State of Emergency Declared in Nigeria
President Goodluck Jonathan has declared a state of emergency in three northern states amid a rising Boko Haram insurgency. Key question: can the Nigerian military fight this battle without violating human rights of civilians in those states? “‘What we are facing is not just militancy or criminality, but a rebellion, an insurgency by terrorists groups who pose a very serious threat to national unity and territorial integrity,’ he said. Jonathan said attacks have amounted to a ‘declaration of war’ against Nigeria and ordered the military to deploy more troops to stop the insurgency using ‘all necessary actions.’ Extraordinary measures, he said, include authorizing soldiers to seize any building or area they believe to be associated with militants. The military will also conduct searches and arrest people found with illegal weapons.” (Voice of America http://bit.ly/10onpMl)
Cyclone Mahasen Bears Down on Bangladesh, Myanmar
As many as 8.2 million people are potentially in the path of the storm and landfall is expected on Friday. Rohingya refugee populations are at particular risk. “The trajectory of this cyclone is particularly worrisome. Cox’s Bazar is province of Bangladesh that buttresses Myanmar’s restive Rakhine state. Many thousands of ethnic Rohingya refugees from Rakhine have fled ethnic violence and discrimination in Myanmar to refugee camps and informal settlements across the border…A massive humanitarian crisis could befall this region should a cyclone hit. And there is little chance that authorities in Dhaka would respond with appropriate urgency; nor would authorities make things easy for NGOs who want to provide emergency relief. After all, they’d rather these people just go away.” (UN Dispatch http://bit.ly/10oq9JN)
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