| LIFE-NET NEWS |
| by Ret Z. |
| Covering Poverty Widely in a Net of Many Voices |
| October 28, 2009 | No Profit; No Proceeds |
| Volume 13 Number 8 | All-Volunteer |
| "Give a family a fish, and they'll eat a meal; give them a Net, and they'll have fish for Life." |
| As US Recovers, Recession's Worst Hits Wyoming |
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CHEYENNE, WY Charitable organizations in the city say they're getting more calls for help from people in financial distress. Trish Peacock, executive director of Cheyenne Interfaith Hospitality, says she got five calls during one recent morning from people in desperate need of housing.
Peacock says that Wyoming typically lags about 18 months behind the national economy -- the state is hitting the lowest part of the recession now. "We're seeing the beginning of the worst of it. It will take longer to recover." The Salvation Army in Cheyenne says it's seen a 37% increase in the number of people needing food and clothing. Pete Fetsco, who works in the office there said that in September, 472 more people had lunch there than in August. In Casper, the Poverty Resistance program is also seeing increased demand. About 60 families a week get basic foods from the Casper program. Director Mary Ann Budenske said, "We're also seeing people laid off who never had to get food stamps before." In August 2009, SNAP (food stamps) households totaled 12,097 in Wyoming, up from 9,321 in August 2007. The Department of Health reported an increase of 3,674 Medicaid enrollments between January and September. Source: Associated Press |
| Malnutrition's Huge Economic Cost in Latin America |
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BOGOTA, COLOMBIA Child malnutrition is costing Latin American governments billions of dollars every year and is slowing down economic growth in the region, according to United Nations research. Economic losses due to long-term child malnutrition amount to an average of up to 3% of a country's gross domestic product (GDP), according to UN studies focusing on more than 10 Latin American countries since 2007.
"There's a clear relationship between child malnutrition, economic loss, productivity, and competitiveness," said Alejandro Chicheri, WFP's information officer for Latin America. While the human cost of child malnutrition, such as physical and mental damage in children, has been well documented, analysts are only just beginning to calculate the economic toll. In Central America, where poverty and child malnutrition levels are historically higher than the rest of Latin America, the economic cost can be as high as 11% of a country's GDP. In Guatemala, where nearly half of children suffer from chronic malnutrition, UN estimates put the cost at $3.1 billion a year in 2004, or 11% of GDP. "That's an amazingly high figure," said Chicheri. "To solve the problem of malnutrition, we would need to spend only a fraction of that $3.1 billion. It can be done." In the Andean region, the economic impact of malnutrition is highest in Bolivia. Last year, UN studies showed that child malnutrition cost the Bolivian government an estimated $552 million, nearly 6% of GDP. With over nine million children under five suffering from malnutrition in Latin America, governments are being urged to view the problem as an economic issue as well as a social and public health priority. The following paragraphs represent more of what Chicheri said: "Hunger is a social and moral issue but it's also an economic issue too. Targeting malnutrition makes economic sense." Getting Latin American governments to reposition chronic malnutrition as part of their long-term economic development plans is vital. It may be the silver bullet that they need to break the hunger and poverty cycle. Chile is often singled out as the only Latin American nation that has managed to virtually eradicate child malnutrition in less than three decades. Successive governments in Chile viewed child malnutrition as both a social issue and one about competitiveness. Providing a nutritious, free meal at schools is a key way to help reduce economic losses caused by malnutrition and raise school attendance rates and nutrition levels, a strategy that is yielding results in Colombia and Honduras. "It's clear that schools providing food helps. Parents will send their kids to school knowing there's food, and kids will be able to study, concentrate better, and their grades will improve." Source: AlertNet |
| Long-Term Care Residents' Rights Reaffirmed at Rally |
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DOVER, DE More than 100 residents of Delaware nursing homes and long-term care facilities gathered at the Sheraton Dover
Hotel on Oct 8 to assert their right to be treated fairly and equally during their golden years. The theme of the eighth annual Residents' Rights Rally was "Hear our voice," and the collection of state healthcare officials who spoke at the event made it clear that they are listening.
"Residents should be treated with dignity and respect of their full individuality," said Rita Landgraf, secretary of the state's Department of Health and Social Services. From simple things like choosing when to go to bed, to more serious needs such as having full and unrestricted access to medical records, there was agreement that residents are entitled to be in control of what happens to them at their long-term care facility. That's the way it should be, but facilities don't always treat their residents with the respect they deserve, said Nyleen Lonski, activities director at the Westminster Village senior living facility in Dover. She said it's important for residents to have access to advocates and other staff who will work on their behalf to solve problems and make their wishes known. "They have a right to know if they're going to have a new roommate, and if for some reason they need to have their room changed, they absolutely can. They get a choice," she said. "They rule the nursing home; we are here to serve them." Landgraf highlighted several state programs designed to give residents of long-term care facilities the ability to speak up and have their grievances addressed. She included the Long-term Care Ombudsman Program, which listens to concerns from residents in facilities statewide and works toward comprehensive solutions. "There are over 5,100 individuals living in 50 nursing homes in Delaware and almost 2,200 individuals living in 144 assisted living facilities in the state," said Ombudsman Victor Orija. "All of us must continue to affirm these rights through facility practices, public policy, and resident-centered decision making." Gov Jack Markell, who also spoke at the rally, said he has charged Landgraf and her agency with drafting a comprehensive report on Delaware's long-term care facilities that highlights their strengths and weaknesses. The report will be used as a guide for future administration policies and legislation. Markell told the group there's no question of the need to protect residents' rights. "These are basic rights you all deserve, regardless of any legislation." Source: Dover Post |
| Mosquitoes Adapt to Nets in Kenya |
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NAIROBI, KENYA Malaria-causing mosquitoes are changing their feeding habits, getting their meals earlier in the evening before people go to sleep under nets. Mosquitoes are known to feed late at night, but researchers say the vectors are now feeding early in the evening, thereby reducing the effectiveness of the nets. This change in feeding time is yet another way the insects are circumventing some of the latest technology that has lowered the incidence of malaria in the country by 40%.
These findings are among the 800 studies on malaria which will be presented next week in Nairobi at one of the largest scientific conferences to be held over a single disease in Africa. The Fifth Multilateral Initiative on Malaria Pan-African Conference, organized by the Kenya Medical Research Institute, is expected to attract over 3,000 scholars. Because of the change in the mosquitoes' feeding habits, researchers are calling on people living in malaria endemic areas to use the nets in combination with a repellent to reduce the likelihood of being bitten. According to the study, an international NGO is planning to start the distribution of highly subsidized mosquito repellents in malaria endemic areas. This new challenge comes as more evidence indicates that the mosquito is increasingly developing resistance against insecticides used in treating bednets, especially chemicals derived from pyrethrum. Interestingly, a study carried out in Kenya hypothesizes that although the country has seen a dramatic reduction of malaria in children under five, the disease burden may shift to older children. Researcher Caroline Gitonga argues that younger children may not be building significant immunity, which could make them soft targets for the parasite later in life. Source: Daily Nation |
| Hospital, State Unite to Help Babies Sleep Safely |
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WILMINGTON, DE Nemours/Alfred I duPont Hospital for Children and the State of Delaware have collaborated to
bring Cribs for Kids to the state. Cribs for Kids Delaware (CKD) will distribute free cribs to families who cannot afford one. The Delaware Child Death, Near Death and Stillbirth Commission (DCDNDSC) and the Division of Public Health have joined forces with the hospital to help reduce the risk of infant injury and death due to unsafe sleep environments by providing education and resources to families. CKD is set to be officially launched tomorrow in the main lobby of the hospital.
Delaware has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the US. Eight out of 1,000 babies die every year. Reports show that most of these babies were not sleeping in an approved infant bed, a fact that contributed to the infants' deaths. "As the pediatrician member of the Child Death Review panel for New Castle County, it bothered me every time I heard of an infant dying from unsafe sleeping," says ER physician Kate Cronin. "As part of Nemours, I am thrilled to help make this Cribs for Kids chapter a reality." According to DCDNDSC executive director Anne Pedrick, of the 18 infant deaths reported in 2008 and 2009, all the babies were not in a crib or bassinette. While deaths from sudden infant death syndrome have decreased over the past few years, preventable infant deaths have increased, due in large part to more and more infants sleeping in inappropriate settings. The three agencies will work together to change Delaware's ranking. They will work to ensure that funds are raised to sustain the program, that cribs get to families who otherwise would not be able to afford one, and that educational resources are available to parents about safe sleeping for their babies. Source: Sussex Countian |
| Job Prospects Worsen for Young Cambodians |
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PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA Young Cambodians face
increasingly daunting prospects for entering the Kingdom's labor market, the UN said in a report released Friday. The report, titled "Situation Analysis of Youth in Cambodia", was prepared to coincide with Saturday's UN Day and was
launched at a ceremony at the National Institute of Education.
UN resident coordinator Douglas Broderick said that though the report also contains sections on health, education, rights, and vulnerability, many of its most urgent recommendations focus on the issue of youth employment. "This is the biggest issue affecting young people. Cambodia has a young and vibrant workforce, but they lack the skills and training to achieve their full potential." People ages 10 to 24 currently comprise 34.7% of the Cambodian population. More than 300,000 leave school and look for work each year, and youth participation in the labor force is among the highest in the region, according to the report. However, recent economic growth has largely depended on a few key sectors: garments, construction, and tourism, and these sectors are ill-equipped to further absorb large numbers of workers. John McGeoghan, project manager at the Phnom Penh office of the International Organization for Migration, said that Cambodia must account for the potential social dislocation that occurs when young people migrate from rural to urban areas in search of employment. "What we are concerned about, perhaps in terms of trafficking, is that there are significant numbers of young people who don't have a social network." The UN analysis also noted this trend, though it emphasized the importance of expanding Cambodia's labor capabilities in the agricultural sector, as the earning potential for youths entering the labor force is significantly lower in rural areas than it is in Phnom Penh. Officials from the Ministry of Labor could not be reached for comment. In August, however, Ministry of Labor Director General Heng Sour said that the government is currently sponsoring a job training program supporting 40,000 people, 30,000 of whom are studying agricultural vocations. "We are observing whether the economic crisis will continue and whether this training will be enough," he said. He added that the Ministry of Economy and Finance will consider whether or not to renew this program at the end of the year. These sorts of initiatives, Broderick said, are crucial for the Kingdom to meet the challenge of a burgeoning working-age population. "Establishing programs and opportunities for young people to develop work-related skills, such as more school-based vocational training, apprenticeships, on-the-job training, and opportunities in civil service ... is essential." Source: Phnom Penh Post |
| Soup Kitchen Gives Guests Marketable Culinary Skills |
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CAMDEN, NJ Dionne Matthews wants to bake, and her dream is now becoming a reality. The 38-year-old Camden resident
is one of nearly 20 students participating in Cathedral Kitchen's (CK's) culinary arts program, which allows low-income South Jersey residents to train in a 16-week program there.
"I've always been interested in baking, and since I've been here I've been working with Chef Linda Christianson to learn how to make bread and cake and cookies and how to make it in large quantities," said Matthews, who said her goal is to become a pastry chef and own a bakery. The culinary students in the program, which runs twice a year, are partnered with a case worker who assists them with everything from tutoring to housing. Students spend their days training with Christianson and Chef Jonathan Jernigan. Afternoons are spent putting together hundreds of meals which are served at the kitchen, at a nearby shelter, and at area after-school programs. These are achievements that were not possible at CK's former location. "We've been in this building for nearly a year now, and the response has been overwhelming," said CK executive director Karen Talarico. "We have space to accept larger donations, an area where clients can wash up, health and legal services." Over time, CK's new facility at 1514 Federal St is expected to yield energy savings because of its green features, but for now some of the most simple ones are the ones being recognized. "There's always a lot of light coming through the windows," said Talarico. "It's a nice place, and people really do appreciate it and treat it with respect." CK's image is taken before the public eye by students who intern at area restaurants. Students in the current 16-week course will have internships in late November and graduate in December. "This is one of the positive things happening in Camden," said Matthews. "I really feel like I could fit at any bakery or kitchen now." Now she sees a real chance to work her way to a pastry chef position. "She is a future baker. She has a gift," said Christianson. "Some people know exactly what they want, and I'm just here to teach them. I'm really going to miss them when they graduate." Source: Courier-Post |
| New Film Shows North Koreans' Silenced Suffering |
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PUSAN, SOUTH KOREA Human rights organizations say tens of thousands of North Koreans live in forced labor camps for political reeducation, where torture, starvation, and illness are
commonplace. North Korean defectors say entire families are sent to the camps for tiny crimes such as humming a South Korean pop song. Now, a new film is bringing the stories of North Koreans who have escaped such camps to the
screen.
North Korea's own propaganda plays a prominent role in Kimjongilia, which highlights the country's human rights atrocities. The movie aims to introduce a worldwide audience to the stories of real North Koreans who were brutally punished in labor camps before escaping their country. "I was hung upside down for 14 hours and beaten," says one interviewee. "We never knew when we'd get beaten. There was constant fear." Kimjongilia is the English name of a flower hybrid that North Korea named after its leader. Pyongyang says the flower embodies the "peace, love, justice, and wisdom" of Kim Jong-il himself, as well as his father, Kim Il-sung. Kimjongilia director Nancy Heikin says her choice of title is just as ironic as her use of North Korean imagery. "It's just the opposite of what they say. Here is the propaganda, here is their footage, here is the image they wish to show what a wonderful place this is," she explained, "and here is the testimony of people who have been there." "I'm filled with hatred," says one defector, "of North Korea that murdered my family." Actual footage from North Korea is in short supply, so Heikin has added some artistic touches to the film, like interpretive dance. Heikin says she has wanted to make the film for years, to express her outrage at what she calls North Korea's "concentration camps ... And I also think there's no one to blame but Kim Jong-il and the regime." All of the North Korean defectors featured in Kimjongilia now live in South Korea. Most made a dangerous and illegal journey into China first. Their personal stories of sex trafficking, torture, and the death of loved ones weave a dark backdrop for North Korea's utopian self-imagery. "You can understand being swept up in that. It is not just the slamming on the head -- there is that, there is the terror," Heikin states. "But there is also this inspiration that they keep feeding -- in quite an amazing way." Heikin says telling the story of average North Koreans has become a passion. She may work on a follow-up to Kimjongilia in the future. Source: VOA News |
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| Human Trafficking Victims Tell Their Stories |
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UNITED NATIONS Three victims of human trafficking spoke Thursday at an event organized by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay.
Buddhi Gurung, calling himself a poor Nepali man, described how he was unable to get a job to support his wife and two sons during fighting by Maoist rebels and the army in 2004. When an agent promised him a job in America for $500 a month, he said he borrowed about $2,800 to pay him -- but instead of going to the US, he was taken to Jordan via New Delhi. After a month in Jordan, he said he was put in a van with 11 others and driven to Baghdad. Twelve Nepali friends in the van that left just before his were abducted, paraded on television, and eventually beheaded. Gurung said he wound up at the US Al Asad Air Base where he was forced to work and paid less than the promised $500 a month. "We would hear bomb blasts nearby and we knew our life was at risk," Gurung said. "I always wanted to go back to Nepal but neither my passport was with me, nor did I have any money or knew any other way to go back. ... Finally, after 15 months, I was permitted to go back to Nepal. ... This is how my life was saved." Gurung and the families of the 12 Nepali men have filed a US federal lawsuit accusing Houston-based defense contractor KBR Inc and a Jordanian subcontractor, Daoud & Partners, of human trafficking. Charlotte Awino described how she and 138 other girls were abducted from a boarding school in 1996 by rebels from the Lord's Resistance Army, marched for three months into southern Sudan, and used as human shields during fighting against Uganda soldiers. "As usual, we girls suffered more," she said. "We were distributed to rebel commanders, as objects without rights, and we were sexually abused. ... I was given to a man who had 20 other abducted girls, and he was a brutal man. I had two children with him." "One day I was at home. The next day I was among the rebels," Awino said. "Is everyone going to call us rebels or terrorists?" She escaped in 2004 when the rebels went back to northern Uganda. Kikka Cerpa described falling in love with a man named Daniel while working at a hotel in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, when she was 17 years old. A few years later, she said, Daniel moved to New York. Eventually she went to join him, only to discover that his family ran a sex trafficking ring. Cerpa said her passport and money were taken, she was put in a basement and told she owed the family a lot of money, and the only way to pay it off was to work in a brothel. "The first night was the worst," she said, her voice quavering. "I have to service 90 men." Cerpa said she was trafficked from brothel to brothel over the next three years. Sometimes police would raid the brothels, but "instead of rescuing us, they demand that we perform sexual services on them." After her best friend in the brothel was murdered by a customer, she said, she knew she had to leave. So she married a customer, but he beat her and threatened to have her deported. Finally, she escaped and was helped by an organization to get a divorce and legalize her status in the US. Source: Associated Press |
| A Christian Rationale for Service to the Poor |
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Adapted from a piece by written by John Matthew Leone for Grace Church of Philly:
Examining the why of anything is to investigate the foundations of doing what we do. Without a proper and biblical why, we are doomed to serve others out of improper motives, which can hurt both the poor and ourselves in the process. Why do we serve the poor? Because of Jesus. And because of His gospel. Mercy ministries find their root and are ultimately grounded in the person, life, and work of Jesus Christ our Savior. If the ultimate goal of our life is to serve and minister in a way that is Christ-centered for the glory of God the Father, then we will necessarily be powered and equipped for such service by the Holy Spirit Himself, and not our own desires, religious or otherwise. If the eyes of our heart are continually fixed on the great sacrifice of Christ on the cross, we will see the great and precious value that each person has in His sight. Christ-centeredness produces other-centeredness. It cannot do otherwise. Mercy ministries also find their heritage in the gospel of Jesus Christ. If we are continually and daily preaching the gospel of God's grace to ourselves, we are empowered to live out this gospel of grace by serving the poor and disenfranchised. It is the gospel that is the power of God both unto salvation and that spurs good works. Every young Christian knows Ephesians 2:8-9, which says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." I'm convinced that verse 10 is frequently overlooked in its significance for Christian living: "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." By looking at these verses as a unit (and not in atomistic isolation) we see that the gospel of God's grace saves us not only from sin and death, but saves us also from the prison of selfishness that was our former life. While we formerly lived as children of wrath, imprisoned "in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of" our bodies and minds (2:3), by the power of the gospel we are "created in Christ Jesus for good works," freed to serve others with the love that God has poured into our hearts by His Holy Spirit (Rom 5:5). Gospel-centeredness produces other-centeredness. It cannot do otherwise. Why do we serve the poor? Because we are radically committed to Jesus Christ and His saving gospel. It is through ministry to the poor that we worship God the Father, bringing Him glory by the power of the Holy Spirit (Rom 12:1-2). Source: Slave of Jesus Blog |
| UN Suggests Climate Goals for Poorer Nations |
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NEW DELHI, INDIA A top UN official suggested a 2020 greenhouse gas goal for developing nations on Thursday. At the same time, China and the US were seeking common ground to fight global warming. Many nations expressed worries about a lack of urgency in the negotiations, less than two months before 190 nations are set to negoatiate a new UN pact in Copenhagen to succeed the existing Kyoto Protocol.
In New Delhi, Yvo de Boer, head of the UN Climate Change Secretariat, suggested that poor nations could slow the projected growth of their emissions by 15% by 2020 to help ensure an agreement. A dispute about sharing out the burden of curbs on greenhouse gases between rich and poor nations is one of the main stumbling blocks. De Boer said a "balanced agreement" was needed to overcome "mistrust and suspicion". The UN climate panel in 2007 said rich nations would have to cut their emissions by 25%-40% percent by 2020 below 1990 levels to limit temperature rises to 2 C (3.6 F) and avoid the worst of heat waves, floods, and rising seas. It said developing nations should show a "substantial deviation" below the projected growth of emissions -- but it didn't set a figure. "If industrialized countries are reducing by 25%-40% by 2020," said de Boer, "then I think you would also by 2020 perhaps need to see something in the order of a 15% deviation below business as usual in developing countries." The European Union wants developing nations to curb growth by 15%-30% by 2020. Developing nations have long objected that offers of cuts by the rich so far fall well short of 25%. China and the US, the top greenhouse gas emitters, spoke in Beijing of willingness to cooperate. "We should be aware of the severity and urgency of coping with climate change," said Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang to a summit of academics, businessmen and officials, "and we should also seize this precious development opportunity." "As always, we are more likely to succeed when we work together," said US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in a video address. "As the world's two largest emitters of carbon, the United States and China have a responsibility to lead the world in developing and adopting clean technologies, and as two of the world's largest economies our nations have the power to build a thriving global marketplace for these technologies." Developing nations want billions of dollars in aid and technology to help them shift to renewable energies and forego the cheap fossil fuels that helped the developed world get rich since the Industrial Revolution. In London, British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said the talks needed more urgency to prevent a "human emergency" affecting hundreds of millions of people. Source: Reuters |
| Pittsburgh, Allegheny County Collaborate on Homeless Program |
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PITTSBURGH, PA Allegheny County and the city of Pittsburgh on Oct 20 announced the creation of a program to provide financial assistance and other services to homeless individuals and families. The Homeless Prevention & Rapid Rehousing Program came into being when the county allocated money from the more than $14 million it received from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
In launching the program, County Executive Dan Onorato and Mayor Luke Ravenstahl announced a hot line number (877-350-HPRP) for individuals and families who are homeless or nearly homeless to learn about the services available to help them maintain or obtain housing. The program is designed to provide short-term stability to individuals and families, such as assistance with rent, help with utility payments, relocation services, and access to counseling. In order to qualify for assistance under the program, participants must be homeless or about to become homeless. In addition, households must be below 50% of the area median income, which for a family of four is $31,250, and must have no other housing options or financial support resources to obtain housing. Funds will be used to provide short-term and medium-term rental assistance, payment of security and utility deposits, moving costs, and motel vouchers, as well as financial counseling, credit repair, and legal services. Action Housing, Community Human Services, North Hills Community Outreach, Veteran's Leadership Program, and the Urban League of Pittsburgh will provide the homeless prevention programming and housing relocation services. In addition, the Allegheny County Department of Human Services Call Center and Homeless Management Information Systems, Neighborhood Legal Services, Three Rivers Communities-Apartment Search Locator, and Three Rivers Communities-Housing Quality Inspections will assist the city and county with the programs. The city of McKeesport is launching a similar program and is encouraging its residents to call the same hot line. The McKeesport Hospital Foundation, McKeesport Healthier Partnership, McKeesport Housing Authority, and McKeesport Housing Corporation will provide the services in McKeesport. Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |
| African Union Adopts Treaty on Internal Refugees |
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KAMPALA, UGANDA The African Union (AU) adopted a convention on Friday that obliges member states to protect and help millions of people uprooted within their own countries because of conflict and natural disasters. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, who hosted an AU summit in Kampala on the issue, hailed the pact as an "historic agreement aimed at protecting and assisting our brothers and sisters, the internally displaced".
Africa is home to almost half the world's internally displaced people (IDPs) with 12 million, most of them sheltering in ramshackle camps, shantytowns, or among local communities. Unlike refugees, who have fled to another country and have a global UN agency dedicated to protecting their rights, IDPs benefit from little or no protection. Five heads of states and officials from a number of other AU members signed the convention on Friday, which still needs ratification by the individual countries. Museveni called on AU states to ratify the pact, which needs 15 of the AU's 53 members to do so before it comes into force. The convention, which integrates the main aspects of international humanitarian law, would oblige AU states for the first time to prevent displacement, come up with solutions to the causes of displacement, and provide IDPs with basic rights. Signatories on Friday included Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, the president of Somalia, which has Africa's third largest IDP population after Sudan and DR Congo. Aid officials and civil society groups have praised the AU for addressing a problem that is an obstacle to development and stability -- and for producing the first legally-binding agreement on internal displacement with a continental scope. "This instrument clearly demonstrates that African leaders are conscious of the difficulties that displaced persons experience and are poised to as much as possible to put an end to their suffering," said AU Commissioner for Political Affairs Julia Joiner. She urged leaders to "turn intention into action" and said implementation of the convention was key to its success. Under the convention, states that are unable to assist IDPs can seek help from humanitarian organizations. Delegates to the summit said international aid agencies may use that as leverage to increase pressure on AU states to ratify the pact. Delegates also said the convention underwent last-minute changes to an article on the obligations of rebels to IDPs after several countries, including Zimbabwe, raised concerns that the original wording gave legitimacy to such groups. Source: Reuters |
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