Help our local partners realise their vision of hope for their communities
2 February 2018
This week’s HART Weekly Review features our Press Release and Report from HART’s recent visit to Sudan, and a summary of the top stories from the countries where we work.
Press Release “There was nobody to help us”: During HART’s recent visit to Sudan we heard reports of Khartoum’s continued offensive against the villagers of Blue Nile, causing further displacement and severe food insecurity. Read the full report here.
Please donate to HARTs appeal for the 9000 displaced and starving in Blue Nile, Sudan. Your generous donation can provide life-saving emergency rations. Thank you.
Press Release by Action for Shan State Rivers: Action for Shan State Rivers (ASSR) released a statement in opposition to the Strategic Environmental Assessment which will push forward the building of large dams that will displace thousands of Shan residents, but benefit the Burmese Government and its foreign investors.
News Round Up – the top stories from this week’s news in our partners’ countries
Burma
Year’s end brings fresh attacks and human rights violations by Burma Army in all parts of Shan State: From December 31 2017 to January 7, 2018, six Burma Army battalions under all four regional military commands in Shan State launched attacks on Shan armed groups- irrespective of whether they had signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) – and committed human rights violations against local civilians in northern, southern and eastern Shan State.
Rohingya crisis has ‘hallmarks of genocide,’ UN official says: The UN special envoy on human rights in Burma said Thursday that the Burma military’s violent operations against Rohingya Muslims bear “the hallmarks of a genocide.”
Nagorno-Karabakh
Italian FM: OSCE Minsk Group is not the only format for settling Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: “The OSCE Minsk Group shouldn’t be considered as the only format for settling the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,” said Italian FM and OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Angelino Alfano at a joint press conference with Russian FM Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on February 1.
Macron – status quo not solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: France is a supporter of a compromise in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, since the status quo is not a solution to the conflict, French President Emmanuel Macron said on January 31st
Nigeria
Nigerian air force killed dozens in attacks on villages -Amnesty: Nigeria’s air force killed at least 35 people in attacks on villages in the northeastern state of Adamawa in December, Amnesty International said in a report on Tuesday.
Fulani herdsmen attack NNPC officials, kill one in Benue: Armed men suspected to be Fulani herdsmen have attacked and killed an official of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC at Tse Torkula, Benue State.
South Sudan
U.N. sounds alarm on S.Sudan as Africa’s biggest refugee crisis looms: Nearly 7 million people from South Sudan need emergency aid such as food, water and basic medicines due to a protracted civil war in the country, the United Nations said on Thursday, appealing to international donors for $3.2 billion.
Exclusive: U.S. to impose arms embargo on South Sudan to end conflict – sources: The United States is set to announce an arms embargo against South Sudan on Friday, three sources familiar with the decision told Reuters, stepping up pressure against President Salva Kiir to end the country’s civil war and humanitarian crisis.
Sudan
Government, SPLM-N al-Hilu kick off talks on truce in Sudan’s Two Areas: The Sudanese government and the SPLM-N led by Abdel Aziz al-Hilu Thursday handed over their proposals on an agreement to end the fighting in the South Kordofan and Blue Nile States.
UN chief met Sudan’s president who is accused of genocide: Secretary-General Antonio Guterres met with Sudan’s president, who is accused of genocide by the International Criminal Court, on the sidelines of the African Union summit on grounds of “operational necessity,” the United Nations said Monday.
Uganda
Chinese-built expressway divides Uganda as debts mount: Traffic will soar above the muddy swamp between Uganda’s capital and its international airport when a new Chinese-built highway opens in a few months time, but the road itself is mired in controversy.
Thousands flee violence in eastern DR Congo, seek shelter in nearby countries – UN refugee agency: Surging violence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is driving thousands of Congolese into neighbouring Burundi, Tanzania and Uganda, the United Nations refugee agency said Tuesday.
Timor Leste
Helping communities in East Timor: DR VAHIDEH Hosseini worked as the Lismore Manager of the Red Cross for 18 years, but when she retired six years ago she yearned for another way to help people. After friends suggested Timor Leste, she visited and saw immediately how she could help and is still active in the community.