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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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Still time to act: Rising conflict fears in Kosovo
Safer World
Key findings of the report point to a serious decline in public perceptions of safety and security. The 2011 survey indicates how the lingering electoral crisis and the continuing tensions in Northern Kosovo impacted on security perceptions. Divides between the Kosovo Government in Pristina and the Kosovo Serb population in the North have widened, while across all ethnic groups fears of violent conflict resuming in the next five years have increased; one finding showed that more than 50% of respondents believe that a special status for Northern Kosovo would adversely affect security. On a local level, perceptions were more encouraging, with the majority feeling safe within their neighbourhoods and less likely to be interested in acquiring firearms than in 2010; instead, concerns focused on pollution, traffic, and infrastructure.
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East & South Africa
RWANDA: Rwandan opposition leader found guilty
On Monday, the Rwandan High Court found Victoire Ingabire, leader of the United Democratic Forces Party, guilty of threatening national security and belittling the 1994 genocide. The prosecution demanded life imprisonment, but she received an eight year sentence for which she will lodge an appeal. The accusation stems from comments Ingabire made in January 2010 concerning Rwanda's official memorial for the 1994 genocide not including any commemoration for the slain moderate Hutus. Comment: Ingabire spent years in exile in The Netherlands before returning to Rwanda to run for president in the 2010 elections with the currently unofficial United Democratic Forces Party. While being placed under house arrest for her comments and possible association with terrorist groups, President Kagame won the election. Many supporters of Ingabire claim that she was not given a fair trial, and the Human Rights Watch agrees, saying the ruling is "the culmination of a flawed trial that included politically motivated charges." (The Daily Nation, All Africa, BBC)
SOMALIA: Comic killed by gunmen
Warsame Shire Awale, a poet, comic, and composer in Somalia was gunned down by two men outside of his house in Mogadishu late Monday evening. Awale has contributed to the arts and culture of Somalia for 30 years, including his recent practice of performing comedic plays on the radio. Most of his material was critical of Al Shabaab, claiming they mislead people in the name of Islam. He was very popular with the youth in Somalia and urged people to join the police force or help the UN-backed government. Days before his death, he received death threats in regards to his comments about gunmen who target civilians. Comment: This is yet another instance of journalists or other members of the media targeted in Somalia. While the Somali government accuses Al Shabaab of this act, a spokesperson for the rebel group has denied their involvement, stating "this gentleman was an old man and we had no wish to kill him. Blaming al-Shabab for this is a politically motivated issue." Moreover, Al Shabaab has suggested that government forces may be responsible for Awale's death. (Al Jazeera, The Guardian, BBC)
TANZANIA: Police seize elephant tusks
On Wednesday, police seized over 200 elephant tusks and rhinoceros horns worth an estimated USD 1.32 million and arrested four individuals in Dar Es Salaam allegedly planning on smuggling the ivory into Kenya for the black market. Poaching in eastern Africa appears to be on the rise with an estimated 30 elephants killed each day in Tanzania, disturbing the balance of the regional ecosystem. Additionally, poaching has brought increased risk to human life, as its illegality has been known to promote corruption. Comment: The primary use for ivory is to display wealth, with 40 percent of the global trade consumed by Japan, while another 40 percent is consumed by Europe and North America. Hong Kong serves as the largest trading hub, although authorities in Hong Kong and Tanzania have now reportedly begun to pay more attention to the trade. This month Hong Kong seized USD 3.5 million worth of elephant tusks smuggled out of Kenya and Tanzania. (The Daily Nation, Reuters, All Africa)
Researched/Written by Sean Barrett
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West & Central Africa
COTE D'IVOIRE: Former Ivorian leader request denied
On October 26, the International Criminal Court (ICC) rejected a request by Ivorian ex-President Laurent Gbagbo for medical treatment due to fears he might try to abscond pending trial for crimes against humanity. ICC prosecutors say Gbagbo committed crimes against humanity during a four-month civil war in Cote D'Ivoire in 2010, in which about 3,000 people died and a million were displaced. Comment: Observers believe Gbagbo continues to claim the presidency and would want to return to power if released. A UN report said earlier this month that Gbagbo supporters exiled in neighboring Ghana were laying plans to destabilize the region and seeking links with Islamist rebels in Mali. (Reuters, Euronews, AFP, Afrique en Ligne)
GUINEA-BISSAU: Coup plot leader arrested
On Saturday, authorities arrested the alleged leader of the attempted counter-coup last week in Bolama. Captain Pansao N'Tchama and two other suspects were detained on an island near the country's capital Bissau. N'Tchama is accused of carrying out the October 21 attack on army barracks which left at least seven people dead, including six of the attackers. On Monday, a government spokesman said N'Tchama had used a vehicle belonging to a former member of exiled former Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior's government to carry out the attack. Comment: The transitional government maintains Portugal had called for the attack in an effort to restore Gomes Junior to power. The former prime minister is currently in exile in Portugal. (Al Jazeera, All Africa, Deutsche Welle)
NIGERIA: Church bombed
On Sunday, a suicide bomber drove a jeep filled with explosives into a Catholic church in Kaduna, northern Nigeria, killing at least eight people and wounding more than 100. The attack in the ethnically and religiously mixed city triggered reprisals; angry Christian youths took to the streets armed with sticks and knives killing two people. Comment: No group claimed responsibility, but Islamist sect Boko Haram has bombed several churches in the past in its fight to create an Islamic state in Nigeria where the population is evenly split between Christians and Muslims. Observers say some of the attacks on churches appear to have been calculated to stir sectarian tensions along Nigeria's volatile middle belt, where its largely Christian south and mostly Muslim north meet. (Reuters, France 24, Deutsche Welle)
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Americas
BOLIVIA: Radio journalist set on fire on-air
Fernando Vidal, an announcer at Radio Popular was attacked by four masked men on Tuesday in the city of Yacuiba. Mr. Vidal was reporting on smuggling when the assailants entered the studio, doused him in gasoline, and set him on fire. Mr. Vidal was taken to the hospital where he is recovering from his injuries. Three suspects are currently in custody, but their motives remain unclear. Mr. Vidal's family suspects the attacks were retaliation for Mr. Vidal's recent reports on cross-border smuggling of liquid petroleum gas. Comment: The Bolivian government subsidizes oil to keep the price of crude oil fixed at USD 27.11 per barrel, while international oil prices hover around USD 100 per barrel. The artificially low cost has increased oil smuggling operations to neighboring countries, costing the government USD 50 million in annual lost revenues and could lead to possible energy shortages. (BBC, The Daily Mail, The Sun)
PERU: Four killed in protests over market relocations
Four individuals were killed during weeklong protests, which led to clashes between Peruvian police and protesters near the La Parada market in Lima. The protests began after officers ordered the relocation of the market to a newly built site. Government officials claim that the stall-owners hired criminal gangs to throw rocks at riot police, who responded with live ammunition, tear gas, and batons. The protests led to the arrest of 27 individuals and over 100 injuries, including eight police offices. Comment: Plans to move the market have been developed over the past several years in an attempt to improve hygiene and shut down stalls selling illegal goods. Despite the violence, government officials plan to move ahead with the market relocation. (BBC, Reuters. Al Jazeera, Peruvian Times)
REGIONAL: Hurricane Sandy devastates the Caribbean and U.S.
Hurricane Sandy swept over the Caribbean late last week killing 71 individuals and causing substantial damage. Haiti suffered grave consequences with 70 percent of crops in the South destroyed and 20,000 Haitians left homeless. In addition, widespread flooding in Haiti is likely to worsen the cholera epidemic, which has claimed the lives of 7,500 individuals since the 2010 earthquake. In the U.S., the storm caused more than 90 deaths on the east coast. New York was hit the hardest where 1.58 million are without power and an estimated USD 6 billion in lost economic revenues. Comment: Following the hurricane, New York City's Mayor Michael Bloomberg endorsed President Obama in the upcoming presidential election. Mayor Bloomberg announced that climate change likely contributed to Hurricane Sandy as well as other natural disasters around the world. (BBC, Reuters, AP, The Haitian Times, The New York Times)
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East Asia
INDONESIA: Anti-terror raid conducted in Poso
On October 31, elite Indonesian anti-terrorist squad Densus 88 killed one suspected militant and arrested at least two others during a raid in Central Sulawesi's Poso district. Officers seized explosive devices, a pistol, and bomb-making materials. The raid comes after police arrested 11 Islamic militants in Java last weekend who were allegedly planning to attack the U.S. embassy. Comment: Initial reports suggest the suspects arrested in Poso may be responsible for the high-profile torture and killing of two policemen on October 16. The Indonesian government has responded to recent extremist activities by deploying more forces to the region. There have been two failed bomb attacks in Poso this week. (Jakarta Globe, Jakarta Post, AP)
PHILIPPINES: Marines clash with militants
On Sunday, four soldiers and 10 insurgents were killed in a six-hour firefight between Philippine marines and members of Islamic militant group Abu Sayyaf. The marines had deployed in Sulu Province's mountainous Patikul town to search for hostages held by Abu Sayyaf. The al-Qaeda linked group has been responsible for kidnappings, bombings, and assassinations in the past. Comment: Sources differ as to the exact number of casualties but it appears the fight involved up to 200 militia members. The grandson of notorious Abu Sayyaf leader Radulan Sahiron was reportedly killed in the battle. (Inquirer, Philstar, AP)
VIETNAM: Musicians jailed
On October 30, a court in Ho Chi Minh City sentenced prominent Vietnamese musicians Vo Minh Tri and Tran Vu Anh Binh to prison terms for spreading anti-state propaganda. The men had posted songs critical of the government on a website operated by Vietnamese opposition group "Patriotic Youth." After a five-hour trial, Tri was sentenced to four yeas in prison and Binh to six. Comment: International rights groups have condemned the ruling and cite the decision as evidence of a recent trend of repression in Vietnam. In September, three bloggers accused of publishing anti-government propaganda were jailed. (AP, BBC, Radio Free Asia)
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Europe & Central Asia
FRANCE: Top ETA leader arrested
On Monday, Izaskun Lesaka, believed to be one of the "three most important figures" in ETA, was arrested by police in a hotel room in the French town of Macon. Lesaka has been wanted by France and Spain since she went underground in 2005. Earlier this year, Lesaka was sentenced in abstentia to seven years in prison for her role in the Loire Valley bomb factory activities, an ETA safe-house French police described as "a chemical experimental laboratory for the intensive production of pentrita," a component used in explosives. Comment: The Basque militant movement known as ETA has been involved in over 800 deaths in the past four decades. Last year, ETA announced a shift from violence to a "political struggle," but has failed to disband and disarm. Spain's government stated that it intends to continue to treat ETA as an illegal body until it hands in its weapons and ceases to exist. (Al Jazeera, BBC, Telegraph)
RUSSIA: Imam and two others killed by gunmen
On Tuesday, Kalimulla Ibragimov, his father, and son were shot and killed by attackers in the Russian region of Dagestan. Ibragimov, a Muslim Cleric, was known for delivering sermons calling for peace in the region. Ibragimov was reportedly a "Salafist," a sect with a strict interpretation of Islam; however, he often appealed for peace between moderate and radical Islamists. At this time, the killers are unknown, but Islamists have been blamed for attacks on Muslims in the region. Comment: Three Imams have been shot in Dagestan since March. Previous attacks are thought to have occurred to prevent reconciliation between moderate and extreme Muslims. The head of the Dagestan region, Magomedsalam Magomedov, responded to the attacks, saying "We should act against extremism and terrorism with one front, work more actively, aggressively and in a more targeted way." (BBC, Reuters, Moscow Times)
TURKEY: Protesters clash with police over hunger strikers
In Istanbul and near the Diyarbakir prison in south-eastern Turkey, Kurdish protesters aiming to raise awareness of over 650 prisoners on a six-week hunger strike threw Molotov cocktails at police on Tuesday. Police responded with water cannons and tear gas as they attempted to disperse the protesters. The strikers, part of the 20 percent Kurdish minority of Turkey, demand the use of the Kurdish language in Turkey's educational systems and the end to solitary confinement of Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Comment: The PKK is recognized as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the EU. Ocalan was sentenced to death in 1999 for the formation of an armed gang; however, his sentence was commuted to life in prison when Turkey abolished the death penalty. Those on hunger strike have refused solid food but have accepted drink mixed with sugar and salt. In response to the strike, Prime Minister Erdogen stated "You cannot blackmail the state by dying," blaming the PKK's leaders for the strike, and claiming "As they eat lamb kebabs, they order prisoners to die." (BBC, RT, Washington Post)
Researched/Written by A. Max Jones
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Middle East & North Africa
BAHRAIN: Government imposes temporary ban on protests; threatens legal action
On Tuesday, the interior ministry imposed a temporary ban on all protests and threatened legal repercussions against groups who support or participate in demonstrations. Interior minister Sheikh Rashid Al Khalifa said the "repeated abuse" of the rights of freedom of speech and expression will no longer be tolerated and any "illegal rally or gathering would be tackled through legal actions against those calling for and participating in it." The Information Affairs Authority said the restrictions were needed due to increasing violence in demonstrations that has resulted in injuries and death, including two police officers recently killed by homemade bombs. This move will suppress the political voice of Bahrain's Shiite Muslim majority, who seeks greater representation in the Sunni Muslim minority-led country. This will particularly put pressure on the main Shiite political bloc, Al-Wefaq, which has organized numerous protests, including one today. Comment: Al-Wefaq member, Hadi al-Musawi said the interior ministry's mandate was "against international human rights." According to Al Jazeera, the government's rising tensions with opposition groups could complicate relationships with the U.S. and other Western supporters, who have backed the monarchy throughout the 20 months of civil unrest. (Al Jazeera, Gulf Daily News, CNN)
IRAQ: Series of attacks kill 30 and injure 92 during the Eid holiday
In Baghdad and other parts of the country, a series of bomb and gun attacks killed 30 and injured 92 people during the Eid al-Adha holiday on Saturday. Two bomb attacks in the mainly Shiite neighborhood of Sadr City resulted in 13 deaths, while in Taji, a "sticky bomb" attached to a bus carrying Shiite pilgrims killed five passengers. In the northern city of Mosul, gunmen attacked homes of the Shabak minority group, resulting in five fatalities. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the violence, but the targeting of Shiites and the timing of the attacks points to Sunni militants. Comment: Resident Bassem Mohammed reacted to the bomb explosion in his Bawiya neighborhood, "Nobody expected this explosion because our neighborhood has been living in peace, away from the violence hitting the rest of the capital." While the violence in Iraq has declined since its height in 2006-07, in recent months, the rate of attacks against mostly Shiite Muslims and security forces has increased. (Al Jazeera, AP, BBC, Al Arabiya)
SYRIA: Both sides breach ceasefire agreement, clashes continue
The ceasefire truce during the Eid al-Adha holiday between government and rebel forces collapsed almost immediately after coming into effect, as the opposition claims more than 100 people were killed after the armistice began. Breaches of the truce included a car bomb in Damascus on Friday, an explosion in Deir Az-Zor on Saturday, and shelling and gunfire in Aleppo, Homs and suburbs of Damascus. Both opposition and Assad forces accuse the other of violating the terms of the agreement, while the government claims they were responding to "terrorist attacks." On Wednesday, two explosions occurred in Damascus, killing at least six and injuring 13 people, while clashes and air raids ensued in Damascus and the Idlib province. Comment: According to Royal United Services Institute analyst Michael Stephens, "No one really expected there to be a full 100 percent ceasefire." After talks in Beijing, UN-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi was optimistic about China playing "an active role in solving events in Syria," while Chinese foreign minister Yang Jiechi introduced a four-point proposal on a political transition on Wednesday. (Al Jazeera, CNN, Al Jazeera, Xinhuanet)
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South Asia
AFGHANISTAN: 41 people killed in Eid bombing
On October 26, at least 41 people were killed, and 34 wounded when a suicide bomber wearing a police uniform targeted a mosque in northern Afghanistan. The victims include 23 members of the Afghan National Police, including provincial Police Chief Abdul Khaliq Aqsai who was wounded. It appears that Aqsai was the target as the bomb detonated as soon as he entered his vehicle. The attack occurred around 9am when people were leaving the mosque in Mainama City following Eid-ul-Azha prayers. The Taliban is being blamed for the attack, but has not yet claimed responsibility. Comment: Friday's bombing took place concurrently to Afghan President Hamid Karzai's taping of his Eid al-Adha televised message to the nation. In the address, Karzai urged Taliban insurgents "to stop killing other Afghans" and "stop the destruction of our mosques, hospitals and schools." (AP, Deccan Herald, Reuters)
INDIA: Union Cabinet reshuffle
On Sunday, India's governing coalition announced a reshuffled cabinet with 22 new appointments, of which seven are Cabinet Ministers. The Cabinet changes follow a series of corruption scandals and accusations of nepotism. The newcomers filled vacancies created when key allies left the coalition in mid-September after opposing economic reforms. Comment: Many of the newly appointed cabinet members are "younger" and include some women. "This reshuffle is to bring in fresh faces and is an important step keeping in view the general elections in 2014," Milind Deora, a junior minister said Sunday. The new measures and appointments are intended to help the government regain its credentials as a modernizing force. (New York Times, AP, Indian Express)
SRI LANKA: Economic impact of U.S. sanctions on Iran
On Saturday, Sri Lanka closed down its only refinery, Sapugaskanda, which processed Iranian Crude oil. The Sri Lankan government has spent an additional USD 1.2 billion to import crude and refined oil into the country as a consequence of U.S. sponsored sanctions against Iran. The U.S. and the EU have declared bans in order to force Iran to abandon its nuclear energy program, which they claim includes a military component. Iran refutes the allegations, stating that it is entitled to use nuclear technology for peaceful objectives. Comment: The Sri Lankan government says it will discuss its current petroleum crisis with the United Nations and several foreign countries. (Tehran Times, FARS News, Press TV)
Researched/Written by Maanasa Reddy
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IPSI News
IPSI Advisor and former Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans writes the following op-ed: "Remembering Sri Lanka's killing fields."
Read Article >>
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