Human Rights Watch urged the Burmese government to drop charges against activists, following their peaceful demonstrations on International Peace Day on September 21.
General Dogbo Ble, the former chief of the Republican Guard, has gone on trial over the killing of a colonel during violence after elections nearly two years ago.
General Ble and seven other members of the security forces are accused of the killing, during clashes between former president Gbagbo’s supporters and those of current president Ouattara.
Bahrain’s highest court has rejected an appeal from 9 medics who were convicted by the government of aiding opposition protestors, during demonstrations last year.
The 9 are part of a larger group of 20 medics who were arrested during demonstrations, accused of possessing weapons, inciting to topple the state and illegally participating in protests.
Following a march of over 1.5 million people calling for Catalonia’s independence from Spain earlier this, the autonomous region’s Parliament has backed a referendum on its independence. This is despite the Spanish constitution stating that secession was forbidden, sparking a crisis in the country.
Ricard González, former Washington correspondent for El Mundo and the Catalan magazine El Temps and Jaume Clotet, novelist and former political editor of the Catalan newspaper Avui, have written in the New York Times on the recently sparked Catalonian quest for independence, arguing why independence for the region “has never made more sense”.
“History can follow a capricious path, sometimes meandering slowly for decades only to accelerate abruptly and take a vertiginous turn. The immediate cause of Catalonia’s sudden outbreak of secessionist fever is so-called fiscal looting.”
“But money isn’t the only cause of secessionist sentiment. We Catalans have long been attached to our distinct identity and never accepted the loss of national sovereignty after being defeated by the Spanish monarchy in 1714. For three centuries, Catalonia has striven to regain its independence. Most attempts to establish a state were put down by force.”
“At the core of Catalonia’s unique identity is the Catalan language, which is distinct from Spanish. Since the re-establishment of Spain’s democracy in 1977 and Catalonia’s autonomy in 1979, Catalan has been revived in the region’s schools. However, a recent ruling by Spain’s Constitutional Court threatens this policy. To most Catalans, our language is a red line. If the current system of autonomy can’t guarantee protection of it, independence is the only solution.”
US President Barack Obama has stopped a Chinese-owned company from investing in wind farm projects on land it had acquired in Oregon.
Obama issued a presidential order, asking Ralls Corp to clear equipment of the sites, which are located near a naval facility, within 14 days and to sell the land within three months.
The judicial commission of inquiry into the fatal shootings of 44 people at the Marikana mine protests last month, began today.
Set up by the president Jacob Zuma, the probe is mandated to determine the involvement of the police, managemant of the mine, the trade unions, government and Lonmin.
The United States implored Rwanda to publicly denounce Congolese rebels, who have seized vast areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s East. The appeal outlined the United States’ frustration over the Rwandan’s alleged role in propping up the M23 Congolese rebel movement, which has also resulted in the slashing of aid by donor countries to Rwanda.
Kenyan warships attacked the Somali port of Kismaya on Saturday night, despite al Shabaab rebels stating that they were abandoning the city, reported residents.
Kenya’s high court is scheduled to decide, on Monday, whether citizens living outside the country will be eligible to vote at next year’s elections.
An activist group, the Kenyan Diaspora Alliance, asked the jurisdiction to force the nation’s Independent Electoral Boundaries Commission (IBEC) to allow citizens abroad to register and vote in the election.
A Syrian rebel group has claimed to have captured Yemeni troops who were sent to the country to assist the Syrian government in putting down the uprising.
The former chief prosecutor at the International Criminal Court has joined a United Nations investigative panel into war crimes in Syria, announced the UN Human Rights Council.
Carla del Ponte’s appointment to the commission came as the UN HRC also moved to extend the mission of the UN probe by a further 6 months.
The European Union froze an aid programme to Rwanda worth £140 million yesterday, over allegations that the Rwandan government was supporting M23 rebels. The UK meanwhile, will continue giving aid.
Jean-Michel Dumond, the EU’s Ambassador in Kinshasa, said:
