Help our local partners realise their vision of hope for their communities
15 December 2017
This week’s HART Weekly Review includes blogs and a summary of the top stories from the countries where we work
Blogs
Shan women become victims of trafficking in Thailand: The people from Shan State are one of the groups whom have suffered exceptionally similar atrocities to the Rohingya people. Like the Rohingya situation in Bangladesh, the Shan people are not recognised as refugees in Thailand.
What next for South Sudan?: The conflict in South Sudan continues to devastate the local population. As we come to the end of 2017, an estimated 1.87 million people have been internally displaced and a further 2.01 million refugees having fled to neighbouring countries.
News Round Up – the top stories from this week’s news in our partners’ countries.
Burma
MSF estimates more than 6,700 Rohingya killed in Myanmar – At least 6,700 Rohingya were killed in the month after violence broke out in Myanmar in August, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) says. Based on surveys of refugees in Bangladesh, the number is much higher than Myanmar’s official figure of 400.
UNHCR prepared to discuss return arrangement, outlines preconditions for Rohingya refugees returns – On 23rd November, Myanmar and Bangladesh signed an agreement on the voluntary repatriation of Rohingya refugees. Initial discussions between UNHCR and the Bangladeshi authorities over anticipated arrangements have yet to happen, but currently we are working towards this.
Nigeria
Bloody Weekend in Kogi as Fulani herdsmen allegedly invade community, kill 10 – It was a bloody Friday in Kogi State as some suspected Fulani herdsmen invaded two local government councils killing 10 persons and then set their farm land ablaze. The incident took place in Omala and Yagba West local government councils.
Nigeria to release $1 billion from excess oil account to fight Boko Haram – ABUJA (Reuters) – Nigerian state governors on Thursday approved the release of $1 billion from the country’s excess oil account to the government to help fight the Boko Haram Islamist insurgency.
Sudan
UNHCR launches air operation to bring Darfur refugees home – UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, this week started the voluntary repatriation of Sudanese refugees from a camp in Bambari, in the Central African Republic, or CAR. More than 230 refugees have arrived at Sudan’s Nyala airport since the returns began on Tuesday. Sixty-six UNHCR chartered flights are scheduled to bring some 1,500 refugees home before the end of the year.
Wanted for genocide, Sudan leader welcomed by Erdogan at Jerusalem summit – Omar al-Bashir is alleged by ICC to have committed war crimes in conflict that UN says killed at least 300,000 and displaced more than 2.5 million
South Sudan
South Sudan needs $1.7 billion humanitarian aid in 2018 – JUBA (Reuters) – South Sudan needs $1.7 billion in aid next year to help 6 million people — half of its population — cope with the effects of war, hunger and economic decline, the government and the United Nations announced on Wednesday.
South Sudan: Stop Delays on Hybrid Court – (Nairobi) – South Sudan’s top officials have failed to make good on promises to establish an African Union-South Sudanese hybrid court to try international crimes committed during the country’s civil war, Human Rights Watch said today. Four years into the conflict, both parties continue to commit grave human rights crimes against civilians.
Uganda
Can a GM banana solve Uganda’s hunger crisis? – A law paving the way for GM crops is aimed at tackling the acute food shortages faced by almost 11 million Ugandans, despite experts’ fears over the technology
US sanctions two Lord’s Resistance Army ivory traders – The United States on Wednesday imposed economic sanctions on two Africans accused of using the illegal ivory trade to funnel weapons and money to Joseph guerrilla and the Lord’s Resistance Army.
