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PEACE & SECURITY REPORT
IPSI's Peace & Security Report (PSR) is a concise weekly e-publication intended to brief busy students, academics, advocates, and practitioners in the conflict management community 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.
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Featured Article
Syria's Phase of Radicalisation
ICG As the 10 April deadline Kofi Annan (the UN and Arab League joint Special Envoy) set for implementation of his peace plan strikes, the conflict's dynamics have taken an ugly and worrying turn. Syrians from all walks of life appear dumbfounded by the horrific levels of violence and hatred generated by the crisis. Regime forces have subjected entire neighbourhoods to intense bombardment, purportedly to crush armed opposition groups yet with no regard for civilians. Within the largest cities, innocent lives have been lost due to massive bomb attacks in the vicinity of key security installations. Perhaps most sickening of all have been pictures displaying the massacre of whole families, including the shattered skulls of young children. The first anniversary of what began as a predominantly peaceful protest movement came and went with only scattered popular demonstrations. Instead, there was immeasurable bloodshed.
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Africa
MALAWI: Joyce Banda sworn in as president
On Saturday, Vice President Joyce Banda was sworn in as President at the National Assembly in the Lilongwe, becoming southern Africa's first ever female head of state and the second woman to lead a country in Africa. She succeeds late President Bingu wa Mutharika, who died on April 5, 2012 after leading the nation since 2004. Banda has a track record of fighting for women's rights and is expected to champion gender issues during her term. Comment: In 2011, Banda founded her People's Party after refusing to endorse the late President's chosen successor Peter Mutharika. She is expected to run the country until scheduled elections take place in 2014. (Al Jazeera, Malawi Today, All Africa)
MALI: Interim leader set to take over
On Tuesday, Mali's Constitutional Court confirmed former President Amadou Toumani Toure's weekend resignation and appointed parliament speaker Dioncounda Traore as Acting President. His appointment is part of the transition deal by mediators from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Traore was sworn in on Thursday. According to the deal, he is tasked with organizing presidential elections within 40 days. Comment: Traore has been putting together a new interim "national unity" government, which is expected to have about 20 members; the identity of his prime minister is not yet known. Sources close to the ECOWAS mediation team say the military may remain in charge of security and defense. (Reuters, AFP, Vanguard)
SOUTH SUDAN: African Union urges withdrawal
On Wednesday, the African Union (AU) called on South Sudan to withdraw its troops from the disputed oil-producing border town of Heglig. The AU said it was deeply alarmed and called on both sides to exercise restraint. Sudan halted AU-led mediation efforts, citing South Sudan's "aggression." The clashes follow border fighting that erupted last month between the neighbors, the most serious unrest since Juba's independence last July. Comment: In January, South Sudan shut down all of its oil fields in disagreement over the fees Sudan requires to transport the oil. Sudan has vowed to use "all legitimate means" to retake the oil fields and has warned of "destruction" in the south. (BBC, Reuters AlertNet, Al Arabiya, France 24)
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Americas
BOLIVIA: President terminates Amazon road construction
On Wednesday, President Morales dissolved a USD 420 million contract for the construction of a road that would pass through the Bolivian Amazon rainforest. The contract with Brazilian company OAS was "annulled" due to the company's violation of adhering to the contract requirements with the Bolivian government. The road's construction has been the center of heated debate between the Bolivian government and indigenous communities, as the road would run through reserve sites of indigenous communities and a Bolivian national park, a region known as TIPNIS, Territoria Indigena y Parque Nacional Isiboro-Secure. Earlier segments of the road were not completed last year, due to widespread protests by indigenous communities and activist groups. Comment: The road was expected to connect Brazil with ports in Peru and Chile. The segment connecting Villa Tunari and San Ignacio de Moxos was terminated. The Bolivian government advocated the construction as a source of infrastructural development for poor communities, although indigenous communities opposed the project for its violation of sacred sites and the possible influx of coca farmers to the Amazon. (BBC, al Jazeera, Reuters)
PERU: Gas contractors held for USD 10 million
On Wednesday, Peruvian security forces searched for 43 construction workers kidnapped and ransomed for USD 10 million by the rebel group Shining Path. The workers were abducted on Monday in the village of Kepashiato near the Camisea natural gas site, one of the country's largest natural gas fields in the Amazon. The government declared a two-month state of emergency in the district where the workers went missing. Comment: In addition to the ransom cost, Shining Path demanded USD 1.2 million in a "war fee." The region where the workers were abducted is notorious for drug smuggling and the guerilla operations of Shining Path, a group that adheres to Maoist ideology and invoked terrorism throughout the 1980s and 1990s in Peru. The rebel group is estimated to have a membership of 300 to 500 fighters. (Latin American Herald Tribune, BBC, Washington Post)
UNITED STATES: Zimmerman charged with second-degree murder
On Wednesday, state attorney for the Jacksonville, Florida area announced second-degree murder charges filed by the prosecution against George Zimmerman for the Februrary 26 death of Trayvon Martin. 17-year old Martin was shot to death while Zimmerman was patrolling the neighborhood in response to recent crime in the gated community in Sanford, FL. Martin was wearing a hoodie sweater and carrying a bag of Skittles and iced tea. Martin's death sparked international outcry, as it illustrates for many people the perceived ongoing issues of racial profiling and discrimination. Zimmerman will plead not guilty, according to the defense team, and can face life in prison if found guilty. Second-degree murder charges stipulate that the killing occurred without premeditation, in the state of a "depraved mind." Comment: Florida's Stand Your Ground Laws were initially used for self-defense purposes stating that if an individual feels in danger, he or she is not required to retreat form the situation and may retaliate in self-defense. The laws passed in 2005 with the backing of the National Rifle Association. (NY Times, Washington Post, Miami Herald)
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East Asia
MYANMAR: Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi meets with Myanmar's president
On April 11, opposition leader Aung San Suu kyi met with President Thein Sein for the second time before taking her seat in parliament. The two were due to discuss democratization, parliamentary affairs, and a peace process with rebels. Comment: This latest meeting was likely held to develop further the trust between the two reformist leaders. Ms Suu Kyi's election is hailed as milestone as the once military-ruled Myanmar makes an apparent transition to democracy. (BBC, WP, Al Jazeera)
NORTH KOREA: 5-day missile launch window opened
On Thursday, North Korea officially opened its 5-day missile launch window. The northeast Asian country said it will launch the rocket between Thursday and Monday, most likely between 2200 GMT and 0300 GMT, to mark Sunday's centenary of the birth of its founding leader Kim Il-Sung. Pyongyang claims the rocket will carry a satellite into orbit for research purposes only, while international critics see the launch as a covert ballistic missile test. The United Nations has banned North Korea from such tests. Comment: The last time Pyongyang attempted a satellite launch, in April 2009, the UN Security Council condemned the action and demanded that it not be repeated. The scheduled rocket launch comes less than two months after Kim Jong Un assumed power upon his father, Kim Jong Il"s death. (CNN, CNA, The Australian)
REGIONAL: China and Philippines in naval stand off
On April 11, the Philippines said its largest warship was engaged in a standoff with Chinese surveillance vessels, preventing the arrest of Chinese fishermen in a disputed shoal in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). Both maintain that the sea is "an integral part" of their respective territories. Manila summoned Chinese Ambassador Ma Keqing immediately to complain about the incident; however, Beijing maintained it had sovereign rights over the area and asked that the Philippine ship leave its waters. The two countries agreed to resolve the issue diplomatically, although as of early Thursday, no immediate solution was reached, provoking both countries to send more ships into the disputed waters. Comment: The South China Sea is potentially home to huge reserves of natural gas and oil, leading to frequent small-scale conflicts between China and its neighbors. Last year, a number of incidents took place between Chinese and Vietnamese ships. (CNN, BBC, Philstar)
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| Europe & Central Asia
FRANCE: World War II resistance fighter dies
French hero Raymond Aubrac, who fought against the German occupiers during World War II, died at age 97 Tuesday night in Paris. He was one of the last leaders of the Resistance movement still alive. Along with his wife Lucie, Aubrac founded the Liberation Sud, one of the first underground Resistance groups to actively fight against the Nazi regime in France. Aubrac was captured in 1943 by German troops, but was freed when his wife and a group of Resistance fighters attacked the truck carrying him and other Resistance members. Comment: Aubrac is highly regarded in France, where President Sarkozy has praised him and other Resistance members as "heroes of the shadows who saved France's honor, at a time when it seemed lost." (Euronews, Telegraph, France 24, AP)
GERMANY: German poet forbidden from entering Israel
As a reaction to his poem that is highly critical of Israel, German poet Günter Grass was declared a persona non grata by Israel on Sunday. Israeli Interior Minister Eli Yishai announced that Grass would not be welcome in Israel, citing what many perceive to be anti-Semitic feelings in the poem. Grass' poem, entitled "What Must Be Said" was published on April 4 in the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung. The poem criticizes Israel's nuclear program and commands Germany to not sit back and be complicit to a crime by sending weapons to Israel. Comment: The 84-year-old Grass has been a controversial figure in Germany since 2006 when he admitted that he had been a Nazi soldier as a 17-year-old. Grass responded to his critics by saying that his poem was meant as a commentary on Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's policies, rather than on Israel itself. (Deutsche Welle, New York Times, Haaretz, Süddeutsche Zeitung)
NORWAY: Breivik declared sane
Anders Breivik, who stands trial for killing 77 people last July, was declared not criminally insane on Tuesday, despite being found psychotic in an earlier assessment. Breivik has been insistent that he is mentally stable and should be tried as such. Both psychiatric assessments will be considered at the end of Breivik's trial, at which time it will be decided if Breivik should go to jail or to a psychiatric ward. Comment: Breivik has never denied carrying out the attacks, insisting they were a necessary "crusade" against multiculturalism and Islam. Of his earlier psychiatric assessment, Breivik wrote to a Norwegian newspaper, "To send a political activist to an asylum is more sadistic and more evil than killing him!" (BBC, Euronews, Al Jazeera)
Researched/Written by Kate Elci
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Middle East & North Africa
BAHRAIN: Unrest threatens Formula One Race
Bahrainis wielding knives and sticks attacked Shia villagers on Tuesday night as pressure grew for this month's Formula One race in the Sunni-ruled state to be cancelled over the unrest. The attacks are believed to be in response to a pipe bomb attack on Monday that injured seven policemen in the Shiite village of Akr. Demonstrations in Bahrain's Shiite villages have increased in recent weeks as tensions between the authorities and the opposition escalates over the fate of a jailed Shiite activist, Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, who has been on a hunger strike for two months. Comment: Bahrain's Shiites account for about 70 percent of the population, but they claim they face widespread discrimination and are kept from top government or military posts. Al-Khawaja was sentenced by military court to life in prison in June for plotting against the state due to his participation in the uprising that started last spring. Denmark's Prime Minister, Helle Thorning-Schmidt, later called on Bahrain to release Mr Khawaja, who has Danish citizenship. (Al Jazeera, AP, BBC.)
EGYPT: Court suspends Constitutional Panel
An Egyptian court on Tuesday suspended the assembly tasked with drafting a new constitution pending a ruling on its legality, following criticism that the panel is dominated by Islamists and under-represents Egypt's liberals, women and Christians. The decision followed a protest undertaken by liberal parties over the Islamist-majority parliament's decision to select the assembly itself. The court order stated that parliament must elect 100 "qualified" people from outside the parliament to write the constitution. Leading members of the Freedom and Justice Party, the political party affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, released statements confirming their acceptance of the court order. Comment: The current constitution was suspended by the army rulers in February last year, shortly after the fall of Hosni Mubarak. The new document is expected to clarify the relationships between the separation of powers and protect the status of religious minorities. The decision delays the drafting of a constitution needed urgently to clarify the powers of Egypt's new head of state, due to take over from ruling generals by mid-year. (Reuters, CNN, AlJazeera)
SYRIA: Cease fire deadline passes among continued violence, threats from Turkey
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, for the first time on Wednesday, raised the possibility of calling on the NATO military alliance to protect Turkey's border against incursions by Syrian forces as violence continues despite Syria's stated committment to the Kofi Annan Peace Plan. Erdogan's threats came after four Syrians who fled to Turkey from the violence in Syria were killed by Syrian forces targeting refugees on the Turkish side of the border on Monday. The Peace Plan required Syrian forces to pull back from protest centers by Tuesday; however, shelling continued on Wednesday in Marea and Homs. Comment: Annan said he has a written guarantee from the Syrian government to stop fighting at dawn Thursday, but that the Assad regime has stated that it has the right to respond to attacks. Western leaders called for the implementation of the plan, but so far lack an effective policy to curb the bloodshed given their own aversion to military intervention and the resistance of Russia and China to any UN Security Council action. (Today's Zaman, BBC, Gulf News)
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South Asia
AFGHANISTAN: Security forces to be reduced after 2014
Afghan Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak and Interior Minister Bismillah Khan Mohammadi visited the Pentagon this week to discuss the future of a U.S. presence in Afghanistan after the 2014 withdrawal of foreign combat troops. "The strategic implications will be more important than the physical number of troops," said Defense Minister Wardak of the U.S.-Afghan partnership. Western officials have said that it will cost USD 4.1 billion to maintain an effective Afghan security force after 2014, and Afghans will "have to find the resources to sustain it or ... reduce the size of the project" if foreign aid after 2014 is not sufficient. Afghanistan plans to cut its security personnel from 352,000 to 230,000 after 2014. Comment: Defense Minister Rahim Wardak and U.S. Commander General John R. Allen signed an agreement on Sunday in Washington giving Afghan security forces veto power over the controversial U.S.-led night raids. (Washington Post, Washington Post, AP, NYTimes, WSJ)
INDIA: Navy acquires nuclear-powered submarine
Indian Defense Minister A.K. Antony inducted INS Chakra, a nuclear-powered submarine, into the Indian Navy on Wednesday in Visakhapatnam on India's south east coast. The submarine is on lease from Russia for 10 years and will cost India USD 900 million. The acquisition of the vessel makes India the sixth country in the world to possess nuclear-powered submarines after the U.S., U.K, Russia, China, and France. In recent years, India has become one of the biggest importers of arms in the world and will spend an estimated USD 137 billion on foreign weapons purchases in the next ten years. The vessel, although nuclear-powered, will not carry nuclear weapons. Comment: Some reports speculate that the wide publicity of the new submarine may be a reaction to a leaked letter from Indian Army Chief V.K. Singh to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, which detailed weaknesses in India's military. (Al Jazeera, BBC, RT)
PAKISTAN: Soldiers buried in avalanche in Kashmir
Last Saturday, an avalanche struck near the town of Skardu in the Baltistan region of Northern Pakistan near Kashmir, burying at least 138 people. The part of the Siachen Glacier that collapsed covered a Pakistani army camp, encompassing an area of one square kilometer. Although there are at least 11 civilians buried, most of the victims are service members. Manzoor Hussain, president of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, said on Wednesday that there is "no possibility" of any survivors, "because by now probably there would be no body temperature under the snow." Despite the low chance of survivors, specialist teams from Western countries and at least 450 local volunteers in the region are still working to uncover the buried camp. Comment: Many environmental experts attest that the military presence of both Pakistan and India on the Siachen glacier is contributing to melting. Indian Foreign Secretary Ranhan Mathai extended an invitation to Pakistan to discuss Kashmir on Wednesday, with the prerequisite that Pakistan take "serious action" against anti-Indian militants. (Al Jazeera, DAWN, Tribune, WSJ)
Researched/Written by Tarek J. Nasser
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