http://africa.oneworld.net/article/archive/530 en_US http://us.oneworld.net/article/view/160930/1/530 South Africa must stop deporting refugees back to Zimbabwe -- in violation of international law -- and grant them temporary asylum from the political repression that has forced so many to flee the country, says a human rights watchdog. From: Human Rights Watch http://us.oneworld.net/article/view/160925/1/530 WASHINGTON, Jun 19 (OneWorld) - Over 37 million people were living as refugees from conflict or persecution at the end of 2007, marking the second straight year of increases after a five-year decline, said a concerned UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) this week. http://us.oneworld.net/link/gotolink/addhit/83829 The Ethiopian army is responsible for widespread "executions, torture, and rape" of civilians in the country's eastern Somali region, committed as part of Ethiopia's campaign against rebel insurgents, states a new report from an international human rights watchdog. Human Rights Watch http://us.oneworld.net/link/gotolink/addhit/83818 Several international human rights groups have called on the African Union to swiftly revise and adopt a Convention protecting the rights of the 12 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Africa, who lack the protected status of refugees. From: Refugees International http://us.oneworld.net/link/gotolink/addhit/83806 The Iraqi government recently pledged $195 million to accommodate returning refugees, but it must wait for security conditions to improve significantly for a sustained period of time before encouraging mass repatriation, said an international refugee agency last week. From: Refugees International