Monday 5 September The Government of South Sudan (GOSS) announced that despite their acceptance of the additional UN peacekeeping force, important details of the troop deployment still needs to be worked out, such as the exact number and the nationality of UN peacekeepers. Voice of America: “Some South Sudanese Want Restrictions on Troop Deployment” Tuesday… Read more »
Latest Kerry-Lavrov Deal on Syria Destined to Unravel
Obama and Putin found little joy in the meeting in Hangzhou
The agreement on managing the Syrian civil war, reached between the United States and Russia in Geneva in the early hours of Saturday, September 10, was both surprising and pre-determined. US Secretary of State John Kerry had invested so much effort in the endless rounds of marathon talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that the absence of a deal would have amounted to a personal failure. US President Barack Obama, who met with Russian President Vladimir Putin a week ago in Hangzhou, China, for the G20 summit (September 4–5), was far from enthusiastic about the prospects for such a deal (Kommersant, September 5). And in his recent remarks at Oxford University, US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter was even more skeptical about Russian readiness to curtail support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (Newsru.com, September 7). Yet, Lavrov radiated satisfaction with this past weekend’s compromise and supplied tired journalists with vodka to toast it, while expressing confidence that al-Assad’s forces would observe the agreed ceasefire (TASS, September 10).
Are We Nearing an End to Buddhist Extremism in Myanmar?
Ma Ba Tha and similar groups of extremist monks in Myanmar could face resistance after a government official finally rebuked their brand of nationalism.
The monk Ashin Wirathu, famous for his inflammatory speeches, at the Maseyein Monastery in Mandalay, Myanmar. Photo: Vincenzo Floramo
It took just one dismissive comment from the chief minister of Yangon to seemingly deflate Ma Ba Tha. The Buddhist nationalist organisation has become known for its provocative segregation policies and derogatory depictions of Muslims, but now, almost for the first time, they were the ones under attack.
This Week in South Sudan – Week 35
Tuesday 30 August Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta urged South Sudan’s leaders to implement the August 2015 peace deal and stabilize the country during his one-day visit to Juba. The UN Humanitarian Aviation Services (UNHAS) was forbidden to deliver medical supplies after the Government of South Sudanese (GOSS) imposed a new control on transport of medicines… Read more »
Russia Underperforms at Pivoting
Putin discusses military matters in the Far East.
Vladivostok, which had an expensive facelift for the 2012 APEC summit, will this week host the Eastern Economic Forum, and President Vladimir Putin is due to preside over the proceedings. His goal is to reassert Russia’s commitment to playing a major role in Asia-Pacific geopolitics and to reinvigorate business ties with this dynamic region. The provisional results of Russia’s “pivot” to the East, launched two and a half years ago against the backdrop of the Ukraine conflict, are nevertheless quite disappointing. Not only has the volume of trade shrunk by about a third in this time, but Moscow’s ability to engage with the key issues on this hugely complex regional security agenda has proven to be lacking.
The main focus of Russia’s efforts was on upgrading the strategic partnership with China so that it would mature into something approaching an alliance. This hasn’t happened and the friendliness demonstrated by Putin and President Xi Jinping can barely mask the mutual disillusionment.
The rest of the article is in Policy Forum, 2 September 2016.
A Bug in the System
Source: Google Maps
Palestine does not exist on the map and is also not easy to find in the jam-packed schedules of diplomats working with the Middle East.
A Twitter storm was unleashed a couple of weeks ago when rumours spread among pro-Palestinian activists that Google had removed Palestine from its mapping service. The internet ignited as only the internet can. The hashtag #PalestineisHere went viral, accompanied by demands that Google reinstate Palestine on its map.
It turned out, as happens from time to time, that the rumour mill was quite simply ill-informed. Google rejected the story. It had certainly not deleted Palestine from its map. In fact, it added, Palestine had never featured on Google Maps. A search for “Palestine” in Google Maps brings up a map of Israel, with dashed borders demarcating the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Google’s problem was a “bug” in the system. The bug had caused the dashed lines only to be displayed on the map, while the place names “Gaza Strip” and “West Bank” had been erased from the system. Could there be a more apposite metaphor for the situation of Palestine – and the Palestinians – today? Probably not.
No More Lost Opportunities
UN patrol in the buffer zone in Cyprus. Photo: Dick Elbers
The leaders of Cyprus’ communities enjoy a rapport that would seem encouraging for settling decades-long differences. But new geopolitical realities could easily sideline progress. The time is now for visionary and credible political initiative, coupled with the constructive engagement of the international community.
Few would disagree that negotiations for the solution of the decades-old Cyprus problem have made considerable progress. But few would agree that the final solution is only a matter of time. The euphoric climate surrounding the negotiations, prompted especially by the good rapport between the leaders of the two communities leads to much optimism. At the same time, despite progress achieved in negotiations, disagreements remain on thorny issues.
This Week in South Sudan – Week 34
Monday 22 August South Sudan’s new First Vice President (FVP), Taban Deng Gai, met with Sudanese senior officials and President Omar al-Bashir to discuss outstanding issues following the 2011 independence during his first official trip to Khartoum. The parties later reached an agreement over security, border issues, and transitional financial arrangements. US Secretary of State,… Read more »
In War, Not All Violence is Equal
The use of military force may reduce killings, but not necessarily sexual violence.
On 19 June this year, the UN marked the very first International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict. Meanwhile, women and men continue to be subjected to sexual violence on a daily basis in several of the wars taking place today, for example in Syria and South Sudan.
A grieving family during the Bosnian War. PHOTO: Creative Commons
This Week in South Sudan – Week 33
Top stories of the week: SPLM (IO) leader Riek Machar has fled to neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo. Recruitment of child soldiers is rising in South Sudan, with more than 650 children having been recruited by armed groups so far this year. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has ordered an independent investigation into the July raid… Read more »