WORLD NEWS

World News

Latest news from and about the homeland

Rwandan genocide memorial in Nyamata (Fanny Schertzer) German prosecutors have arrested a German-Rwandan national on suspicion of complicity in genocide and 25 counts of murder during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis in Rwanda. The suspect, identified only as Innocent S. under German privacy rules, was arrested in the central German state of Hesse on Wednesday. According to Reuters,…

UN Security Council calls for humanitarian aid access in Syria

The president of the United Nations Security Council, Gary Quinlan, outlined that members were pressing for a follow up on last weeks chemical weapons resolution that demands immediate access to Syria for humanitarian aid.

The president said that the draft statement calls for the Syrian government to provide access to deliver aid in “the most effective ways, including across conflict lines and, where appropriate, across borders from neighbouring countries,” whilst condemning the widespread violations of human rights by both sides.

Rwanda requests Netherlands to extradite genocide suspect

The Rwandan government has formally requested the extradition of a  suspected Rwandan Hutu militia leader from the Netherlands, over his alleged role in the country’s 1994 genocide.

A Dutch court will now consider the decision to extradite the suspect, identified only as "Jean-Claude I.", who was arrested in July of this year.

Dutch prosecutors stated,

"I. is being suspected of being an armed leader of the Interahamwe who participated in attacks on Tutsis."

Dalai Lama ‘sad’ over Buddhist violence

Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has expressed his concern over Buddhist violence in Burma and Sri Lanka, and once again called on Buddhists to put it to an end.

Speaking to his devotees on the first day of his teachings on Nagarjuna’s Sixty Stanzas of Reasoning, The Dalai Lama said,

“Earlier there were crisis among Buddhist and Muslims in Burma and Sri Lanka. Burmese monks were even regarded as terrorists and it is very sad,”

“Recently, I visited Prague, Czech Republic to attend Forum 2000 and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi was also there. I spoke with her and she was really concerned,”

“Have faith in your own religion but respect all other religions,”

Earlier this year the Dalai Lama issued a similar appeal, saying,

"Killing people in the name of religion is really very sad, unthinkable, very sad."

"Nowadays even Buddhists now involved, in Burma and Sri Lanka also. Buddhist monks ... destroy Muslim mosques or Muslim families. Really very sad."

Turkey in Kurdish rights reforms

The Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has announced wide-ranging reforms, including the granting of more rights to Kurds and the removal of the headscarf ban.

Erdogan said towns will be able to use their Kurdish names and education in the Kurdish language would be allowed in private schools, although it would still be restricted in state schools. He has also proposed to change the rule that currently requires parties to receive more than 10% of votes before being able to enter parliament, which has excluded Kurdish parties.

China detains human rights activist

The Chinese government has allegedly detained a human rights activist, who was involved in a sit-in outside the Foreign Ministry to press for the public to be allowed to contribute to a national human rights report.

Conflict is 'war on terror' Syria tells UN

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Bombs hit Erbil

The capital of the autonomous province of Kurdistan in Iraq has been the target of bomb attacks, the first such violence in over 6 years.

The headquarters of the Kurdish security forces, the asayesh, and the interior ministry were hit by the attacks, leaving 6 asayesh dead and dozens injured.

A government spokesperson said that the violence could be linked to the Syrian conflict, which had recently seen fighting between Kurds and fundamentalists.

HRW questions UN resolution on Syria

Human Rights watched criticised the UN security council’s recently passed resolution of failing to deliver justice for the Syrian conflict’s victims, today

The UN director at Human Rights Watch, Philippe Bolopian, said,

Experts push for war crimes tribunal in Syria

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Greece crackdown on far-right party

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