Full Coverage: Conflict

29.04.2005 NATALA, Colombia, Apr 28 (IPS) - Hundreds of Nasa Indians in this rural area of southwestern Colombia have taken shelter in their local health post, perched on a hilltop with a breathtaking view of the Andes mountains, as the gunfire between leftist guerrillas and the army rages below.

28.04.2005 WASHINGTON, D.C., Apr 28 (OneWorld) - Rights watchdogs seized on Thursday's anniversary of the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal to complain of a lack of accountability for the torture of prisoners in U.S. custody, and to warn that problems which came to light there merely were ''the tip of the iceberg.''

28.04.2005 Charles Taylor, the former despotic ruler of Liberia nicknamed the "Murderer of Monrovia," is already manipulating the country's elections set to take place in October to avoid standing trial for war crimes, writes Douglas Farah, a former West Africa-based U.S. journalist.

28.04.2005 To date, 400,000 people have died in Darfur as a result of the government-sponsored genocide, says Africa Action. The Washington D.C.-based group is collecting 400,000 signatures for its petition calling on President Bush to assert U.S. leadership to prevent the mounting death toll. Here is how to sign on.

27.04.2005 Nepal has seen an increase in violence since the seizure of power by King Gyanendra, with 500 homes burnt, hostages taken and nearly 50 dead as the result of clashes with Maoist insurgents. The rebels have also imposed a blockade on Kathmandu and are calling for a nationwide strike against the royal coup.

27.04.2005 Reports that the death rate of women in childbirth is on the rise in Nepal as the result of the conflict have prompted the United Nations to call for both sides to respect basic human rights. It is estimated that maternal deaths due to lack of access to health care outnumber those killed in the fighting.

27.04.2005 The control of rural areas of Nepal is largely in the hands of Maoist insurgents, leading to a grave shortage of effective rural healthcare in those regions. Health officials are afraid to visit such areas through fear of reprisals from both sides while medical supplies are reported to be regularly hijacked by the rebels

26.04.2005 The King’s dismissal of government and seizure of direct power has been welcomed in some quarters as an opportunity to re-establish control over the country and bring an end to the violence between government forces and Maoist insurgents. But in doing so it is possible the King has built a rod for his own back if his ambitious 3 year plan is unsuccessful.

25.04.2005 WASHINGTON, D.C., Apr 25 (OneWorld) - The U.S. government should name a special prosecutor to look at Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's possible role in the torture and abuse of Iraqi and other prisoners by U.S. troops, a leading human rights group has demanded.

20.04.2005 On April 16, 28-year-old Marla Ruzicka of California was killed when a car bomb exploded on the streets of Baghdad. Marla, a long time activist, had worked with refugees in Palestine, campesinos in Nicaragua, and AIDS victims in Zimbabwe. She was in Baghdad working for the humanitarian organization she founded, the Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict (CIVIC), which documents cases of innocent civilians hurt by war.

19.04.2005 GAZA, Apr 19 (IPS) - Two dates in the Middle East that once seemed set in stone are now being challenged as Israel considers delaying its Gaza disengagement and Palestinians mull over postponing their elections.

19.04.2005 Reporters Sans Frontiers conteste le bien-fondé de la décision prise par les autorités taïwanaises, le 10 avril 2005, d'interdire la présence sur l'île de deux importants médias officiels chinois, l'agence de presse Xinhua et le quotidien "People's Daily".

15.04.2005 The only remaining rebel group in Burundi said this week it would join the peace process ahead of elections scheduled for later this month. In the Congo, one militia group announced an end to its armed struggle while another sent the last of its conscripts to hand in their weapons. Meanwhile, Ivorians are waiting to see if their president will accept mediator Thabo Mbeki's ruling that the main opposition candidate should be allowed to stand in elections later this year.

15.04.2005 Last summer, the U.S. State Department established the Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization (OCRS) to manage U.S. efforts to rebuild war-torn countries. But now the U.S. Congress needs to back the work of OCRS and approve funding for its peace-planning initiatives, says Ken Bacon, president of Refugees International.

12.04.2005 The UNHCR has signed an agreement with Nepal under which it will send observers to monitor respect for human rights in Nepal, where both government forces and Maoist rebels have been accused of widespread abuse.

08.04.2005 WASHINGTON, D.C., Apr 8 (OneWorld) - Activists invoked this week's anniversary of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda to ratchet up calls for stronger action on what they termed another unfolding genocide neglected by the international community, this time in western Sudan's Darfur region.

08.04.2005 Defying threats from militants, about 50 people boarded buses on the Pakistan and India sides of the Line of Control in the disputed territory of Kashmir Thursday to make the five hour trip through the foothills of the Himalayas. Wednesday's attack on prospective bus riders--many of whom were elderly couples reuniting with family members after decades of separation--failed to derail the historic event.

08.04.2005 The government and rebels of Cote d'Ivoire declared an "immediate and definitive" end to hostilities on Wednesday after three days of negotiations in South Africa. However, the crucial matter of whether opposition candidate Alassane Ouattara can stand in October elections has been left to South African President Thabo Mbeki, who expects to rule within a week. Stay tuned.

08.04.2005 More than 20,000 boys and girls have been abducted from their homes and forced to become soldiers in Uganda's rebel Lord's Resistance Army over the past 19 years. Thousands of these children have found refuge at World Vision rehabilitation centers, receiving food and medical care and, most importantly a safe place to stay.

07.04.2005 Few children relish their first day at school. In Nepal's conflict regions, school property and staff have been casualties, creating an atmosphere of fear and contributing to the country's poor enrolment record.