The United States’ arms ban on South Sudan comes as the result of cumulating frustration over the factions’ failure to negotiate peace, to maintain ceasefires, and to protect the lives of their citizens. The United States began taking action against the political elites of South Sudan in 2014, when President Obama sanctioned six military leaders because of their involvement with the atrocities taking place. During the Trump administration, these sanctions have broadened to include three close associates to Kiir, who are charged with personally profiting from the violence. Additionally, United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley has pushed for more comprehensive action, leading to the implementation of the U.S. arms embargo. This campaign initially began with an ultimatum given to Kiir during a visit to the nation on October 25, 2017, where she also met with suffering civilians. The ultimatum essentially informed Kiir that he may lose American support if the violence and perpetration of atrocities by his military continues. When Kiir failed to respond, Haley began advocating for the end of the United States’ support of Kiir and the implementation of an arms embargo. While the US State Department has officially declared an arms ban on South Sudan, it is an almost entirely symbolic move given that the U.S. has not dealt weapons to South Sudan.

Though symbolic, the move can also be seen as a call to action for other nations with the potential to have a deeper and stronger impact on the conflict. A State Department statement in February stated “We urge all countries, including South Sudan’s neighbors, to promote peace and save innocent lives.” The ban comes at a time of growing consciousness about the conflict and a desire for further action from other nations and organizations relevant to South Sudan’s civil war. For example, the African Union has expressed its willingness to implement sanctions to end the conflict. Due to this rise in support for action, including some regional acknowledgment of the problem, it is a prime time for the United Nations Security Council to take action by placing an arms embargo on South Sudan so it can capitalize on the commonality of multiple nations’ view on the issue.

While the growing agreement is encouraging, the United States, the United Nations, and South Sudan’s neighbors need to take further action to ensure that they are not enabling the conflict. A UN embargo does not look entirely likely because of the veto power of Russia and China. Notably, China has oil ties to South Sudan and is thus unlikely to take direct action. Although the U.S. move is a welcome one, peace will not come to South Sudan unless there is additional action. South Sudan’s neighbors must actively work towards ending this civil war by implementing sanctions, arms embargoes, providing humanitarian aid, and possibly through direct intervention. Furthermore, while the US has taken positive action to end the conflict, it must act further if it does not want to be complicit in the violence. Such action could include ceasing to supply arms to Uganda, who sells weapons to South Sudan. Options have not yet run out, and until the nation’s neighbors and the UN are willing to act, the war will continue.

All of these steps are vital to ending the conflict, which has killed more than 50,000 people and displaced approximately four million. Priti Patel, the British International Development Secretary, has gone so far as to call the situation in South Sudan genocide, due to the ethnic divisions and destructive tactics used by both sides. Even if one does not consider the conflict to be genocide, one cannot ignore its potential to cause further mass systematic slaughter. The conflict has also placed even more lives at risk by causing a man-made famine that has left an estimated 1.25 million people on the brink of starvation — an amount expected to rise over the coming months. The war in South Sudan is preventing people from farming and aid from reaching large portions of the population, generating an abundance of hungry men, women, and children. To save these innocent lives, this war must end, and while the United States arms ban is a step in the right direction, it is only one move of many that must come to support stability in this young nation.  

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Zachary Gossett is a member of the Communications Task Force for STAND. He is a first-year student at Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he is studying political science. He is passionate about protecting the rights of people of the world.  

Democratic Republic of the Congo

In November, Air Serv mobilized to assist Doctors Without Borders’ efforts to contain the cholera outbreak in Kasai province. Kasai has been a hotspot of conflict throughout the crisis, and the number of NGOs able to operate in the region is limited. Since January 1, there have been over 1,700 cases of cholera diagnosed.

Also in November, the Chair of the Security Council Sanctions Committee published his findings after an October visit to the DRC. He briefed the Council on the ongoing environment of instability and conflict, indicating that the uncertainty of the next election cycle is worrying the Congolese public.

The country drew international interest on November 23, when the Pope led a prayer calling for peace in DRC and South Sudan. Pope Francis intended to visit DRC earlier in the year, but cancelled his plans due to safety concerns.

As a result of President Kabila’s refusal to step down from power, violent protests have continued, killing seven protesters during a December demonstration, when internet and SMS services were discontinued country-wide. The DRC’s electoral commission claims that elections are unable to occur until the end of 2018. On December 8, 15 UN Peacekeepers were killed and 53 were wounded in what UN Secretary-General António Guterres called “the worst attack on UN peacekeepers in recent history.”

Burundi

On November 21, the United Nations Human Rights Council rebuked Burundi for threatening UN investigators with prosecution. The threats followed recommendations from investigators that Burundi’s top leaders be charged with crimes against humanity. The Burundian ambassador to the UN denied the charges and said that the country would pursue defamation charges.

A new health crisis is brewing in the country, and is sure to worsen if changes are not made, warns World Vision. On November 24, the organization indicated that there were upwards of 6 million cases of malaria in 2017, from which 2,800 have died. Though some nonprofits are distributing medical care and prevention measures such as mosquito nets, the crisis remains acute and response is underfunded.

Southeast Asia

Burma

On November 23, the Burmese and Bangladeshi governments signed a pact to begin the repatriation of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees, but the process was stalled in January due to fear from Rohingya of forced return to Burma. The process, described as “opaque and chaotique,” included an estimated 600,000 Rohingya to be brought back to Rakhine State, where they would be housed in temporary camps due to their homes being destroyed in fires. As part of the pact, Burma promised that they would not stay in these temporary shelters long-term and will be issued identity cards in the meantime. To further address the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, the Bangladeshi government has invested $280 million to move nearly 100,000 Rohingya refugees to an uninhabitable island in the Bay of Bengal.

Pope Francis went to Burma and Bangladesh to visit the refugee camps on November 28. He is under pressure not to use the word “Rohingya,” as there is fear that it could hinder “dialogue with the country’s leaders.”

24 U.S.-based Jewish groups sent a letter to Senator Bob Corker and Senator Ben Cardin, the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, outlining their desire for further condemnation of Burma due to the atrocities against the Rohingya. Groups ranging in doctrine, from the American Jewish Committee to the Anti-Defamation League, stated in their letter, “Passing this legislation through your committee and the full Senate would send a powerful message to the Burmese military and the global community that the United States will not be silent or inactive in the face of mass atrocities.” They proposed “mandating targeted US sanctions to help end the Myanmar military’s atrocities against the Rohingya people, providing refugee assistance for the Rohingya, and establishing a mechanism to address accountability around crimes committed against the Rohingya and other ethnic minorities in Burma.”

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson announced on December 21 that the United States had imposed sanctions against General Maung Maung Soe, former Western commander of the Burmese military, due to his role in atrocities against Rohingya. Tillerson said, “Today’s announcement of sanctions demonstrates the United States will continue to pursue tangible and significant consequences for those who commit serious human rights abuse and engage in corruption.” These sanctions are made possible through the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, enacted in 2016, which freezes any assets perpetrators may hold under U.S. jurisdiction.

The U.S. State Department said that they had examined credible evidence of Maung Maung Soe’s activities, including that he oversaw the clearance operations, which included extrajudicial killings, sexual violence, and burning of entire villages in Rakhine State that forced over half a million Rohingya into Bangladesh. The Burmese military continues to deny all allegations of atrocity crimes.

Sudan and South Sudan

Sudan

After claims that Sudan faced significant security threats from Ethiopia and Eritrea, Ethiopia has closed its border with Eritrea. During a joint press conference, the foreign ministers of Ethiopia and Sudan said they would work towards regional peace and stability. In addition, Sudan’s Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghadoun stated, “we’re not talking “about threats to a country per se” but that they have information to anticipate “whatever danger can come from there.”

The UN acknowledged that arms trafficking activities in Libya and South Sudan have intensified armed conflict in Darfur. A report by a panel of experts revealed that factions of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) have a presence in Libya and South Sudan respectively, violating an existing arms embargo.

In November, The World Food Program (WFP) restarted its transport of aid into Sudan, and several other corridors have been reopened. On January 7, widespread protests emerged in response to the rising price of bread, due to the Sudanese government’s elimination of subsidies as a part of its austerity campaign. These policies are a part of the IMF’s suggested actions to improve the Sudanese economy, the theory being that this will maximize the benefits of the US lifting sanctions. The government has stifled dissent, arresting an opposition leader and blocking critical coverage. So far, three people have died during these protests, including a high school student.

Rudwan Dawod, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Sudan, is being illegally detained, after being arrested for his involvement in fighting illegal land confiscation in Algarif East on December 6. A prominent activist involved in the Sudan Congress Party and the Sudan of the Future (SOF) campaign, Dawod’s actions supporting civilians in conflict regions like Darfur and the Blue Nile have led to his detention and torture in the past. After the National Security Act of 2010 was passed, the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) have been able to commit extra-judicial detainments of any perceived “enemy of the state.”

South Sudan

On January 12, Indian peacekeepers quickly built a bridge in Akoka to connect the village to larger urban areas, allow aid access, and pave the way for vital road repairs to proceed.

Pastoralist-farmer conflicts have remained consistent, bloody, and divisive. Several farmers, pastoralists, and women representatives took part in the Migration Agreement Dissemination Forum for the Marial-Bai agreement on cattle migration on January 10.  This forum hopes to reiterate and indoctrinate the agreement to younger generations. The agreement takes into consideration the the two different lifestyles of the pastoralist and farmer; how the lifestyles affect each other; and how to nonviolently resolve conflicts.

The U.S. is threatening new sanctions on South Sudan if progress towards peace isn’t made. Michael Morrow, the interim U.S. Ambassador to South Sudan, has threatened targeted sanctions on officials and an arms embargo. After numerous officials and state-owned companies were blacklisted, banned, and barred from the U.S. banking system earlier in 2017, the South Sudanese have engaged in peace talks. However, talks continue to be undermined by both sides.

On December 9, women marched in the streets of Juba, lamenting the ongoing war consuming South Sudan and its dire effects on women. Posters reading “Give our children pens, not guns” and “Save my future, stop the war” were carried by women of all different classes and ages. As the war enters its fifth year, women are demanding humanitarian aid promoting international dialogue by being at the forefront of protests.

In December, skirmishes in South Sudan took the lives of several government and rebel soldiers. 27 people died in a confrontation in the Southern Liech State. Additionally, 60 people were killed and many injured in ethnic clashes in Western Lakes State incited by reciprocal cattle-raids between the Rup, Pakam, and Dinka pastoralist clans. SPLA troops were dispatched to stop the violence. With much of the country food insecure, a scarcity of grazing land, and vast social distrust fueled by the war, ethnicity-driven attacks have been on the rise.

On December 15, a “hybrid” court was agreed on between South Sudan’s Council of Ministers and the African Union in order to prosecute war criminals.

Government forces attacked the southeast town of Lasu just as peace talks began on December 19. On December 24, a ceasefire went into effect as a direct result of a negotiated peace deal. Though the representatives of several countries and international organizations, such as Norway, China, EU, and IGAD, were present as guarantors and signatories, the U.S. representative refused to sign it. The deal will not only release several political prisoners, but will also open up areas desperately in need of humanitarian aid. Even after the ceasefire was implemented, a spokesperson for the SPLM-IO said that rebel bases in the north and in the southeastern Yei state have come under “the most aggressive attack” by government forces. The South Sudanese army spokesperson claims the opposite, saying that rebels violated the ceasefire, accusing them of instigating the government’s aggressive takeback of territory post-ceasefire. Any undermining of the ceasefire may lead to increased sanctions by the UN Security Council. The UN threatened similar severity if the use of child soldiers and sexual violence continues.

West & Central Africa

Central African Republic (CAR)

The Central African Republic experienced a 50%  increase in the number of displaced peoples in 2017. Foreign ministers from CAR and 10 other central African countries met on December 8 to discuss and address the violence in the region. The focus of the discussion was on “assessing and examining the security and geopolitical situation in Central Africa and a reviewing of disarmament and arms limitation programs in the region.”

Violence in CAR continued with an attack on a MINUSCA checkpoint on December 4 that wounded three and killed one. Secretary-General António Guterres “reiterate[d] the determination of MINUSCA to protect civilians and contribute to the stabilization of the Central African Republic,” and encouraged all parties in CAR to end the violence.

The Bloomberg Business Report found that gem smuggling is crippling the economy, making it even more difficult for the country to advance. According to this report, illegal diamond sales continue to fund conflict in the region, even though there is currently an embargo on diamonds from the Central African Republic. The government claims that it is aware of the illicit sales, but does not have the resources to counter them. In addition to gem smuggling, armed groups are using roadblocks to fund their operations.

Nigeria

In Nigeria, the fight against Boko Haram has a new face: General Nicholas Rogers. General Rogers replaced the former leader in the offensive against Boko Haram, Major General Attahiru Ibrahim, who was removed from his position in September. General Rogers previously led special military and police forces dedicated to fighting ethnic conflict in Nigeria.

The news of the change in leadership came not long after suicide bombers, suspected to be working with Boko Haram, killed at least twelve people in an attack on a market in Biu. In addition, reports from officials say that almost 50 were injured in the blasts.

On December 3, Human Rights Watch raised alarms over toxic pollution in northern Nigeria that has killed over 400 children since 2010. They reported that children are especially at risk due to the pollution.

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Soham Mehta is STAND’s Sudan and South Sudan Coordinator. He is currently a sophomore in high school at BASIS Chandler. Soham hopes to help educate people about of the scale and prevalence of genocides in order to raise awareness for legislation to counter current atrocities and to dissuade future ones. In his free time, Soham enjoys volunteering, drawing, and playing the guitar.

Caroline Brammer is STAND’s Southeast Asia Coordinator. Caroline is a sophomore majoring in Media and Journalism with a minor in Medical Anthropology at UNC Chapel Hill. She is eager to delve into her role as a member of the Education Task Force for Southeast Asia and excited to learn how she can influence change while on the other side of the world. She enjoys painting, writing, trekking, humanitarian work, and loves travelling above all else.

Rhiannon Winner is STAND’s Great Lakes of Africa Coordinator, focusing mainly on the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi. She is a junior at Gettysburg College where she double majors in Political Science and Public Policy.

Elizabeth Westbrook is STAND’s Central/West Africa Coordinator focusing on the Central African Republic and Nigeria. She is a senior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she is studying Political Science and History, with a concentration in Middle Eastern and African history. After graduation she hopes to pursue work in peace building and conflict prevention.

The flow of Rohingya refugees has slowed since its peak a few weeks ago, but the problems still remain.  Large numbers of Rohingya refugees, often transported in boats by traffickers demanding large sums, attempted to leave repression in Burma and refugee camps in Bangladesh.  Their primary destinations were Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand, but these countries mostly turned away refugees who were then left stranded.  At this point, many smugglers left the refugees at sea, and there are even mass graves where smugglers are believed to have left refugees.  The Burmese government has responded to the crisis by increasing efforts to prevent the flow of refugees.  However, they maintain that the Rohingya are Bengali, not Burmese, and refuse to improve their conditions.  Many Burmese share this view, and 500 people marched in Sittwe to protest the return of Rohingya refugees to Rakhine State.  Pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, who recently visited China, has maintained her silence on the situation of the Rohingya, likely because of a fear of losing popularity as she runs for President.  Bangladesh’s response to the crisis has been to propose moving its 32,000 registered Rohingya refugees to a frequently flooded island.

500 Rohingya were recently granted Burmese citizenship, reportedly after officially accepting the government’s label as Bengali.  However, the government has restricted their movement, arguing that this is necessary for protecting their safety.

In Shan State, the Myanmar Nationalities Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) unilaterally declared a ceasefire with the Burmese government.  The Khokane rebels cited a desire for elections to go forward peacefully, and the decision also closely followed a summit of ethnic armed organizations that they attended.

Central African Republic (CAR)

The Central African Republic is preparing for parliamentary elections next month.  The UN Peacebuliding commission has called on all stakeholders to support a successful atmosphere for the upcoming elections.  However, they have acknowledged that the budget for the elections is $21 million short, and they called for additional support from international partners.

A new study by Save the Children has found that over 60% of school-aged children in the Central African Republic suffer from PTSD.  They found 91% of children have experience fear of death or serious injury, and large portions of children have witnessed serious acts of violence.  The Enough Project also released a new report which found that armed groups in the country have extensive profit-generating operations.

Pope Francis has announced that he is planning a visit to the Central African Republic in November, and he hopes the trip comes before the presidential transition.

DR Congo (DRC)

The DRC military (FARDC) has launched operations with UN forces against the Ituri Patriotic Resistance Front (FRPI).  The operation marks a return to military cooperation between the UN and FARDC, who have not worked together since the UN rejected cooperation with FARDC in an operation against the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) after the Congolese government appointed generals with records of human rights abuses for the operation.  The operation against the FRPI, a local militia of several hundred fighters, has led to the death of 34 FRPI fighters and four members of FARDC, while the civil death toll is unclear.  In Walikale, clashes between factions of the Raia Mutomboki have led to civilian insecurity.

The Executive Secretary of the International Conference on the Great Lakes region says the repatriation of M23 fighters should finish in August.  Meanwhile, the founder of M23, Bosco Ntaganda, is set to undergo trial at the International Criminal Court in the Hague.  Due to concerns about the safety and emotional wellbeing of victims, the ICC somewhat controversially decided not to hold the hearing in the northeastern DRC city of Bunia.  Ntaganda is charged with 18 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity.  He is the first suspect to voluntarily surrender themselves to the ICC.

In other news, 220 Congolese NGOs and 14 international NGOs have demanded the release of two activists arrested in a raid on a pro-democracy meeting in Kinshasa in March.  They are charged with plotting against President Joseph Kabila.  Verisk Maplecroft also published their corruption index this week, and the DRC topped the list.

South Sudan

South Sudanese rebels in Northern Bahr el Ghazal have claimed that as many as 200 government troops defected to join their ranks.  The rebels are under the command of Riek Machar, who recently met with Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete to discuss the Arusha SPLM Intraparty dialogue.  The UN also told the African Union that it would support its efforts to resolve the conflict.  The peace process is not going entirely smoothly, however, and President Salva Kiir has rejected the most recent IGAD peace proposal.  As the conflict continues, civilian casualties grow and UNICEF documented the deaths of 129 children in May in Unity State.  There could also be another layer to the conflict, as the South Sudanese government accused the Sudanese government of carrying out an air attack in Upper Nile state.

The conflict has led to a humanitarian crisis, and 4.6 million people are in need of food assistance, according to the UN office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.  The US has announced it will contribute another $133 million to assist displaced South Sudanese civilians.  Aid agencies took a hit in Jonglei state, however, where bandits broke into the office of the Jonglei Food Security Program and stole $147,000.

In an effort to stop the conflict, Humanity United, Human Rights Watch, the Enough Project, United to End Genocide, the American Jewish World Service, and the National Association of Evangelicals called on the US to impose targeted sanctions against individuals in South Sudan who have committed serious human rights violations.  The South Sudanese government did not agree, calling the NGOs’ actions a “disincentive” for peace.  The NGOs are not the only ones examining targeted sanctions.  The African Union proposed sanctions on parties that do not comply with the peace process, and the UN also has a team of investigators in the country to determine if some individuals and parties should be the targets of sanctions.

Sudan

The biggest story in Sudan this week was the escape of President Omar al-Bashir from South Africa.  Al-Bashir, wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, travelled to Rome Statute signatory South Africa for an African Union Summit.  He has travelled to other countries obliged to arrest him before, and South Africa’s government was prepared to allow him to visit without arresting him.  However, after al-Bashir arrived, a court issued an order barring him from leaving the country in the next day, as the determined whether South Africa had an obligation to arrest al-Bashir and send him to stand trial at the Hague.  While they were making their decision, al-Bashir managed to leave the country.

Sudanese forces were attacked by rebels in West Darfur this week.  Negotiations took place between the Sudanese government, the African Union, and the United Nations to create an exit strategy for the peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID).  However, the UN has refused to sign an agreement.  Meanwhile, Darfur’s National Liberation and Justice Party has suspended their partnership with the ruling National Congress Party and withdrawn from the Sudanese government.

Syria

The Assad regime has suffered a number of losses to extremists and the moderate opposition and is in its weakest position for quite some time.  The Southern Front, an affiliate of the Free Syrian Army, seized a military base in Deraa.  In Palmyra, ISIS forced Syrian government forces to flee, and they are now close to gas plants that supply 50% of Syria’s electricity.  Rebel forces led by Jabhat al-Nusra let the last area held by the regime in Idlib province.  In the US, the House Foreign Affairs Committee heard testimony on the Assad regime’s use of chemical weapons and barrel bombs.  In a separate statement, Secretary of State John Kerry said he is “absolutely certain” the Assad regime used chlorine gas.  President Assad has recently agreed with UN Peace Envoy Staffan de Mistura to continue talks towards a political solution to the conflict.

Kurdish militia group YPG, with some support from Free Syrian Army forces, advanced on ISIS stronghold Tal Abyad and engaged in heavy fighting.  Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan is not impressed with Kurdish rebels, however, and has accused the West of backing terrorist Kurdish rebels.

In Idlib province, Jabhat al-Nusra forces massacred 20 Druze villagers.  Although al-Nusra considers Druze heretics, they had pledged not to attack religious minorities that did not oppose them.  However, after one Druze man was suspected of supporting the Syrian regime, a clash broke out and al-Nusra forces began massacring Druze villagers.

Emerging Conflicts: Yemen

Yemen’s conflict rages on and shows few signs of abating.  The Islamic State has stepped up their involvement in the conflict, detonating four car bombs in Sanaa.  The bombs targeted four Houthi buildings: two mosques, a house, and an office.  Dozens of people were killed.  In Southern Yemen, 31 people were killed when a Saudi airstrike hit a convoy of civilians fleeing violence.  A US airstrike struck and killed Nasir al-Wuhayshi, al-Qaeda’s second in command and the leader of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.  The US was originally unaware of al-Wuhayshi’s whereabouts, and the airstrike was not aimed at him.

Peace talks in Geneva between Houthis and the exiled government have led to little progress.  The Houthis seem to favor a truce but are unwilling to accept the conditions proposed by the other party.  The parties refuse to sit in the same room and rely on UN intermediaries to convey messages, and there was even a fistfight between members of the different parties.

The conflict has created a humanitarian crisis in the country.  The UN has said 6 million people are in urgent need of food assistance, with 10 of Yemen’s 22 governorates facing an “emergency level” of food insecurity.  Saudi Arabia promised $274 million in emergency aid to assist Yemeni civilians, but two months later it still has not arrived.  Matters have been made even worse as an outbreak of Dengue fever has infected thousands in Southern Yemen.

On Monday, a Lebanese official announced that Lebanon will send a letter of complaint to the Arab League over recent violations of its territory along the Syrian border, urging the UN to address the increasing refugee crisis. Hezbollah also condemned the violations of Lebanese territory and blamed Syrian rebel groups for one attack. On Sunday, rockets fired into the Hermel region of Lebanon from Syria, killing two and wounding others. UN diplomats said Tuesday that the joint UN-Arab League envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, may cut ties with the Arab League.

According to diplomats at the UN, Brahimi has stated that the Arab League’s moves to recognize the opposition have undermined his role as a neutral mediator. Also on Tuesday, Belgian police arrested six men on charges of aiding in jihadist recruitment for Syrian rebel groups.

Russia and Turkey remain split on ending the Syrian crisis ahead of a meeting of a core group of the Friends of the Syrian People, a cooperative of states and organizations that meets periodically to discuss the Syrian crisis outside of the UN, scheduled for Saturday. Russia has denounced the Friends of the Syrian People as making a negative contribution to the Geneva decision and to fostering dialogue in the civil war. On Wednesday, differences emerged in the testimonies given before Congress by Secretary of State John Kerry and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel over the coherence of the Syrian opposition. Secretary Kerry expressed a more optimistic view over the possibilities of supplying arms to moderates within the Syrian opposition, while Secretary Hagel, along with General Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, cautioned that the situation within the opposition had become more confused.

Last Thursday, the Syrian National Coalition stated that Syrian government forces massacred 60 civilians in what the Coalition described as revenge killings for rebel gains in the area. The reported massacre took place in the town of Sunamayn, which has seen heavy fighting between government and rebel forces in recent days and is near a strategic highway between Damascus and Dara’a. The same day, the Local Coordination Committees, a network of Syrian activists working on the ground, denounced al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri’s call for an Islamic state in Syria as “blatant interference in Syria’s internal affairs.” On Tuesday, rebels regained ground lost on Sunday to Syrian government forces in a battle for control over the main highway leading to Aleppo and a truce was held in the northern Aleppo district of al-Sakhour to allow Red Crescent workers and members of an opposition local council to collect 31 mostly-civilian bodies. Opposition groups accuse government snipers of killing the civilians. An activist group also reported Tuesday that a government rocket attack killed 7, including children, in a village located between Homs and the Lebanese border.

Burma

According to Reuters, the European Union will lift all sanctions “with the exception of the embargo on arms” on Burma next week. This follows the easing of sanctions by the United States over past two years in recognition of Burma’s recent democratic reforms. Rights groups are expected to strongly criticise the move, particularly following recent sectarian violence against Muslims in central Burma that some have called genocide.

Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi broke her two-week silence last week on the violence in central Burma that targeted Muslims, leaving 43 dead and 13,000 displaced. Suu Kyi advocated for the “rule of law and security for people” as essential to deal with both current and possible future violence.

Following Suu Kyi’s comments, three Muslims were sentenced to 14 years in prison for their role in the recent outbreak of violence. The three people included the owner and two employees of a gold shop where the violence began. According to the court, fighting broke out over the appraisal of a gold hair clip that was allegedly damaged at the store. The fighting quickly spread throughout the town of Meikhtila and, eventually, the region. As of yet, no Buddhists have been convicted.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Two Congolese military officers have been suspended for their implication in mass rapes and other human rights violations committed in Minova in the east in late November 2012. Investigations found that two FARDC units engaged in these atrocities, and in February, MONUSCO sent a letter to FARDC’s chief of staff requesting formal suspension of these units. Last week, the government announced that several arrests had been made as an interim disciplinary measure, and that a number of officers had been suspended and put at the disposal of the Military Prosecutor.

As a result of instability in the Central African Republic, there are now over 30,000 refugees in the DRC, 1,000 in Cameroon, and nearly 7,000 in Chad.

Sudan

Violent battles between the rebel group Sudan Liberation Army -Minni Minawi (SLA-MM) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) over control of Labado and Muhajeriya in East Darfur broke out last week causing about 36,000 civilians to flee to UNAMID bases for protection.The SLA-MM held control of Labado for a short period of time before the SAF forces ousted them. Following the recapture of Labado, the SAF said rebels caused much chaos and looting in the city during their control. SLA-MM in turn blamed the army and allied militias for killing 10 civilians during the town’s takeover.

Fighting between the Misseriya and Salamat tribes resumed in Central Darfur on Thursday.  The fighting came one day after leaders from both groups signed a ceasefire. The conflict has already caused 10,000 people to be displaced. The spokesman of the SAF announced the recapture of the Dandor garrison near South Kordofan’s capital from rebel forces on Wednesday. SPLM-N claims it shelled the headquarters of the SAF headquarters in Kadugli, the capital of South Kordofan, in response to the airstrikes on civilian areas by the army.  On Monday, SPLM-N forces had taken control of Dandor garrison, and they plan to regroup and attack the government even more “violently” in the future.

Direct talks between the Sudanese government and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement- North (SPLM-N) to settle the South Kordofan and Blue Nile conflict will start on April 23, announced the rebel group on Monday.

South Sudan

An independent Swiss Research Group, the Small Arms Survey, issued a report that affirms that Sudan has supplied weapons and ammunition to rebels fighting South Sudan’s government.  Sightings of Sudanese aircraft dropping weapons in South Sudan, as well as the discovery of new Sudanese and foreign manufactured arms offer proof to the suspicions of the South Sudan government.  The report also explains that the SPLM supports the SPLM-N but with significantly less arms support than the Sudanese government has offered South Sudanese rebel groups.

South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has withdrawn some powers from his vice president, possibly because he is a likely challenger for the ruling party leadership. Kiir, who has led the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) since 2005, also halted a national reconciliation initiative that had been launched by Vice President Riak Machar, which had been viewed as an attempt to raise his political profile. The two men were on opposing sides of a split within the SPLM during much of the 1983-2005 civil war that ended after the two factions reunited.

The Sudan oil ministry said Sunday that the first crude oil from South Sudan reached its territory, bringing both impoverished nations closer to billions of dollars in revenue after a dispute over fees. This good news comes shortly after presidents Al Bashir and Kiir met in Juba last week, where they both agreed to restart trade relations. The discussions unfortunately did not yield a resolution to controversial status of Abyei.