Children
Bear the Brunt of Recent Conflict in Southern Somalia
Children in
southern Somalia are suffering as a result of the conflict
between the government troops and fighters of the Islamic
Courts. 
UNICEF
representative in Somalia Christian Baslev-Olesen says that
some of these children have been recruited into militias,
while others have been shot or detained.
"Our concern is for the children
directly affected by the conflict, the children now being
mobilized into the militia, the children detained because
of affiliation to the former rulers, the children who are
now on the run because of fighting and conflict at their
villages and homes."
Conflict Diamonds Remain a Problem
in Africa
Diamonds
are some of the most precious stones that can bring in the
much needed revenue to develop the economies of African
countries. However, as Ian Smillie of Partnership Africa
Canada points out, diamonds have fuelled conflicts in some
of these countries.
"How you could have in a very poor country a
rebel army fighting for that long with sophisticated weapons
just didn't make any sense unless they were being supported
in some way. And of course it was diamonds. They were looting
the diamonds. They were shipping the diamonds out through
Liberia. They had support from Charles Taylor."
UN Sends Team To Assess Need
for Peacekeepers in Chad and Central Africa
Recent
clashes between rebel and government forces in the Central
African Republic and Chad have prompted the UN to send an
assessment team to the region. UN envoy for the Central
African Republic General Lamine Cissé says the trouble
spot is at the borders with the Darfur region of Sudan and
Chad. The assessment team is expected to leave within two
weeks.
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UN Secretary-General Calls
for Peaceful Resoluton of Conflict in Somalia:
World
Food Programme Helps Rebuild Economy of Southern Sudan:
Fighting Displaces Thousands of People in Eastern Chad
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Tenth anniversary of the Rwandan
genocide: Why did the genocide happen? Why was the
UN unable to prevent the killings or stop the massacres?
What lessons have been learned? Transcript
