Help our local partners realise their vision of hope for their communities
5 August 2016
News from HART:
- We are hiring! HART is currently recruiting an Interim Advocacy Officer. The deadline for applications is 12 noon on 8th August. You can read more about the role and download the application pack here: http://www.hart-uk.org/about-you/jobs/.
- Read Alice Doorly’s recent blog: Herdsmen-Farmer Conflict in Nigeria: An Ongoing Legacy of Division and Mistrust.
Burma
- New figures have revealed that in the last three decades the Christian population of Myanmar has increased by nearly one third. More than 3 million Christians are now living in the country making up to 6.2 percent of the population, compared to 4.9 percent in 1983.
- As part of the 100 days reform program from the new civilian government, more than 600 names of citizens and foreigners will be removed from the official “no entry” blacklist.
- As part of a crackdown on “illegal immigrants” Thai authorities have arrested and deported up to 10,000 Myanmar national working in the country. Most of them were working in markets, shopping malls and hotels according to Kyaw Thaung director of the Myanmar Association in Thailand.
India
- Heavy rains and flooding in India have led to the collapse of a bridge between Mumbai and Goa. At least 38 people are feared to have died.
- A shooting at a market in India’s Assam state has left a reported 12 people dead and dozens injured. It is not yet clear who is behind the attack but there is suspicion that it might have been carried out by the National Democratic Front of Bodoland, a local armed group.
Nigeria
- A judicial inquiry has concluded that Nigerian troops should be prosecuted for the killing of 349 Shia Muslims in the northern city of Zaria last December in what has been described as the use of ‘excessive force’.
- A split has emerged over the leadership of Boko Haram with Islamic State backing newcomer Abu Musab al-Barnawi over the group’s former leader Abubakar Shekau. Shekau has fallen out of favour for the increase of deadly attacks on moderate Muslims under his leadership.
South Sudan
- The UN has accused South Sudanese troops of committing ethnically-targeted atrocities in the course of renewed fighting over the last month. Evidence has emerged of systematic sexual violence perpetrated by SPLA troops against mainly Nuer women as well as ethnically-targeted killings of civilians in Juba.
- The UN itself has suffered controversy this week with accusations that UN peacekeeping troops have consistently failed to act to prevent cases of sexual violence. There have been at least 217 reported cases of sexual violence in the weeks following the outbreak of hostilities in Juba in July.
- The official military spokesperson of the SPLA has hinted at a declaration of war against SPLA-IO forces loyal to former Vice-President Riek Machar claiming the ‘SPLA’s resolve to crush SPLA-IO warmongers’ This comes after earlier denials of heavy fighting going on around Juba.
- Lam Akol, head of the opposition Democratic Change group and agriculture minister in Kiir’s government resigned earlier this week calling for President Kiir’s government to leave power. This deals a further blow to the already fragile unity government.
- Salva Kiir has widened the political rift in the government by firing six ministers allied to Riek Machar on Tuesday evening. The SPLM-IO have since declared this action illegal.
Sudan
- The open-ended strike of Sudanese staff of the UNAMID peacekeeping mission in Darfur continues as the national employees strike over non-payment of due benefits. UNAMID has published a statement of concern about the action as disrupting the mission.
Uganda
- Refugee flows from South Sudan into Uganda have doubled in recent weeks, bringing the total to over 52,000 since violence escalated early last month. The surge has severely strained the capacity of relief organizations working in the North of the country.
Following the latest influx, #Uganda is now host to more #SouthSudan #refugees than any other country. Most are kids pic.twitter.com/Mln2lT43ny
— Charlie Yaxley (@yaxle) August 5, 2016