Members of European Parliament See Devastating Effect of Rape in DR Congo

Juergen Schroeder: "The consequences are disastrous".
Photo European Parliament

A recent peace agreement may have given the long suffering people of the Democratic Republic of Congo some cause for hope. Since 1998 the country has been devastated by war, invasion and disease. Over 5 million people have died. One of the most brutal weapons of war has been the rape of women. In January a parliamentary resolution condemned the use of rape and on Tuesday a group of MEPs returned from a fact finding mission to the DRC.

According to the "DRC Humanitarian Action Plan 2008" more than 30,000 rape cases were reported in DR Congo last year. It is probably only a fraction of the total number. More…

Continued momentum Needed as Formal Negotiations on new UN Climate Agreement Get Under Way

The European Union will be pressing for solid progress when formal negotiations to draw up a new United Nations climate change agreement start on 31 March in Bangkok, Thailand. The week-long meeting marks the first negotiating session since the UN climate conference in Bali last December decided to conclude the agreement by the end of 2009. The new agreement is intended to take effect once the Kyoto Protocol's targets for limiting greenhouse gas emissions from developed countries have expired in 2012. More…

Louis Michel Concerned About Kenyan Situation

Louis Michel, European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, has expressed his concern at the delay and difficulties in the formation of a coalition government in Kenya.  Commissioner Michel, reacting in the wake of an earlier statement by Kofi Annan on the situation in Kenya, expressed his full support to the position of the former UN Secretary General. More…

Human Rights: Example of Gandhi Favoured

 MEPs debated the European Parliament's annual human rights report this week.  This is partly a response to the Council of Ministers and the Commission's report on the subject published in October. The report aims to identify good and bad practices around the world. It highlights issues which the global community needs to focus upon. This year Italian Liberal MEP Marco Cappato was made human rights rapporteur. Mr Cappato gave the following interview prior to the adoption of the EP report on Wednesday by Foreign Affairs MEPs. More…

Cyprus : Ledra Street Crossing Opened

The European Commission welcomed the opening of the Ledra Street crossing in Nicosia this week, forty-four years after it had been closed.  The opening of the crossing marks an important step forward in building confidence between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities. More…

Who Will Rock Belarus? By Aleksandra Tomczak

Since the release their first album in 1994, the year President
Alexander Lukashenko took the helm of Belarus, NRM (AKA Independent Dream Republic) has resolved to campaign in favour of freedom - against the authoritarian rule of President Lukashenko. With 10 albums promoted within 10 years, NRM has been the most successful rock band in Belarus and continued with its dissident tunes regardless of the obstacles and the imposed playing restrictions. More…

 

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