RWANDA OFFERS TO HOST REFUGEES TRAPPED IN LIBYA
By Alex Pollock Hundreds of refugees trapped in Libyan detention centres will be evacuated to Rwanda as conflict rages in the north African nation, the United Nations said on Tuesday [10 September]. Vincent Cochetel, special envoy for the central Mediterranean for the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), said 500 refugees would be evacuated to Rwanda…
RARE PROTESTS IN EGYPT LEAD TO CLASHES AND ARRESTS
Almost 500 people have been detained in Egypt in the past few days after protests against alleged government corruption, human rights activists say. Demonstrations were reported in Cairo, Alexandria and several other cities on Friday night [20 September], and in the port city of Suez on Saturday evening. The authorities have not yet released an…
ATTACKS ON SAUDI OIL FACILITIES HEIGHTEN REGIONAL AND GLOBAL TENSIONS
Iran was responsible for the attacks on two Saudi oil facilities earlier this month, the leaders of the United Kingdom, France and Germany said, drawing a sharp response from Iranian officials. The leaders issued a joint statement on Monday [23 September] as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson hinted that the UK may withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, as US President…
ISRAEL ESCALATES ITS SHADOW WAR WITH IRAN
By Andrew Richards Israel has carried out a series of attacks across the Middle East in recent weeks to prevent Iran from equipping its Arab allies with precision-guided missiles, drones and other sophisticated weapons that could challenge Israel’s defences. The attacks represent a new escalation in the shadow war between Iran and Israel, which has…
DEFORESTATION FUELS THE AMAZON FIRES
By Alex Pollock A record number of fires ravaging the Amazon has drawn international outrage because of the rainforest’s importance to the global environment and prompted Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro to dispatch the military to assist in firefighting. (Reuters) Overview of the current situation The Amazon – the world’s largest rainforest and river basin –…
SLOW AND STEADY PROGRESS TOWARDS A NEW SUDAN
By Donnelly McCleland Sudan’s hard-won transition to civilian rule has fallen behind schedule just days after the new prime minister delayed the formation of the first government since veteran leader Omar al-Bashir was removed. Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, a seasoned United Nations economist who faces the daunting task of rescuing his country’s moribund economy, was…
MASSIVE PEACEFUL PROTESTS RESUME IN HONG KONG AFTER VIOLENT CLASHES
By Donnelly McCleland Hundreds of thousands of peaceful protesters of all ages returned to the streets of Hong Kong on Sunday [18 August], in a massive show of solidarity for a movement that appeared on the verge of losing popular support. Protesters defied torrential rain, a police ban and menacing threats from the Chinese government…
CHINA’S ‘RE-EDUCATION’ OF UYGHUR MINORITY GROUP UNDER SCRUTINY
By Alex Pollock Most people sent to mass detention centres in China have been “returned to society”, a senior official from the area [XinJiang] said on Tuesday [13 August]. UN experts and activists say at last one million ethnic Uyghurs, and members of other largely Muslim minority groups, have been detained in camps in the…
SAUDI COUNCIL APPROVES ROYAL DECREE TO REFORM GUARDIANSHIP SYSTEM
By Mike Burnard On Thursday [1 August 2019], Saudi Arabia’s Council of Ministers announced their approval of a royal decree to reform the Kingdom’s wilayah, or guardianship system, a jumble of regulations that Human Rights Watch has said constitute “the most significant impediment to realising women’s rights in the country”. The new laws, at least some of which are expected…
SOUTH AFRICA’S LAND REFORM REPORT: RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCERNS
By Donnelly McCleland (with contribution from Hannes Bosman) 25 years into South Africa’s democracy, land reform in the country seems to be on the brink of commencement. The final report of a Presidential Advisory Panel on Land Reform was released and offers answers about crucial aspects of a land reform issue that has its roots…