Book review by Webster Whande. The above-mentioned book edited by Daniel Buckles brings an innovative analysis to conflict and natural resources in the developing world. This book will appeal to researchers, practitioners and donor organisations alike irrespective of which part of the developing world they are from. The case studies document the conflicts encountered in natural resource use in Africa, Asia and Latin America. ISBN 0-88936-899-6. Washington 1999.

Keynote speech on Theme 3, NGO Forum, World Conference against Racism, 30 August 2001. "This is, needless to say, a very broad subject. Given its breadth, I will take a rather integrated approach in my talk, not just focussing on the situation of those who are currently uprooted, but on everyone -- from potential victims at risk of uprooting all the way through to returnees and post-conflict survivors." – Courtney Mireille O'Connor

Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry Ronnie Kasrils - South Africa's former deputy defence minister - this week instituted defamation action against four newspapers for their coverage of the arms deal.

Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade on Wednesday proposed the creation of an African pact against terrorism, Radio France International (RFI) reported.

More than 200 victims of traffickers of women and children have been sent back to Nigeria from various countries within one month, according to reports received by a presidential committee set up to fight the trafficking of human beings.

Political analysts say sub-Saharan Africa sometimes provides safe harbour and even a place of recruitment for Islamic militants.

Central Intelligence Organisation operatives have been deployed at the Harare International Airport cargo area to intercept documents the opposition MDC intends to present at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Australia next month.

The deeply flawed coverage of the recently concluded World Conference Against Racism shows a U.S. media out of touch with its country's role in global conflicts, writes Molly Secours.

Reports from Burundi say there is heavy fighting north of the capital, Bujumbura.

The military in Sudan has denied claims by the Sudan People's Liberation Army, SPLA, to have killed a total of 175 government soldiers in three days of fighting in the south of the country.

South African President Thabo Mbeki has been challenged to declare the Aids epidemic a national emergency.

Algeria is reportedly co-operating with the US in the international alliance against terrorism. State media reports that it has handed over to Washington a list of 350 Islamist militants known to be abroad and whom Algerian intelligence believes are likely to have links to Osama Bin Laden.

The human rights organisation, Amnesty International, has expressed concern about the welfare of 11 former government officials who were arrested in Eritrea earlier this week.

The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) and the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY) have agreed to undertake 13 issues jointly to speed up judicial processes in the UN courts.

In armed conflicts of recent years children have featured centrally as targets of violence and, occasionally, even unwillingly, as perpetrators of violence. Read the recent report from the UN Secretary General.

The South African government has ruled out any military support in the "medium or long term" to the US government to capture those responsible for the terror attacks in that country last week, but has pledged to help in other ways.

Groups which assist refugees have this week issued statements urging the United States to exercise caution as it gears up for attacks against those it believes were responsible for the World Trade Center "plane bombings".

Amnesty International are stepping up calls for an independent probe into allegations of abuse during Italy's G8 policing operation in July ahead of a high-level evaluation of findings of a fact-finding mission due to be released today.

The massive terrorist attacks on the United States last week have prompted calls for a unified international attack on terrorism, and led to a new emphasis on peace and nuclear disarmament. But within the Bush administration, pressure is mounting to free the U.S. military from financial and treaty restrictions.

South Africa is attempting to act as a bridge between the United States and the developing world as Washington attempts to build a global coalition to fight international terrorism.