Africa Theater
Rwandan Hutu first to be convicted under Canada's war crimes act
Rwandan Hutu militant Desire Munyaneza was convicted by the Superior Court of Quebec May 22 on seven counts of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes under Canada's new Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act. Munyaneza is the first person to have been charged under the act, which Canada ratified in 2000 in order to fulfill its obligations to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Somalia: Ethiopian troops return as battle rages for capital
More than a dozen Ethiopian military trucks crossed the border into Somalia May 20, setting up a checkpoint at Kalabeyrka, according to the governor of Hiran region, Sheik Abdirahman Ibrahim Macow. Ethiopian forces, which had withdrawn from Somalia in January, returned days after an Islamist militia took over three towns, expanding its control over a large part of the country. (NYT, May 19)
Darfur rebel leader appears before The Hague
Bahar Idriss Abu Garda, leader of Darfur's United Resistance Front, appeared before the International Criminal Court at The Hague May 18 to face war crimes charges over an attack that killed 12 African Union (AU) peacekeepers in September 2007. He is the first suspect to appear before the ICC regarding the Darfur conflict. Abu Garda, 46, turned himself in voluntarily a day earlier to face the charges.
Somalia: thousands flee fighting in Mogadishu
Thousands fled their homes in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, on May 11 after at least 35 people were killed over the weekend, while masked Islamist fighters were seen heading toward the city. People fled in taxis and pickup trucks stacked with suitcases, mattresses, furniture and other belongings. The local Elman Human Rights Organization said 17,200 people had fled the capital since Saturday May 9. (AP, May 11)
Chad: UN Security Council condemns rebel offensive
The UN Security Council May 8 condemned an offensive by armed groups battling Chadian government government forces in the east of the country. The statement urged the rebels to stop fighting, saying "any attempt at destabilization of Chad by force is unacceptable." Chad says nearly 250 have been killed in the last two days of fighting between its security forces and guerillas from the Union of Resistance Forces (UFR).
Botswana: depressed diamond industry saves Bushmen lands
The planned diamond mine at the centre of an international controversy over the forced relocation of Botswana's Bushmen has been shelved due to the global recession. Demand for diamonds has collapsed in recent months, and all Botswana's diamond mines closed in February for two months. Survival International, the Bushmen and many others maintained that the reserve's diamonds were the principal cause of the Bushmen's eviction.
Somali pirates extend reach —to Seychelles
Israeli security guards working for an Italian cruise line repulsed six pirates who tried to board a passenger liner April 25 in the Indian Ocean, near the Seychelles—some 600 miles from Somalia. The guards aboard the MSC Melody used pistols and firehouses to beat back the pirates, who sprayed the ship with some 200 rounds of ammunition. The ship carried 991 passengers and 536 crew, en route from Durbin, South Africa to Aqaba, Jordan. An MSC cruise line official told Reuters, "We use [Israeli security guards] because they are the best—and we've just had a demonstration of that." (Jewish Week, April 29)
Mauritania: activists demand independent commission to investigate atrocities
From the Mauritanian Organization for Peace and Justice, April 24:
Members of the Mauritanian community and the undersigned organizations hereby call on the United Nations Security Council and the Obama administration to name an independent international commission to investigate atrocities committed during the regime of Maouya Ould Taya (1986-1992).

Recent Updates
4 days 35 min ago
4 days 17 hours ago
4 days 17 hours ago
5 days 17 hours ago
5 days 17 hours ago
5 days 17 hours ago
5 days 17 hours ago
5 days 18 hours ago
6 days 1 hour ago
6 days 18 hours ago