I am a first year student here at CSB.  I am a Political Science and French major which means that I am constantly reading internet newspapers and catching up on what's going on in the world.  Everytime I read about some new conflict or human rights violation and turn to one of my peers to tell them-they haven't heard about it.  I realized that it is difficult to keep up with everything that is going on outside the CSB/SJU campuses and despite their best intentions, many in our community are unaware of world events.  It's not intentional, but I believe that when we graduate and move into the 'real world', it will be of great importance to know what's happening.  So why not try and get students in the habit of scanning the headlines now? I had the idea to provide students with a quick and easy way to get the low-down on what's going on.

I work for CSB Campus Ministry in the Spirituality and Social Justice area.  So when I had the idea to begin a social justice blog about current conflicts around the world, I wanted to incorporate the spirituality aspect because it is an important part of social justice.  So, think of it like this: Everyone is part of one body.  "But God has so constructed the body... so that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same concern for one another.  If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share it's joy." 1 Corinthians 12:24-26.  My hope is that we can come together in one body as God intended and end the suffering of our counterparts all over the world.  So here is what I am hoping you will do: take the initiative to educate yourself about what is going on around the world, tell everyone you know, and then help create the social conditions that will allow each person in the world to realize their human dignity and full potential.

Last updated: March 12th, 2008.

Africa:

• Sudanese forces have clashed with troops from the European Union Force in Chad after they crossed the border into the Darfur region, Sudan says.  A Sudanese soldier and a civilian were killed during the exchange of fire, the Sudanese army says. The EU Force (Eufor) says it was trying to recover one of its vehicles which had accidentally strayed into Sudan. A French soldier who was in the vehicle is still missing, and France has asked for Sudan's help to find him. A Sudanese spokesman said occupants of the Eufor vehicle shot at a checkpoint five kilometres inside Sudan, and fled when Sudanese forces returned fire. He said three jeeps and a helicopter returned to the area after 30 minutes and there was an exchange of gunfire, which resulted in the deaths of two Sudanese nationals. The Eufor says the vehicle had mistakenly strayed three kilometres inside the unmarked border, and an attempt to recover it was met with hostile fire. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7276288.stm

• A deal has been signed that could see convicts found guilty of involvement in the 1994 genocide by a UN-backed tribunal serving their time in Rwanda. The agreement ends three years of negotiations between Rwanda's government and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR). Thirty of 56 prisoners detained by the tribunal in Tanzania have protested, saying they fear torture or death. Some 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed in the 1994 genocide. ICTR registrar Adama Dieng said the accord was a milestone in relations between Rwanda and the ICTR. Our correspondent says there was no mention of when the prisoners will be transferred to Rwanda which is now one of seven eligible countries where ICTR prisoners can serve their terms. Rwanda has long been pushing for genocide convicts to serve their sentences at home where their crimes were committed. Last year, Rwanda abolished the death penalty so countries that object to capital punishment are able to extradite genocide suspects directly to Rwanda to face justice. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7277995.stm

• Five years on and there is little hope of any end in sight for the people of Darfur.  Peace talks have failed to get off the ground, the United Nations-African Union peacekeeping mission will not be fully deployed for months to come, and two-thirds of the region's population is dependent on the world's largest aid operation.  "The situation is not better than it was five years ago," says Auriol Miller, head of Oxfam in Sudan.  "We would still say the situation is getting worse. Humanitarian workers are being targeted and attacked in a way that has got increasingly worse over the last few years."  There has been an upsurge of violence in the last few weeks in West Darfur as government forces carried out aerial bombings in an attempt to clear the area of rebel fighters.  Despite efforts by the international community, Darfur's war has not been easy to resolve.  The conflict is now far more complex than it was when rebels attacked a garrison town in North Darfur state on 26 February 2003 - a date many experts pinpoint as the start of the conflict. Read more at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7263663.stm

• Widespread distribution of mosquito nets and a new medicine have sharply reduced malaria deaths in several African countries, World Health Organization researchers reported.  The report Thursday was one of the most hopeful signs in the long battle against a disease that is estimated to kill a million children a year in poor tropical countries. "We saw a very drastic impact," said Dr. Arata Kochi, chief of malaria for WHO, a United Nations organization. "If this is done everywhere, we can reduce the disease burden 80 percent to 85 percent in most African countries within five years." Learn more about Malaria in Africa at http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/02/01/africa/malaria.php

• Militant group al-Qaeda in Islamic North Africa has said it took two Austrian tourists hostage in Tunisia last month. The declaration, made in an audio broadcast aired on al-Jazeera TV, said the duo were kidnapped on 22 February. A spokesman who called himself Salah Abou-Mohammad said it was retribution for the West's support of Israel. Austria's foreign ministry said two Austrians had been missing in Tunisia since mid-February. The al-Qaeda spokesman said the pair were in good health. Austrian authorities did not release their names, saying only that they were a 51-year-old man and a 40-year-old woman, the Associated Press news agency reported. "We tell Western tourists that at the same time they are flowing into Tunisian lands seeking joy, our brothers are being slain in Gaza by the Jews with the collaboration of the Western states," the al-Qaeda spokesman was quoted by AP as saying. "The mujahideen have previously warned and alerted them that the apostate Tunisian state cannot and will not be able to protect you, and the hands of the mujahideen can reach you wherever you are on the Tunisian soil." It is reported the couple were last heard from in the southern Tunisian town of Matmata. For more information visit http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7288436.stm

The Americas:

• The Brazilian government has unveiled a multi-billion dollar anti-poverty plan to provide jobs and infrastructure in the poorest parts of the country.  President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said the biggest cost to the country was not taxes but a century in which poor people had been forgotten.  The programme, which will see some $6bn (£3bn) spent in 2008 alone, still has to be approved by Congress. The initiative, known as "Territories of Citizenship", is meant to help around 24 million people, including rural workers and indigenous communities. The money, which is part of the existing budget, will be used to supplement 135 policies, involving 15 government departments, that are focused on 958 towns in states across the country.  The government is also promising to finally reach its target in the "Light for Everyone" programme to bring electricity to poor communities. The areas selected for funding are said to be in the 60 regions of Brazil with the lowest rankings on the UN Human Development Index. Read more about Brazil's actions to diminish poverty at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7265054.stm
• Venezuela says left-wing guerrillas in Columbia are planning to free four hostages on Wednesday in what would be the second release brokered by Caracas.  FARC rebels had told the Venezuelan government where to collect the four, Interior Minister Ramon Rodriguez said.  The four, former members of congress, are among some 40 high-profile hostages held for years by the Farc guerrillas. Last month, two women were freed in the first major breakthrough in years, raising hopes of more hostage releases. Rebels from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) had said in a statement on January 31st that they would free three hostages as a result of mediation efforts by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. If this second unilateral move happens, it would raise hopes that more hostages may be freed, among them French-Colombian Ingrid Betancourt and three US defence contractors. The rebels have long wanted to exchange their high-profile hostages for hundreds of jailed guerrillas. Colombian President Alvaro Uribe has maintained a firm stance against the FARC, which is regarded as a terrorist group by the US and the European Union. FARC rebels are also thought to be holding several hundred other hostages, many of whom were taken for ransom to help fund rebel operations. Learn more about the efforts to release these hostages at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7264447.stm
• Logging is key industry in the Amazon, but much of it goes on illegally and is becoming a huge problem. Some 160 Brazilian troops have been sent to the Amazon to join hundreds of police officers involved in efforts to tackle illegal deforestation.  The move follows clashes last week when local people and sawmill workers forced environmental officials out of the town of Tailandia in the state of Para. Officials say they do not want more confrontations but the operation against illegal logging will go on. Deforestation in the Amazon jungle rose sharply in the second half of 2007. Last week more than 2,000 protesters blocked roads and forced inspectors to flee the town in the state of Para, before their work was completed.  With around 160 timber yards in the area providing jobs for 2,000 to 3,000 people, the logging industry is a key employer, but it is believed that more than 70% of wood felled in the area is of illegal origin. Some 15,000 cubic metres (530,000 cubic feet) of wood has already been seized by the authorities.  The disturbances in Tailandia, which has a population of around 67,000, have been a sharp reminder of the conflict between economic development and protecting the environment - a conflict that lies at the heart of the debate about the future of the Amazon. The Brazilian government confirmed in January that there had been a significant rise in deforestation in the last five months of 2007, although the previous three years had shown a decline. Ministers promised firmer action against illegal logging, with more police on the ground, more inspections and more fines, but the disturbances in Tailandia have shown that not everyone supports this policy. The town was established 19 years ago and in that period it is believed that as much 60% of forest in the area has been destroyed. Read more about the deforestation at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7264295.stm
• US Secretary of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff, has promised a fair trial for Guantanamo prisoners accused of organizing the 9/11 attacks in 2001. Six men have been charged including the alleged mastermind, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.  They could face the death penalty if convicted of murder and conspiracy by controversial military tribunals. Human rights groups have questioned whether such trials can be fair and said the defendants were tortured. The CIA has admitted to using "water-boarding" - or simulated drowning - as an interrogation technique.  It has yet to be determined whether the evidence obtained by water-boarding will be used in the trial.  Read more at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7240213.stm
• President Hugo Chavez has said he will no longer do business with Exxon which he says is not welcome in Venezuela. This is a fight between two giants - Exxon Mobil, the world's largest private oil firm, versus Venezuela's state energy company. Mr. Chavez has accused Exxon of plundering the nation's resources, claiming their action is part of a wider economic war backed by the US government.  Around $12 billion worth of PDVSA assets have been frozen by the legal action.  Mr. Chavez has retaliated by cutting oil supplies to the company as well as all commercial relations. Read more at  http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7242133.stm
  

Asia:

• The Beijing Olympics will help to improve the human rights situation in China, says a senior International Olympic Committee (IOC) official.  Francois Carrard, a former IOC director general, says the intense spotlight of this summer's games will force China's government to enhance its reputation. China's human rights record has been under scrutiny ever since Beijing was awarded the Olympics in 2001, and the IOC pledged to monitor the situation. Read more about the Olympics at http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympics/7265593.stm
• Water supplies to about 200,000 people in central China have been contaminated by pollution, which has turned branches of a major river system red.  At least three tributaries of the Han river- a branch of the Yangtze- have been affected. State media reported high levels of chemicals in the water. China is increasingly concerned about its environment. A recent ban on plastic bags has led to the country's largest bag factory shutting down.  A chemical spill is thought be the cause, but the source has not yet been identified and an investigation has been launched.  Read more about the pollution at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7266364.stm
• A Taliban commander, Mansoor Dadullah was wounded and arrested Monday by Pakistani forces as he attempted to sneak across the Afghan border into Pakistan with a small band of men.  He is the brother of one of the Taliban's most prominent operational leaders, Mullah Dadullah, who was killed last year.  This arrest indicates greater viligance on the part of Pakistan's border forces.  The arrest is most likely more of a propaganda blow to the Taliban than a pracitical one however. 
• Steven Spielberg has withdrawn as an artistic adviser for the 2008 Olympics to be held in Beijing China because he believes China is not doing enough to pressure its ally Sudan to "end continuing human suffering" in the troubled western Darfur region.  Read more about Spielberg's decision http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7242016.stm

Europe:

• The Vatican has issued new rules making the route to sainthood more difficult.  Cardinal Martins, the prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, issued new guidelines to clarify and modernise the procedure.  He stressed the need for a "true reputation for holiness" among sainthood candidates to be established before the process begins.  Find out more at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7251557.stm
• The UK is to receive about £120m from the EU to help repair damage caused by heavy floods in England last summer, the European Parliament has confirmed. The money is coming from the EU Solidarity Fund, to cover costs like rescue services and temporary housing. About 48,000 homes and 7,000 businesses were flooded in south-west England, the Midlands, Yorkshire and Humberside. Last month local government minister John Healey confirmed that thousands of families had still been unable to return home, more than six months after the floods, which were linked to the deaths of 13 people. Insurance claims have topped £3bn and councils in affected areas have already received more than £18.4m in "recovery grants". It is the UK's first successful application to the EU Solidarity Fund, which was set up in 2002. To learn more go to http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7288836.stm

Middle East:

• Mullah Omar, the leader of the Taliban, says that the Islamic militia is not a threat to other countries and called upon the citizens of NATO countries to withdraw their troops from Afghanistan.  A spokesperson for Omar is quoted with saying, "This is our right to defend our country. We are not a threat to other countries. But we have to use our rights when our country is occupied by foreign forces. We want the people of other countries to pressure their governments not to send troops to Afghanistan." The U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gateshas been pushing NATO countries to send more troops into Afghanistan.  The U.S. currently has 14,000 troops in Afghanistan.  To learn more about the Taliban's views go to http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/02/11/asia/AS-GEN-Afghan-Violence.php
• Israeli commandos have opened fire on an unmarked car in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, shooting dead four Palestinian militants. The raid comes after a surge in violence in the Gaza Strip that left 125 dead in one week. According to witnesses a team of Israeli commandos disguised as locals and driving a car with Palestinian number plates sprayed the militants' car with bullets. Israeli officials confirmed the raid, saying that they had intended to make arrests but opened fire when they saw that three of the militants were armed with assault rifles. They blamed the Islamic Jihad militants for attacks on Israelis. To learn more visit http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7292815.stm

Links to more news sources:

BBC
International Herald Tribune
Catholic Relief Services
Catholic News Service
Amnesty International
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Office for Social Justice
Truthout

Please email any questions or comments to SCM@csbsju.edu