Media Monitor
The Media Monitor is intended to supplement Shared Humanity's system of Early Warning Alerts by providing media accounts dealing with gross human rights violations. This ensures that there is information available in a timely manner in order to facilitate early response to gross human rights violations.
The articles found below do not necessarily represent the views of Shared Humanity. Moreover, Shared Humanity cannot endorse the veracity of these sources - they are provided merely to ensure the distribution of up to date reports relating to gross human rights violations for discussion purposes. Please report any broken links to the .
March 22, 2009 - Expulsion of aid groups raises risks in Darfur
The expulsion of organizations that provided clean water, medical treatment, food and shelter for millions of Sudanese in the war-racked region of Darfur has thrown the world’s largest aid operation into disarray, putting the lives of millions of displaced people at risk.
March 05, 2009 - International Criminal Court Issues Bashir Arrest Warrant
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has ordered the arrest of Omar al-Bashir, the Sudanese president, on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the country's western Darfur region.
February 12, 2009 - Peace before justice, Congo minister tells ICC
KINSHASA (AFP) — The Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday justified a refusal to hand over a former rebel chief for trial by a world court on the grounds that domestic peace was best served by his remaining free. The country's justice minister, Emmanuel-Janvier Luzolo, told a press conference that "in the judicial practice of any state, there are moments when the demands of peace override the traditional needs of justice." The International Criminal Court, based The Hague, wants to try Bosco Ntaganda for alleged war crimes in the country's northeastern Ituri region, particularly enlisting child soldiers in 2002-2003. (for more information click on headline)
February 12, 2009 - Palestinians Demand ICC Investigate Possible Gaza War Crimes
The International Criminal Court in The Hague is examining a demand by the Palestinian Authority to investigate possible war crimes during Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip. (For full story click on headline)
March 08, 2008 - UN Human Rights Commissioner Louise Arbour to Step Down
UN Human Rights Commissioner Louise Arbour is stepping down at the end of her current term in July in order to spend more time with her family. Arbour was an outspoken commissioner and she often incurred the wrath of those she criticised for human rights violations. Arbour was formerly the prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia (ICTY), as well as a justice on the Supreme Court of Canada.
March 05, 2008 - Rwanda Genocide "Negationists" Head to Canada
The Rwandan government is alleging that an upcoming conference in Montreal, Canada ('Les Médias et le Rwanda: la difficile recherche de la vérité, "The Media and Rwanda: The Difficult Search for the Truth") is a forum for genocide "negationists". Rwanda and Canada maintain good relations, although there has been friction in the past over the large number of alleged genocidaires currently residing in Canada.
March 05, 2008 - Rwanda: Country Reaches Deal to Enforce Sentences Imposed By UN Genocide Tribunal
The Rwandan government recently signed a deal with the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) allowing people convicted by the court to serve their sentences in Rwanda. Other countries that have signed similar agreements include Mali, Benin, Swaziland, France, Italy and Sweden. The pact is particularly important because it seems to indicate a greater willingness on the part of the Rwandan government to cooperate with the tribunal (which they opposed in the past as undermining national prosecutions).
March 04, 2008 - ICC prosecutor refuses to meet with representatives of Uganda LRA rebels
International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo has recently refused to meet emissaries from the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels in Uganda. The ICC has indicted several LRA leaders for crimes against humanity and war crimes and it is believed that the LRA emissaries are seeking for the court to drop its indictments.
February 12, 2008 - Ex-garuda chief jailed over murder of Indonesian rights activist Munir
The former director of Indonesia's national airline Garuda has been sentenced by an Indonesian court to a year in jail for being an accessory to the murder of Munir Thalib four years ago. The court determined that Indra Setiawan, the Garuda chief, assigned Garuda employee Pollycarpus Priyanto to security duty on the flight so that he could kill Munir. Munir, the leading human rights activist in Indonesia at the time, was en route to The Netherlands where he was set to begin an LLM in human rights law at Utrecht University. It is believed that the order to kill Munir was given by the Indonesian State Intelligence Agency (BIN). Those ultimately responsible have still not been brought to justice.
October 26, 2007 - Sexual Violence Against DRC Women a Crime Against Humanity
Yakin Ertürk, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women has declared that the gross human rights violations in the eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) amount to crimes against humanity.
September 29, 2007 - Burma hiding death toll
Over the past week there has been a popular uprising in Burma against the military junta which has governed the country since 1962. The regime in Burma is a chronic and serious abuser of human rights that was recently condemned by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for indescriminate attacks on civilians.
September 28, 2007 - Croats call U.N. war crimes verdict "shameful"
The Government of Croatia has condemned the recent ICTY (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia) judgement in the Vukovar case. The court sentenced former Yugoslav army officer Mile Mrksic to 20 years in prison for enabling the massacre of one hundred ninety four patients in a hospital near Vukovar (a city in Croatia near the border of Serbia). A second ex-officer, Veselin Sljivancanin, was sentenced to five years for torture but cleared of more serious charges. A third, Miroslav Radic, was acquitted on all charges.
August 31, 2007 - Rwanda Requests Extradition of War Crimes Suspects
Rwanda has requested the extradition of five of its "most-wanted" genocide suspects who are currently residing in Canada. Many Rwandans have settled in Canada, particularly after the genocide. The Rwandan government says that Canada is cooperative in pursuing fugitives from the Rwandan genocide but this cooperation proceeds at a slow pace.
August 28, 2007 - Anti-defamation league refuses to recognise Armenian genocide
The Anti-Defamation League (a Jewish human rights organisation in the United States) has refused to recognise the Armenian genocide. The ADL took this position because it argued it did not want to jeopardise the position of Jews in Turkey or the good relations between Turkey and Israel. Andrew Tarsy, the regional ADL director in Boston, was fired by the ADL for continuing to speak out against the issue but was later reinstated.
August 24, 2007 - Bosnian court sentences ex-policeman to 12 years for crimes against humanity
The special War Crimes Chamber of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina has sentenced an ex-reserve policeman to twelve years in prison for crimes against humanity. These acts include the crimes against humanity of murder, imprisonment, and other crimes against humanity committed against the civilian population in Višegrad Municipality in 1992.
August 23, 2007 - Sudan Expels Canadian and EU Diplomats
The Government of Sudan has expelled the Canadian charge d'affaires and the European Union (EU) envoy from Sudan based on the accusation that they are meddling in Sudan's internal affairs. Both Canada and the EU have been critical of the Sudanese government's complicity in the gross human rights violations occuring in Darfur.
August 22, 2007 - 'Chemical Ali' on Trial for Brutal Crushing of Shia Uprising
Saddam Hussein's cousing, the notorious "Chemical Ali" (Ali Hassan al-Majid), is on trial for crimes against humanity allegedly committed during the suppression of a Shia uprising in 1991. Fourteen other of Hussein's aides are also being tried in the same case. In 1991 Shias in the south of Iraq tried to take advantage of the government's weakness in the wake of its defeat in the first Persian Gulf War in order to seize autonomy. As many as 100 000 people were killed. The alleged crimes against humanity include murder, persecution, torture, imprisonment, and other inhumane acts. Ali has already been sentenced to death in another case.
August 16, 2007 - Genocide Looming in the Ogaden?
Some human rights activists and commentators are now claiming that "ethnic cleansing" in the Ogaden region (a desert area straddling the borders of Ethiopia and Somalia) is escalating to genocide. Allegedly, nomadic peoples are being targeted for persecution and violence by the ethnic Tigrean-dominated Ethiopian government. Ethiopia denies the charges.
August 07, 2007 - France Drops Charges against Genocidaires
The Paris Appeals Court has ordered the release of Wenceslas Munyeshyaka and Laurent Bucyibaruta, two alleged genocidaires wanted by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity. The Paris court decided that the ICTR warrants were not executable because the stipulation by the ICTR that it would decide whether the men should be tried in the ICTR or in France infringed on the right to be presumed innocent. The ICTR is a court created to prosecute the leaders of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Rwanda has long pressured the French government to prosecute or extradite the many alleged genocidaires that have found a safe haven in France.
August 03, 2007 - UN Condemns Nepal Amnesties for GHRV
The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has expressed serious concern with the first draft of the proposed Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) bill in Nepal. The law grants amnesty to many perpetrators of international crimes (such as war crimes and crimes against humanity) committed during Nepal's recent civil war. It is the policy of the United Nations that amnesties should not be given for war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, or other gross human rights violations and this was recently reaffirmed by UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.
August 02, 2007 - Impunity for Sexual Crimes in Cote d'Ivoire
During the recent armed conflict in Cote d'Ivoire, both government and rebel forces committed numerous gross human rights violations against women. These included rape, torture, mutilation, and other forms of sexual assault. When committed in a widespread and systematic manner these offences constitute crimes against humanity. Human Rights Watch contends that the current peace process is not adequately addressing these crimes - restoring the security of women and combatting impunity.
July 31, 2007 - First Indictment Issued at Cambodia Tribunal
The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) has issued its first indictment. Kaing Guek Eav was indicted for crimes against humanity. Eav was in charge of the the notorious S-21 (Tuol Sleng) prison, a prison where approximately 16 000 people were held and tortured before being killed. The ECCC is a hybrid court created to try the leaders of the crimes against humanity committed by the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia between 1975-1979
July 16, 2007 - Nepal Supreme Court Orders Action on Disappearances
The Nepal Supreme Court has ordered that the government establish a commission of inquiry into thousands of enforced disappearances that occurred during the country’s recent civil war. Enforced disappearances are a crime against humanity.
June 29, 2007 - Red Cross Condemns Burma Abuses
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has issued harsh public criticism of the authoritarian regime in Burma. The ICRC says the government is committing extreme and systematic abuses against Burmese civilians, particularly in the areas bordering Thailand. These gross human rights violations include serious violations of international humanitarian law.
June 28, 2007 - New Norwegian War Crimes Law may be Inadequate
A new war crimes law in Norway proposes to add international crimes such as genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes to the Norwegian criminal code for the first time. Some observers have criticized the law because it is not applicable to the seventy suspected war criminals already in the country.
June 04, 2007 - Taylor war crimes trial opens without defendant
Charles Taylor (former Liberian warlord and then President of Liberia) is refusing to participate in his trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity at the Special Court for Sierra Leone. Taylor is being charged for his role in the bloody conflict (1991-2001) in neighbouring Sierra Leone. Taylor is opting to defend himself, a strategy echoing that of Slobodan Milosevic who atempted to use his trial as a platform for propaganda. Taylor is the first African head of state to be tried in an international criminal tribunal. His trial was moved from Sierra Leone to The Hague because of security concerns.
May 30, 2007 - UN Human Rights Official: Burundi Must Pursue Peace and Justice in Wake of Atrocities
Louise Arbour, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights recently visited the African Great Lakes Region (Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo) to hold consultations on the regional human rights situation. In Burundi Arbour argued that it was necessary to pursue peace and justice concurrently in order for the country to move forward. Burundi is recovering from a twelve year civil war (1993-2005) in which many atrocities were committed. Burundi is currently planning a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and a Special Tribunal to try the worst perpetrators.
May 29, 2007 - Sudanese Human Rights Expert Appointed to UN Genocide Prevention Post
United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has appointed Francis Deng as his new special advisor on the prevention of genocide and other mass atrocities. Deng is a former Sudanese diplomat and is also a human rights expert.
May 29, 2007 - 44 000 Rwandan Genocide Suspects in Exile
The Rwandan Ministry of Justice (MINIJUST) estimates that there are about 44 000 Rwandan genocide suspects still at large outside of Rwanda. Most of these are in neighbouring countries, particularly the Democratic Republic of Congo, but there are also many suspects in North America and Europe.
May 16, 2007 - Alleged Pattern of Serious Human Rights Abuses by Military in Fiji
The Fiji Military Forces (FMF) regime, which overthrew an elected civilian government last year in Fiji, appears to be committing serious human rights abuses. These abuses are primarily centred on the illegal detention of persons without due process and the mistreatment of these persons once they are in custody. This mistreatment allegedly includes detainees being stripped naked and beaten – actions that would meet the legal requirements for the international crime of torture. These alleged crimes are taking place within the context of other widespread human rights abuses such as limitations on freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, freedom of movement, and denial of basic democratic rights. The government has extended the state of emergency despite pledging earlier not to do so. The article above details some of these incidents.
May 15, 2007 - Serbian Police Left Empty Handed After Mladic Raid
Serbian military police recently raided a military hotel in downtown Belgrade in the hope of apprehending Gen. Ratko Mladic who is wanted by the ICTY (International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia) on charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. Mladic was the military leader of the Bosnian Serb forces during the Bosnian war. Many countries are pressuring the new government of Serbia to arrest Ratko Mladic, Radovan Karadzic, and other suspects wanted by the ICTY for international crimes.
May 14, 2007 - Ethiopia Defends its Human Rights Record
Ethiopia is defending its human rights record against mounting criticism. In the past two years the government has arrested many opponents of the regime and charged them with genocide and treason. Moreover, the government committed systematic killing of Anuaks in Gambella province in December 2003.
May 04, 2007 - Serious Lapses Found in Battlefield Ethics Study
A recent study done by the US military found that soldiers are not adequately sensitised to international humanitarian law. They may have legal knowledge of the rules, but they often ignore the rules or do not apply them properly. For example, only 47% of soldiers thought that non-combatants should be treated with dignity and respect.
April 27, 2007 - Rwandan General Convicted of Genocide in Military Court
Major-General Laurent Munyakazi was found guilty of 13 charges including genocide, conspiracy to murder and the illegal distribution of firearms to militia groups. Many 1994 genocide-related cases are currently underway in Rwanda with the most serious cases (leaders, i.e “category one” cases) being tried in the national court system and lesser cases (categories two and three) being heard within the gacaca “traditional” justice system. Munyakazi is the most senior officer to be convicted of genocide in Rwanda.
April 27, 2007 - Taliban Beheading Video Draws Widespread Outrage
A video has recently surfaced of the Taliban using a young boy (approximately twelve years of age) to behead an alleged spy. The Taliban’s egregious abuse of this minor has been sharply condemned by human rights activists, Islamic religious scholars, and other government officials in Afghanistan and elsewhere. The Taliban is a fundamentalist Islamic movement in Afghanistan that has committed numerous atrocities in Afghanistan (it controlled much of the country prior to the coalition invasion in 2001). The Taliban continues to fight the Afghan government and its allies and reports say that they are increasingly using atrocity as a strategy in their military operations.
April 26, 2007 - African Union says Darfur Militias Kill with Impunity
The African Union (AU) peacekeeping force in Darfur has reported to the UN that the Janjawiid are killing without being apprehended or punished by the Sudanese government. The AU force is not adequately resourced to restore security in the area and ensure the human security of civilians. It is hoped that the AU force will soon be joined by UN peacekeepers with attack helicopters. The violence in Darfur is estimated by the UN to have killed at least 200 000 people and displaced an additional 2.5 million.
April 26, 2007 - Witness Testifies at Rwandan Genocide Trial in Canada that Man Gave Orders to Rape
Several witnesses at the trial of Desire Munyaneza (a Rwandan accused of committing genocide and crimes against humanity during the 1994 Rwandan genocide) have testified that he not only raped many women, but also ordered others to commit rape. Rape, when committed as part of a systematic or widespread campaign may be considered as a crime against humanity (or genocide if the intention is to destroy a racial, ethnic, national, or religious group). Munyaneza had his refugee status revoked by the Canadian Immigration and Refugee board in 2001. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) arrested him in 2005 and he is the first person to be tried under the Canada War Crimes Act, which allows Canada to exercise universal jurisdiction and try individuals for war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity committed in other countries. Munyaneza recently suffered a beating in prison (apparently at the hands of other prisoners).
April 18, 2007 - International Criminal Court gets Snubbed by Czechs
The Czech republic remains the only country within the European Union (EU) not to ratify the Rome Statute in order to join the International Criminal Court (ICC). Pressure is mounting on the Czechs to ratify before they assume the EU presidency in January 2009. Czech opposition to the ICC stems from misplaced fears about a loss of sovereignty. While over 100 states have joined the ICC, several large states such as Russia, China, India, and the United States remain holdouts.
April 13, 2007 - Rwandan genocide defendant beaten in prison
A Rwandan genocide defendant, Desire Munyaneza, who is on trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity in a landmark war crimes trial was severely beaten in Canadian jail.
April 13, 2007 - Google makes genocide map
Working together with the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, Doctors Without Borders and Amnesty International, Google has moved to highlight the growing humanitarian crisis in Sudan with its online mapping service.
April 13, 2007 - Russia accuses US of interfering in internal politics through human rights report
According to a statement by the State Duma, lower house of the Russian parliament, "The section of the document dealing with Russia applies a whole arsenal of simple logical methods -- exaggeration, selection of facts to support conclusions formulated in advance, the substitution of notions, arbitrary interpretation of facts and some others to convince the U.S. and international public that Russia urgently needs democratization."
April 13, 2007 - Human rights violations reported in Guinea-Bissau
Systematic violation of human rights in Guinea-Bissau has reached alarming proportions that could undermine peace and stability in the country, according to an annual report by the Human Rights' League(LGDH).
April 02, 2007 - Turkish Historian Cleared of Charges for Declaring 'Genocide'
In an important decision, a Turkish court decided to dismiss charges against a Turkish historian who was accused of “insulting Turkishness” for writing that the deportations of Armenians from Turkey in 1915-1917 constituted genocide. The court ruled that the historian (Taner Akcam) was only exercising his right to free speech.
April 02, 2007 - ICTR Pays Legal Compensation to Acquitted Defendant
The ICTR (International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda) is paying Andre Rwamakuba US$2000 for denying him legal representation in the early stages of his trial. The decision could set a precedent for the compensation of defendants in other tribunals.
March 24, 2007 - Rwanda: 554 Genocide Remains Accorded Decent Burial
554 victims of the 1994 Rwandan genocide were recently buried in Kibungo Village in Rwanda. Such ceremonies can serve an important purpose, both to memorialize the victims and to educate people so that genocide may be prevented in the future.
March 24, 2007 - Fight Genocide by Cutting Funding to Businesses
The state government of Indiana (USA) is considering a bill divesting government money to businesses financially supporting the Sudanese government. The bill is in reaction to the genocide underway in Darfur.
March 24, 2007 - Bill would allow U.S. Prosecution of Immigrants in Genocide Cases
A bill before the United States Senate would allow the United States to prosecute immigrants for cases of genocide occurring in other countries. Current American laws only permit the prosecution of cases occurring in the United States or involving American citizens in other countries.
March 23, 2007 - Octogenarian War Crimes Convict Faces Expulsion from Estonia
An Estonian man may be expelled from Estonia for war crimes (namely his alleged role in the mass deportation of Estonians from Estonia in 1949). The judge in the case ruled that his age and the fact that the crimes occurred long ago are not relevant. The government is considering whether to grant him clemency. There is no statute of limitation for international crimes.
March 20, 2007 - Saddam Hussein’s Deputy Hanged in Iraq for Crimes Against Humanity
The former Vice President of Iraq - Taha Yassin Ramadan – has been hanged for crimes against humanity. He was found criminally responsible for the Dujail massacres whereby Saddam Hussein ordered the killing of 148 Shiites in the town of Dujail.
March 19, 2007 - Armenia, Turkey Wait While US Considers Recognizing Genocide
The United States Congress is considering a resolution recognising the Armenian genocide. Turkey is opposed to such a move.
March 18, 2007 - Rules of Procedure Agreed on for Extraordinary Chambers Trials in Cambodia
The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) has now established its rules of procedure and evidence. The court is tasked with trying those responsible for serious crimes during the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia.
March 17, 2007 - Rwandan Refugee in Canada faces Genocide Charges
A Rwandan living in Canada as a refugee is being charged with genocide for his alleged involvement in the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Under Canadian law, and the principle of universal jurisdiction, genocide and crimes against humanity occurring in other countries may be tried in Canada. Moreover, if there is a reasonable basis to believe that an individual committed an international crime, this is grounds for their deportation.
March 12, 2007 - UN Condemns Sudan for Darfur Abuses
The United Nations has issued a report criticising Sudan for gross human rights violations in Darfur including widespread murder, rape, and abductions. Sudan denies the allegations. The report is being presented at the current session of the UN Human Rights Council.
March 11, 2007 - Swiss Court Finds Turkish Leader Guilty of Genocide Denial
Turkish Workers’ Party leader Dogu Perinc has been found guilty of denying the Armenian genocide by a Swiss court. Under Swiss anti-racism laws, it is an offence to deny genocide or crimes against humanity. In 2003 the lower house of the Swiss parliament officially recognised the Armenian genocide.
March 11, 2007 - Turkey Slams Swiss Verdict on Genocide
The Turkish government has condemned the recent conviction of a Turkish politician in a Swiss court on charges of genocide denial (see below). Turkey argues that the judgement contradicts free speech and also maintains that the Armenian genocide did not occur.
March 11, 2007 - Asylum Seeker may face Genocide Trial in New Zealand
A Rwandan seeking refugee status in New Zealand has been accused of taking part in the 1994 Rwandan genocide. If Rwanda does not request an extradition he may be tried in New Zealand under the International Crimes and International Court Act 2000. This would be an example of a country asserting universal jurdiction.
March 09, 2007 - PQ Candidate Denies Rwandan Genocide, Creates Controversy in Canadian Provincial Election
Robin Philpot, a Parti Quebecois candidate in the Quebec provincial elections in Canada, has denied that the events in Rwanda in 1994 constituted genocide. This statement (based on a book Philpot previously published) has been condemned widely. The article posted here is an opinion piece written by a member of the Rwandan community in Canada.
March 05, 2007 - The Ecology of Genocide
An analysis of the environmental effects of genocide. The Darfur genocide, and the subsequent flows of refugees, have resulted in deforestation and overgrazing. This will facilitate desertification and could lead to further conflicts over increasingly scarce resources.
March 05, 2007 - Genocide Ruling by World Court Puts Serbs Under Pressure
A recent ruling from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in Bosnia v. Serbia found that although Serbia (the successor state to Yugoslavia) did not direct the genocide in Bosnia, it was aware of the plans of the Bosnian Serbs and it failed in its duty to prevent the genocide. This duty was set out in the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. The ICJ (World Court) ruling will likely lead to increasing pressures on Serbia (particularly from EU countries) to hand over criminal suspects residing in Serbia to the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY). An executive summary of the judgement can be found here. Click here for the full text of the judgement.
March 04, 2007 - Shadow of Darfur's Killers Follows Refugees into Wilderness of Chad
Violence in Darfur (Sudan) is now spilling over into Eastern Chad. The violence is taking a very similar form to that in Darfur with "Arab" militias attacking "Africans." 110 000 people have been displaced.
February 24, 2007 - Rights Groups Snub Chechen Strongman
Russian President Vladmir Putin has appointed Ramzan Kadyrov as the new President of the Chechen Republic (Chechnya). Kadyrov led a militia group (the "Kadyrovites") that committed gross human rights violations in Chechnya. Human rights groups have condemned the move.
February 23, 2007 - Afghanistan: Amnesty Bill Places Karzai in Dilemma
The Afghan National Assembly recently passed a resolution granting amnesties to all people involved in the gross human rights violations during the more than two decades of fighting in Afghanistan (including the current conflict). Afghan President Hamid Karzai must decide whether to reject the bill on constitutional grounds, accept it, or seek to amend it.
February 23, 2007 - Sunni Clerics Demand Justice for Alleged Rape Victims in Iraq
The Shiite-dominated Iraqi security forces have been accused of gross human rights violations in a security sweep of Baghdad. Sunni clerics are highlighting a particular incident wherein two women were allegedly raped by security forces.
February 22, 2007 - Joint Commission Unlikely to Further Truth or Friendship Between Timor and Indonesia
Some NGO's have condemned the joint Indonesia-East Timor Commission of Truth and Friendship. They argue that the commission's goal to create a "concensus history", and its offering of amnesties to Indonesian officials in return for statements, will result in a watered-down version of historical realities and a lack of accountability.
February 21, 2007 - Rights Watchdog Urges the Release of Papuan Political Prisoners
Human Rights Watch is urging the Indonesian government to release political prisoners jailed for raising the "morningstar" flag - a symbol of the independence movement in the territory. This article is no longer available.
February 20, 2007 - UNHCR Seeks to Fund Programmes for People Displaced by Atrocities and Conflict in Columbia
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is seeking funding to assist the hundreds of thousands of Columbians who have been forced to flee their homes as a result of conflict and gross human rights violations. According to the article, the conflict in Columbia has resulted in 40 000 deaths and three million internally displaced since 1990.
February 06, 2007 - Break the Silence over Gross Human Rights Violations in Ethiopia
An op-ed piece on recent gross human rights violations in Ethiopia and the ongoing trial for members of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD). The CUD is a political party that ran in the last elections in Ethiopia, elections that were marred by irregularities.
January 17, 2007 - Amnesties OK for Timor Leste rights violators, says body
The Commission for Truth and Friendship (KKP) in East Timor is recommending that amnesties be given for those who co-operated in the work of the commission. The KKP is a truth and reconciliation commission that is tasked with examining the gross human rights violations that occurred in the aftermath of the referendum on independence in East Timor in 1999.
January 05, 2007 - South Africa: Echoes of Executioner’s Song
The implications of Saddam Hussein’s execution for peace in Iraq and for African leaders who have committed gross human rights violations.
December 28, 2006 - Kosovo: Top UN Envoy Upbeat about the Future
According to the UN, Kosovo is recovering well from the gross human rights violations which occurred there in 1999.
December 21, 2006 - UNPO Urgent Appeal on Persecution of Khmer Krom in Vietnam
This article deals with alleged systematic persecution by the Vietnamese government against the Khmer Krom ethnic group.
December 13, 2006 - Over 400 Ethnic Hmongs Surrender in Laos, Accuse Government of Gross Human Rights Violations
The Hmong ethnic group in Laos accuses the Laotian government of gross human rights violations.
December 11, 2006 - Pinochet's Death Another Blow to ICC?
A piece covering the life of Augusto Pinochet (the former dictator of Chile, who committed gross human rights violations against his people) and the implications of his death for the International Criminal Court.
December 04, 2006 - Saddam's Conviction Should Send Warning Signals To Mugabe - Rights Group
A human rights group in Zimbabwe is seeking the indictment of President Robert Mugabe for crimes against humanity.
December 04, 2006 - Somalia War: a Cover for Genocide Against the Oromos?
Alleged gross human rights violations against the Oromo ethnic group in Ethiopia.