The 'Hottest' Researchers in the World

Rudolf Jaenisch, M.D.

15 Mar 2010 05:01 Africa/Lagos


Thomson Reuters Names the World's 'Hottest' Researchers

PHILADELPHIA and LONDON, March 15 /PRNewswire/ -- The world's "hottest" researcher is biochemist Rudolf Jaenisch, M.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is joined by scientists scattered from Ann Arbor to Osaka on the annual Thomson Reuters list of the world's 12 hottest researchers.


In its March/April issue of Science Watch, Thomson Reuters identified the dozen authors whose recent papers were cited most often by other researchers during 2009. Jaenisch authored 14 of these Hot Papers. His research investigates reprogrammed fibroblast cells in models of Parkinson's disease, sickle-cell anemia and other conditions.


Mark J. Daly from the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard produced 13 Hot Papers on genetic mapping and genome-wide association studies. Several of these reports were co-authored with David Altshuler and Paul I.W. de Bakker from the Broad Institute and Goncalo Abecasis of the University of Michigan -- all of whom are making their first appearance in the annual Top 12 list.


The Broad Institute has a fourth researcher on the list: genomics researcher Eric S. Lander.


Two materials professors from Manchester University in England earned spots in the Top 12: Andre K. Geim and Konstantin Novoselov.


Shizuo Akira of Osaka University, named by Thomson Reuters as the hottest researcher in 2005 and 2006, returned to the list this year with nine Hot Papers exploring toll-like receptors and aspects of innate immunity.


Rounding out the list are Carlo M. Croce from Ohio State University, Mikhail Katsnelson from Radboud University in Nijmegen, Netherlands, and Ji-Huan He from Donghua University in Shanghai, China.


"Our annual roundup of researchers who have authored multiple Hot Papers allows us to recognize those who are leading scientific thought," said Christopher King, editor of Science Watch. "It is exciting to see several researchers make first-time appearances on the list."


Thomson Reuters Hot Papers are derived from its Web of Science(SM) database. A published work is identified as a Hot Paper if it is less than two years old and has achieved a rate of citations in scientific journals that is markedly higher than papers of comparable type and age. The researchers named have published the most Hot Papers in the latest two-year period indexed by Thomson Reuters for inclusion in Web of Science.


For a detailed list of the 2008-2009 hottest researchers and research papers, as well as expert analysis, visit ScienceWatch.com.


Here's the full list:





1. Rudolf Jaenisch
Whitehead Institute at MIT has 14 papers in Biochemistry.

2. Mark J. Daly
Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard has 13 papers in Genetics.

3. Andre K. Geim
University of Manchester has 13 in Materials.

4. David Altshuler
Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard has 13 papers in Genetics.

5. Konstantin Novoselov
University of Manchester has 12 papers in Materials.

6. Carlo M. Croce
Ohio State University has 12 papers in Cancer Genetics.

7. Goncalo Abecasis
University of Michigan has 10 papers in Biostatistics.

8. Eric S. Lander
Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard has 10 papers in Genomics.

9. Mikhail Katsnelson
Radboud University of Nijmegen has 10 papers in Materials.

10. Ji-Huan He
Donghua University has 10 papers in Mathematics.

11. Paul I.W. de Bakker
Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard has 9 papers in Genetics.

12. Shizuo Akira
Osaka University has 9 papers in Immunology.


About Thomson Reuters:

Thomson Reuters is the world's leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals. We combine industry expertise with innovative technology to deliver critical information to leading decision makers in the financial, legal, tax and accounting, healthcare and science and media markets, powered by the world's most trusted news organization. With headquarters in New York and major operations in London and Eagan, Minnesota, Thomson Reuters employs more than 50,000 people and operates in over 100 countries. Thomson Reuters shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: TRI) and New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:TRI) . For more information, go to www.thomsonreuters.com.


Source: Thomson Reuters

CONTACT: Susan Besaw, Manager, PR & Communications Healthcare & Science
of Thomson Reuters, +1-215-823-1840, susan.besaw@thomsonreuters.com


Web Site: Thomson Reuters

Nokia : Video Competition

Nokia : Video Competition


Grand Prize

Once in a lifetime trip to experience the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival in New York City (worth up to $10,000 US Dollars). Prize includes:
Exclusive Nokia screening event of your video during the Cannes Festival with flights and accommodation
Round trip airfare for two (2) to New York City from a major airport nearest winner's home
4 day/3 night hotel accommodations

Screening passes and after party access

Nokia N900 mobile computer
Nokia 3G Netbook
Nokia BH905 noise cancelling headphones


2nd Prize

Exclusive Nokia screening event of your video during the Cannes Festival with flights and accommodation
Nokia N900 mobile computer
Nokia BH905 noise cancelling headphones


3rd Prize

Exclusive Nokia screening event of your video during the Cannes Festival with flights and accommodation
Nokia X6 16GB
Nokia BH905 noise cancelling headphones


4th Prize
Nokia X6 16GB
Nokia BH905 noise cancelling headphones


5th Prize
Nokia X6 16GB
Nokia BH905 noise canceling headphones


Runner Up Prizes
5 x Kodak Zi8 Hi-Definition Video Cameras

CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS ON THE RULES AND GUIDELINES.

Adaobi Nwaubani Wins Coveted Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best First Book

Adaobi Nwaubani Wins Coveted Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best First Book

~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima


Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani


Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani's novel I Do Not Come to You by Chance has won her the 2010 Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best First Book in the Africa Region.

The crime fiction tells the story of the notorious Nigerian 419 Internet scammers from a very sensitive narrative writer and has been described as a must read by The Washington Post.



"Nwaubani's subversive skill lies in telling us a familiar story from an unfamiliar angle. By making Robin Hood heroes of the vilified perpetrators of e-mail scams, she allows us to enjoy watching a potbellied pervert from Utah pay an African village kid's school fees," wrote Chris Cleave in The Washington Post on Saturday, May 23, 2009. I Do Not Come to You by Chance made the highly esteemed newspaper's Best Books of the Year in 2009.


Adaobi is the Editor of Elan, a small glossy fashion and style magazine published by Timbuktu Media in Nigeria.

President Obama Donates $125,000 of Nobel Prize Money to American Indian College Fund

President Barack Obama received the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway on Thursday, December 10, 2009.

12 Mar 2010 01:35 Africa/Lagos

President Obama Donates $125,000 of Nobel Prize Money to American Indian College Fund

DENVER, March 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- President Obama announced today that he will donate $125,000 of his $1.4 million 2009 Nobel Peace Prize monies to the American Indian College Fund (the Fund). In a statement issued by the White House, Obama said of the Fund and nine other charity organizations that received donations from the president, "These organizations do extraordinary work in the United States and abroad helping students, veterans and countless others in need. I'm proud to support their work."

"We are thrilled that President Obama has chosen to publicly acknowledge the work the American Indian College Fund is doing in Indian Country by sharing $125,000 of his prestigious Nobel Peace Prize award with us," said Richard B. Williams, President and CEO of the American Indian College Fund. "As a result of President Obama's vision and leadership, through his donation to the Fund along with nine other outstanding charities, he is setting an example for how all Americans can help those less fortunate. The gift will be used to support Native scholarships at America's 33 accredited tribal colleges and universities."

According to the White House Statement, these charities include Fisher House, which provides housing for families of patients receiving medical care at major military and VA medical centers; the Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund, which raises money for long-term relief efforts in Haiti after its earthquake; College Summit, which partners with elementary and middle schools and school districts to increase college enrollment and student preparation; the Posse Foundation, a scholarship organization which identifies public high school students with academic and leadership potential who may be overlooked by traditional college selection processes; the United Negro College Fund, which helps 60,000 students yearly to attend college through scholarship and internship programs; the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, the nation's leading Hispanic scholarship organization; the Appalachian Leadership and Education Foundation, which supports and enables young Appalachians to pursue higher education though scholarship and leadership curriculum; AfriCare, which supports health and HIV/AIDS, food security and agriculture, and water resource development projects in 25 countries; and the Central Asia Institute, which promotes and supports community-based education and literacy, especially for girls, in remote regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

About the American Indian College Fund

With its credo "Educating the Mind and Spirit," the American Indian College Fund is the nation's largest provider of private scholarships for American Indian students, providing an average of 6,000 scholarships annually for students seeking to better their lives and communities through education and support to the nation's 33 accredited tribal colleges and universities. For more information about the American Indian College Fund, please visit www.collegefund.org

Source: American Indian College Fund

CONTACT: Dina Horwedel, Director, Public Education, +1-303-430-5350
(direct), or +1-720-394-8073 (cell), dhorwedel@collegefund.org

Web Site: http://www.collegefund.org/

Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time 12 Mar 2010

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11 Mar 2010

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Brazil's GDP Down 0.2% in 2009, Demonstrating Resilience Amidst Global Economic Crisis

11 Mar 2010 21:12 Africa/Lagos

Brazil's GDP Down 0.2% in 2009, Demonstrating Resilience Amidst Global Economic Crisis

Fourth quarter growth in consumption and investments supported growth, says Finance Minister Mantega

BRASILIA, Brazil, March 11 /PRNewswire/ -- The Federative Republic of Brazil announced today that its economy saw only a moderate decline amid the global recession in 2009, with a 0.2 percent decrease in annual real gross domestic product -- the output of goods and services adjusted for inflation -- to R$ 3.14 trillion (at current values), equivalent to US$ 1.58 trillion. In the fourth quarter of 2009, real GDP rose 2 percent (seasonally adjusted) over the third quarter of 2009, according to data released by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).

"Both our fourth quarter and full year GDP performance show that Brazil, despite the difficult economic environment throughout 2009, successfully recovered from the global financial crisis. Through our sound macroeconomic steering, we feel we have demonstrated our resilience and weathered the storm better than most," said Finance Minister Guido Mantega. "We are already seeing strong indications of economic growth for the year ahead and expect at least 5 percent growth in 2010."

2009 Annual Performance Supported by Services Sector

Brazil's 0.2 percent decrease in annual GDP in 2009 was primarily a result of the performance of the services sector, which grew 2.6 percent, offsetting the performance of the agriculture and industry sectors, which declined 5.2 percent and 5.5 percent, respectively. The economy was also supported by stable domestic demand, with household consumption growing 4.1 percent and a 3.7 percent increase in public administration consumption.

Q4 2009 Performance Buoyed by Investment and Domestic Consumption

The expansion in real GDP for the fourth quarter of 2009 in the seasonally adjusted series represents a 2 percent increase compared to the third quarter of 2009. Highlights of Q4 performance included 4.0 percent growth in the industrial sector, 0.6 percent growth in the services sector, and a stable 0.0 percent change in agricultural output. Regarding domestic demand, gross fixed capital formation recorded a growth of 6.6 percent, household consumption grew 1.9 percent and public administration consumption increased by 0.6 percent. These outcomes point to the recovery of private investments and increased consumption.

To access more information in English and the full press release in Portuguese, please visit IBGE's website: http://www.ibge.gov.br/english/presidencia/noticias/noticia_visualiza.php?id_n oticia=1571&id_pagina=1 (due to length of URL, please copy and paste into browser).


Source: SECOM

CONTACT: Steve Naru, +1-212-453-2228, steve.naru@fleishman.com, for
SECOM

Web site: http://www.brasil.gov.br/

Nigerian and Indonesian Activists Challenge Repressive Measures in “Defamation of Religions” Debate

1 Mar 2010 17:52 Africa/Lagos

Nigerian and Indonesian Activists Challenge Repressive Measures in “Defamation of Religions” Debate

GENEVA, March 11, 2010/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- Freedom House today held a panel discussion entitled “Free to Express, Free to Believe: The Defamation of Religions Debate” at the 13th Session of the Human Rights Council featuring human rights defenders from Indonesia, Nigeria and the United States who discussed options for combating religious discrimination without restricting free speech. Delegates from the United States, Chile, the UK, Italy, Denmark, Pakistan, Mexico and Brazil attended the session, together with about 75 UN and civil society representatives.


The issue of defamation of religions has become a highly polarized topic at the Human Rights Council with non-binding resolutions calling on governments to ban speech considered offensive to some religious believers continuing to pass each year since first introduced in 1999. The resolutions have yet to result in a decrease in acts of religious discrimination and intolerance, which continue to occur as moderate voices are drowned out of the debate.


“Freedom House has strongly opposed these resolutions not only because they pose unacceptable restrictions on free speech, but because they do nothing to address the real problem of discrimination and hate crimes based on a person's religious belief,” said panel moderator Paula Schriefer, Freedom House's director of advocacy.


Several states that have domestic laws against religious “defamation” are considering repealing or revising such laws, including Indonesia and Pakistan, whereas other states with these laws on the books have not demonstrated their effectiveness in combating the problem of religious discrimination and violence, as in the case of Nigeria. Nonetheless, the 56 countries that comprise the Organization of the Islamic Conference continue to advocate for a legal mechanism—in the form of an optional protocol to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD)—that would go further than the nonbinding resolutions by banning “defamation of religions” under international law.


Panelists were united in the view that legal measures to protect religious beliefs from criticism are counterproductive to the goal of promoting religious tolerance. They instead advocated practical measures, such as social initiatives that encourage people of different faiths to work together, educational programs and dialogues among groups of different faiths, during which controversial religious tenets could be debated openly and without fear of reprisals.


“One might conclude that these laws are really useless,” said panelist Edetaen Ojo, director of Media Rights Agenda, an organization established in 1993 to promote freedom of expression and freedom of the press in Nigeria. “Religious violence will continue to occur in Nigeria unless steps are undertaken to educate Nigeria's children and to generate genuine dialogue among its population.”


Panelists also warned against the use of defamation laws to suppress religious minorities.


“Most of the time, the blasphemy law is misused to criminalize the internal minority sect of religion, or traditional believers who have different interpretations of the official religion,” said panelist Renata Arianingtyas, an activist from an Indonesian NGO that promotes human rights and justice through legal education.


Background on the “defamation of religions” debate can be found on the Freedom House website as well as report card on the performance of the Human Rights Council from 2007-2009


Media interested in interviewing any of the panelists should contact Courtney C. Radsch at +1 202-378-0006 or by email at radsch@freedomhouse.org


Freedom House is an independent watchdog organization that supports democratic change, monitors the status of freedom around the world, and advocates for democracy and human rights.


Source: Freedom House


Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time 11 Mar 2010

17:52 Nigerian and Indonesian Activists Challenge Repressive Measures in “Defamation of Religions” Debate

16:36 MTN Group Reports Sound Operational Performance for the Year Ended 31 December 2009

15:00 China Precision Steel to Present at Roth Growth Conference on March 16, 2010

03:26 Nigeria / Red Cross assisting victims of Jos violence

Nigeria: Two Popular Nollywood Stars Murdered in Benin

View "Ukeke" in "Avielele", a Bini Edo movie.

Popular Edo State Nollywood stars Mr. Erhauyi Ogbeide, a.k.a "Ukeke" and Eghosa Idehen, a.k.a "Erejiro" were reported shot and killed Tuesday evening at the home of "Ukeke"’s father-in-law, located at 39, Ore-Oghene Street in Benin at about 8pm, according to the Daily Trust newspaper in Nigeria.

Erhauyi Ogbeide played leading roles in several Bini Edo moves such as "Avielele".

Click here for more details.

Avon Foundation for Women Grants $500,000 to the U.S. To End Violence Against Women

Andrea Jung, Avon Chairman & CEO, and Avon's Global Ambassador Reese Witherspoon announce donation to U.S. State Department's Secretary's Fund for Global Women's Leadership at Women of Courage Awards in the presence of the First Lady Michelle Obama and the Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. (PRNewsFoto/Avon Foundation for Women) WASHINGTON, DC UNITED STATES

11 Mar 2010 08:17 Africa/Lagos


Avon Foundation for Women Grants $500,000 to the U.S. Department of State Secretary's Fund for Global Women's Leadership

Donation to Fund International Programs to End Violence Against Women

WASHINGTON, March 11 /PRNewswire/ -- The Avon Foundation for Women (www.avonfoundation.org) presented a $500,000 grant to the U.S. Department of State Secretary's Fund for Global Women's Leadership to accelerate the global movement to end violence against women. Andrea Jung, Avon Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and Reese Witherspoon, Avon Global Ambassador and Honorary Chairperson of the Avon Foundation, made the announcement at the International Women of Courage Awards, hosted by Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton, at the U.S. Department of State.


To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click: http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/avon/37730/


(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100311/MM68434 )


Violence against women is a global epidemic yet efforts to prevent it are underfunded. Nearly one billion women worldwide -- that is one in three women -- will experience violence in their lifetime. Yet around the world, services for victims are often limited or unavailable, and in many countries, laws to protect women do not exist or are not enforced. Women who are abused cannot reach their social or economic potential, which hurts families, communities and entire countries -- and can be especially detrimental to developing countries where involvement of women is essential to growth.


The U.S. Department of State will use the grant to fund innovative and breakthrough programs developed by international non-government organizations for the purpose of ending violence against women.


"We are tremendously privileged to partner with the U.S. Department of State, and share in their resolve to end violence against women. As the company for women, we are equally committed to providing women with an economic opportunity as we are serving as a change agent for critical issues that face women worldwide," said Jung. "We believe the answer to this complex problem lies in forging strong partnerships between the public and private sectors. If we fuse our strengths -- the vast resources and commitment from the private sector, combined with the public sector's regional expertise and grassroots networks -- then our collective efforts can chart a course for a life free of violence against women everywhere."


These new efforts underscore Avon's ongoing commitment to ending violence against women, which includes the Speak Out Against Domestic Violence program launched by Avon and the Avon Foundation for Women in 2004. These efforts have expanded to 45 countries including award-winning programs in Mexico and the Czech Republic. Behind the success of these initiatives is much-needed grassroots mobilization and fundraising driven by the company's network of 6 million Avon Sales Representatives worldwide. To date, Avon global philanthropy has committed more than $16 million to end violence against women, including $8 million coming from the global sales of Avon Empowerment Products developed in partnership with Witherspoon.


"I am proud to serve as Avon Global Ambassador and represent a company with a conscience and the courage to take on hard issues. Although we face many challenges around the world, nothing is more important than ensuring the safety of women and girls everywhere," says Witherspoon. "Investments like the one announced today by the Avon Foundation and the U.S. Department of State are essential to the development and implementation of programs to end this global crisis."


The Avon Foundation for Women, along with Vital Voices, is also collaborating with the U.S. Department of State to host a three-day conference, The Global Partnership to End Violence Against Women in Washington, D.C., from March 9-11. This innovative public-private partnership, which is founded on the premise that local experts are best suited to know what solutions will work in their own communities, will foster the creation of cross-sector collaborations with the goal of reducing violence against women.


To facilitate the Global Partnership, Avon and the Avon Foundation for Women donated $1.2 million to Vital Voices to bring together 15 country delegations consisting of leaders from diverse sectors -- business, government, law enforcement, the nongovernmental organization (NGO) community, academia and others -- in a global forum to share insights, forge collaborations, and seek ways to overcome challenging cultural realities that have been barriers to progress. The Global Partnership will support regional events in India and Argentina in the fall of 2010. Additionally, the Global Partnership will create a violence against women campaign Toolkit that will provide information and strategies to develop effective advocacy, awareness and education campaigns and programs that NGOs can use to reduce violence against women in any country.


Avon Products, Inc.


Avon, the company for women, is a leading global beauty company, with over $10 billion in annual revenue. As the world's largest direct seller, Avon markets to women in more than 100 countries through approximately 6 million independent Avon Sales Representatives. Avon's product line includes beauty products, as well as fashion and home products, and features such well-recognized brand names as Avon Color, Anew, Skin-So-Soft, Advance Techniques, Avon Naturals, and Mark. Learn more about Avon and its products at www.avoncompany.com.


Avon Foundation for Women


The Avon Foundation for Women (www.avonfoundation.org) is the world's largest corporate-affiliated philanthropy focused on women's issues. Since it was founded in 1955, the Avon Foundation has been committed to the mission to improve the lives of women and their families. Now past the half century milestone, the Avon Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity that today brings this mission to life through two key areas of focus: breast cancer and domestic violence. Through 2009, Avon global philanthropy has donated more than $725 million in over 50 countries for causes most important to women.


Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100311/MM68434
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com Video: http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/avon/37730
Source: Avon Foundation for Women

CONTACT: Debbie Coffey, +1-917-754-2932


Web Site: http://www.avoncompany.com/
http://www.avonfoundation.org/

Legality of Berlusconi's Television Monopoly Challenged

Silvio Berlusconi is the Prime Minister of Italy


11 Mar 2010 12:00 Africa/Lagos

Legality of Berlusconi's Television Monopoly Challenged

NEW YORK and STRASBOURG, France, March 11, 2010/PRNewswire/ --


- Europe's Top Court Urged to Address Italy's Media Pluralism Gap


Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's control over television broadcasting in Italy goes against European democratic standards, the Open Society Justice Initiative argued in a brief filed today with the European Court of Human Rights. The Italian broadcaster bringing suit, Centro Europa 7 s.r.l., has been denied access to the airwaves for almost a decade.


"This case highlights the failure of successive Italian governments to deal with the twin problems of concentrated control and conflict of interest in broadcasting," said James A. Goldston, executive director of the Open Society Justice Initiative. "The Italian situation is unacceptable for a democracy, and we are calling on the European Court to uphold the principles of media pluralism."


In 1999, Italian authorities granted Centro Europa 7 a license to operate a national television station but failed to offer it an actual operating frequency until December 2008. The frequency should have been relinquished under national anti-trust law by the Mediaset Group, Italy's dominant private broadcasting company. Mediaset operates the country's top three private television channels and is controlled by the Berlusconi family.


"Italy has the most concentrated television ownership in Europe," said Goldston. "This lack of diversity can stifle debate and limit the public's access to information and critical perspectives."


As head of government, Berlusconi also has indirect authority over Italy's state-owned public service broadcaster, Radiotelevisione Italiana (RAI). Together, Mediaset and RAI jointly control roughly 90 percent of audience and advertising revenue shares nationally. Centro Europa 7 claims the frequency it was finally granted in 2008 was squeezed out of RAI's existing frequencies and is unsuitable for operating a national television network across Italy.


In 2004, both the Council of Europe and the European Parliament condemned the open conflict of interest between Mr. Berlusconi's media interests and his political responsibilities when in government, yet the situation persists. The current government has been repeatedly accused of partisan interference with RAI's editorial choices.


The Justice Initiative intervened in this case as an independent third party acting in the public interest.


The Open Society Justice Initiative (http://www.justiceinitiative.org/) uses law to protect and empower people around the world. Through litigation, advocacy, research, and technical assistance, the Justice Initiative promotes human rights and builds legal capacity for open societies.


Source: Open Society Institute

Rachel Aicher, +1-212-548-0135 (w), +1-917-294-2641 (m), raicher@sorosny.org; or Luis Montero, +44-20-70311704 (w), +44-7798737516 (m), luis.montero@osf-eu.org, both of the Open Society Institute

STATEMENT: Lord's Resistance Army Finds Safe Haven in Darfur

11 Mar 2010 07:17 Africa/Lagos

STATEMENT: Lord's Resistance Army Finds Safe Haven in Darfur

KAMPALA, Uganda, JUBA, Sudan and WASHINGTON, March 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Enough Project at the Center for American Progress today released the following statement:


The Enough Project confirms that a contingent of the deadly Lord's Resistance Army, or LRA, has taken refuge in areas of south Darfur, Sudan, controlled by the Government of Sudan. The possibility of rekindled collaboration between LRA leader Joseph Kony and Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir - both wanted for war crimes and crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court, or ICC - should alarm policymakers and demands urgent international investigation and response.


The LRA originated in northern Uganda during the late 1980s. In addition to committing widespread atrocities in Uganda, throughout the 1990s and early 2000s the LRA served as a proxy for the Sudanese government in its war with the Sudan People's Liberation Army, or SPLA, in southern Sudan. In 2005, Kony publicly stated that the Bashir government supported the LRA as a proxy force to destabilize the south, a charge that Khartoum continues to deny despite considerable evidence to the contrary.


"The Khartoum regime's principal tool of war during its 21-year reign has been support for marauding militias such as the Janjaweed, the Murahaliin, and the Lord's Resistance Army," said Enough Co-founder John Prendergast. "Facing no consequences for this destructive method of governing, it is unsurprising that the regime is again providing safe haven for the LRA. Absent a cost for this, we will likely see the LRA unleashed again later this year to destabilize the referendum in southern Sudan."


With material support from Khartoum, the LRA quickly became one of the deadliest militias in Africa, known for gruesome mutilations of civilians and abduction of children to serve as fighters and sex slaves. Following failed peace talks from 2006 to 2008, the LRA morphed into a full blown regional insurgency with fighters in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, or CAR, and southern Sudan.


In late 2009, Enough received credible information that an LRA reconnaissance team was seeking to make contact with the Sudanese army at their base in Kafia Kingi, near south Darfur's border with CAR. In recent months, Ugandan forces have pursued the LRA into Congo, CAR, and southern Sudan, but are restricted from crossing Sudan's disputed north-south border.


Now, based on months of field research and interviews with government and United Nations officials in several countries, Enough can confirm that LRA units have reached south Darfur.


"This is a very disturbing development. The move by the Government of Sudan to provide the LRA with safe haven demands a firm, rapid, and well-coordinated response from the United States and its partners in the international community," said John Norris, Enough's Executive Director. "A failure to bring clear and consistent pressure on President Bashir and his allies for this latest outrage will only encourage the Sudanese government to commit further abuses, with a terrible cost for civilians on the ground."


Also today, Enough released a strategy paper by field researcher Ledio Cakaj detailing the continuing threat posed by the LRA to civilians in northeastern Congo. The report, "Between a Rock and a Hard Place: LRA Attacks and Congolese Army Abuses in Northeastern Congo," argues that much greater efforts must be made to protect civilians from a resurgent LRA and the predatory Congolese army.


Read the report at: http://www.enoughproject.org/publications/lra-army-abuses-congo


Enough is a project of the Center for American Progress to end genocide and crimes against humanity. Founded in 2007, Enough focuses on crises in Sudan, eastern Congo, and areas of Africa affected by the Lord's Resistance Army. Enough's strategy papers and briefings provide sharp field analysis and targeted policy recommendations based on a "3P" crisis response strategy: promoting durable peace, providing civilian protection, and punishing perpetrators of atrocities. Enough works with concerned citizens, advocates, and policy makers to prevent, mitigate, and resolve these crises. For more information, please visit www.enoughproject.org.


Source: Center for American Progress

CONTACT: Eileen White Read, +1-202-641-0779, eread@enoughproject.org,
for Center for American Progress


Web Site: http://www.enoughproject.org/
http://www.americanprogress.org/