Author: Canvas User

Dear friends, 

CANVAS is pleased to bring you another weekly report! This week covers the continuing violence in Myanmar, negotiations between Iran and the U.S over a new nuclear agreement, and a resumption of conflict in eastern Ukraine  

Conflict Update:

More than 5,000 Venezuelan civilians fled over the country’s border with Colombia after the Venezuelan government began targeting what it says is a criminal group operating within the border region. The assault, which began with several days of airstrikes that security experts have described as Venezuela’s largest use of firepower in decades, represents a significant shift in the largely hands-off strategy the government has taken in dealing with the illicit organizations that flourish along the Venezuela-Colombia border. For years, the Maduro government has tolerated and sometimes even cooperated with these armed groups. The reason for the change in strategy is unknown. The Venezuelan assault, centered around the town of La Victoria, has been focused on a faction of FARC dissidents known as the Tenth Front. A senior United Nations official told the Security Council last week that more than 500 Ethiopian women had formally reported sexual violence in Tigray, although the actual toll is likely much higher. Hundreds of accounts detail abused committed in Tigray, the mountainous region in northern Ethiopia where a grinding civil war has been accompanied by atrocities including widespread sexual assault targeting women. Addressing parliament on Tuesday, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed publicly acknowledged that sexual assault had become an integral part of a war that he once promised would be swift and bloodless. “Anyone who raped our Tigrayan sisters, anybody who is involved in looting, will be held accountable in a court of law,” Ahmed told lawmakers. 

Violence in eastern Ukraine has escalated in recent days, according to statements from the Russian and Ukranian governments. In the deadliest engagement so far this year, four Ukranian soldiers were killed and another seriously wounded in a battle against Russian-backed separatists in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine. The soldiers’ deaths, along with a build up of Russian forces on the Ukranian border, has seized the attention of senior officials in Europe and in Washington. The Ukranian Parliament this week approved a statement declaring an “escalation” along the front, essentially acknowledging that a cease-fire negotiated in July 2020 had broken down. 

Three health workers, all women, were shot and killed in Jalalabad in eastern Afghanistan this week while working for the country’s polio vaccination program. The attack came only weeks after three women working in television were killed in a similar attack in Jalalabad. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the killings. Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesperson, rejected any involvement in the incident. Afghanistan, along with neighboring Pakistan, are the only two countries where polio has not yet been eradicated. 

The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for a days-long ambush of a port town in northern Mozambique last week that forced tens of thousands of people to flee the area and left dozens dead, including foreigners. The attack, which centered on the town of Palma, was an alarming escalation of the war in the gas-rich province of Cabo Delgado, where insurgents with loose ties to the Islamic State have killed at least 2,000 people over the past three years. In recent months, the local insurgency has grown in strength and seized large swaths of territory, including the region’s other main port town. Last week’s attack demonstrated a new level of boldness for the insurgents and was the closest yet that militants have come to a multibillion-dollar gas project operated by international energy companies. 

Coronavirus Update:

COVID-19 infections and deaths have continued to rise internationally. World leaders from 25 countries and the head of the WHO called for an international treaty to improve pandemic preparedness this week that would advance national, regional and global capacities and improve global resilience to future pandemics. While promised COVAX vaccines failed to make it to South Korea, Indonesia and the Philippines this week due to Indian exportation restrictions, Yemen and Kosovo received their first vaccines through the program. In other vaccine news,  

this week Canada and the Netherlands both suspended their use of the AstraZeneca vaccine for people under 55 and 60, respectively. Suspensions of the vaccine have coincided with the WHO’s criticism of Europe’s vaccine rollout as “unacceptable slow,” as cases increase across the continent. 

 

Dear Friends,

CANVAS is pleased to bring you another weekly report! This week covers calls for protest in Belarus, the arrest of Bolivian ex-President, and sanctions against Chinese officials.

Conflict Update:

On Thursday North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles an action which defies the UN Security Council’s ban on such tests by the country. The test happened one day after U.S. officials dismissed a test on Sunday as “normal military activity.” On Sunday, violent protests erupted in Britain over a proposed bill that would restrict protests and grant new powers to the police. Eritrea has agreed to withdraw its troops from Tigray after a military offensive drew criticism which marks a turning point in the conflict that has been raging in the region since November.

Coronavirus Update:

Covid-19 cases have risen for a fourth week in a row while the number of deaths has remained the same. A third wave of infections has begun in the EU despite vaccination progress. The EU has announced that it is potentially going to block vaccine exports to highly vaccinated countries and has said that AstraZeneca cannot export any more COVID-19 vaccines from Europe until the company fulfills their contract. India has also suspended exports of the AstraZeneca jab to meet domestic demand while cases surge. The head of the UN health agency said this week that the growing gap between the number of vaccines being given in rich countries and those administered through COVAX grows “more grotesque every day.” Meanwhile, concerns over the AstraZeneca vaccine continue as Denmark and Norway extend their suspensions of its use while they continue to review the vaccine, despite the European Medicines Agency’s assessment that it is “safe and effective.”

 

Myanmar:

The United States and the United Kingdom have ramped up international pressure on the regime in Myanmar by blacklisting more military-controlled businesses after nine more protesters were reportedly killed by the Burmese army. The U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions targeting Myanma Economic Holdings Public Company Limited and Myanmar Economic Corporation Limited. Both companies are part of a wide military-controlled network which spans a variety of sectors and has enriched the military. British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab announced that the U.K. would also target Myanma Economic Holdings Public Company Limited in order to help drain the military’s sources of revenue. The violence perpetrated by the ruling junta has helped to build solidarity among Myanmar’s different religious groups, which often play an outsized role in influencing the course of events in the country. New networks involving Buddhists, Christians, and Muslims are pooling resources and coordinating support for protests in different parts of the country. Inter-religious unity poses a grave threat to the military dictatorship because of the historically symbiotic relationship between Buddhism and the state; the support of the sangha, or community of Buddhist monks, provide moral legitimacy, spiritual power, and religious legitimacy to the state. In a potentially ominous development for the ruling government, Myanmar’s influential, state-appointed Buddhist monks’ association, the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee, last week called on the military to halt its violence against protesters, potentially foreshadowing a break between the government and the Buddhist group. The independent U.N. special rapporteur investigating human rights violations in Myanmar, Tom Andrews, warned that the “pace and scope” of the international response to the military coup in Myanmar “is falling short of what is required to head off a deepening crisis.” Mr. Andrews added that the “limited sanctions” imposed so far by member states do not do enough to cut off the regime’s flow of revenue and that the most lucrative assets of the Burmese state have been left untouched.

 

 

Dear Friends,

CANVAS is pleased to bring you another weekly report! This week covers the fifth denial of bail of pro-democracy activists in Thailand, the increasing tensions in North Darfur, and the new cyber patrol established by the Indonesian police force.

Conflict Update:

Gunmen in Nigeria kidnapped three teachers from a primary school in the northwestern part of the country on Monday as parents of students kidnapped in another school last week staged a protest demanding the government bring home their children safely. Monday’s attack was the fifth mass school abduction in Nigeria’s northwest since December 2020, where a surge in armed militancy has led to worsening security conditions and kidnapping for ransom has become a lucrative industry. Hundreds of school campuses have been closed across four states out of fear of further abductions, leaving an estimated 20 million Nigerian children out of school. North Korea on Friday severed ties with Malaysia after that country’s highest court agreed to extradite a North Korean man accused of money laundering to the United States. In a ruling last week, Malaysia’s high court approved the extradition of Mun Chol-myong, a North Korean citizen, rejecting his argument that the case against him was politically motivated. The American government has sought to bring Mun to the United States to face criminal charges that he laundered money through front companies and violated international sanctions by helping to ship prohibited luxury goods from Singapore to North Korea on behalf of the North Korean leadership in Pyongyang. Mr. Mun would be the first North Korean citizen to be extradited to the United States to face a criminal trial. Thirteen Mexican prosecutors and police officers were killed in an ambush by gunmen south of Mexico City on Thursday. The Mexican government convoy was conducting a security patrol southwest of the Mexican capital when gunmen opened fire, marking the deadliest assault on Mexican law enforcement personnel in well over a year. Thursday’s killings in central Mexico added to the 86 police officers who have already been killed this year, according to Causa en Comun, a Mexican anti-corruption group that focuses on public security. The attack was a major setback to government security forces and President Manuel Lopez Obrador, who has promised to make Mexico a safer place.

Coronavirus Update:

A number of countries paused their use of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine due to fears that it could be causing blood clots this week. European countries will resume use after the vaccine was deemed “safe and effective” by the EU’s medical regulator, who said there was no association to higher blood clot risk. Norway and Sweeden have chosen to wait and will issue guidance on usage of the vaccine at the end of the week. In other vaccine news, the WHO has approved the Johnson and Johnson jab for global use while China has approved a fifth vaccine for emergency use. In Brazil, which reported it’s highest number of Covid-19 deaths on Tuesday, the healthcare system is facing “the most severe crisis in its history” with a lack of staff in intensive care units and patients dying as they wait for beds. Papua New Guinea is also facing a crisis, which Australia has responded to by providing 8,000 vaccines and critical health equipment.

 

Myanmar:

The crackdown by Myanmar’s junta government against protesters continues to escalate. Security forces reportedly shot and killed nine anti-government protesters on Friday, bringing the number killed since the February 1 coup to well over 200. According to the latest report from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a Myanmar-focused human rights organization based in Thailand, some 224 people have been killed and 2,258 have been arrested, charged, or sentenced. Among the recent arrests is U Kyi Toe, a leading spokesman for Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (N.L.D.). Before his arrest Thursday, Kyi Toe had been a primary source of information about the events in Myanmar for the outside world. In other news, members of the Myanmar parliament who were removed by the military are exploring whether the International Criminal Court (I.C.C.) can investigate any crimes against humanity committed since the February 1 coup. Myanmar is not a state party to the I.C.C., but U.N. human rights experts in Geneva have denounced forced evictions, arbitrary detentions, and the killings of pro-democracy protesters. The protests against Myanmar’s junta have also expanded beyond the country’s borders. Since the coup, some protesters have launched an online campaign to denounce family members and associates of the Myanmar junta living abroad. Aside from shaming friends, associates, and family of the ruling government, activists have also created a website, called socialpunishment.com, information from which has been widely shared on Facebook.

 

The United States:

This week, eight people, of which six women of Asian descent were fatally shot in massage spa’s in Atlanta, have dominated headlines. A white man, Robert Aaron Long has been charged for the attacks, while politicians and communities grapple with discussions regarding the safety of Asian-Americans, hate crimes, domestic terrorism and misogyny; the anger was further provoked by the sheriff claiming the suspect was having a “bad day”. Reportedly, 3,800 hate incidents against Asia-Americans were recorded in the last year, driven by racist Covid-19 rhetoric. In other news, the American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 was passed by the House of Representatives and, if approved by the divided Senate, could offer 4.4 million individuals legal residency. Tom Reed, a Republican and potential challenger to Cuomo has been accused of sexual misconduct by a former lobbyist, meanwhile, Governor Cuomo, a Democrat accused of sexual misconduct continues to refuse to step down. In international news, relations between the US and Russia have deteriorated following a report confirming Russian interference in the US elections and President Biden claiming President Putin a killer.

 

China:

The news has been dominated by the Alaska summit, the first public meeting between US and Chinese diplomats under Bidens administration. Secretary of State Antony Blinken raised issues regarding the treatment of Uighur peoples, cyber-attacks, international norms and stability and the use of economic coercion. China retorted by condemning attempts of US interference with China’s domestic affairs, highlighting US democracy is not the only form of democracy, insinuated the failures of the US to uphold human rights in light of Black Lives Matter. The meeting, which was intended to be a short press opportunity, deteriorated into an hour-long spat with as of yet unclear consequences. Meanwhile, a Canadian businessman, Michael Spavor, stood trial accused of spying with the verdict expected on another date. Moreover, former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig is due to appear in court next week on spying charges. The court cases are being regarded as hostage diplomacy following the arrest of Huawei’s Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou. In other news, it has been reported that China is increasingly buying Iranian and Venezuelan oil, potentially undermining US influence as Iran becomes disincentivised to negotiate.

 

Hong Kong:

This week, the United States instituted sanctions which target twenty-four Chinese and Hong Kong officials over China’s ongoing crackdown on political freedoms in the semi-autonomous city of Hong Kong. The move came just days ahead of the Biden Administration’s first face-to-face talks with China; U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and national security advisor Jake Sullivan met with Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi and foreign affairs chief of China’s Communist Party, Yang Jiechi, in Anchorage, Alaska on Thursday. The American announcement was made during a visit by Blinken and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to Japan and South Korea, two states which are wary of China’s growing military, economic, and political might. Similarly, the European Union agreed Wednesday to blacklist Chinese officials for human rights abuses, the first E.U. sanctions targeting China since an arms embargo in 1989 following the Tiananmen Square crackdown. The Chinese officials targeted were accused of human rights abuses against China’s Uighur Muslim minority, according to E.U. diplomats.

 

Zimbabwe:

In Zimbabwe, evictions from Chilonga continue to threaten the homes and livelihoods of thousands of villagers. Locals are reporting they are receiving no assistance or direction with resettlement, meanwhile, the government is not only ignoring the villager’s challenges but is changing statutes (Statutory Instrument 63A of 2021, correcting Statutory Instrument 50 of 2021) in order to offer the private enterprise the land. In other news, prisoners in overcrowded jails may be pardoned, according to Zimbabwe’s Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa. Prisoners who have served one-third of their sentence may be pardoned in order to reduce overcrowding in prisons during the Covid-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, Zimbabwe has received its second donation of China’s Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine.

 

Cuba:

The Biden administration has announced that they are not in a rush to change the current Cuba policy put in place by former President Trump. The policy is currently under review, and while the administration says their goal is to continue having human rights as a pillar of their policy, a Cuba policy shift is not a top priority. Another Cuban designed Covid-19 vaccine, Abdala was approved on Thursday to begin its phase three trial. The vaccine had success in phases one and two which allowed The Regulatory Authority of Medicines, Equipment, and Medical Devices of the Republic of Cuba to approve the start of this phase. The vaccine will be administered to 48 thousand volunteers between the ages of 19 and 80 who have given their consent. The study design will hopefully demonstrate the efficacy of the product based on guidelines given by the World Health Organization. This comes at a great time as the country currently has 3,596 active cases of the virus and up to 4 more people have died.

 

Iraq:

Violence continues to proliferate in Iraq, with multiple attacks taking place throughout the country this week. On Thursday, a U.S.-led coalition convoy of trucks carrying logistical equipment for international coalition forces in southern Iraq was targeted with explosives. A source confirmed that the explosion did not cause any casualties or material damage. No party has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. On Friday, unidentified gunmen opened fire with machine guns on the headquarters of the Kurdish Democratic Party in Iraq’s Kurdistan region. “The guards at the headquarters responded to the assailants by firing back at them, which prompted them to flee” and there were no reports of casualties, according to a source. The Kurdish Democratic Party is currently the ruling party in Iraqi Kurdistan. In other news, Thafer Fuad Elyahou, reportedly Iraq’s last Jewish doctor, died in Baghdad this week of heart failure. Elyahou was one of a handful of Jews still living in Iraq, which until the 1970s had a large and ancient Jewish population. The London-based Jewish Cultural Heritage Initiative reported last year that at least 68 of Iraq’s 297 Jewish heritage sites have been lost.

 

Georgia:

After the 6th EU-Georgia Association Council meeting during PM Garibashvili’s visit to Brussels this week, EU officials released a document stating that both rounds of 2020 election in October and November “were competitive and that, overall, fundamental freedoms were respected.” The Council simultaneously highlighted the importance of conducting electoral reform to address shortcomings identified by international observers. The EU’s view of the elections contradicts the position of most of the Goergian opposition, who have refused to join the parliament they were elected to without repeat elections. On Friday, the EU mediator for the country’s political crisis talks, Christian Danielsson, left with no conclusion on the issues of political prisoners or elections, despite extending his stay in the country. 

 

Iran:

Majid Takht-Ravanchi addressed the United Nations Security Council last Monday, stating that the path to peace in Syria is for foreign forces who do not have the government’s approval to evacuate as soon as possible. He noted that the American troops in particular must leave the country given that it is in violation of Syria’s sovereignty, and it “contravenes the most basic principles of international law”. Takht-Ravanchi also emphasized that the unilateral sanctions against Syria only harms their citizens and further exacerbates the crisis. In other news, the first dose of the Fakhra vaccine was administered last Tuesday. The vaccine’s research and development began in March 2020, reaching its experimental production stage in June 2020, and finally the clinical trials this month. Iran continues to be hopeful that they could be one of the world’s most important manufacturers of the COVID-19 vaccine.

 

Indonesia:

The cyber patrol of Indonesia was set up last month and fears of state surveillance have been widespread amongst citizens. The new unit aims to counter the rampant misinformation, which the government has described “not that dangerous, but ruining public opinion”. While the police force have repeatedly stated that this unit is merely to control cybercrime in Indonesia, citizens fear it is a tactic to restrict freedom of expression, which ultimately shrinks the online civic space. In other news, Indonesia continues to call for the ASEAN meeting on Myanmar’s crisis. While Western countries have suggested a more “antagonistic” approach in dealing with Myanmar, the ASEAN has been firm in choosing a more diplomatic strategy without imposing sanctions to prevent the conflict from further escalating.

 

Thailand:

The leaders of pro-democracy group, Ratsadon, have been denied bail for the fifth time by Thailand’s Criminal Court. Their charges of lese majeste offences stem from the protests that took place last year in front of Thammasat University and Sanan Luang. One of the co-founders of the Ratsadon group, Parit Chiwarak, has threatened to go on a hunger strike if his fellow leaders are not released. Fellow detainee and human rights lawyer, Anon Nampa, has claimed that there have been multiple attempts to remove the activists from prison, one of which being a supposed COVID-19 test at 2AM. While the ministry has insisted that it was only for testing, detainees have noted that it constituted intimidation, threatening their safety.

 

Nicaragua:

On Thursday, the InterAmerican Commission on Human Rights held a hearing regarding complaints from indigenous peoples from Nicaragua. The hearing focused on the rights of the Miskito and Mayangna communities, which reported 13 murders, eight assaults and numerous forced displacements in 2020. The rights abuses are linked to land takeovers and settlers, and President Ortega and his regime are criticised for not ensuring indigenous rights are protected. In other news, the COVAX scheme from WHO has ensured Nicaragua’s first batch of Covid-19 vaccines.

 

Belarus:

Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who is currently in exile in Lithuania, said on Thursday that the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (O.S.C.E.) and the United Nations were ready to mediate in any negotiations with the Lukashenko government. Tsikhanouskaya said that talks could begin in May, with elections slated for the fall. However, there was no immediate comment from the O.S.C.E. or the U.N. The statement appears to be an attempt to rekindle protests against the Lukashenko regime which have faltered in recent months after an extensive crackdown by the government. On Thursday, Tsikhanouskaya urged Belarusian citizens to vote in an online poll to support her call for international negotiations with the Lukashenko government; the website allows users to vote anonymously from their phones using the Viber or Telegram messaging apps. In other news, the U.N. special rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders has expressed concerns over an “increasing crackdown” against activists in Belarus, following reports of “suspected reprisals” against two defenders who have collaborated with the U.N. Human Rights Office. The comments were made in reference to the arrests of Syarhey Drazdouski and Aleh Hrableuski who work for the Office of the Rights for People with Disabilities NGO.

 

Sudan:

The Sudanese Minister of Cabinet Affairs stated on Saturday that Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok had a successful visit to Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The three countries have been described as “strategic partners” as they figure out the best solution to the filling of the dam that is on the Blue Nile. Sudan and Egypt have agreed that only once all the parties have reached a binding agreement will the Grand Ethiopian Resistance Dam (GERD) be filled. Both countries also agreed that efforts to include various international parties in the decisions about the GERD should be continued, they are hopeful that both the EU and the US could become a part of the decision-making process. Still, there is a long way to go until a decision is reached. In other news, tensions in North Darfur are increasing along with the security concerns in the region. There is a widespread presence of militias and continuous security violations that concerns many officials and groups, including the Transitional Sovereign Council and the Sudan Liberation Army. The tensions and security concerns are also increasing in other areas of Darfur and joint security forces are being deployed to all the different regions with the highest concerns, rebel movements are not represented in these forces.

 

Uganda:

Uganda’s main opposition leader, Bobi Wine, was arrested and later released after he took part in a small protest against the detention of his supporters in Uganda’s capital Kampala on Monday. Last week, Wine called on Ugandans to “rise up peacefully and unarmed” against President Yoweri Museveni who won a sixth term in office following disputed elections in January. About 15 members of parliament and activists from Wine’s National Unity Platform (N.U.P.) political party, wearing business suits and red ties, took part in a brief protest which was quickly halted by police officers and soldiers. In other news, Ugandan President Museveni is suing the Daily Monitor, an independent newspaper, for publishing claims that Museveni and his inner circle received COVID-19 vaccinations provided by Chinese state-owned drug maker Sinopharm in March, weeks before Uganda received any COVID-19 vaccinations for public distribution. Museveni denies that he has received a vaccine, saying that he is still weighing which vaccine to take, and the lawsuit alleges that the article published by the Monitor was intentionally reckless, malicious, and published without due care. Museveni has attacked the Daily Monitor twice recently, saying it is one of Uganda’s problems. He described the newspaper as evil, irresponsible, and needing self-discipline.

 

Bolivia:

A Bolivian judge has ordered that the country’s former interim President, Jeanine Anez, report to four months of preventative detention due to her role in the ouster of leader Evo Morales. Prosecutors have charged her with sedition, terrorism, and conspiracy along with two other of her former cabinet members. The judge has sent Anez to a women’s prison in La Paz after Morales claims events led to a coup, something she denies. The arrest of Anez has brought concern from around the world, as the US, EU, and UN have spoken about the importance of due process as well as the courts to deal with the events without political pressures. However, the Bolivian government does not like the outside comments and on Thursday asked nations such as the US and Brazil to avoid any interference in their affairs. Tens of thousands have taken to the streets in at least four major cities in protest of the detention of Jeanine Anez. The stronghold of supporters gathered in order to denounce the four month detention of Anez and her cabinet members, chanting “Freedom, Freedom” as they wave their country’s flag. The judge and prosecution have said that they will not release those who are imprisoned despite claims that Morales chose to flee and there was no coup. The situation is evolving and does not look like it will be over at any time soon.

Dear Friends,

CANVAS is pleased to bring you another weekly report! This week covers human rights violations in Zimbabwe, the continued violence in Myanmar, and the Bolivian election.

Conflict Update:

Gunmen kidnapped dozens of students from a college in northwestern Nigeria late Thursday, the fourth mass abduction in as many months in a region that is suffering a worsening breakdown of law and order. The attackers breached the fence surrounding the Federal College of Forestry in Mando, located in Kaduna state, just before midnight and began rounding up students. Shehu Sani, a former senator of Kaduna, said he had been briefed by security officials that the attackers had separated the girls from the boys and only took the girls. In a recent report on kidnappings across Nigeria, SB Morgen, a Lagos-based geopolitical research firm, found that almost $11 million was paid to kidnappers between January 2016 and March 2020. According to United Nations relief workers, more than 240,000 people have been displaced in the Central African Republic after rebels who call themselves the Coalition of Patriots for Change launched attacks, first to disrupt last December’s elections, and now to destabilize the newly-formed government of President Faustin Archange Touadera. The rebels currently control nearly two thirds of the country, making it difficult to deliver humanitarian aid. Hundreds of thousands of people have been left without food or basic healthcare and the closure of the main road between the Central African Republic and Cameroon has caused food prices to skyrocket. Ethiopia’s government is facing mounting pressure to withdraw troops from the northern Tigray region amid growing reports of war crimes in an area that now faces a humanitarian crisis. Criticism of the conduct of government troops has grown after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that “ethnic cleansing” has happened in parts of Tigray. The conflict began last November when Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent government troops into Tigray after an attack there on federal military facilities.

Coronavirus Update:

Multiple European countries, including Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Italy, and Romania, suspended the use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine because of concerns that it might increase the risk of blood clots, but emphasized that they were taking action as a precaution and that there is no evidence of any causal link. The scare is a setback for the AstraZeneca vaccine, which has already struggled with the perception that it is a less desirable option because it has a lower overall efficacy rate in clinical trials compared to other COVID-19 vaccines. However, extensive data shows that the vaccine is safe and effective, and in many places across the world, it is the only shot currently available. Tens of millions of doses of the same vaccine manufactured by AstraZeneca are sitting idly in American manufacturing facilities awaiting results from its U.S. clinical trials while the more than 70 countries that have already authorized the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine are begging the U.S. to give them access to the stockpile. The fate of the American AstraZeneca vaccine doses is the subject of an intense debate among U.S. federal health officials, with some arguing that the Biden Administration should let the doses go abroad where they are desperately needed right now, while others are not ready to relinquish the vaccines. Under pressure to donate excess COVID-19 vaccination to needy nations, the U.S. has announced that it will partner with Japan, India, and Australia to finance a large expansion of the vaccine manufacturing capacity. The agreement was announced Friday at the Quad Summit, a virtual meeting held between the heads of state of the aforementioned four countries. The goal, according to senior administration officials, is to address an acute vaccine shortage in Southeast Asia, which will eventually boost worldwide supply.

 

Myanmar:

Violence continues to escalate in Myanmar after at least twelve people were killed by the ruling junta Thursday, according to a watchdog group. A top U.N. official said the crackdown on peaceful protests is “likely meeting the legal threshold for crimes against humanity.” The United Nations human rights office has said that at least 80 people have been killed since the military invalidated the results of Myanmar’s democratic election earlier this year, with an additional more than 2,000 arbitrarily detained since the coup. Student activists have made up a significant number of arrested protestors, with many being taken to Insein Prison without access to legal counsel. Insein Prison is an infamous facility in the Burmese capital of Yangon that has long been used to house and torture political prisoners, including those arrested following uprisings against the previous military dictatorship in 1988. U.N. special rapporteur for human rights in Myanmar Thomas Andrews has noted that there is extensive video footage of security forces brutally beating protesters, medics, and bystanders, as well as destroying property, looting shops, and firing indiscriminately into people’s homes. There is growing evidence that the violence has forced people to flee the country, with India’s Mizoram state reporting that between 200 and 300 people had crossed the border from Myanmar into India. Sister Ann Rose Nu Tawng, a Catholic nun from the city of Myitkyina in Kachin state, has won praise from Myanmar’s majority Buddhist population after she begged a group of heavily armed security officers to take her life instead of the lives of the children nearby. Additionally, the United States this week imposed sanctions on six companies controlled by two children of Myanmar’s military leader Min Aung Hlaing in response to the coup and the killing of protesters. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned that more punitive actions could follow and condemned attacks by Myanmar’s security forces targeting peaceful protesters.

 

The United States:

This week, the highly anticipated $1.9trillion Covid-19 relief package was approved by the House of Representatives, with not a single vote in favour from Republicans. The stimulus package includes a $1,400 stimulus check for up to 85% of households, an extension of the $300 unemployment benefits until September, $350billion for state agencies to combat the pandemic, financial support in accessing health insurance coverage, and measures for housing, food, child tax credit, and vaccination programs. According to projections by the Urban Institute, the package could reduce poverty in the US by over a third. In Texas, Attorney General Ken Paxton is threatening legal action against local decision-makers if they refuse to lift mask mandates after Republican Governor Greg Abbott lifted restriction last week. In New York, Democrat Governor Cuomo refuses to step down following allegations of sexual misconduct and mishandling of Covid-19, despite 13 House Democrats calling for his resignation. Finally, in Portland, clashes between police and rioters have re-erupted following protective fences around the courthouse being removed; reportedly the rioters have set fire to the courthouse and the police have used heavy responses such as green smoke and pepper balls.

 

China:

This week the Chinese legislature made the decision to tighten their control over Hong Kong by overhauling the city’s electoral system. The “patriots governing Hong Kong” resolution will reduce the democratic representation in the city as well as allow a panel that is very pro-Beijing to vet all candidates before elections. This decision was made on Thursday and is just one of many of China’s decisions made to tighten their grip over Hong Kong. In other news, China has announced that they, alongside Russia, will be building a lunar space station. There will be a lot of various research conducted on the space station, including exploration of the moon. This is going to be a collaborative effort between both countries and is the largest international space project for China and the station will be available for use by other nations, according to both sides.

 

Hong Kong:

On the last day of its annual meeting, China’s National People’s Congress passed new rules governing the electoral system in Hong Kong with a near unanimous vote. The overhaul of Hong Kong’s electoral system will give Beijing much greater control over local elections by allowing China to disqualify candidates deemed “unpatriotic.” Opposition groups in Hong Kong say the changes are part of the mainland government’s attempts to wipe out local dissent, which peaked during protests in response to a Beijing-backed extradition bill in 2019. The stated goal of the changes is to ensure that only “patriots” govern Hong Kong, a definition which Chinese officials have made clear includes loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party. One of the changes involves the election for Hong Kong’s chief executive, currently scheduled for 2022. The 1,200 member election committee which selects the chief executive was already stacked with Beijing loyalists, but changes will increase the size of the committee by 300 members, reducing the power of any remaining pro-democracy legislators. This expanded committee will also have a role in selecting the new members of the Legislative Council, which is expected to grow from 70 to 90 members. In other news, fewer Hong Kong residents are showing up to their appointments to receive the Chinese-produced Sinovac Biotech Ltd. vaccine, amid reports of side effects, even as demand for the Pfizer Inc.-BioNTech SE vaccine remained high. The number of people who received their scheduled Sinovac vaccine fell to 72% on Wednesday, down from a high of more than 90% last week. The skipping of vaccination appointments comes after Hong Kong reported three deaths and three critical illnesses in people who had received the Sinovac vaccine. As of now, none of the deaths of illnesses have been linked to the vaccine.

 

Zimbabwe:

Eviction notices threaten 13,000 persons of the Shangani minority identity from approximately 12,940 hectares of land in Chilonga. In February, July Moyo, the Local Government, Urban and Rural Development Minister, issued the eviction notice as the government plans to clear the land for private commercial ventures of stockfeed. International human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch are condemning the decision for ignoring the rights of indigenous populations, and leaving people vulnerable during the Covid-19 pandemic. The notices claim the residence must leave immediately and will not receive compensation. Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee has reported that food insecurity has increased by 12% since 2019 claiming 2.4 million persons are at risk in terms of access to food and basic services. In other news, Zimbabwean women celebrated International Women’s Day by highlighting women refusing to conform to gender expectations such as Molly Manatse, one of Harare’s few female truck drivers.

 

Cuba:

U.S. President Joe Biden’s Administration is reviewing former President Donald Trump’s last-minute decision to designate Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism, but a broader Cuba policy shift is not among Biden’s top priorities, the White House said this week. The Trump Administration added Cuba to the list nine days before Joe Biden took office, citing the country’s harboring of American fugitives and Colombian rebel leaders and support for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. In other news, Cuba’s homegrown COVID-19 vaccine candidates have entered late-stage trials, two of which are set to begin Phase III trials. The Soberana-2 vaccine is currently the leading candidate, and Cuba’s government has announced that Phase III trials with 44,000 participants will commence this month. The Sobreana-2 vaccine has also begun widespread trials in Iran and Venezuela. Mexico is reported to be in talks with the Cuban government to begin trials shortly, and Suriname and Ghana have demonstrated their interest in ordering doses when they are ready.

 

Iraq:

Iranian-backed paramilitary groups have agreed to stop attacks against U.S. forces in Iraq on the condition that Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi formally demands an American withdrawal from the country. Kadhimi must tell Washington that the pullout must be completed within 12 months, according to sources. Sources indicated that Kadhimi will likely comply and make the formal request. At the beginning of March, the armed factions announced the end of an unofficial truce with the U.S.-led coalition forces in Iraq which had been in place since October with few violations. Prior to the armistice, attacks on U.S. troops and western allies in Iraq were commonplace, as paramilitary groups sought to push the United States from the country. However, a rocket attack on a military base in Erbil earlier this year was linked to the group Kataeb Sayyid al-Shuhada, and escalating tit-for-tat attacks have greatly increased tensions in the region. This latest deescalation agreement was made by a group of faction leaders known as the Coordinating Committee for the Resistance Factions, and the Iraqi government. In other news, Jasb Hattab Aboud, the outspoken father of a missing Iraqi anti-government activist who waged a campaign to bring the militia suspected of abducting his son to justice, was killed this week, according to a local human rights monitor. Aboud was uncommonly vocal in his search for his son Ali Jasb, a lawyer who was one of a number of activists who vanished at the height of Iraq’s anti-government protests in 2019. Authorities have not identified the culprit.

 

Georgia:

TV Pirveli aired audiotapes this week featuring Bera Ivanishvili, the son of former Georgia Dream (GD) party chair Bidzina Ivanishvili, speaking with Anzor Chubinidze, the current head of the special state protection service, and current PM Irakli Garibashvili about an intimidation campaign designed to ‘humiliate and punish’ young people for posting insults about the Ivanishvili family online. The date of the conversation is unknown. Opposition parties have demanded PM Garibashvili’s resignation since the release of the tapes, saying they show ‘the signs of the heaviest organized crime’ and  ‘informal, undemocratic practice of governing the state under the Georgian Dream government and the extremely severe forms of dismantling state institutions.’ GD has since released a statement claiming that the recordings are fabricated. PM Garibashvili has blamed ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili for the ‘fake’ recordings and Ivanishvili has claimed the tapes were made by the United National Movement government when they were ‘illegally listening to the entire country.’ Ivanishvili failed to comment on the authenticity of the tapes, instead, saying ‘it does not matter for him, because if someone insults his family he will again ask for a response.’ The Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia has launched an investigation into the alleged wiretap and Tbilisi’s City Court has granted their request for the seizure of audiotapes. The release of the recordings has coincided with the GD government and the opposition’s talks about the political crisis and the recent detainment of the main opposition leader. GD chairperson Mamuka Mdinaradze said he expects talks between the government and the opposition to continue, despite the impact of the recordings.

 

Iran:

Iran has reported that one of its cargo vessels was attacked in the Mediterranean Sea this week in what the government has called a “terrorist attack.” No casualties were reported. Ali Ghiasian, a spokesperson for the state shipping line, said that Wednesday’s attack damaged Shahr-e Kord, a commercial vessel traveling to Europe. Ghiasian added that an “explosive device” damaged the hull of the ship and started a small fire which was quickly extinguished. Earlier this week, Israel accused Iran’s Revolutionary Guard of attaching an explosive device to the Israeli-owned cargo vessel Helios Ray in international waters near the Gulf of Oman earlier this year. Iran rejected the claim as an unfounded allegation. This comes as U.S. and regional officials say Israel has targeted at least a dozen ships bound for Syria and mostly carrying Iranian oil out of concern that petroleum profits and funding extremism in the region. Since late 2019, Israel has used weaponry, including water mines, to strike Iranian vessels or those carrying Iranian cargo as they navigate the Red Sea and in other parts of the region. In other news, Iranian authorities have arrested multiple music producers linked to California-based Iranian pop singer Sasy, whose real name is Sasan Heidari Yafteh, after the release of the music video for the song “Tehran Tokyo.” The video features actresses, including an American pornographic film star, dancing in short dresses atop cars and inside bars. Iranian security forces detained two popular music arrangers who worked on the song in Shiraz and raided their studio. Semi-official news organizations in Iran confirmed the arrests Wednesday, saying that Sasy’s associates in Iran had produced music “contrary to culture.”

 

Indonesia:

A bus carrying 66 people on a return trip from an Islamic pilgrimage site, including schoolchildren and parents, crashed into a ravine on the island of Java this week, killing 27. The Indonesian search and rescue agency said in a statement Thursday that the driver of the bus lost control shortly before the crash due to poor road conditions and a failure of the vehicle’s brakes. A police spokesperson said that the bus plunged 65 feet to the bottom of the ravine in a valley surrounded by farmland. The road is government-owned and is frequently used by commuters traveling between provinces. In other news, Indonesia’s Sinabung volcano erupted on Thursday. No casualties were reported. Armen Putra, an official at the Sinabung monitoring center, said villagers were advised to stay at least 5 kilometers away from the crater of the volcano and should be aware of lava. Approximately 30,000 people have been forced to leave their homes near Sinabung in recent years after eruptions in 2010, 2014, and 2016 killed numerous people.

 

Thailand:

On Saturday, March 6th, Thailand’s government placed a ban on assemblies, protests, and mass gatherings citing fears of spreading COVID-19. Bangkok and five other provinces in Thailand have the ban in place. While government officials insist that the ban is not political in any way, shape, or form, demonstrators are skeptical given the current arrests citing the lese majeste law and the decreasing numbers of COVID-19 cases in the country. In other news, Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has released a statement calling on Myanmar to release everyone who has been detained by the military following the coup. Talks are still ongoing between Thailand, Indonesia, and Myanmar.

 

Nicaragua:

This week Sergio Beteta, who was arrested in December 2020 for burning a Nicaraguan flag outside Managua’s University, has received a guilty verdict in a court case accusing him of drug and weapons possession offences. Beteta’s lawyer Julio Montenegro claims that his client is a political prisoner victim to police planting evidence and a hearing riddled with anomalies. In other news, the ongoing attacks against independent media by President Daniel Ortega’s regime continue to raise concerns, as the Editor of Confidencial recount the confiscation of their media offices in 2018. The article recalls person sentences for journalists, exile, the unlawful police storming of their premises, and the attempts to bring the case to the Nicaraguan Supreme Court citing Constitution Article 44 “confiscating private property is forbidden.”. The offices remain in government hands and independent critical journalists continue to face harassment and censorship. Finally, UNICEF’s regional director has publicly issued concerns regarding the “institutional neglect of Nicaragua’s North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region (RACN)” following hurricanes Eta and Iota. The region is home to thousands of indigenous communities and remains one of the countries poorest areas.

 

Belarus:

Organizers of the Eurovision Song Contest this week declined a song entry from Belarus due to its controversial political lyrics. The European Broadcasting Union, which runs the Contest, demanded Belarus submit a new entry or risk disqualification from the Eurovision Contest. Featuring lyrics such as “I will teach you to toe the line,” the entry, entitled “I’ll Teach You” and performed by Belarusian outfit Galasy ZMesta, has sparked backlash from opposition figures and fuelled calls by a European Parliament legislator for Belarus to be banned from Eurovision. The band’s frontman Dmitry Butakov denied the song breached the competition’s rules, even as the lyrics openly mock protests against the Lukashenko government. In other news, Belarus expelled two more Polish diplomats this week in a tit-for-tat spat that has erupted following a World War Two commemoration in the southwestern Belarusian city of Brest. The event, which took place on February 28, took place in honor of so-called “cursed soldiers,” Polish fighters who initially fought against Nazi occupation but later fought the Soviet Union. The soldiers often acted violently against non-Poles, especially Belarusians.

 

Sudan:

Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok is in Cairo this week to meet with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi as both nations seek to build a united front in the ongoing dispute over the controversial dam that Ethiopia is building on the Blue Nile. The dispute centers on the Grand Ethiopia Renaissance Dam and how much water Ethiopia will release downstream in the event of a multi-year drought, as well as how the three countries would settle any future disputes. Egypt and Sudan have called for a legally binding agreement on the dam’s filling, but Ethiopia insists on only establishing “guidelines” for use. Despite years-long negotiations, the three countries have failed to come to agreement. Around 85% of the Nile’s flow originates from Ethiopia, and Egypt has called the dam an existential threat to the country. In other news, Sudan has released former Janjaweed leader Musa Hilal after three years of imprisonment. Speaking on behalf of the family, Amani Musa Hilal announced that the military court cancelled all the restricted cases against her father. Hilal is held responsible for numerous atrocities committed against civilians in Darfur after the conflict there began in 2003.

 

Uganda:

Opposition figure Bobi Wine, a singer and lawmaker whose real name is Kyagulanyi Sentamu, is calling for peaceful protests in the aftermath of the January elections which showed victory for incumbent president Yoweri Museveni. Wine has said that the electoral authorities are “grappling with forged results” and claimed that he was the true winner of the election with 54% of the vote, based on results forms from independent polling sites. Museveni has previously described the January election as the “most cheating-free” election in Ugandan history. The vote was conducted under an internet blackout after campaigns during which opposition candidates were routinely obstructed by police, and many people were shot dead by security forces. In his speech, Bobi Wine also listed four demands: an independent audit of the election, an end to abductions, the release of political prisoners, and an end to the practice of trying civilians in military courts. In other news, Uganda began nationwide COVID-19 vaccinations this week after receiving nearly 100,000 doses through donations. Health minister Jane Ruth Aceng said healthcare workers would be the first to get the shot, followed by teachers and those in high risk groups, including the elderly.

 

Bolivia:

On March 7th, Bolivians were finally able to go to the polls for their regional elections, which were delayed a year due to the coronavirus pandemic. There were mixed results within these elections, with the MAS party, the party of the current President, Luis Arce, splitting votes with multiple other opposition parties. In Santa Cruz, one of the most popular departments in the nation, MAS surprisingly lost its governorship. The results of the election very similarly reflect the 2015 election results, however, there are some races that have yet to be called due to cyber attacks that occurred. According to the Bolivian government, on the evening of March 9th, the site that holds the results of the elections was attacked. The government said that the attack, which came from abroad, did not affect any of the vote counts but they still chose to withhold some results to double-check the counts. In other news, the government is still trying to make changes to its laws to help protect its students and other citizens after the deadly railing collapse last week at the Public University of El Alto.

Dear friends,

CANVAS is pleased to bring you another weekly report! This week covers the reshuffling of political leadership in Zimbabwe, cyberattacks in Indonesia, and the relationship between Uganda and The United States.

 

Conflict Update:

In Myanmar on Sunday, dozens of protestors were wounded and at least 18 people were killed by the military’s security forces. On Wednesday, an additional 38 people were killed in what has been the deadliest crackdown since the February 1st coup and six journalists were detained on criminal charges. Myanmar’s ousted leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, was seen for the first time since the coup when she appeared on video in court where she was given two additional charges.   The slogan ‘everything will be okay’ was written on Angel’s shirt, a 19-year-old anti-coup protester, who joined activists in Myanmar on Wednesday before she was shot and killed in the streets. She was one of many hundreds of activists who were peacefully protesting in Myanmar’s second city before police opened fire. Myanmar police, numbering at least 19, have entered into India in order to escape the military force. The men were lower-ranking members who chose to leave due to their lack of alliance with the military control, they are expecting many more to come. They entered into India unarmed and feared persecution in Myanmar for disobeying orders against the disobedience movement. The United States has begun to block the ministries of defense and home affairs as well as top military personnel from different types of trade. This action has been taken in response to the military’s crackdowns on the protests within Myanmar. This action comes a month after President Joe Biden’s sanctions on the nation and as the US Commerce Department announced it is considering more potential actions. In Armenia,  the military called for Prime Minister Nikol Pashiyan’s resignation over his handling of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which he called a coup attempt. His supporters took to the streets to demonstrate their support. The opposition also held rallies and at one point protestors successfully forced their way into a government building. In Spain, protests that began over the arrest of a Spanish rapper have continued. They have become a collective outcry by a generation that has struggled through years of economic hardship and that sees a lost future even after the pandemic ends.”

 

Coronavirus Update:

The WHO has announced that COVID-19 cases have increased for the first time in six weeks. Studies have suggested that the variant found in Brazil is able to infect people who have already had the virus. There are concerns that vaccine passports, a government-issued document that confirms someone’s status as vaccinated, could be ethically problematic due to the imbalance in vaccine distribution that favors wealthier nations. Israel is the first country to roll out such a policy, the “green pass,” which allows vaccinated people to engage in normal activities. The following countries have begun vaccinations this week: Nigeria, Angola, DR Congo, Kenya, Iraq, Sudan and Rwanda.

 

Dear friends,

CANVAS is pleased to bring you another weekly report! This week covers U.S. airstrikes in Syria, Georgia’s escalating political crisis, and the current situation in Myanmar.

Conflict Update:

In Myanmar, protestors ordered a strike that shut businesses across the country to demonstrate dissatisfaction with the February 1st coup. Demonstrators have continued to gather nationwide despite the military’s threats of violence. More than 1,200 citizens of Myanmar were deported from Malaysia on Wednesday despite the Kuala Lumpur High Court’s decision to grant them a stay of deportation without explanation from the government. In Algeria on Monday, thousands of protestors commemorated the second anniversary of the country’s mass protest movement which was ended by the COVID-19 pandemic. The protestors marched again on Friday, possibly signaling the resumption of the protests. In Iraq, 5 protestors were killed and 175 were injured during clashes with security forces. The demonstrators are calling for justice for protesters killed since 2019 and for the removal of the governor. The conflict in Yemen saw its deadliest clash in three years with hundreds of fighters killed during a weeks-long Houthi offensive.

Coronavirus Update:

The WHO has announced that COVID deaths have dropped 20% in the past week and that their global vaccine-sharing initiative, COVAX, delivered its first shipment on Wednesday. The delivery marks a shift towards improved vaccine equality but preferential vaccinations for government officials have become a problem in multiplecountries. This week the EU was told to expect less than half the number of AstraZeneca vaccines it had been initially promised and the Philippines has announced that it will relax its ban on healthcare staff working in Germany and Britain if the two countries donate vaccines. In Greece, frustrations over the “suffocating” conditions in hospitals led to doctors engaging in a day-long strike. Vaccinations have begun in the following countries: Hungary, Senegal, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea.

The United States:

For the first time under the Biden administration, military force was used as President Biden ordered airstrikes over Eastern Syria, killing at least 22 people. The Pentagon claimed that the buildings targeted in Syria were connected to Iranian-backed militias and the rocket attack on U.S. personnel in Iraq; the attacks are thought to signal to Iran the tone of the administration. In domestic politics, the minimum wage hike to $15 an hour has been removed from the Covid-19 relief package as parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough ruled its inclusion fell beyond the scope of budget reconciliation. President Biden has claimed he would work on a “standalone $15 minimum wage proposal”, although there is resistance to the motion, even from within the Democrat Party. In other news, the new Voting Rights Act of Virginia which hopes to ensure better voter protections and more accessible election processes has been approved. Meanwhile, the House has passed comprehensive legislation which bans discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity. The LGBTQ+ rights protections are a success, however, the harassing comments of Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene towards Democrat Marie Newman and her transgender daughter caused controversy and rifts within the Republicans.

China:

The Netherlands becomes the first EU state to accuse China of committing genocidein its treatment of Uighur peoples, the Chinese embassy has retorted that the motion was a smear campaign and an “outright lie”.  The decision came shortly after the Canadian government voted to accuse China of genocide with an overwhelming majority. In other news, Vietnam’s Foreign Affairs Ministry is currently verifying whether China is building potentially two missile bases near the border, one as close as 20km from the border. The information came to light as NGO South China Sea News published satellite images. In the South China Sea, China has responded to the US navy’s presence by completing a military exercise with 10 bombers; the drills are rising concerns over stability of the conflict regarding the disputed waters. Meanwhile, China’s economy is believed to double in size by 2035 meaning it could become the largest economy in the world and bypass the United States.

Hong Kong:

Hong Kong began administering the Chinese-ruled city’s first COVID-19 vaccinations this week; the program will eventually offer free vaccines to the entire population of 7.5 million. Residents will receive the vaccine developed by Chinese biopharmaceutical company Sinovac, a million doses of which were delivered to Hong Kong last week. A panel of Hong Kong experts found the Sinovac vaccine to have an efficacy rate of 62.3% after two doses, compared to the 92% efficacy of the two-dose Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. In other news, China plans to impose restrictionson Hong Kong’s electoral system in an attempt to disqualify candidates the Communist Party views as disloyal. The move could block democracy advocates from running for any elected office in Hong Kong. Xia Baolong, China’s director of Hong Kong and Macau affairs, said the central government wants Hong Kong to be governed only by “patriots” loyal to the Communist Party and that Beijing will not allow the Hong Kong government to rewrite the territory’s laws, as previously expected.

Zimbabwe:

In response to reports of human rights violations and attacks on democracy in Zimbabwe, the European Union has reimposed an arms embargo and frozen the assets to state-owned Zimbabwe Defence Industries. The EU is concerned with the “proliferation of arrests and prosecutions of journalists, opposition actors and individuals expressing dissenting views, and the use by high-level officials of speech that could be interpreted as incitement to violence.”, and is hoping the sanctions will pressure the government to commit to human rights and the “recommendations of the Motlanthe Commission of Inquiry are implemented”. Weeks prior on February 1., the UK sanctioned senior members of the security apparatus, Owen Ncube, Isaac Moyo, Godwin Matanga, and former Brig. Gen. Anselem Sanyatwe, with travel bans and asset freezes. Meanwhile, the “The Cartel Power Dynamics in Zimbabwe” published by the Daily Maverick newspaper is continuing to make headlines. According to the report, billions of dollars are being illegally handled particularly in gold and diamonds. In other news, the director of epidemiology and disease control Portia Manangazira is standing trial this week for embezzling funds reserved for Covid-19.

Cuba:

United States President, Joe Biden, has said his goal is to shut down Guantanamo Bay within his presidency. His team has made clear that this is simply a goal, but shutting down the prison will be a long difficult task, something that former President Obama attempted in his term. Many in Cuba are reverting to new ways of making money amidst the continued Covid-19 crisis. Hotel owners are turning to farming as restaurants and hotels continue to remain empty. Musicians and film-makers are cooking and baking and selling as they have more time to work and earn money in other ways. The country is continuing to struggle as they are still unable to have tourists but remain helpful for their vaccines.

Dear friends,

CANVAS is pleased to bring you another weekly report! This week covers conflict updates on Myanmar, Former President Trump’s acquittal, and the state of emergency in Sudan.

Conflict Update:

In Myanmar, the military junta has been continuously increasing its presence through the deployment of armoured vehicles and soldiers. The heightened security presence and increasing violence of the military has reduced the number of protestors. On Tuesday, the military junta promised it would hold a fair election but on the same day police filed an additional charge against detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi.  On Thursday, the busy streets of Yangon were brought to a standstill. Slow-moving and “broken down” cars were parked across the roads to block security forces and prevent civil servants from going to work. Moreover, protestors have also targeted the military online, disrupting the central bank website and military-run propaganda agency True News Information Team. A young woman, Mya Thwe Thwe Khaing, has become the first protester to die in the anti-coup protests in Myanmar as she was shot in the head just two days before her 20th birthday. While the police have denied that they used lethal ammunition, doctors have confirmed that two other protesters were also hit by live rounds.

In the wake of a deadly rocket attack in Iraq, NATO announced it will expand its security training mission in the country. The attack killed one civilian contractor and injured nine others. Also in Iraq, 13 Turkish citizens, including military and police personnel, were kidnapped and executed. Officials say they were killed by Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants. The murders led Turkish police to detain over 700 people, including members of a pro-Kurdish political party. In Somalia, delayed elections have led to heavy gunfire in the capital as opposition leaders defied a ban on public gatherings to protest and clashed with security forces. The president’s term expired last week and the opposition wants him to vacate the office. In Spain on Tuesday, riots broke out over the arrest of a rapper who is accused of glorifying terrorism and insulting royalty in his songs. Police arrested 18 people, 55 were injured, including 25 officers.

Coronavirus Update:

According to the UN health agency, coronavirus infections have dropped 16% in the past week, while deaths have dropped 10%. This week, the following countries began vaccinations: South Africa, Venezuela, Japan, El Salvador, New Zealand and Zimbabwe. The AstraZeneca vaccine has been facing resistance in Europe, with doctors and public health officials reduced to pleading with Germans to get the vaccine after a number of “no shows” left hundreds of vaccines unused. Officials in Italy, Austria, Bulgaria and Sweden have signaled some public resistance to the vaccine after side-effects led hospital staff and other frontline workers to call in sick, while officials in France have televised their vaccinations to increase public support. In other news, Japanese Health authorities have found more than 90 cases of a new variant.

The United States:

Last Saturday, the US Senate voted to acquit ex-President Trump in his second impeachment trial – for inciting the Capitol rioters in January. However, the evidence presented, like the evacuation of ex-Vice President Pence, failed to sway Republican Senators who remain loyal to Trump; only 7 Republicans voted to impeach, raising concerns about his ongoing influence in the party.  Meanwhile, President Biden has declared a state of emergency in Texas due to extreme storms which have left millions without power, as power grids fail, and wind power plants are damaged; others are suffering from lack of heating or access to water and food. Moreover, 21 have reportedly died and several more have been injured, and, according to the National Weather Service, the storms are thought to affect 150 million Americans. Texas Senator Ted Cruz, Republican, is facing backlash for flying to Cancun on holiday amidst the emergency, although he has since returned, he remains under scrutiny. In international news, the Biden government is currently reviewing whether to withdraw NATO troops from Afganistan on the grounds that the Taliban is fulfilling their end of the 2020 peace agreement. Before leaving office, ex-President Trump drafted plans to have troops removed by the Spring, it is unclear if this will go ahead.

China:

The Taiwan Defense Ministry has reported that Chinese fighter aircrafts entered their air defence zone in the South China Sea, by the Pratas Islands, controlled by Taiwan. Meanwhile, the US, an ally of Taiwan, has sailed through the disputed territorial sea for the second time since President Biden took office. It has also come to light that during the military clashes between India and China along the Himalayan border last summer, 4 Chinese Peoples Liberation Army soldiers were killed in the violent “hand-to-hand” battle; the Indian authorities reported 20 fatalities. In other news, a female teacher has come forward reporting extreme abuse in detention centres for Uyghur women in the Xinjiang region; allegations include gang-rape committed by officials and the shackling of detainees. In Canada, politicians are calling to recognise the situation as genocide, although Prime Miniter Trudeau has refrained from openly supporting the motion.

Hong Kong:

Hong Kong’s government replaced the director of Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK), the only independent and publicly funded broadcaster operating on Chinese soil. The move comes after RTHK pulled programming from the BBC in Hong Kong last week following a report concerning human rights violations perpetrated against China’s Uighur minority. Leung Ka-wing, the director of RTHK, will be replaced by Patrick Li, the deputy secretary for home affairs. Li has no media experience. In other news, Jimmy Lai, a democracy advocate and newspaper publisher was denied bail again this week ahead of his trial this spring where he faces charges of colluding with foreign forces. Lai is one of several Hong Kong activists facing charges under the new National Security Law which China imposed on Hong Kong last year following anti-government protests in 2019.

Zimbabwe:

This week, the United Nations Human Rights Office has expressed concern about the Zimbabwean authorities misusing Covid-19 regulations to clamp down on political dissidents. The criticism follows a report by NGO Human Right Watch (HRW) which reported restrictions on the “freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly and association”. The report detailed that 23 African governments are using the COVID-19 as a pretext to disrespect human rights. In particular, the HRW report raised concern over Zimbabwe’s Public Health Order Act, due to come into effect in March, whereby individuals face 20 years imprisonment for “fake news on public health matters”. In other news, Zimbabwe has begun rolling out its vaccination program using China’s Sinopharm vaccine. China donated 200,000 doses, meaning Zimbabwe is among the first African states to vaccinate. Vice President Constantino Chiwenga received the vaccine publically, as the country awaits another 600,000 doses to arrive next month.

Cuba:

The Cuban government believes that they are on the brink of the mass production of the Covid-19 vaccine created on the island. Having their own vaccine could not only mean the restoration of tourism to the nation but they could also boost their image in the biotech sector. The Sovereign 2 vaccine is entering its final trial stage right as the country needs it, as they are facing bread shortages, medication shortages, and their economy is declining. The Biden administration is getting pushes from various senators and activist groups to engage in conversations with Cuba. Former President Donald Trump and his administration added Cuba to the US terrorist watch list late in their term and this was a decision many disagreed with. But, with Biden now in power, many Cubans and Americans hope that he will re-engage with the nation.

Dear friends,

CANVAS is pleased to bring you another weekly report! This week covers China’s ban on the BBC, Russia’s Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine in Nicaragua, and the “All Belarus People’s Assembly.”

Conflict Update:

In Myanmar, hundreds of thousands of people have been protesting since the coup on 1 February despite curfews, internet shutdowns and a ban on large gatherings. At least three people were shot during a protest where security forces deployed both live and rubber as well as a water cannon. Leaders of the coup have been sanctioned by the United States. In Haiti, 23 people have been arrested for an alleged coup attempt. President Jovenel Moïse claims his term in office ends in February 2022 while opponents say it ended this past Sunday. Protesters have taken to the streets to demand his resignation. Talks between India and China have led to the removal of troops from the disputed Himalayan border after months of high tension and casualties on both sides. In Madagascar, all political rallies have been banned by police in anticipation of protests organized by the opposition, Miara-manonja. The protests were organized to bring attention to rising unemployment, poverty and Miara-manonja’s request that the security forces deployed outside the house of former president Marc Ravlomananabe removed. In Somalia, 13 members of the security force were killed in a bombing attack after election management negotiations failed. The failed negotiations led to the postponement of the February 8 election. The opposition is refusing to recognize Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed as president and are calling for the creation of a council to elect a temporary leader.

Coronavirus Update:

A new program, headed by the WHO and the EU, is going to deploy $60 million worth of Covid-19 vaccines to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova. Another program, the UN-led COVAX initiative, is going to be shipping 90 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine to Africa. Specific vaccines will have to be deployed to the continent as South Africa has to suspend its use of the AstraZeneca vaccine this week due to evidence from a clinical-trial that revealed the vaccine failed to prevent illness derived from the South African variant. That decision led the director of the African Center for Disease Control and Prevention to encourage countries that have not found cases of the variant to use the AstraZeneca vaccine. In contrast, the WHO is encouraging its use even in countries where the variant is circulating widely.

The United States:

The second impeachment trial against former President Trump for inciting the insurrection at the Capitol is ongoing. Democrats are emphasising the danger he poses to the U.S. democracy, and arguing that the rioters were encouraged by the “following order from their commander-in-chief”.  Meanwhile, a group of break-away Republicans, frustrated by the parties handling of Trump, are in talks to form a new anti-Trump centre-right party based on “principled conservatism”. In New York, Governor Cuomo is receiving backlash following allegations that he and his senior staff concealed the figures of Covid-19 deaths in nursing homes. In foreign policy news, President Biden is yet to call Israel’s Prime Minister, Netanyahu, raising questions about the state of the alliance.

China:

BBC World News has been banned inside of China following the BBC’s report on the persecution of the Uighur minority. In response, UK regulators are banning China Global Television Network’s (CGTN). Meanwhile, the Chinese tech company Huaweiis taking the British bank HSBC to court to gain access to documents relating to the US fraud case against Huawei’s chief financial officer. Indian-Chinese relations are cooling as they agree to pull back troops from the border at Ladakh.

Hong Kong:

A new wave of Covid-19 infections in Hong Kong has ignited a series of racist incidents targeting people of South Asian descent in the Chinese-controlled city state. Racism against South Asians is not a new phenomenon in Hong Kong, where an estimated 92% of the population is ethnic Chinese, but the Coronavirus Pandemic has brought about a new surge of racist incidents. These include comments from a health official who suggested that minorities were spreading the virus. In other news, RTHK, Hong Kong’s public broadcaster, announced this week that programming by the United Kingdom’s BBC would be pulled from public broadcasts. The move came shortly after China’s National Radio and Television Administration banned BBC broadcasts “within Chinese territory,” citing the public broadcaster’s failure to meet broadcasting requirements.

Zimbabwe:

An independent legislator and critic of President Mnangagwa, Temba Mliswa, was arrested today during a press conference for allegedly violating Covid-19 regulations. In other news, the Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC) is drawing attention to widening inequality in the mining sector, resulting from both Covid-19 and unequal access to natural resources. In particular, gender inequality is also exacerbating, with women being segregated and discouraged from participating. Zimbabwe’s mining sector has been in the limelight since the Transparency International Zimbabwe report recently revealed the billions of USD lost via financial leakages. Finally, the leading party, Zanu PF, is supporting proposals to tear down housing developed illegally, including housing cooperatives with links to party figures.

Cuba:

Cuba has been faced with dramatic growth in Covid-19 cases as they have reported over 800 new cases Thursday. Authorities from the provinces with the highest ratesmet virtually with government officials, including President Miguel Diaz-Canel, who asked the leaders multiple times the numbers of cases in their area and what they are doing to prevent the spread. This meeting will hopefully bring more efficient job managing during this pandemic and a decrease in cases. Cuba has presented an initiative to improve resilience to drought by strengthening hydrological monitoring. This is a project that will be worked on with Russia and other UN nations.