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.

 

In the fall of 2012, hundreds of thousands of people in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) fled their homes following fighting between the M23 rebel group and the Congolese army. In North Kivu province alone, 914,000 people took shelter in camps and with host families. Unfortunately, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) only coordinates support for those persons living in official camps - 112,000 people, or one ninth of the displaced population. Displaced persons in remote areas, particularly those living in "spontaneous settlements" and with host families, have been left out of coordination mechanisms, and in many cases they have received little to no assistance or protection. Gender-based violence (GBV) is rampant, and programs to protect women and girls are insufficient.  

 

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ARGENTINA: No talks as the tension over the Falklands continues

On Tuesday during a speech at the UN Special Committee on Decolonization, Foreign Minister Hector Timerman requested that the United Kingdom engage in talks concerning the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands. The call to negotiate with Britain follows the recent referendum in which the people of the Falklands voted overwhelmingly (98.9 percent) in favor of self-governance under a British rule. UK Prime Minister David Cameron declined the invitation to talk and argued that the population of the Falklands is exercising its right to self-determination under the UN Charter. In response, Argentinian President Cristina Kirchner used social media outlets to criticize the UK, claiming that the British possession of the South Atlantic territories is "unsustainable." Comment: Argentinian officials stated that the recent referendum is an "illegitimate colonialist exercise" and during Tuesday's meeting at the UN headquarters in New York, Timerman was supported by other Latin American and Caribbean blocs. The potential offshore drilling rights have been seen as a key factor to why the tension between the UK and Argentina has increased. The Falkland Islands have been a British territory since 1765, but Argentina has long held claims on the disputed territory. (Telegraph, CNN, Buenos Aires Herald)

 

BRAZIL: Doctor released on bail may have killed 300 patients

On Monday prosecutors called for the re-arrest of Dr. Virginia Soares de Souza who was released last week on bail after her February 19 arrest. Souza is charged with killing seven patients, but after further investigation she may be responsible for up to 300 deaths according the Health Ministry investigation. The 56-year-old doctor is accused of giving muscle relaxers to patients, then reducing their oxygen, causing them to die of asphyxiation at the Intensive Care Unit of Evangelical Hospital in Curitiba, a southern city. Comment: Other members of the ICU team are implicated in the case; three doctors, three nurses, and a physiotherapist will also be investigated as the Health Ministry reviews 17,000 medical records from the last seven years that Souza headed the ICU. 20 cases have been established, but Souza's lawyer stated that his client is innocent and that her actions in the ICU were medically justified. (Globo, AP, Reuters)

 

MEXICO: Seven men found murdered in Uruapan

Seven dead bodies were found propped up on plastic chairs on a public street in Uruapan in the Mexican state of Michoacan on Saturday. According to local media, the attackers used icepicks to attach warning messages to their bodies. Investigators believe that the men, who were all shot in the head, may have been targeted by organized crime factions, although there has yet to be any stated motive for the killings. Seven others, including three federal agents, were also killed by armed gunmen in a bar in the nearby state of Guerrero on Friday. Comment: Uruapan became notorious for its drug-cartel related violence back in 2006 when members of a drug cartel threw five decapitated heads of rival gang members onto a dance floor.  Mexico's President, Enrique Pena Nieto, hopes to launch new initiatives for preventing violence in several metropolitan areas in the country, including Uruapan. According to Human Rights Watch, drug-related violence has caused over 60,000 deaths in Mexico between 2006 and 2012. (NY Daily News, Telegraph, CNN)

 

CHINA: PRC pursues economic engagement in Africa and Asia

On Monday, President Xi Jinping of China (PRC) began a tour of Africa by meeting Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete in Dar Es Salaam. During his speech, President Xi offered $20 million in loans over the next two years and expressed China's intention to treat African nations as equals through investment and assistance without conditions. On Tuesday, Xi traveled to South Africa to attend the BRICS summit and met with President Jacob Zuma; both leaders pledged to strengthen their bilateral relationship, signing agreements on trade, investment and culture, among other sectors. In Seoul on the same day, China also participated in the first round of negotiations with South Korea (ROK) and Japan to potentially create a trilateral Free Trade Agreement. Comment: China rejects criticisms that it is an imperial power in Africa, making clear that China is not solely interested in extracting African nations' resources, and President Xi pledged that 30,000 African would receive professional training and 18,000 scholarships offered by 2015. The possible Japan-PRC-ROK Free Trade Agreement has already faced criticism from the public in each nation, and leadership will need to address political issues such as territorial disputes in the region. (Reuters, Xinhua, Japan Today)

 

MYANMAR: Sectarian violence spreads across the nation

On Monday, commercial sectors of Yangon, Myanmar's largest city, were shut down in response to fears that mobs would target local Muslims. The closures followed reports of violence in the surrounding area and the three-day riots that broke out on March 20 in Meikhtila, a central Myanmar city, causing the death of 40 people. Curfews were imposed on Wednesday on three townships surrounding Yangon in the southeast Bago region, where there were reports that religious buildings, mostly mosques, were attacked. Authorities believe that the riots of Meikhtila were orchestrated by a total of 30 conspirators, ten of whom have not been located. Comment: The recent violence reveals a fractured society as Myanmar enacts democratic and economic reforms after 50 years of military dictatorship. President Thein Sein condemned "political opportunists and religious extremists" for inciting violence and stated that such actions will not be tolerated. Last year, hundreds were killed and about 100,000 people were displaced due to conflicts between Rakhine Buddhists and Muslim Rohingyas, which the government also claimed were organized by yet unidentified parties.(AP, Mizzima, NY Times,BBC)

 

NORTH KOREA: Military hotline cut between North and South Korea

On Wednesday, North Korea (DPRK) severed its military phone line with South Korea (ROK), stating that since war is imminent there is no need for communication between the two nations. South Korean Unification Ministry requested Pyongyang to reopen the line, mostly to secure the stability of the joint DRPK-ROK manufacturing plant, Gaesong Industrial Complex, which employs South Koreans who cross the border every day to work. Seoul officials activated a 24 hour emergency contact system to stay in touch with employees, and Gaesong continues to operate normally. Comment: This recent act follows months of North Korean provocations that have intensified since UN sanctions passed in early March in response to the DPRK's third nuclear test and its December 2012 rocket launch. On Tuesday, North Korea threatened the U.S. and South Korea, specifically targeting Hawaii and Guam. Beijing and Washington have asked all parties to remain calm, and on Thursday the U.S. confirmed that two B-2 stealth bomber military drills were conducted off the Western coast of South Korea, a show of military strength most likely meant to intimidate North Korea. (AP, NY Times, Daily NK) 

 

BELGIUM: Man with terrorist ties killed by police

On Tuesday, following a car chase and shoot-out, Belgian police killed a man of Algerian descent suspected to have links with terrorists. According to sources, the man was well known in the Brussels criminal underworld, and when the police attempted to arrest him on Tuesday after the motorway chase, the man opened fire at the Belgian authorities. Weapons, ammunition, and explosives were found in a search of the suspect's apartment, which strengthens suspicions that the man was also involved in an armed robbery in Brussels last week. Comment: French authorities had requested an investigation of the suspect in late 2012 after revealing connections between the man and criminal terrorist activities in Belgium. French Interior Minister Manuel Valls stated that the bilateral cooperation between Belgium and France showed determination in the "struggle against terrorism". (France 24, Euronews, Global Post)  

 

CYPRUS: Banks open but limit cash withdrawals

On Monday, the government of Greek Cyprus accepted the European Union's 10 billion euro bailout rescue package that was proposed last week, sparking protests in the streets outside the presidential palace. The banks, which had been closed since March 16, reopened at 10:00 GMT on Thursday and required extra security personnel in order to prevent chaos. The government has imposed capital controls, only allowing withdrawals of 300 euro per day in order to prevent people from draining their saving deposits; however, the restrictions on free movement of capital are a breach of EU policy. Comment: On Tuesday the chairman of the Bank of Cyprus, Andreas Artemis, resigned and on Wednesday, Yiannis Kypri, the chief executive for the same bank, was requested by the European Central Bank to submit his resignation. The bailout package requires Greek Cyprus to domestically raise close to 6 billion euros; this will be done in part through bank deposit seizures. Depositors with over 100,000 euros will have portions of their savings exchanged for bank shares. (BBC, AFP, Reuters, Al Jazeera, Washington Post)

 

SPAIN: Failure of negotiations result in threats of violence

On Tuesday, the Basque independence group, ETA or Basque Fatherland and Liberty, announced on the website of Basque newspaper Gara that the Spanish government's refusal to engage in talks with ETA leaders in Oslo, Norway could result in "negative consequences". The breakdown in talks occurred two weeks ago. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy stated on March 13 that the Spanish government would not take part in negotiations with ETA since it is labeled as a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the European Union. Comment: The conflict between the Basque community and Spain has been ongoing for close to four decades, and the ETA is said to be responsible for 800 deaths. In October 2011, ETA implemented a unilateral ceasefire, thereby signaling a "definitive end" to the conflict. Despite this, the group has not disarmed nor is it disbanded. The talks in Norway were on the agenda for ETA in order to keep the dialogue, but more so, it would function as a means for ETA to request a release of imprisoned members in jail across Spain and France. (El Pais, Gara, Hurriyet Daily News)

 

Researched/Written by Caroline Larsson

IRAQ: Secretary Kerry makes surprise visit to Maliki

On Sunday, Secretary of State John Kerry held talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki to discuss the future of the two countries' relationship regarding the Syrian conflict. Kerry criticized Maliki for allowing Iranian flights supposedly carrying weapons to travel through Iraqi airspace without hindrance, calling the situation "problematic." Even though Iran has claimed that the flights carry only humanitarian supplies, Kerry made it clear to Maliki that these flights were "helping to sustain President Assad and his regime." Comment: In October 2012, Iraq inspected two Iranian cargo flights; Iranian officials were apparently made aware of the inspections beforehand. Since that time Iraqi officials have stated that they do not have the manpower to perform consistent searches. The U.S. reaffirmed its previous call for random, unannounced inspections of Iranian flights through Iraqi airspace, but Iraq reiterated its claim that it does not have the capabilities to do so. (Al Arabiya, Al Jazeera, BBC)   

 

ISRAEL: Shots fired into Golan Heights from Syria

On Saturday night and Sunday morning, shots were fired from Syria into the Golan Heights targeting Israeli military and patrol vehicles. Although nobody was wounded and the patrol vehicle only sustained minor damages, Israeli officials regarded the attack as a severe breach of the country's sovereignty. As a result, the Israeli army fired an anti-tank missile on Sunday at the machine gunner's nest in Syria believed to be responsible for the attack. It was reported that two Syrian soldiers were injured. Comment: This was not the first time that the Syrian conflict has spilt into Israeli territory; however, not every attack has warranted Israeli retaliation. Even though it was not immediately clear which side of the Syrian conflict was responsible for the attack, Israel's new Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon accused the government of Damascus of the breach. (Daily Star, Haaretz, Al Jazeera)

 

LEBANON: PM Najib Mikati announces his government's resignation

Last Friday, Prime Minister Najib Mikati announced his resignation after he failed to extend the chief of police's term and to pass a supervisory committee to overlook the upcoming election in June. On Sunday, Mikati stated that he hoped his resignation would shock officials into breaking the political stalemate preventing the creation of a new electoral law and a neutral cabinet that would oversee elections. Analysts expect that there will be an official postponement of elections and a series of "patch-up work" to keep the country going. Comment: Although it is common that a Lebanese government resigns after two years due to political turmoil, the timing of Mikati's resignation comes as Lebanon is becoming increasing divided on its support for the Syrian conflict. After Mikati's resignation, clashes broke out in Mikati's home town of Tripoli this weekend between Alwaite Muslims who support Assad and Sunni Muslims who support the opposition. The tension between the two groups continues to grow as the Syrian conflict progresses. (Daily Star, CNN, BBC)

 

REGIONAL: Syrian opposition takes seat at Arab League summit

The Arab League officially gave Syria's seat to the Syrian National Coalition (SNC) thus recognizing the Syrian opposition as the sole representative of the Syrian people. On Tuesday, SNC leader Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib took his seat as the 22 Arab leaders gathered in Doha, Qatar for their annual summit. Khatib used his new position to call for international no-fly zones for those areas controlled by the Syrian opposition. On Thursday, the SNC opened its first embassy in Qatar as the original Syrian embassy remains closed. At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Khatib used the moment to criticize world powers on failing to help promote peace talks and end the deadly two year conflict. Comment: Syria's seat had been empty since November 2011 when Assad rejected the proposal to end the violence against protestors. Both Russia and Iran have denounced the Arab League for giving Syria's seat to the opposition. (Saudi Gazette, Al Arabiya, Al Jazeera)

 

 

 

Researched/Written by Kevin Coughlin