Swiss campaign groups have welcomed efforts by the government in attempting to track down and prosecute war criminals, with the creation of a dedicated task force earlier this year.

The director of Geneva-based ‘Track Impunity Always’ (Trial) Philip Grant hailed the move, saying,

“Switzerland is finally taking its international obligations more seriously,”
In particular the cases of Khaled Nezzar, the former Algerian defence minister and ex-Guatamalan police chief Erwin Sperisen were highlighted by Grant.

He went on to say,

“Once it is accepted that there is a shared responsibility by states, politicians will have to give their investigations the necessary resources and in the next ten to 20 years this [kind of work] will develop into something that is widely accepted”.

Switzerland's war crimes unit is currently reported to be handling 8 cases of suspected war criminals, with only 2 residing within Switzerland itself.

See more of Trial’s work on Sri Lanka, with the case of Major General Jagath Dias here and General Shavendra Silva here.

The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) warned the M23 armed movement on Friday, that anyone attacking UN helicopters would face prosecution as a war criminal.

The warning from the UN Stabilising Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) comes after a UN press release stated that two utility helicopters had faced hostile fire from the M23 on boxing day.

MONUSCO reiterated that any attack against peacekeepers would amount to war crimes.

The peacekeeping mission vowed that “those responsible for such acts will be prosecuted and brought to justice”

The Rwandan Prosecutor General Martin Ngoga has threatened that Rwanda may have to take France to court over their failure to arrest known fugitives, accused of crimes committed during the Rwandan genocide.

The National Public Prosecution Authority says that at least 21 indicted Genocide suspects are currently in France.

“After almost two decades of giving them benefit of the doubt, it is now clear to us that French authorities are unwilling to deliver justice in Genocide cases,” said Ngoga in an interview to Rwandan newspaper New Times.

“We have to rethink the strategy, we have to look around for more actions that may include taking legal action at the international level, or invoking different international conventions that may bind France and force them to take action,”

France had close links to the regime in charge during the genocide and French courts have blocked extraditions of suspects, saying they are politically motivated.

“There’s an obligation on states to act on fugitives of serious crimes like genocide, this could be possible under domestic mechanisms or international mechanisms.”

The UN’s International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) has transferred several cases to France and Rwanda has said that trials can be conducted in French courts if they are not comfortable with extradition.

“They have had these cases for the last five years and have done nothing about them at all. These are cases they were referred there by a UN court. Assuming our indictments are political, what have they done on the indictments from ICTR?”

Ngoga also questioned the role of French political and military officials in the genocide.

“We also have to look into individual roles of French citizens who were implicated in the Genocide to bring more clarity on what could be happening behind the scenes. It is imperative to us that sooner or later these must also be made to account.”

The Special Chamber of the High Court of Rwanda has rejected the demands of a deported genocide suspect from Canada, asking to court to nullify his case.

Leon Mugesera, who was removed from Canada earlier this year after losing a deportation battle that lasted nearly 20 years, questioned the mandate of the court, claiming they had no jurisdiction to try his alleged crimes, which occurred in 1992.

The Special Chamber of the High Court though, which tries cases transferred from the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, however dismissed his demands, with Judge Athanase Bakuzakundi stating,

"When Mugesera was being transferred to Rwanda, the Canadian authorities knew very well that he was accused of crimes committed in 1992 and he would be tried in the special chamber, it is on this note that the court rejects his demands".

See our earlier posts:

Deported genocide suspect sets new precedent for Rwanda (31 January 2012)
Rwandan deportee charged with plotting genocide (02 February 2012)

The Central African Republic's president appeal for help in pushing back a rebel offensive has been rejected by France who have said that their troops can only protect French nationals.

President Francois Bozize made the appeal to France and the USA as rebel fighters close in just 75km away from the capital city. Bozize said,

"We are asking our cousins the French and the United States, which are major powers, to help us push back the rebels to their initial positions in a way that will permit talks in Libreville to resolve this crisis,"

However French President Francois Hollande responded said the 250 French troops on a peace keeping mission in the country, would not be used for anything other than protecting French nationals, commenting,

"If we have a presence, it's not to protect a regime, it's to protect our nationals and our interests and in no way to intervene in the internal business of a country, in this case the Central African Republic,"

"Those days are over."

The USA announced a suspension of diplomatic operations in the country as well as the departure of embassy personnel.

State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell said in a statement:

"This decision is solely due to concerns about the security of our personnel and has no relation to our continuing and long-standing diplomatic relations with the CAR."

See here for full report on Reuters.

The Iranian government has stated that they have fended off a number of cyber attacks on a power plant and other industries located in the south of the country.

Speaking to the Iranian Isna news agency, head of the military unit responsible for defending against cyber attacks, the Passive Defense Organization, Ali Akbar Akhavan said,

"The Bandar Abbas electricity supply company has come under cyber attack… But we were able to prevent its expansion owing to our timely measures and the co-operation of skilled hackers."

The latest incident, labelled "enemy cyber attacks", comes in the wake of the Stuxnet attack on Iranian nuclear centrifuges more than 2 years ago.

Iran’s Fars news agency went on to say that the attack came through Malaysia and Vietnam, but originated in Dallas, USA. It noted that the attacks were “widely believed to be designed and staged by the U.S. and Israel.”

The Israeli government has approved the development of a further 1,242 homes in and around the city of Jerusalem, in a massive new wave of expansion.

The homes are set to be built controversially over the dividing green line in Gilo that split Arab and Israeli territory before the Six Day War in 1967.

Activist group peace Now claimed that the latest announcement brings the total number of new homes approved by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to 6,600 in the past week alone.

The move comes amid increasing pressure within Netanyahu’s Likud party, urging the Prime Minister to drop his commitment for a future Palestinian state made in a 2009 speech.

The head of Syria’s military police, Lt Gen Abulaziz al-Shalal has defected from Bashar al-Assad’s government and is reported to have fled to Turkey.

In a video released on YouTube, Lt Gen al-Shalal said that the army has turned into "gangs of murderers” and had failed to protect Syrian citizens.

"I declare my defection from the army because of its deviation from its fundamental mission to protect the nation and transformation into gangs of murder and destruction,"

"Definitely, there are other high-ranking officers who want to defect but the situation is not suitable for them to declare defection," he said.

See the general’s video message with English translation here.

A rebel offensive against the government of the Central African Republic has led to the United Nations ordering over 200 non-essential staff and worker families to leave the country.

In a major political mission, the UN is attempting to help the Central African Republic's government to overcome more than a decade of conflict.

A UN spokesperson said that the decision to pull out the staff "will not detract from the ability of the United Nations to continue its support to the peace consolidation and development efforts in the Central African Republic."

See here for full report on AFP.

Pope Benedict XVI delivering his 2012 Christmas Day message has urged for an end to bloodshed in conflicts around the world.

Extracts reproduced below

“...may peace spring up for the people of Syria, deeply wounded and divided by a conflict which does not spare even the defenceless and reaps innocent victims. Once again I appeal for an end to the bloodshed, easier access for the relief of refugees and the displaced, and dialogue in the pursuit of a political solution to the conflict.”

“...grant Israelis and Palestinians courage to end to long years of conflict and division, and to embark resolutely on the path of negotiation.”

“In the countries of North Africa, which are experiencing a major transition in pursuit of a new future - and especially the beloved land of Egypt...- may citizens work together to build societies founded on justice and respect for the freedom and dignity of every person.”

“... gaze to the new leaders of the People's Republic of China for the high task which awaits them. I express my hope that, in fulfilling this task, they will esteem the contribution of the religions, in respect for each, in such a way that they can help to build a fraternal society for the benefit of that noble People and of the whole world.”

“... favour the return of peace in Mali and that of concord in Nigeria, where savage acts of terrorism continue to reap victims... bring help and comfort to the refugees from the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and grant peace to Kenya, where brutal attacks have struck the civilian population and places of worship.”

See here for the full English translation on Huffington Post.

Russian president Vladimir Putin has unveiled the final part of its pipeline to the Pacific Ocean.

The new pipeline will help Russia expand sales to Asia and is also expected to increase sales to the US.

"The American market will receive 35 per cent of Kozmino oil," Nikolai Tokarev, the head of Transneft state oil pipeline operator, said at the opening.

"Around 30 per cent will go to Japan and 28 per cent to China."

Tokarev did not calm European fears about continued supplies from Russia, as he dismissed offering Europe any assurances about receiving oil.

"We do not owe a single EU country a thing, and we are certainly not obligated to account for ourselves," RIA Novosti quoted Tokarev as saying.