Monthly Archives: January 2009

January 30, 2009

Rethinking Peacekeeping in Fragile States

Posted by Alex de Waal

Conventional peacekeeping operations are designed as stop-gap measures, either for a brief period of time or with a limited brief in a frozen conflict. This can be functional if the peacekeepers are dealing with institutionalized belligerents, with functioning hierarchies. In

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January 30, 2009

Peacekeeping in the Political Marketplace

Posted by websolve

Conventional peacekeeping operations are designed as stop-gap measures, either for a brief period of time or with a limited brief in a frozen conflict. This can be functional if the peacekeepers are dealing with institutionalized belligerents, with functioning hierarchies. It

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January 28, 2009

Camel-Herders’ Livelihoods in North Darfur

Posted by admin

Livelihoods, Power and Choice: the Vulnerability of the Northern Rizaygat, Darfur, Sudan, is the latest report on Darfur from the Feinstein International Famine Center. Livelihoods in Darfur are intimately linked to the conflict, none more so than the livelihoods of

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January 28, 2009

Africa, the U.S., China and the Economic Crisis

Posted by websolve

On the face of it, Africa has been relatively unharmed by the world financial crisis. The fact is that it remains the continent that has been the least penetrated by formal institutions of investment and credit – mortgages, bank loans,

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January 27, 2009

Debating the ICC Critique

Posted by Khalid Omer

Khalid Omer sent in this comment on my critique, with 13 points, each of which deserves a response. Khalid’s questions are numbered, my replies are in italics. Continue reading

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January 27, 2009

A Critique of the ICC Prosecutor’s Case against President Bashir

Posted by Alex de Waal

With all the attention to the ICC Prosecutor’s application for an arrest warrant against President Omar al Bashir, it is remarkable how little scrutiny has been given to the contents of the Public Application itself. Frankly, it’s a mess. A

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January 27, 2009

What is Thomas Lubanga Charged With?

Posted by websolve

The trial of the Congolese militia leader Thomas Lubanga Dyilo finally opened in The Hague yesterday. He is charged on six counts of recruiting and using child soldiers in the civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Those listening

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January 26, 2009

The LRA Back in the News

Posted by Tim Allen

Suddenly Uganda’s Lord’s Resistance Army is back in the international news. Predictably, it is not because they have surrendered or the commanders captured and taken to The Hague to face trial, but because they are killing people again. The LRA

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January 25, 2009

Obama Cannot be Our Saviour: We Should Decide to Save Ourselves

Posted by Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem

It will be difficult to discuss anything this week but the inauguration of the first black man to be elected President of the United States of America. It is an election that is resonating with historical symbolisms and promises of

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January 25, 2009

Dangerous Weeks Ahead

Posted by Alex de Waal

Sudan is in a state of high tension at the moment, and we face a dangerous month ahead. Darfur is witnessing its worst fighting for a year. The immediate cause of the tension is the expected arrest warrant to be

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