Rwanda condemns Burundi over Hutu refugees News
Rwanda condemns Burundi over Hutu refugees

[JURIST] Rwanda [JURIST news archive] has condemned Burundi for moving a group of Hutu refugees farther from the countries' common border. The Rwandan government said the Hutus were fugitives and Burundi's actions amount to granting them asylum status. About 2,000 refugees have fled across the border recently from local "gacaca" courts set up to try those accused of involvement in the 1994 genocide [BBC News backgrounder]. Many feared the local tribunals would be unfair. Trials in the local courts opened last month, and they are based on the traditional system in which a victim confronts their attacker before other villagers. BBC News has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Indian National Congress founded

The Indian National Congress (INC) was founded on December 28, 1885 in Bombay (now Mumbai), India. In subsequent decades, the so-called Congress Party would advocate for Indian independence from the UK, which was eventually achieved in 1947. The first Prime Minister of independent India, Jawaharlal Nehru, was elected as a member of the INC. Learn more about the history and founding of the Indian National Congress.

Congress recognized Pledge of Allegiance

On December 28, 1945, Congress officially recognized the Pledge of Allegiance and encouraged its recitation in schools. The Pledge was supposedly written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy, a Baptist minister, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus Day. The words “under God” were added by Congress in 1954. The revised version of the Pledge was the subject of litigation before the United States Supreme Court originally brought by Michael Newdow, a parent who unsuccessfully objected to his daughter's school district policy requiring daily recitation of the Pledge. The court ruled that Newdow had no standing.

Nepal ends monarchy, establishes republic

On December 28, 2007, the Kingdom of Nepal's interim parliament ended the country's monarchy and established the Republic of Nepal. Free elections were held on April 10 of the following year to elect a Constituent Assembly.

Learn more about the rise of democracy in Nepal.