Iraq reconstruction effort looms large

A recent conference held to raise funds for Iraq’s reconstruction secured about $30 billion in loans and investment pledges, a start toward the financial needs of a nation devastated by war and terrorism. But it will take more than money to rebuild after Islamic State (ISIS) beat down Iraqis through persecution and genocide.

“Recovery and reconciliation will be vital to prevent a new cycle of public frustration, radicalization and the risk of new violent extremism,” wrote Ahmed Twaij with the U.S. Institute of Peace.

Iraq’s long-term reconstruction is estimated to cost about $88 billion. Kuwait, Australia, Turkey, Qatar, and many other countries pledged roughly a third of that amount at a donor conference hosted this month by the ruling emir of Kuwait. Initial rebuilding efforts require $23 billion, NPR reported.

Six months after ISIS was driven out, Mosul remains in rubble, with families still recovering bodies of lost relatives, according to CNN. Forty thousand homes in Mosul alone need rebuilding. Many Iraqi cities and towns lack basic infrastructure like constant electricity and water.

But Chaldean Patriarch Louis Raphael Sako told AsiaNews, “Iraq does not need only money but also solidarity, support, real projects already presented. Iraq needs a ‘Magna Carta’ for democracy, citizenship, and security.” He criticized conference attendees for not mentioning Christian or Yazidi minorities.

Open Doors found Iraqi Christians remain uncertain about their safety and their country’s future because many groups are still vying for Middle East power.

Former Mosul resident and blogger Omar Mohammed fears tensions will rise once people return and start pointing fingers at one another. “The city is silent now because the people are still shocked,” he told news site Al Bawaba. “They are living in trauma and shock. But once they get settled, it will become more difficult.”

In spite of the uncertainty, thousands of Christian families have already returned to Iraq, particularly the Ninevah Plain, and Christian charities are rebuilding homes. About 35 percent of the region’s displaced families have come home, according to the Nineveh Reconstruction Committee, a partnership between Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) and representatives from Iraq’s Chaldean, Syriac Catholic, and Syriac Orthodox Churches. More than 1,200 homes in the area were completely destroyed and more than 11,000 houses and 300 churches were partially damaged or burned.

So far, charitable contributions enabled restoration of more than 2,800 properties since March 2017. This month, ACN announced a $5 million gift to NRC to restore another 2,000 homes. Open Doors has helped fund the rebuilding of nearly 700 homes.

An Oxfam store in London Associated Press/Photo by Nick Ansell/PA (file)

Oxfam responds to Haiti abuse reports

Oxfam International on Monday released its internal inquiry into abuse accusations against its staff in Haiti. The Times of London earlier this month reported that seven former Oxfam staff members who worked in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake used prostitutes on the charity’s property and downloaded pornography among other misconduct accusations. The Times said Oxfam’s investigation into the charges was hampered by “a determination to keep it out of the public eye.”

The inquiry revealed the organization’s former country director, Roland van Hauwermeiren, “admitted to using prostitutes in his … residence.” Oxfam offered Van Hauwermeiren “a phased and dignified exit” in exchange for his cooperation with the investigation. The organization dismissed another staff member for downloading “pornographic and illegal material” onto a laptop. The inquiry added that three suspects physically intimidated one witness after the report leaked among staff members.

Since the report, several Oxfam global ambassadors have stepped down, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Desmond Tutu and British actress Minnie Driver. The Haitian government also threatened to rescind Oxfam’s operational license in the country. Last week, Oxfam executive director Winnie Byanyima said the charity set up an independent commission that will vet its system and pursue justice for the abused victims.

Penny Mordaunt, the British secretary of state for international development, warned other anti-poverty groups in Britain that they could lose public funds if they fail to take measures to prevent abuse. “Unless you create a culture that prioritizes the safety of vulnerable people and ensures victims and whistleblowers can come forward without fear, we will not work with you,” Mordaunt said. —Onize Ohikere

An Oxfam store in London Associated Press/Photo by Nick Ansell/PA (file)

Ethiopian leader latest to step down in Africa

Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn in a surprise move resigned from office following months of anti-government protests. “Unrest and a political crisis have led to the loss of lives and displacement of many,” Desalegn said in a televised address. “I see my resignation as vital in the bid to carry out reforms that would lead to sustainable peace and democracy.”

The executive committee of the ruling party accepted his resignation and said he would remain in office until the government appoints a replacement. Protests that sometimes turned deadly began in late 2015 and triggered a state of emergency the government lifted in August 2017. The government in recent weeks released more than 6,500 detained opposition members.

Following Desalegn’s resignation, the government declared a new state of emergency that quickly received international condemnation. Desalegn is the latest African leader to step down from power. In November, Robert Mugabe ended his 37-year-rule of Zimbabwe after the military temporarily seized control. Last week, South African President Jacob Zuma resigned following pressure from within his own party. —O.O.

Hungarian bill would restrict migration aid

Hungary last week passed a new bill that could penalize nongovernmental organizations supporting migration, according to Amnesty International. If passed, the bill would require organizations that the government believes are “supporting migration” to obtain permits from the Interior Ministry. The groups also must obtain security clearance, which could take up to nine months, from the national security services. The organizations will pay a 25 percent tax on any foreign funding that aims to support migration. “In reality, these proposals have nothing to do with protecting national security and borders and everything with muzzling those who work to assist people in need and dare to raise their voices,” said Gauri van Gulik, director of Amnesty International Europe. United Nations human rights spokesman Rupert Colville said the bill “represents an unjustified restriction on the right to freedom and association and is a worrying continuation of the government’s assault on human rights and civic space.” —O.O.

Nigeria convicts first Chibok suspect

A Nigerian court has sentenced the first member of the Boko Haram Islamic extremist group in the Chibok schoolgirls’ kidnapping. The Federal High Court in Niger state sentenced 35-year-old Haruna Yahaya to 15 years in prison for helping to abduct more than 200 girls from their school in Chibok, northeastern Borno state, in 2014. The Ministry of Justice said Yahaya admitted he took part in the kidnapping after the extremists forced him to join the group. Yahaya was among about 20 terror suspects convicted last week. The Ministry of Justice said it has convicted more than 200 people and released more than 500 suspects into rehabilitation centers. Boko Haram’s insurgency so far has killed more than 20,000 Nigerians and displaced more than 2 million others. —O.O.

Pakistani serial rapist sentenced

An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan sentenced a suspected serial rapist and killer to death for the murder of a 7-year-old girl. Zainab Ansari’s rape and murder drew international attention after protesters staged nationwide demonstrations demanding government action. Prosecutor Ehtesham Nadir said the court sentenced Imran Ali Naqshbandi to life imprisonment and death on four counts for Zainab’s murder. Police found Zainab’s body in a dumpster in the town of Kasur four days after her family reported her missing. Residents protested that she was the 12th child murdered in the region within the past year. Police later said Naqshbandi’s DNA matched samples taken from Zainab and seven other murdered girls. —O.O.