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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. 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 
The Civil Society Flashpoint: Why the global crackdown? What can be done about it?
OXFAM

When the concept of civil society took the international aid community by storm in the 1990s, many aid providers reveled in the alluring idea of civil society as a post-ideological, even post-political arena, a virtuous domain of nonpartisan organizations advancing a loosely defined notion of the public good. Funding civil society appealed as a way for aid providers to help shape the sociopolitical life of other countries without directly involving themselves in politics with a capital "P."  Power holders in aid-receiving countries, uncertain what to make of this fuss over civil society, were initially inclined to see it as a marginal enterprise populated by small, basically feckless groups of idealistic do-gooders.

 

Those days are long gone. Whether in Egypt, Turkey, Venezuela, or quite vividly in Ukraine during the final months of Yanukovych's rule, a growing number of governments now treat the concept of civil society as a code word for powerful political subversives, usually assumed to be doing the bidding of the West. Power holders often fear NGOs more than they do opposition parties, seeing the former as nimble, technologically-savvy actors capable of activating sudden outbursts of mass protest.

 


Africa  

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: UN calls for additional 12,000 troops

On Monday, the United Nations Security Council looked over the proposal for 12,000 peacekeepers to be sent to the Central African Republic (CAR). The proposal, recommended in a report from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, will focus on the protection of civilians and will potentially deploy 10,000 troops and 1,820 police personnel. If approved, the peacekeepers will help "reinforce the existing 9,000 French, African and European Union soldiers already" on the ground. Comment: The overthrow of President Francois Bozize by Seleka rebel commander Michel Djotodia in March of 2013 is believed to be the impetus of the current conflict in CAR. The Muslim Seleka fighters and the Christian anti-Balaka militias, created to stave off alleged Seleka rebel killings of Christians, have continued to persist even after the resignation of President Djotodia in January of this year. Almost 840,000 people have been displaced by the conflict, and 20,000 Muslims have fled to neighboring Cameroon. (Modern Ghana, Reuters, IPS)

 

NIGERIA: Boko Haram kills villagers in raid

Suspected Boko Haram fighters attacked Mafa village of Borno state on Monday, killing at least 30 people. Borno State senator, Ahmed Zannah, said bomb blasts killed civilians and police officers while attempting to remove bodies and question survivors about a previous attack. Attacks made Saturday and Sunday, coupled with Monday's outbreak of violence, brings the death toll to 116 people. Comment: Since 2009, Boko Harem has carried out numerous attacks within Nigeria, forcing Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan to place several villages under emergency rule. Despite reforms aimed at better military offense to the group, including the replacement of top military personnel on January 16, Boko Harem has increased its attacks on civilians.  (BBC, Reuters, Oman Observer)

 

UGANDA: Uganda to provide security for United Nations

On March 3, Paddy Ankunda, spokesperson for the Ugandan army, announced that Uganda will send 410 Special Forces personnel to guard UN installations in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu. The UN requested a guard force last June following al Shabaab attacks on their main compound that killed 22 people. The guard force will not be included in the 22,000 African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISON) peacekeepers already in the country. The Ugandan forces will be responsible for guarding UN facilities and escorting UN personnel. Comment: AMISON is currently working under a UN mandate to combat al Shabaab activities in Somalia. The proposed Ugandan force will allow AMISON to focus on finding and apprehending al Shabaab members. Uganda is aiming for mission readiness by the end of the month. (BBC, Reuters, Dalsan Radio)

 

Researched/Written by Brenda Tyler

Americas

MEXICO: Protestors detained during demonstration for Joaqu�n Guzman

On Sunday, approximately 150 people protested in northern Mexico in a nonviolent demonstration demanding the release of Joaqu�n Guzman, the leader of the Sinaloa drug cartel who was captured last month. During Sunday's protest, police detained about 100 people in an attempt to prevent a second demonstration from occurring. The first protest last Wednesday brought 1,000 supporters to the streets of Culiacan, the home base of Guzman and the Sinaloa drug cartel. Culiacan judge Gabriel Pena Gonzalez told the Associated Press news agency that more than 100 people had been brought in on disturbing-the-peace and other charges by late Sunday. After the demonstration, authorities stated they do not seek to limit freedom of expression, however, they would not tolerate protests that disturb the peace or provide support or justification for criminals. Comment: Mexican federal judges stated Guzman would stand trial for separate drug-trafficking and organized crime charges in six other cases in four Mexican states and in Mexico City. (Al Jazeera, Independent, Latin Times)

 

NICARAGUA: President Daniel Ortega reappears after absence

On Monday, President Daniel Ortega reappeared in public after a 10-day absence, which led to questions about his health. Questions arose when he began missing official ceremonies after February 21, including a memorial event for the 1978 indigenous uprising in Monimbo in which his brother was killed. Further concerns were raised when Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa cancelled a trip to Nicaragua, citing problems with scheduling conflicts with the Nicaraguan government. Comment: Ortega suffered from a serious heart condition in 1994 and it is speculated that he suffers from lupus; however, the lupus diagnosis is unconfirmed by the Nicaraguan government. (AFP, BBC, El Universal)

 

VENEZUELA/PANAMA: President Maduro breaks diplomatic ties with Panama

On Wednesday, President Nicolas Maduro announced he is severing diplomatic relations and economic ties with Panama accusing the Panamanian government of conspiring with the United States to bring down his government. Maduro said he broke ties with Panama due to the Panamanian request to the Organization of American States (OAS) to analyze the crisis in Venezuela. The Venezuelan government has stated that the United States government controls the OAS. Panamanian officials said they were "astonished" and called President Maduro's words "unacceptable." Comment: On Wednesday, thousands of Venezuelans also mourned the passing of President Hugo Chavez on the first anniversary of his death. Anti-government protestors continued demonstrations while National Guard troops fired tear gas and rubber bullets at people who joined the protests. (AP, BBC, Reuters) 

 
Researched/Written by Zainab Kamara
East Asia

CHINA: 29 dead and 143 injured after attack on south China train station

On Saturday evening, a group of eight men and women entered the Kunming train station in Yunnan province, attacking people with swords and meat cleavers in an assault that left 29 people dead and another 143 injured. Police responding to the scene shot five of the assailants leaving four of them dead and one wounded. In a statement, the Ministry of Public Security said that the assailants, led by Abdurehim Kurban, were Uyghur separatists hailing from the Xinjiang region of China. The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) spokesperson Dilxat Raxitcondemned the attack in Kunming, and has urged the Chinese government to not subject all Uyghur to "indiscriminate reprisals." Comment: Authorities apprehended the remaining three assailants on Monday. Speculations on the motivation behind the attack are wide ranging. The communist party chief of Yunnan believed the attacks to be rooted in the assailants' discord at not being able to leave China to become jihadists overseas. Uyghur sources claim that the attacks may have resulted in response to police pressure in Xinjiang prefecture. At this time, the exact cause of the violence is unclear. (Xin Hua, RFA, RFA, AFP, BBC)

 

MYANMAR: Doctors Without Borders to resume aid in Myanmar

On Monday, the Minister of Health and the Minister of Human Affairs in Myanmar informed Doctors Without Borders (MSF) that they could resume their work treating HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria patients in the country. MSF operations were shut down by the government late last week due to claims that MSF was giving "preferential treatment" to Rohingya Muslims. The organization has been allowed to resume work in Kashin and Shan states, as well as the Yangon region, but is not allowed to operate in Rakhine state, where many Rohingya live. Comment: MSF has operated in Myanmar for 22 years and currently treats 30,000 HIV/AIDS patients and 3,000 TB patients. Negotiations are ongoing between the Ministry of Health and the MSF on whether the organization will be allowed to continue treatment in the Rakhine state. (Al Jazeera, BBC, Radio Free Asia, www.msf.org)

 

THAILAND: Human rights group releases report on migrant worker abuse

On Tuesday, the human rights organization Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) released an investigative report detailing incidents of human trafficking and migrant worker abuse in the Thai fishing industry. The report, titled "Slavery at Sea," cited "unacceptable working conditions and insufficient migration policies." EJF Executive Director Steve Trent hopes the report will urge the Thai government and the international seafood industry to demand steps to end the abuse. Comment: Thailand produces one-third of the globe's seafood export estimated to be worth around USD 7.3 billion in 2011. Most of the people trafficked into Thailand are Burmese, although some arrive from other Southeast Asian countries such as Laos and Cambodia. The Thai government has signed, but not ratified the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, also known as the Palermo Protocol that details provisions for the protection of human rights of trafficked people. (IBT, Time, EJF, AP)  

 
Researched/Written by Nicole Watkins
Europe & Central Asia

CROATIA: Serbia accused of denying genocide

On Monday, Croatia sued Serbia at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for alleged ethnic cleansing between 1991 and 1995 that amounts to genocide. Following the collapse of the former Yugoslavia, the war in the Balkans is considered by historians to be one of Europe's worst mass slayings since World War II, resulting in the death of 20,000 people. Besides an official recognition of the act as genocide, Croatia is also seeking compensation for the human and economic losses which occurred during this period. Serbia is expected to present its argument next week. Comment: Although Serbia's legal team recognizes crimes took place during Croatia's independence, it denies the qualification of genocide. The UN Convention on the Prevention of Genocide defines "genocide" as crimes committed with the intent to destroy ethnical, racial or religious groups. Since opening its doors in 1946, the ICJ has only recognized one genocide case regarding the massacre of 8,000 Bosnian Muslims in Srebrenica in July 1995 by Bosnian Serbs. (BBC, Radio Free Europe, ABC News)

 

SPAIN: Limitation of universal jurisdiction

Last Thursday, Spanish Parliament passed a law limiting Spanish universal jurisdiction, which allows individual states to prosecute crimes against humanity regardless of whether the crimes took place in that state against their citizens.  This concept became national law in 1985, and Spanish judges can currently investigate only if the suspected individual is a Spanish national, a foreigner living in Spain, or a foreigner in Spain whose extradition has been denied by Spanish authorities. Comment: Since the end of World War II, 15 countries have exercised Universal Jurisdiction by investigating or prosecuting perpetrators of crimes under international law. Over two decades, Spanish judges used universal jurisdiction to rule several cases against Argentine military officers, Israeli defense officials, and American soldiers in Iraq.  Although Amnesty International stated that this week's law constituted a step backwards in the fight against impunity for crimes under international law, the Spanish Popular Party considered this reform necessary due to diplomatic conflicts it has generated, especially with China. Indeed, in 2005 Spain's National Court ordered an international warrant for China's former President Jiang Zemin and former Prime Minister Li Peng as part of the case about alleged human rights abuses in Tibet. (Le Monde, NY Times, Amnesty International)

 

UKRAINE: Crimea to hold referendum about leaving Ukraine for Russia

On Thursday, lawmakers in Crimea voted in favor of a referendum regarding the separation of Crimea from Ukraine. The referendum is planned to take place in 10 days in the autonomous region on the Black Sea, which is composed of a 60 percent ethnic Russian population. Crimean citizens will have to decide whether or not to stay in Ukraine or join Russia. Comment: Meanwhile, the international community is increasing pressure on the Russian government, encouraging talks between Russia and Ukraine and sending international observers to Ukraine. The EU has also offered EUR 11 billion to Ukraine while the U.S. proposed USD one billion in loan guarantees.  Denying claims of a military intervention in Ukraine, Russian President Putin has recalled Russia's legitimacy to intervene in Crimea, where it has a military base. (BBC, CNN, Euronews, Washington post)

 

Researched/Written by Myriam Allain

Middle East & North Africa 

EGYPT: Court bans activities of Hamas

On March 4, an Egyptian court banned all Hamas activities in Egypt. The motion comes as a result of a lawsuit filed by an Egyptian lawyer alleging Hamas links to the Muslim Brotherhood. The court has ordered the closure of Hamas offices in Egypt and the suspension of all dealings with the group, but did not declare Hamas a terrorist organization. Comment: The relationship between the Egyptian government and Hamas has weakened since Morsi's removal in July 2013. Authorities in Cairo accuse Hamas of interfering in Egyptian affairs and conspiring with militants in the northern Sinai Peninsula, which borders Hamas-ruled Gaza and Israel. Senior Hamas official Izzat Rishq condemned the ruling as harmful to Palestinian people and their resistance cause. (Aawsat, Aljazeera, BBC, Reuters)

 

ISRAEL: Ultra-Orthodox Jews protest draft bill

On March 2, ultra-Orthodox Jews took to the streets in Jerusalem in a nonviolent protest which drew at least 300,000 people against a government proposal that could enforce a community-wide draft. The proposal also imposes criminal sanctions for draft dodgers. Israeli police pre-emptively closed highways and the city's central roads ahead of the march and deployed approximately 3,500 police officers. Community leaders encouraged women and young children to attend. Comment: The bill, which is currently up for a vote in Israel's parliament, would require the army to draft an increasing number of ultra-Orthodox Jews each year with the goal of enlisting 5,200 soldiers by mid-2017. The ultra-Orthodox, who make up about eight percent of Israel's eight million citizens, have been mostly exempt from compulsory military service to pursue their religious studies since Israel's founding in 1948. This exemption has caused tension among some secular Israelis who say that the ultra-Orthodox are dodging the nation's draft.  (Aljazeera, Haaretz, NY Times)

 

QATAR: Three Gulf ambassadors pulled from Qatar

On Wednesday, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain released a joint statement to announce the withdrawal of their ambassadors from Qatar as a result of Doha's failure to implement an agreement stipulating non-interference of Gulf States. In November 2013, the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) signed an agreement "not to back anyone threatening the security and stability of the GCC whether as groups or individuals - via direct security work or through political influence, and not to support hostile media." Qatar's cabinet expressed "disappointment" in the decision, but said Doha will not pull out its own envoys and that it remains committed to GCC security and stability.  Comment: The move is unprecedented in the three-decade history of the GCC, a pro-Western alliance of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE, and Oman. Some analysts believe the move is a result of recent efforts by Qatar to expand regional power as their wealth from gas exports increases coupled with a refusal (along with Oman) to grow their military and domestic union within the GCC. (Aljazeera, BBC, Reuters)

 

Researched/Written by Luchele Chisunka

South Asia

NEPAL: Nepal to fine litterbug Everest climbers

Nepal's tourism authority declared on Monday that those climbing Mount Everest must return with at least eight kg of garbage, excluding their own empty oxygen bottles and human waste, or face severe fines. Pollution Control Committees will be set up at Base Camp. If climbers fail to bring back waste they will lose their USD 4,000 deposit and face legal action, including a ban on future ascents. The rule represents Nepal's effort to eliminate the estimated 50 tons of trash that climbers have left on Mount Everest's slopes over the past 60 years. Comment: Hundreds ascend Everest annually, many inexperienced. As they seek to reach Everest's peak they leave their extra weight behind, and their trash continues to increase. The waste includes empty oxygen bottles, torn tents, and bodies of those who have died on the mountain. As a result ofthe frigid temperatures of Mount Everest, the refuse does not degrade. (BBC, NYT, The Telegraph)

 

PAKISTAN: New security policy aims to reform madrassas

A policy aimed at bringing all of Pakistan's madrassas, or religious schools, under the country's national education system was presented to Parliament on February 26. According to Pakistan's first "National Internal Security Policy" revealed to a news agency on Sunday, the government will complete the move concerning its 22,052 madrassas within one year. The document states that although not all madrassas are a "problem," there are "problems within some madrassas which have spread extremism." The document also notes "financing from unidentified sources" and the "publication and distribution of hate material." Comment: The vast majority of madrassas currently fall outside government control. The document notes that "a large number of terrorists, either are, or have been students of madrassas where they were brainwashed to take up arms against the state." Pakistan is one of the countries most affected by terrorism in the world. According to the policy document, in the last ten years Pakistan suffered the loss of more than USD 78 billion and nearly 50,000 citizens. This new policy, say Pakistani leaders, is aimed at taking control of religious schools and "eradicating extremism at its roots." (AFP, Al Jazeera, The Dawn, The Hindu)

 

SRI LANKA: Family finds mass grave in garden

On February 28, a Sri Lankan family found the remains of nine bodies buried in their garden in the town of Puthukkudiyiruppu, in the northern district of Mullaittivu. This is the latest mass grave to be discovered in the Mullaittivu districtict, a former Tamil Tigers (LTTE) stronghold where the final battles of the war took place. Medical officers exhumed the bodies for analysis and have said that the remains are mainly of women with burn injuries. It is unknown whether the bodies were buried by the LTTE or military forces. Police and military announced that an investigation is underway. Comment: The discovery comes as Sri Lanka faces a possible third UN Human Rights Council resolution criticising the government for its failure to probe war crimes in the country. A UN panel has said that around 40,000 (mostly ethnic Tamils) civilians died in the final stages of the conflict and that army shelling killed most of them. Last year, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre in Australia accused the Sri Lankan government of exhuming mass graves and destroying evidence of civilian killings; the government denies both accusations. (Al Jazeera, ColomboPage, Reuters, The Times of India)

 

Researched/Written by Giorgia Nicatore

March 7, 2014
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In This Issue
Featured Article
Africa
Americas
East Asia
Europe & Central Asia
Middle East & North Africa
South Asia

Experiential Education


 Doctors are educated in both theory and practice before they ever enter the operating room.  Why should peacebuilding be any less professional?

 

 

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IPSI News
IPSI - Jerry White
 5 steps to overcoming trauma, as explained by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and IPSI faculty Jerry White
 

  

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IPSI News
IPSI - John Marks
 Can films bridge the gap in cultural diplomacy between the U.S. and Iran?

John Marks, IPSI Board member and president of Search for Common Ground, discusses how cultural diplomacy can impact negotiations with Iran.
 

 

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IPSI News
IPSI - Juan Mendez
 Juan Mendez, UN special envoy on torture and IPSI summer symposium faculty in The Hague in 2012, joined a team of UN human rights experts to call on the Venezuelan government to address the rise in political violence.  

 

 

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IPSI Symposium

 The Bologna, Italy Symposium on Conflict Prevention, Resolution, & Reconciliation
July 5 - August 2, 2014
 
 

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IPSI Symposium

The Hague Symposium on Post-Conflict Transitions & International Justice
July 12 - August 9, 2014
 

 

 

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Jan Eliasson
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