The southern Philippine region of Mindanao is on high alert following two bomb blasts this weekend that left two dead and several more wounded—one at a fast-food restaurant, and one on a pubic bus.
On the tenth anniversary of the massacre at Liquiça, there has still been no accountability to victims of horrific crimes committed during the Indonesian occupation of East Timor.
UN investigators renewed their call for charges against Burma military officials suspected of carrying out a genocide against the nation's minority Rohingya population over the past year. The UN Office of Human Rights published an exhaustive list of atrocities and called "for the investigation and prosecution of Myanmar's Commander-in-Chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, and his top military leaders for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes." Since last August, 700,000 Rohinga refugees have fled into neighboring Bangladesh, and many have spoken of the Burmese military's attacks on their villages, describing actions that are considered crimes against humanity under international law. This August, a UN fact-fidning mission for the first time referred to the conflict as a genocide. (Photo: UNHCR)
A hostage crisis involving three International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) workers may force agencies to stop bringing assistance to some areas of the Philippines, officials told the UN news agency IRIN. Stephen Anderson, the World Food Programme (WFP)… Read morePhilippines: Mindanao hostage crisis jeopardizes aid work
The UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar issued a report urging the investigation and prosecution of Burma's top military generals for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The Mission "found patterns of gross human rights violations and abuses committed in Kachin, Rakhine and Shan States that undoubtedly amount to the gravest crimes under international law," adding that there is likely sufficient evidence to establish "genocidal intent." (Photo: European Commission via Flickr)
Hundreds of Burmese Muslim refugees put to sea by Thai authorities remain missing. Burma’s junta denies the Rohingya exist as an indigenous ethnicity, calling them Bangladeshi settlers.
Islamist protesters in Indonesia rallied outside the country’s only synagogue, demanding its closure and expulsion of the Jewish community in response to Israel’s offensive in the Gaza Strip.
From the East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN), Dec. 5: ETAN Opposes Adm. Blair as Director of National Intelligence “President-elect Barack Obama’s rumored selection of Admiral Dennis C. Blair for Director of National Intelligence is unacceptable,” the East Timor… Read moreObama pick for National Intelligence director linked to East Timor genocide
Sondhi Limthongkul, the media mogul who heads Thailand’s anti-government People’s Alliance for Democracy, warned that he’s ready to call more protests despite the resignation of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat after a court order to dissolve his governing party. “The PAD… Read moreThailand: “anti-democracy” protesters win
Thousands of protesters surrounded Thailand’s parliament building early Nov. 24, vowing a “final battle” to overthrow the government of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat. Protesters say they will prevent MPs from discussing constitutional amendments they oppose that would rehabilitate members of… Read more“Final battle” to topple Thai regime
Presumed Islamist insurgents detonated two bombs that killed one and left 71 wounded in Narathiwat province of Thailand’s restive south Nov. 4, and burned down a school the following day. Nobody was injured in the arson attack, but the two-story… Read moreThailand: terror rocks southern villages
The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar (Burma) Yanghee Lee called for the Human Rights Council to support an investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) into crimes against the Rohingya people. "I strongly recommend the persons allegedly responsible for the violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law be investigated and prosecuted by the ICC or a credible mechanism," said Lee. She expressed disappointment that the Security Council has not yet referred Burma to the ICC, stating said that none of the investigations by the Burmese government have met international standards, and were likely initiated to distract the international community. (Photo: European Commission via Flickr)
