9, June 2020
At George Floyd’s funeral: Joe Biden calls for racial justice 0
George Floyd’s funeral took place on Tuesday in Houston, two weeks after his death while being held by police in a Minneapolis street, as more anti-racism rallies inspired by his treatment were set to take place in the United States and Europe.
George Floyd, whose death has sparked a global protest movement, is to be buried beside his mother in a cemetery in Houston.
“When there is justice for George Floyd, we will truly be on our way to racial justice in America,” said Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden in a video address at George Floyd’s funeral in Houston.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a global fight against racism and discrimination.
The mayor of Houston announced a ban on chokeholds by police.
Houston police will increase their audit of taser and body camera usage.
Pastor Steve Wells told mourners at George Floyd’s funeral that they have “awakened the conscience of a nation”.
Delivering the eulogy, the Reverend Al Sharpton reserved his sharpest criticism for President Donald Trump. “You take rubber bullets and tear gas to clear out peaceful protesters, and then take a Bible and walk in front of a church, and use a church as a prop. Wickedness in high places,” Sharpton said.
Source: France 24
10, June 2020
Cameroon tops list of world’s most neglected displacement crises 0
Africa is home to nine of ten of the world’s most neglected crises and for a second year running Cameroon topped the list as the most neglected on the planet in 2019. Three separate emergencies faced the corrupt African nation: an exacerbation of Boko Haram attacks in the north, a violent conflict in the English-speaking west, and a Central African refugee crisis.
Ineffective conflict resolution, global news silence and a massive aid funding shortfall all contributed to Cameroon topping this year’s list according to the Norwegian Refugee Council.
Cameroon was followed by DR Congo, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Venezuela, Mali, South Sudan, Nigeria, Central African Republic and Niger.
Humanitarian crises in these countries are expected to worsen throughout 2020, compounded by the global coronavirus pandemic that is adding further hardship to millions according to Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).
“Covid-19 is spreading across Africa, and many of the most neglected communities are already devastated by the economic shocks of the pandemic. We need solidarity with these conflict-stricken communities now more than ever, so the virus does not add more unbearable disaster to the myriad of crises they already face,” said Egeland.
The Sahel region of Africa was prominent in this year’s list, with Burkina Faso, Mali, Nigeria and Niger all embroiled in the extreme violence that engulfed the region, yet with massively underfunded aid appeals. Niger and Burkina Faso appeared on the list for the first time.
The neglected crisis list is based on review of over 40 displacement crises based on three criteria: lack of funding, lack of media attention, and political and diplomatic neglect. Cameroon scored high on all three, followed closely by DR Congo and Burkina Faso, two other crises where a lack of public attention contributed to a lack of funding to run aid operations.
The ten most neglected displacement crises
Cameroon
The Democratic Republic of the Congo
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Venezuela
Mali
South Sudan
Nigeria
Central African Republic
Niger
Every year, NRC presents a list of displacement crises the world has neglected.
Culled from Reliefweb.int with additional editing from Camcordnews