19 April 2007 Edition
International News in Brief
Yemen
At least 29 refugees and migrants who are desperate to escape persecution, violence and poverty in the Horn of Africa have died after smugglers forced them at knife point to jump into the sea off the coast of Yemen, the UN refugee agency has said. The UNHCR said another 71 people – from Somalia and Ethiopia – were missing after the incident, which took place on Thursday 22 March.Some of the 293 survivors said the smugglers ordered some 450 migrants to jump when their boats hit rough seas near the coast town of Ras al-Kalb. They said those who refused to jump were stabbed and beaten with clubs.
Egypt
Only 27% of the electorate – though some independent groups monitoring the poll put the figure at 5% or less – voted in a referendum to introduce very controversial amendments to Egypt’s constitution. The government proposal was approved by 75.9% of those who voted. Under Egyptian election laws, a low turnout does not affect the outcome.The country’s main opposition group, the Muslim Brotherhood, boycotted the vote and criticised the amendments as paving the way for a police state.
Officials say the changes will allow the drafting of a new ‘anti-terrorism’ law to replace the emergency legislation in place since 1981, giving police wide powers of arrest and surveillance. In addition, the amendments ban all religious-based political activity and parties, a blow to the Muslim Brotherhood – an Islamic party banned in Egypt which represents the strongest opposition force.
The Brotherhood ran in the legislative elections in 2005, with candidates standing as independents, and won 88 seats in parliament.