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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.  Meticulously researched and written by IPSI, the PSR empowers us all to take a step back from our immediate deadlines each Friday and gain a greater understanding of the week's global events.

Featured Video 

"Why Here, Not There? Investigating emerging nonviolent movements" 

Click on the image to watch C-SPAN coverage of the event 

VIDEO: Why Here, Not There?










The International Peace & Security Institute (IPSI), in collaboration with The Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) Conflict Management Program, hosted a high-level panel discussion and networking reception on Wednesday, August 17.  The event, "Why Here, Not There? Investigating emerging nonviolent movements" examined the dynamics that enable nonviolent movements to occur in some regions and not others at specific moments in time.  The event was broadcast live nationwide and globally on the internet by C-SPAN.  The panelists included:  

 

Jack DuVall International Center on Nonviolent Conflict
Dr. Cynthia Irmer DoS Office for the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization
Gimena S�nchez-Garzoli The Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA)
Dr. William Zartman The Johns Hopkins University SAIS Conflict Management Program

 

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Africa
BENIN/NIGERIA: Piracy soars off the coast of West Africa
According to the International Maritime Bureau, Nigeria and Benin reported 22 piracy incidents so far this year; a sharp increase considering no such incidents were reported from Benin in 2010. On August 17, the two countries started a joint patrol of shared waters in the Gulf of Guinea. Meanwhile, London-based insurers' group, Lloyd's Market Association, listed the region in the same risk category as the Gulf of Eden in East Africa. While the numbers of attacks in West Africa are lower than the 163 reported in East Africa this year, analysts state that many incidents in the Gulf of Guinea waters are unreported. Unlike their Somali counterparts, pirates in West Africa tend to conduct robberies rather than seize ships and hold them for ransom. Comment: The coastal areas of West Africa are largely impoverished and politically volatile. The rise is piracy threatens the region's major oil-producing zones and trading hubs. (Bloomberg, Guardian, UPI)

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: Presidential race kicks off
DRC's presidential race kicked off this week with candidates registering for the general elections slated for November 28; incumbent Joseph Kabila is seeking re-election. Etienne Tshisekedi, of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress party, and Vital Kamerhe, former Speaker of the House of Assembly from the Congolese National Union party, are among his possible opponents. According to the country's Independent National Electoral Commission, 31 million people have already registered to vote; 26 million registered in the last election. The opposition, however, made allegations of fraud in the registration process. Comment: DRC's 2006 election was the country's first in 40 years. It is recovering from multiple civil wars, and the situation in its east continues to remain volatile. There are fears that the elections may lead to renewed violence given the country's weak security apparatus. (AP, NewsDay, VOA)

ERITREA/UGANDA: President Afewerki visits Uganda
On August 16, Eritrean President Afewerki embarked on a three-day visit to Uganda for talks between the two countries focused on regional security and on Eritrea's alleged support for Somalia's violent Islamist group, al-Shabab. A UN report released last month accused Eritrea of funding and arming al-Shabab fighters, a charge Afewerki denies. The visit stemmed from an invitation last week by Uganda's President Museveni to Afewerki terming Eritrea as "one of the strategically vital countries to the stability of the region". Comment: Ugandan troops form the bulk of the 9,000-strong African Union force fighting the al-Shabab in Somalia. Eritrea is currently under UN sanctions which impose a travel ban on its leaders. Analysts state that the normally reclusive Afewerki's visit to Uganda was a sign that he wanted to end Eritrea's isolation as the al-Shabab loses some of its foothold in Somalia. (AFP, AllAfrica, BBC, Reuters Africa)

UGANDA: Police fire tear gas in Kampala
On August 17, Ugandan police fired tear gas and water cannons at opposition supporters in Kampala who were holding a vigil for the nine people killed during protests in April. The police dispersed the crowd of hundreds and stated that the gathering was unlawful and could lead to violence. Opposition leaders criticized the police for "criminalizing" the event. Meanwhile, the main opposition leader Kizza Besigye's house was surrounded by the police on August 15 in a move that his supporters stated was intended to prevent him from attending any protests. Comment: Uganda experienced increasingly common anti-government protests in April and May due to rising food and fuel prices. Double-digit inflation and a severely weakened Shilling have led to renewed protests in recent weeks. (BBC, Dow Jones, Reuters Africa)

Researched/Written by Megha Swamy
Americas
BOLIVIA: Natives begin 300-mile march to protest building of new road
On Monday, more than 500 protesters from several indigenous groups in the northeastern city of Trinidad began a 310-mile march to La Paz, protesting the building of a new 185-mile road that will traverse an ecological reserve. The goal of the protest is to protect 13,000 people belonging to the Yuracar�, Trinitario and Chim�n ethnic groups living in the area. Activists feel the road, which will be built and is largely funded by Brazil, will encourage illegal settlement and deforestation. The indigenous protesters claim their constitutional rights are being violated under a 1990 decree which gave recognition to indigenous territories in the area. Comment: The 1990 decree was supported by the new constitution rewritten in 2009 under President Morales, who was named by the UN in 2009 "World Hero of Mother Earth." Morales has recently faced a number of challenges from indigenous and social movements. His government claims the road is essential for national integration and that safeguards are in place to protect the land and people. (La Prensa, Inter Press News, Scotsman, BBC)

COLOMBIA: Four men captured with alleged Zeta ties
Colombian forces captured four men Saturday who are believed to have ties to the Mexican drug cartel Los Zetas and are wanted for extradition by the United States. The men were allegedly part of a ring that helped move drugs from Colombian port cities to Central America, North America, and Europe. The arrest was the second in less than a week in which Colombian police arrested a suspect with ties to Mexican drug traffickers. Last week, a woman was charged with laundering money for the notorious Sinaola cartel. Comment: Previous official statements have claimed the Rastrojos, and the Barrera clan sold primarily to the Sinaola cartel, a rival of the Zetas. If the Zetas are proven to have connections with the two most powerful cartels in Colombia, Rastrojos and the Barrera clan, it would mark a substantial shift in alliances, putting the Zetas at the top of the distribution chain and in their prospective earnings. (Latin American Herald Tribune, El Universal, InSight Crime)

HONDURAS: Land dispute leaves 11 dead
President Lobo ordered 600 soldiers and national police to the Aguan region where recent clashes over farmland left 11 people dead, including two women. A violent clash on Sunday alone killed four security guards and two peasants and injured 14 others. Authorities believe five traders shot dead on Monday in the region were mistaken as rivals in a land ownership conflict pitting peasants against landowners in the Aguan Valley, which has some of the most fertile farmland in the country. The government has offered interest-free loans to farmworkers to buy land, but purchase prices continue to cause friction. Comment: Many farming families are demanding at least enough land to raise subsistence crops. In the last two years, land disputes have caused over 30 deaths of farm workers and private guards. Landowners have accused peasants of provoking violence by occupying their lands. (La Prensa, AFP, BBC, Latin American Herald Tribune)

 

Researched/Written by  Leah Cullins
East Asia
AUSTRALIA: Exponential rise in self-harm cases among asylum seekers
On Wednesday, a report examining Australia's mandatory detention policy for asylum seekers who arrive by boat painted a somber picture of the system, provoking chiding remarks from political opposition parties. Among some of the figures released, the report noted a 12-fold increase in reports of self-harm among detainees and the treating of more than 700 detainees for "voluntary starvation" in the six-month period from January to June. Australia's immigration department chief, Andrew Metcalfe, noted that the department is "acutely aware" that the current system is under pressure, while also suggesting the government pursue possible alternatives to mandatory detention. Comment: In the wake of the report, the Australian Medical Association has criticized the current policy saying it "is inherently harmful to the physical and mental health of detainees," and suggesting the detention period be reduced to "weeks"; the current average is 316 days. Scott Morrison, the opposition immigration spokesman, commented on the findings of the report, saying they reveal the system has "collapsed" and that the government is in "policy denial." (AFP, Phil Star, The Age, Sydney Morning Herald)

CHINA: Monk's self-immolation incites stern response from authorities
In protest of Chinese government policies, Tsewang Norbu, a 29 year-old Tibetan Monk, burned himself to death in Sichuan Province on Monday. Citing an unnamed witness, the Free Tibet organization reported that Tsewang Norbu called out, "We Tibetan people want freedom," "Long live the Dalai Lama," and "let the Dalai Lama return to Tibet." Xinhua, the Chinese state-run news outlet, reported on the event saying, "It was unclear why he had burned himself." Comment: The government responded to Tsewang Norbu's protest by surrounding the Nyitso monastery with soldiers, cutting off access to power and water, and setting up roadblocks around the county. These actions are indicative of China's sensitivity to concerns of regional sovereignty; however, in a rare concession only one day before, Chinese Authorities capitulated to protesters' demands to relocate a chemical plant in Northeast China due to concerns of toxic waste leaking out into the surrounding waterways. (AFP, Reuters, Guardian, Asahi)

KOREAS: North condemns South's joint military drill with U.S. forces
The U.S.-South Korean Combined Forces Command (CFC) began a 10-day joint military exercise on Tuesday. Pyongyang, condemned the annual Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercise as "extremely provocative," stating "The U.S. warmongers are planning to carry out a realistic war drill to remove our nuclear facilities with a mobile unit led by the U.S. 20th Support Command, which was sent to Iraq to find and disable weapons of mass destruction." Comments from a spokesperson for the CFC alluded to the existence of such measures, saying the exercises will include "a wide variety of missions including those involving the location and securing of chemical, biological, nuclear and radiological threats." Comment: Earlier in the week, North Korea's delegation to Panmunjom urged South Korean and U.S. officials to cancel the exercise, accusing them of escalating tensions on the peninsula and disrupting an atmosphere conducive to dialogue. On August 15, Korean Independence Day and coincidentally one day before the commencement of the exercises, South Korean president Lee Myoung-bak called for the two Koreas to work together to achieve "common prosperity" and to "open up an age of peace of cooperation." (BBC, Korea Times, Herald Sun, AFP, Global Post)
  

Researched/Written by  Matthew McGrath 

Europe & Central Asia
ARMENIA/AZERBAIJAN: Karabakh reports military buildup; Az. talks tough
On August 12, the commander of Armenian-backed forces in the breakaway Azerbaijani region of Nagorno-Karabakh, Lieutenant-General Movses Hakobian, reported that the "military potential" of his troops grew by 20 percent in the first half of 2011. He added that the Azerbaijani army would suffer another defeat if it attempted to end the conflict by force. Armenia, whose armed forces are closely connected with the Karabakh military, is likely to be the main source of the arms acquisitions. In response, Azerbaijan's Defense Minister, Eldar Sabiroglu, dismissed claims that his country would lose in a new conflict, saying "Azerbaijan's victory over Armenia in a short period of time is inevitable." Comment: Tensions are rising between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Karabakh issue, and the latest summit in Kazan, Russia failed to produce any results. Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian said in February that Yerevan obtained "unprecedented" quantities of modern weaponry in 2010 and will continue its military expansion through 2011. The Azerbaijani government announced plans in June to boost military spending to $3.3 billion this year, up from $2.15 billion a year ago and just $160 million in 2003. Azerbaijani leaders regularly threaten to forcibly take back Karabakh and Armenian-controlled territories surrounding the disputed enclave. (RFE/RLEurasiaNetNews.Az)

KOSOVO: War crimes trial reopens for former leader
The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague opened its first-ever retrial on Thursday, with Kosovo's former prime minister, Ramush Haradinaj, again facing war crimes charges. Haradinaj, a former commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), was accused of murdering and torturing civilians between 1998 and 1999 in the struggle for independence from Serbia. He was acquitted of all charges in 2008, but appeals judges last year ordered he be retried on six counts, saying the original trial was marred by witness intimidation, and that new evidence and witnesses have surfaced. Haradinaj went on trial Thursday along with fellow KLA fighters Idriz Balaj and Lahi Brahimaj. Balaj was acquitted with Haradinaj in 2008, while Brahimaj was sentenced to six-years for torturing Serbs and suspected Serb collaborators. Comment: Many in Kosovo believe that the retrial is a political gesture by the ICTY to Serbia as the Court seeks to display impartiality following this year's arrests of Serbian fugitives Ratko Mladic and Goran Hadzic. In Serbia, many believe the court is biased against Serbs, and that Haradinaj's conviction would be proof of its impartiality. (Balkan InsightBBCDeutsche WelleAP)

TURKEY: Soldiers killed in Kurdish attacks; Military bombs PKK bases in Iraq
On Wednesday, 12 Turkish soldiers were killed and 14 injured in an attack by Kurdish separatist militants in Hakkari province, close to the Iraqi border. Officials and Turkish media said military reinforcements were being deployed to the area when the soldiers' vehicle was hit by roadside explosives and attacked by gunfire. On Saturday, an ambush near the south-eastern province of Sirnak killed three soldiers. The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) claimed responsibility for the attacks. In response, Turkish aircraft attacked 60 sites in northern Iraq used as bases by the PKK. Prime Minister Erdogan hinted at the possibility of a fresh military offensive at the conclusion of Ramadan, warning that "a new period is starting" in the conflict. Comment: The PKK claimed responsibility for a series of deadly attacks over the last month, including a battle in July that left 13 Turkish soldiers dead. The PKK, listed as a terrorist group by Turkey and much of the international community, has been engaged in an armed struggle since 1984 claiming over 45,000 lives. Clashes between the PKK and security forces have increased since the general elections on June 12 when a prominent Kurdish candidate was barred from participating. Despite earlier government initiatives aimed at improving relations with the Kurds, tensions have mounted between the government and Kurdish political groups. Last week, the government charged over 100 Kurdish politicians for alleged ties to the PKK. (BBCHurriyetDeutsche WelleReutersCNN)
 

Researched/Written by  Mark Simeone

Middle East & North Africa
EGYPT: Mubarak trial postponed until after Ramadan
On Monday, Egyptian Judge Ahmed Refaat announced the postponement of former president Hosni Mubarak's trial from its original start date of August 15, "giving officials more time to study evidence." Mubarak, who faces charges of corruption and ordering the killings of some 846 protesters, will resume his trial on September 5. The judge is also barring live media coverage from inside the court for "the public interest." Comment: The recent court decisions received mixed reactions by the Egyptian public; while some of Mubarak's opponents who prefer to "move on" and focus on the upcoming elections welcomed the news, others rallied to the streets and Tahrir Square casting their objection against the judge's decision. Worried protesters who lack confidence in the integrity of Egypt's justice and ruling systems are revisiting social networks and calling for mass gatherings to "save the Egyptian revolution from dying." (Barakish, CNN, Asharq al-Awsat
)

ISRAEL: Terrorist attacks renew cycle of violence
A series of roadside attacks on buses and cars near the Egyptian border on Thursday left eight Israelis dead and over twenty wounded, making it the deadliest assault on Israeli soil in at least four years and sparking a renewed cycle of violence. Israeli forces killed five of the attackers along the border, and later killed at least four members of the armed Palestinian group the Popular Resistance Committees, including its leader, after blaming that organization for the attack. Gaza-based militants then launched about 14 rockets into Israel today, damaging a school and a synagogue in the southern city of Ashdod and causing some injuries. Hamas claims the rocket attacks were in response to nighttime Israeli airstrikes in Gaza that reportedly killed a teenager, although the group has denied involvement in the attacks. Comment: Israeli officials said the assailants had crossed into Israel from Egypt's Sinai peninsula, but insisted there was "clear intelligence information" that they originally hailed from the Gaza Strip. Israel has expressed concern about a deterioration of security in the Sinai since Egypt's President Mubarak resigned in February. Last week, Egypt moved additional forces to the region in an effort to improve security. (Haaretz, Bloomberg, Financial Times, VOA)

LIBYA: Rebels on the brink of besieging Tripoli
This week, the Libyan combative rebels advanced substantially as they continue to battle their way towards Gadhafi in Tripoli. Only 30 miles away from the capital, Zawyia is considered the last significant city before facing off with Gadhafi's main forces. Zawyia is also important for its oil refinery, which supplies the capital where Gadahfi is located and produces nearly one-third of the total Libyan production. The city of 200,000 residents was one of the first to revolt when the uprising started last February. Comment: The rebels are accomplishing significant yet slow progress. Gadhafi's heavy fortifications will provide a difficult advancing environment for the rebels; however, they stand by their stated goal of taking over Tripoli by the end of Ramadan. (Bloomberg, AFP, CNN)

SYRIA: Government troop withdrawals amid international pressure
On Thursday, the Syrian authorities announced the halt of excessive military force against civilian protesters. President Bashar al-Assad told UN chief Ban Ki-moon that the military and police forces withdrew from their locations; however, eyewitnesses claim that the crackdown by the military is still in progress. In recent weeks, al-Assad's regime has been under intense international pressure demanding the immediate end to the violence against civilian protesters. Nearly 2,000 protesters have died and thousands more injured in the last six months. Many Syrians remain skeptical of the alleged military departure, claiming the government employs forces that wear civilian clothes. Comment: Recent political pressure from the UN, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey threatens Syria's regional amity, forcing the government to reconsider using violence against civilians; however, Iran remains supportive of Assad's regime against foreign intervention. Iraq, which could be influenced by Iran's position, also opposes foreign involvement in Syrian affairs. (Telegraph, PressTV, Haaretz, AljazeeraNationalReview)
 

Researched/Written by Ibrahim Al-Hajjri

South Asia
INDIA: Anna Hazare leads anti-corruption protests
On Tuesday, anti-corruption activist, Anna Hazare, was arrested along with 1,200 protesters for what India's PM Singh called an effort to "circumvent democracy by demanding overhaul of anti-corruption bill." Hazare was arrested because he defied government restrictions which allowed him to protest for only three days. His arrest has sparked protests all over the country including in Mumbai, Calcutta, Chennai, and Bangalore. Officials announced Hazare was free to leave; however, he declined and will be released from prison on Friday in order to start a 15-day hunger strike, which he negotiated with government officials. Comment: Hazare, a 74 year-old activist, has grabbed headlines since June for the momentum he gained for India's anti-graft movement. Headlines across the UK have likened Hazare to Gandhi. (BBC, Christian Science Monitor, Hindustan Times, NDTV)

NEPAL: PM resigns, opposition groups meet to elect new government
Following PM Khanal's resignation on Saturday, Maoists and members of the Nepali Congress have been working to elect a new PM with members of the Maoist party campaigning for Baburam Bhattarai. On Thursday, members of the Maoist party and the Nepali Congress met and agreed to form a National Consensus government using a rotating schedule to determine which party leads. Comment: Although leaders of the political parties agreed on the consensus government, no conclusions were made as to who would lead first. President Yadav set a deadline of August 21 for parties to form the consensus government. (BBC, eKantipur, Himalayan Times, Washington Post)

PAKISTAN: Karachi violence further escalates
On Wednesday, senior leader of the PPP party, Waja Dad, was gunned down in a Karachi caf� with 12 others. Violence in Karachi has been escalating since July, a month in which over 300 were killed in political and ethnic violence. Over 30 violent deaths were reported in the 24-hour period following Dad's assassination on Wednesday. Comment: Analysts and police officials are branding the recent bloodshed "gang war" and claim these gangs are fighting "turf" battles and using ethnic violence to pursue political gains. Besides the 300 citizens killed in July, Al-Jazeera noted that over 800 people have been killed in Karachi since the beginning of the year. (BBC, BBC, Al Jazeera)
 

Researched/Written by  Kamila A. Badat

August 19, 2011
Go to IPSI's Homepage
In This Issue
Featured Video
Africa
Americas
East Asia
Europe & Central Asia
Middle East & N. Africa
South Asia

IPSI News
IPSI Adviser Dr. Joyce Neu

IPSI Adviser Dr. Joyce Neu is interviewed for the following BBC article: "Would you shake hands with someone reviled?

 

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IPSI News
IPSI Adviser Gareth Evans

IPSI Adviser Gareth Evans is quoted in this NYTimes article on the 1991 Paris Peace Agreement for Cambodia: "Silencing Cambodia's Honest Brokers

 

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IPSI Leadership 

 

Cameron M. Chisholm

Dr. I. William Zartman 
Dr. P. Terrence Hopmann 
Alexander Little 
Nadim Salti
Pamela Aall 
Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah
Betty Bigombe 
Jan Eliasson
Gareth Evans 
Dr. Ted Robert Gurr
Amb. Jacques Paul Klein
Peter Kyle 
Dr. Jean Paul Lederach
Jeffrey Mapendere
John Marks 
Susan Collin Marks 
Dr. Joyce Neu

Dr. Valerie Rosoux 
William Stuebner 
Dr. Ruth Wedgwood

Dr. Craig Zelizer

 

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