recent attacks in Quetta follow an attack on a bus in early October in Peshawar which killed seven. Tensions have escalated since the Pakistani military launched an offensive against militants in North Waziristan in June. Over 800,000 people have been displaced in the operation, and the Pakistani military says that over 1,000 militants and 86 Pakistani soldiers have been killed.

Weekly News Brief, 4.23.10 – 4.30.10

jackielewis — Mon, 03 May 2010 17:48:19 +0000

In this week’s issue: Tribal clashes in South Darfur left 52 dead; several ceasefire groups officially rejected Burma’s Border Guard Force proposal; ICG released a report on responding to the LRA threat in central Africa

Weekly News Brief – April 23 to 30, 2010, compiled by Joshua Kennedy of GI-Net and the STAND E-team. To receive weekly news briefs, trivia, and a discussion guide, email education@standnow.org.

Sudan

The UN Security Council extended the mandate of the UNMIS peacekeeping mission until April 30, 2011. The new resolution also called for UNMIS to use its authority to implement a mission-wide civilian protection program and mechanisms to resolve tribal conflict. UNMIS was also tasked with playing a lead role in preparations for the upcoming referendum in South Sudan.
Fifty-two civilians were killed and fifty-five others wounded in renewed tribal clashes in Sudan’s South Darfur State, in a clash between Rizeigat and al-Sada tribes at various areas, about sixty kilometers north of Nyala, the capital city of South Darfur State.
President Omar al-Bashir was re-elected with 68% of the vote; Salva Kiir retained his job as the president of Sudan’s semi-autonomous south with almost 93% percent of the vote.
The four South African peacekeepers who were kidnapped in Darfur prior to the elections have been released.
Armed conflict broke out in Darfur between Arab nomads and South Sudan’s army along the north-south border. It left dozens dead and many more displaced.
Cattle raiders killed as many as seventeen villagers and displaced many more after they attacked Yirol East County in South Sudan. Over three days, the raiders took both cattle and children.
At least two people were killed during a clash between security forces and supporters of an independent candidate in South Sudan. The deaths were the first serious violence reported during the announcement of results in Sudan’s complex elections.
Darfuri civilians staged a protest in El-Fasher over a failed Ponzi scheme that may have involved as much as 20,000 people and up to $175 million dollars.
The technical committee responsible for the north and south border started its work on Tuesday. The physical demarcation of the border is expected to be completed by the January referendum.

Burma

The Obama administration on April 22 defended its policy of engagement with the Burmese military junta following calls from several US senators to review the policy, saying that sanctions without engagement have not yielded results in the past.
As the junta’s deadline for the Border Guard Force plan passed on Thursday, the largest of Burma’s armed ethnic groups, the United Wa State Army met this week with other cease-fire groups with which it has allied to discuss the potential threats they face in the near future.
The New Mon State Party has officially rejected the military regime’s Border Guard Force and militia proposals and have stated that they will use force if attacked by the regime’s army. However, analysts question in the NMPP is prepared for the outbreak of war. The KIA and KNU Peace Council have also rejected the regime’s Border Guard Force proposal.
In a major development that may lead to fresh armed conflict between the armed ceasefire groups and the Burmese Army, the National Democratic Front has declared that it will join hands with its allies to attack the junta on multiple front lines.
European Union foreign ministers have renewed the bloc’s “Common Position” on Burma, extending existing sanctions until April 2011, but have stated that it will “respond positively” to progress and hopes to maintain a dialogue with the regime.
Human Rights Watch released a new report on Burma, charging that humanitarian space in the country is constricting in advance of the coming elections, obstructing the continued recovery from the 2008 Cyclone Nargis disaster.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Margot Wallstrom, UN Special Representative on sexual violence in conflict, called the DR Congo, the “Rape Capital of the World,” due to the more than 8,000 sexual violence incidents that took place during fighting in 2009.
International Crisis Group (ICG) released a new report on how best to address the ongoing LRA threat in Central Africa.
According to Radio Okapi, the FDLR has a major presence in the town of Kimu, 120 kilometers northwest of Goma. The rebel group reportedly has thousands of combatants near the town.

Afghanistan

Rocket and bomb attacks killed three throughout Afghanistan on Tuesday. A suicide bomb killed one guard and two civilians in Zabul on Sunday.
At least 20 militants were killed by NATO and Afghan troops over the weekend in northern Afghanistan.
Three explosions shook Kandahar on Monday, killing two. It seemed to confirm the Taliban’s threats to escalate operations there ahead of an upcoming NATO offensive there. The attacks prompted the U.N. to withdraw most of its local staff and scale down operations Tuesday.
NATO approved a plan to gradually turn over security to the Afghan government later this year.
The Taliban is suspected of being behind a poisoned gas attack that knocked out at least more than 50 girls and teachers in a school on Sunday.

Iraq

Al Qaeda has confirmed that two of its leaders were killed in a joint U.S.-Iraq operation last week.
An anti-U.S. cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr, offered the Iraqi government his help in fighting insurgents after a wave of bombings struck Baghdad last Friday, killing at least 72 people near al-Sadr’s office. Some analysts say the offer may be read as a threat that if the government does not protect citizens, al-Sadr’s militia will.
The Iraqi military launched a new offensive against al Qaeda on Monday in the Diyala province.
Two Iraqi veterans wrote an open letter of apology to the Iraqi people for their involvement in a helicopter attack against civilians in Baghdad in 2007, after footage of the attack was released by Wikileaks earlier this month.

Pakistan

A roadside bomb on a prison van wounded at least 10 policemen last Saturday. An ambush on a NATO convoy carrying fuel tankers killed three police officers, wounded one another and destroyed at least six tankers last Saturday. On Wednesday, a suicide bomber attacked a security checkpoint in Peshawar and killed four policemen and wounded 12 people.
The Pakistani military says it killed eight militants in Orakzai last Sunday. U.S. missiles killed four suspected militants in North Waziristan on Monday; a U.S. drone strike killed seven more militants last Saturday. That same day Pakistani security forces captured a key Pakistani Taliban commander in the southern city of Karachi.
U.S. and Pakistani officials say the C.I.A. is using smaller missiles and advanced surveillance techniques in Pakistan in response to outrage over civilian deaths.
The BBC issued a video report this week describing how displaced Pakistanis fear returning home, saying it is not safe outside of their displacement camps.

Somalia

The Associated Press reported that hundreds of Somali soldiers have deserted the Somali military, some even joining rebel groups, because they are not being paid.
The African Union has denied that it committed war crimes in repressing Islamist insurgencies since 2007.
Minority Rights Group International has announced in a report that Somalia ranks in the top three countries for “Peoples Under Threat.”
The UN Special Representative to Somalia said last Thursday that only national reconciliation will bring peace to the war-torn country.
The International Committee of the Red Cross says malnutrition is on the rise for Somalis, especially children.
Reports indicate al-Shabaab has taken over the central Somali town of Masagawaa, distributing WFP food aid to its residents.
After 20 people died and 30 were killed in clashes and explosions on Tuesday, an uneasy calm returned to Mogadishu.
An officer of a local NGO was shot in southern Somalia by unknown gunmen.

Weekly News Brief, 04.16.10 – 04.23.10

jackielewis — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 23:45:53 +0000

In this week’s issue: fifty people were killed reportedly due to cattle raiding south of Nyala; Kachin Independence Organization troops are training opposition groups who refused to join Burma’s Border Guard Force; FARDC executed 49 civilians earlier this month in Congo

Weekly News Brief, April 16 to 23, 2010, compiled by Josh Kennedy at GI-Net and the STAND E-team. To receive news briefs, along with trivia and a discussion guide, email education@standnow.org.

Sudan

The United States, United Kingdom and Norway issued a statement commending the Sudanese people “for their engagement in a complex and lengthy polling process, and their increased civic participation over recent months.” However, they also acknowledged that these elections were neither free nor fair and did not meet international standards.
Vote counting for Sudan’s elections started on April 16^th. Although the process should take several days, current President Omar al-Bashir is expected to win another five years in office. The Sudanese reports that the election results will be released on Sunday.
Several opposition groups in South Sudan accused the SPLA and the SPLM of tampering with ballots and intimidation during last week’s elections and this week’s ballot counting.
Fifty people were killed in fighting between the Rizeigat and Al-Saada tribes that broke out north of Nyala on Tuesday. The fighting was reportedly due to cattle rustling.
JEM warned of an imminent attack by SAF troops on their positions in the Jebel Moon area of West Darfur.
The four kidnapped UNAMID peacekeepers will reportedly be released after the results of last week’s elections are announced.
The president of Chad warned South Sudan against independence after the January 2011 referendum. He says that their independence will be “a disaster for Africa.”

Burma

Three bombs killed 10 and injured 170 at the Burmese New Year water festival in Rangoon on Thursday. Army and police sources say that Sr.-Gen. Nay Shwe Thway Aung, Than Shwe’s grandson, was the target of the attacks, while a state newspaper blamed the attacks on exiled Burmese opposition groups utilizing terrorist tactics.
US senator Judd Gregg has introduced a resolution calling on US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to assess whether the Obama administration policy of engagement with the Burmese military junta has been effective in furthering US interests, asking the administration to strengthen sanctions and engage with regional governments and multilateral organizations to push for the establishment of democratic rule in Burma.
Wa leadership recently met to discuss the Border Guard Force and the future of the United Wa State Army and decided once again to reject the BGF plan, following previous, unsuccessful attempts by the Wa leadership to negotiate with the SPDC.
The New Mon State Party and the Kachin Independence Organization also declined the offer to integrate into the government’s border guard force.
Kachin Independence Organisation troops are providing military training to people from the ethnic minority after the group refused to join the Burma Army’s Border Guard Force, and New Mon State Party leaders and soldiers are making preparations to travel to jungle bases in anticipation of an outbreak in hostilities between the Mon cease-fire group and the Burmese army.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Mai Mai militiamen abducted 21 civilians returning from their fields in the Uvira area of South Kivu
LRA attacks continue near the town of Niangara, Orientale province, killing three people and maiming one other.
The African Association for the Defense of Human Rights reported that the FARDC executed 49 civilians in the town of Mbandaka earlier this month.

Afghanistan

NATO admitted its troops shot and killed four civilians when they opened fire on an approaching car. Three of the victims were teens and the other was a young police officer.
The United States Pentagon has more than doubled the number of Special Forces operating in Afghanistan.
More than 20 Taliban militants were killed last Sunday in a clean-up operation by NATO forces in Baghlan.
Militants shot Kandahar’s deputy mayor as he prayed inside a mosque Monday night, killing him. The killing was one of many against government officials by the Taliban seeking to undermine regional stability.
The Afghan government has postponed negotiations with Taliban officials until after President Karzai visits Washington in May.

Iraq

Security forces captured a top al Qaeda leader last Sunday, a move that was expected to be a major blow to the organization.
A series of 12 bombs hit the Sadr City area of Baghdad killing at least 39 people on Friday. It is unclear what group was responsible for the bombings.

Pakistan

The Pakistani military admitted that as many as 40 civilians may have been killed in an airstrike two Saturdays ago, an apology that contradicted earlier denials of civilian casualties. Local officials say those killed belonged to a pro-government tribe who had helped repel Taliban influence in the area.
Eight people were killed when a suicide bomber attacked an emergency room filled with Shiite mourners last Friday.
Two suicide bombers attacked refugees waiting for aid supplies in Kohat last Saturday, killing 41. A car bomb targeting a police station in the same region Sunday killed seven people and injured another 26.
Another bomb detonated in a crowded marketplace in Peshawar on Tuesday killed 18 and injured 34 people.
A recent spate of killings of anti-Taliban politicians in Swat Valley has raised concerns that the Taliban may be regrouping there. Meanwhile, reports indicate Taliban and al-Qaeda militants have relocated to North Waziristan after government offensives in South Waziristan.

Somalia

Al-Shabaab banned school bells in the southern town of Jowhar last week, saying they conflicted with Islam. Meanwhile, the Somali government threatened to close all radio stations that bowed down to Hizbul Islam’s threats and discontinued their broadcasts. Several radio stations defied the government’s wishes and shut down.
Heavy fighting between government and AMISOM forces and rebel groups continued in Mogadishu through the week, with 20 people dying Sunday by bombs and shelling from both sides. Five beheaded bodies were also found in the streets of Mogadishu on Wednesday, with another 11 dead.
The Somali government has asked the WFP to release food within its storages to feed hundreds of Somali IDPs in need of food.
Both al-Shabaab and Ahlu Sunna Waljama’a claimed victory over their fighting in Somalia’s central region.
Human Rights Watch released a new report on Somalia stating that all sides in the conflict are complicit in the commission of human rights violations against civilians including the indiscriminate shelling of civilian areas

Around the World

Northern Ireland

The Continuity IRA claimed responsibility for a bombing outside of a police station in Northern Ireland that injured two people.

Ethiopia

An opposition activist was allegedly beaten to death at the hands of ruling party members. This is the second death in advance of this year’s Ethiopian national elections.

Thailand

Several grenades exploded in central Bangkok during anti-government protests, injuring almost 90 people. The protests are the latest round of tension between political parties in Thailand and there are fears that violent outbreaks could increase.

Weekly News Brief, 4.9.10 – 4.16.10

jackielewis — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 14:47:17 +0000

In this week’s issue: Elections concluded in Sudan and results are expected on Tuesday, April 20; the Burmese government rejected the latest proposal by the United Wa State Army on the Border Guard Force, indicating it will not compromise; UN officials are reluctant to comply with the Congolese government’s request for the withdrawal of MONUC

Weekly News Brief, April 9 to 16, 2010, compiled by Joshua Kennedy at GI-Net and the STAND E-team. To sign up to receive news briefs, trivia, and a discussion guide, email education@standnow.org.

Areas of Concern

Sudan

The Sudanese election officially ended on Thursday evening, and vote counting has begun at 8:30 on Friday. The electoral results are expected on Tuesday, April 20.
Sudanese citizens flocked to the polls; however, many officials reported chaos, claiming that very few people who actually registered to vote made it to their designated site. For example, in South Sudan, 1,323 voters were registered for a specific site, but only 29 (or 2%) successfully made it to the poll on the first day.
While the election was relatively peaceful, on Wednesday, the head of the NCP in Raja, Western Bahr-el-Ghazal province and eight other supporters were shot and killed by a SPLA soldier, reportedly over a personal matter. With polling due to end on Thursday, current Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has extended an offer to other parties to join his ruling National Congress Party.
A spokesman for the joint UNAMID peacekeeping mission told reporters on Wednesday that the four South African peacekeepers who went missing earlier this week were definitely kidnapped. It is not yet clear who carried out the kidnapping, but added the mission is making all possible efforts to secure their release as early as possible.
The border between Chad and Sudan reopened Saturday, April 10^th, more than seven years after the conflict in Sudan forced it to close.
For more on the Sudanese elections, please check out our blog at http://www.genocideintervention.net/blog on Friday and Monday.

Burma

At this year’s annual ASEAN summit, Southeast Asian leaders urged Burma’s military regime to hold “inclusive” elections that will lead to genuine national reconciliation amid growing international controversy over the junta’s planned polls later this year.
The Obama administration said it will continue its new policy of engaging the Burmese leadership despite the fact that the military junta has ignored, and often directly contradicted, the advice of the international community.
The Burmese government turned down the United Wa State Army (UWSA)’s latest 8 point counterproposal on the Border Guard Force issue submitted on April 3. The regime indicated that it will not be willing to compromise.
The United Nationalities Alliance (UNA), a coalition of some of the largest ethnic political parties, announced Wednesday that they won’t contest the elections in light of the regime’s failure to respond positively to their demands.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Senior diplomats and U.N. officials are reluctant to comply with Congo’s demand that the U.N. withdraw MONUC peacekeepers. French Ambassador to the UN Gerard Araud emphasized that “all of the members of the Security Council have expressed concerns” about Kabila’s insistence that the U.N. force should leave before September 2011, a month before he is up for re-election, because of the outbursts of horrific violence and sexual abuses continuing in eastern Congo.
A newly released Oxfam report shows that sexual violence has become increasingly pervasive in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo where civilian rape has risen 17-fold in the past few years. The study found that 38% of rapes were committed by civilians in 2008, compared with less than 1% in 2004.

Afghanistan

NATO troops killed four civilians and wounded 18 others after they opened fire on a bus in the southern province of Kandahar.
Another woman was gunned down in Kandahar on Tuesday. No group has claimed responsibility, but Taliban militants are suspected of having launched a campaign to intimidate women.
A roadside bomb killed four people and injured 14 men in Kandahar last Sunday. Five suspected suicide bombers were arrested last week by Afghan police as they tried to enter Kabul. Afghan government officials say 176 people, including 135 Taliban militants and 29 civilians, were killed in Afghanistan last week.
The number of IEDs – Improvised Explosive Devices – used in Afghanistan has doubled in the past year, U.S. military officials have said.
As NATO investigates the role U.S. Special Forces played in a botched night raid last month in which five Afghan civilians, including two pregnant women, were killed, a top military commander visited the site of the raid last week and asked for the victims’ family’s forgiveness by sacrificing sheep.
Romania will increase its troops in Afghanistan to 1,800 from 1,073 by September.

Iraq

A suicide bomber killed four people and wounded 37 others in Mosul on Monday. Another four people were killed and dozens injured by a car bomb in Bagdad that day. A liquor store was bombed in eastern Baghdad on Tuesday, killing three civilians.
Three separate bombings killed six people, including one child, in northern Iraq on Saturday. Three schoolchildren were killed and a fourth injured by a roadside bomb in Baghdad last Sunday.
Wikileaks, a website that posts classified documents, released a video showing an U.S. airstrike in 2007 in which 12 civilians were killed, including two Reuters reporters, and two children wounded.

Pakistan

Air raids by the Pakistani military last Saturday in the Orazkai and Khyber regions near the Afghan border killed almost 100 people who the Pakistani military says were militants. A public official and villagers have disputed the figures, saying the raids killed 71 civilians and no militants. Local officials said the government had paid $125,000 in compensation to families of victims.
The UN has reported that Pakistani offensives in the Orakzai tribal region have displaced 200,000 civilians since last November. UN aid agencies have also warned that humanitarian aid for displaced Pakistanis is running out.
Six people were killed and more than 100 wounded when riots broke out in the North West Frontier Province over plans in parliament to rename the province.
A bomb placed on a NATO fuel tanker exploded in northwest Pakistan and killed one boy and wounded four others.
Militants attacked a military checkpoint in the Taliban-controlled Orakzai tribal region last Friday. The ensuing battle killed 18 militants. Pakistani police also shot two suspected suicide bombers that day in Lakki Marwat. Another nine militants were killed during a sweep in northwest Pakistan. Pakistani army raids near the Afghan border also killed another 12 militants last Sunday.
Pakistan’s intelligence service has released at least two senior Afghan Taliban militants even as the agency helps the United States capture top Taliban militants.

Somalia

President Obama allowed the Treasury Department on Tuesday to sanction or freeze the assets of Somali pirates or militants who threaten the peace, interfere with the delivery of humanitarian aid or violate the UN arms embargo in Somalia. Sanctions were immediately imposed on almost a dozen suspected Islamist militants.
Al Shabaab seized radio transmitters used by the BBC to broadcast news to the Somali population in Mogadishu last Friday. The rebels accused the BBC of broadcasting anti-Islamic propaganda. The BBC is trying to get back its Somali, Arabic and English broadcasts back on air. Al Shabaab has also ordered all Somali radio stations to stop broadcasting programming from Voice of America and the BBC as well as music.
Al Shabaab raided a World Food Program base in southern Somalia last week. The WFP says the base was empty and its operations would not be affected.
The UN refugee agency has reported that many Somalis fleeing fighting in Mogadishu are unable to reach safe havens in Yemen or Kenya due to security concerns. At least 169,000 Somalis have fled Somalia so far this year. In the Middle Shabelle region, floods have displaced hundreds of civilians and destroyed miles of new crops.
At least five civilians were killed and another nine wounded by heavy shelling in Mogadishu on Monday.

Weekly News Brief, 5.2.10 – 5.9.10

jackielewis — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 00:26:32 +0000

In this week’s issue: in addition to opposition party boycotts, the European Union has pulled its election observers from Darfur; Burma’s military regime negotiator met with ethnic armies to discuss the Border Guard Force issue; more LRA attacks were reported in Congo

Weekly News Brief, April 2 to 9, 2010, compiled by Joshua Kennedy of GI-Net and the STAND E-team. To receive news briefs, trivia, and discussion guides, email education@standnow.org.

Sudan

The Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement announced that it was withdrawing its candidates from the northern states for the April 11 vote, which includes local as well as parliamentary and presidential polls.
The northern Umma Party has fully withdrawn from all levels of the upcoming elections after the government refused to delay the election and issue guarantees on media neutrality and electoral commission monitoring.
The European Union has pulled its election observers from Darfur due to safety fears.
The US said that it would support a brief delay in the upcoming elections if it improved the credibility of the process.
JEM has accused the Sudanese army of carrying out air attacks in North and West Darfur, even while the two groups are negotiating a ceasefire agreement.
The joint mediators in Doha announced that peace talks between the government and Darfuri rebels will resume after this weekend’s elections.
The Ugandan army claims that the LRA has left Darfur due to food shortages and lack of shelter. They are now reportedly in the Central African Republic.
LRA rebels crossed the Southern Sudan border from the Democratic Republic of Congo and attacked a Congolese refugee camp three miles away from the town.

Burma

The military regime’s chief negotiator, Lt-Gen Ye Myint, met on Thursday with the United Wa State Army and on Sunday with the National Democratic Alliance Army, a Mongla group, to discuss the Border Guard Force issue. He reportedly said that the ethnic groups should respond positively by April 22 or face repercussions by April 28.
Residents along the Kanbauk to Myain Kalay gas pipeline have reported increased efforts to extort money by Burmese government State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) forces. With over 50 villages in close proximity to the gas pipeline, an estimated 90% of the residents who live along the gas pipeline have faced this abuse by the local military units based around the area.
Senior American diplomat Kurt Campbell is expected to visit Burma in the near future, though dates have not yet been set. The purpose of the visit will be to kick-start the US’s engagement policy with the military regime.
Mother Jones magazine profiles the plight of the Karen living in Thailand in their March/April Issue.
The Free Burma Rangers chronicled the effect of displacement in eastern Burma on the region’s children. The study, Displaced Childhoods, charged that children in eastern Burma are subject to arbitrary killings, torture, mistreatment, arrest and detention without cause, sexual violence, forced labor including recruitment as child soldiers and other violations of fundamental freedoms.
In an Irrawaddy survey involving more than 500 people in Rangoon, nearly half said they do not intend to vote in the upcoming election if the main opposition party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), does not contest it. Many view their decision not to vote as a boycott in support of the NLD.
Over 100 ASEAN Members of Parliament are demanding that ASEAN expel Burma and impose sanctions because the regime has clearly ignored the call to conduct free and fair elections.

Democratic Republic of Congo

More LRA attacks were reported in the town of Sambia, near the northeastern city of Dungu. The rebels reportedly killed two and abducted another 12 late last week.

Afghanistan

NATO and Afghan troops killed at least 27 suspected Taliban militants in western Afghanistan on Tuesday in an offensive against a Taliban stronghold. One child was killed during the fighting, and four civilians – two women, a child and an elderly man – were killed in a U.S. airstrike targeted at a suspected Taliban compound.
An Afghan councilwoman was severely injured in a drive-by shooting in northern Afghanistan on Monday. Taliban insurgents who oppose women working in government posts are suspected. Five civilians were also killed on Monday by roadside bombs in the southern Helmand province.
Afghan officials accused U.S. Special Operations forces of tampering with evidence to cover-up a night raid gone wrong in which five Afghan civilians, including two pregnant women, were killed. NATO says it is investigating the allegations.
Six Afghan soldiers were accidentally killed by German forces Saturday when German troops opened fire on approaching vehicles they suspected of carrying militants but actually carried Afghan troops.

Iraq

Three suicide car bombings at the Iranian and German embassies and the Egyptian consulate killed 41 people and wounded 237 last Sunday.
Gunmen disguised as US and Iraqi soldiers raided a Sunni village and killed 24 civilians last week. Some of the victims were tortured before being shot. Many of the dead were members of a local Awakening Council, insurgents who turned against al Qaeda. Iraqi security forces arrested 13 suspects for the attack.
A wave of violence swept Iraq this week, as residential areas of Baghdad were bombed at least seven times, killing 35 people and wounding more than 140. The blasts increased fears that sectarian and insurgent violence is returning on a massive scale. A Shiite family of six, including four children, was also gunned down Monday near Baghdad.
The White House says its troop withdrawal plan has not changed despite the recent spike in insurgent violence.
US troops and Iraqi security forces killed or arrested at least six suspected al Qaeda leaders allegedly involved in an extortion and assassination ring in northern Iraq in March.

Pakistan

Five suicide bombers attacked an American consulate in the northern province of Peshawar on Monday, killing at least seven and wounding 20 Pakistanis. The Pakistani Taliban took responsibility for the attack, saying it was retaliation for military operations in western tribal areas and American missile strikes. Analysts say the Pakistani Taliban may be increasing its attacks on civilians to intimidate the civilian population and reassert control.
In a separate attack that same day, militants attacked a political rally by supporters of a measure to change the name of the North-West Frontier province, killing 41 and injuring 80.
The United States’s campaign of drone strikes has driven many Taliban and al Qaeda militants underground, Pakistani government officials have said, while also sharpening divisions between civilians and the militants who force them to provide Taliban operatives shelter and food.
Human Rights Watch has accused the Pakistani military of carrying out extrajudicial killings and torture of suspected Taliban sympathizers in the Swat Valley.
Pakistani military forces battled militants in Orakzai Agency, a tribal district, last Saturday, killing 30 militants and putting government troops back in control of the area.
The head of the Frontier Corps, a military force fighting extremists in Pakistan’s tribal belt, has said $1 billion must be poured into the area to stabilize the region, long a base for al Qaeda.

Somalia

The European Union has begun training 2,000 Somali soldiers in Uganda in an attempt to provide the Somali government support in upcoming offensives against Islamist militias. Somalis say the TFG has forcibly recruited hundreds of refugees, including children, to fight against the al Shabaab.
A Somali official has said that at least 12 al Qaeda members have entered Somalia through the Yemeni border in the last two weeks, offering Islamist rebels funding and military training. Last Saturday, Hizbul Islam invited Osama bin Laden “and all other holy warriors” to Somalia.
AU peacekeepers and moderate Islamists said they had reliable intelligence that al Shabaab is planning to attack the Mogadishu port with boat bombs.
Al Shabaab insurgents captured a central Somali district Tuesday after heavy fighting between its forces and the fighters of a rival rebel group which recently signed a peace agreement with the Somali government. At least 22 civilians were killed during the fighting. Another 20 were killed in clashes between al Shabaab rebels and government forces in Mogadishu last weekend.
A moderate Islamist militia, Ahlu Sunna wal-Jamea, has stated that it is set to confront al-Shabaab militants in Mogadishua. Ahlu Sunna signed a cooperation accord with the Somali government last month.

Around the World

Nigeria

NPR reported on the efforts being made to reduce violence in the central Nigerian city of Jos.

Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan has a new government after a day of violent riots killed 68 people in the capital of Bishkek. The transitional government, led by a coalition of opposition groups said that interim rule would last for six months.

Guinea

The African Encounter for the Defence of Human Rights (RADDHO), a local human rights group, has said that Guinea should go forward with elections planned for June 27, stating that an imperfect poll in the country is better than a delay, so that elections are not permanently posteponed due to the rainy season and the Muslim holy month, Ramadan.

Weekly News Brief, 3.26.10 – 4.2.10

jackielewis — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 13:38:47 +0000

In this week’s issue: Opposition parties have withdrawn from Sudan’s presidential elections; Burma’s NLD party has voted not to participate in elections; Human Right’s Watch released a report documenting more attacks by the Lord’s Resistance Army in Congo

Weekly News Brief, March 26 to April 2, 2010, compiled by Joshua Kennedy and the STAND E-team. To receive news briefs, trivia, and discussion guides, email education@standnow.org.

Areas of Concern

Sudan

Election-related news

The upcoming national elections have been thrown into doubt, as the SPLM, Umma Party, Democratic Unionist Party and Sudanese Communist Party have withdrawn from the coming presidential election due to widespread fraud. As the situation is still evolving, including ongoing uncertainty over the participation of these parties in the parliamentary and local elections.
As of Friday afternoon, the Umma party (led by former Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi) set a Tuesday deadline for the government to agree to postpone the elections for four weeks to prepare an oversight body for the reportedly biased National Election Commission or the Umma Party will boycott the election at all levels.
ICG released a new report charging that the ruling National Congress Party has attempted to rig the elections through the gerrymandering of electoral districts, altering census results, purchasing tribal loyalties and co-opting traditional leaders among other strategies. Read the full report here.
South Sudanese police arrested and severely beat seven members of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement for Democratic Change (SPLM-DC), the only party running a candidate against Salva Kiir for President of South Sudan.
The ICC chief prosecutor declared that the upcoming elections could possibly legitimize President al-Bashir’s rule, leaving the UN and the US in a very politically challenging situation, regarding al-Bashir’s prosecution at the ICC.
Former Ghanaian President John Kufuor will lead the African Union’s 58-person election monitoring team in Sudan.

Non-election related news

UNAMID is preparing to assist 30,000 newly displaced persons in South Darfur, who have fled their homes due to violence between the Misseriya and Rizeigat tribes.
JEM rebels have said that they are prepared for peace talks with the Sudanese government in Doha, Qatar. The reported sticking points in the coming talks appear to revolve the inclusion of JEM in a power-sharing agreement. In related news, Joint Chief Mediator Djibril Bassole said that a peace agreement in Doha is unlikely to be signed before the elections on April 11.
Sudanese police completely destroyed a displaced persons camp outside of Khartoum, bulldozing dozens of homes and restricting the access to fresh food and water.
UNMIS military convoys sent to monitor the peace are encountering violent attacks, unexploded mines in their campsites, and other dangerous situations in South Sudan.

Burma

Businessmen in the Wa region have begun to evacuate as tensions between the United Wa State Army and the Burmese military rise over the issue of joining the Border Guard Force. The regime has also ordered that government employees in the region go on long leave, and military preparations are occurring on both sides.
The National League for Democracy has voted not to register in the 2010 elections, following Aung San Suu Kyi’s wishes that the party not participate under unjust election laws. The decision calls the future of the party into question as it could lead to the party’s marginalization or dissolution.
Nine US senators have urged President Barack Obama to appoint a special US representative for Burma and impose additional economic sanctions on the military junta under the Jade Act as a response to the junta’s release of “profoundly troubling election laws.”
600 Karen refugees have returned to Burma from Thailand under heavy pressure from the Thai government. The refugees face landmines, forced labor, and army recruitment, and many human rights groups have protested the resettlement.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Human Rights Watch released a new report documenting another set of Lord’s Resistance Army attacks in the northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo. An estimated 321 civilians were killed when the LRA rampaged through the Makombo area of Haut-Uele district during a four day period in December.

Afghanistan

A UN Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights report said widespread corruption in Afghanistan is deepening the country’s poverty and contributing to the neglect of human rights. The report urged the international community to focus on the country’s long-term development.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for shooting down a NATO helicopter that crashed in southern Afghanistan on Monday morning.
As U.S. forces prepare for the next major Afghan offensive in Kandahar, Taliban militants have already turned the area into a battle zone.
Six civilians were killed on a roadside blast in southern Afghanistan on Saturday. At least eight civilians were killed when a bomb went off in a busy marketplace Wednesday, also injuring 38.

Iraq

Former interim prime minister Ayad Allawi’s party won the most parliamentary seats in Iraq’s elections, winning two more seats than his rival, current prime minister Nouri al-Maliki. Allawi, who ran on a secular platform, is still short of a majority and will need to form a coalition government, which may take months. Maliki has vowed to challenge the election results in court. The number of seats may also change as an Iraqi commission seeks to invalidate the votes of six people who won and of 46 other candidates it says are tied to Saddam Hussein’s banned Baath party.
A series of IED explosives blasted a tribal leader’s house in Anbar province, killing six and injuring 33. A double car bombing in Karbala killed another five, seemingly targeting the Shiite pilgrims who frequented the restaurant bombed.

Pakistan

At least 26 militants were killed in clashes between government forces and militants Monday. Suicide bombers killed three anti-militia men and wounded another 10 in northwest Pakistan that same day. Some accounts say Pakistan forces have killed 84 militants over two days last week.
U.S. drones killed six militants in tribal areas in northwest Pakistan on Wednesday.

Somalia

Aid workers in Somalia say the relief situation is currently “at its worst” and food is rapidly running out, due to the withdrawal of aid agencies because of security and corruption concerns despite thousands displaced by recent fighting.
Hundreds of families living near Mogadishu’s airport were evicted as the government attempts to secure its tenuous hold over the few blocks of the capital it still controls. Three people were killed last Monday as they protested government demolition of their houses near the airport.
At least 17 people died in Saturday’s fighting between Somali government and rebels in Mogadishu. In central Somalia, clan warfare killed 16 people.
An Amnesty International report released last week highlighted the human rights abuses suffered by Somali civilians, especially those in the capital.
Kenya refused the TFG’s request to deploy Somali troops trained in Kenya to Mogadishu to launch a major offensive against al-Shabaab; Kenya rejected the request citing security concerns over the porous Kenya-Somalia border. A Kenyan official has also denied that Kenyan citizens are fighting with the al-Shabaab in Somalia, as a UN report has alleged.
Ahlu Sunna Waljama’a, a moderate Sufi militia group allied with the government, has pledged to battle al Shabaab and remove radical Islamists from Somalia. An al-Shabaab spokesman said that they opposed the peace agreement, it would not interfere their struggle to control all of Somalia.
Somali president Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed met with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in Libya on Sunday. The leaders discussed the myriad challenges facing Somalia.

Sri Lanka

The UN has suspended distribution of aid for Tamil refugees due to a shortfall of funding.

Around the World

Kenya

The International Criminal Court has authorized an investigation into the 2007 electoral violence in Kenya that killed more than 1,300 people in the course of a few weeks. The ICC’s judges ruled that there is “a reasonable basis to believe that crimes against humanity have been committed on Kenyan territory.”

Weekly News Brief, 3.6.10 – 3.12.10

jackielewis — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 01:22:50 +0000

In this week’s issue: The Enough Project reports that the LRA may be operating in Darfur to seek protection from the Sudanese military; UN Special Rapporteur recommended the establishment of a UN Commission of Inquiry in Burma; one of FARDC’s most abusive commanders continues to receive supplies from the UN

Weekly News Brief: March 6 to 12, 2010, compiled by Joshua Kennedy of GI-Net and the STAND E-team. To receive weekly news briefs, trivia, and a discussion guide, email education@standnow.org.

Areas of Concern

Sudan

Special Envoy to Sudan Gration stated that the upcoming elections in Sudan, preparations for next year’s South Sudan independence referendum may draw attention away from the most recent push for a peace agreement in Darfur.
According to a report by the Enough Project, the LRA may be operating in areas of southern Darfur. Enough’s sources state that some LRA members have entered Darfur to seek protection from the Sudanese military.
At least 18 people were killed in tribal clashes, supposedly over cattle in Jonglei state’s Akobo County.
Fighting between the Abdalla Maharia and Misseriya tribes was reported near the West Darfur town of Nertiti last weekend. Between 15 and 21 people were killed in the fighting, which reportedly broke out due to a dispute over financial compensation for the previous death of a soldier. Renewed clashes were reported today.
According to the Sudanese government, the country’s military is in control of the Jebel Marra plateau, although there are still reports of clashes between the government and the forces of the SLA under Abdul Wahid.

Burma

The New Mon State Army, a smaller cease-fire militia operating in Mon State, will reportedly wage a guerilla war against the Burmese government if it is attacked.
UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Burma, Tomás Ojea Quintana, has recommended that the UN establish a Commission of Inquiry into war crimes committed in Burma. The Commission of Inquiry could be a first step in referring war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Burma to the International Criminal Court.
The Burmese military wants a “yes or no” answer on the transition of the Kachin Independence Army into a border guard force. The Burmese government has set a March 15 deadline for the integration of ethnic ceasefire militias into the Burmese army as border guard forces.
The Burmese government issued guidelines governing this year’s elections on Monday. The guidelines forbid members of religious orders and several key opposition figures from participating in the process. The guidelines also forbid political parties who do not expel members in prison.
The U.S. has stated that the new guidelines ensure that the coming national elections will not be credible, but that it would continue to have conversations with Burma.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Colonel Innocent Zimurinda, one of the FARDC’s most abusive commanders, reportedly continued to receive supplies from the UN, even after warnings that MONUC assistance to Zimurinda could make the mission complicit in war crimes. Zimurinda, a former CNDP officer, allegedly massacred civilians in early 2009 during the Kimia II operations and reportedly was still receiving supplies in December 2009.
Global Witness accused former members of the CNDP of having greater control of mineral resources in the eastern Congo. The ex-CNDP soldiers are reportedly charging for access to mines and illegally taxing civilians in areas under their control.
The Enough Project released a new report on the LRA threat to civilians in the northern Congo. The report states that the group remains operational in the Bas-Uele and Haut-Uele regions of northern Congo, but civilians are also at risk of extortion and targeting by members of the Congolese national army. Download the full report here.

Afghanistan

The U.S. is beginning to overhaul the training of more than 90,000 Afghan National Police officers in an attempt to rub out the corruption, bribery and extortion that has fueled the insurgency in the country. This may include sending officers abroad for advanced training.

Iraq

Iraqi civilians went to the polls to elect new members of parliament last weekend. The elections were marked with limited violence as at least 38 people were killed across the country
Vote tabulation from the elections is still underway, with current Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi showing strong performances.

Pakistan

Three suicide bombings killed at least 45 people in the city of Lahore on Friday. This is the second bombing in Lahore this week, following an attack on a Pakistani military safe house.

Somalia

WFP will not give new contracts to three Somalis accused of diverting food aid to militants in the country. WFP has denied previous allegations that food aid has been funneled to insurgents.
This week’s fighting in Mogadishu has killed at least 54 people as insurgents and government forces battled for control of the city. In response to the anticipated government counter-offensive, the city’s mayor has warned residents to leave the capital.

Sri Lanka

General Fonseka will go on trial next week on charges that he engaged in politics while in uniform.
The number of IDPs in Sri Lanka has dropped under 100,000. As of February 25, there are just over 99,000 people still in temporary camps in the northern part of the country, the bulk of which are located in the Vavuniya district.

Around the World

Nigeria

The Nigerian government has charged 49 people with murder for their involvement in Sunday’s massacre of up to 500 people near the central city of Jos. It appears that the attack may be linked to retribution for an attack on a nearby town in January.

Central African Republic

The start date for the ICC trial of Jean-Pierre Bemba has been delayed to July 5 to allow Bemba’s defense team to challenge the admissibility of war crimes charges. Bemba is accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity for his actions during the CAR between 2002 and 2003.

Guinea

Guinea will hold presidential elections on June 27. Campaigning for the election will run from May 17 to June 26.

Weekly News Brief, 2.5.10 – 2.12.10

jackielewis — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 17:27:07 +0000

In this week’s issue: Sudan and Chad agreed to end their proxy wars against each other; 2,000 Karen civilians fled after a government attack; Congolese army forces are suspected of attacking Kakenge village in South Kivu

Weekly News Brief, February 5 to 12, 2010, compiled by Joshua Kennedy at GI-Net and the STAND E-team. To subscribe to our education newsletters, email education@standnow.org.

Sudan

Four people were reportedly killed and fifteen more wounded after Tuesday’s attack by government-backed militia on the al-Baytari IDP camp near the South Darfur town of Kass.
Sudan and Chad agreed to end their proxy wars against each other and to work together to rebuild their shared border during a visit to Khartoum by Chadian President Idriss Deby.
Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court declined to confirm charges against Darfuri rebel leader Bahar Idriss Abu Garda. The Chamber was not satisfied that there was enough evidence to establish whether Abu Garda could be held criminally responsible for war crimes allegedly committed during a 2007 attack on African Union Peacekeepers at Haskanitia.
Misseriya tribesmen attacked SPLA forces in Unity state, along the disputed border between north and south Sudan. At least six soldiers, one civilian and eight Misseriya fighters were killed.
The Sudanese army reportedly attacked 3 SLA-Abdul Wahid positions in the south-eastern region of the Jebel Marra region.
The UN Secretary General issued his latest report on UNAMID, reporting that the force will have 16 infantry battalions in the field by the end of February 2010.
International Crisis Group questioned the European Union policy of sending observers to the upcoming Sudanese elections, questioning whether the EU is putting its credibility on the line in what it called sham elections.
The U.N. Assistant Secretary General for Peacekeeping called on Sudan to amend existing legislation to increase freedom of speech and assembly in Darfur in advance of the April elections.

Burma

On February 5, the Thai government began to forcibly repatriate Karen refugees as three families were forcibly sent back over the border, with 3,000 refugees scheduled to be sent back by February 15. While it appears that the land on which the refugees will resettle is heavily mined, it appears that the repatriations have been temporarily halted.
Approximately 2,000 Karen civilians fled into the Burma jungle after government troops burned several villages in Pegu Division’s Kyaukkyi Township over last weekend.
Nyi Nyi Aung, a Burmese-American and pro-democracy activist arrested on charges of forgery, has been charged with three years in prison and hard labor. A spokesman for the US embassy said the verdict was “unjustified” but did not discuss any US steps to challenge the verdict.
The Burmese military regime issued an ultimatum to the Shan State Army that they must transform into the Border Guard Force by the end of the month or face military action.
The Burmese military junta is planning to relocate about sixty villages from the site of hyropower projects on the May Kha and May Likha Rivers.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Congolese army forces are suspected of attacking the village of Kakenge, South Kivu, killing one person and abducting nine others.

Afghanistan

According to US General Stan McChrystal, the security situation in Afghanistan remains serious, but is no longer deteriorating.
NATO and Afghan forces are set to begin an offensive in the southern town of Marja, Helmand province. The offensive, code-named Moshtarak, is planned to include more than 15,000 troops.
At last week’s London Conference on Afghanistan, Afghan President Karzai unveiled plans to encourage Taliban soldiers to defect using economic incentives. Karzai also said international forces can begin handing over control of some areas by the end of this year.
Seven civilians collecting firewood were killed Saturday after Afghan border patrol officers mistook them for insurgents.

Iraq

Two car bombs killed more than 40 Shiite pilgrims and wounded another 145 civilians observing the Shiite holiday of Arbain in the city of Karbala on Friday.

Pakistan

Three U.S. Special Operations troops were killed in a bomb blast at a Pakistani school last Wednesday. The troops were training Pakistan’s counterinsurgency forces.
A roadside bomb blasted apart a bus carrying Shiite pilgrims last Friday, and a second attack targeted the hospital where many of the wounded were taken. More than 25 civilians were killed, and another 100 injured.
The Pakistani military recaptured a Taliban stronghold in the northwestern tribal belt, officials said Monday. Most Taliban leaders had escaped before troops stormed the town.
The UN asked for $537 million in humanitarian aid to help civilians displaced and affected by the Pakistani government’s offensives against Taliban insurgents. The UN says at least three million people have been displaced in the last year.
A suicide attack targeting a supplies convoy in Khyber on Wednesday killed 17, mostly policemen.
Pakistan Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud reportedly died as the result of a US missile strike in January. Mehsud had taken over command of the insurgents when his cousin, Baitullah Mehsud.

Somalia

Al-Shabaab rebels vowed all-out war against the Somali government and indicated that they may begin an offensive in the coming days.
A number of skirmishes took place across Mogadishu this week, with 24 people killed on Wednesday and nine killed during shelling on Monday night.
The UN has warned that 42 percent of Somalia’s population is dependent on humanitarian aid, with one in six children suffering from acute malnourishment.
Somali government forces reportedly killed a Jordanian Al-Qaeda operative working alongside Al-Shabaab.
Al-Shabaab warned Kenya not to provide military assistance to the Somali government for a planned offensive against rebel groups.

Sri Lanka

Defeated presidential candidate General Sarath Fonseka was arrested by military police at his campaign office Monday night. He will face court martial proceedings for “military offenses.” Hours before his arrest, General Fonseka promised to give testimony to any international investigations about the last months of the offensive against the LTTE.
The arrest of Fonseka appears to be linked to long-standing fears about his political ambitions as well as the wider politicization of the Sri Lankan military.
Displaced Tamils continue to return to their homes, despite a lack of shelter, agricultural supplies and demined spaces. At least 101,000 more IDPs remain in government-run camps.

Weekly News Brief, October 12-19

sabinacarlson — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 02:48:58 +0000

A weekly update of the most important updates on the ground in our conflicts of concern. This week: potential peace talks for Darfur in Uganda, child labor in Burma, “catastrophic” interventions in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and more….

Darfur

· Next week, the International Criminal Court (ICC) will begin the confirmation of charges hearings for Darfur rebel chief Bahr Idriss Abu Garda, leader of the Darfur United Resistance Front. Garda is accused of masterminding a raid on African Union peacekeepers in 2007.”

· On Monday Gunmen attacked a UNAMID guard post in Kutum, North Darfur, wounding one peacekeeper. The injured peacekeeper was evacuated to the hospital in Kutum and later to El Fasher where he is currently listed as stable.

· Uganda is reportedly willing to host peace talks between the Sudanese government and Darfur rebels and said that President al-Bashir would be welcome at any talks. Bashir was also invited to the upcoming AU summit on Refugees and IDPs in Kampala.

Burma

· Free Burma Rangers just released a field report detailing continued child labor and the indiscriminate shooting of civilians in central Karen State.

· A Burmese court sentenced Kyaw Zaw Lwin, a U.S. citizen born in Burma, to 14 years in prison for alleged charges of fraud and forgery. Additionally, another 11 political activists, including one Buddhist monk, were sentenced to between five and 10 years in Insein Prison.

· Pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi met with three American, British, and Australian diplomats last Friday to discuss these countries’ economic sanctions policies against Burma.

· Burma and Bangladesh stationed warships and military forces along the Burmese-Bangladeshi border.

· Indian army chief Gen. Deepak Kapoor met with Burmese generals on Sunday to discuss military-to-military cooperation between the two countries.

· Timor-Leste and Switzerland have backed a global arms embargo against Burma.

· An internal audit by a UN budgetary panel reported that 60 percent of UN funds to Burma are not monitored.

Democratic Republic of Congo

· The Congo Advocacy Coalition reported that since anti-FDLR operations in the DRC began in January, at least 1,143 civilians have been killed, 7,000 raped and 900,000 displaced by fighting between the government and the FDLR.

· The UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial executions called the UN backed FARDC offensive against the FDLR ‘catastrophic’. Alston also reported that FARDC troops had massacred 50 people in an attacke on the village of Shalio, South Kivu in April.

Iraq

· More than 85,000 civilians, soldiers and police have been killed in Iraq from 2004 to 2008, according to a report released by the Iraqi government on Thursday. The dead include 1,279 children and 2,334 women.

· A succession of bombings targeting a national reconciliation meeting killed 23 civilians and injured 65 in Ramadi last Sunday. The attacks failed to injure any of the targeted officials and struck civilians instead.

· A suicide bomber killed six people and wounded 10, including the leader of an pro-government local militia, at a café in southern Iraq.

Pakistan

· A suicide bomb blasted apart a crowded marketplace in northwest Pakistan last Friday, killing at least 52 and injuring another 148. Officials believe the attack was meant as a warning against the new military offensive in South Waziristan. Another suicide attack in a crowded marketplace, near the Swat Valley and directed at a military convoy, killed 41 on Monday. This latest attack brought the death toll for that weekend to more than 100.

· On Saturday, 6 Taliban stormed a Pakistani army headquarters and held 42 people hostage. Pakistani commandos launched a rescue raid the next day, freeing 39 of the hostages; three were killed. The Pakistani Taliban said the attack had been carried out by its Punjab branch to display its “capability to strike at any place in Pakistan.”

· Gunmen also attacked a federal security building and two police stations in Lahore on Thursday. The attacks killed at least 26, including several children. No group has taken responsibility yet but the Taliban is strongly suspected. More than 150 Pakistanis have died in the past two weeks due to a string of Taliban attacks, prompting strong concern over a planned army offensive in South Waziristan.

· The Pakistani army objected to the conditions of a $1.5 billion non-military U.S. aid package approved by Congress, saying the terms allow the United States to interfere in Pakistan’s national security policy. Sen. Kerry said conditions need to be clarified, not changed and that the U.S. has no intention of infringing on Pakistan’s sovereignty.

Somalia

· The U.N. envoy for Somalia called for a professional security force to be established in Somalia by August 2011, when the mandate for the TFG expires.

· The main hospital in Mogadishu received threats last week not to accept aid from foreign charities. The hospital staff has said it plans to continue its work despite the warnings.

· The TFG, some say with the help of the Kenya’s army, is recruiting Kenyan youth to join Somali government troops. Al-Shabaab threatened to attack Kenya if it continues to recruit ethnic Somalis in Kenya to fight against them and other Islamist insurgent groups.

· Witnesses say Ethiopian soldiers crossed into Somalia on Sunday and arrested dozens of Beledweyn villagers for questioning. Other civilian reports indicate that Hizbul Islam created new outposts near Beledweyn, a strategic town controlled by rebels, last week. Civilians also say Al Shabaab is forcibly compelling residents to attend public amputations of thieves.

· Gunmen shot down a Hizbul Islam commander in the Somali capital last Friday.

Sri Lanka

· Sri Lanka increased its military budget by 20% for the remainder of 2009 to strengthen security forces, and extended Sri Lanka’s state of emergency for another month.

· In a statement last Friday, the State Department pressed the Sri Lankan government to return freedom of movement to Tamil IDPs and to “improve human rights and accountability.” Both Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International warned that conditions in detainment camps would deteriorate with the upcoming monsoon season.

· 225 Sri Lankans moored on a boat off the coast of Indonesia is pleading with Indonesian and Australian officials for asylum, saying it is unsafe for Tamils to return to Sri Lanka.

· Sri Lanka will hold early parliamentary and presidential elections next year, to take advantage of the current administration’s popularity. President Rajapaksa said he will wait until after the elections to consider political reforms to improve the Tamil minority’s status.

Around the World

South Sudan

· LRA rebels killed two women during an attack last Wednesday, around the Western Equatoria town of Yambio.

· In a letter this week the leader of south Sudan urged President Obama to not lessen pressure on the northern National Congress Party (NCP). Salva Kiir wrote that “There has not been any transformation or reform at the cent… The status quo prevails. . . . Significant change in policy in relation to Sudan should only come when there is change in the reality of Sudan”.

Guinea

· The ICC prosecutor is reportedly investigating last month’s crackdown in Guinea, which killed 157 people. International Crisis Group recently released a report calling for the junta to prepare a strategy governing the transition to a democratic government.

Weekly News Brief, September 26 – October 3

sabinacarlson — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 04:05:13 +0000

Areas of Concern

Darfur

· The SLM accused the Sudanese government of killing 28 civilian in an attack against rebel positions around the North Darfur town of Meilit. The attacks were reportedly carried out by troops, militia as well as helicopters and Antonov bombers.

· A peacekeeper was killed in an ambush near El Geneina on Tuesday, as six gunmen opened fire on a UNAMID convoy.

· WFP completed its third round of food security monitoring in West Darfur, South Darfur and North Darfur. The reports indicate that there is an increase in food security in North Darfur and South Darfur with a decrease in food security in West Darfur, primarily among resident communities. The reports also indicate that there were build-ups of troops around the town of Kutum, North Darfur.

· WHO reported that morbidity and mortality reports remain within normal ranges.

· An Egyptian FPU was deployed to El Fasher, bringing the total to 12 out of 19 mandated units.

· Former US National Security Advisor Bud McFarlane has reportedly been hired as a lobbyist to improve the bi-lateral relationship between the US and Sudan. McFarlane has also reportedly met with National Security Advisor Jones and Special Envoy Gration.

Eastern Burma

· The State Department released its new Burma policy on Tuesday, which will use diplomatic engagement and economic sanctions to pressure the Burmese regime while focusing on human rights, national reconciliation, and democracy in Burma.

· Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA), chair of the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs, chaired a hearing on US-Burma relations on Wednesday, specifically focusing on the effectiveness of economic sanctions and engagement in promoting human rights, democracy, and US interests. On Monday, before the meeting, Senator Webb (D-VA) met with Burmese Primer Minister Thein Sein in New York to discuss US-Burma relations.

· The New York Times reported on Wednesday that illicit drug trafficking by ethnic minority rebel groups has increased along the Thai border. The United Wa State Army has reportedly sought to trade heroin for arms in Thailand.

· The Burmese regime ordered 10,000 Chinese nationals to leave the Kokang region of Shan State on Friday. Local Chinese authorities demanded $41 million in compensation from the Burmese regime for damages during August’s conflict in the region.

Democratic Republic of Congo

· According to the UN, the FDLR continues to control cassiterite and coltan mines in the Walikale area of North Kivu. The FDLR has turned the Walikale town of Walo Uroba into a security zone, and is also reportedly conducting a counter-offensive against the FARDC in Nyamilima.

· FARDC soldiers in Ruzizi, South Kivu reportedly looted, raped and robbed civilians in the town of Kamanyola during the Kimia II operation against the FDLR.

· The LRA attacked the town of Digba in the Bas-Uele district of Orientale province on Saturday, killing one civilian and abducting several people.

Afghanistan

· Gen. McChrystal, commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, officially requested to the Pentagon last Friday an additional 20,000 to 40,000 troops to battle insurgents in Afghanistan. His request includes different strategic options that may not include a troop surge. The White House is expected to review his request in the coming weeks.

· In an interview with CBS on Sunday, Gen. McChrystal said conditions in Afghanistan are getting worse and reiterated his focus on limiting civilian casualties, a key to winning the Afghan war.

· American officials say the Taliban is expanding its attacks in northern and western Afghanistan thanks to their sanctuary in Pakistan. In a recent report to the Obama administration, Gen. McChrystal also accused the Pakistani ISI of supporting the insurgency in Afghanistan.

· At least 12 civilians were killed on Tuesday after a bus hit a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan.

· The UN recalled one of its top officials from Afghanistan after his comments calling for a complete recount of votes in last month’s fraud-ridden Afghan election.

Iraq

· Bombings across Iraq on Monday killed at least 18 people and wounded many others, including a bomb on a minibus that killed six. The attacks targeted both police and civilians.

· A top U.S. commander raised questions about whether Iraq will be able to ensure its security as it tackles a budget shortfall and the departure of U.S. troops.

· The International Committee of the Red Cross warned against complacency in Iraq, noting that civilians continue to be threatened by lingering violence.

Pakistan

· At least 5 were killed and 40 injured in a suicide bombing at a police station in northwest Pakistan on Saturday.Another suicide car bomb that same day struck near a state-owned bank, killing 10 and wounding 91.

· The Pakistani military is reportedly poised to attack the territory of South Waziristan, the center of Taliban activity in Pakistan.

Somalia

· Hizbul Islam and Al Shabaab, Somalia’s two main Islamist insurgent groups, are fighting for control of a southern Somali port which Al Shabaab unilaterally declared under its control last week. This latest incident highlights heightening tensions between the two groups.

· Somalia’s president spoke to the UN General Assembly summit on Friday, accusing foreign fighters for much of the renewed fighting this year and pleading for international assistance.

· UNHRC reported on Friday that 50,000 Somalis have fled into Kenya so far in 2009, with an average of 6,400 refugees arriving Kenya’s Dabaab camp each month.

· The US is delaying food aid to Somalia over fears that the aid provided through WFP is being appropriated by Al Shabaab.

· Al Shabaab publicly executed two men it accused of spying for the CIA and AU on Monday; this was the first such execution in the capital, Mogadishu. The TFG condemned the executions.

· Somali government troops retook the central town of Beladweyne on Monday. Clashes between TFG forces and rebels broke out in Mogadishu and southern Somalia in the past week, killing 2. At least 145 people were killed in violence in Beledwenye, Kismayo and Mogadishu during September.

Sri Lanka

· The Sri Lankan military confirmed that troops wounded two refugees fleeing a detention camp in on Saturday. Amnesty International first reported clashes at the camp last Thursday, saying a Tamil man was seriously injured trying to escape.

· The UN’s Secretary-General’s representative for the human rights of IDPs toured Sri Lankan refugee camps last weekendand criticized the slow progress of screening rebels and releasing refugees and urged the government to give humanitarian aid workers access to the camps.

· At last week’s UN summit, Sri Lanka’s prime minister called on the UN not to interfere in the internal affairs of states. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, in private talks with the prime minister, warned that the Sri Lankan government risked creating “bitterness” among refugees not allowed to leave the camps or return home, and urged resettlement before the upcoming monsoon season.

Around the World

South Sudan

· According to recent UN reports, more than 2,000 people have been killed in intertribal violence in South Sudan this year. A recent statement by UNMIS said that many of the raids have not involved cattle, but appear to be linked more to political developments.

Central African Republic

· The LRA is reportedly in the southeast of the Central African Republic, where the group reportedly killed three Italian aid workers. The LRA is suspected of planning a move into Bahr al-Ghazal, Sudan.

East Africa

· Oxfam launched a campaign to collect $9.5 million in donations to give aid to the 23 million East Africans facing severe hunger and destitution because of a severe, five-year drought. Oxfam says the worst affected countries are Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia and Uganda, though Sudan, Djibouti and Tanzania will also be affected