Girl Soldiers

Girl Soldiers

Among the millions of child soldiers across Africa kidnapped, drugged and manipulated into fighting, girls represent an estimated 30 percent. Girls face an even harder challenge following the release from soldiery. Many girls, like boys are abducted from their homes, drugged, beaten, and in many cases forced to kill their family members. But unlike boys, the girls are raped and/or forced to “marry” rebel leaders. Their children are then ostracized as “Kony children”, referring to Joseph Kony, the self-proclaimed prophet of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA).

The LRA, based in northern Uganda, kidnapped an estimated 25,000 children during the 20-year war against the government. According to Human Rights Watch, children were used in the frontlines, as spies, minesweepers and concubines.

Although several children, either abandoned or orphaned, joined the rebels out of desperation, the majority was kidnapped from the family.

On June 20th of this year, the UN-backed courts convicted junta leaders of using child soldiers during the Sierra Leone civil war. This marks the first time the use of child soldiers was treated as a war crime.

For more information please see:

“Another side of child-soldiering: girls” Yahoo News: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070825/ap_on_re_af/africa_s_child_war;_ylt=AqSK.u0PgSvdETjY_rF9F7.96Q8F 25, Aug. 2007.

Sudan Expels Western Diplomats

Khartoum, Sudan – Sudan expelled the European Commission envoy, Kent Degerfelt, and a Canadian diplomat, Nuala Lawler, on Wednesday.  Sudan’s state Suna news agency reports that they were asked to leave the country and were each declared persona non grata due to their “intervention in the internal affairs of Sudan.”  Foreign Ministry officials in Sudan have accused the two of meeting with Sudanese opposition leaders.

Canada and the EU, however, have said that they were given no reason for why they were expelled.  The Canadian Foreign Minister said Lawler was standing up for democracy and freedom in Sudan. The spokesman for the European Commission said Degerfelt was not in the country when he was ordered out.

Canada and the EU have both been highly critical of the Sudanese government’s role in Darfur, where more than 200,000 people have died and 2.5 million have been displaced since 2003 when a rebel group with ethnic-cleansing ideas took up arms in the Arab-dominated central government.  Khartoum has been accused of sending the janjaweed militias, who are blamed for atrocities during this conflict.

On Friday, Amnesty International accused the Sudanese government of continuing to deploy offensive military equipment in Darfur, in violation of a UN arms embargo and peace agreements.

Last month, the UN Security Council approved a joint AU-UN peacekeeping force for Sudan, and it is hoped that the troops will be sent by the end of the year.  However, the peacekeeping resolution does not give the troops authority to disarm or demobilize the janjaweed or other armed opposition groups.

Meanwhile, a UN report was released earlier this week detailing rapes in Darfur.  Sudan’s justice minister attacked the report on Thursday calling it a “false report” and questioning the commissioner’s credibility.

For more information, please see:

BBC – Sudan expels two Western envoys – 23 August 2007

Times Online – Sudan expels European and Canadian diplomats – 24 August 2007

Voice of America – Sudan Expels Canadian, European Diplomats for “Meddling” – 24 August 2007

Guardian Unlimited – Sudan expels western diplomats as pressure mounts over Darfur – 24 August 2007

NGO Claims Uzbekistan Regional Threat

According to the International Crisis Group (ICG), Uzbekistan is a serious threat to itself and Central Asia.

The non-governmental organization (NGO) claims that the human rights situation is grave and the government severely persecutes its critics. Citizens who seek to leave the country live in constant danger of attempts to return them forcibly.

An ICG report says that the Uzbek government has almost eliminated civil society and the independent media; foreign news journalists face threats and persecution.

President Islam Karimov’s term ended in January, but he has not yet left office, and there are no signs that he plans to do so. His eventual departure could lead to a power struggle.

The government justifies its policies by citing the dangers imposed by radical Islamist groups. However, according to ICG, there is no evidence that these groups pose a clear threat.

The European Union recently renewed sanctions imposed in 2005 after Uzbek troops fired on protesters.

The ICG is an (NGO) that works to prevent and resolve conflicts.

For more information, please see:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6959934.stm

http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2007/08/13ab3d10-5598-487e-91f8-3f6331a7c97a.html

http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=5027&l=1

Attack on Peacekeepers in DRC

By Meryl White
Impunity Watch, Africa

There was an attack on UN peacekeepers stationed in the Rusthuru region of North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo. The incident took place when North Kivu brigades were hit with rocks on August 20th in Bunugana village by rebels who wanted to prevent the UN police from entering their village.

The peacekeepers were attempting to gather information on the assault of two Congolese intelligent agents that took place last weekend. Three Indian peacekeepers and an officer from the Congolese police were wounded during the attack.

The rebels were part of a militia organized by General Nkunda, who was a former general in the Congolese army. Nkunda’s militia is responsible for attacking government positions in North Kivu. While the Congolese army and UN peacekeepers have been able to force Nkunda’s militia to withdraw in the past, there have still been numerous clashes between the militia and army.

The general instability in the region has resulted in the displacement of 10,000. Moreover, since 1999, fighting between six armed forces has resulted in the deaths of 50,000 people.

UN Refugee Agency estimates that over 10,000 Congolese crossed to Uganda’s southwestern district of Kisoro in attempts to seek refugee on August 21st. Presently, Uganda hosts about 29,000 refugees from eastern DR Congo.

For more information, please see:

AllAfrica – Congo-Kinshasa: UN Peacekeepers Caught Up in Continuing Unrest in North Kivu – 23 August 2007

BBC – Congo Refugees Return from Uganda – 23 August 2007

IRIN – DRC: Thousands Disarm and Join Reintegration Process in Ituri – 21 August 2007

Lebanese Army and Fatah al-Islam agree to evacuate the last civilians

On May 20, the Lebanese army began their fight with the militants from Fatah al-Islam in Nahr al-Bared.  Since the conflict began, over 140 Lebanese soldiers have died, 100 militants, and about forty were civilians.  While 40,000 Palestinian refugees fled Nahr al-Bared and went to nearby camps, eighty civilians have remained.  Those who remained are mostly wives and children of the remaining militants. 

After three months of heavy bombing, all that remains of Nahr al-Bared are tunnels and niches beneath piles of rubble.  Since the militants refuse to surrender, the Lebanese army continues to bombard the camp.  Fatah al-Islam and the Lebanese Army recently reached a temporary cease-fire agreement to allow the families of the militants to evacuate the camp.  This agreement is not an official cease of fighting but rather provides the remaining civilians an opportunity to leave the camp.  Officers in the Lebanon Army view this agreement by the Fatah Islam as a signal that the end of the fighting is near.

Lebanese officials do not believe that Fatah al-Islam is capable of fighting back from their current position.  Rather, army officials speculate when Fatah al-Islam will be completely destroyed in Nahr al-Bared.  This agreement is seen by the Lebanese officials as the militants’ last opportunity to evacuate their family members before the end of the fighting. 

Also, Prosecutor General Saeed Mirza charged 107 members of Fatah al-Islam in custody with terrorism.  Mirza also charged an undisclosed number of individuals at large with terrorism.  In addition to Lebanese, there were also Palestinians, Saudis and Syrians.  If convicted of terrorism, the individuals could face the death penalty.

For more information please see:
The Daily Star:  “Mediators await word from Fatah al-Islam on evacuation”  24 August 2007. 

Al Jazeera:  “Fatah al-Islam seeks Lebanon truce”  22 August 2007. 

BBC:  “More Lebanese army raids on camp”  22 August 2007. 

Gulf Times:  “Lebanon army agrees to let families move out of camp”  22 August 2007. 

The Daily Star:  “Army steps up siege of Nahr al Bared, former general assures militants are ‘doomed’”  21 August 2007. 

International Herald Tribune:  “Lebanon’s military agrees to militants’ request to allow their families leave camp”  21 August 2007. 

International Herald Tribune:  “Lebanon charges over 100 people suspected of battling army with terrorism”  18 August 2007.