In The News

Action or Sanctions

Dina Ezzat August 13, 2004
Jan Pronk, the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative to Darfur, has the responsibility of reporting to the Security Council on Aug 30 about the progress, if any, that the Sudanese government is making in its crisis-ridden Darfur region. If Pronk’s report is favorable, then no punitive action will be taken and the Council will wait until the next month for another progress report....

Afghan Asylum Seekers Sew Up Mouths in Protest in Indonesia

August 10, 2004
Approximately 150 Afghan asylum seekers currently live in Indonesia and are waiting to move to a third country such as the United States, Norway or Australia. Though some have been granted refugee status, forty of these asylum seekers are going on a hunger strike to protest being denied this status by the United Nations. In the past, Afghan immigrants in Indonesia, many of whom have security...

Darfur Rebels not Aware of Talks, Welcome Nigeria

August 10, 2004
To address the humanitarian crisis in Sudan’s Darfur region, the Sudanese government and black African rebel groups have agreed to peace negotiations mediated by Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo. The meeting, set to take place in Abuja, Nigeria on Aug. 23, will hopefully end the turmoil that has far claimed 50,000 lives since February 2003. Rebel groups set to participate include the...

To Save Lives in Darfur, Back African Peacekeepers and Demand War Crimes Accountability, Says ICG's Prendergast

August 4, 2004
According to John Prendergast, special aid to the president of The International Crisis Group (ICG), the United States and other world actors such as the European Union, the Arab League, Japan, and China, need to back the deployment of an African Union-led force to protect civilians in Sudan’s Darfur region. Though he acknowledges that genocide is difficult to prove, Prendergast believes that...

NK Defectors in China Remain Concern

Seo Hyun-jin July 30, 2004
Hundreds of thousands of North Koreans are seeking asylum in neighboring countries. Those that escape to the South are welcomed by the South Korean government, which has been embracing all escapees. Those that flee to China are not so lucky, however, and human rights activists are pressuring South Korea to step in. Between 50,000 and 300,000 North Koreans seek refuge in China every year, but...

Protests as Italy Expels Migrants

July 22, 2004
With its long coastline, Italy is one of most Europe’s most vulnerable countries in terms of illegal immigration. Largely African and Asian groups of migrants come via boat from places like Libya, where Italian officials believe up to 2 million more migrants may be waiting for transit into the European Union. In response to the influx of people, Italy put a tough anti-immigration law into...

Canadians Allow Islamic Courts to Decide Disputes

DeNeen L. Brown April 28, 2004
In Ontario, Canada, Muslims can now choose to decide civil disputes under sharia, a form of Islamic law. Practitioners may agree to arbitration in tribunals separate from the Canadian judicial system, run by imams and Muslim elders. The power of these courts would be limited, and the Canadian government reserves the right to overturn decisions. The idea for establishing sharia in Canada came from...