Expulsion of Missionaries in Eritrea

Caught between violence in Ethiopia and Somalia and simmering turmoil in Sudan, Eritrea makes few headlines in the Horn of Africa. But the repressive government in Eritrea ought to sound international alarms – indeed it has for 14 Comboni Missionaries who were...

Ugandan President Museveni Labels Contracting HIV Treason

On September 24, President Museveni of Uganda was addressing officials from 12 Ugandan universities in Kampala when he compared contracting HIV/AIDS to treason.  According to the Monitor, he said to those who contract HIV/AIDS, “Instead of being an...

Wolf Can Live, But Can Darfurians?

In an April 19 article in the Washington Post , Rep Frank Wolf (R-Va) was reported as saying that “he could live with a few more weeks to see if Bashir is willing to cooperate.” This was in reference to President Bush’s announcement of and delay of...

A Devil’s Bargain in Somalia?

Like the Israelites after the fall of the first Temple (recorded in the book of Lamentations), Somalia’s people suffer innumerable woes. With residents fleeing in the hundreds of thousands, their Jerusalem lies deserted and destroyed (Mogadishu), and many believe that...

US Military Strikes Again in Somalia

In early June, the United States intervened militarily in Somalia for the third time this year, striking a group of alleged terrorists with cruise missiles. The men targeted had come ashore in northern Somalia two days earlier and were hiding in nearby mountains....

Somalia: Continued Conflict or Possibility of Peace?

Grim tales of humanitarian emergencies and violence now dominate where once there existed some hope for Somalia’s future. The fragile transitional government and its Ethiopian backers now face a violent insurgency, and the humanitarian situation continues to...

Update on the Somalia Situation

The military and humanitarian situation in Somalia worsened over the weekend, primarily due to the actions of the Union of Islamic Courts. Reconciliation now seems even more unlikely. But is there hope? The situation in Somalia turned even bleaker on Saturday as...

Militia Attacks Resume in Darfur

Militia attacks have resumed and the humanitarian situation continues to worsen in Darfur. Meanwhile, the international community and humanitarian organizations are decreasing their involvement in the region. In the first week of November, militia attacks on IDP camps...