News Stories (15/07/08)

Sudan angered by genocide claims (BBC News) - [text online]

Sudan head accused of war crimes (BBC News) - [text online]

Aid groups mull leaving Somalia (BBC News) - [text online]

Sudanese dictator Omar al-Bashir faces war crimes charges (The Daily Telegraph) - [text online]

Sudanese president, Omar al-Bashir, charged with genocide (The Times) - [text online]

‘Anti-Islamist group’ charged with plotting military coup in Turkey (The Times) - [text online]

Gordon Brown turns to EU after failed Zimbabwe vote (The Times) - [text online]

Failed asylum-seekers are abused by private security companies, says report (The Independent) - [text online]

Mercenaries join Mugabe's ruthless terror campaign (The Independent) - [text online]

MPs demand inquiry into torture of Briton overseas (The Independent) - [text online]

African Union: Suspend Sudan genocide charge (The Independent) - [text online]

After eight years, Gaza student walks to freedom and an education (The Independent) - [text online]

ReliefWeb/OCHA Situation Report : OCHA Kenya Humanitarian Update vol. 27, 03 - 09 Jul 2008 (ReliefWeb) - [text online]

ReliefWeb/OCHA Situation Report : Humanitarian action in Southern Sudan weekly bulletin, week 26, 29 Jun - 05 Jul 2008 (ReliefWeb) - [text online]

Sudan warns ICC legal process could harm Darfur peace (ReliefWeb) - [text online]

Colombia: Report highlights humanitarian concerns in Putumayo region (ReliefWeb) - [text online]

Somalia: Thousands flee Beletweyne as clash fears mount (ReliefWeb) - [text online]

Azerbaijan: IDPs still trapped in poverty and dependence - IDMC (ReliefWeb) - [text online]

OPT: UNRWA signs 4 agreements valued at USD 6m with Saudi Committee (ReliefWeb) - [text online]

Azerbaijan: IDPs still trapped in poverty and depenence (Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre) - [Full Overview (html/pdf)]

Memorandum to Djibril Bassolé: Building blocks for peace in Darfur (ENOUGH Project) - [text online]

The Merits of Justice (ENOUGH Project) - [text online]

Deportation threat lifted from asylum seekers (The Independent) - [text online]

African migrant wins deportation battle (Scotsman) - [text online]

EU immigration plan draws flak in Africa (EU Business) - [text online]

Italy rejects accusations of racism from EU assembly (EU Observer) - [text online]

Visa plan for 'risky' visitors (BBC News) - [text online]

Immigration: Bail bonds and electronic tags proposed for illegal migrants (The Guardian) - [text online]

Post-PC dignity (The Guardian) - [text online]

'They threatened to break my neck' (The Guardian) - [text online]

Asylum seekers assaulted by private security teams, says report (The Guardian) - [text online]

What's behind the baby boom? (The Guardian) - [text online]

South Africa: Changing pattern of displacement from Zimbabwe (UNHCR Briefing Note) - [text online]

Close to 400 Lao Hmong repatriated from Thailand (UNHCR Briefing Note) - [text online]

Winnipeg's refugee rapper with a mission (UNHCR News) - [text online]

Report highlights humanitarian concerns in Colombia's Putumayo region (UNHCR News) - [text online]

Zimbabweans face uphill struggle in search for asylum in South Africa (UNHCR News) - [text online]

Newcomers Must Earn The Right To Stay In The UK (Home Office Press Release) - [text online]

Results Of Britains First Global Visa Review (Home Office Press Release) - [text online]

President’s Corner: ICC Case Against Bashir is Risky but Right (Refugees International) - [text online]

Afghanistan: Refugees' Difficult Road Home (Refugees International) - [text online]

Darfur: ICC Moves Against Sudan’s Leader (Human Rights Watch) - [text online]

ICC: Good Progress Amid Missteps in First Five Years (Human Rights Watch) - [text online]

“Utter hypocrisy” as government fails to act on Zimbabweans left destitute in the UK (Refugee Council) - [text online]

UN awaiting clarification on future support to Nepalese peace process (UN News) - [text online]

ICC Prosecutor seeks charges against Sudanese President for Darfur crimes (UN News) - [text online]

SWAZILAND: Siphiwe Hlope, "Today women are so courageous" (IRIN News) - [text online]

Selected News Sources:

BBC News - http://news.bbc.co.uk/

The Times Online - http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/

The Telegraph - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

The Independent - http://www.independent.co.uk/

The Guardian: Special News Reports on Immigration & Refugees: http://www.guardian.co.uk/immigration/0,,1397447,00.html

UNHCR News - http://www.unhcr.org/news.html

UN News Centre - http://www.un.org/news/

ReliefWeb - http://www.reliefweb.int

Reuters AlertNet - http://www.alertnet.org/

Posted in: News.

The UN Security Council Approves New Peacekeeping Force in Sudan

News from Refugees International, (http://www.refugeesinternational.org/):

The UN Security Council Approves New Peacekeeping Force in Sudan

This past week marked a significant step for peace in the Darfur region of Sudan. The United Nations Security Council unanimously approved the use of 26,000 peacekeeping troops for the Darfur conflict. The new force will supplement the current 7,000 AU troops sometime later this year. Resolution 1769 calls for “early and effective implementation of the Darfur Peace Agreement” and authorizes the force to “prevent the disruption of its implementation and armed attacks, and thus to protect civilians, without prejudice to the responsibility of the government of Sudan.” Refugees International is calling on the United States to use its influence and resources to ensure this mission is successful by continuing to pressure the Sudanese to abide by and fully support the terms of the agreement. Refugees International Peacekeeping Officer, Mark Malan, cautioned that the effectiveness of the force will depend on how the force commander and his troops “will face the challenge of responding to threats in a hostile environment where there has been little peace and safety for more than four years.”

• Click here for Mark’s testimony to the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs about the new U.S. Africa Command
• Read RI's recommendations for the new peacekeeping force for Darfur