The US has cut military aid to Rwanda, accusing it of destabilising the region by funding the M23 movement in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo. The funding of $200,000 will be reallocated to other countries announced the US State Department. Although a insignificant sum, the military aid cut is said to be a symbolic blow to Rwanda by the US - considered to be a Rwandan ally.
South Sudan has scrapped talks with neighbour Sudan, after accusing Khartoum of carrying out air strikes on their side of a disputed border. Direct talks were being held by the two countries as a UN Security Council deadline of August 2nd looms for the nations to resolve their disputes. However, allegations of airstrikes by Sudan on Friday have led to South Sudan cancelling direct talk that were due to take place in Addis Ababa. Atif Kiir, the spokesman for Juba's South Sudan said , "We were left with no choice but to suspend our direct bilateral talks with Sudan," "You cannot sit with them...
Human rights groups have urged Nepal to bar the promotion of a senior army officer implicated in torture and disappearances during the country’s civil war. Local media had reported that Colonel Raju Basnet had been recommended for promotion to Brigadier General. In a joint statement, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Amnesty International said , "The Nepal Army should adopt a policy of not promoting anyone accused of human rights abuses until the allegations are investigated in an independent and transparent manner." Brad Adams of HRW said , "The...
The International Court of Justice has ordered the Senegalese government to commence the trial of Chad’s former president Hissene Habre ‘without delay’ or to extradite him to Belgium to face trial. Mr Habre denies accusation he committed crimes against humanities during his reign. He is alleged to have killed and tortured tens of thousands of opposition activists between 1982 and 1990. The highest court at the UN was investigating whether he should be extradited to Belgium or tried in Senegal, after Belgium requested the ICJ to order Habre’s extradition. Belgium’s universal jurisdiction law...
Guor Marial, a long distance runner from South Sudan will be competing in the upcoming London Olympics, after the International Olympic Committee granted him permission to compete under the Olympic flag. Speaking to Associated Press , Marial said, "The voice of South Sudan has been heard." "The South Sudan has finally got a spot in the world community. Even though I will not carry their flag in this Olympic Games, the country itself is there. " "The dream has come true. The hope of South Sudan is alive." Marial paid special tribute to the people of his nation, stating, “Most important is the...
Russian President Vladimir Putin has sanctioned a law which will impose tighter controls on civil rights groups which receive funding from abroad. Opposition groups have said that the move continues Putin’s campaign to curb dissent, as the law will force NGOs engaged in “political activity” to register as “foreign agents” with the Ministry of Justice and submit a quarterly report to officials. Putin’s opponents believe that the President is trying to silence criticism of his human rights records, which has undermined his credibility and fuelled seven months of protest against his rule. See...
The Government of Mali has asked the International Criminal Court in The Hague to investigate possible instances of war crimes and crimes against humanity, after Islamists seized control of the North of the country earlier this year. In a visit to The Hague, Malian Justice Minister Malick Coulibaly alleged that there were , “grave and massive violations of human rights and international humanitarian law committed particularly in the north of the country.” He also added that the Malian government had declared itself "unable to prosecute or try the perpetrators". The International Criminal...
Attacks on Rohingya Muslims in Burma are on the increase, warns Amnesty International on Friday. In continuing communal violence, Rohingyas have become targets for killings, rape and physical abuse although the Burmese government has dismissed the allegations as groundless and biased. Amnesty accused Burma’s security forces and ethnic Buddhists of being responsible for the attacks. Rohingya Muslims are denied Burmese citizenship as the government considers them to be illegal settlers from Bangladesh. Over the last six weeks attacks have been "primarily one-sided, with Muslims generally and...
Under the terms of a new constitution document drawn up this week, the Zimbabwe's president will not be able to hold office for more than ten years, declare war or dissolve parliament. The presidency would be limited to two five-year terms. The constitutional review was agreed as part of the 2008 powersharing arrangement between the current president Robert Mugabe, and opposition leave Morgan Tsvangirai. There is currently no limit on the presidency, and Mugabe has been in power since 1980. The document must be agreed by both sides before it is placed before the people later this year at a...
The presidents of Sudan and South Sudan held talks this weekend, for the first time since April. Meeting at an African Union summit in Ethiopia, Sudan's Omar al-Bashir and South Sudan's Salva Kiir discussed the disputed South Kordofan and Blue Nile regions. According to AllAfrica, Kiir suggested that a referendum be held on the disputed region of Abeyei, however Bashir's response remains unknown. According to the Sudan Tribune, a three-pronged plan was agreed upon during the meeting regarding filling Sudan's financial deficit, whereby Sudan would account for a third, South Sudan for a third,...