Peace & Security Report

BENIN: Floods displace over 350,000

Flooding caused by heavy rains that began in early October has left nearly two-thirds of Benin underwater. The UN reports 377 dead across west and central Africa and over 1.5 million displaced. The flooding is exacerbating food crises and leading to the spread of cholera and other diseases. However, on October 21, seven African states -- Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Niger and Nigeria, -- announced a pact to cooperate on cross-border health issues. Comment: Many of the countries being hardest hit by the flooding already suffer from humanitarian crises, including malnutrition, disease, and food shortages. Cooperation on health initiatives could facilitate greater integration across other venues as well, and may help prevent the current floods from leading to more widespread conflict and structural violence. (UNICEF, RFI, AFP, Daily Trust)

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: Combating the LRA

The four countries most affected by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) -- Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Central African Republic (CAR), and Sudan -- agreed to form a permanent joint military operation, with logistical support from the African Union (AU), Nigeria, and South Africa. The announcement comes as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees raised concerns over the LRA on October 15 after attacks in recent weeks killed dozens and displaced thousands. CAR called for the AU to respond to the LRA as a terrorist threat, and officials in Sudan lauded the efforts. Comment: The LRA began in 1987 in Uganda before fleeing into DRC, CAR, and Sudan, where it continued to carry out brutal attacks and abduct thousands of children. Previous joint military operations by the four countries failed to rout the LRA or adequately protect civilians from reprisal attacks. Establishing a permanent task force should help improve the previous shortcomings. (Sudan Tribune, AFP, BBC, New Vision, UN News Centre)

COTE D'IVOIRE: Election campaigning begins peacefully

The UN announced on October 18 that campaigning for the October 31 presidential election started successfully and peacefully. Just three days before the beginning of the official campaigning, the UN Security Council announced a six-month extension of sanctions on weapons, travel, and finance, including sanctions targeting blood diamonds. The sanctions are scheduled to be reviewed no later than three months after the conclusion of the presidential elections. Ex-rebel group New Forces hailed the successful distribution of identification and voter registration cards and called for support of peaceful elections. Comment: Presidential elections in Cote d'Ivoire were initially scheduled for 2005. Although delayed five years, they offer the best chance for stability -- if held successfully. The UN peacekeeping force has already increased its presence, and the European Union dispatched 120 peacekeepers to ensure a peaceful election. (Ghana News Link, Afrique en Lingue, UN News Centre, Examiner)

DRC: Women speak out against sexual violence

Thousands of rape survivors in the Democratic Republic of Congo marched on October 17 to call attention to the crisis of sexual violence in what the UN called the "rape capital of the world." Congolese women were joined by women from over 40 other countries. Recent reports from the UN suggest that over 15,000 rapes took place in DRC last year alone as rape has become an increasingly common weapon, used by both rebel groups and government soldiers. Comment: Sexual violence is quickly rising as the dominant threat in the DRC, a country beset with problems. As government soldiers retake land from rebels, they often rape the same victims they are alleged to be protecting. The UN has so far proved powerless is halting the violence against women, but recently made it a top priority and demanded that the DRC begin investigating and prosecuting rapes. The march, in addition to raising awareness, intended to remove the stigma attached to women who have been raped and encourage them to speak out. (Radio Netherlands Worldwide, CNN, AFP, UN News Centre)

SUDAN: Talks on Abyei region collapse

Talks on the future of the oil-rich Abyei region collapsed last week ahead of the January referendum. Representatives of the Khartoum government say that a delay is "inevitable," while officials in the south said that residents of Abyei may have to hold their own vote. Southern Sudanese officials are also calling for international intervention to resolve the Abyei issue in time, which apparently collapsed over calls for the Missiriya, nomad cattle grazers, to be included in the vote. On October 18, the UN announced that 100 peacekeepers from the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) were being moved to Abyei to control rising tensions. Comment: The negotiations over the vote in the Abyei district centered around who would be allowed to vote in the January 9, 2011, referendum. As part of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, Abyei will vote to remain a part of the north or join a potentially independent South Sudan. The collapse of the talks only fuels an already untenable situation. (Reuters, AFP, Sudan Tribune, Sudan Tribune)

Researched/Written by Matthew Hughes