IVORY COAST: UN report states 26 executed last month
On August 11, the UN peacekeeping mission in Ivory Coast stated that there were 26 reported cases of extrajudicial killing and 85 cases of illegal detention between July 10 and August 10. Most of the perpetrators allegedly belong to the Republican Forces of Ivory Coast whose fighters helped current President Ouattara assume power in May this year following the disputed November 2010 elections. The recent killings took place in the southern and western regions inhabited by ethnic groups perceived as being loyal to ousted former President Gbagbo. The news comes even as the government arrested 57 soldiers from Gbagbo's regime for alleged crimes ranging from murder, kidnap, and rape during the post-election turmoil. On August 10, 12 of Gbagbo political aides, including his son Michel, were detained over allegations of attempting an armed insurrection and undermining the state. Comment: Ouattara's government stated that anyone, from either side, responsible for killings will be brought to justice; however, critics argue that none of Ouattara's men have been arrested so far. The recent developments point to the fact that despite improvements in security since the end of post-election violence in May, life is yet to return to normalcy in the country. (AFP, BBC, Reuters Africa)

SOMALIA: Al-Shabaab withdraws from Mogadishu
On August 6, the al-Shabaab withdrew from the capital city of Mogadishu, and the government declared that it is now in control. According to the UN envoy to Somalia, Augustin Mahiga, the rebels were weakened by national and African Union forces. The withdrawal has led to an improved security situation in the capital as humanitarian aid is finally starting to reach refugees. Mahiga stated that the retreating forces were fragmented into three groups: one column going southward, another going westward, and another going northward; he indicated that they were still on-the-move. The al-Shabaab stated that the retreat was tactical and vowed to fight back. Comment: 3.7 million Somalis are in danger of starvation due to the famine. Aid efforts are severely hampered due to the al-Shabaab which controls most of the southern region where it has banned aid agencies. The group is now recruiting from those families fleeing the drought who cannot afford food or find handouts. (Associated Press, Deutsche Welle, Reuters, VOA)

ZIMBABWE: Report alleges existence of torture camp in diamond mine
According to a BBC investigative report, Zimbabwean security forces were operating a torture camp in the Marange diamond field. The report alleges that civilians were forced to work in the mines and those who demanded too large a profit or those caught mining for themselves were severely beaten and tortured. Witnesses stated that the camp was a remote collection of military tents with an outdoor razor wire enclosure where captives were kept for several days at a time. Captives were allegedly tortured and beaten with whips, mock-drowned, and attacked by dogs; women were frequently raped. The Zimbabwean government has called the reports "ridiculous." Britain has urged Zimbabwe to investigate the allegations. Comment: The report comes to light even as the EU is considering a partial lift on the ban on diamonds from the Marange field. The Kimberly Protocol banned diamonds from Marange in 2009 in an attempt to control the proliferation of "blood diamonds." (AFP, BBC, NY Times)

BURMA: Suu Kyi attends pro-democracy memorial
Several hundred people gathered at a monastery in Yangon on Monday, to commemorate the 23rd anniversary of the failed 1988 pro-democracy uprising where Nobel peace laureate Aung Sung Suu Kyi made her first political appearance. At the gathering, Suu Kyi called for increased unity and concerted efforts among the nation's opposition groups in order to reach the common goal of democratic reform in the country. Several news agencies reported that authorities kept a close eye on the event but did not interfere despite the government's warning that Suu Kyi should refrain from becoming politically active after she was released from house arrest. Comment: The famed "88" uprising began with student-led protests that demanded political and economic reform from the ruling socialist government on August 8, 1988. The movement was subsequently quashed within a month, after which the army instigated a bloody military coup and killed more than 3,000 participants. (Irrawadday, CNN, AFP)

CAMBODIA: World Bank not to provide loans until land dispute is resolved
The World Bank announced on Tuesday that it would abstain from issuing new loans to Cambodia until the government reconciles with hundreds of displaced families along the Boeung Kak Lake in the middle of Phnom Penh. 10,000 residents face eviction after a Chinese investment group filled in a lake as part of a redevelopment scheme to build luxury flats and upscale shops. The World Bank's Country Director Annette Dixon said, "Until an agreement is reached with the residents of Boeung Kak Lake, we do not expect to provide any new lending to Cambodia." Phay Siphan, a Cambodian government spokesman, responded by saying, "The bank is not a proper help to Cambodia in the cause of development," and that Cambodia "no longer appreciated" loans from the World Bank. Comment: Rights groups and the UN have become increasingly concerned with forced evictions in Cambodia that have displaced thousands of mostly poor people. After land ownership was abolished during the Khmer Rouge, land disputes became a major social problem. In recent years, China has become Cambodia's biggest sources of FDI with pledges of $8 billion for 360 projects made this year. (BBC, Reuters, AFP)

CHINA: Aircraft carrier sea trials provoke criticism
Wednesday morning, China's first aircraft carrier embarked on sea trials for the first time, stirring concerns around the world. On the same day in Taiwan at the Taipei Aerospace and Defense Technology Exhibition (TADTE), the Taiwanese lauded the new Hsiung Feng (Brave Wind) III anti-ship missile; there was a picture of a burning carrier incorporated in the exhibit that used the words "carrier killer" in Chinese. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland commented on the event saying, "We would welcome any kind of explanation that China would like to give for needing this kind of equipment," adding that "This is part of our larger concern that China is not as transparent as other countries." Comment: Beijing continues to emphasize that the carrier's intended use is for "research" and training purposes, despite the more common perception that the carrier is a symbol of expanding Chinese military influence. Ni Lexiong, an expert on Chinese maritime issues told Reuters, "Its symbolic significance outweighs its practical significance," perhaps a reference to growing nationalist sentiments in Chinese society. (AFP, Taipei Times, Global Post, Xinhua, BBC)

JAPAN: Mayor calls for shift in national energy policy
On Tuesday, Tomihisa Taue, the mayor of Nagasaki, urged the Japanese government to pursue safer energy alternatives at a ceremony marking the 66th anniversary of the United States' use of the atomic bomb on the city. In his remarks to some 6,000 attendees, Taue noted that, "It is necessary to promote the development of renewable energies in place of nuclear power in a bid to transform ourselves into a society with a safer energy base;" and that "We were astounded by the severity of the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station." The mayor of Hiroshima and the current Prime Minister of Japan made similar comments at memorial services marking the bombing of Hiroshima on Saturday. Comment: Prior to the disaster at the Fukushima plant in March, Japan had plans to boost its reliance on nuclear energy up from the current 30 percent to 50 percent by 2030. Currently, only 16 of Japan's 54 nuclear reactors are operational pending safety inspections and a newly created energy policy that came out in late July. The new plan is designed to reduce the nation's reliance on nuclear energy; however, it does not specify how large or small the reduction would be. (Japan Times, Xinhua, Bangkok Post)

ISRAEL: Government approves new housing plan amid Palestinian objection
On Thursday, the Interior Ministry gave the final authorizations to build 1,600 apartments in East Jerusalem, and promised to approve some 2,700 housing units by next week. The Palestinian Authority officially condemned the Israeli decision to build more houses in disputed territories, which would likely hinder their process of state recognition under the 1967 borders. Comment: Analysts regard the Israeli determination to construct more housing units as a strategic decision to deal with matters locally and regionally. The construction aims to satisfy the growing demand by thousands of protesters for more affordable housing and living. Last Saturday, more than 250,000 protesters across Israel demonstrated and called for "social justice and a welfare state." Additionally, the new developments would add more challenges to the Palestinian bid for state recognition next month. Israel is strongly opposed to the UN bid; a number of European countries and the U.S. are as well. Last Thursday, the Palestinian Authority Chief Negotiator, Saeb Erekat, called on the U.S. to "reconsider its objection" to the UN bid to recognize Palestine under the 1967 borders including East Jerusalem as the capital. The U.S. maintains its position, while showing no support for the Israeli construction plans. The approval of the 1,600 apartments had caused an earlier "diplomatic rift" between Israel and the U.S. (CNN, Haaretz, Alarabiya, WSJ)

SAUDI ARABIA: King Abdullah condemns Syrian violence
On Monday, King Abullah al-Saud gave a televised speech demanding an immediate end to the "unacceptable and unreasonable" violence against the Syrian protesters. Many consider the King's speech to be the most powerful Arab position against the Syrian government since the uprising started four months ago. The Syrian government, which recently responded assertively to all international interventions, has failed to respond to the Saudi interference. On Thursday, Syrian President Bashar al-Asad admitted to "some mistakes" committed by the Syrian security forces against the civilian protesters. Nearly 2,000 civilians have died since the uprising ignited. Comment: Saudi Arabia's assertive position against Syria influenced other Arab countries in the region to take diplomatic and civic action. After the Saudi Kingdom withdrew its ambassador from Syria "for consultation," Bahrain and Kuwait also recalled their ambassadors to discuss the situation. In Egypt, activists are organizing a one-million-signature Facebook group to dismiss the Syrian ambassador in Cairo. (Aljazeera, Elaph, CNN, BBC)

REGIONAL: Resentful reactions towards the violence in Britain
This week in the MENA region, governments officially commented on the emergent British riots, criticizing the UK government's forceful crackdown on the rioters. The Libyan Foreign Minister Khaled Kaaim demanded the British government resign "because they have lost all legitimacy through their violent repression of peaceful demonstrations by police." Meanwhile, the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad "urged the British authorities to correct their brutal behavior," calling the crack down a "blatant violation of human rights." In response to the Iranian concerns, Britain announced that "it would be happy to discuss its handling of the street unrest." Comment: The Iranian and Libyan interest in the British unrest comes as result of reciprocal positions previously taken by the UK towards unrest in each country respectively. In June of 2009, Britain led a "Western condemnation of Iran's crackdown on protests against Ahmadinejad's re-election." More recently in Libya, Britain, as part of NATO, played an integral role in supporting the Libyan uprising. Both Iran and Libya are seeking a UN Security Council intervention in Britain. (AFP, Aljazeera, Guardian, Atlantic Wire, CNN)