• HRW urges Chad to arrest al-Bashir

    Apr 08

     

    Human Rights Watch urged the government of Chad to arrest Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir or bar him from the country, in a news release today.

    Al-Bashir is expected to travel to Chad today, to attend the Greenbelt Conference of the Community of Sahel-Saharan States, according to news reports.

    Al-Bashir has been indicted of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

    Since the issue of the arrest warrant, Chad has been the only ICC member country to allow al-Bashir to visit on multiple occasions. Human Rights Watch reiterated today, that as an ICC member, Chad is obligated to cooperate in securing the surrender of those wanted by the court.

    Several other African ICC members, including South Africa, Malawi, Botswana, Central African Republic and Zambia have made clear that al-Bashir will be arrested on their territory, or have denied al-bashir the opportunity visiting their countries.

    The Senior International Justice counsel at Human Rights Watch, called upon Chad to act with the victims of Darfur, stating,

    “Governments should stand with Darfur’s victims and ensure that al-Bashir faces justice.”

  • Jewish terrorist' given life sentences

    Israeli-American terror suspect Jack Tytell was given two life sentences with an additional 30 years in prison by the Jerusalem District Court.

    Among various other crimes, Tytell was sentenced for the murder of two Palestinians.

    According to the indictment, in 1997 Tytell went to Israel with the intention of murdering Palestinians.

    Before the sentence was handed, Tytell said he was proud of what he had done and had no regrets.

    See the Jerusalem Post for full report.

  • China sends out warning to North Korea

    The new Chinese President Xi Jinping has given veiled warnings to North Korea on Sunday, saying no country should be allowed to create chaos.

    Speaking at regional business forum in Boao, China Xi said,

    "No one should be allowed to throw a region and even the whole world into chaos for selfish gains... While pursuing its own interests, a country should accommodate the legitimate interests of others".

    "Peace, like air and sunshine, is hardly noticed when people are benefiting from it. But none of us can live without them".

    "Countries, whether big or small, strong or weak, rich or poor, should all contribute their share to maintain and enhancing peace. Rather than undercutting each other's efforts, countries should complement each other and work for joint progress".

    "Stability in Asia now faces new challenges, as hotspot issues keep emerging, and both traditional and non-traditional security threats exist... Asia needs to enhance mutual understanding, build consensus, and enrich and deepen cooperation so as to strike a balance among the interests of various parties and build mechanisms that bring benefits to all".

  • Syria blocks chemical weapons probe

    Syria is denying access to a UN inspection team waiting to undertake a chemical weapons probe, which the government had itself requested.

    State-run media announced that Syria was blocking attempts by the UN to 'broaden' the probe to cover the whole country.

    The UN's Ban Ki-moon said that all claims of chemical weapon usage from all sides should be investigated, declaring:

    "The use of chemical weapons by any side, under any circumstances, would constitute an outrageous crime with dire consequences,"

    A Syrian Ministry official is however reported to have said:

    "Syria can not accept such manoeuvres on the part of the UN secretariat general, bearing in mind the negative role that it played in Iraq and which cleared the way to the American invasion."

    The Syrian government formally requested the probe into allegations that the opposition had used chemical weapons in Khan al-Assal on March 19th. The opposition accuse government forces of deploying the munitions.

  • Former UK PM Margaret Thatcher dies

    Former UK Prime Minister, Baroness Margaret Thatcher, died on Monday at the age of 87.

    Known variously as 'milk-snatcher', 'Iron Lady' and the woman who changed Britain, the Baroness was the United Kingdom's first and only female Prime Minister.

    Although public opinion remains divided, Thatcher's legacy places her among the most influential peace-time politicians in modern European history.

    Margaret Thatcher is commonly accredited as having entrenched the free-market into British economics, at the expense of her popularity, employment rates and extensive welfare provisions.

    See here for the BBC's obituary.

  • Serbia rejects EU deal on Kosovo

    Serbia rejected the EU deal on normalising relations with Kosovo on Monday. Speaking to the press, Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic said:

    "The government of Serbia cannot accept principles verbally presented to its negotiating team in Brussels, since they do not guarantee full security and protection of human rights to the Serb people in Kosovo."

    The EU had given Serbia until Tuesday to decide whether it will relinquish its control over northern Kosovo in exchange for talks to negotiate the start of a Serbian role in the EU. Talks last week were the eighth round of EU facilitated talks between Kosovo and Serbia.

    Responding to Serbia's decision to reject the deal, the EU's Catherine Ashton said:

    "I believe that all the elements for an agreement on northern Kosovo are on the table. I regret the decision of the Serbian government to reject the proposals and call on them to make a last effort to reach an agreement, for the benefit of their people."

    See also: Serbia struggles to let go of northern Kosovo (07 Apr 2013)

  • M23 movement re-engage in Congolese peace talks
    Talks aimed at resolving the conflict in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo resumed today in the Ugandan capital Kampala.
    The peace talks between the M23 Rebels and Congolese government , that started in December, broke down in late February following strong disagreements between the negotiating parties.
    The head of the M23 delegation, Rene Abandi, announced today that both parties had met up with their Ugandan peace talk mediators, indicating that the peace talks were, once again, underway.
    The head of the M23 delegation described the recent UN resolution that allowed the conscription of an intervention force as an act that undermined the peace negotiation efforts.
    Uganda's Minister of Defence and peace talk mediator, Crispus Kyonga, assured that the M23 rebels would not be attacked by the recently deployed United Nations intervention force, provided the peace talks continued.
    Noting that the M23  should not resort to a pure military struggle, he said,
    "The International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR)firmly believes that the solution to the problems in the eastern DRC is fundamentally political. The military track can only support the political process. The military track cannot be a standalone and cannot bring sustainable peace to any part of the world."
  • Nigerian militants claim police attack

    The militant group Mend, Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, claimed responsibility for an attack in South Nigeria on Friday which killed 12 police officers.

    The announcement came in an email, and went on to say that the group would relaunch attacks after its leader, Henry Okah, was jailed in South Africa for 24 years for the 2010 bomb attacks in Abuja.

    Thousands of former militants are reportedly not receiving the monthly allowance that was promised to them as part of the 2009 amnesty agreement, reports the BBC.

    The police commissioner Kingsley Omire said:

    "The officers became soft target for some hoodlums, who we have confirmed were part of a militant group that was supposed to be enjoying an amnesty."

  • Kerry warns Iran about talks

    After a new round of talks failed to make progress, John Kerry, the US Secretary of State, has warned Iran that talks cannot last forever.

    At a start of a trip to the Middle East, Europe and Asia, Kerry said that the process was not an 'interminable' one.

    Kerry also called on Turkey and Israel to restore full diplomatic relations at talks in Istanbul.

    See the BBC for full report.

  • Serbia struggles to let go of northern Kosovo
    Discussions between Senior Serbian and Kosovo leaders, regarding an European Union mediated plan for Serbian reconciliation with Kosovo, have experienced difficulties over the past few days.
    The EU has given Serbia until Tuesday to decide whether it will relinquish its control over northern Kosovo in exchange of talks to negotiate the start of a Serbian role in the EU.
    Talks between the Serbian and Kosovo leadership broke down after a disagreement over the plight of 200,000 ethnic Serbians that live in the northern part of the Kosovo state. Serbian officials have asked that the ethnic Serbs in Kosovo be provided with their own judiciary and policing system. Kosovo officials have rejected such requests, on the basis that such an action would equate to splitting Kosovo into two separate entities.
    Though Kosovo has been recognised as a separate state by many nations, Serbia continues to refute the Kosovo statehood.
    The Serbian involvement in current negotiations has sparked strong criticism amongst the Serbian Orthodox Church, with the Patriarch urging  officials not to "give up" or "sell" Kosovo for a EU membership promise.
    Serbian President, Tomislav Nikolic, told  reporters that, the leadership will formally declare whether it accepts or rejects the EU proposal, noting that further negotiations would be sought to "correct" the EU proposal.
    A rejection of the EU proposal could act as a damaging blow to Serbia's EU membership aspirations, as it continues to rejects the Kosovo's statehood.
  • Religious clashes in Egypt continue

    Religious clashes continued in Egypt on Sunday, with one reported fatality.

    Over eighty people were also wounded in the violence which broke out at the Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in central Cairo, after a funeral service for four Egyptian Christians killed in previous sectarian violence.

    See Reuters for full report.

  • Religious clashes in Egypt

    Clashes between Christians and Muslims in a town near Cairo have left five killed and eight injured, reports Reuters.

    Violence reportedly broke out when Christian children were found drawing on the walls of a Muslim institute. As well as shooting and fighting several residential and commercial buildings were burned including a child-care centre.

    The president's office in a statement said:

     "The presidency ... totally rejects any attempt against the unity and cohesiveness of Egyptian society and will decisively confront any attempt to spark sectarian strife among Egyptian people, Muslim and Christian."

  • South Sudan resumes oil production

    South Sudan has restarted oil production in the country, more than a year after it stopped operations with its neighbour Sudan.

    A deal was inked last month that allowed the resumption of production after the two countries came close to war over the disagreement. Production was halted 14 months ago after disputes over oil revenues.

    South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011, also gaining three-quarters of Sudan's oil production. South Sudan though relies on Sudanese pipelines. 

    South Sudanese Petroleum and Mining Minister Stephen Dhieu Dau announced the resumption of production, commenting,

    "We are pumping from today... The production is to resume from Tharjiath and will be followed by other oil fields as from today."

  • Independent Scotland open to US military bases - SNP

    First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond has stated that he would be open to an independent Scotland being home to US military bases, as long as they were non-nuclear, reported the Scotsman.

    Speaking on a visit to New York, Salmond stated he had held talks with US officials, regarding NATO membership for an independent Scotland. He went on to say,

    “The choice in policy terms is to be a non-nuclear member of that organisation,”

    “So then, if we are talking about a non-nuclear base, then of course that would be something that would be possible in terms of the [Nato] treaty agreement.”

    “We took the decision [on Nato membership] because we knew it was a signal to our friends and partners that we recognised their legitimate interest in the process of Scottish independence.”

    “We wanted to send a signal to our friends and partners that we wanted to assume responsibility as a responsible friend and partner.”

     

  • Musharaff and others barred from election for religious and 'moral' shortcomings

    An obscure constitutional clause has been invoked in Pakistan to bar candidates from election, including former president Pervez Musharaff.

    The clause involved subjecting candidates to rigorous tests on religious credentials and 'moral character', after which dozens of candidates were ruled out and hundreds more await 'verification'.

    Another high profile figure to be disqualified from running is Ayaz Amir, a newspaper columnist, who was rejected on the basis of having written articles deemed to have encouraged alcohol consumption.

    See the Guardian for full report.

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