UN Escort

The on-going Congo crisis has made the EU and UN officials seek for fast and effective solutions.

David Miliband and Bernard Kouchenr, Foreign Ministers for UK and France, have drawn the alarm signal and declared something must be done as soon as possible.

During their meetings with the presidents of Congo and Rwanda they have managed to get them to agree to the organization of a regional summit meant to find the correct way out of this situation.

Over the past week, people have been leaving their homes because of the rebel troops loyal to General Laurent Nkunda who have now taken over even the areas surrounding Goma.

Thousands of refugees have been forced to live on minimum provisions of food and water and have even had to search the woods for plant roots and wild fruit.

On Monday, they should be receiving food and medical supplies sent by the UN.

General Laurent Nkunda

Hundreds of people have attacked the UN Congo office today. Apparently the protesters were damaging cars, and shattering the windows of the Goma-based office, in the East side of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

They were angry about the fact that they were not better protected from the attacks of the rebel forces. Over the weekend, the rebels took over an army camp at Rumangabo and Virunga National Park.

People are fleeing towards the city, as they do not want to get caught in the middle of armed confrontations between the rebel forces and the UN peacemakers.

The one leading the rebel troops is General Laurent Nkunda and they say he has threatened to take over the city of Goma as well. They have attacked it last December and many of them died, as UN forces were allowed to use helicopters in order to ensure the security of all the civilians who had sought refuge under their protective wing.

A deal was signed in January, but General Nkunda does not seem willing to respect it and he has never given up violence.

These violent attacks of the Rwandan Hutu rebels have driven 200,000 people away from their homes since August, and most of them are living in inhuman conditions.

Somali Refugees in the Gulf of Aden

The Yemen national waters are some of the most dangerous ones in the world. The latest proof of that are the dozens of bodies that were found on the Yemen beaches after being attacked by the numerous sharks lurking in those waters.

All the victims were Somali refugees who wanted to reach the port city of Aden on a smuggling boat. Lately, the Gulf of Aden has become the tomb of many Somalis who try to flee from the war they have back home.
This stretch of ocean is already famous for the pirate ships that haunt it, and the phenomenon became even more worrying since two weeks ago when a ship loaded with heavy weapons was hijacked.

The NATO troops that arrived in the area this Thursday will also target the ships suspected of human trafficking activities; in the context of a lawless country, with no government and much violence, dozens of desperate men and women choose to risk everything by embarking on the most dangerous sea journey of their life.

During the three day journey, the smugglers beat them up and abuse them and often dump them far from the shore, in order to avoid getting caught by the patrols. The shark-infested waters are extremely dangerous and many do not make it alive. They either drown or become shark food.

Statistics show that this year there have been at least 230 deaths and 365 migrants are still missing; the latest events have drawn the attention of the U.N., which will be taking action effective immediately.