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Showing posts from October 21, 2012

Fifth Tibetan dies after setting self on fire in China

Associated Press | Updated: October 27, 2012 09:40 IST Beijing: A 23-year-old man has become the fifth Tibetan in a week to set self on fire and die in a county in far western China to protest against Chinese rule, a rights group said on Saturday. Tsewang Kyab set himself on fire on Friday evening on the main street of Amuquhu town in Xiahe county, London-based Free Tibet said. Earlier on Friday, a 24-year-old Tibetan farmer, Lhamo Tseten, died from self-immolation near a military base and a government office in Amuquhu, the group said. China's official Xinhua News Agency reported the self-immolation of a Tibetan man by the same name, though details were slightly different. Xinhua said that Lhamo Tseten was a 23-year-old villager and that he set himself on fire near a hospital. Calls to local governments in both Xiahe and the higher administration Gannan prefecture rang unanswered Saturday. In the past week in Xiahe, which is in Gansu province, a herdsman, a farmer and a

SPECIAL REPORT - Pakistan's threat within: the Sunni-Shia divide

| Reuters By Michael Georgy GILGIT, Pakistan | Wed Oct 24, 2012 6:40am IST (Reuters) - About 20 men dressed as Pakistani soldiers boarded a bus bound for a Muslim festival outside this mountain town and checked the identification cards of the passengers. They singled out 19 Shi'ites, drew weapons and slaughtered them, most with a bullet to the head. The shooters weren't soldiers. They were a hit squad linked to the Sunni Muslim extremist group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, or LeJ. They had trekked in along a high Himalayan pass that hot August morning to waylay a convoy of pilgrims. Here and across Pakistan, violent Sunni radicals are on the march against the nation's Shi'ite minority. With a few hundred hard-core cadres, the highly secretive LeJ aims to trigger sectarian violence that would pave the way for a Sunni theocracy in U.S.-allied Pakistan, say Pakistan police and intelligence officials. Its immediate goal, they say, is to stoke the intense Sunni-Shi'ite

Gilgit Baltistan Nationalist Assassinated in Karachi

A nationalist youth leader from Gilgit Baltistan was mercilessly assassinated by unknown masked assailants in Karachi. Late Ashiq Hussain Mir, the central chairman Baloristan National Youth Front (BNYF) was attacked by two masked people near Zai Hospital in Kemari, Karach, initial sources claimed. The incident happened around 4 PM and the young man died on the spot. The slain young leader was also chairperson of Free Baba Jan Committee, a committee that struggled to free Baba Jan who was jailed for voicing against the killing of two persons in the hands of the law enforcement agencies in Hunza. The body of Mir Ashiq Hussain will be air transported to Islamabad and then onward to Skardu, a press release, issued by Progressive Youth Front of Gilgit Baltistan, said. Political and Students circles as well as general public of Gilgit Baltistan have strongly condemned the tragic killing of the nationalist leader. ‘Immediate Arrest’ of the killers was demanded by people from Giglit

Pakistan lowers budget aid to Kashmir terror outfits

With trade relations between India and Pakistan improving in the last few years, Pakistan’s spy agency Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) has been forced to slash the budget of Kashmiri terror organisations by half due to which the violence in Jammu and Kashmir has declined sharply, according to Indian Intelligence. Sources told Deccan Herald that only Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) terror outfits have cadres and capacity to strike in Kashmir. “While Jamiat-e-Islami Pakistan is funding the HM, the LeT is being provided financial support by Jamaat-ud-Dawa. It is only due to the support of these organisations that HM and LeT are still active in Kashmir and carrying out odd strikes against security forces,” they revealed. The LeT particularly, they said, has been collecting funds in the form of donations from wealthy persons, including Kashmiri businesspersons and several Pakistan expatriate communities in the Middle East and Europe, particularly the United Kingdo

Kashmir equipped to keep militants at bay: Omar Abdullah

Srinagar, Oct.26 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said that his government and the security apparatus is ready to counter any militant activity in the state, and determined to keep separatists and insurgents at bay. Abdullah said: "The state of Jammu and Kashmir is safe and secure. Time and again certain incidents of militancy have occurred in Srinagar and nearby areas; however we have faced them and are well equipped to deal with them. The state's Inspector General of Police (IG), S. M. Sahai, said state agencies are ready to tackle any situation. "We have received no militant threat as of now but we are always ready to tackle any kind of situation. If we wouldn't have been ready, the state wouldn't have been free from militancy incidents as it is now," said Sahai. The Himalayan region is one of the world's most militarised zones, with India deploying more than 1.3 million troops to quell the rebellion that was triggered

'Scottish independence would result in UK losing nuclear capability for two decades,' say British MPs

London, Oct. 25 (ANI): Britain would lose its nuclear capability for two decades if Scotland votes for independence, because it would no longer have the ability to house Trident submarines, according to report by British MPs. The Commons Scottish Affairs Select Committee said it would be possible to move Trident submarines and their missiles from their base on the Clyde within two weeks of separation. However, they said that the construction of replacement facilities south of the border could take up to 20 years, effectively forcing the UK Government into "unilateral nuclear disarmament", the Telegraph reports. According to the report, although there are several potential sites in England and Wales, the committee said all have drawbacks that render them as unsuitable or expensive to convert for the nuclear deterrent. The MPs said it was extremely unlikely a separate Scotland would allow Trident to remain permanently, while basing the submarines abroad would be politi

Two rebels killed in Meghalaya

Shillong, Oct 25 (IANS) Security forces Thursday shot dead two members of the outlawed Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) in Meghalaya, police said. A gun battle broke out in Watregittim in South Garo Hills district when the guerrillas fired at the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) commandos, Inspector General of Police F.D. Sangma told IANS. Those killed in the 20-minute fighting were identified as Rengchang Ch. Marak and Subarthapa N. Marak, he said. He said a team of SWAT commandos was tracking the rebels, looking for the group's regional commander Rakkam Sangma. However, Rakkam managed to escape during the firing, police said. A rifle, two pistols and a grenade, a mobile phone and documents were recovered from the spot. Source http://in.news.yahoo.com/two-rebels-killed-meghalaya-153255370.html

Police: 37 dead after Afghan mosque suicide bomb

Police in northern Afghanistan told the Reuters news agency that the death toll following a suicide bombing at a mosque in northern Afghanistan has risen to 37. The attack, on the first day of the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday, happened in Maimana, capital of Faryab province, said Lal Mohammad Ahmadzai, a spokesman for police in the Afghan north. Source http://www.itv.com/news/story/2012-10-26/at-least-20-dead-in-afghanistan-mosque-blast/

Boko Haram: How far has Nigeria gone with the dialogue process?

Dapo Falade Friday, 26 October 2012 Dapo Falade writes on the ongoing dialogue process as part of the concerted efforts aimed at put to an end the Boko Haram insurgency ravaging most part of the northern parts of the country. ACTIVITIES of members of the Jamaatu Ahlis Lil Daawati wal Jihad, popularly called Boko Haram, has become the biggest headache of the Nigerian nation, as far as security issues are concerned, in recent times. Members of the group have made the task of governance more burdensome in the northern parts of the country with their incessant and precise bomb attacks which often leave hundreds of people dead and destroying property running into several billions of naira in their wake. At the height of their renewed insurgency activities, members of the sect once had the effrontery to ask President Goodluck Jonathan to either renounce the Christian faith and embrace Islam or resign from his present job as a pre-condition for entering into truce and embrace peace.

Dozens feared killed in Faryab blast

2012-10-26 11:40:42 MAIMANA (PAN): Dozens of civilians and security men are feared killed in a morning suicide attack in Maimana city, the capital of northern Faryab province, on Friday. The incident took place at around 9:30 am in front of a mosque’s entrance in the provincial capital. A suicide attacker detonated his explosive west while worshippers were leaving the mosque after Eidul Adha prayers. A police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed 18 security personnel and several civilians were killed, while many others injured in the attack. Pajhwok journalist, reporting from the Afghan-Turk hospital, claimed seeing seven dead bodies of civilians and several security men. Few children also lost their lives in the incident. Police vehicles and ambulances are busy evacuating the victims to nearby hospitals. Najibullah, whose relative was injured in the bombing, said: "Several of my relatives are missing and I fear they might be among the killed."

Priest who negotiated Syria hostage releases slain

(AFP) – 11 hours ago BEIRUT — A Greek Orthodox priest who tried to negotiate the liberation of a Christian doctor in Damascus province was found dead on Thursday, residents and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. "The corpse of Fady Haddad, kidnapped last Friday (October 19), was found this morning in Damascus province," said the Britain-based Observatory. Father Haddad served the St Elie parish in Qatana, a mixed Christian and Muslim town of 15,000 inhabitants 20 kilometres (12 miles) west of Damascus. One resident said he was found murdered near the town. "He was negotiating the release of a Christian doctor with the kidnappers, who demanded 50 million Syrian pounds ($660,000). He had managed to reduce their demand" by half, he told AFP on condition of anonymity, Theft and kidnapping have become rampant in Syria, where criminals have taken advantage of the security vacuum caused by the fighting between rebels and the army. "Last Friday, he

Explosion rocks Iran gas export pipeline in Turkey

A blast has hit a pipeline carrying natural gas from Iran to Turkey in the in the Turkish northeastern province of Agri. Local authorities said that the explosion occurred near the town of Dogubayazit in the Agri province on Sunday. It is not yet known what caused the blast however Turkish officials accused members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party of blowing up the pipeline. The governorate of the northeastern city of Agri said in a statement that PKK members sabotaged the Dogubayazit Van natural gas pipeline on Saturday forcing a disruption in the flow. This is not the first time that the gas flow from Iran to Turkey has been stopped. In earlier instances, Turkish officials cited blasts caused by the PKK members or technical problems as the main reasons for halts. Members of PKK detonated explosives planted at the gas pipeline between the eastern provinces of Agri and Erzurum, Turkish media reported. Some 28 Turkish soldiers were wounded in the explosion. The PKK has

Inside Turkey’s Kurdish insurgency: No sex, no swearing, no Quran

ISTANBUL — Volunteers who join the Kurdish insurgency against Turkey must abandon Islamic religious practice and must forego “emotional ties” to anyone outside the group, as well as swear words and sex, or face trial and prison, according to a Syrian-born Kurd who defected from the group to Turkey over the summer. The 21-year-old defector, who surrendered in June, brought with him not only a tale of life inside the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, known by its Kurdish initials as the PKK, but also detailed information about a planned attack inside Turkey that helped Turkish authorities beat back the PKK offensive. McClatchy obtained a copy of a 19-page Turkish-language account of his debriefing, which was dated July 4 and was not marked classified. The debriefing contained his name, but McClatchy is identifying him only by his initials, R.S., to protect family members who might still be in territory held by the PKK’s Syrian affiliate. The PKK has been waging a war against Turkey for th

Turkey consider airships to combat the PKK

ISTANBUL, Turkey, Oct. 25 (UPI) -- Turkey's struggle with the Kurdish PKK has intensified. The civil war in Syria has added a dimension to Turkey's struggle with the separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party, known by its Kurdish initials PKK and which began its armed struggle in 1974. PKK guerrillas have reportedly been infiltrating into Turkey from Syria, whose regime is strongly opposed to Turkish efforts to oust the presidency of Bashar Assad. The PKK has increasingly targeted Turkish energy assets, including the $3.6 billion, 1 million barrel per day, 1,092-mile Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, as well as the Kirkuk-Yumurtalık pipeline. To counter the threat, Turkish armed forces have expressed interest in acquiring airships such as those used by the United States army along the U.S.-Mexican border and in Afghanistan, Hurriyet newspaper reported. Both U.S. and Israeli firms produced observation airships. Should the Turkish military acquire the dirigibles, they will

Authorities capture 16 criminals, gangsters, FARC rebels

16 members of various criminal gangs, including rebel guerrilla group FARC and common criminals, were captured Thursday as part of Operation Sword of Honor, initiated by Colombia's military. The various criminals were arrested for trafficking and transportation of narcotics, extortion, conspiracy to commit crimes, domestic violence, murder, manufacturing and carrying of weapons exclusively permitted for private use of armed forces and aggravated robbery, among others, reported newspaper El Espectador. The military offensive captured outlaws in nine of Colombia's 32 departments. In the process of capture, authorities reportedly immobilized a vehicle, motorcycles, seized four weapons, a grenade, ammunition and a "significant amount of hallucinogens." Operation Sword of Honor is a two-year war plan that is a joint effort of the National Police, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Agriculture, public prosecutors and the Armed Forces, which will use more than a hun

Sectarian violence worsens in Myanmar's west

YANGON: Hundreds of homes burned and gunfire rang out as sectarian violence raged for a fifth day between Rohingya Muslims and Buddhists in western Myanmar on Thursday, testing the country's nascent democracy. Security forces struggled to stem Myanmar's worst communal unrest since clashes in June killed more than 80 people and displaced at least 75,000. The latest violence has spread over several towns, including commercially important Kyaukpyu, where a multibillion dollar China-Myanmar pipeline starts. The violence is one of the biggest tests yet of a new reformist government that has vowed to forge unity in one of Asia's most ethnically diverse countries. The United Nations called for calm in volatile Rakhine state, citing reports of hundreds of houses destroyed since Sunday and large numbers of people seeking refuge in over-crowded camps near the state capital, Sittwe. "The UN is gravely concerned about reports of a resurgence of inter-communal conflict in

Pak infiltration through Nepal border increases alarmingly

BAHRAICH: Pakistan is sneaking an increasing number of infiltrators through the porous Indo-Nepal border using four little known gateways in the Terai region along the western border. This year, 107 men and 43 women infiltrated through the Nepal border till October, reliable sources told TOI. The 2012 count is the highest in the last five years. Between 2007 and 2010,127 men and five families from Pakistan crossed the Indian border. The number rose in 2011 when 61 men and 15 women came and settled on the Indian side. But the trend over the last 10 months is unprecedented. Among those who came to India this year, 40 married within months of arrival. Early settlement, marriage and raising families are encouraged by the Pakistani intelligence, which is suspected to have a long-term plan to bleed India from inside with the help of these infiltrators. "They can be used to generate mass protests against local issues. Children may be trained to take up arms in future," said a s

CRPF men find J&K safer than Maoist killing fields

NEW DELHI: In the Maoist heartland of Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, a posse of CRPF jawans carrying night vision-enabled X 95 assault rifles patrols the road that snakes through thick forests. It's barely a few months ago that were posted in Chhattisgarh after a two-year stint in Kashmir. Yet, the CRPF men — belonging to different states from Kerala to Assam — already missed Kashmir sorely. Though counter-intuitive, J&K, perceived as a graveyard for Indian security forces, has emerged as a coveted posting for CRPF men battling the Maoists. It is a telling statement on the challenge posed by the far-Left insurgents in contrast to the relative success of security operations in J&K. Currently, there are 65 CRPF battalions in J&K and the force is trying to further reduce its footprint. In the Maoist zone spread across nine states, 70 CRPF battalions are posted and there is demand for more. Senior CRPF officers have to contend with scores of applications from off

Maoist shutdown hits road traffic in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: Commercial vehicles in the interiors of Odisha stayed off the roads on Thursday due to a statewide shutdown called by the Maoists against the central government's economic policy, particularly hiking diesel prices and putting a cap on subsidised cooking gas cylinders. Normal life was affected in Narayanpatna area of Koraput district and Kalyansinghpur area of Rayagada district as the rebels felled trees on roads at some places. "The Maoists have felled trees in some places of Kalayansinghpur area for the first time," Vinod Lakra, a police officer from the region said. Operators have kept their vehicles off the roads apprehending attacks, he said. The Kashipur-Niyamgiri area committee of the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist has circulated posters and banners in areas considered as their stronghold, appealing to people to oppose the central government's economic policy. The rebels are active in more than half of Odisha's 30 districts.

NPA rebels attack CAFGU post

Oct 25th, 2012 KIDAPAWAN CITY, Philippines – Communist rebels attacked a Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) detachment in Makilala town, North Cotabato, around 7:15 p.m., Tuesday, a military official said. Lt. Nasrullah Sema, chief of the civil military operations of the 57th Infantry Battalion, said the rebels under Front 72 of the New Peoples’ Army (NPA), fired seven rounds of M-203 grenade launcher towards the CAFGU detachment of the 38th IB in Barangay Villaflores, Makilala. The CAFGUs fired back. The exchange of fires lasted for five minutes, Sema said. No one, though, was hurt in the attack. The rebels withdrew from the northwest portion of Makilala town, towards Barangay Batang in nearby Tulunan town, which the Army believe, is a rebel base. (Malu Cadelina Manar) Source http://www.tempo.com.ph/2012/10/npa-rebels-attack-cafgu-post/#.UImpIZEaySN

Army troops ready for CPP-NPA attacks - Palace

By Jorge Cariño, ABS-CBN News 10/25/2012 11:22 PM MANILA – Malacañang gave its assurance on Thursday that government troops are ready to defend the public in light of the Communist Party of the Philippines’ (CPP) order to the New People's Army (NPA) to step up attacks against government forces. Reports said the CPP made the order to avenge the death of tribesmen in Davao, who were reportedly killed by Army soldiers. However, Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda noted that the CPP-NPA had already stepped up attacks even before the reported directive. "They have been attacking the cell sites of Globe. They have been extorting money from the farmers, even from the people they're supposed to protect. That's not surprising for us to learn about this new step up in their attacks against the government," said Lacierda. Lacierda characterized the order as contrary to the CPP's desire and sincerity to pursue peace with the government. Source http://www.a

Reforming curricula : hate content in Pakistani textbooks

ISLAMABAD: The textbooks used in Pakistan’s schools today are rife with factual errors, bias and hate towards a number of religious groups and nations. This is helping fuel the increasing levels of intolerance and extremism being witnessed by Pakistani society today. Given that increasing extremism poses an existential threat to Pakistan; the government, civil society, education experts and citizens all need to contribute to a serious process of curriculum and textbook reform to help combat the growing levels of intolerance and violence towards minority groups in society. This was the view of participants at a roundtable discussion on curriculum development and textbook reform in Pakistan, organised by the Jinnah Institute in collaboration with the National Commission for Justice and Peace in Islamabad. Raza Rumi, Director of Policy and Programmes at the Jinnah Institute, opened the discussion by highlighting the urgent need for curriculum and textbook reform to achieve a more to

WikiLeaks publishes US military 'Detainee Policies'

WikiLeaks starts releasing the set of over 100 "classified or otherwise restricted files" today, documents that apparently detail the US military's policies for dealing with detainees in facilities such as Guantanamo Bay. Among the first to be released is the foundation document for Guantanamo Bay ("Camp Delta. The release of the 'Detainee Policies' marks three years of Camp Delta (Guantanamo Bay) SOP manuals released by WikiLeaks. WikiLeaks has now released the main Guantanamo Bay operating manuals for 2002, 2003 and 2004. The previously unpublished 2002 manual went on to shape successive years in the Guantanamo Bay prison complex and other U.S. military prisons around the world, such as Abu Ghraib. "This document is of significant historical importance. Guantanamo Bay has become the symbol for systematised human rights abuse in the West with good reason," said WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. "But how is it that WikiLeaks has now published

COMMENT : Northern Ireland: sectarian violence and peace walls — Musa Khan Jalalzai

Daily Times - Sectarian violence in the province is deeply enigmatic. The conflict is purely sectarian but religious affiliation defines the boundaries of rival groups The United Kingdom is offering technical ways and mechanisms for peaceful resolution of ethnic and sectarian conflict to several Asian states including Afghanistan and Pakistan, but the country’s successive governments have never been able to eradicate the roots of extremism, international terrorism, racism, ethnic and sectarian violence in Northern Ireland and Scotland. We often read heartbreaking statements of police and intelligence chiefs about the looming threat of international terrorism, cyber attacks and experience numerous changes in the National Security Strategy since 2007, but no proper solution has so for been sought. Recently, Home Secretary Teresa May once again warned that the law enforcement agencies must prepare to tackle a lone gunman or Mumbai-style attack on the streets of Britain. Extremist a

Extremist group neutralized in Cairo

Oct 25, 2012 20:09 Moscow Time Egypt’s security forces have neutralized an extremist group linked with Al Qaeda in Cairo, local media report. The group’s insurgents planned a number of subversive actions during the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha. When the security troops arrived to the place where the extremists’ location and attempted to take it by assault, one of the insurgent opened fire. Later he was killed in a shoot out which lasted for about 5 hours. The police managed to detain the leader of the extremist group and now are establishing his identity. Source http://english.ruvr.ru/2012_10_25/Extremist-group-neutralized-in-Cairo/

Putin congratulates Muslims and stresses their role in anti-extremism

Oct 25, 2012 10:28 Moscow Time Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has congratulated Russian Muslims on the forthcoming Muslim Feast of Sacrifice (Eid al-Adha), the Kremlin’s press service has reported earlier today. Putin has laid particular stress on that “the Muslim community in Russia is playing a significant role in promoting an inter-religious and inter-ethnic dialogue and a closer unity of the country’s people. [The Community] is intensely involved in charity, revival of family values and activities aimed to curb extremism and terrorism.” Eid al-Adha is an Islamic festival to commemorate the willingness of Ibrahim (also known as Abraham) to follow Allah's command to sacrifice his son Ishmael. Muslims around the world observe this event. Source http://english.ruvr.ru/2012_10_25/Putin-congratulates-Muslims-and-stresses-their-role-in-anti-extremism/

Nigeria demands global action on religious extremism

Nigerian on Wednesday demanded immediate and sustained global action to deal with the problem of religious extremism in some parts of the world. Senate President, Senator David Mark, made the demand in a speech at the 127th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) holding in Quebec, Canada. Our correspondent covering the conference reports that apart from dealing a blow on religious fundamentalism, Mark said that steps should be taken to address the crippling effects of ethnicity. The conference has the theme: “Citizenship, identity, cultural and linguistic diversity in a globalised world.” Mark noted that tackling religious extremism and ethnicity would help to reduce divisive tendencies in parts of the world. He reiterated that “though tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we want.” The Senate President proposed that there should be an acknowledgement that all parts of the world are blessed with different linguistic and cultural diversities with Nigerian alo

Chinese police offer reward for self immolation tip offs

Since the notice was issued on Sunday by police in Gansu province's Gannan prefecture, two more local Tibetans, a herdsman and a farmer, died after setting themselves on fire near the Labrang Monastery in Gannan. Dozens of ethnic Tibetans have set themselves on fire in China since March 2011 to protest what activists say is Beijing's heavy-handed rule in Tibetan regions, including parts of Gansu, Sichuan, and Qinghai provinces as well as Tibet itself. Many have called for the return of the Dalai Lama, their exiled spiritual leader. Gannan police issued a notice saying that the string of recent immolations in the community had "seriously impacted social stability and harmony as well as people's ability to live and work." It said that in order to crack down on the demonstrations, people who tip off police about immolation plans will be rewarded 50,000 yuan. The notice said that people who provide information on the "black hands" who organised four rec

Terror gang discussed killing 1,000 people with poisoned hand cream

Irfan Naseer, the alleged ringleader, said people would start dying within five minutes of coming in to contact with it when they went to work in the morning. The Muslim group also talked about getting guns from the “black geezers” and storming in to a synagogue and other places, Woolwich Crown Court heard. The al-Qaeda inspired gang, from Birmingham, is accused of plotting to use eight suicide bombers to detonate rucksacks packed with explosives in crowded places to cause “mass death” and carnage on the streets of Britain. Naseer, 31, Irfan Khalid, 27, and Ashik Ali, 27, all unemployed from Birmingham, are the alleged “senior members” and were among 12 people arrested and charged last year. The trio deny between them a total of 12 terror charges including planning a bombing campaign, recruiting others for terrorism and terrorism fund-raising. Conversations between them and others were secretly recorded by the police. In one Naseer, who is known as Chubbs, talks about othe

Rwanda: Genocide Suspect Arrested in DRC

Interpol has arrested a key suspect of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, who has been on the run for the last 18 years. Vedaste Banguwiha, a former prominent figure in the genocidal regime and a member of the National Republican Movement for Democracy and Development (MRND), was arrested in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). During and before the Genocide, Banguwiha was a famous businessman in western Rwanda and was awarded a tender to purchase and supply weapons that were used to massacre Tutsis. He is also alleged to have incited the Interahamwe militia to erect a roadblock in the former Cyangugu town (now Rusizi), near Hotel des Chutte with an aim of stopping and killing the Tutsi. Witnesses accuse Banguwiha of facilitating the Interahamwe by transporting them and rewarding them for killing the Tutsi. Information acquired by The New Times indicates that Banguwiha was arrested in Katanga and later transferred to the capital Kinshasa. Although officials at the Pros

Rwanda: Norwegian Court Starts Hearing Rwandan Witnesses in First Genocide Trial

Kigali — A Norwegian court trying former Rwandan businessman Sadi Bugingo this week started hearing more than 50 witnesses by video conference from Kigali. Bugingo, 47, is accused of playing a key role in the genocide of Tutsis in Kibungo, eastern Rwanda, in 1994. He has been living in Norway since 2001. On Monday the five judges sitting in Oslo heard three witnesses, of whom two defended Bugingo. "Bugingo was a good man, he saved more than 20 people," said one witness. A woman saying she was Bugingo's sister-in-law told the court that he "did not belong to any political party, and did not take part in any political meetings". The third witness, however, accused Bugingo. "He did not kill with his own hands, but he planned and supervised the genocide," the witness said. According to her, Bugingo participated in several meetings with other "planners" of the massacres. "I know him very well, him and his whole family," she added.

Zimbabwe: Food As Political Weapon

According to starving villagers in southern Zimbabwe, officials of President Robert Mugabe's ZANU PF party are denying them food, because they didn't vote for the right party in previous elections. A frail, weak and malnourished 11-year-old boy walks into a mission health centre in the town of Plumtree in Zimbabwe's drought-ravaged Matabeleland South Province. Thabiso Moyo looks older than his age and is walking with the aid of his mother. For almost a week he has survived on wild fruits. Hunger has also forced Thabiso and other children in the area to stop attending school. At the outpatient section of the health centre, the foreign doctor tells Thabiso's mother that her child is suffering from malnutrition and needs a feeding scheme. The available scheme, however, is for children under the age of five only. Thabiso's mother begs the doctor to let her son enter the programme. Thabiso is then given a bag of beans and some vitamin tablets. Danger of famine S