Photo : BBC/Reuters
NIAS Area Studies
AFRICA MONITOR
Photo : BBC/Reuters
IN BRIEF
by Apoorva Sudhakar
DRC: At least 131 killed in North Kivu
On 8 December, a UN preliminary investigation revealed that at least 131 civilians had been massacred in North Kivu province on 29 and 30 November. The casualties included 102 men, 17 women and 12 children. The investigation said the massacre and the rape of at least 22 women and five girls were carried out in response to clashes between the M23 rebel group and other armed groups. Witnesses said the M23 also looted their homes and prevented them from escaping. (“M23 rebels killed at least 131 civilians in eastern DRC, UN says,” Al Jazeera, 8 December 2022)
Africa: Over 95 per cent malaria infections and deaths recorded in Africa in 2021
On 8 December, the World Health Organization (WHO) released the World Malaria Report 2022 outlining that the number of deaths from malaria in 2022 had risen by 63,000 against the pre-pandemic figure; in 2020 and 2021, 625,000 and 619,000 deaths were recorded respectively. Similarly, the number of infections also increased, at a slow pace, from 232 million cases in 2019 to 245 million in 2020 and 247 million in 2021. Africa accounted for over 95 per cent of the infections and deaths in 2021 and Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger and Tanzania recorded over half of global malaria casualties. (“COVID disruptions led to 63,000 more malaria deaths: WHO,” Al Jazeera, 8 December 2022)
South Sudan: Over 9,000 flee violence in Upper Nile, says UN
On 7 December, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said over 9,100 people had fled the latest violence between armed groups in the Upper Nile state. The OCHA said rape, murder and kidnapping had taken place in the state and 75 per cent of those displaced were women and children. The president's office said: “Despite the complexity, the president is determined to do whatever it takes to end this violence in Upper Nile and other regions of South Sudan.” Meanwhile, the UNHCR figures say over 20,000 people have fled the violence since August, including 3,000 who crossed to Sudan. (“More than 9,000 flee violence in South Sudan’s Upper Nile: UN,” Al Jazeera, 8 December 2022)
Nigeria: Reuters reports forced abortions of Boko Haram victims; military denies claims
On 7 December, Reuters released an investigative report claiming that since 2013 Nigeria’s military “conducted a secret, systematic and illegal abortion programme in the country’s northeast, ending at least 10,000 pregnancies among women and girls.” The report said the abortions were carried out without consent on women and girls impregnated by Boko Haram militants and those who resisted the abortion could have gotten “beaten, held at gunpoint or drugged into compliance.” However, the army has dismissed the report terming it “a body of insults on the Nigerian peoples and culture,” adding, “[The] Nigerian military will not, therefore, contemplate such evil of running a systematic and illegal abortion programme anywhere and anytime, and surely not on our own soil.” (“Nigeria denies mass ‘abortion programme’ of Boko Haram victims,” Al Jazeera, 8 December 2022)
Ethiopia: Opposition party calls for arming civilians
On 8 December, opposition party Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice (Ezema) requested the government to arm civilians in the Oromia region to defend themselves against attacks by the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA). Ezema maintained that it was important to arm civilians “in places that government security forces cannot easily reach, in a legitimate and organised manner, to enable them resolutely defend themselves.” The development comes after dozens were killed in Anger Gute and Kiramu border towns in the Oromia region. (“Ethiopia party calls for arming of Oromia civilians,” BBC, 8 December 2022)