Genocide Monitor: August 4, 2010

  • BURMA: As the Burmese government continues its crackdown on dissent ahead of the fall elections, thousands of members of ethnic minority groups are fleeing the country.
  • SUDAN: The ICC issued a second arrest warrant for President al-Bashir, charging the Sudanese leader with genocide.
  • AFGHANISTAN: Civilian casualties have increased slightly since 2009, but the number of people killed in NATO airstrikes has halved.
  • SOMALIA: In response to twin bombing attacks by al-Shabab militants in Uganda, two more countries intend to contribute troops to the African Union’s peacekeeping mission.

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With the south Sudanese independence referendum taking place in less than six months, the United States finds itself at a critical point in regards to its policies towards Sudan.  There is a concern that violent conflict may be around the corner depending on what actions the parties in Sudan take in the weeks and months ahead.

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Spotlighted Conflict:

Situation on the Ground

Thousands of members of Burma’s ethnic minority groups are fleeing the country in anticipation of a crackdown on dissent ahead of elections scheduled for the fall.  Kachin, Karen, Chin and Muslim citizens have already begun to cross the border into Thailand, Malaysia and Bangladesh.

Also in advance of the elections, ethnic minority groups are sending their young children to Rangoon to train as monks out of fear that they would otherwise be forcibly recruited into local militias to serve as child soldiers.

Government Corruption Ahead of Elections

Earlier this month, Burma’s military government merged the nation’s largest government-controlled social welfare organization into the army’s recently formed political party, the USDP. Human rights groups charge that this move guarantees Burmese government domination of the fall elections.

In what may be an attempt to further influence the upcoming elections, the USDP is reportedly conducting its own census.

Increased Ties With North Korea

The U.S. government has expressed concerns about reports of a nuclear program in Burma as well as a substantial array of North Korean weaponry in the nation.

Area of Concern: Somalia

Al-Shabab Expands its Reach

Al-Shabab militants claimed responsibility for twin bombing attacks in Uganda that killed 74 soccer fans watching the World Cup final. This was the militia’s first attack outside of Somalia, which the group claimed was retaliation for AMISOM's presence in Somalia.
 
In response to the latest attacks, Djibouti and Guinea are expected to contribute troops to the African Union’s AMISOM peacekeeping mission, increasing the number of forces from just over 6,000 to more than 10,000.

African Union Peacekeepers Committing Atrocities?

According to an internal AU report, peacekeepers serving with the AMISOM mission are indiscriminately shelling residential areas in Mogadishu.  
 
This is not the first time that AMISOM troops have been accused of committing atrocities against civilians. Earlier this year, Human Rights Watch detailed abuses in a report titled “Harsh War, Harsh Peace.”