News

To recap our recent campaign, #Syriasly, we created this Storify to highlight some of the coolest actions, events, and tweets. Don't know about #Syriasly? Check it out.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Hey upSTANDers! Because of school finals, this will be our last news brief until the new year--but keep checking out STAND’s blog and Facebook for updates, and if you haven’t yet, join us for our remaining 9 days of action!

BREAKING: Reports are surfacing of the possible use of White Phosphorous by a Syrian military helicopter. White Phosphorous can cause severe chemical burns, and the smoke vapors can cause illness or even death. There also is a risk that white phosphorus residue can poison food stocks or water sources and lead to later poisoning.

Last night, NBC News, citing government officials, reported that the Syrian military had completed the process of loading sarin gas into aerial bombs. These reports, if true, mean that the military is ready to deploy chemical weapons if so ordered by President Bashar al-Assad.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Colonel Albert Kahasha and 35 fighters from other rebel groups including the Raia Mutomboki and Nyatura armed groups surrendered in Bukavu on Monday.

SUDAN

On Monday, November 5, the government of Sudan was condemned for 'arresting and summarily executing 16 civilians of the Nuba tribe.’ According to Arnu Ngutulu Lodi, spokesman of the (SPLM-N), the government executed the civilians because they were 'suspected to be SPLM/A-N supporters'. Paramount chief Adam Juju and his brother Abdalla Juju had been targeted since the May 2011 elections, 'because of their ethnic background' and support for the SPLM-N candidate.

By Daniel Solomon, STAND Advocacy Coordinator

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

A confidential report was leaked to Reuters on Wednesday, saying that Rwanda’s defence minister, General James Kabarebe, is effectively commanding the M23 rebellion in the DRC. The report says Kigali has supplied the M23 with heavy weapons and is helping with recruitment for the group.

BURMA

Following her recent 17-day trip to the US, Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has expressed her willingness to eventually become president of Myanmar. As general secretary of her party, the National League for Democracy, she consistently repeated the three pillars of her party’s platform: establish the rule of law, amend the constitution, and bring about peace between the Myanmar government and ethnic minorities.