In this video, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) say the fighting in Somalia is more intense than it has been in 15 years. Hundreds of thousands have fled Mogadishu. A single clinic has treated over a thousand civilians for war wounds since September. Malnutrition indicators are above the emergency threshold; a third of the population are in urgent [...]
A warm welcome to the new-look iR2P website. Whether you came here from our Facebook group, a link, a Google search, or as a regular visitor to the original website, please take a look around, sign the Pledge and come back often. If you have any comments, please leave a comment on this blog, or [...]
Nicholas Kristof has used his column in the New York Times to note the G8’s collective shrug over Darfur and ask the rhetorical question, “Is genocide really that bad?”
The answer is yes, he concludes; genocide is the ultimate human crime. It is interesting to read some of the comments that readers posted on Kristof’s blog [...]
The Washington Post says the peacekeeping operation in Darfur is hobbled by inadequate numbers and equipment as well as bureaucratic hurdles:
Logistical and bureaucratic obstacles imposed by the Sudanese government, which has tried to block the force from the start, have prevented the full deployment of the new battalions. But Western nations that pushed for the [...]
Africa Confidential discusses the situation in Zimbabwe, the prospects for power-sharing, the economy and sanctions.
addthis_url = ‘http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ir2p.org%2F2008%2F07%2F04%2Fwhat-hope-for-power-sharing-in-zimbabwe%2F’;
addthis_title = ‘What+hope+for+power-sharing+in+Zimbabwe%3F’;
addthis_pub = ”;
A few weeks ago, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner (a lifelong advocate of ‘humanitarian intervention’) invoked R2P when the Government of Burma/Myanmar appeared to be obstructing relief efforts in the wake of Cyclone Nargis. However, when the French Ambassador to the UN requested a briefing to the Security Council on the humanitarian situation, even this [...]
Darfur - Waiting for Justice from Aegis Trust on Vimeo.
A 17-minute video from Aegis Trust, in which survivors from villages attacked by Sudanese Government forces and Janjaweed militia in West Darfur directly implicate two men already indicted by the ICC on 51 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur: Ali Kushayb, a [...]
In the New York Times Magazine, David Rieff examines the gap between principle and practice when it comes to humanitarian intervention, and asks a profound question:
“Are we talking about people in desperate need of aid or are we talking about ourselves when we debate such matters?“
addthis_url = ‘http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ir2p.org%2F2008%2F06%2F06%2Fhumanitarian-vanities%2F’;
addthis_title [...]
Ramesh Thakur - one of the original R2P commissioners, is critical of suggestions to apply R2P to natural disasters.
He admits that the original report identified ‘overwhelming natural or environmental catastrophes, where the state concerned is either unwilling or unable to cope, and significant loss of life is occurring or threatened‘ as among the conscience-shocking situations [...]
Video: Appeal by Zainab Bangura, Sierra Leone’s Foreign Minister (a former civil society activist)
Avaaz is organising a petition to world leaders at this week’s emergency UN summit on the skyrocketing world food crisis: “There is a real danger that rich country leaders will push half measures and band-aid solutions – we need a huge global [...]