Peace & Security Report

International Peace & Security Institute

PEACE & SECURITY REPORT

IPSI's Peace & Security Report (PSR) is a concise weekly e-publication intended to keep busy students, academics, advocates, and practitioners in the conflict management community briefed on pertinent global news, events, and trends.

Featured Article IPSI's Future Leaders

Welcome to IPSI's newest innovation, the Peace & Security Report! As an organization committed to supporting the peace and security community and its future leaders through education and training, IPSI saw an unfulfilled need; a concise weekly publication organized like a government briefing and focusing on the stories that most affect our field. Meticulously researched and written by IPSI's committed interns, the PSR is intended to help us all take a step back from our immediate deadlines each Friday to gain a greater understanding of the week's global events. Beginning in our next issue, the "Featured Article" subsection will delve more deeply into a news story or trend from a different region each week. Thank you all for your continued passionate work towards making this world a more peaceful and secure place, and we hope you enjoy IPSI's new product!

- Cameron M. Chisholm, President

Africa

DRC: Addressing conflict minerals

In recent months, concerned countries enacted a series of coordinated policies to curb the sale of conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and its neighbors. On September 13, Rwanda announced plans to cooperate with the ITRI Tin Supply Chain Initiative (iTSCi), a comprehensive due diligence plan for tin minerals sourced from the DRC. On September 11, DRC President Kabila announced plans to halt tin mining from North Kivu province, one of the most conflict-driven mining areas. In July, the U.S. passed legislation to curb the sale of conflict minerals through what critics allege is a de facto embargo. Comment: Conflict minerals in the DRC are a primary driver of one the most deadly conflicts in the world. International calls to action have reached a high over the past few months thanks in part to increased grassroots pressure, resulting in what could be tenuous progress. (Mining Weekly, Steel Guru, Ekklesia, iTSCi)

ETHIOPIA/SOMALILAND: Government forces surround, clash with ONLF rebels

The Ethiopian and Somaliland armed forces reportedly surrounded and clashed with rebels from the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) in the Adwar region near the Ethiopian border. Somaliland officials said the rebels numbered over 200 heavily armed fighters, and came ashore at Zeila on September 11 after training in Eritrea. Ethiopian forces are reported to have killed over 100 of the rebels, but rebel leaders have denied the standoff. Comment: Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991, but is not recognized by any other states. Ethiopia lends military support to Somaliland to counter the ONLF and accuses Eritrea of funding and supporting rebels to destabilize Ethiopia, especially in the contested Ogaden region. (BBC, Reuters, Somaliland Press, Walta Info)

RWANDA: Former Kagame allies warn of violence

Rwanda elected Paul Kagame to a second 7-year term last month, but his critics - including his former army chief, intelligence chief, ambassador to the United States, and attorney general - are warning of violence if he does not work towards a less authoritarian and more inclusive government. Last month, a leaked UN report implicated Rwanda in atrocities in the Democratic Republic of Congo, leading to a threat by Kagame to withdraw Rwandan peacekeepers from the UN mission in Darfur. Comment: Kagame took power in Rwanda after the genocide in 1994 and is accused of using increasingly harsh and repressive methods for holding on to power. (Reuters, The Nation, The Observer)

TANZANIA: EAC to begin joint security operations

Member states of the East African Community (EAC) plan to begin joint operations off the coast of the Indian Ocean to combat piracy and on Lake Victoria to address smuggling, according to an announcement made by EAC Secretary General Juma Mwapachu last week. The hope is to improve the security situation in the region and attract foreign investment. Comment: Smuggling on Lake Victoria enables shadow markets throughout East Africa, including the laundering of conflict minerals from the DRC. A rise in incidents of piracy in the Indian Ocean is making the issue of international import. Improved security cooperation is intended to set the stage for stability and development. (East African Business Week, IPP Media)

Researched/Written by Matthew Hughes

Americas

COLOMBIA: Increased guerilla violence towards police and armed forces

According to the UN High Commissioner of Human Rights, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN) are responsible for a recent increase of hostilities towards Colombian police and armed forces. On September 14, Minister of Defense Rodrigo Rivera Salazar stated guerrilla groups assassinated three police officers in northern Colombia. On that same day, Colombian police arrested four Ecuadorians responsible for transporting 100 kilos of explosives; officials claim that the explosives were intended for the FARC. Comment: The representative of the UN High Commissioner of Human Rights to Colombia stated he received information of possible executions of police officers and use of prohibited weapons by guerrilla groups. If claims are confirmed, Salazar mentioned they could be charged with war crimes. (El Nuevo Herald, El Nuevo Herald, El Universal)

ECUADOR/COLOMBIA: Regional stability threatened by border violence

On September 13, the Ecuadorian Minister of Internal and External Security stated the Ecuadorian and Colombian governments, along with other Andean countries, must take action against violence afflicting their shared borders. The Minister espouses regional stability as essential in the fight against guerrilla groups, drug trafficking, and other pressing issues. Comment: A conference on regional refugees is scheduled for early November to discuss the displacement of over 53,000 Colombians migrants in Ecuador and the protection of the countries' shared border. (El Nuevo Hearld, El Comercio, El Universo)

HAITI: UN launches mission to combat gender violence in IDP camps

The UN launched a peacekeeping mission on September 13 with UN police and soldier units in collaboration with the Haitian police to combat rape and gender violence in Haitian Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps. January's earthquake left 1.3 million people homeless, with the majority living in camps mostly made up of women and children. According to the UN, these vulnerable groups are at risk of sexual and gendered violence due to the state's lack of any substantial institutional strength or stability. Comment: Edmond Mulet, head of the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), reported that although 200 UN police unit maintains a permanent presence in six high risk camps sheltering 135,000 people, it is impossible to ensure complete security. (El Nuevo Herald, UN, People's Daily)

Researched/Written by Carla Avendano

East Asia

CHINA/JAPAN: China-Japan diplomatic row ongoing

China and Japan are embroiled in a diplomatic row following Tokyo's detainment of a Chinese fishing boat captain on September 7 for crashing his vessel into two Japanese coast guard boats in disputed waters near the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea. Beijing has summoned the Japanese ambassador five times this week to demand the captain's unconditional release. Japan contends that the crash was intentional and continues to hold the Chinese captain. The U.S. is calling for dialogue to resolve the quarrel. Comment: Bilateral talks were set to begin this month on joint energy exploration of the undersea deposits in the disputed territories. Beijing has now postponed the planned talks, highlighting the sensitivity of the territorial issue. (Peninsula, Straits Times, CNN, AP)

INDONESIA: Torture allegations to be investigated

On September 14, the Indonesian police announced an investigation into allegations of torture perpetrated by members of its elite counter-terrorism force, Detachment 88. The investigation stems from the suspicious death of an independence activist in the province of Maluku and allegations by human rights groups of torture of political activists in the broader region. The National Police spokesman stated that the force handles "terrorists" and not "separatists." Comment: Detachment 88 was created as an elite counter-terrorism force with funding from the U.S. and Australia and is considered a model of East-West cooperation. The Australian government expressed concerns over the allegations and says it will continue to monitor the situation. (ABC, Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, Reuters)

NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA: Koreas to begin talks on family reunions

Beginning today, South and North Korea will hold working-level talks on reunions of families separated by the 1950-53 war. The Red Cross-facilitated negotiations are slated for North Korea's border town of Kaesong. Comment: In addition to the reunion talks, flood-stricken North Korea made a number of conciliatory overtures towards the South in recent days. These appeals include the release of a South Korean boat accused of entering North Korean waters and held captive for a month, as well as a proposal on military-level talks, the first in almost two years. Amidst the apparent thaw in relations, South Korea pledged further aid to the North to address the devastation caused by large-scale flooding. (Xinhua, AFP, Xinhua, Arirang)

Researched/Written by Megha Swamy

Europe & Central Asia

AZERBAIJAN: International mediators visit Nagorno-Karabakh

One week after two Azeri soldiers were killed during a cease-fire, a team of international mediators from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group visited Nagorno-Karabakh, an Armenian-backed region of Azerbaijan hoping to break away from the central government. On September 15, NATO announced its support for the OSCE Minsk's mission, stating the conflict should be approached using principles of non-violence and self-determination. While not directly involved with peace talks, NATO has pledged to address the issue in the fall. Comment: U.S. Secretary of State Clinton met with parties from both sides in July, and the international community has given the conflict more attention in recent months. Azerbaijan is a key country in the petroleum industry, so regional stability is in the interest of both businesses and the international community. (Radio Free Europe, Aysor)

RUSSIA: Violence continues in Caucasus

Lieutenant-Colonel Gapal Gadzhiyev, head of the North Caucasus's Federal District's Anti-Extremism police department, was assassinated in Dagestan on September 12. Thirteen suspected militants and two law enforcement officers died in subsequent police operations, including Shamil Magomednabiyev, leader of the Kyzyl-Yurt underground terrorist group. The assassination comes three days after a suicide attack on the Central Market in Vladikavkaz, which killed 17 and wounded 190 others. Comment: Dagestan shares a border with Georgia and Azerbaijan and is home to one of Russia's only year-round, ice-free ports. Increased Islamic militant activity has put a strain on Moscow's presence in the region. (Moscow Times, Reuters, Itar-Tass)

SPAIN: Basque separatists declare ceasefire

On September 5, Basque separatist group ETA declared a unilateral ceasefire with the stated intent of pursuing exclusively political means towards a negotiated solution with the Spanish government. Some Spanish officials are skeptical of the motives of the separatists, as some believe it is an ETA tactic to reorganize and strengthen after a period of waning support at home and intense police pressure. The Spanish government banned the ETA's political wing Botsuana, from participation in the political process until arms are permanently laid down. Comment: While not the first time ETA has declared a ceasefire, they have met with Gerry Adams, leader of the Irish political movement Sinn Fein, to discuss the peacemaking process experience, allegedly learning from and follow principles used in Ulster. (The Guardian, El Pais, Reuters)

THE HAGUE: Georgia and Russia at the ICJ

On September 13, Russian and Georgian legal teams began opening arguments before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) concerning a case filed after the 2008 war. Georgia is accusing Russia of ethnically cleansing and displacing thousands of Georgians over the last twenty years. The Georgian legal team argues Russian persecution has resulted in roughly 10% of Georgians displaced in their own country, thousands of deaths, and stands in violation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD). Russian lawyers countered, stating the claims are fabricated and the case should not be heard because Tbilisi had not communicated a dispute over diplomatic communications before the 2008 conflict. In addition, Russian legal teams contend the ICJ is a court of last resort, and Georgia filed the complaint before pursuing other means of justice. Comment: These are only the preliminary hearings; Russian arguments appear to be based more on questioning the jurisdiction of the ICJ to arbitrate the case than addressing the actual accusations made by Tbilisi. (Moscow Times, Civil Georgia, AFP, The Independent)

Researched/Written by Daniel Pechtol

Middle East & North Africa

IRAQ: Lack of rights for detainees

In August, the U.S. handed over several thousand prisoners to Iraqi custody, ending the U.S. military's right to detain Iraqis. On Monday, Amnesty International published a 59-page report highlighting Iraq's failure to provide adequate due process of law to prisoners who face violent and psychological abuse inside these prisons. The report claims that Iraq's security forces are responsible for systematically violating prisoner rights and torturing some detainees. Comment:Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki stated that all detainees have been arrested for terrorism-related actions or other crimes, and thousands have been released since April due to lack of evidence. (Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera, Aswat)

ISRAEL/PALESTINE: Continuing the peace talks

U.S. Peace Envoy George Mitchell reported little progress between Israeli and Palestine leaders after resuming peace talks in Egypt and Israel over the last two weeks. Both leaders spoke about core issues surrounding the talks, such as Israel's security and the fate of Palestinian refugees. The talks will resume next week in Jerusalem and U.S. Secretary of State Clinton plans on addressing the contentious issue of Jewish settlements. Comment: Many parties interested in the negotiations are expressing concern over the lack of inclusivity of the talks. Hamas, considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and Israel, is not engaged in the peace talks although an important regional player, and will likely act as a spoiler. Since the negotiations resumed, there has been an uptick in rocket attacks from Gaza, which is controlled by Hamas. (AlertNet, Ynetnews, Al Jazeera,Christian Science Monitor)

JORDAN: One step closer to a nuclear cooperation agreement

Jordan is currently in negotiations with various countries on a nuclear cooperation agreement (NCA), most notable with the U.S., Japan, and France. On Friday, Japan became the ninth nation to support Jordan's nuclear power program by signing the NCA, with Japanese Embassy Charge d'Affairs Kiyoshi Asoko stating the NCA will allow Japan to transfer nuclear materials and technology to Jordan. As a member of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, (NPT), Jordan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC) Chairman Khaled Toukan stated that Jordan plans to adhere to the treaty, although does not plan on renouncing its rights to eventually enrich uranium mined in Jordan for peaceful means. Comment: Jordan's energy import is 13 percent of its GDP. As a result, Jordan seeks support from the international community to build its first nuclear power plant in an attempt to spark economic development and divert expenditures to needed social programs.(The Jordan Times, The Jordan Times, The Jordan Times)

SAUDI ARABIA: Possible arms race among Gulf Arab States

This week, the U.S. unveiled plans to sell at least $60 billion in arms to Saudi Arabia. The Saudis have formalized a program called Eastern Fleet Modernization that will most likely use next generation warships, air defense radars, and missiles to patrol its shared border with Iran. Comment: As a key U.S. ally, security experts contend that Saudi Arabia is countering Iran's influence in the region. In a possible arms race set off by mutual insecurity though, the six Gulf Arab states could spend an estimated additional $100 billion over the next few years to strengthen their armed forces.(Reuters, NPR, BBC)

Researched/Written by Carla Avendano

South Asia

INDIA: Indian prime minister states dialogue only way forward to resolve Kashmir

In a statement on September 15, following a meeting with other political parties on the violent situation in Kashmir, the Indian prime minister said that India is "ready for dialogue with anybody or any group that does not espouse or practise violence." The meeting, also attended by the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the main regional parties from Kashmir, ended with a decision to send a fact-finding team to the region. Separatist leaders stated that the fact-finding mission is a public relations ploy. Little agreement was reportedly found in the negotiations on whether to repeal the 20-year-old emergency laws that protect Indian forces from prosecution. Comment: The last week was the deadliest for Kashmir since the spike in violence began this June, and the entire Kashmir valley remains under curfew. Delhi is experiencing increased international diplomatic pressure to reach a negotiated solution following extensive coverage of the protests and casualties in the international media. (Express India, BBC, BBC, Khaleej Times)

NEPAL: UN extends UNMIN mandate

The UN Security Council extended the mandate of the UN mission in Nepal (UNMIN) on Wednesday, providing rival factions an additional four months to negotiate a government settlement. The mandate will now expire on January 15, 2011. Differences remain on the question of drafting the new constitution and integration of thousands of Maoist fighters in the national army. The Council urged political parties in Nepal to expedite the peace process and work in the spirit of cooperation. Comment: Nepal's rival political parties failed to come to a consensus on the extension of UNMIN's mandate. Consequently, the Security Council unilaterally made a decision on the extension. The Maoists and rival political parties differ on the question of UNMIN's monitoring of the Nepalese army. Maoists call for continued monitoring of the Nepalese army whereas rival parties seek a decreased role for the UNMIN. (AFP, Nepal News, Himalayan News Service)

PAKISTAN: Richard Holbrooke visits flood-ravaged Pakistan

U.S. Special Envoy Richard Holbrooke visited Pakistan on Wednesday and toured flood relief camps in the country. He highlighted U.S. efforts for the victims, stating the U.S. contributed "the most money" and "most helicopters." While on visit, he also reiterated that Pakistan needs civilian and not military rule. Comment: Holbrooke's visit to specifically highlight U.S. efforts is a result of the highly prevalent anti-American sentiment in Pakistan, despite the billions of dollars of U.S. aid provided to the country. Moreover, his statement supporting civilian rule comes in light of increased criticism of the current elected government for its handling of the floods. The Pakistani military, on the other hand, has been widely praised for its humanitarian efforts. (CBS, BBC, Samaa)

SRI LANKA: Sri Lankan president expands constitutional powers of the Executive

The Sri Lankan Parliament passed constitutional amendments on Wednesday with a two-thirds majority that will allow President Rajapaksa to seek unlimited terms in office. The constitution previously allowed only two terms. Rajapaksa's second term, set to begin in November 2010, would have expired in 2014. The amendment also grants Rajapaksa significantly increased powers over the judiciary, police, and the civil service. Opposition parties boycotted the vote and called the move undemocratic. Comment: President Rajapaksa is riding a popularity wave following the military defeat of the Tamil Tigers after 25 years of civil war. Critics argue that the President continues to exploit his popularity to consolidate power and move the country towards a more authoritarian rule. (Reuters, SamayLive, Guardian, Colombo Page)