International Peace & Security Institute
PSR Banner
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.

Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter View our profile on LinkedIn
Featured Article
Human Rights Watch

This 71-page report documents the sexual exploitation and abuse of Somali women and girls on two AMISOM bases in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, since 2013. The AU soldiers, relying on Somali intermediaries, have used a range of tactics, including humanitarian aid, to coerce vulnerable women and girls into sexual activity. They have also raped or otherwise sexually assaulted women who were seeking medical assistance or water at AMISOM bases. Human Rights Watch interviewed 21 women and girls who described being raped or sexually exploited by Ugandan or Burundian military personnel serving with the AU forces.
Africa  

RWANDA/SOUTH AFRICA: Four men convicted for the attempted murder of former Rwandan General

On Monday, the South African Kagiso Magistrate's Court sentenced four men to eight years in jail for the attempted murder of former Rwandan army General Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa, who is in exile from the Rwandan Government and has asylum in South Africa. In June 2010, the former Rwandan Armed Forces chief sustained gunshots to the stomach, marking one of many continued attacks on Rwandan exiles in South Africa, and further straining relations between Pretoria and Kigali. General Nyamwasa's allegations of Rwandan government involvement in the attacks, combined with the latest attempt to end his life in March 2014, caused the South African government to issue a warning to Kigali, stating: "our country will not be used as a springboard to do illegal activities." Comment: This particular asylum arrangement is contentious for the South African government due to Nyamwasa's involvement in the 1994 genocide, as well as France's allegations that he was in fact responsible for shooting down the plane of Rwanda's ex-President Habyarimana, which sparked the genocide. (Reuters, BBC, BBC, AFP)

 

SOMALIA: Somali authorities to investigate African Union Peacekeeping troops

The Somali government announced on Tuesday that it would open an investigation into rape accusations against African Union (AU) peacekeeping troops in Mogadishu. Human Rights Watch compiled a 71-page report detailing the sexual exploitation suffered by 21 Somali women and girls in two of the military bases and the systematic use of humanitarian aid to pressure these women into sexual submission. The AU stated that the report minimizes the efforts of the mission to restore peace to Somalia, and that it "uses a small number of cases to arrive at a generalized conclusion." Comment: The AU mission in Somalia (AMISOM) was deployed in March 2007, with 22,000 troops coming from Uganda, Burundi, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Djibouti. (Reuters, AFP, All Africa, HRW)

 

REGIONAL: West African countries working to lift Ebola related travel bans

At a meeting in Addis Ababa on September 8, the AU petitioned its member states to lift their Ebola related travel restrictions to and from Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Nigeria on the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Regional bans on travel to these countries have made importing necessary medical supplies difficult, while also causing the drastic price inflation of basic goods. At the meeting, Liberia's foreign minister appealed to the states in attendance, saying that the failure to lift these travel restrictions would be "unwittingly writing a dangerous prescription for how countries on our continent should be treated whenever they get afflicted with any public health challenge in the future." Comment: The ICAO and WHO recommendations on international travel to affected areas include thorough check ups of any and all individuals entering and leaving the areas, although there is no certain way to detect the virus, especially during its incubation period. Instead, they advise caution with physical contact and avoiding external bodily fluids as well as maintaining basic hygiene. (BBC, Al Jazeera, All Africa, ICAO)

 

Researched/Written by Emmanuella Bonga

Americas 

CHILE: Bomb blasts in Santiago

On Monday, a bomb attack at a shopping center in an underground train station in the Chilean capital city Santiago injured 14 people, three badly. Chilean President Bachelet condemned the bomb attack as an act of terrorism, and the government is taking measures to beef up security in metro areas and busy centers as a response. On Tuesday night, another explosive device detonated in a Chilean supermarket in Vi�a Del Mar, leaving a woman hurt. The next day, another explosive device detonated in the same supermarket leaving another person with hearing injuries. Chile has decided to invoke an anti-terror law enacted under the 1973-1990 dictatorship, which allows suspects to be held without charges and allows the government use of phone taps and secret witnesses during investigations. Comment: Monday's bomb attack was the worst attack of its kind in Chile since 1990. Approximately 200 bomb attacks have occurred in the past decade, mainly at the hands of anarchist groups. No groups have yet to claim responsibility for this attack. (Telesur TV, The Guardian, BBC)

 

COLOMBIA: FARC invites United States and others to the peace talks hosted in Cuba

On Tuesday, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) invited the U.S. and all other individuals and groups interested, including any "enemies" to the peace process, to the peace negotiations with the Colombian government. The talks are held in Havana, Cuba and recently included testimonies from 12 Colombian victims of right wing paramilitaries, left wing FARC guerillas, and the Colombian Military. Tuesday saw the second of five groups of victims that have been selected to join the talks in the coming weeks. Comment: FARC has been negotiating peace with the Colombian government since 2012. These rounds of talks are the second time victims have been able to join the negotiations in Havana to share their experience with the peace negotiators. The 50-year conflict caused the deaths of approximately 220,000 people and displaced an estimated three million. (Colombia Reports, Telesur TV, BBC)

 

PERU: Tribal leader and three other opponents of Illegal logging assassinated 

Four Asheninka natives, including tribe leader Edwin Chuta, a prominent opponent of illegal logging practices, were assassinated near the border between Peru and Brazil on September 1. News of the murder was delayed six days because it occurred in the remote Amazonian Asheninka village. Illegal loggers are suspected to have killed Chuta and the three other natives in front of villagers in an open sports field. Comment: Loggers are active in the borders of Peru and Brazil and often illegally operate on indigenous land.  Illegal loggers in the border areas are known to make death threats against anti-logging activists. Edwin Chuta received numerous death threats in the past and had asked for the Peruvian government to provide protection. (Reuters, Aljazeera, BBC)

 

UNITED STATES: Senate advances measure to overturn Citizens United

On Monday, the U.S. Senate voted to advance a constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court decision known as Citizens United. Protesters rallied outside of the Capitol ahead of the senate vote on Monday. Various groups collected three million signatures to support the amendment. The amendment needs two thirds of the House and Senate to vote in support of it and it must be ratified by three quarters of states. Comment: The overturn of the Supreme Court's decision on Citizens United would mean corporations may be prohibited from legally spending money on election campaigns, and would allow states to set limits on campaign spending by candidates. (Washington Post, Common Dreams, National Law Journal)

 

Researched/Written by Heaven Fekadu
East Asia 

CHINA: U.S. National Security Advisor raises concerns about Chinese fighter intercepts

National Security Advisor Susan Rice met with senior Chinese officials during her first official visit to Beijing this week. In talks with General Fan Changlong and senior foreign policy advisor Yang Jiechi, Rice raised concerns about Chinese fighter intercepts of U.S. surveillance flights.  While both sides appear committed to avoiding military incidents, Beijing views the surveillance flights as a continued security threat. Comment: In August, The Pentagon accused a Chinese jet of reckless flying while shadowing a U.S. military plane near Hainan.  Rice's remarks reflect serious U.S. concerns about the potential of another incident to destabilize U.S.-China relations. The trip was designed to enhance bilateral cooperation before President Obama's November visit to Beijing for the APEC economic leaders' meeting. (Reuters, China Daily, The Philippine Star)

 

JAPAN: Prime Minister Abe visits Sri Lanka during South East Asia tour

At a summit meeting on Sunday, Japanese Prime Minister Abe promised free naval patrol vessels to Sri Lanka as part of a new commitment to cooperation in maritime security.  This offer marks the first aid given by Japan to a country in the Indian Ocean.  Abe's trip to Sri Lanka, the first by a Japanese Prime Minister in 24 years, is part of a larger regional tour with stops in India and Bangladesh. This visit comes just weeks before Chinese President Xi's trip to Sri Lanka, during which the countries are expected to sign a free trade agreement. Comment: Japan's renewed focus on South Asia is widely seen by experts as an effort to counteract increased Chinese influence in the region, as well as protect shipping lanes used to transport oil and natural gas from the Middle East. (Reuters, The Japan News, The Japan Times)

 

MALAYSIA: Report on MH17 crash spurs talks between Malaysia and Russia

Malaysia's Defense minister traveled to Moscow on Wednesday for talks on the probe into July's Malaysian Airlines crash. His trip comes just after an initial report by the Dutch Safety Board, released on Tuesday, which concluded that flight MH17's mid-air breakup was caused by "high-energy objects" penetrating the aircraft.  Flight data recorders confirm that the crash was not caused by mechanical failure or pilot error, making it likely that the plane was shot down by a surface-to-air missile.  Comment: After the incident, Russian officials blamed domestic conflict in Ukraine for the crash, while many western officials suggested that Russia had equipped Ukrainian rebels with the missile technology.  (Asia News Net, New Straits Times, The Star)

 

SOUTH KOREA: Nuclear envoys from U.S. and Korea discuss DPRK Strategy 

On Tuesday, South Korea's top nuclear envoy Hwang Joon-Kook traveled to the United States to discuss developments in the North Korean nuclear program.  In comments to reporters, both Hwang and his U.S. counterpart Glyn Davies emphasized the need for North Korea to take concrete steps towards denuclearization as a precondition for resuming the Six Party Talks.  The DPRK has called for an unconditional resumption of negotiations on nuclear issues.  The meeting comes at a challenging time for the Unites States, which faces mounting pressure from Pyongyang to send a special envoy to secure the release of three United States citizens detained in North Korea. Comment: According to experts, increased diplomatic overtures from Pyongyang and recent interviews with the U.S. detainees suggest that North Korea is using the Americans as a bargaining tool to reopen bilateral negotiations. (Xinhua, Korea Joonang Daily, The Korea Herald)

  
Researched/Written by Carolyn Posner
Europe & Central Asia

ESTONIA/RUSSIA: Estonian security official denies 'spying' charges

On Tuesday, Estonian official Eston Kohver pled not guilty to charges of espionage and possession of an illegal firearm put forth by a court in Moscow. Russian security services detained Mr. Kohver last Friday and transported him to Moscow for trial. The Estonian Foreign Ministry claims that Mr. Kohver, who works for the Estonian Internal Security Service, was abducted by "unidentified officials from Russia" inside Estonian territory in an area near its southeastern border with Russia. Russia's domestic security service stated that it arrested Mr. Kohver on Russian territory under the suspicion that he was carrying out "spying operations" inside the country on behalf of the Estonian Internal Security Service.  A meeting between Russian and Estonian border guards over the alleged kidnapping on Monday ended with no agreement as to the nature of the incident. Comment: This event follows a recent visit by President Obama to Tallinn last Wednesday to discuss the situation in Ukraine and rising tensions in the region. The visit was an unplanned stop on President Obama's scheduled trip to the NATO Summit in the UK and was meant to reaffirm U.S. commitment to the collective security of the organization and its members. This is also the first visit by a sitting U.S. President to the country since George W. Bush visited in 2005 for the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II. (BalticTimes, ERR, BNN, BBC, CNN)

 

FRANCE: France halts delivery to Russia of advanced warships

Last Wednesday, the French government announced that the delivery of the first of two Mistral-class warships would be suspended indefinitely in response to Russia's alleged support of separatist forces in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of eastern Ukraine. This announcement came a day before the NATO summit in Wales in the midst of increasing pressure by the United States and other European countries to cancel the sale. The leader of France's National Front Party, Marine Le Pen, criticized the French government for suspending its delivery of the warship, stating that the government is acting against the country's national interests and submitting to U.S. pressure.  Comment: In 2011, France agreed to manufacture and sell the two helicopter-assault ships to Russia for EUR 1.2 Billion, with deliveries of the ships scheduled for October or November of this year and early 2015 respectively. France originally refused to back down on the sale, a transaction which was viewed by many within the government as crucial to alleviating the effects of stagnant economic growth and record levels of unemployment in the country.  (France24, Aljazeera, Reuters)

 

United Kingdom: UK Party leaders visit Scotland ahead of independence referendum

Earlier this week, UK political leaders visited Scotland to campaign against the impending independence referendum that will be held on September 18.  The largest UK political parties also promised to carry out an accelerated legislative program that would grant the Scottish parliament greater authority over tax and welfare administration. These moves by the UK parties and their leaders follow a wave of polls which show a tight gap in prospective votes in the referendum. According to reports on Tuesday, support for independence has sharply increased with polls giving estimates of 38 percent for "Yes" and 39 percent for "No," with 23 percent undecided. In the event of a vote for independence, Britain and Scotland would carry out 18 months of negotiations over issues of currency, EU membership, and state assets.  Comment: Income tax powers are one of the primary points of contention for pro-independence supporters. According to analysts, 9.1 percent of UK tax revenue comes from Scotland while 8.3 percent of the population in the UK resides in Scotland. Public expenditure per person has also been consistently higher in Scotland compared to the UK as a whole over the past few years.  Scotland also holds 59 seats in the British House of Commons with 40 of these held by members of the Labour Party. (BBC, Reuters, TheGuardian, Aljazeera)

 

REGIONAL: EU and NATO to impose new sanctions on Russia

On Monday, European governments agreed to adopt a new round of sanctions against the Russian Federation following preparations by the United States and NATO to do the same. Despite the decision, EU leaders agreed to delay enforcement of the new sanctions in order to appraise the stability of the ceasefire agreement between Ukrainian and separatist forces.  The newly proposed sanctions will target banking and certain sectors of the energy and defense markets, including Russian energy giants Gazpromneft, Transneft, and Rosneft. The EU also plans to expand the list of individuals within the Russian government and business sectors who will not be permitted to enter the EU and who will have their assets frozen. Comment: Many countries within the EU, such as Poland and the Baltic states have taken a tough stance against Moscow for its alleged role in the Ukrainian conflict while states such as the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Austria have expressed concerns about the effectiveness and implications of more sanctions, citing the possibility of further aggravating tensions between Kiev and Moscow. (Reuters, NewYorktTimes, WallStreetJournal, Reuters)

  

Researched/Written by Matthew Brainovich

Middle East & North Africa 

IRAQ: New, inclusive government approved by Parliament

On Monday, Iraq's parliament officially approved a new government, which includes Haider al-Abadi as the prime minister and all of his proposed cabinet members. Abadi has yet to name defense and interior ministers, although he has promised these nominations within the next week. International leaders have hailed the government for crossing religious and ethnic lines by including Shia Arabs, Sunni Arabs, and Kurds. Before Parliament, Abadi committed this new government to fighting against Islamic State forces and to resolving the ongoing tensions with the autonomous Kurdish region. Comment: Analysts claim that the exclusion of religious and ethnic minorities, particularly Sunnis, from Iraq's most recent government under Maliki, contributed to the unrest and instability that has allowed IS to seize large swaths of northern and western Iraq in the past months. The United States, who is coordinating a response with 40 other nations, made a more inclusive government a condition of the United States' offer for military assistance in countering IS.  (Al Jazeera, BBC, Reuters)


ISRAEL: Israel accused of forcing migrants to leave

In a report released on Tuesday, Human Rights Watch (HRW) claimed that Israel coerced thousands of Eritrean and Sudanese asylum seekers to leave Israel. While Israel hosts almost 50,000 African asylum seekers, the country has only recognized three as refugees in the past year. Between January and June 2014, at least 6,750 asylum seekers left Israel. HRW claims that Israel gave migrants the option of leaving, or facing indefinite detainment in a remote facility in the Negev Desert. Most migrants opted to leave, for either their home country or a third country; HRW contends that for many refugees, returning home means imprisonment or torture as punishment for treason. Israel maintains that it offered the asylum seekers the option to stay, but they freely chose to leave. Comment: Israel is committed to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, which restricts sending refugees back to a country that they have left due to a violation of human rights. Coercing refugees to leave would violate this convention, but officials strongly maintain that Israel remains in compliance because the refugees choose to leave. (Al Jazeera, BBC, Human Rights Watch)


SYRIA: Leader of Syrian Islamist rebel faction killed in blast

A spokesman for Ahrar al-Sham, a rebel group fighting in Syria's civil war, reported that the head of the group, Hassan Abboud, along with five other high-level leaders, was killed in a suicide bombing on Tuesday. The attack took place during a high-level faction meeting. Ahrar al-Sham collaborates in Syria's civil war with other rebel groups as part of the Islamic Front, which has aligned itself against both Bashar al-Assad and IS. Thus far, no one has claimed responsibility for the bombing. Comment: Ahrar has voiced its suspicion of IS for the bombing, given the group's involvement in an attack that resulted in the death of another Ahrar leader earlier this year. Some analysts say that this loss of leadership may bring the downfall of Ahrar, which has lost some of its more conservative fighters in the rise of IS. (Al Jazeera, Reuters, Financial Times, New York Times)


YEMEN: Anti-government protesters fired on

Ongoing protests against the government in Sana'a turned violent on Tuesday when gunfire erupted, leaving four Houthi rebels dead and dozens injured. Shooting occurred in two locations throughout the day, near the cabinet building at which protestors were demonstrating and north of the city, where protestors have formed an encampment. The violence follows several weeks of protests in the capital by thousands of Shi'ite Muslims, who are calling for the government to reinstate fuel subsidies and for greater autonomy in their home province of Saada, in northern Yemen. Government officials contend that protestors instigated the violence and hold ultimate responsibility, while the rebel forces claim to have been unarmed when the shootings took place. The government dismissed two senior security officials in response to the violence. Meanwhile, government airstrikes against the Houthis have continued in the province of Saada, where pro-government forces and armed Houthi tribespeople continue to fight. Comment: Experts say that destabilization caused by the protests has created the most insecure environment in Yemen since 2011, when rebel protestors overthrew the government. While Shi'ite Muslims protest in Sana'a and fight for autonomy in the North, Sunni Muslims are fighting for more autonomy in the South, leaving a relatively weak central government in Sana'a. Yemen's Gulf neighbors have expressed fears of a larger outbreak of violence in the Arabian Peninsula, which already hosts a very active branch of al-Qaeda.  (Al Jazeera, BBC, Reuters, New York Times)


Researched/Written by Colleen Corcoran

South Asia

AFGHANISTAN: Presidential candidates reject Kerry agreement for new government

On Wednesday, leading presidential candidate Ashraf Ghani called for the final results from the election fraud investigation called by candidate Abdullah Abdullah, who claims there were two million fake votes for Ghani in the June 14 runoff election. Ghani also refuted the previous agreement between the candidates brokered by U.S. Secretary of State Kerry saying that a two-headed government led by both candidates should not happen. Abdullah stated on Monday that an outcome skewed by massive fraud would be unacceptable. Comment: With Ghani representing the largest ethnic population, Pashtun, and Abdullah supported by Tajiks and Hazaras, ethnic tension over the next president brings fears of widespread violence from Abdullah supporters if the results are not in favor of their candidate. Final results are expected next week. (Reuters, Washington Post, Al Jazeera)

 

INDIA/PAKISTAN: Floods in Kashmir kill 450; thousands wait for evacuation

A state of "humanitarian emergency" was declared due to flash flooding in the highly contested region of Kashmir this week; officials called it the worst monsoon season in over 100 years, although water levels waned on Wednesday. The Army Disaster Rescue Force NDRS has now reached over 80,000 civilians, but thousands more still need to be evacuated. 460 people are confirmed dead, sparking discourse on the worsening of flooding due to climate change. Comment: Many residents are angered by the slow official response, suggesting that government officials have sat idly by. Others say that despite local government, the military has done a "good job" in the relief efforts. While traditional telecommunication outlets have been inundated by water, social media has played a role in the relief effort to find stranded victims. Despite rescue operations, the Indian military and approximately 20 militants traded fire on Wednesday, killing three militants. (Times of India, Nation, Reuters)

 

INDIA/ISRAEL: Israel offers advising on Ganga river cleaning project

Indian Prime Minister Modi announced plans for a project to clean up the Himalaya Ganga River, which flows through a heavily populated area in northern India and Bangladesh. Israel offered its help to the project through their expertise on water purification and waste water treatment for the purpose of agriculture and industry. 11 Israeli companies and 25 Indian companies attended a business-to-business seminar for the Ganga Rejuvenation Programme on Monday. Modi chaired the first official meeting, which outlined the project and he stated that the top priority of the mission is to prevent future pollutants from entering the river. Comment: The river is a place of sacred purification for Hindus and is considered the holiest river in India; however, 450 million people depend on the river as a water source, which is widely considered one of the most polluted rivers in the world from industrial waste, human remains, and 2.9 billion liters of raw sewage discharged per day. Government critics have dubbed the simplified plan for rejuvenation an "impossible task." (Indian Express, Hindustani Times, The Hindu)


Researched/Written by Alexa Lipke

September 12, 2014
Go to IPSI's Homepage
In This Issue
Featured Article
Africa
Americas
East Asia
Europe & Central Asia
Middle East & North Africa
South Asia

Change the World


 IPSI believes in the power of individuals to change the world! We need to raise $30k by September 30th to continue our mission of empowerment. No donation is too small.  Thank you! 

 

 

 ___________________ 

 

Experiential Education

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


 

 

 ___________________ 

 

 IPSI's mission of empowerment is made possible in-part through the generous support of
 
The Charitable Foundation  
IEP 

 ___________________ 

 

IPSI Leadership 

 

Pamela Aall

Cameron M. Chisholm

David Crane

Chester A. Crocker

Dr. I. William Zartman 
Dr. P. Terrence Hopmann 
Chic Dambach

George Foote

Melanie Greenberg

Alexander Little 
Kevin Melton

William Stuebner 
Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah
Betty Bigombe 

Dr. Francis Deng
Gareth Evans 
Dr. Ted Robert Gurr
Amb. Jacques Paul Klein
Peter Kyle 
Dr. John Paul Lederach
Jeffrey Mapendere
John Marks 
Susan Collin Marks 
Dr. Joyce Neu

John Prendergast

Dr. Valerie Rosoux 
Dr. Ruth Wedgwood

Dr. Craig Zelizer

 

About Us >>

 

  ___________________

Like the PSR?
IPSI Hashtags
 Follow us on Twitter for news, jobs, and event updates all week!

 

 

 ___________________ 

 

 

Join Our Mailing List

 

Copyright � 2009-2014 IPSI