CANVAS is delighted to bring you another issue of our weekly report!
In this issue, we cover the latest updates on the US-China tensions, protests in Tunisia, news on the UN climate change summit in Glasgow, the Nicaraguan elections, and more.
Conflict Update:
This week in Israel, Palestinian prisoner Miqdad al-Qawasmeh, being held for unspecified Hamas activity, ended his 113-day hunger strike. The strike was undertaken in protest of his detention, but he ended it after learning he will be released in February. He was being held under Israel’s administrative detention laws, which allow the holding of prisoners without charges for security reasons. In Tunisia, a town protesting the reopening of landfills was made increasingly rife after the death of a protester due to what is claimed to be tear gas inhalation. The interior minister has claimed the death was a result of an unrelated health condition. However, on Thursday, reporters claim that security forces were using tear gas to disperse hundreds of protesters. In Pakistan, a far-right leader was taken off the terror list in order to end weeks of deadly protests. Saad Rizvi was removed from the list, likely leading to his release from detention. The government agreed to the freeing of 2,000 members of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) movement, who were detained. The government lifted a ban on the group, agreeing to let it contest elections. In return for the release and freedom, the group has agreed to give up violent politics, and withdraw a demand for the expulsion of the French ambassador after the publication of caricatures of the Prophet Mohammad. The TLP began protests in mid-October, leading to weeks of protests and clashes that killed at least seven policemen. The protests resulted in dozens of injuries and the blockage of the busiest highway in the country.
Lebanon:
This week, an Arab League delegation was sent to Beirut to mediate the ongoing rift between Lebanon and Saudi-led Gulf nations. The rift was sparked by Lebanese Information Minister George Kordahi’s criticism of Saudi intervention in the Yemeni civil war. So far the delegation, led by Assistant Secretary-General Hossam Zaki, has met with President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister Najib Mikati. Next week, the delegation expects to meet Speaker Nabih Berri and Foreign Minister Abdallah Bouhabib. Under discussion is whether or not to pursue direct dialogue, a position taken by Aoun and Bouhabib, or other ways of mending relations with the Gulf countries, as per Mikati. The rift has also divided members of Mikati’s cabinet, who are split on whether or not to call for Kordahi’s resignation. With regard to the ongoing Beirut blast probe, a Lebanon Court of Appeals Judge has been suspended from the case against the lead judge investigating the probe, Tarek Bitar. Judge Habib Mezher, close to the Amal Movement and Hezbollah, was suspended on 9 November due to a lawsuit filed by activist group United for Lebanon, who accused Mezher of overstepping his jurisdiction. On the same day, activists also sealed Mezher’s office with red wax in an act of symbolic protest. Mezher’s suspension is the latest in a series of pushback by high-ranking officials against Bitar. Despite it all, Bitar continues to receive support from families of the blast victims, who allege that Bitar is the target of a smear campaign by officials who fear being held accountable for the blast.
Afghanistan:
This week in Nangarhar province in eastern Afghanistan, it appears that a bomb was planted inside a mosque in Spin Ghar. During Friday prayers, around 1:30 p.m. the explosive was set off, killing an estimate of three people. There are 12 confirmed injuries as a result. This week, the ex-finance minister of Afghanistan claimed that the reason the country fell so quickly to the Taliban was due to what is called “ghost soldiers”. Such ghost soldiers were apparently invented by a corrupt official. Khalid Payenda, the ex-finance minister, has claimed that the majority of the official troop count of 300,000 did not exist. Instead, false soldiers were added to the count so general’s could take their wages. There has long been speculation over the official troop count – with the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction stating that “neither the United States nor its Afghan allies know how many Afghan soldiers and police actually exist, how many are in fact available for duty, or by extension, the true nature of their operational capabilities.” he also stated that he had “serious concerns about the corrosive effects of corruption… and the questionable accuracy of data on the actual strength of the force.” Afghanistan’s ex-finance minister Kayenda claimed that such “ghost troops’ ‘ were prioritized over real soldiers, who were often not paid on time. The leaders of government militias are accused in the report of “double-dipping” where they took money from the government to fight the Taliban, and took money from the Taliban to give up without a fight.
Myanmar:
The United States:
The White House has announced President Joe Biden will be meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping virtually on Monday, saying that the agenda of this meeting is to “discuss ways to responsibly manage the competition” between the countries “as well as ways to work together where our interests align”. This will be the first meeting between both the leaders since Biden entered the White House in January and it is coming after they announced a climate cooperation deal on Wednesday calling for “enhanced climate action in the 2020s” using the 2015 Paris climate deal’s guidelines and “concrete and pragmatic” regulations in decarbonisation, reducing methane emissions and fighting deforestation. On Friday, the US Treasury Department issued a statement saying it has sanctioned the Eritrean military and the country’s ruling party for “contributing to the crisis and conflict” in Ethiopia, which has displaced more than 2.5 million people and killed thousands. President Joe Biden signed legislation on Friday that stops telecom companies that were judged to be a security threat earlier last month from receiving new telecoms equipment licences. It means equipment from Huawei, ZTE Hytera Communications Corp, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co, and Zhejiang Dahua Technology Co. cannot be used in US telecoms networks. However, the Federal Communications Commission was not required to reject the companies’ applications to be used in US networks.
Cuba:
Cuba has accused the United States of seeking to destabilise the island, ahead of the opposition groups’ planned protests next week. The government has put a ban on the demonstrations, rejecting the protest organisers’ request last month. On Wednesday Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said the government would not allow “the persistent aggression by the United States government, its intense and constant attempts … to create conditions for internal destabilisation, to alter the citizens’ calm and security”. The government has launched a media campaign that leverages the state security forces to unearth evidence it says proves the organizers are working covertly with the United States to overthrow the government. The All India Peace and Solidarity Organization (Aipso) said it condemns the efforts of the United States government to interfere in the internal affairs of socialist Cuba while extending its support to the Cuban government on Friday. The National Federation of Trade Unions and Employees of Lebanon (Fenasol) has also condemned the US maneuvers against Cuba. The dissident movement that says its most potent weapon is the cellphone and have denied any accusation of involvement of the United States.
Nicaragua:
November 7th, the contested election results announced that incumbent President Daniel Ortega won reelection. The election results reported by the Nicaraguan government report that Ortega and his Sandinista National Liberation Front won the election by more than 75% of the vote. The election results do not come as a shock as Ortega had been targeting political opponents’ months ahead of the election. Many of opposition leaders have been detained including seven presidential candidates and others have been forced to flee the country. Many family members of opposition leaders say their loved ones are facing inhumane conditions while in custody. Detainees are living in cramped spaces, and some are even denied the right to access their medications. The international community was quick to respond with criticism as the election took place. The RENACER Act was signed by US President Biden on Wednesday to impose hard sanctions on the government. In a statement, the White House said that the sanctions targeted restricting multilateral bank lending and regime corruption. These sanctions will work in tandem with the European Union and Canada. Other countries also announced their disappointment in the election results. Costa Rica’s President, Carlos Alvarado Quesada, said he will not recognize Ortega as the leader of Nicaragua. In a statement, The European Union condemned Ortega by declaring that Nicaragua is an autocratic regime. Spain called the election a farce in a statement from the Foreign Ministry. On the day of the election 1,450 secret poll monitors stationed themselves across 563 to monitor the election. The 1,450 volunteers communicated through encrypted text messages to organize as Nicaragua denied traditional international monitors to watch the results of the election. Urnas Abiertas, a grass-roots poll watching group, released information about what took place during the election result. They observed that only 18.5% of eligible Nicaraguans cast a ballot which contradicts the official reported turnout of 65 percent. Opposition leaders believe this is a result of the preemptive attempt by groups to urge people to boycott the election. Ahead of the election, opposition groups spread the hashtag #QuedateEnCasa (stay home) to encourage a national boycott. The same day of the election Nicaraguans around the world joined together to protest the election. Nicaraguans exiled in Costa Rica marched holding signs with slogans such as “free the political prisoners” and “I will not vote on November 7th”.
Bolivia:
A group of feminist protestors were attacked by parishioners with whips at the Cathedral Basilica of San Lorenzo Martir, in Santa Cruz. The women, who are members of the collective “Mujeres Creando” (Women Creating), were protesting the alleged intervention of the Catholic Church in the rape case involving a minor. The 61-year-old man who committed the rape had caused his 11-year-old granddaughter (the victim) to become pregnant. The girl will not be undergoing an abortion due to the alleged intervention from the Church, who has publicly condemned abortion. This week also sees ongoing strikes in various parts of the country against Law 1386 of the “National Strategy to Combat the Legitimation of Illicit Profits and Financing of Terrorism.” November 12th marks the fourth day of strikes involving anti-government protestors and supporters of leftist President Luis Arce. According to Pagina Siente, both sides have issued ultimatums with protests growing in the region. Law 1386, which alleges to fight money laundering, involves changing a set of penal codes and regulations–an act that activists have called “anti-democratic” and “anti-constitutional.” During the course of the protests, one 22-year-old man reportedly died. Civic leaders in the Southwestern city of Potosi are demanding that the government repeal the law, for the resignation of several high-ranking officials, and investigate the death of the 22-year-old man. This group in Potosi are opposed by a pro-government peasant union from the eastern department of Santa Cruz, who are reportedly backed by the pro-Arce Movement Towards Socialism (MAS).
Belarus:
Western members of the UN Security Council have accused Belarus of putting migrants’ lives in danger and using the migrants to destabilise the European Union’s eastern border in a joint statement published after Thursday’s emergency UN Security Council meeting. Russia rejected the accusations while President Vladimir Putin told the European Union to start talks with Belarus if it hopes to resolve the migrant crisis on the Poland-Belarus border. European Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen and President Joe Biden reportedly discussed the possibility of new sanctions on Belarus in an Oval Office meeting. Poland has deployed 3,000 extra soldiers to strengthen the border and has been detaining migrants and refugees who attempted to enter the country from Belarus. Belarusian President Lukashenko warned saying Minsk “must respond” and that any new sanctions would be met with a response, including potentially cutting off natural gas transit to Europe. Opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, on the other hand, said “It would be more harmful for him, for Belarus, than for the European Union and I can suppose it’s bluffing”. On Saturday, at the request of Turkish authorities Belarusian state-owned airline Belavia said it will stop allowing citizens of Iraq, Syria and Yemen to board flights from Turkey to Belarus.
Georgia:
Jailed former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has agreed to follow a call by the European Court of Human Rights to end his hunger strike if he is transferred to a civilian clinic from a prison hospital. Saakashvili’s lawyer, Nika Gvaramia, announced his client’s statement on November 11. But Justice Minister Rati Bregadze said on November 11 that Saakashvili will not be transferred to a civilian clinic but will be returned to the Rustavi detention center once he stops his hunger strike. On November 10, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) called on Saakashvili to stop the hunger strike he started on October 1 right after he was arrested on his arrival to Georgia after an eight-year absence. The ECHR also called on the Georgian government to keep it informed about Saakashvili’s state of health, as well as about the medical treatment being dispensed in the prison hospital. The ECHR also said Georgian authorities should ensure Saakashvili’s safety while in custody and provide him with appropriate medical care for the post-hunger strike recovery period. Saakashvili and his supporters have said that authorities transferred him to the prison hospital from a detention center in Rustavi near the capital, Tbilisi, against his will on November 8. Saakashvili, his relatives, doctors, and lawyers have demanded his transfer to a civilian clinic.
China:
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has adopted a landmark resolution on the party’s third-ever “history resolution” issued by the CCP in its 100-year existence; following ones in 1945 and 1981. This resolution is a way for Xi to codify his authority in the present and project his long-lasting power and influence into the future, which also means he has secured a third term in office. Surprisingly, the USA and China have pledged together to boost climate co-operation to achieve the 1.5C temperature goal set out in the 2015 Paris Agreement; activists and politicians are not impressed with this move as it lacks a concrete plan and details. Xi will be having the first meeting with United States President Joe Biden virtually on Monday since Biden entered the White House in January. This meeting is seen as an attempt to build bridges with Biden amid intensifying competition and heightened tensions between the two parties and much of China’s neighbouring countries. Xi also warned against returning to Cold War-era tensions in the Asia-Pacific region, urging global cooperation ahead of this virtual meeting, with an apparent reference to US efforts with regional allies and partners including the Quad grouping with India, Japan and Australia.
Hong Kong:
Ma Chun-man, known for dressing up as a superhero at pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, was convicted of inciting secession by chanting slogans promoting Hong Kong’s independence from China. Ma is the second person to be jailed under the law, which was passed in 2020 after protests the previous year. It reduces Hong Kong’s autonomy and makes it easier to punish activists. Beijing insists that the widely criticized legislation is needed to bring stability to the city, but critics say it is designed to squash dissent in Hong Kong. The case against Ma, 31, was based on slogans he chanted at rallies, signs he held, and interviews he gave to the media. A Hong Kong court sentenced him to five years and nine months in prison, with the judge accusing Ma of showing no remorse. Security staff evacuated eight people from a Hong Kong court building after a threatening letter containing a highly corrosive substance was sent to a judge who had recently jailed five university students for their roles in a major clash during the 2019 anti-government protests. Police said they received a call from security staff at West Kowloon Court in Cheung Sha Wan at about 4.20 pm over the suspicious letter. The bomb squad was sent to examine the powdered substance and found there was “no danger” of an explosion. The powder, which was later confirmed to be about two grams of caustic soda, was wrapped in aluminum foil. A foul language curse written on a piece of paper was sent with it. Officers removed the substance for further checks. A source said the letter was addressed to Kathie Cheung Kit-yee, a deputy District Court judge.
Indonesia:
During a meeting this week, the leaders of Indonesia and Malaysia urged military-ruled Myanmar to “resolve its internal conflict and help stem the flow of Rohingya refugees fleeing to Malaysia.” More than 700,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar since August 2017, and around 200,000 have settled in Malaysia in recent years. Malaysia and Indonesia, both part of the Association of Southeast Asian nations (ASEAN) have repeatedly offered to start a dialogue, mediated by a special ASEAN envoy, between the Myanmar military and the opposition forces. However, the military has thus far refused to allow the envoy to meet Aung San Suu Kyi. Meanwhile, during a meeting with the British Foreign Secretary, Indonesia’s Foreign Minister defended the country’s decision to backtrack on the COP26 deforestation pledge. Indonesia was one of the 137 countries in the COP26 that signed an agreement to end deforestation by 2030. However, days later, Indonesia reversed its decision. According to Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi. Indonesia is focusing on transforming its forest and land-use sectors to be more sustainable instead, saying that: “I underline that Indonesia does not want to be trapped in rhetoric. We prefer to walk the talk.” Further, activists in Indonesia on Monday, November 8, “condemned a series of threats against the family of a prominent human rights lawyer and urged a thorough police investigation after an explosive package was sent to her parent’s home.” Victoria Koman, who has been living in exile in Australia, is facing charges of incitement and disinformation related to the 2019 protests in West Papua. Since then, according to the Human Rights Watch, Koman and her family have been facing a series of escalating threats for years. This recent incident came two weeks after a flaming package was left at Koman’s parent’s home. On Sunday, another package containing a dead chicken was also sent to the home of a relative, with a note warning them that anyone hiding Koman would also end up dead.
Thailand:
A Thai court ruled that three anti-government activists who had called for reform of the country’s powerful monarchy had violated the constitution by making what it called a veiled attempt to overthrow the institution. The Constitutional Court, ruling in a case brought by a royalist lawyer, said a controversial 10-point call for reforms of the institution by three student protest leaders in August last year was designed to topple the monarchy. “The actions have hidden intentions to overthrow the constitutional monarchy and were not a call for reform,” a court judge said. The court was ruling on the constitutionality of their reform call and imposed no penalty but ordered them and their groups “to cease further action in these matters”. The ruling comes as Thailand defended its controversial law criminalizing criticism of its monarchy following concerns expressed by United Nations member states over its rights record and arrests of young protesters pushing for royal reforms. Nine political parties in Thailand have taken a position on the reform of a strict royal insults law in recent days, bringing into the mainstream a controversial debate that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. The catalyst for the discussion has been a youth-led anti-government protest movement that emerged late last year and openly called for a reform of the monarchy – a bold move in a country that traditionally upholds the king as semi-divine and above criticism. Changing the lese majeste law, which carries punishments of up to 15 years in prison for each perceived insult of the monarchy, had been a subject off-limits for decades in Thailand, where the crown is officially above politics and constitutionally enshrined to be held in “revered worship”. But the opposition Pheu Thai party ignited a discussion on the taboo topic this week, with major parties weighing in quickly after it proposed a parliamentary review of how it said the law was being used to prosecute scores of opponents of the royalist government.
Iran:
Iranian negotiators have put forth a bargain to western states: agreeing to the ratification of the Paris agreement on climate change on the condition that sanctions against the country are dropped. The country is ranked as the eighth largest CO2 producer, and one of the few countries that has refused to ratify the Paris pact. While the president Ebrahim Raisi chose not to attend the UN climate change summit in Glasgow, the Iranian team came to bargain. The country is one of the most affected by climate change, as the inflow of river water in the country has reduced by 40%%, affecting agriculture, industrial and drinking water. The Iranian team is crying against the cruelty of sanctions, stating “when you have oppressive sanctions in force it does not allow for any kind of imports, even medicine, which is a human fundamental right.”
Iraq:
On November 7th, three explosive drones attempted the assassination of Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al Kadhimi. The attack occurred in his residence in the Green Zone. Two of the drones were shot down by security, but the third exploded, injuring seven security guards. It is not reported that the Prime Minister sustained injuries, but in his televised address his wrist was bandaged, suggesting he was injured. The Prime Minister stated that “We maintained security in the country, but some are still trying to tamper with Iraq’s security and want it to be a gang state.” Iraqi officials claim that Iran’s Iraqi Shia militias are responsible – pinning Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq and Kata’ib Hizbollah, two of the most powerful proxies of Iran. Qais al-Khazali, the leader of Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq threatened the Prime Minister publicly on film on Saturday. This occurred after the supporters of Iran-backed militias gathered outside the green zone, the area housing diplomats and high government officials, demanding a recount of the country’s parliamentary elections that they claim are fraudulent. On Thursday, the coalition announced that their supporters would storm the district, and when they did, security forces opened fire at protestors. The leader of the Asaib al-Haq group condemned violence against the stormers and urged for justice. Although the stormers were fired on, they did not disperse. Men pounded the sidewalk into large chunks to throw at security. Calling out to a passerby, a man yelled “Why are you just standing there, Come and stone them with us!”
Sudan:
This Tuesday a Sudanese court has ordered an end to the widespread internet shutdown. After the military shutdown on October 25th, the military cut off online access to thousands of civilians. Since the coup, phone lines and internet access has been blocked. This blackout has unofficially cut many Sudanese from the outside world. General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the leader of the coup, responded to citizens criticism of the blackout by saying that it was an effort to protect Sudanese form the media who instigated the sedition. He went on in a statement to promise that internet services would gradually return. Following a compliant from a Sudanese Consumer Protection Society claiming that the internet blackout was an infringement on Sudanese peoples’ rights a judge ordered Zain, MTN and Sudani to restore all internet services effective immediately. In a statement on Thursday, General Abdel-Fattah al-Burhan promised he will not seek reelection in July 2023. The coup leader divulged that he is committed to a peaceful transition to power. This revelation by the top leader does not promise that other top military officers will not run for candidacy during the future election. He stated, “The Armed Forces do not kill its people. Investigation committees were formed and they will establish the truth about what had happened. We insist that the misleading reports were circulated on the grounds of malic against the Armed Forces.” This comes after 14 protesters have been killed and 300 wounded since the coup. Security have been cracking down on anti-coup protesters by firing tear gas and rubber bullets. Demonstrators began building barricades overnight starting on Sunday as they began a two-day protest of civil disobedience in Khartoum. There demands include the military government to immediately reinstate the civilian lead government and subsequently handing over power to the people. Before the two-day protests began a protest on Saturday, 6th of November lead by teachers resulted in many participants apprehended by the security forces. Teachers began their protest near the education ministry. Police arrived shortly after and immediately fired tear gas and carried batons to strike protesters. The protests are on-going however mediators from the Arab League arrived in the capital of Khartoum to help with peace talks to defuse the crisis.
Uganda:
Around 11,000 Congolese from the Democratic Republic of Congo have fled to Uganda starting Sunday night to escape fighting in the eastern part of the country. According to the UNHCR, this represents the largest refugee influx in a single day for more than a year. In coordination with the UNHCR, Uganda is working to supply resources such as food, sleeping mats and clothing materials to the asylum seekers. Due to COVID-19 Uganda has closed his borders to asylum-seekers however Shabia Mantoo, a UNHCR representative has announced that Uganda has implemented a humanitarian exception to ensure a safe passage for people fleeing the DRC to seek asylum. Uganda hosts more refugees than any other country in Africa and only three countries, globally can take in more refugees. The UNHCR is asking for $335 million this year to ensure proper resources and operations and continue in Uganda however only 45 per cent of the funding has been received. As COVID-19 continues to statistics find that 79% of Uganda favors herbal medicine over other medication treatments. As of June 2021, against the advisement of the World Health Organization (hereinafter:WHO), Uganda as approved the use of Covidex a herbal remedy for the treatment of COVID-19. There is a widespread belief among herbalist and the local Uganda community that medicinal plants do not produce toxic effects. This is a myth however and since these therapies often go unstudied by scientific tests people may under or overdoes. Scholars believe that Ugandan scientists should work collaboratively with the local herbalist community to find scientific and safe drug alternatives. This could help the Uganda economy, health care system and other people all around the world. The East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline has had a hiccup in its construction this week. The pandemic has caused many delays as have absentee landlords. The project will stretch 1,443 kilometers from Uganda to Tanzania. While no major construction has begun all the pegs were installed to mark the planed route of the pipeline. The pipeline will disrupt farmland, burial sites, and villages. Much route will run through farmland effectively destroying land that people rely on for food and income. The government says that the economy will see the positive results of the pipeline by 2024 however critics say that compensation to communities who have been effected by the pipeline should be expedited.
Zimbabwe:
President Mnangagwa met 139 other world leaders in Glasgow, Scotland to discuss the ongoing climate crisis during COP26. In his statement the President said that Zimbabwe acknowledge the need to prevent further global warming claiming the country has seen the effects of local temperatures rising by 2 degrees Celsius causing extreme weather. The President returned from the conference on Thursday the Mnangagwa said that developing countries need to agree to stop using coal however they require funding from rich countries to help these countries to transition to cleaner energy sources such as solar, wind, etc. Local Zimbabwe environmental activists are not as convinced that the President is true to is word regarding the transition to sustainable energy sources. Major contracts with Chinese developers to create coal mines in the country continue in their negotiations. Besides the climate talk this summit has been useful for Zimbabwe to meet global leaders and work out previous tense relations. During the summit President Mnangagwa met with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to discuss a trip to Harare to kick start better relations between the two countries. President Mnangagwa also met with leaders from the European Council, United Nations General Assembly and the US President Joe Biden. One week after a report revealed Zimbabwe to be the worst country to safeguard public policy from the tobacco industry interference, the country has decided to delay negotiations during virtual tobacco treaty talks. These global tobacco treaty talks, previous titled the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, were created to stop the epidemic of tobacco smoking. If fully implemented by all member countries, the treaty could save 50 million lives by 2050. Zimbabwe has been steady in decreasing its smoking rates; around one million Zimbabweans use tobacco products daily and 10,000 people die of tobacco caused disease each year. On Wednesday, November 10th, US President Joe Biden extended his invitation to 100 SADC countries to join a two-day virtual summit on Democracy however he did not invite President Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe. The summit was created to drive international collaboration and discuss the challenges facing democracy. According to Freedom House, Zimbabwe has changed their status from last year’s ranking of partly free to not free in 2021. This was seen as a diplomatic loss for President Mnangagwa after his discussion with President Biden during the COP26 conference.CANVAS Weekly Update – November 5th, 2021
Dear Friends,
CANVAS is delighted to bring you another issue of our weekly report!
In this issue, we cover the latest updates on the ongoing UN climate change summit in Glasgow, the coup in Sudan, the civil war in Ethiopia, and more.
Conflict Update:
This week at the UN climate summit in Scotland, youth activists led by Greta Thunberg held two days of demonstrations to call attention to climate inaction on the part of international leaders. Organizers have complained that large promises and weak delivery have hindered past climate action and that the summit is not satisfactory to meet the demands of stopping climate warming. Instead of small cuts to emissions or long shifts to more sustainable energy, activists call for “drastic carbon dioxide emission cuts, reparations from the Global North to the Global South to use for adaptation and to manage loss and damages, and […] an end to the fossil fuel industry.” As a result of the protest, over 20 roads were closed in Glasgow this Friday.
In Jakarta, Indonesia, hundreds of climate activists filled the streets in response to the government’s position switch at the Climate conference in Glasgow. In the statements by the Indonesian environment minister, he criticised plans to end deforestation globally by 2030, and carbon emission cuts as unfair to the country’s development plans. Indonesia, which holds a third of the world’s rainforest, was criticized by environmental groups for “paying lip service” to climate change initiatives all the while increasing coal production. Policies in support of deforestation were also criticized for profiting large companies at the expense of rural communities living off the forests.
In Palestine, budget cuts by the UN’s relief agency, halving the UK grant money available, are leading the agency to collapse. The commissioner-general of the organization has reported a 100 million dollar loss in funding over the course of the year. The humanitarian aid crisis in the region is exacerbated due to the recent actions of Israel, labelling many aid organizations and Palestinian rights organizations in the area terrorist organizations. Leaders of the six organizations branded terrorists have been accused of diverting funds to the Popular Front for the Liberations of Palestine, which all the organizations refute. Speaking at a Huan Rights Watch Conference, the director of Addameer, a group promoting Palestinian prisoner rights in Israeli jails, stated “They are trying to illegalise us to make the international community fear communicating with us.”
Lebanon:
Four Gulf states led by Saudi Arabia have cut ties with Lebanon over remarks by the Lebanese information minister criticizing Saudi-led intervention in Yemen. Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE, and Kuwait have all withdrawn their ambassadors from Lebanon, with the UAE and Bahrain urging citizens in Lebanon to leave immediately. Saudi Arabia has also banned all Lebanese imports, dealing a huge economic blow to the already cash-strapped country; the World Bank estimates that Lebanon is facing one of the world’s worst recessions since the 1850s. The remarks by Georges Kordahi condemning Saudi-led intervention in Yemen against Houthi rebels marks the latest development in a deepening political crisis between Lebanon and other Gulf states. A crisis that is rooted in Gulf states’ concerns over the rising influence of Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah. All of which is not to mention Lebanon’s internal political tension; its cabinet has not met in nearly a month after disputes over the Beirut blast investigation.
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati has since publicly called on Kordahi to make Lebanon’s national interest his main priority, hinting that he should resign. Additionally, the US has also urged Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states to leave diplomatic channels open given Lebanon’s economic crisis and political uncertainty. The US State Department spokesperson Ned Price underscored that, now more than ever, Lebanon needs international support. The statement comes a day after PM Mikati met with the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to discuss the Gulf Crisis on the sidelines of the climate change summit in Glasgow.
Afghanistan:
Human Rights Watch has reported that Taliban policies that block women from working as aid providers are further contributing to the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. Only in three out of thirty four provinces are women explicitly permitted to work as aid providers without barriers. In more than 16 provinces, women must be with a male family member at all times when working as an aid provider, making work much harder or impossible to complete.
The supreme leader of the country, Haibatullah Akhunzada, claimed that factions within the Taliban are “working against the will of the government”. Such reports of rogue elements among the Taliban have been commonplace since its seizure of power in August. Recently, the Taliban has increased recruitment numbers in order to hold to its pledge to maintain security and fend off the attacks from Islamic State groups. On Tuesday, at least 19 were killed and 43 wounded by explosions and gunfire in the largest military hospital in the country located in Kabul. Two explosions followed by immediate gunfire caused the injuries. The Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP or ISIS-K) has claimed responsibility for the bombing on Telegram, reporting that five fighters from the group carried out the attacks. The explosions are said to be the result of an explosive belt, and Taliban officials claim that the attack began when a suicide bomber on a motorcycle detonated at the entrance of the hospital. Taliban official Zabihullah Majahid reports that the Taliban special forces killed five attackers. One Taliban military commander died during the attack, a Hamdullah Mokhlis, a member of the infamous Haqqani network. Aljazeera reports that he is “the most senior figure to have been killed since the Taliban seized the capital.”
Myanmar:
Myanmar’s ruling military on Wednesday stood by its decision to deny a Southeast Asian envoy access to detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi, resisting growing international pressure to comply with a regional peace plan agreed in April. Vice-Senior General Soe Win, the second in command of the junta that seized power from Suu Kyi’s elected government in February, said allowing a foreigner access to someone charged with crimes was against domestic law. “I believe no country will allow anyone to do beyond the existing law like this,” he said in a speech published in state media. His remarks follow last week’s virtual Asian leader summits hosted by ASEAN that Myanmar did not attend, in protest at junta leader Min Aung Hlaing’s exclusion for not honouring the peace deal.
The administrator of Thinpyo village in Mandalay’s Kyaukse Township was shot three times and died on Monday evening while announcing through a megaphone that residents needed to pay their electricity bills or face a power cut. A local resistance force calling itself the Dragon Kyaukse Defence Force released a statement just hours after the assassination claiming responsibility for the killing. A spokesperson for the group alleged that Thein Htay was a known military informant who willingly assisted the junta in apprehending anti-coup activists.
The United States:
All 24 female U.S. senators, with the lead of Senator Dianne Feinstein and Senator Jon Ernst, sent a bipartisan letter to President Joe Biden, calling on him to protect the rights of Afghan women and girls in the wake of the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan. They wrote how U.S. disengagement from Afghanistan threatens some of the “hard-won gains” for Afghan women and girls’ participation in public life. In other news, Indira Sheumaker, a 27-year-old Black Lives Matter activist ousted a two-term incumbent on Tuesday to win a seat on the Des Moines City Council. She ran on a platform that included defunding the police and decriminalizing marijuana in the capital city of Iowa, to become the youngest member and the only person of color on the Des Moines City Council.
The US National Intelligence Estimate on Climate Change that looks at the impact of climate on national security through to 2040 presented its first 27-page report that says countries will argue over how to respond resulting in global tensions and the effects will be felt most in poorer countries which are least able to adapt. In the COP26 summit, Biden said how this was both a “moral” and “economic imperative” and an opportunity to build an “equitable, clean energy future” that could create “millions of good-paying jobs in the process” around the world, in the process raising living standards.
Cuba:
US Congress has approved a new resolution to support all destabilization actions in Cuba where US lawmaker Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart and Dem. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz asked the Cuban government to respect the rights of its people, without mentioning the US blockade. On the other hand, 40 Democrats, mostly from the progressive caucus, opposed this resolution to express “solidarity with Cuban citizens demonstrating peacefully for fundamental freedoms, condemning the Cuban regime’s acts of repression, and calling for the immediate release of arbitrarily detained Cuban citizens” including Mass. Representative Jim McGovern. Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez took Twitter to call the US policy towards Cuba hypocritical and accused the US government of financing subversive actions on Cuba.
Michael Carey Abadin, a Canadian citizen jailed by Cuban authorities during the July protests is reported to do hard labour despite serious health problems. On Tuesday, a leading member of the Cuban opposition was set free with restrictions. During his one-day arrest, he was asked about comments on the social webs in solidarity with the promoters of the 15 November protests.
In other news, Cuba plans to expand trade relations with China during its participation in the fourth China International Import Expo (CIIE). Considering it as an opportunity to bring foreign investments to Cuba, the country will promote advances in biotechnology, cultural goods and services, tourism, health and agriculture, in addition to its tobacco, coffee and rum brands.
Nicaragua:
Ahead of the Presidential election on November 7th, there have been rising pressures to discredit President Daniel Ortega’s expected presidential win. Critics of the president, included his estranged daughter Zoilamérica Ortega Murillo have been encouraging the international community to pay attention to what is happening in Nicaragua. In an interview where she talked about the current situation with political prisoners in Nicaragua, Ortega Murillo says she believes her mother is the driving force behind the repression. She stated that her mother, “doesn’t forgive and she doesn’t forget.” President Ortega has been relentless in his pursuit to target political opponents. The amount of Nicaraguans fleeing the country this year climbed sharply to more than 50,000 compared to the 35,000 people you sought asylum in twenty-twenty.
On Wednesday, The United States House of Representatives approved reinforcing Nicaragua’s Adherence to Conditions for Electoral Reform Act. Since the Senate passed this piece of legislation it will now go to President Biden to be signed. RENACER act will place additional sanctions on Ortega’s government and include initiatives to monitor, report, and address corruption by President Ortega and his administration. The foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, to the European Union called President Ortega a dictator who will oversee a fake election on Tuesday. During his tour of Latin America, he said: “The situation in Nicaragua is one of the most serious in the Americas at the moment.” Supporters of Ortega’s government continue to defend his actions saying that it is protected the country from usurpers backed by countries such as the United States.
Bolivia:
Demonstrations over abortion rights erupted in La Paz on Wednesday, November 3 in response to the case of a 61-year-old rapist. The man had raped his 11-year-old step-granddaughter, who had been in his custody for over five months while her parents worked in La Paz. The girl’s cousin recently found out the girl was 22 weeks pregnant. The rapist was taken into custody, and the girl’s case was taken up by the Santa Cruz children’s ombudsman, during which the girl allegedly agreed to an abortion. However, during the weekend, the girl’s mother, accompanied by a lawyer who claimed to be associated with the Catholic Church, stated that the girl will not be undergoing an abortion. The intervention of the church in reversing the girl’s decision has been denounced by agencies, activists, and NGOs who asserted that the girl had the right to abortion. In addition, the United Nations office in Bolivia has called on authorities to uphold children’s rights, stating that “to submit a girl to undergo a forced pregnancy is a form of torture.”
Belarus:
In a letter dated November 4, 35 member states of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) have invoked the Vienna Mechanism asking Minsk for answers on “serious human rights violations and abuses” taking place in Belarus.
On Thursday, the presidents of Russia and Belarus signed an array of measures that approve the integration measures, especially for financial markets and gas, during a meeting of the bilateral Supreme State Council for the union state. Lukashenko has been relying now on Russia for support as the country becomes increasingly isolated because of numerous international sanctions, and its harsh crackdown on opposition, independent news media, and human rights groups.
On Wednesday, Poland accused Belarus of staging an armed cross-border intrusion saying unidentified uniformed individuals armed with long guns had crossed into Polish territory from Belarus on the night of Monday, Nov. 1. Belarus rejected the allegation as unfounded and its Foreign Ministry summoned Poland’s charge d’affaires and issued him a protest amid an escalating row over migrants. NATO headquarters in Brussels having observed a wave of migrants trying to enter NATO member states via Belarus called on Minsk to observe international law. In a press release, NATO expressed its readiness to help its alliance partners in maintaining security in the region.
Georgia:
Thousands of opposition supporters filled the street outside Georgia’s national parliament building Sunday to protest municipal election results that gave the country’s ruling party a near-sweep. Candidates of the Georgian Dream party won 19 of the 20 municipal elections in runoff votes on Saturday, including the mayoral offices in the country’s five largest cities: Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Rustavi, Batumi, and Poti. The opposition alleges election fraud. The Saturday runoff elections were held after no candidate in the cities won an absolute majority during the first round of nationwide municipal elections on Oct. 2. The elections were shadowed by the arrest of former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, the founder of the United National Movement, on Oct. 1, who is currently performing a hunger strike in prison.
The United States has joined the European Union in voicing concern about the conduct of Georgia’s local election runoffs, which resulted in the ruling Georgian Dream party largely sweeping the vote. In a statement on November 1st, the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi said it agreed with international election observers that the vote was well-administered, but it noted allegations of intimidation, pressure on voters, and an escalation of negative rhetoric impacting the vote. “Sharp imbalances of resources and an undue advantage of incumbency further tilted the playing field,” the embassy said.
China:
American President Joe Biden attacked China for its absence at the UN climate change conference COP26 where more than 120 leaders were present at the conference, saying climate was “a gigantic issue” and China “walked away”. China is the world’s largest emitter of carbon dioxide, followed by the US. Meanwhile, in a notice from the Ministry of Commerce, China’s government urged families to stock up on essential supplies in case of emergencies without explicitly giving any reason. The cause is said to be the rise in COVID-19 cases.
Zhang Zhan, a 38-year-old citizen journalist, who was jailed for her coverage of China’s initial response to Covid in Wuhan is continuously on hunger strike prompting renewed calls from rights groups for her immediate release, is now in critical condition as stated by her family.
In China’s turn to regulate the content consumed by its people and growing paranoid over big tech platforms spreading views and ideas countering the traditional ideals of masculinity and femininity, the LGBT community has been severely affected. Amid the tightening environment LGBT Rights Advocacy China announced it was ceasing all activities and shutting down its social media accounts on Thursday.
Hong Kong:
Hong Kong’s top court on Thursday ruled that individuals can generally be convicted of the crime of rioting only if they were present at the scene or had incited others to join in, dealing a blow to government efforts to prosecute some residents linked the city’s 2019 demonstrations. The Court of Final Appeal’s five-judge panel explained in its written judgment that the offenses of rioting and unauthorized assembly are both participatory in nature and that there must be sufficient evidence shown of having taken part and of having done so intentionally. Merely being present should not constitute a crime. The judges ruled that whether present or absent, defendants who incite or encourage a criminal assembly — such as a “mastermind” remotely overseeing the actions or providing instructions online — are punishable to the same extent as the principal offenders. The court added that those who provide funds or materials for an illegal assembly, or promote it on social media, can also be prosecuted under the common law’s principle of “joint enterprise”. The landmark ruling, which will have far-reaching implications for future riot and unlawful assembly cases, comes at a time when the independence of Hong Kong’s judiciary is under immense pressure, straining a core element of the city’s special status and distinction from mainland China.
46% of Hong Kong-based journalists polled said they were considering leaving the city due to a decline in press freedom under a Beijing-drafted security law. The Foreign Correspondents’ Club, Hong Kong’s inaugural press freedom survey published Friday painted a damning picture of the former British colony’s media landscape since the vague national security law was imposed on the city by China in June 2020. An overwhelming 84% of journalists said working conditions in the Asian financial hub had declined under the law, with 56% saying they’d engaged in self-censorship since its passage. Only half said they understood where the government’s so-called “red lines” were.
Indonesia:
Prior to the Glasgow Climate Change Conference (COP 26), Jokowi signed a new presidential regulation on carbon emissions, thus reasserting the G20 leader’s commitment to climate change issues. Among other things, the Presidential Regulation on Carbon Economic Value contains tax incentives for clean energy, clean technology development, budgeting, and the Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM) plan. The new regulation is targeted towards reduced emission in 2030 and zero-net emission in 2060.
Despite Indonesia’s apparent commitment to climate change issues, environmental and indigenous groups have criticised the carbon offset scheme discussed during the UN COP26. In this scheme, companies will be required to counterbalance their use of fossil fuels with “offset investments” in sustainable energy. In response, Greenpeace Indonesia has accused the scheme of being “mere greenwashing” as long as “they [the government] are not truly committed to lower carbon emissions.” Additionally, there are concerns that the scheme will be an excuse for systemic land and forest grabs committed against indigenous people in Indonesia. According to the Alliance of Indigenous People (AMAN) “This mechanism can potentially become a new vehicle for looters for customary land.”
Thailand:
Human Rights Watch has said that Thai authorities should promptly and impartially investigate the alleged police torture of two pro-democracy activists in Bangkok and hold those responsible to account, Human Rights Watch said today. On October 29, 2021 police arrested Attasith Nussa, 35, and Weeraphap Wongsaman, 18, after violently dispersing a protest outside Bangkok’s Din Daeng police station. The two men allege that the police beat them while arresting them and then took them inside the police station, where officers beat and choked them, burned them with cigarettes, and threatened them with death. The government’s Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Bill, which is currently being considered by parliament, does not meet international human rights standards, such as lacking definitions for cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Thailand is a party to the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, which obligates governments to investigate and prosecute acts of torture and other ill-treatment. Article 4 of the Convention states that a government should “ensure that all acts of torture are offenses under its criminal law. The government should also promptly act to fulfill past pledges to make torture a criminal offense.
Iran:
An international conflict this week has centered Iran in its scope. Multiple media sources have published claims reporting that Iran has seized an oil tanker carrying a Vietnamese flag in the Gulf of Oman and has kept it in its custody for a month. The sources for such claims seem to be stemming from U.S. officials. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have claimed that they had stopped an attempt by the United States to seize a tanker which held Iranian oil in the Sea of Oman, stating “the U.S. terrorist Navy’s operation to steal Iranian oil in the Sea of Oman failed.”
Pentagon officials have rejected these claims, and again state that “the only seizing that was done was by Iran.” American officials state that Iran seized the tank a month ago, and U.S. naval forces were only monitoring the situation.
This exchange has added tension to the already fraught situation in the Gulf of Oman, where Iran has repeatedly warned against U.S. military activity, and has increased Revolutionary Guard presence in the waters. Iran claims that when their oil tanker was detained by the U.SRevolutionary Guard naval forces used helicopters to gain access and direct the ship back to Iran. In response, the U.S. has claimed that drones that they suspect to be Iranian have been circling a navy ship in the Strait of Hormuz in recent days. In relation to the already rife tensions between the countries caused by the delaying of the Nuclear Deal, future conflict in this area may occur.
Iraq:
Climate crisis in Iraq has become increasingly important. This year, droughts have dried up lakes and rivers so intensely that the Iraqi government has reported only half of its arable farmland is able to be used. The UN Environmental Program has stated that the country is the fifth most vulnerable in the world to climate change effects. In Diyala, NPR reports that most of the farmland looks abandoned. Speaking to farmers in the region, they state “Normally, in the previous years when you came here, you can see it’s all green […] now it’s like a desert.” One farmer claimed his yield is so low it is unable to even feed his own family off of it. The Iraqi spokesman for the Ministry of Agriculture stated that in 2020, the country was able to farm 160,000 hectares of land.
This year, only a third of that land is expected to be arable without rain. Due to the lack of rainfall in the greater region, Turkey and Iran have had to draw more water from the rivers of Tigris and Euphrates, leaving less water to flow into Iraq. Other problems contributing to the water shortage are faulty irrigation systems and cracked pipes. Iraq is reportedly experiencing longer summers with higher temperatures and a drier climate. The weather changes have drastically influenced livestock as well, with one farmer claiming that a few of his cows and 40 sheep died due to the heat and low quality water. The crisis has also caused an influx of farmers who are unable to sustain themselves into Baghdad, to seek work as day laborers.
Up to seven million people are now at risk due to the water shortage. Due to the water drawing of Turkey and Iran as well as climate factors, the Tigris and Euphrates waters have decreased by half. The Iraqi ministry is now filing an international lawsuit against Iran on the grounds of lack of cooperation in water resources. The water shortage is also expected to affect the quality of that water left, a large impact in the country where in 2018 more than 118,000 were hospitalized for water contamination. In 2019, the UN migration agency stated that more than 21,000 were displaced in the central and southern governorates due to a lack of clean water.
Sudan:
General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan released a statement following a phone conversation with the United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken. In the statement, the Sudanese coup leader agreed to speed up the formation of the new government and ordered the release of four ministers of the overthrown government. A spokesman for the US State Department said that Blinken urged the release of all political figures apprehended during the coup and to speed up the formation of the government with a complete structure of a transition to democracy. The United States has leverage over Sudan due to the economic support Sudan relies on from the US. The UN has attempted to mediate an end to the political crisis. The special envoy to Sudan Volker Perthes said that: “talks had yielded the outline of a potential deal on a return to power-sharing, including the deposed premier’s reinstatement.” The unseated PM Hamdok was been allowed to meet with the UN and other international diplomats as part of mediation efforts.
Protests against the current government continue to take place around the country. Leaders of various protests movements have collectedly stated that demonstrations will not stop until the military reverses its takeover and gives the ruling power to the civilian government. Mohammed Yousef Mustafa the spokesperson for the Sudanese professional associations, said that the military will be held accountable for the takeover of the government. He said, “It is either the Military ruling with dictatorship and we stand against them every day no matter the killings, detentions and rapes, or they leave the political scene to the people to be responsible for themselves, manage the country the way they want and do what they believe is right.” On Sunday, October 31st the country saw one of the largest pro-democracy protests since the coup. Ten thousand Sudanese protesters took to the streets demanding the military hand over its power. Crowds held up signs with slogans such as, “Give it up Burhan” and “Going backward is impossible”. Three protesters were killed and many were injured as security forces fired live ammunition at demonstrators. A mass protest is expected to take place on Friday, November 5th in the capital of Khartoum with sister protests in other major cities.
Uganda:
President Museveni met with the Democratic Republic of Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi to discuss the security crisis in Eastern Congo. While leaders did not agree on a formal solution they said that the talks between the two nations are progressing well. Following the meeting, in a statement, President Museveni stated how both leaders agreed that insecurity in the region was a main problem of concern. Uganda is working to establish stronger infrastructure along the border with the DRC which the DRC believes will help. The UN Security Council supports the progress made in the region particularly the infrastructure improvement solution put forth by Uganda. They say this will help promote economic development which will help improve the security crisis in Eastern Congo.
On November 16th, President Museveni called a joint meeting of an East African bloc to discuss the conflict in Ethiopia. Uganda’s State Minister, Okello Oryem said that the President has been in touch with Prime Minister Abiy of Ethiopia. However, President Museveni was concerned by the lack of participation by the Tigray group to negotiate a ceasefire.
In the Nakaseke district around 27 miles north of Kampala, a bomb shaped like a jackfruit killed two children on October 30th. According to a police report, the deceased include a 14-year-old and a child with disabilities. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack in a Telegram message. This attack is just one of many that have happened over the past week. Ugandan authorities are now investigating the link between ISIS and the armed militia group the ADF which operates in the eastern territory of the DRC, close to the Ugandan border. The ADF was formed as a coalition of armed Ugandans who were opponents of current President Museveni. Ugandan authorities continue to monitor the group’s activities to stop any suspected operatives.
Zimbabwe:
Environmentalists in Zimbabwe are furious at President Mnangagwa’s address at the COP26 conference. In his statement, Mnangagwa said that developing nations are paying the consequences for developing countries’ emissions. He promised that Zimbabwe would commit to a conditional 40% per capita greenhouse gas emissions reduction by 2030. At the same time, environmental activists claim that Mnangagwa’s comments run contrary to what is happening in the country. Zimbabwe continues to sell land, to mostly Chinese companies, to mine for coal. The coal is then used as a source of energy which the COP26 wants to phase out. Henry Nyapokoto, a manager for the Center for Natural Resource Governance explained his concern that profitable business deals between foreign companies and the government will lead to further deforestation. The Forestry Commission in Zimbabwe stated that 300,000 hectares of forests are destroyed annually by fires or for profit. Environmentalists have been urging the government to revoke exploration licenses given to a Chinese company to mine coal for energy use.
Somizi Mhlongo most known for his role as a judge on a popular reality television show contest in South Africa has cancelled his trip to Harare, Zimbabwe. This announcement comes after a Zimbabwe Chrisitan group attempted to ban Mhlongo from entering the country because he is openly gay. Homosexuality continues to remain illegal in Zimbabwe. Under the late President Robert Mugabe, LGBT community activist state the community faced violent persecuted and harsh rhetoric. Once the former President stated, they (gay people) are worse than pigs and dogs.” The Leaders of the Apostolic Council released many homophobic statements discouraging Mhlongo from visiting. In an open letter to the current President Mnangagwa they said, “Zimbabwe doesn’t tolerate homosexuality”. They also claimed that Mhlongo’s visit would have a poor effect on the ruling Zanu-PF party during the upcoming elections. Instead, the TV personality will now travel to Namibia instead. In a six-minute video explaining his decision, Mhlongo said: “If it means you not wanting me being me, authentically me, keep it, keep your space, keep your country, I don’t want to be there anyway.” In an Instagram post, he wrote: “Bye bye ZA Hello NA.”
CANVAS Weekly Update – October 29, 2021
Dear Friends,
CANVAS is delighted to bring you another issue of our weekly report! In this issue, we cover the latest updates on cyberattacks in Papua New Guinea and Iran, a coup attempt in Sudan, ongoing protests in Lebanon, and the increased presence of ISIS groups in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Conflict Update:
In Papua New Guinea, the government has effectively been held hostage by a cyberattack. The hackers in question are demanding bitcoin payments. The hackers targeted the offices of Finance that handle financial aid from foreign countries, which the small country heavily depends on. The country will not report how much money has been demanded, but it does appear that foreign aid funds have been frozen by the attack. On Thursday, Israel approved the status of 3,000 new settler homes in the occupied West Bank. This action has been condemned by the Palestinian authority, 13 European states that call on Israel to abandon the project, and by the U.S. Increased settlements have slashed the idea o the two-state solution down, with Palestinian human rights activists Issa Amro saying “The purpose of Israeli settlement expansion is to fragment Palestinian land so there wouldn’t be the connection of Palestinian geography.” Many consider such annexation war crimes, in accordance with the Geneva Convention prohibiting the transfer of the protected population and the inability of an occupying power from applying its laws to occupied territory. Also in Palestine, the destruction of the al-Yusufiye cemetery for the purpose of building a themed garden has made headlines as a video of a Palestinian women resisting Israeli forces, clinging to her son’s grave as construction machines operate closeby went viral. The cemetery is in occupied East Jerusalem. Israel justifies this brutal action by claiming that the land was settled by Jews during ancient times. Also, it claims that “no work is being done in the cemetery [instead being] carried out on open public land,” adding that the grave sites affected by the work were illegally placed in the area. Despite multiple attempts to preserve the site, including going to Israeli courts, all measures were rejected in favor of building a allegedly apolitical mythical garden. Israeli researcherAviv Tatarsky has claimed that “The park in question is part of a series of government-funded projects which aim to link settler compounds in the Old City Basin.” This amounts to claiming that these alleged apolitical building projects surrounding the Old City of Jerusalem, were a concerted effort by Israel to form a protective ring of settlements around the Old City.
Lebanon:
This week, the US Treasury imposed sanctions on two Lebanese businessmen and a lawmaker for corruption. The US Treasury accused Lebanese tycoons Jihad al-Arab and Dany Khoury as well as lawmaker Jamil Sayyed of profiting from corruption and cronyism and thus, undermining the rule of law in Lebanon. The Treasury alleged that Khoury and Arab received state contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars due to their political connections. Additionally, Sayyed was accused of attempting to “skirt domestic banking policies and regulations” and transfer USD$120 million abroad, according to a Treasury statement. As of now, the US has seized all property the three have under US jurisdiction and forbidden US individuals and businesses from carrying out transactions with the three. According to Reuters, this is “the first time that the United States has imposed sanctions on a close associate [Arab] of Hariri, a pro-Western figure, having previously focused on Iran-backed Hezbollah and its allies.” Meanwhile, supporters of the Lebanese Forces party have staged protests against the summoning of party leader Samir Geagea to give testimony on the deadly Beirut clashes. The protestors closed off roads leading to Geagea’s residence in Maarab on Wednesday. Geagera, who was scheduled to give his testimony to Lebanon’s military intelligence on Wednesday morning, did not show up to court. His lawyer, Sam Saliba, maintained that the summons was illegal and that it was part of Iran-backed Hezbollah’s effort to scapegoat Geagea for the Beirut clashes, which was sparked by unidentified gunmen firing into a crowd of Hezbollah and Amal party supporters who were protesting the investigation into last year’s Beirut port explosion. Hezbollah has accused the Lebanese Forces of instigating the clashes, claiming that the Christian party was trying to stir sectarian conflict in Lebanon.Afghanistan:
In Afghanistan this week there were increasing reports of attacks from the Islamic State of Khorasan Province, an armed faction related to the larger Islamic State group, on the Shia minority in the region. The group has been bombing and attacking Afghan Shia groups. The group. Recently, the group has taken responsibility for multiple violent attacks on Hazara Shias. One such event was the October 8th suicide bombing at the Kunduz mosque that killed 72 people, and another attack on the Bibi Fatima mosque on the 15th killing 63. The group has released statements threatening to kill Shia in their homes. Other attacks by the group have targeted Hindu and Sikh minorities in the region, as well as journalists, activists, and girls schools. While the Taliban have claimed they would provide additional protection for Shia gathering areas, they too have a brutal history of human rights abuses against the Shia minority during their previous rule. Even though the new guard of the Taliban claim to discard the old practice targeting Shia, there have been reports of detention and abuse of Hazara journalists as well as forced evictions of those in the minority. The US has increasingly pressured the new Taliban government into working with them to contain such extremist groups in the region. Western media has reported claims of increasing presence of ISIS related groups in the region, stating that the extremist group will be able to launch an attack on the US in the next year. The Taliban is very against cooperating with the Western power due to its previous damaging military presence within the country. However, they are reported to be seeking “normal relations” with the country, which would include the re-opening of the US embassy in Kabul, the removal of economic sanctions, and economic assistance. The significance of this is the billions of dollars of frozen assets in the U.S. Federal reserve and European central banks that were put there by previous President Ghani and now are unreachable to the Taliban.Myanmar:
The United States:
Five young climate activists are on a hunger strike outside the White House, to demand government action on climate to match the severity of the crisis. In a letter, the protesters said “We will continue to sit starving outside the White House everyday until you use your power as elected president of the United States to deliver your mandate for bold, and transformative climate action with justice and for jobs” as they continued with their seventh day of hunger strike. Meanwhile, Joe Biden is faced with a major challenge to reassert American credibility regarding UN climate talks as he departed to Europe on Thursday and arrived in Rome on Friday for a G20 summit, further headed to Glasgow with his domestic climate agenda. Climate activists are claiming that Biden’s actions have not matched with his words yet.Major Chinese state-owned telecommunications firms are being barred from operating in the United States over national security concerns amid the rising US-China tensions. The US Federal Communications Commission has ordered China Telecom to discontinue US services within 60 days. The United States is also trying to deepen its relationship with Taiwan; actively working on new areas of cooperation such as in cybersecurity and supply chains to tackle China’s global influence.Cuba:
On Thursday, Cuba’s National Assembly approved a raft of laws broadening citizens’ legal rights in efforts to modernize Cuba’s judicial and penal codes. These address legal voids identified by activists, who alleged authorities flaunted due process in the aftermath of protests in July. The new laws promise to increase transparency in the judicial process and protection for those accused of a crime. For example, it provides detainees with a right to an attorney within 24 hours, adhering to international standards than the regulations currently in force. Meanwhile, Cuban authorities have started threatening organizers of a pro-democracy march which is scheduled in November with legal charges. They are also conducting a vast security operation to intimidate ordinary Cubans to generate fear about supporting the upcoming protests. Yunior García, the country’s leading opposition leader, said “we are already living them”, that terrible things are happening already before the protests and vowed that he and others are moving forward with national protests planned for Nov. 15. Workers posing with sticks in their hands, a man proudly displaying a stone, neighbours caught on camera test firing with rifles are some of the photos making rounds online with caption messages against “the mercenaries” and “the provocateurs” ahead of the civic protests.Nicaragua:
The United States is working with other international partners on imposing new sanctions as a response to the election on November 7th as well as reviewing Nicaragua’s participation in the Central America Free Trade Agreement. In a statement, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, (the US were) “preparing a sham election devoid of credibility, by silencing and arresting opponents.” Five satellite parties, nicknamed zancudos, of President Daniel Ortega’s will be presented on the ballot on November 7th. These parties will have no intension of disputing the election on only serve as façade of a multiparty electoral system. These five parties will be the only parities present on the ballot as Ortega changed the legal status of all other opposition parties including the Conservative Party (PC), the Democratic Restoration Party (PRD), and Citizens for Liberty (CxL). This is not the first-time satellite parties have been used in Nicaraguan politics. Their role is just to cooperate with the governing party and as a reward will receive reimbursements. On May 4th, President Ortega’s regime changed the electoral guidelines to allow for a reward for satellite parities. He eliminated the requirement of obtaining the minimum of 4% of votes to access reimbursements for campaign expenses. One satellite party is the Constitutional Liberal Party (PLC), the wealthiest satellite party, will run for election under an unlisted candidate. The late leader of the PLC former President Arnoldo Alemán made a pact with the President Ortega that they would share powers of the state. In 2016, the PLC had 15% of votes as Ortega was reelected and received 72.44%.Bolivia:
Bolivia’s Prosecutor’s Office has charged former high-ranking military officials for participating in the alleged November 2019 coup which led to former President Añez’s rise to power. The defendants include Flavio Gustavo Arce, former chief of the general staff, Pastor Mendieta, former commander of the army, Gonzalo Terceros, former commander of the air force, and Palmiro Jarjury, former commander of the navy. The defendants are currently undergoing investigation. Also this week, a number of civil society groups have announced they will go on strike on Monday, November 8, in protest of Law 1386. This strike is a continuation of the ones held on the 21st and 22nd of October. The groups involved include unions in the transportation, medical, agriculture, and other sectors, as well as opposition parties, the Medical College, and the XI Indigenous March. The controversial Law 1386 is argued to be the “mother bill” of bill 218 against the legitimization of illicit profits, the latter of which was withdrawn by the Plurinational Legislative Assembly on October 15. According to the National Committee for the Defense of Democracy (Conade), Law 1386 is essentially “a package of authoritarian economic norms.”Belarus:
On Tuesday the United Nations released an article under its Human Rights section about the condition of women in Belarus which mentions how female political activists are subjected to enforced disappearances, torture, ill-treatment and exile. On October 29th, the US embassy in Belarus said in a statement that authorities informed it of new measures “designed to impede the functioning” of its humanitarian and outreach programs that have benefited thousands of people. Meanwhile, The Ministry of Information also confirmed blocking multiple channels of information including social media such as Telegram, and news channels such as the Deutsche Welle website which is a German news channel, as reported by the Belarusian Journalist Union on Thursday. Belarusian oil refineries have lost $80 million due to European Union sanctions amid the issue of the migrant influx. A makeshift warehouse inside the Polish town of Michalowo’s fire station has become a beacon of light for many migrants. Hundreds of volunteers, doctors, lawyers, and local residents have been working together to help migrants trapped between Belarus and Poland.Georgia:
As Mikheil Saakashvili’s hunger strike in a Georgian prison nears the one-month mark, authorities are unsure of what to do with the defiant ex-president as his health deteriorates. A public tug-of-war has broken out between doctors and government officials over this dilemma as he begins needing hospitalization, and Saakashvili has warned that he is “ready to die” if he is not released. A team of physicians and other medical experts, including Saakashvili’s personal doctor, emerged from an examination on October 19 warning of potentially irreversible damage to his health and urging authorities to relocate him to a fully equipped hospital. Georgia’s justice minister responded by saying a prison infirmary could provide adequate care. According to his lawyers, Saakashvili, who is not eating food but drinking water, has refused to be moved to a prison hospital. Georgia’s ruling party and the opposition on Wednesday staged rival rallies ahead of local elections with the Caucasus country’s primary government critic Mikheil Saakashvili on hunger strike in jail. Second round runoffs on Saturday will see candidates from the majority Georgian Dream party and the opposition United National Movement (UNM) compete for mayoral posts in major cities. Georgian Dream said it had bussed supporters from across the country for its rally on Freedom square in the capital Tbilisi. Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili urged voters to back Georgian Dream Saturday, calling opposition leader Saakashvili’s UNM an “anti-state and anti-national force”. UNM later held its own campaign rally in the western city of Zugdidi, where a party leader, Ana Tsitlidze, told several thousand supporters they would “prevail in our struggle for a truly democratic, European Georgia.China:
Beijing has promised to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions and sent a revised climate pledge saying its carbon dioxide emissions would peak before 2030, and that it would aim for “carbon neutrality” – or no net emissions of CO2 – before the year 2060, three days ahead of the COP26 summit in Glasgow. But critics say for a country that produces 27% of global emissions, China would need to demonstrate leadership at a critical moment for the planet. On the other hand, global activists and legislators from around the world have gathered on the fringes of the G20 summit in Rome to protest against the presence of the Chinese foreign minister, Wang Yi, and urge leaders not to let China off the hook over human rights abuses in return for Beijing’s cooperation on the climate crisis. China’s ban on private media has pushed non-partisan and liberal news organisations go out of service in a stride against private investments in media including social media platforms. The “Market Access Negative List 2021” seeks to impose a ban on the funding from private players for newsgathering, broadcasting and distribution. Amid an increase in COVID-19 infections, China has tightened its regulations. Doubling down on Covid-zero strategy, lockdown is being imposed on the spread of 11 provinces and a new 5,000 room quarantine facility has been built in Guangzhou.Hong Kong:
Amnesty International will close its two offices in Hong Kong by the end of the year, the human rights group has announced, with its local chapter ceasing operations on Sunday. Amnesty, which has its head office in London, said it would continue its research, advocacy, and campaigning work from its other offices in the Asia Pacific. Amnesty joins some of Hong Kong’s most prominent civil society groups and trade unions in winding up its operations as a result of the national security law, which was imposed by China in June 2020 to tackle any act deemed subversion, secession, “terrorism” and collusion with foreign forces. Critics say the broadly-worded national security law has been used arbitrarily to restrict the freedom of expression, assembly, and association. Hong Kong’s health minister has rebuked a leading public health expert for criticizing the government’s decision to impose an extra two weeks of quarantine on recovered Covid-19 patients, insisting the tough strategy “has the community’s overall interest at heart”. In a letter to the SCMP on Friday, Sophia Chan Siu-chee said University of Hong Kong epidemiologist Professor Benjamin Cowling was wrong to call the measure “unethical”, as he was going against the government’s zero-Covid goal, which was “in line with the aspirations of our community”. The dispute underscores a growing rift between some experts citing science-based arguments to suggest a “living with the virus” approach and the local government’s increasingly strict measures as it adopts a strategy more in line with mainland China’s zero-infection policy. At stake is Hong Kong’s primary goal to reopen its border with the mainland, which is essential to the city’s economic development.Indonesia:
Ahead of the 2024 presidential elections, a number of the Gerindra Party’s regional boards have declared their support for Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto. Subianto, a former military general, has lost two elections to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, but remains strong in electability polls. “[Gerindra’s] cadres and campaign team are readying themselves for war in pushing for Prabowo to win the 2024 elections. Whether he will actually run, that’s a matter to be settled later. What’s important now is that the party’s political system is well oiled,” said Adi Prayitno, executive director of Parameter Politik Indonesia. Regardless, Prabowo is expected to face stiff competition from the governor of Central Java Ganjar Pranowo and the governor of Jakarta Anies Baswedan, whose electability ratings–unlike Prabowo’s–are rising. Meanwhile, in Jakarta, the draft Capital City Bill has elicited strong criticism over an article which would give President Jokowi sole control over appointing the capital’s new authorities. The Capital City Bill is part of Jokowi’s US$32.7 billion plan to relocate the capital to East Kalimantan with the aim of a less Java-centered development. However, some have voiced concern over Article 9 and Article 10 of the draft bill, the first of which contains a provision giving Jokowi sole authority to designate the head and deputy head of the new capital, without any election process, and the second giving the new authority full governance of the administrative capital, including the power over national defense, monetary policy, and international affairs.Thailand:
After more than a year of anti-government rallies, where protesters’ calls for democracy and the reform of the powerful monarchy appear to have fallen largely on deaf ears, protestors are stepping up the pressure on the administration of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha. For about three months a new group of protesters who call themselves Thalugas (breaking through the gas/tear gas) have been skirmishing with police and the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic has given their struggle new momentum. The violence has subsided to some degree since July, but every night, young protesters taunt police with middle fingers, screaming insults from their motorcycles. Eventually, tensions escalate into violence as demonstrators aim fireworks at groups of police officers who occupy the area. Police then respond with sweeping and often violent arrests. The young demonstrators have set fire to traffic lights and massive portraits of the Thai King Vajiralongkorn in the city. The protesters target police with slingshots, small explosives called “ping pong bombs”, firebombs, and more. In response, police have unleashed rubber bullets, water cannons, and tear gas on them.Iran:
On Tuesday in Iran, President Raisi claimed that a cyberattack by anti-Iranian forces froze all gas stations in the country, creating perilously long lines to incite fear and disruption. Many Irnians use state-issued cards to purchase subsidized fuel at gas stations, and these cards were unusable during the cyberattack. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the cyberattack, but a cybersecurity official from the state has connected this event and a previous attack that targeted Iran’s rail system in July. The government claims both attacks were orchestrated from abroad. By Wednesday, the government announced that 80% of stations were resuming business normally. While no country specifically has been blamed, the US and Israel are often suspected of such attacks after the 2010 Stuxnet Virus attack infected Iran’s nuclear program, and was attributed to the two nations. When people tried to use their subsidized gas cards, the machine showed the message “cyberattack 64411”. This number is both associated with a hotline through Khamenei’s office that answers questions about Islamic Law, and was used in the previous railway cyberattack. When the media agency ISNA reported on this, it quickly removed the post, claiming to have been hacked. However, many news sites claim that the claim of hacking is commonplace to cover up government censorship of media.Iraq:
After this month’s parliamentary elections were plagued by cries of corruption and miscounting, Iraq is set to soon release official results after a recount. The manual recount began this Wednesday, recounting 234 contested electoral stations. More than 1,300 appeals about the elections were filed by the Shia Cooperation Framework claiming fraud. It is significant that this group, which contains many Shia groups that lost big in this month’s election, have rejected the results. The group blames the electoral commission for ignoring major violations in counting. The majority of the complaints were dismissed on the grounds of a lack of evidence, while the rest of the appeals will be submitted to the Supreme Court. The Sadrist party is the biggest winner of the elections, followed by the Taqadum party led by Sunni Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Habousi. This Tuesday, an attack on an Eastern Iraqi village, Al-Rashad in Diyala Province, was attributed to the Islamic State group by security sources. A source within the village claims that 11 were killed, and 13 sustained injuries. Other sources claim that the civilians were killed in a small arms fire in the village. Currently, the village is locked down in order to find the perpetrators. It is claimed by the UN that 10,000 IS fighters are still active in Iraq and Syria.Sudan:
On October 25th, the Sudanese military took over the civilian branch of the government and dissolved the ruling council. The military declared a state of emergency and civilian leaders were subsequently arrested. Among the arrested was Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and his wife. According to the military, the PM and his wife were detained on Monday but released to their home on Tuesday. It is unclear if they are allowed to move freely around their residency or if the military is monitoring their movements. General Abdel Fattah Burhan, the leader of the coup, is now the de facto leader. There is mass discontent from the Sudanese people and they have taken to the streets. Protests have been increasingly violent as security forces clash with demonstrators. The latest tragedy was the death of one protester on Thursday after a violent clash between security forces and protesters. Security forces have used aggressive methods to try and suppress protesters. During a peaceful demonstration on Thursday, witnesses report watching security forces fire tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters. The death count since the coup on Monday is now eight people with 170 reported to be injured. All around the capital city of Khartoum roads have been barricaded, cars are burning in the streets and buildings around the city have been damaged. International community response was quick to condemn the military takeover. The World Bank suspended aid, the African Union has suspended Sudan and the United States froze £508 in aid. The UN Security Council called on the military specifically General Burhan to restore the Sovereign Council. The General did not respond directly to the international criticism, instead he fired six Sudanese ambassadors to countries critical of his actions: the United States, China, and France.Uganda:
President Museveni has announced that schools will officially reopen in January 2022. This will be the first time schools have been reopened since shutting down in March 2020 due to COVID-19. Museveni explained that vaccinations will be the key to reopen the whole Ugandan economy. The President in a statement explained his forecast reopening by stating, “By the end of December 2021, 12 million people should have been vaccinated.” Among the people he mentions included health and education workers will need to be vaccinated. The reopening of schools will be significant for many children around the country as many children have fallen behind in their education. Some children have even taken up side jobs working in hard labor industries. In an interview, one 17-year-old student reported working in gold mines in Eastern Uganda making just $2.80 USD. In a report released by FAWE-Uganda, they found shocking statistics showing refugee parents and caregivers were trading school-aged girls for sex in exchange for supplies such as money and food. The surveys were conducted in three refugee settlements and 25 districts around Uganda. Among the settlements surveyed was Alere and Palabek which the conditions for young girls at the camps remains critical. The statistics show that compared to non-refugee population young refugee women have experienced an increase of sexual violence in consequence of their working and living condiditions. At the Alere refugee settlement, 15% of girls were reported to be involved with activities such as bartending. These statistics increased even more as the pandemic enforced lockdown heightened the risk for young girls to be exposed to sexual engagement and abuse. In another refugee settlement the number of girls who reported to be engaged in sexual intercourse increased from 11.5% prior to lockdown to 13.1% during the lockdown.Zimbabwe:
The UN Rapporteur, Alena Douhan, announced on October 28th that the sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe were only exacerbating corruption in the country. Before the announcement protesters marched peacefully outside the US Embassy in the capital city of Harare calling for the country to end sanctions have been in place for two decades. The European Union imposed sanction of late President Robert Mugabe in 2002 for alleged election rigging and human rights abuses. Then in 2003 the United States imposed the same sanctions. President Mnangagwa’s government has been arguing for a long time that if the sanctions were lifted it would significanly help the country recovery economically. Douhan was in Zimbabwe for two weeks and will report all her findings in the full report to the Human Rights Council next year. The Shangaan indigenous group face the threat of massive eviction due to an irrigation place that will run right through their land. The blueprint for the irrigation project will raze 31,975 acres of land with resources such as mopane and baobab trees. If evicted this would leave 12,500 villagers without a home. According to Zimbabwe’s Communal Land Rights Act, communal land is owned by the President of Zimbabwe; he has the power to decide how the land can be used. This allows the President to evict anyone on the land for commercial use and does not require the government to consult people it will affect. The indigenous group has been responsible for conserving the biodiversity in the area. Their methods of sustainable agricultural practices have managed to keep the area healthy and bountiful.Military Coup in Sudan: What we know
Sudan’s military coup on Monday followed weeks of pro and anti military protesting. Soldiers arrested members of the Sudanese Cabinet, civilian members of the foreign council, government officials, and President Abdalla Hamdok’s media advisor. It’s been reported that the military has arrested staff of the state media. Members of the transitional sovereign council and ministers of the transitional government have also been detained.
Pro-civilian government protestors then took to the streets of the capital in large numbers, an estimated tens of thousands, demanding the return of civilian rule. Protests were met with violent dispersion tactics, including gunfire and beatings. The Sudanese Professionals Association has reported that internet and phone service has been out throughout the country. The group, Netblocks, which reports such disruptions, claimed that the nature of the incident is “consistent with an internet shutdown […] likely to limit the free flow of information online.” Reports also stated that the airport of Khartoum was closed, and international flights have been suspended.
Hamdok has allegedly been detained and taken to an undisclosed location. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the military officer who once headed a power-sharing council, addressed the press on Monday to declare a state of emergency and the dissolution of the transitional sovereign council, the Hamdok government, and the anti-corruption task force.
He also announced that a technocratic government would be installed, and elections would be held in July 2023. Burhan claimed that disagreements between political factions caused the military to take over.
The Umma and the Sudanese Congress, two popular political parties, have condemned the coup and the military’s response to the following protests. The Sudanese Professionals Association, who were active in the overthrow of the Bashir government, have called on supporters of democracy to mobilize in the streets, use civil disobedience tactics, and perform a general strike.
How did the coup unfold?
Hamdok’s office director, Adam Hereika, reported that this coup was attempted after an agreement had been reached between Hamdok and Burhan with a U.S. envoy present.
Hereika also points the finger at the military government for raising tension in eastern Sudan before the coup attempt.
The joint civilian and military-led government that took power following the ousting of former leader Omar al-Bashir in 2019 made promises to share power and pave the way for democratic rule in the future, but the clashing interests of the two parties have made cooperation very rocky. There has been another coup attempt occurring just last month, in September 2021.
Government officials claimed that the September coup attempt was orchestrated by Bashir supporters, leading to the arrest of 21 officers and an undisclosed number of soldiers. President Hamdok stated that measures would be taken to target former regime supporters who posed a threat to transition. Since the coup attempt, military leaders demanded the Forces of Freedom and Change coalition, which led anti-Bashir protests and were a substantial part of the transitional government, to be reformed. The military also demanded the replacement of cabinet members.
One major point of contention between the civilian and military sectors of government is whether or not to hand over the Sudanese who are suspected of war crimes during the 2003 Darfur conflict to the International Criminal Court, which the sovereign council has not been able to reach an agreement on. Another disruptive point is the civilian government’s investigation into the murder of pro-democracy supporters in 2019. While the military is against such measures, citizens grew unhappy with the delays in enforcing justice and sharing investigations.
Inflation and devaluation of the currency have caused severe issues for the economy. Citizens are faced with basic goods shortages and high inflation – of which international aid has been helping. Pro-military protestors have adopted slogans such as “down with the hunger government’’, stating that issues of food security and basic good access are the main reasons for supporting a coup by the military government.
These problems are exacerbated by the blockade on the Port of Sudan, which occurred in October of this year, where eastern Sudanese demanded that government take responsibility for prior injustice in the region following Bashir’s loss of power. Protesters demanded the deposing and replacement of President Hamdok, and equivalent revenue sharing by the government for the eastern Sudan region. Reports of such actions included speculations that the Port Blockage was staged or supported by military members of the Transitional Council of Sovereignty, who are still loyal to Bashir. Other speculations stated that the port blockage was staged in support of militant Islamist regimes in favor of a counter-revolution.
After last month’s coup attempt, many rebel groups and political parties allied with the military and staged a sit-in at the Presidential palace calling for the dissolution of the civilian government. In response, Cabinet ministers of the civilian government took part in large protests in Khartoum against military rule. In such protests, supporters of the transitional government counter protested pro-military demonstrations occurring at the same time.
Why did it happen now?
Tensions between the civilian government and the military transitional branch were running high for years. The frustration of the three-year delayed transition to civilian rule and the military’s continued attacks on the civilian branch have been threatening to collapse the power-sharing agreement.
Last month the attempted coup by a group of military officials exacerbated the conflict between the two governing branches. During late September, government officials stated that a group of officers attempted to occupy a state-operated media building. The act was labeled by officials as a failed coup attempt. The Sudanese army claimed that 21 officers, along with an unspecified group of soldiers, were arrested in connection with the coup attempt. A week following the coup attempt, Sudanese civilians chanted pro-democracy slogans and accused the military of delaying transferring power to civilians. They also accused them of postponing the expulsion of remnants of al-Bashir’s regime from state institutions. This includes finally prosecuting security forces who were responsible for the death of dozens of protesters during protests in June 2019. The civilian branch voiced its support for protesters gathered in the Republican Palace while security forces, encouraged by the military branch, fired tear gas at demonstrators.
In early October, Sudanese security forces enacted a travel ban targeting eleven civilian politicians. This was an effort by the military branch to assert its dominance as this move was seen as repercussions for the civilian government’s “involvement” with the coup attempt. The civilian branch continued to dispute the accusation by the military that they supported a coup attempt. The Forces for Freedom and Change, a civilian umbrella coalition, mobilized protesters to show their support for the pro-civilian government side. This was not the first major protest started by FFC; they were responsible for organizing many demonstrations that led to the removal of President Omar al-Bashir. The central concept of “continuing the revolution,” a reference to the protests that brought down the late President, has been the central unifying cause for activists’ groups. However, during the protests on October 21st, it was evident there were fractures among these groups.
Protesters from the splinter FFC faction, the National Charter Alliance, have been holding a sit-in outside Khartoum’s presidential palace for the past few days. Many members of this group stated that they blame the civilian government for not representing them and ignoring rising poverty and economic deterioration around Sudan. However, members of the FFC claim that the sit-in was not connected to their post-revolutionary movement; instead, they labeled the sit-in as a pro-military protest led by security forces and their allies. With mass discontent on the streets and infighting between both branches invested in the power-sharing agreement, the situation in Sudan was ready to boil over.
Who is in charge?
On October 25th, midday, the military head of Sudan’s Sovereign Council General Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman Burhan declared a state of emergency. The military seized control of the government and state-run media outlets. Army officials were deployed across the capital city of Khartoum to establish control. The Khartoum airport has been shut down and international flights have been suspended. Additionally, the military has severely limited access to the internet and social media platforms. In his live televised address to the nation, following the coup, General Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman Burhan announced that the Sovereign Council and cabinet had been dissolved effective immediately. He referred to the ongoing disputes between politicians of the Council and incitement to violence as justification for the dissolution. All the members of the Sovereign Council–the temporary body responsible for overseeing Sudan’s democratic transition– and state governors will be relieved from their positions. Armed forces have placed many civilian leaders under arrest including Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok and the governor of Khartoum Ayman Khalid. News outlets have reported that high-level officials responsible for the outreach for the Sovereign council have also been detained. Sources close to the Prime Minister report there was pressure within the Sovereign Council to support the coup, however, Prime Minister Hambok refused, and he urged people to continue protesting peacefully.
How has the world reacted?
The American special envoy for the Horn of Africa Jeffrey Feltman said that “the US is deeply alarmed at reports of a military take-over of the transitional government,” he added how “this would contravene the Constitutional Declaration and the democratic aspirations of the Sudanese people,” in his statement on Twitter.
Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, called for the “immediate resumption of consultations between civilians and military,” as well as the release “of all arrested political leaders and the necessary strict respect of human rights.”
Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit expressed deep concern over the developments in Sudan. The pan-Arab bloc has also urged all sides to adhere to an August 2019 power-sharing deal outlining the transition following the ouster of Omar al-Bashir.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas condemned the coup in a statement. He said the attempted overthrow must come to an immediate end while calling on everyone in Sudan responsible for security and order to continue Sudan’s transition to democracy and to respect the will of the people.
Josep Borrell, the EU’s top diplomat, wrote on Twitter “The EU calls on all stakeholders and regional partners to put back on track the transitional process”. He will be attending a meeting of foreign ministers from the EU and the African Union on Tuesday in Kigali, Rwanda.
The United Nations Mission to Sudan has issued a strong statement to protect Sudan’s fragile democratic transition. The mission has a mandate to assist Sudan in its political transition and protection of human rights, hence can play an important role in garnering international support and local management of the situation. In a statement the mission called “the reported detentions of the prime minister, government officials and politicians unacceptable” and has called the security forces of Sudan “to immediately release those who have been unlawfully detained or placed under house arrest” while urging all parties to “exercise utmost restraint.”
Conclusion
The worsening economic situation, factional infighting, and a deep division between the civilian and military have contributed to the current state of the country. After the ousting of al-Bashir, the Sudanese have yet another challenge to endure and overcome. Sudan has a long history of fighting for democracy, dating back to 1964 when the Sudanese brought down the dictator Ibrahim Abboud. Since then, the country has experienced two major revolutions and a number of rebellions. But, history did show us that Sudanese people are resilient and will continue to fight against authoritarianism.
CANVAS Weekly Update – October 22nd, 2021
Dear Friends,
CANVAS is delighted to bring you another issue of our weekly report! In this issue, we cover the protests in Sudan, asylum seekers in Belarus and introduce a new Lebanon section.
Conflict Update:
In Israel, six Palestinian human rights groups have been labeled terrorist organizations, claimed to be affiliated with left-wing militant action by the Palestinian Liberation Front. It is unclear how these groups will be affected by the announcement, and if they will still be able to function or receive funds. In Ethiopia, four airstrikes were carried out in the capital of Tigray. The government claims that the attacks are being leveled against rebel facilities, and that the latest attack was specifically targeting a military training facility of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). The war began in November of 2020 between the government and the TPLF, in which thousands have been killed and two million have fled. More citizens in Tigray have reported having to flee due to the airstrikes this week. Tigrai television has reported that eleven citizens were wounded during the strike. On Thursday, 500 protesters gathered in central Athens to participate in a 24-hour protest. State hospital workers marched to protest staff shortages and compulsory COVID-19 vaccines. This comes as Greece experiences a spike in COVID-19 infections and widespread vaccine hesitancy. To encourage more people to get vaccinated, the Greek government has introduced incentives and penalties like compulsory vaccines for healthcare workers. Hospital workers unions said that the compulsory vaccinations would require hospitals to suspend unvaccinated health care workers, therefore increasing staff shortages and putting more stress on frontline workers. The Eswatini government told mobile operators to suspend access to social media platforms effective immediately following increased protests against King Mswati III online. Platforms included in the suspension include Facebook and Facebook messenger. Protests against King Mswati III mobilized on the streets this summer, in the months of June and July, which led to authorities using tear gas and water cannons to break up demonstrators. Activists say that the King is reluctant to implement calls for reform and policies which would lead the kingdom towards democracy. Themba Masuku, the Deputy Prime Minister, announced the suspension was put in place to protect the people of Eswatini.
Lebanon:
On Tuesday, October 20, the judge in charge of Lebanon’s probe into the massive 2019 Beirut port explosion renewed his summonses of two former ministers for questioning. Judge Tarek Bitar’s decision was made despite intense criticism from Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who has accused Bitar of being politically biased. Hezbollah’s opposition to the probe escalated last week during a violent protest which left seven dead throughout five hours of fighting between the right-wing Christian Lebanese Forces and Hezbollah and its ally Amal, another Shiite group.
Nevertheless, analysts claim that the backlash from Hezbollah and other political parties is actually to maintain their legitimacy in the face of accusations of government incompetence and corruption. Last year, independent media and rights groups revealed that the poorly stored fertilizer resulting in the port explosion–which left 215 dead, 6,000 injured, and vast parts of Beirut destroyed–was known to senior government officials, but that they had done nothing about it. Thus, according to Lina Khatib, director of the Middle East and North Africa program at the Chatham House think tank: “The ruling class in Lebanon is in agreement about wanting the port probe to be abandoned and they will use all available means to derail it.”
Meanwhile, this week, Lebanon’s parliament has voted to hold parliamentary elections on March 27 next year–its first election since the widespread anti-government protests in late 2019. Additionally, MPs also decided against adding a quota for women and six additional seats for the Lebanese diaspora, despite accusations of voter suppression from opposition groups and diaspora organizations. The elections, if they take place, will come amid an economic meltdown: the country is facing what the World Bank has called one of the deepest depressions of modern history, with three-quarters of its population having been propelled into poverty.
Afghanistan:
To reward Taliban supporters, the group has forcibly evicted Hazara minority members in several provinces. Such evictions have been promptly followed by the redistribution of their land to their supporters. The claims have been leveled by Human Rights Watch, who reported that others evicted included supporters of the previous government. Hundreds of Hazara in southern Helmand and northern Balkh have been evicted by Taliban and militia forces this month, adding to the already great number of those displaced. Such evictions are backed by threats of force and lack of legal process. Taliban officials claim the evictions are supported by court orders, contrary to the family claims of generational ownership.
There are also claims of organized discrimination and threats against the Sikh minority. Reports of being pressured or forced to convert to Islam are being reported. Reports of attacks against Sikh are not entirely uncommon, as earlier this month, 15 terrorists entered a Sikh temple and tied up guards. This attack occurred in the Kat-e-Parwan district of Kabul.
Myanmar:
Myanmar’s junta has freed hundreds of political prisoners, according to the state media outlet Global New Light of Myanmar on Tuesday. The paper reported that 647 prisoners had been released from Yangon’s Insein Prison and 80 from a prison in Mandalay. Another 4,320 defendants currently before the courts will also be acquitted, said a notice in the paper. The release follows the junta’s announcement Monday that it would free more than 5,600 people arrested for protesting against the junta since February. The released prisoners would need to sign a document pledging not to commit any acts of violence against the country, the junta added. Since the coup, Myanmar’s security forces have arrested more than 9,000 people, of whom an estimated 7,355 are still in detention, according to the non-profit group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. Earlier in the week, junta chief General Min Aung Hlaing blasted the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which said last week it would exclude him from an upcoming meeting of the regional bloc. Instead, a “non-political” figure from Myanmar would be invited to the ASEAN summit next week, the group said.
Counselor of the U.S. State Department, Derek Chollet, has claimed that Singapore has the ability to wield its significant financial leverage over Myanmar’s military rulers to pressure them to return to a path of democracy amid a deteriorating humanitarian and economic crisis. Speaking in a teleconference from Jakarta, he said partnerships with countries in the region were critical to pressuring Myanmar as it risks becoming a “failed state in the heart of Asia”.
Noting U.S. measures to sanction individuals and entities associated with Myanmar’s military rulers who seized power in the February coup, Chollet said Singapore also possessed leverage. “Singapore has a very important role to play and we had a very good discussion with our partners there about the way it has and is going to continue to work together to bring whatever leverage we can over the regime to put Burma back on the course to democracy,” he said. Lately, thousands of Myanmar citizens have fled the country to go to India following increased crackdowns along the border.
The United States:
Dozens of people and human rights activists protested on October 20 calling on the Pakistani government to work to end the continued imprisonment of Pakistani neuroscientist Aafia Siddiqui in the United States. The protest was organized by a coalition of 20 organizations including the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and similar protests have been planned in Boston and Washington, DC, in the coming weeks.
After examining tweets from elected officials in seven countries – the UK, US, Canada, France, Germany, Spain and Japan, Twitter has admitted it amplified more tweets from rightwing politicians and news outlets than content from leftwing sources. The research found that in six out of seven countries, apart from Germany, tweets from right-wing politicians received more amplification from the algorithm than those from the left.
Joe Manchin, the leading opposition to Biden’s climate bill, is getting support from the oil, gas, and coal companies. Once passed, the climate legislation bill under Biden would steadily retire the coal industry that once formed the backbone of the West Virginia economy.
Cuba:
Human Rights Watch’s research indicates that the July demonstrations were overwhelmingly peaceful. It mentioned on 19th October that the Cuban government has systematically engaged in arbitrary detention, ill-treatment of detainees, and abuse-ridden criminal prosecutions in response to overwhelmingly peaceful anti-government protests in July 2021. On October 21, the Cuban Attorney General’s Office issued a warning to the people of Havana, Villa Clara, Cienfuegos, Holguín and other provinces that protestors will be faced with serious consequences of demonstrating peacefully on November 15, or any day. After the July protests, the Biden administration tightened sanctions placed by Trump on Cuba. Despite promises early in Biden’s presidency that limits on remittances would be eased Cube has been left in deep freeze.
Cuba is postponing its annual debt payment to the Paris Club until next year. According to the diplomats from five of the governments involved, the latest sign the Communist-run country is suffering a grave foreign exchange crisis. In 2015, Paris Club forgave $8.5 billion of $11.1 billion in sovereign debt Cuba defaulted on in 1986, plus charges.
Nicaragua:
Government crackdowns within Nicaragua continue to widen ahead of the November 7th elections when incumbent President Daniel Ortega will run for his fourth consecutive term. This week two top executives of Nicaragua’s biggest business association were arrested by police. The president of Superior Council of Private Enterprise Michael Healy and vice president Alvaro Vargas were detained on October 21st. Authorities claim both men are under investigation for suspicion of money and assets laundering along with charges of attempting to overthrow Ortega’s government. Families of the many political, media and civil society leaders detained during the crackdowns have expressed their worries for the treatment of their loved ones. Family members say that detainees are isolated, face daily interrogations and do not receive proper care.
Many activist groups are working hard to prevent the election on November 7th. On October 19th, the National Coalition of political and social groups called for an election boycott and a US based organization released a statement demanding the release of all opposition figures in Nicaragua.
Bolivia:
During a press conference on Monday, October 22, the Bolivian interior minister claimed to possess new evidence about the alleged 2020 failed assassination of Bolivian President Luis Arce. According to Eduardo del Castillo, the same Colombian group who killed Haitian President Jovenel Moise in July had conspired to kill Arce. Castillo has emails, audio recordings, immigration data, and hotel stays allegedly proving the conspiracy, some of which he has released to the media. As for the person leading the failed conspiracy, Del Castillo has maintained that Luis Fernando Lopez, the former defense minister under President Anez’s right-wing government, is the culprit. Since the announcement, Del Castillo has sent an extradition request for Lopez, who is currently residing in Brazil. Meanwhile, the Bolivian opposition has contested Del Castillo’s claims, particularly conservative figurehead Luis Fernando Camacho, governor of Santa Cruz, who believes that the government is seeking to portray Arce as a “victim.”
Belarus:
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is appealing for urgent action to save lives and prevent further suffering at the border areas between Belarus and the European Union (Latvia, Lithuania, Poland) after eight deaths have been reported so far in the border region. They’ve also taken note of several groups of asylum-seekers, refugees and migrants who have been stranded for weeks in increasingly dire conditions. Belarus is also facing diplomatic criticism after it failed to follow the UN Aarhus Convention on access to justice in environmental matters.
Poland has now doubled the number of soldiers deployed to guard its border with Belarus, meanwhile a Polish lawyer Kamil Syller is appealing to locals living near the border to switch on a green light to signal that they can provide migrants with food and shelter as an action plan to help suffering migrants.
On 20th October police in Minsk raided the office of the independent weekly online newspaper Novy Chas and the home of at least one of its journalists, according to news reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists is urging the Belarusian authorities to stop harassing independent journalists.
Georgia:
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has signed an agreement to continue American support for Georgia’s military for six years amid continuing Russian threats for the county’s security. The current agreement for such support is to expire at the end of the year, but Austin and Georgian Defense Minister Junasher Burchuladze signed the replacement agreement Monday during Austin’s visit to the country. Austin said the U.S. support will help the former Soviet republic on the Black Sea build “effective deterrence and defense”. U.S. support has included participating in military exercises with Georgian forces. Georgia and Russia fought a short war in 2008 that ended with Russia gaining control of two separatist republics that account for about 20% of Georgia’s territory.
The European Parliament will send one more mission to Georgia to observe municipal election run-offs in the country on October 30, EU Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell has announced. Ambassador Hartzell stated that four more MEPs will monitor the second round of local elections in Georgia. The April 19 EU-mediated agreement proposed by European Council President Charles Michel in April resolved the political crisis in Georgia caused by the 2020 parliamentary elections and put forward large-scale electoral and judiciary reforms. The ruling party Georgian Dream in late July decided to withdraw from the agreement due to the refusal of the United National Movement (UNM), the largest opposition party, to sign the document. However, the UNM eventually did so after four months of refusal in early September.
China:
43 Western countries have signed a statement stating their concern about the existence of “re-education camps” and have criticized China at the United Nations over the reported torture and repression of the mostly Muslim Uighurs and other religious and ethnic minorities in Xinjiang on Thursday.
During a review at the World Trade Organization (WTO), which happens once in two years for China, Australia and the USA have criticized china’s trade practices. While Australia said the country’s behavior was “inconsistent” with its WTO commitments, USA accused China of “skewing the playing field” by using “unfair trade practices”.
On Friday the central bank of China said that the risks were “controllable” and lenders should keep credit to the real estate sector “stable and orderly” about the debt crisis at China Evergrande Group. Stability and order will be higher on a very defined political agenda and the Party cannot afford to have anything like Evergrande or inflation go off the rails according to experts. Any economic downturn that leads to social unrest risks weakening Xi Jinping’s grip on power ahead of next month’s plenum and next year’s Party Congress.
The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) released a whitelist for social media and mobile apps on Wednesday comprised 1,358 sanctioned online news providers. This list is nearly four times longer than the previous list released in 2016 but experts and media insiders say nothing much will change after.
Hong Kong:
Hong Kong courts have allowed the city’s authorities to use national security powers to deploy tough colonial-era laws in a crackdown against opposition groups, alarming activists and lawyers in the city. Police have launched investigations into acts that took place before the imposition of the law a year ago, despite assurances by Beijing and Hong Kong that the financial hub’s legislation would not be retroactive. These recent probes have left pro-democracy campaigners in the city in fear of the prosecution they could face for acts they believed to be legal at the time. Several groups, including veteran protest organizer Civil Human Rights Front, are under investigation for acts that pre-date the security law, according to statements by senior police and reports in pro-Beijing media.
The Hong Kong mother whose daughter was killed in Taiwan in 2018 on Wednesday lambasted authorities in the Chinese city for letting the man who confessed to the crime walk free, while Hong Kong blamed Taiwan for “political manipulation” in the case. As Hong Kong lacks an extradition agreement with Taiwan, the offender could not be sent to stand trial and was instead prosecuted and sentenced on money-laundering offenses, serving a 29-month prison sentence in Hong Kong, but the case could not proceed because of a lack of cooperation between Hong Kong and Taiwan. The case led Hong Kong authorities to propose an extradition bill in 2019, which would allow Hong Kong to extradite suspects to places with which it does not have extradition agreements including Taiwan and mainland China. But the proposal sparked mass protests and political strife in 2019. The proposed extradition bill was eventually withdrawn, and the CCP clamped down on the protests and silenced opposition in Hong Kong.
The United States, Britain, and the European Union accused the Hong Kong government of stripping the democratic rights of their civilians on Thursday, following further disqualifications of opposition district councilors for allegedly insufficient loyalty to the city. Hong Kong’s home affairs chief announced that 16 district councilors would be ousted from their positions because of invalid oaths, bringing the total number of recently unseated municipal-level politicians to 55.
“These retroactive and targeted disqualifications, based on the Hong Kong authorities’ arbitrary determination that these district councilors’ loyalty oaths are invalid, prevent people in Hong Kong from participating meaningfully in their own governance,” US State Department spokesman Ned Price said. On Wednesday, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services agency unveiled broad eligibility for a “safe haven” program that will allow Hongkongers in the US to remain for 18 months even if their current visas expire. That follows a move by Britain to create a new five-year visa for people from Hong Kong who hold a British National (Overseas) passport, a nationality document granted to some Hongkongers prior to the 1997 handover.
Indonesia:
This week, a video of police violence against protestors in Tangerang regency (in Banten) went viral on social media, intensifying calls for police reform among the general public. The protest, which was carried out by Tangerang students, occurred last week on Wednesday. The students were demonstrating in front of the regent’s office demanding that the government address city pollution, damaged roads, the unfair treatment of COVID-19 volunteers, and other issues. In the video that went viral, a police officer is shown slamming a protester onto the ground, at which point the latter of whom appeared to have a seizure.
Novel Baswedan, one of the 58 employees fired by the Corruption Eradication Committee (KPK), has started a YouTube channel which quickly gained more than 8,500 subscribers within two days. Baswedan was fired in September after failing the highly contentious National Insight Test (TWK), which has been criticized by civil society groups as well as the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) and the Indonesian Ombudsman for unfairly targeting certain investigators. Prior to being fired, Baswedan was the lead investigator in a number of high-profile anti-corruption cases. His status is suspected to be the cause of a famous incident four years ago, when he was victim to an acid attack which left him blind in one eye. In an interview with Tempo.co, Baswedan stated the goal of his channel is to educate the Indonesian people about “anti-corruption, conducting investigations, and integrity,” as well as what the future of anti-corruption in Indonesia could look like. He also added that he was planning to invite to his channel the other fired KPK employees, anti-corruption activists, students, academics, and prominent figures who “have a reputation for honesty, bravery, and consistency.”
Thailand:
The Harvard Political Review posted a thorough article examining “Why Thailand’s Young People Are Angry”, looking at Thai protest history stemming from university movements up to present-day unrest.
Thailand will let vaccinated visitors from 46 countries forgo COVID-19 quarantine from next month, up from 10 previously announced, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha said on Thursday.
The Southeast Asian country is poised to introduce the new quarantine-free travel arrangements on Nov. 1 as it seeks to revive its vital tourism industry. The 46 countries include Britain, the United States, China, Singapore, Germany, and Australia, according to the ministry of foreign affairs. Prayuth said the visitors could skip mandatory quarantine as long as they arrive via air, have been fully vaccinated, and have a document to show they are virus-free. Thailand will stop using the COVID-19 vaccine of China’s Sinovac when its current stock finishes, a senior official said on Monday, having used the shot extensively in combination with Western-developed vaccines. Thailand used over 31.5 million Sinovac doses since February, starting with two doses to frontline workers, high-risk groups, and residents of Phuket, a holiday island that reopened to tourists early in a pilot scheme.
Iran:
For the first time in ten years, Iran’s National Coronavirus Taskforce has authorized the resumption of Friday prayers in Tehran. This comes after Iran has ramped up it’s vaccination program. Since August, an additional 20 million Iranians have been fully vaccinated. Combined with the previous total, it brings the count to 27.6 million vaccinated out of the population of 80 million.
On Thursday, the country practiced an annual air force drill. This news comes just after reports of a large air defense exercise. During the drill, various drones including attack and surveillance, as well as bombers and jet fighters. They also seemed to be using laser guided missiles and heavy weapons. The demonstration also showcased US plane’s bought before the banning of sales, and Russian fighters. Over 10 bases took part in the ceremony, out of the estimated 12 existing. Such drills reportedly are participated in by the Army and Revolutionary Guard.
Iraq:
Reports of human rights abuses related to Iraq’s most recent election have been leveled by the Gulf Centre for Human Rights. Included in these claims are reports of harassment of civil society activists. Additionally, potential censorship of journalists and media has been claimed. More worrying are reports of the torture of citizens. The Gulf Centre has amassed 77 claims of human rights violations during the elections in multiple cities and regions. Some election centers were host to attacks on observers, and attempted to intimidate or entrap voters during the election process.
Specifically in the region of Dyala, voters allegedly were intimidated to vote for a specific candidate. In an undisclosed region before the elections, armed men attacked a citizen who had refused to hang advertising for an election candidate, following other reports of such actions.
Also reported were attacks of activists and candidates, including armed attacks of Sadir Al-Khafaji, who was a candidate in Karrada. Another report detailed an assassination attempt carried out on a judge. Another such attempt was leveled against Azhar Hatem, prominent activist in Dhi Qar Governorate.
Sudan:
Thursday, October 21st protesters around Sudan gathered to protest against the authoritarian rule of the military branch of the government. A majority of the protesters were strong supporters of the civilian government, which was promised to receive full power from the military under the current power sharing agreement. At the same time, there were small groups of pro-military supporters who held sit-ins outside the presidential palace in the capital of Khartoum. Both pro-military and pro-civilian government activists voiced their wishes for the protests to remain peaceful.
The Forces for Freedom and Change (hereinafter:FFC), a civilian umbrella coalition, organized the protests for the pro-civilian government side. This was not the first major protest started by FFC; they were responsible for organizing the demonstrations that led to the removal of the previous president, President Omar al-Bashir. Hajooj Kuka a member of Girifna, an active non-violent resistance movement, stated his reason for participating in the march on Thursday was because, “that the goal of Thursday’s pro-civilian march was not to stop the formation of a more representative government but “to stop the military from taking power”. There is evidence of divisions among activists within the FFC. The sit-in held in Khartoum claimed to be a splintering division of the FFC and they are calling themselves The National Charter Alliance. While soldiers provided protections to protesters at the sit-in many protesters called for the end of the civilian government. Their pro-military sit-in at the palace called for the military to dissolve the civilian government because they blame the power sharing agreement for the deterioration of economic conditions and rising poverty in the country. One protester at the sit-in stated, “I was in the revolution (to overthrow al-Bashir), I was supposed to be represented in this government but I don’t see anything that represents me. A few parties took over the revolution and stole it.” Members of the FFC claim that the sit-ins were not a part of the post-revolutionary movement; instead it was a pro-military protest led by military and security forces and allies.
Uganda:
On Tuesday, October 21st, a group of elderly women clanswomen staged a nude protest in the city of Lira City to protest remarks made by gender minister, Betty Amongi. The demonstrations came after a meeting led by Betty Amongi on Wednesday at Lira University when 118 clan leaders from Lango denounced the administration of the paramount chief of Tekwaro, a Lango cultural institution. The women carried signs with slogans calling on President Museveni to intervene and criticizing Betty Amongi’s leadership.
Many Ugandan writers are using their platform to express their discontent with the current President. Ugandan blogger Fred Lumbuye was released from Turkish authorities on Wednesday after being held in the Kocaeli Foreigners Detention Center in Turkey since the beginning of August. Lumbuye is an opposition supporter based in Turkey. He was arrested over immigration issues and accusations of inciting violence; including one account of spreading rumors that President Museveni had died in early 2021. Poet Ashaba Annah wrote an erotic poem dedicated to President Museveni on Facebook called “I want to be Museveni’s side chic.” Annah said she wrote the poem as a way to show that the government does not care about the thoughts and concerns of its citizens. She referenced how on October 12th when teachers demanded they receive a pay increase, Museveni insisted that only science teachers should receive higher pay, not teachers instructing the arts and humanities.
Zimbabwe:
The toll company Zimborders has now implemented a toll on the Beitbridge border post which sits on a popular route for truck drivers. The company was awarded a contract with the Zimbabwean government in an effort to upgrade the country’s border posts. With the new tolls issued, the company predicts it will make around $1 billion USD over the course of 17 years. After the company makes $1 billion it will then be transferred over control of the toll stations to the government. In recent days, Since the toll was implemented, drivers have been in line for 10 days consecutively. Truck driver Simbisai Nyoni was stuck in line and he said, “It’s hell, I tell you. One of us [truckers] was even robbed in the queue last week. We have nowhere to bathe, no toilets. Can you imagine 10 days in a queue stretching more than 10km?” Right now the tolls can only be paid in cash; Zimborders says they will start rolling out card readers at the end of October.
On October 22nd, Director-General Taguma Mahonde of the Zimbabwe National Statistics agency released the dates of the 2022 census. Ahead of the official count they announced they will be running a pilot project November 18 and 27, 2021 to test the new electronic counting system. If successful the 2022 census will be held in April completed paperless; the data will then be released within the six months following the last day of data collection.
CANVAS Weekly Update – October 15th, 2021
Dear Friends,
CANVAS is delighted to bring you another issue of our weekly report!
In this issue, we cover the latest updates on conflicts in Lebanon and Palestine, upcoming U.S. strikes, continued censorship of pro-democracy causes in Hong Kong, and protests in Georgia.
Conflict Update:
Seven were killed and dozens injured when gunfire broke out during a protest by Shia Muslim groups against the judge investigating last year’s explosion at the city’s port that killed 219 people in August 2020. Hezbollah had organized the protest and said demonstrators were shot by gunmen on rooftops, blaming a Christian faction, although the group denies the charge. The protest began outside the Palace of Justice, the main court building, with hundreds of people arguing the investigation had become politicized and demanding the removal of Judge Tarek Bitar, who some claimed was biased. The situation escalated when heavy gunfire began in the central Tayouneh-Badaro area. Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea condemned the violence and appealed for calm.
In Palestine, IDF troops shot at Palestinians throwing Molotov cocktails at Israeli vehicles in the southern West Bank. One man succumbed to his wounds, and the Israeli soldiers claimed to have found a Hamas flag at the sight of the bombing. Near this sight, the village of Kisan, along with other Palestinian land in the southeast, has been seized by Israel for the purported creation of a nature reserve. The village was told by the IDF that settlement buildings would go up just outside the village, and then their village would be destroyed and the land would be taken care of by the settlers. Reports from the town’s residents have claimed targeted violence by the settlers living nearby, and children receiving frequent injuries from rocks being thrown by settlers. One child is reported to have said “It’s scary walking to school and back as there are always problems,” another woman reports an attack on her son by four settlers who “ tried to stab him in his head,” and adds another report of “Bilal Said, 16, [who was] was run over by a settler car who broke his leg.” The UN Reports that since September 7th, 11 Israeli settler attacks have occurred, and in the whole of 2021, 290 of such attacks occurred that resulted in property damage, and 93 of which resulted in casualties.
Coronavirus Update:
This week, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced the establishment of a new scientific advisory group whose function is to identify the origin of COVID-19 and establish a framework for combating future pandemics. The group–the Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens (SAGO)–will consist of scientists selected from a pool of more than 700 applicants, with the final team including scientists from countries like the U.S., China, and around two dozen other countries.
Furthermore, the formation of the SAGO occurs amid ongoing Chinese resistance to investigations. After an initial investigation conducted by the WHO, Beijing rejected a second probe in July that examines more closely various hypotheses about the origin of the virus–including that it came from a Chinese laboratory from the city Wuhan. Although this “lab-leak theory” was initially dismissed by the WHO, it has received renewed traction due to Beijing’s secrecy. In response, an editorial co-authored by the director of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, stated: “[all] hypotheses must continue to be examined.” He subsequently called for audits of Wuhan laboratories. Mike Ryan, the WHO’s emergency expert, emphasises that the WHO’s new panel is about science, not politics: “[we aim to] take a step back, create an environment where we can again look at the scientific issues….This is our best chance, and it may be our last chance to understand the origins of the virus.”
In response, China’s ambassador to the UN Chen XU told a news conference that the results of the earlier joint study was “quite clear” and that “it is time to send teams to other places” aside from China.
In other news, the announcement of interim clinical trial results from an experimental antiviral pill for COVID-19 has spurred worldwide global interest. The drug, molnupiravir, is intended to alleviate the symptoms of those infected with COVID-29.. One significant advantage of the pill is that it could reduce the number of patients who require hospitalization, thus lightening the burden of the pandemic on the healthcare industry. A number of countries–including Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, and Australia–have allegedly already signed agreements with the American pharmaceutical firm behind molnupiravir, Merck. Nonetheless, the South China Morning Post warns: “the pills are about treating the coronavirus, not preventing it. No matter whether molnupiravir is approved, vaccination will remain the best way of defeating Covid-19.”
This week, the Japanese Education Ministry released a report stating that child suicides in Japan has reached a record high in more than four decades. Since schools closed down last year, 415 children from elementary to high-school age have reportedly taken their own lives–more than 100 cases from the previous year. The recent report echoes concerns by medical health experts who believe that the pandemic has resulted in global unprecedented challenges to mental health. Speaking at a conference in the Royal College of Psychiatrist in June 2021, physician Christ Witty stated that the pandemic head led to higher levels of fear and public anxiety, particularly as national lockdowns put a strain on people’s social support and financial vulnerability. “Something that is different is the chronic nature of this pandemic,” Whitty added. “This has provided a significant challenge to the provision of mental health services.”
Afghanistan:
This week, Taliban officials confirmed reports of receiving US humanitarian aid. Despite this, the U.S. still refuses to recognize the Taliban as the leaders of Afghanistan. All this news came from Qatar, the sight of the first talks between the Taliban and the US since US withdrawal in August.
They also reportedly discussed the containment of extremist groups and the continued evacuation of US citizens, leading the US to announce plans this week to continue evacuation flights from Afghanistan.
Another issue broached was the inclusion of women in the workplace and in education, coming at the same time as reports of women still being barred from education. The measure was implemented allegedly temporarily. However, after the takeover in August, most secondary schools were able to begin classes in late September, and women have continued to be absent from the classroom. Taliban leadership continue to claim that women will be kept out of education only until a “safe learning environment” is established.
Taliban leadership have also met with European Union envoys in Doha looking for aid. These talks have resulted in the nation securing 1 billion euros in emergency aid to prevent total economic collapse. Germany also has pledged an additional 600 million, and spoke about plans to evacuate German citizens, but have also refused to recognize Taliban leadership.
Myanmar:
Myanmar’s deposed President testified on Tuesday that the military tried to force him to relinquish power hours before its February 1 coup, warning him he could be seriously harmed if he refused, according to his lawyer. The testimony of Win Myint, his first public comments since he was overthrown, challenges the military’s insistence that no coup took place, and that power had been lawfully transferred to the generals by an acting President. Win Myint was testifying alongside Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel peace laureate and de facto government leader before the coup, at their trial on Tuesday on charges including incitement, stemming from letters bearing their names that were sent to embassies urging them not to recognize the junta. Win Myint, who was Myanmar’s head of state, told the court in the capital Naypyidaw that senior military officials approached him on February 1 and told him to resign due to ill health.
An Indian government-controlled arms maker with high-profile U.S. and European shareholders has been supplying Myanmar, even after the country’s military toppled a democratically elected government on February 1st and killed hundreds of civilians in a bid to crush any resistance, a local rights group has said. The group, Justice for Myanmar, said in a report earlier this month that data obtained from global trade tracking service Panjiva shows that India’s Bharat Electronics Ltd. shipped several parts for a “remote-controlled weapons station” to Mega Hill General Trading Co. Ltd., a known broker for Myanmar’s military, in July.
The United States:
More than 100,000 US workers will strike as a wave of industrial action dubbed “Striketober” hits America. On Thursday, 10,000 workers at farm equipment maker John Deere walked out over pay and conditions. This is to be followed by a strike of some 60,000 TV and film crew workers on Monday and 24,000 nurses could also protest. There is a rise in US union activity after decades of decline being seen among workers after labour shortage that has forced them to push up wages for the lowest paid. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez has also shown her support for the action using the hashtag #Striketober which has gone viral.On Monday, Indigenous people of the United States celebrated the Indigenous day with celebrations and protests across the country. During protests, they demanded the Biden administration to do more to combat climate change and ban fossil fuels. “As long as you’re on Native land and stolen land, it’s Indigenous People’s Day,” said Ms. Pavlat, a cultural interpreter at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington. While, Spanish right-wing politician slammed Biden for recent acknowledgement of the atrocities suffered by Indigenous people of the U.S. by Spanish colonists which the leader of the conservative popular party, Pablo Casado has described as “the most important event in history after the Roman empire”, on the eve of Spain’s 12 October holiday marking Christopher Columbus’s 1492 arrival in the New World. The statement was released after Biden stated the explorer’s arrival had led to “a wave of devastation” for Native Americans and he urged Americans not to “bury these shameful episodes of our past”.
A United States court of appeals reinstated the Texas abortion law that bans most abortions after six weeks after a federal judge blocked its implementation earlier this week. The Biden administration also filed an emergency motion to stop the bill from enforcing after huge protests across the United States.
While the Taliban on Saturday agreed for cooperation with the U.S. to contain the extremist groups in Afghanistan but ruled out the position of the U.S. on containing the Islamic State being established in Afghanistan after U.S. troops withdrawal in August.On Sunday, Approximately 170 Haitian children returned to Port-au-Prince, Haiti in one day with their parents after being expelled from the U.S. and Cuba as reported by UNICEF. Most of them left the U.S. after the August earthquake hit the country.
Cuba:
Cuba had earlier announced it will be conducting annual military exercises on the date of planned human rights protests around the country. Because of this clash of events, the initially planned protests across the country for November 20 was switched and the group Archipelago, consisting of government critics, asked the government for permission. But the government on Tuesday denied government opponents permission to stage what they said would be a peaceful march for civil liberties in the capital Havana and a few other provinces on grounds that it was part of efforts to overthrow the government, according to a letter handed to organizers. “National Defense Day” is being celebrated on the 20th during which citizens practice preparedness for a U.S. invasion. The fallback date of the 15th, however, falls on the same day Cuba plans to reopen tourism after two years of shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. Cuban activists however are positive and say the pro-democracy march will go ahead despite the government’s disapproval.
Alejandro Behmaras, the first Secretary of the Permanent Mission of Cuba to the UN, stressed how unilateral coercive measures are violating a wide range of human rights, regardless of their objectives´ nature. He called it a hostile policy and further added that such a policy was deliberately and opportunistically tightened amid the Covid-19 pandemic to unprecedented levels. The US blockade is a massive, flagrant and systematic violation of all Cuban people’s human rights. It breaches the UN Charter and international law, Behmaras said.
Nicaragua:
On Friday, Nicaragua’s Foreign Minister Denis Moncada Colindres spoke at the Anadolu Agency on an official visit to Turkey. Colindres spoke on the similar foreign policy both countries are following. He agreed that Turkey and Nicaragua are in favor of strengthening the principles of international law and their shared criticism of the US and EU aggressive actions towards both nations. During the meeting he also pushed to have a Nicaraguan embassy opened in Turkey.
Opposition groups met on Thursday October 7th, 2021, to declare their joint rejection of the upcoming election on November 7th, encourage the international community to declare the illegitimacy of the election and call for increased sanctions. There are still divisions among the opposition parties. In an opinion piece one activist wrote, “Of course a total or perfect unity is not going to be achieved. There will be groups that prefer to continue working on their own and there will be other platforms and coalitions that will continue to function. That is fine.” Activists believe that uniting all forces within the opposition will help them be more effective.
Bolivia:
On Monday, October 10, Bolivian opposition protested in the streets of the country’s biggest cities, decrying Luis Arce’s government for “political persecution.” They are demanding the release of political prisoners, including former president Jeanine Anex and the mayors of La Paz, Cochabamba, and the governor of Santa Cruz. Protestors are also demanding legislative reform, specifically, the overruling of a law enabling the government to investigate the assets of any citizen without a court order, and force lawyers and journalists to reveal clients’ and correspondents’ (respectively) information. The biggest protests occurred in La Paz, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz, and Tarija, with police reportedly firing teargas at protestors.
A few days later, on October 14, the bill in question was withdrawn by the government. The announcement was made by the minister of the presidency, María Nela Prada, who cited that the reason for the government’s decision was to reduce fear mongering from the opposition, who is allegedly using the bill to spread disinformation and alarm the public. Nonetheless, Prada also admits that the government had inadequately socialized the bill, thus stoking fear, and added that the government always has the Bolivian people’s best interest in mind.
Belarus:
Now Belarusians who subscribe to social media channels deemed “extremist” face up to seven years in prison under new proposals published by the authorities on Wednesday. Noting how social media channels were used to coordinate demonstrations and sharing of footage from the protests during last year’s mass street protests against President Alexander Lukashenko, the government is planning to take yet another decision that hampers people’s freedom of speech. Some of the most well-known Telegram channels were categorised as “extremist” after the protests began. This list includes NEXTA, which has nearly 1 million subscribers and Telegram channel of the TUT.BY news portal with 500,000 subscibers.The saga of EU accusations on Belarus of luring global migrants into other European countries continues. Poland’s government announced on Thursday that it plans to build a new barrier on its border with Belarus. Poland’s foreign ministry has also summoned the Belarusian charge d’affaires for the second time on Thursday after Polish police found yet another body of a migrant near the border with Belarus. Questions about the situation at the frontier and discussions on the humanitarian convoy which Poland wants to be allowed into Belarus were the highlight of this meeting. Now Germany’s federal police department has stated that more than 4,300 people illegally crossed the border from Poland this year, with most of the migrants coming from Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Iran. The number of migrants coming from the “Belarus route” increased from 26 people in January to July this year, to 474 in August, 1,914 in September and 1,934 during the first 11 days of October. All these people arrived in Germany without authorisation.
Russia’s foreign minister discussed the Russian media situation in Belarus on Thursday following the arrest of a journalist who worked for a top Russian newspaper and the subsequent shutdown of the news site because of a report about the shootings in the capital of Belarus. The authorities have arrested more than 200 people who posted social media comments about the incident.
Georgia:
Thousands of supporters of former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili, jailed after returning to Georgia from exile this month, protested in Tbilisi on the 15th to demand his release as his lawyer called on them to help save the country. The rally attracted the most protesters since pro-Western Saakashvili’s arrest on October 1st for abuse of power and concealing evidence when he was president, charges he says are politically motivated. Saakashvili, president until 2013, led the Rose Revolution in 2003 that ended the presidency of Eduard Shevardnadze. He is a figurehead for some in the opposition, but derided as a clown by detractors in the ruling Georgian Dream party. Protester Misha Mshvildadze said: “This is not justice what’s going on with him, this is a political vendetta.”
Saakashvili has also been on a hunger strike in jail, and allegedly needs treatment in the hospital as his condition is worsening. Georgia’s penitentiary service said in a statement such claims were untrue and Saakashvili’s condition was “satisfactory”. He had declared a hunger strike on October 1st, was arrested after returning to Georgia, having lived abroad for years. Georgia sentenced him in 2018 for abuse of power and concealing evidence when he was president.
China:
Chinese President Xi Jinping slammed the protesters and issued a warning against dissent, saying any attempt to divide China will end in “bodies smashed and bones ground to powder”, the statement was made during the visit to the state of Nepal. Although He didn’t mention any particular region, it was seen as a warning to Hong Kong, where anti-Beijing protests have been ongoing for months as on Sunday the peaceful protest turned into clashes. In the past few days, 100 academicians in Hong Kong have grouped together to defend the academic freedoms of Hong Kong in response to the threat posed by article 38 of Hong Kong’s new national security law, putting pressure on China.
Xi Jinping on Saturday stated that ‘reunification’ with Taiwan must happen peacefully and did not mention the use of force despite the display of aggression in Taiwan’s air defense zone. In recent months China has increased pressure on independently governed Taiwan. China has revealed that it had foiled “hundreds of espionage attempts” by the island’s agents to sabotage efforts to reunify it with the mainland. Also, Microsoft in its 2021 Digital Defence Report revealed that Chinese hackers are targeting varsities in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Taiwan times revealed that between July 2020 and June 2021, 47% of China’s targets are government entities. These universities in HK and Taiwan act as hubs for Beijing resistance movements against mainland China.
China is set to join the United Nations Human Rights Council with Russia, Saudi Arabia, Cuba and Pakistan. While the Rights campaigners voiced concern over their elections as elected countries must “uphold the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights”. Nigel Adams speaking at yesterday’s Westminster Hall debate on China’s policies towards Uighurs stated that the UK government would stick to its policy of refusing to comment on UN elections by secret ballot.
Hong Kong:
A 26-foot-high sculpture commemorating the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre is set to be removed from the campus of the University of Hong Kong in what activists see as the latest sign of Beijing’s suppression of freedom in Hong Kong. The university set a deadline of Wednesday for the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, an activist group that was forced to disband last month, to take the memorial down. Representatives of the now-defunct group have asked for more time, due to a typhoon that has battered the territory in recent days, but it’s not clear if the extension would be granted. As of Wednesday evening local time, the memorial appears to remain at the university.
A second mega court aimed at clearing a backlog of cases arising from the anti-government protests in Hong Kong two years ago will accommodate up to 250 people and be available for use in mid-2023. The judiciary on Wednesday said the new space at the District Court building in Wan Chai Tower would help judges process 249 pending criminal trials, many of which were connected with the social unrest and involved a large number of defendants and lawyers.
Hong Kong police to trial new anti-riot weapon for tackling violent disorder. Frontline officers will be equiped with a new anti-riot weapon they say is capable of firing irritant pepper solution at targets with more accuracy than offered by existing hardware while inflicting less harm. The force said some of its officers would be supplied on a three-month trial basis with the pistol-shaped OC launcher, an upgrade designed to deliver a faster and safer response to violent disorder. In the wake of the 2019 social unrest, the force said it needed to obtain alternative weapons that were more effective at minimising the impact on those who were not the intended target.
Indonesia:
Activists are criticising the Indonesian government for pushing ahead with plans for establishing a military reserve (Komcad)–a branch of the military composed of civilian-soldiers. The latest development of which came last week, when President Joko Widodo announced the inauguration of around 3,100 civilians as military reservists. The law to establish a military reserve was passed in 2019 but is currently under judicial review after being contested by a number of activists and civilian groups at the Constitutional Court. These groups include the Commision for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), and the Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (ELSAM).
A significant concern over establishing a military reserve comes from Indonesia’s violent past with communism (the civilian security guard or Pam Swakarsa during the New Order) and current separatist movements (the Free Papua Movement). The 2019 law contains a provision that allows reservists to be mobilized during manmade conflict (terrorism threats, separatism, communismn, terrorism) and natural disasters. Because of this provision, activists are concerned that the military reserves could be used to harm civilians and cause horizontal conflict in communities.
Also this week, the Indonesian police experienced one of their worst PR crises in recent years when the hashtag #PercumaLaporPolisi (there’s no use going to the police) went viral. The hashtag was started by an alternative media platform called Project Multatuli, who published a story about a mother in East Luwu (in South Sulawesi), who reported her ex-husband to the police for sexually abusing her children but was dismissed due to a “lack of evidence.” The hashtag went viral as users on social media started posting their own police complaints–this comes as no surprise. According to the Indonesian Ombudsman, in 2020 they received 699 complaints about the police, with 12 of them being unresolved high-profile cases. Since #PercumaLaporPolisi went viral, Project Multatuli’s website was taken down by a DDoS cyber attack.
Thailand:
Citizens in Bangkok are outraged because of the government’s poor handling of the highly transmissible Delta COVID-19 variant. Anti-government protesters are taking to the streets, despite the risks of getting infected, becoming injured, or being arrested. Still, activists say that they will continue to protest in favor of the resignation of Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-O-Cha. There are minimal vaccines available for citizens, even those who are most at risk of being infected. Muktita Suhartono and Hannah Beech, who report from Bangkok for the New York Times, said, “This summer’s vaccine rollout, already late, was further hampered by manufacturing delays. A company with no experience making vaccines, whose dominant shareholder is Thailand’s king, was given the contract to produce the AstraZeneca vaccine domestically. The government’s failure to secure adequate imported supplies has made matters worse.”
Thailand commemorated Wednesday the fifth anniversary of the death of King Bhumibol, who was on the throne for 70 years, with religious ceremonies and floral offerings countrywide.
In the early hours of the morning, a dozen Buddhist bonzes prayed for the late monarch at Siriraj hospital in Bangkok, where he died at 3:52 p.m. local time on Oct. 13, 2016 at 88 after a long illness. In the afternoon, thousands were expected to lay flowers in the memory of the king, considered by royalists as the “father of the nation”. Since his death, authorities decreed this day a national holiday. Prime Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-ocha also participated in another commemoration ceremony at the government headquarters, where a huge photo of the king presides over an altar surrounded by white and yellow flowers, colors linked to the monarch.
Iran:
Iran has agreed to participate in further talks about the Nuclear Deal with the EU in Brussels in the coming days. The deal, which has stalled since June, has been picked up by the EU in response to Western powers’ loss in patience, as the deal has been stalled since June.
Iran’s new President, in his first speech in the UN as a leader, decried U.S. sanctions as a method of war against his nation, stating “Sanctions are the U.S.’ new way of war with the nations of the word.” He also claimed that the continued use of methods such as sanctions during the COVID-19 crisis is tantamount to “crimes against humanity,” as they have made international purchasing of medicine and equipment very difficult. In US President Biden’s speech at the U.N. he stated that the US “remains committed to preventing Iran from gaining a nuclear weapon” The US, and more importantly it’s allies in Gulf Arab states and Israel, don’t want Iran gaining rival military power.
In response to reports of Israeli military presence in Azerbaijan, Iran and Azerbaijan had a diplomatic crisis. This week, the nations agreed to respect each other’s principles, and mend ties through dialogue.
Iraq:
Elections occurring in Iraq this week had the lowest turnout in years due to citizens’ decreased support for the democratic system brought in post 2003. Only 41% of eligible voters participated in the election last Sunday. Results were released online on Monday, showing that populist Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr’s bloc gained the most parliament seats, gaining control in multiple provinces including Baghdad. The number of seats held by the group has grown from 54 to 70, again showing the citizens of Iraq’s disapproval for western influence, as the head of the party Al-Sadr, is infamous for leading an insurgency against the US forces in the 2003 invasion. He is also known for speaking out against Iranian influence in Iraq.
The Fatah Alliance, headed by paramilitary leader Hadi al-Ameri, and made up of pro-Iranian Shiite groups affiliated with Iranian Popular Mobilization forces and other militias, lost more than half of the seats gained in the 2018 elections, leaving less than 24 seats.Under the law, the bloc which wins the most seats chooses the Prime Minister. Despite Al-Sadr’s gain in power, most blocs held the remaining seats, leaving no clear winner. Other blocs, many of which are pro-Iranian, must work with Al-Sadr, who will have more political power due to the gaining of seats, to pick a PM. However, many of the pro-Iran blocks still hold the coercive power of violence, with the Hashed having over 160,000 armed men.
Already, pro-Iran groups have claimed that the elections were manipulated, likely due to their loss in power in parliament. Figureheads of such groups have claimed that they will not accept the results “whatever the cost”, going further to claim that the Hashd al-Shaabi brothers are the victims.
Sudan:
Facebook has announced it will remove multiple accounts, Facebook Groups and pages connected to Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). In Facebook’s report from the Coordinated Inauthentic Behavior (CIB) it states the exact number of activities in corporation with the group that have been removed are the following: 116 pages, 666 Facebook accounts, 69 groups and 92 accounts. The accounts were removed because they violated the platforms guidelines. The official statement from Facebook said, “…they combine deceptive techniques with the real-world power of a state.” The platform went on to explain that the danger these accounts posed due to their praise of the military and criticism of opposing factors.
Since the overthrow of Omar Al Bashir in 2019, the government has not been transparent about the country’s issues in the banking and financial sector. The financial advisors finally gave an update stating that to rebuild the economy the country needs to prioritize banking reform. In a document called the Sudan Banking Sector Reforms and Asset Recovery written by the Sentry’s Senior Advisor Oliver Windridge, he offers recommendations on how Sudan can create democratic and creative economic rebuilding.
Sudan security forces have enacted a travel ban targeting top civilian government politicians. The politicians who are affected by the ban are primarily the officials overseeing the democratic transition. This ban is considered to be a sign that tensions continue to boil after an attempted coup last month. Military leaders blame the civilian government for encouraging the coup, however the civilian government disputes this accusation.
Uganda:
The Kasubi tombs, tombs erected by King Mukaabya Walugembe Muteesa I in 1856, were mysteriously torched by a fire on March 16th, 2010. The tombs hold the remains of four former kings of Buganda a Bantu kingdom. The fire was set just nine years after being declared a UNESCO world heritage site. The restoration of the tombs began this year. The current Katikkiro (prime minister) Charles Peter Mayiga says it will take time to construct because there are compulsory rituals that must be performed. The people of Buganda believe that repairing the tombs is a debt owed to them from the Mayiga administration because eight years ago he had a deadline that the structure would be rebuilt in only a year.
Twenty-seven Ugandans are stuck in dentation facilities in China following arrests as they were found to have stayed illegally in the country after the expiration of their visas. Ugandan’s Foreign Affairs Ministry has reportedly asked the embassy in Beijing to ensure the release and repatriation of people detained, which some sources reports are students.
The United Kingdom as issued a report that there is heightened risk of a potential terrorist groups attack in Uganda. The UK has urged their nationals to be vigilant and avoid large gatherings of people. While local police state there is no need to elevate the threat levels, the police spokesman Fred Enanga has confirmed there are sleeper cells of terrorists groups within Uganda. In a statement Enanga said, “despite the emerging sleeper cells our terror alert levels are not elevated yet.” Authorities have reported that efforts to break apart suspected terrorist cells. Ugandan security officials have recently accused the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) of attempting to carry out an attack. This statement by the UK could severely hamper Ugandan’s tourism, a sector of the economy that has already been suffering due to the pandemic, as at least 35,000 tourists from the UK visit Uganda every year.
Zimbabwe:
This week Zimbabwe welcomed the United Nations Special Rapporteur Dr. Alena Douhan to evaluate the impact of sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by Western nations. In a statement, spokesperson for the ruling party Zanu PF, Dr. Mike Bimha said, “Zanu PF is fully convinced that the Special Rapporteur will be able to witness and uncover how these sanctions have been causing untold suffering to our people as well as the Government and business.” The report by the Special Rapporteur will be reviewed on October 25th when the Southern African Development Community (SADC) will decide if they want to call for the unconditional removal of economic sanctions which have hindered Zimbabwe’s development.
In efforts to reduce vaccine hesitancy in rural areas, members of the Christian Apostolic church have decided to start a new campaign. Many church congregants do not trust modern medicine and are skeptical about receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Followers believed in the religious guidelines to avoid medicines and medical care but to see healing through their faith alone. Yvonne Binda is a vaccine advocate working to build trust with the community and increase vaccination rates. Binda says it’s a hard discussion and many people continue to resist. In the rural town of Seke acknowledged soap and masks as a way to protect against the virus but still believe that faith alone will protect them from the virus.
CANVAS Weekly Update – October 8th, 2021
Dear Friends,
CANVAS is delighted to bring you another issue of our weekly report! In this issue, we cover the latest updates on the U.S.-China diplomatic tensions, updates from the conflict in Afghanistan, growing cases of media freedom restrictions in Belarus, and more.
Conflict Update:
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, international attention is brought to the July walkout of Bosnian Serbs from state institutions, as well as the recent threats from Bosnian Serb groups that they intend to separate the Republika Srpska, a Serb-dominated region, from the rest of the country. This pullout would include the defecting of Bosnian Serb soldiers out of the Bosnian army, as well as the creation of a Republika Srpska army. Another measure threatened was noncompliance with the state taxation system. In the Gaza strip, Palestinians protested a deal made between the US and the United Nation’s agency for Palestinian refugees, claiming the deal violated Palestinian rights and sovereignty. Outside of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees’ , they protsted guidelines that “cancel[led] the rights of return for refugees.” The money given by the US is conditional on vetting aid receivers to make sure they are not receiving military training, part of a guerilla group, or the Palestinian Liberation Army. Another measure includes monitoring school curriculum in Palestine. Some objections by protesters were that the “UNRWA will act as a security agent for the US,” and that “The UN agency has no right to sign a contract at the expense of refugees’ interests and impose restrictions on their freedom of expression under the pretext of neutrality.” This is made more severe by the fact that this deal was penned without consultation of any Palestinian body. Early this year Colombia, due to controversial tax plans, strikes and protest movements grew commonplace, as well as violent police reactions to them. An estimated 60 protestors are dead as a result. Five years ago, the acting government signed a truce with Marxist Guerilla Front FARC. The following president scrapped this deal. Now, there are reports of 1,900 Colombia rebel groups being given safe harbor in Venezuela. Venezuela’s President Maduro has denied such claims, but in the past has expressed sympathy to the leftist rebel groups and openly welcomed some guerilla group leaders.
Coronavirus Update:
On Thursday, October 7, Pfizer and Biotech announced they officially submitted a request to US authorities for emergency use of their vaccine for children aged 5-11 years old. The request, which was submitted to the Food and Drug Association (FDA), will be reviewed near the end of October. According to White House Covid response coordinator Jeffrey Zients, if the companies’ request is approved, the new vaccine could be ready as early as November. Zients added: “We are ready. We have the supply.” Meanwhile, policymakers around the world have been debating whether to recommend single or double doses of mRNA vaccines like Pfizer’s. Officials are concerned about a rare side effect of these vaccines: myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart. Although this side effect is rare and only significant after the second dose, several countries like Hong Kong, Norway, and Britain, have chosen to mitigate the risks and recommend a single dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children ages 12 and older. Also on Thursday, October 7, the World Health Organization (WHO) shipped Covid aid supplies to North Korea through the Chinese port city Dalian. The WHO had confirmed its support for North Korea in its latest weekly report for South and East Asia. The report also stated the organization will deliver more shipments to North Korea in the coming weeks for “strategic stockpiling and further dispatch.” North Korea, who has restricted cross-border traffic for the past two years and has not reported a single case of COVID-19, has previously declined its vaccine allotment from the UN-backed COVAX distribution programme. Analysts speculate North Korea is uneasy about international monitoring requirements which accompany vaccine donations.
Afghanistan:
Despite humanitarian aid from the US and China, many Afghans are subject to economic catastrophe. Due to income loss, cash shortages, and rising prices of basic goods, combined with the added stress of potential bank collapses, there is widespread food insecurity and economic issues. The UN has warned that such a collapse would make the already present risk of malnutrition and famine much worse. The World Food Program has released data showing that 90% of Afghan families do not have enough food for daily consumption. Another data set shows 50% claiming that at least once in the last two weeks they have run out of food. The UN is estimating that without substantial change, over 1 million children could possibly face acute malnutrition this year. This economic crisis is a problem caused by the international community’s desire to sanction the Talbian government. The Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund was used to pay civil servants and essential workers salaries. Due to the stoppage in the World Bank administered payments, essential services such as health and education systems are collapsing due to employees not being paid. Banks, both foreign and international, due to large cash-outs and lack of new supplies, don’t have the money to cover withdrawals. This leads Afghans to be unable to access the money they do have. While last week the US Treasury authorized electronic transfers with Afghan banks for humanitarian purposes, this money as well can not be withdrawn as banks lack the currency to do so. The Taliban has no ability to print money, Afghan currency is printed by European companies. Because most of the country’s money comes from export income and donor money, if there is no avenue to withdraw money and obtain new currency, more economic problems will arise. The aid the US plans to provide: $45 million, which will not be paper money. The Taliban have been accused of the killings of 13 ethnic Hazaras by Amnesty International, elevating suspicion that the Taliban plan to target ethnic groups such as the Shia. Eleven of those killed worked for the Afghan National Security Forces. The report claims that nine of the killings were extrajudicial executions that took place after surrender, and the other deaths were caused by shooting at the crowd.
Myanmar:
The United States:
Cuba:
Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, artist whose performances and hunger strikes have inspired a pro-democracy artists’ movement in Cuba, is on a hunger strike again to bring into attention the incarceration of hundreds of protestors from July 11. He is currently imprisoned in Guanajay on the charges of assault, contempt of the authorities and resisting police. His family and peers have been kept in the dark regarding his condition according to a Facebook post made by his partner Claudia Genlui, who posted on the platform about his decision to go on hunger strike last week. After this announcement, two other activists – Art historian Carolina Barrero and poet Afrika Reina started a voluntary fast. Tania Bruguera, another prominent activist, used the hashtag #ImmoralBiennial to draw attention to the island’s largest visual arts event. She has urged visitors to boycott the 2021 show and says she leaves the decision of boycott “up to their conscience” for Cuban locals. Earlier Bruguera had negotiated the release of 25 other imprisoned activists in exchange for her leaving the country. The regime has agreed to release some of the detainees, such as Hamlet Lavastida, who was forcibly exiled to Poland with his partner writer Katherine Bisquet, along with other younger protestors. Tania’s sister Deborah Bruguera mentioned that she was escorted to the airport by a dozen agents to ensure she left the country. Cuba plans to conduct annual military exercises on Nov. 18-19, leading up to a day of civilian defence preparedness on Nov. 20. The date is clashing with Nov. 20 demonstrations on human rights around the country called by a Facebook group named Archipelago. This conduct of military exercise just before the protests is with the intention to further militarize the country for 20N said Yunior Garcia, administrator of Archipelago and leader of the planned protests. Archipelago has requested permission for marches in various cities on Nov. 20, to which the government has yet to respond. Meanwhile, Pharmaceutical corporation BioCubaFarma has shared news that Nicaragua has authorised two Cuban-made coronavirus vaccines to be used in the Central American nation.
Nicaragua:
Vice President Rosario Murillo announced on Tuesday that the Nicaragua government would receive seven million doses of the Cuban coronavirus vaccine. Murillo explained that the vaccines will be used to inoculate children from ages two-through-seventeen. Information related to COVID-19 deaths is tightly controlled by the government. The government reports that the country has only had 891 COVID-19 related deaths, however civic groups estimate that there have been around 5,551 deaths. It is not clear if Cuba donated or sold the vaccines to Nicaragua. The executive producer and series creator of the popular American teen drama, “Riverdale” made a plea for the release of his father who was detained as a political prisoner. Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa said that his 77-year-old father was the former Nicaraguan foreign minister and has been sitting in Nicaragua’s notorious “Nuevo Chipote” prison. Aguirre-Sacasa said that his father was arrested as him and his wife (Aguirre-Sacasa’s mother) drove to Costa Rica to get on a flight to the United States for hip replacement surgery however they were turned away at the border. On the way back home Aguirre-Sacasa’s father was arrested. Even with the severity of his father’s situation, Aguirre-Sacasa wants to use this opportunity to bring attention to the atrocities committed by President Ortega and his administration. Nicaragua activists working with indigenous community reported that one person was shot dead and three are missing after an attack on indigenous miners on Wednesday. Amaru Ruiz, the director of the Del Río Foundation said that the attack happened on the Nicaragua’s Caribbean coast and suggested it was an attack by settlers invading on indigenous Mayangna land. The protected land has been hit by illegal mining and logging even though it has the status of conserved area. This is one of several attacks that have resulted in the deaths of dozens of Miskito and Mayangna people. Activists report that the President Ortega and his administration have not taken any action to address the issue.
Bolivia:
The Civic Committee for Santa Cruz reiterated that it will proceed with a national strike against the government on October 11. The committee is formed out of different civic representatives, opposition politicians, and activists, including: the National Committee in Defense of Democracy (Conade), the governor of Santa Cruz, the legislators of the Citizen Community (CC) and former president Jeanine Añez’s daughter, Carolina Ribera. Among other demands, the committee is calling for the government to stop alleged political persecution and human rights violations conducted by the Judicial Branch and Prosecutor’s Office. They also demanded the government free its political prisoners, including former president Jeanine Añez. Additionally, the committee is opposed to the approval of a recent bill for the legitimization of illicit profits. In response to the announcement, the Ministry of Labor announced on Thursday, October 7 that those who participate in the strike would face economic and administrative sanctions. On why this is the case, according to director general of labor, Arturo Alessandri, absence from work on Monday would constitute an “unjustified absence.”
Belarus:
After the Belarusian security forces shot dead Jewish dissident Andrei Zeltzer last week, hundreds of opponents of the authoritarian regime have been arrested in recent days. Andrei Zeltzer was a 31-year-old programmer who opposed the Lukashenko regime. He was shot during a raid at his home in Minsk Tuesday. Protests come after a state television channel called STV delivered a critique of Zeltzer that echoed antisemitic criticism often applied to Jews in the Soviet Union, to which Belarus belonged. Many of Belarus’s Jews, especially among the younger generations, are displeased by the lack of democratic representation and an independent judiciary in the country. A new criminal probe has been launched against independent news website Tut.by, whereby an unspecified number of Tut.by staff members are suspected of jointly inciting social hatred or discord, the Investigative Committee of Belarus said on October 7. If charged and convicted, the suspects would face up to 12 years in prison. This incident adds to the continuing crackdown on independent media and freedom of speech. Komsomolskaya Pravda, a popular Russian newspaper has shut down its branch in Belarus after one of its local staff was arrested last week in the wake of a shootout that left an opposition supporter and a security officer dead. On Monday, Belarus parliament passed a legislation allowing the country to refuse to take back migrants from the EU. With that Belarus is suspending the 2020 readmission deal with the EU. This could worsen tensions on the borders with Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. Shots were fired at the Polish troops by Belarusian forces amid migration pressure. Officials stated that no one was hurt and the shots are assumed to be blank ammunition. On Tuesday, Lithuanian MEP Andrius Kubilius, a former prime minister, told the house in Strasbourg that “Lukashenko must be taken to the International Court of Justice.” His position was supported by German Green MEP Sergey Lagodinsky. Members of the European Parliament are poised to increase their pressure for the international prosecution of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on charges of involvement in mass torture and repressions, this demand is likely to make it into a European Parliament resolution to be voted through the full house this Thursday.
Georgia:
Georgia’s ruling party, the Georgian Dream party, won with a significant lead in a municipal election, winning 46.7% of votes to 30.7% for the United National Movement (UNM). The UNM was founded by former president Mikheil Saakashvili, who was arrested the day before the elections after he had returned from exile to support the opposition. In the capital Tbilisi, incumbent mayor Kakha Kaladze won 45% of the vote, while the chairman of the opposition UNM, Nika Melia, received 34%. As no candidate won more than 50%, the city will hold a second round on Oct. 30. Melia was jailed for three months earlier this year on charges of fomenting violence, which he rejected as politically motivated. His release in May was part of an EU-brokered agreement aimed at resolving Georgia’s political crisis. Saakashvili’s incarceration has sparked international concern and looks set to deepen domestic divides within Georgian society as the country braces for a series of second-round run-off votes in major cities including Tbilisi. The former president remains defiant and has called on supporters to mobilize ahead of coming run-off ballots, while the authorities have rejected calls for his release.
China:
Rights campaigner and journalist Sophia Huang Xueqin and labour activist Wang Jianbing who were said to have disappeared in September are confirmed to be detained by Guangzhou police. However, Guangzhou police refused to disclose what charges high-profile women’s rights campaigner and freelance journalist Sophia Huang Xueqin and labour activist Wang Jianbing were facing, or where they were being held. In their first talks on China for a full year, leaders of the European Union’s 27 member states discussed the need to “rebalance” the bloc’s relationship with Beijing in their first talks on china this year. The talk revolved around issues such as climate change, an investment deal struck in December that “remains de facto frozen”. The Chinese foreign ministry blamed freedom of navigation operations and demanded answers on US nuclear submarine accident in South China Sea amid warnings by analysts regarding Complex underwater terrain and ongoing nuclear submarine arms race. China along with Russia has also asked the UN to check biological warfare strength of US and allies in a joint statement. Regarding Taiwan’s position, US President Joe Biden mentioned to have spoken to Chinese President Xi Jinping after Beijing sent a record number of military aircraft into the self-ruled island’s air defence zone (ADIZ). Officials from Taiwan said ties with China are at their worst in 40 years. President Tsai Ing-wen said that although Taiwan wants to prevent military conflict, it will “spare no effort” to defend itself. Tsai said Taiwan was seeking to strengthen its ties with the United States, Australia, India and Japan – the so-called Quad pact – and Asean nations.
Hong Kong:
Hong Kong is at a new start for development under a national security law imposed last year, leader Carrie Lam said on Wednesday as she unveiled plans for tackling a long-standing housing shortage in the Chinese-ruled city. Authorities in Hong Kong and Beijing have long blamed unaffordable housing in the former British colony for deep-rooted resentment that they say helped fuel anti-government protests in 2019. At the center of plans announced by Lam in her last policy address in this term of office is a Northern Metropolis on the border with the mainland’s technology hub of Shenzhen, covering 300 square kilometers. It will ultimately have some 926,000 homes – more than half to be newly built – for some 2.5 million people. Hong Kong authorities on Thursday said they have made their largest smuggling bust, seizing goods including endangered species worth an estimated $26.9 million. The government said the smuggling ring operated using speedboats and that four trucks were also impounded in the raid. It said a 34-year-old man was arrested in the operation that began in June and more details were set to be released. A statement said the customs department and the marine police small boat division descended on the smugglers who were operating in the city’s New Territories close to mainland China on Sept. 23.
Indonesia:
The recent Pandora Papers leak has exposed two of Indonesia’s coordinating ministers. The papers, which involve more than 117 countries, revealed that the ministers had established offshore shell companies in tax havens through a financial service company called Trident Trust. The ministers in question include coordinating maritime affairs and investment minister Luhut Pandjaitan and coordinating economic affairs minister Airlangga Hartarto. In other news, this week, President Joko Widodo approved a request to grant amnesty to Saiful Mahdi, a lecturer at Syiah Kuala University in Aceh. Mahdi was imprisoned last month for defamation under the notoriously controversial Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law. Mahdi’s release is thanks to the Advocacy Coalition for Saiful Mahdi, which is composed of various non-governmental groups such as: the Darussalam Alliance for Academic Freedom (ADuKA), Amnesty International Indonesia, Asia Justice and Rights (AJAR), Change.org Indonesia, and the Constitutional and Administrative Law Society (CALS). In a public statement, the Advocacy Coalition has also expressed thanks to coordinating politics, law, and security minister Mahfud MD, who was allegedly key to Mahdi’s amnesty.
Thailand:
Police in Thailand said Thursday they are seeking four suspects in connection with the shooting of a policeman in the head during a violent street protest in Bangkok. The Wednesday night incident, in which the policeman was badly injured, was a major escalation in a series of wild melees that began several months ago between police and militant anti-government protesters demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha. It was the first time a policeman has been shot. The Din Daeng neighborhood has become a battleground. They burn tires and throw fireworks, among other objects, at the police, who respond with tear gas, water cannons, and rubber bullets. Both sides have suffered injuries. The protests are an offshoot of a pro-democracy movement that began in early 2020 against Prayuth’s government, which it says is undemocratic, and the underlying political system, particularly a military-imposed constitution, that it considers unfair. Thailand will increase the visitor tax much higher than previously anticipated beginning in January 2022. Initially, a fee of 300 baht (AU$12.20) per arriving tourist was approved. The idea has been reintroduced, and the amount of money the government intended to charge visitors has been increased to 500 baht (AU$20.32). Based on the 10 million tourists expected to visit Thailand in 2022, the government will earn AU$200 million. Officials stated that the fund would be used to develop and maintain tourism destinations throughout the country however, the tax will effectively drive out backpacker and low economic value tourism, resulting in fewer tourists who spend more money.
Iran:
On Thursday, video evidence broadcast on the Iran News Network showed Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps intercepting U.S. speedboats in the Persian Gulf. The U.S. Navy unit that is responsible for this maritime area denied the event ever took place. It appears that the confrontation was an attempt by Iran to push back against U.S. interference, with the video showing a speed chase, with Iranian forces saying “Let’s get closer and give them a warning.” Tensions between the two nations have been aggravated due to the international pressure of the Iran Nuclear Deal, which remains to be settled. Reports of Iran opposition groups and allies using drones to carry out airstrikes confirmed a statement by Israeli PM Naftali Bennet that claimed Iran has used the drone in attacks against Saudi Arabia and the US, suggesting that Iran planned to rule “the skies of the Middle East with this lethal force.” This report is confirmed only by an exiled opposition group member of The Quds Force of the elite Revolutionary Guards. The source claims that there are eight facilities in Iran to assemble drones, and provided images of such facilities that were unable to be verified. To produce them, Iran has had to smuggle engines and electric components from China, and materials from Turkey and South Korea. The source also claims that there is now a UAV Command unit of the Aerospace force. Other claims include that the country has brought members of pro-Iran militias into the country in order to train them in the use of drones. particularly in Syria, where Iran is invested in supporting president Assad, there are claims that Iran has used drones to attack Syrian opposition.
Iraq:
For the first time, Iraqi citizens will vote for candidates rather than parties. Reportedly this measure was implemented to gain support for the state in a country where youth-led protesting is becoming more commonplace.The decision to hold this early election, originally scheduled for 2022, is a result of the widespread protests in 2019 that demanded punishment for corruption and poor services. In the upcoming elections taking place this Sunday, candidates will be able to run without a party affiliation. Over 3,200 of those seeking offices claim to be “free of affiliations with the powerful blocs in parliament,” but many claim this move is just for show. Some candidates who claim independent status have had strong partisan ties in the past. Iraq announced plans to increase its production of crude oil by 60% in the next six years. In accordance with such plans, the country is reportedly investing in infrastructure to support such increases in exports. One of these measures is an offshore pipeline. The country has been in talks with oil giant Chevron to create four new “exploration blocks” in southern Iraq, and expects to sign a deal with them.
Sudan:
On October 5th, Sudan’s General Intelligence Service reported that four suspected members of ISIS were killed in a raid inside a residential building in the capital of Khartoum. The raid happened in the same area where last week five members of the General Intelligence Service were killed after going after a reported “cell linked to the Islamic States group”; additionally, on Sunday eight “foreign elements” were arrested in the same district. Witnesses said that they watched the Intelligence Service and the suspected terrorist group exchange gunfire. In total three soldiers were injured; four suspected members were killed, and four members were arrested. Attacks by terrorist groups in Sudan are rare however, Sudan does have a complicated relationship with terrorism. From 1992-1996, the country was home to former al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Last December Sudan was removed from the United States’ list of state sponsors of terrorism. The removal came after Sudan promised to normalize relations with Israel. In a statement to the UN on Thursday, the Human Rights Council asked the UN member states should continue to scrutinize the activities in Sudan. The HRC stated that the transitional efforts by the government have started off strong (positive actions include ratifying key international agreements) but the state still needs to be watched by outside observers. The statement pointed to the increasing violence in Darfur, including mass displacement and civilian casualties, the way security forces avoid investigations by refusing to provide evidence, and unlawful killings of protesters. Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok and other leadership members of ruling coalition were briefed on the dispute between the military and the crisis in eastern Sudan. Ethnic tensions and violence in the East, such as Darfur, have been an issue of concern for the ruling coalition who are looking to expand their base supporters. The Prime Minister wants to include more revolutionary forces including members from the political parties of Justice and Equality Movement and Sudan Liberation Movement-Minni Minnawi. Now the military branch of the government has suspended meetings with the civilian government.
Uganda:
The Telecom firm MTN Uganda IPO is predicted to double what Uganda’s capital market has raised since its inception. Uganda’s Security Exchange stated that it raised $623 million USD since its inception in 1998 and MTN Uganda said that it had already had its approval to list 20% of its shareholding. The Telecom firm MTN Uganda IPO is predicted to double what Uganda’s capital market has raised since its inception. Uganda’s security exchange stated that it raised $623 million USD since its inception in 1998 and MTN Uganda said that it had already had its approval to list 20% of its shareholding. This follows an requisite by the Capital Markets Authority for MTN to sell 20% of its shares with the public; currently, MTN Group owns 96 percent of MTN Uganda. A request by foreign envoys to reopen international schools before the end of the year was rejected by the Education Ministry due to the concerns of COVID-19. Education Minister Janet Museveni justified the decision by saying, “most learners in international schools are day scholars and would easily transmit infections.” This leaves 15 million school students at home since the government shut down schools on the sixth of June. President Yoweri Museveni has allowed religious and social activities, such as weddings and funerals, to resume.
Zimbabwe:
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and the Finance Minister began an investigation into Innscor and other companies accused of using illegal exchange rates. Innscor is a manufacturer of consumer goods and owns many popular fast-food outlets. On Wednesday a story broke that Innscors leading chains were charging customers up to $200 in local currency for products worth one US dollar. This rate is $115 above the Reserve Bank’s official rate of one US dollar to $85. Attention to the illegal exchange rate was exposed as the story began circulating on social media. A spokesperson for the Reserve Bank made a statement of gratitude to the public for exposing the truth, he said, “Perpetrators shall be brought to book. Thank you, Zimbabwe for exposing the rot.” By the end of the year, Zimbabwe’s annual inflation rate could end at 35-53 percent. This was higher than the 25%-35% the central bank had predicted as the local currency dropped on the black market. The Zimbabwe dollar was weakened on the black market from 130 to one US dollar to 170 for electronic transfers. A majority of the economy of Zimbabwe relies on the black-market rare currency even though the central bank continues to insist that the economy can generate a sufficient amount of cash to meet demand. Politicians have been closely monitoring the inflation rate to avoid a currency collapse and hyperinflation.CANVAS Weekly Update – October 1st, 2021
Dear Friends,
CANVAS is delighted to bring you another issue of our weekly report!
In this issue, we cover the latest updates on the Israel-Palestine conflict, the upcoming corruption trial in Myanmar, protests in Sudan for an exclusively civilian government, and more.
Conflict Update:
Israeli forces have killed 3 Palestinians this week in Gaza, Jerusalem, and Burqin. After raiding Burqin to carry out arrests, Israeli forces shot Alaa Nasser Mohammed Zayyoud during a violent confrontation. Reportedly, he was shot four times in close range. During the confrontation, two were injured and two more were arrested. Israa Khuzaima was shot and killed at the Old Town Jerusalem Chain Gate. Before her death, she allegedly tried to stab an officer. After the killings, the Damascus gates were blocked off by Israeli forces. The third death was another shooting at the Gaza-Israeli border gate, where a 40-year-old bird hunter was shot dead. These deaths come after 5 killings in the occupied West Bank on Sunday. During an overnight raid intended to arrest Hamas operatives, five citizens were shot dead in Jenin and Jerusalem. Reportedly, two Israeli soldiers were seriously injured and are now hospitalized. The mother of one of the deceased claims that the Palestinian National Authority are responsible for the raids, citing a recent raid on their home carried out by the group. Rebels in western areas of Cameroon are reported to have killed 15 soldiers and civilians in an ambush last Friday. First, the group used an IED, followed by an anti-tank rocket launcher to stop the convoy of elite rapid intervention forces and civilians. After this, they opened fire on the group. The perpetrators are suspected to be one of the many armed secessionist groups in the nation, the latter of which has been experiencing civil war for years when government forces lethally put down peaceful protests of teachers and lawyers.
Coronavirus Update:
On Tuesday, September 28, Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE submitted initial phase II/III trial data to the FDA for their COVID-19 vaccine in 5-11 year olds. Although, they have yet to submit an official request for emergency use authorization (EUA) in the U.S.. Pfizer said that the submitted data showed that the two-shot vaccine program generated antibody responses and a safety profile in 5-11-year-olds comparable to that of their study on those aged 16 to 25. To note, the younger participants received a 10-microgram-doses per vaccine, whereas older participants received 30 milligrams per vaccine. With Pfizer’s submission of its trial data, medical news outlet BioWorld observed that competition from other international firms like Moderna Inc., Novavax Inc. and Sanofi SA, will fall further behind. Compared to Pfizer, Moderna, which is conducting a study on elementary-aged children, are expecting results later in the year. Additionally, French drugmaker Sanofi are shelving plans for their messenger RNA vaccines, citing that it wasn’t worth pursuing due to the wide availability of those vaccines. Meanwhile, several notable countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, are rolling out booster shots despite pleas from the World Health Organization (WHO) to do otherwise, with the WHO arguing that there is a more pressing need for first doses in poorer countries. Although during the UN’s annual meeting last week, countries pledged to vaccinate 70% of people in countries of all income levels, the British Medical Journal (BMJ) stated that this pledge is, ironically, “a retreat from [a similar] goal set by the UN, WHO, and World Bank to vaccinate 40% of people in low and low-middle income countries by the end of 2021 and 70% by mid-2022. There is now no chance of even approaching the target for 2021.” According to Oxfam president, Abby Maxman, “President Biden and leaders of rich countries should listen to what leaders from developing countries are asking for: the rights and the recipe to make their own vaccine doses.” Maxman is referring to remarks made earlier in the UN summit by leaders from South Africa and India to waive vaccine patent restrictions–something that none of the rich countries’ leaders addressed during the conference, including President Biden. As rich countries are preparing booster shot programmes and buying more high-profile vaccines like Moderna and Pfizer, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that “poorer countries are turning to lesser-known rivals like Abdala, Soberana 2” and other brands that yet to receive approval from the World Health Organization.
Afghanistan:
New reports this week of media restrictions have emerged in Afghanistan. Human Rights Watch has reported that media outlets are barred from any reports “contrary to Islam”, as well as “distorti[ive] news content”. Other restrictions prohibit reports that are defamatory towards national figures, and negatively affect public opinion. In order to publish, first the media must give the governmental regulatory body a detailed report of the content, and are banned from including content that has not been confirmed by government officials. Since the takeover of Kabul, Human Rights Watch has confirmed the detainment of 32 journalists. The family of independent photojournalist Murteza Samadi has called for his release from custody. He has been held for three weeks after covering a women’s protest in Herat province. The Chief Executive of one of Afghanistan’s biggest lenders, the Islamic Bank of Afghanistan, has claimed that the country’s financial institutions are close to collapse. He has credited this collapse to an increase in huge withdrawals from accounts due to fear of instability, as well as the dysfunction of banks who have halted their full services. The U.S. drone strike which claimed to be targeting the perpetrators of the Kabul airport bombing, now admitted to be entirely erroneous, resulted in killing 9 members of one family. The rest of the family is now attempting to gain resettlement in the U.S., after the family’s connection to US forces were exposed.
Myanmar:
The UN chief is emphasizing the need for an “urgent international response” in Myanmar. “The risk of a large-scale armed conflict requires a collective approach to prevent a multi-dimensional catastrophe in the heart of Southeast Asia and beyond. Grave humanitarian implications, including rapidly deteriorating food security, an increase in mass displacements, and a weakened public health system compounded by a new wave of COVID-19 infections, require a coordinated approach in complementarity with regional actors”, said Mr. Guterres. The Secretary General said it was imperative to restore Myanmar’s constitutional order and uphold the results of the November 2020 election. He suggested neighboring countries could leverage their influence over the military to have it “respect the will of the people and to act in the greater interest of peace and stability in the country and region.” He also called for “immediate humanitarian access and assistance, especially to vulnerable communities”, including some 600,000 Rohingya Muslims still in northern Rakhine state and the more than 700,000 who fled a 2017 military crackdown and are now in camps in neighboring Bangladesh.
The United States:
Cuba:
Nicaragua:
Bolivia:
After 37 days and more than 550 kilometers, the Indigenous peoples’ march has arrived in the Bolivian capital of Santa Cruz from Trinidad. Over 700 marchers, composed of different Indigenous groups, entered the city’s main plaza, the Plaza 24 de Septiembre, where they were welcomed by citizens and political figures such as the archbishop, the governor of Santa Cruz, and Mayor Jhonny Fernández. The marchers came with a national agenda containing 16 points that they hope to submit to President Luis Arce several hours after entering the city. Their demands center on respect for their lands; if not met, the marchers have declared they will hold a vigil in the capital. Meanwhile, recent protests by coca farmers in the Bolivian highland city of La Paz turned violent, with Reuters reporting, on Wednesday, 29 September, clashes between protestors and the police involving slingshots, tear gas, and the setting of a building on fire. The protest stemmed from disputes among coca growers in the Yungas region over control of the coca market. In turn, two main cliques have formed: one around the government-backed head of coca management body Adepcoca, Arnold Alanes, and the other behind government critic Armit Lluta. According to Armin Lluta, Adepcoca, which is supported by the ruling party and former president Evo Morales, is trying to gain control of the coca trade: “Evo Morales…wants to form a great national confederation of coca leaf producers, he wants to be the leader of the Chapare and the Yungas,” Lluta stated to reporters (Yungas and Chapare are the main coca-growing regions). For its part, the Yunga region produces around 200 million USD of coca per year, according to the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime.
Belarus:
On September 30, the Belarusian Supreme Court upheld the move proposed by the Justice Ministry to liquidate the Belarusian Helsinki Committee. Earlier, the ministry filed a lawsuit to dissolve the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, one of the country’s oldest independent human rights groups in the country. This move is said to be a part of wider effort by Belarusian authorities to silence all independent or critical voices in the country. The next day, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has also expressed their shock by “persistent allegations” of “widespread and systematic torture” of protesters in Belarus. The country will hold a referendum on a new constitution in February. President Lukashenko said the new structure would redistribute powers between the main branches of the government and establish a new governing body called the All-Belarus People’s Assembly. Critics say this move could further cement his grip on power after months of mass opposition protests. Continuing their series of steps restricting independent media in the country, on 29 September, the Belarusian Ministry of Information blocked access to another news site called the Komsomolskaya Pravda. Komsomolskaya Pravda is a Belarusian subsidiary of a popular Russian newspaper of the same name. The access to it was restricted several hours after it ran a story about an alleged shootout in an apartment in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, during which two people — an opposition supporter and a KGB officer — were killed. The news outlet published a comment from the opposition supporter’s friend, who described him in a positive light. It is reported that the man who the KGB officers shot dead on Tuesday was an employee of EPAM Systems, a U.S.- based software firm. The U.S. Special Envoy for Belarus will be seeking additional information on whether the victim in the shooting was a U.S. citizen. Police had shot a 31-year-old man and arrested his wife after he resisted law enforcement officers. The European Commission has said it wants to suspend easy access to visas for Belarusian officials. The European Commission wants to suspend an agreement that reduces the average cost of a visa to €35 and brings down waiting times for government officials, parliamentarians and senior judges, though the scheme would still operate for ordinary Belarusians. This comes in after the continuing diplomacy regarding the migrant issue emerging from Belarus. Poland illegally pushed back a group of Afghan asylum seekers who were camped out on its border with Belarus in late August, according to a digital investigation by Amnesty International. The report published on Thursday mentions that many of the 32-strong group, including a 15-year-old girl and four women, were located in Poland on August 18, having crossed into the country from Belarus. This “could constitute evidence of an unlawful pushback”. On September 30, the state of emergency was extended along the border with Belarus until the end of November. The migrant influx to Poland has seen a steep spike, recording some 6,000 attempts to cross the border, 60 times the figure from the entire 2020 in September alone.
Georgia:
The Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities will observe the October 2nd self-government elections in Georgia at the invitation of the Georgian government. The mission involves 18 congress observers from 15 countries and is chaired by David Eray from Switzerland. The Council of Europe Congress will observe the elections in the country along with the OSCE/ODIHR and the European Parliament. The Congress delegation will meet with the Head of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Georgia Giorgi Kalandarishvili and the Deputy Minister of Justice and Head of Inter-Agency Task Force for Free and Fair Elections Tornike Cheishvili as part of preparatory meetings. The representatives of the mission will also meet with diplomatic corps, domestic and international NGOs, and media outlets on September 30 and October 1 before the deployment of the mission on the ground. Saakashvili was convicted in absentia in Georgia, and he now faces 6 years in prison which means that according to Georgian law, as soon as he enters the country, he must be arrested and sent to prison. Saakashvili’s announcement of his possible arrival in Georgia on October 2nd added drama and intrigue to the already tense pre-election environment. In a statement posted on Facebook, Saakashvili said that he is not afraid of arrest, is ready to go to jail, and is confident that the Georgian people will protect him. The authorities openly state that Saakashvili will be arrested if he comes to Georgia. Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said that he does not believe in Saakashvili’s return, because he is a “cowardly person” who “has been promising to come for eight years, but never came”.
China:
As the birth rate in China continues to fall, researchers warn that the previous estimates may have underestimated the pace of demographic decline. A new study suggests China’s population could halve within the next 45 years. China’s current population is over 1.4 billion and in 2019 the United Nations projected that China would still have around 1.3 billion people by 2065. While China is steadily giving the matter its attention, it has also introduced a new abortion policy. The policy was included in an expansive government blueprint to further women’s rights over the next decade, covering areas ranging from education to employment, which state-run media boasted would improve gender equality “to a higher level in the new era.” Although China states it’s restricting abortions to promote gender equality, experts are skeptical and it has received a backlash from Chinese women. China’s aggressiveness and coercive nature in the strategic Indo-Pacific region is revealed to have been a frequent topic of discussion among the Quad nations according to the Pentagon. At President Biden’s invitation, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his counterparts Scott Morrison from Australia and Yoshihide Suga from Japan attended the Quad summit during which they announced a slew of new initiatives to take on common challenges, amidst muscle-flexing by an assertive China in the strategic region. The North Korean Denuclearisation talks, which were stalled in 2019 in Pyongyang, has resumed its missile tests, having received China to back its decision to revise sanctions to revive nuclear talks. China has also stepped up its military and political pressure on Taiwan to accept Chinese sovereignty. In an angry tirade against Taiwan’s foreign minister on Thursday, Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office’s Minister was called a “shrilling” fly for his efforts to promote Taiwan internationally, further stating how “all forms of comments on Taiwan independence are but flies ‘humming, with a burst of shrilling and a fit of sobbing’”. In other news, Australia recognized China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd. COVID-19 shot ahead of plans to open the country to overseas travelers and fee-paying foreign students who have received the vaccinations required to enter the country.
Hong Kong:
Access to an online museum dedicated to the victims of China’s 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown appeared to be restricted in Hong Kong, with the website then accusing authorities of censorship. The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, the organizers of the annual June 4 vigils for the 1989 victims, announced the opening of the website last month. The website operated independently from the Alliance, it said. Hong Kong users have not been able to access the website from the city since Thursday without using virtual private networks. This follows arrests of group members and pressure for the alliance to disband, as well as the forceful emptying of a physical pro-democracy museum in the city. Hong Kong authorities have repeatedly denied curbing human rights and freedoms, saying law enforcement has been based on evidence and has nothing to do with the background, profession or political beliefs of those arrested. Police in Hong Kong halted a four-person pro-democracy protest on China’s National Day Friday amid an expanding crackdown on free speech and opposition politics. Chanting and carrying a placard calling for the release of Hong Kongers arrested in the crackdown and chanting pro-democracy slogans, the four members of the opposition party League of Social Democrats had attempted to march to the harbor-side Convention Center where the official celebration was being held. Dozens of officers, part of a massive police presence deployed to prevent any disruptions on the day, surrounded them and kept them out of sight and earshot of officials attending a flag-raising ceremony.
Indonesia:
On Monday, 27 September, hundreds of student protestors from the Nationwide Student Executive Board Alliance (BEM SI) demonstrated in front of the Corruption Eradication Committee (KPK) headquarters in Jakarta. The students are joined by members of the Save KPK Movement (GASAK). Together, they drafted a joint letter to the President earlier last week with an ultimatum to march on the streets if the president does not reverse his decision to fire 57 KPK employees earlier this year–their ultimatum, evidently, went unheard. Around 1,200 members of police were deployed to oversee the protest. The 57 KPK employees were fired earlier this year for failing the highly criticised Civic Competency Test (TWK). The exam is part of the 2019 legislative amendments to reform the KPK, which many have accused of curtailing the KPK’s independence and investigation and prosecutorial powers. Notably, among the 57 fired employees include “several senior staff and prominent KPK investigators…[this] raises serious questions about the future of the agency and the very purpose of the exam,” said Danang Widoyoko, Secretary General of Transparency International Indonesia, in an article published by his organization in June. In other news, Indonesia has responded to the recent AUKUS partnership between Australia, United Kingdom, and the United States with what the Jakarta Post describes as its typical “equidistant” approach. The country reiterated “its principled position in regard to the geopolitical rivalry in the region,” and reminded Australia of “its regional obligations to maintain peace and security while also emphasizing the obligation of all parties concerned to respect international law.”
Thailand:
Thailand is rushing to protect Bangkok from floodwaters after inundations in the country’s northern and central provinces killed six people. Soldiers on Tuesday set up barriers and sandbags to protect archaeological ruins and landmarks as well as neighborhoods in the old royal capital Ayutthaya north of Bangkok. The level of the Chao Phraya River is steadily rising amid Tropical Storm Dianmu, which has hit 30 of the country’s 76 provinces. Seasonal monsoon rains may worsen the flooding, which extends to about a third of Thailand, officials said on Monday. Pumping stations have been used to reduce the potential damage. Thailand plans to waive its mandatory quarantine requirement in Bangkok and nine regions from November 1st to vaccinated arrivals, authorities said on Monday, as the country tries to boost its immunization rate and revive its battered tourism sector. The country is keen to welcome back foreign visitors, after nearly 18 months of strict entry policies that contributed to a collapse in tourism, a key sector that drew 40 million visitors in 2019. Authorities will also reduce the quarantine time nationwide for visitors arriving from October 1st, the COVID-19 task force said, halving it to seven days for vaccinated arrivals, and cutting it to 10 days for those not inoculated.
Iran:
In Iran, massive military drills on the border of Azerbaijan have ensued due to the Azerbaijani ties with Israel having been reinforced. Tanks, helicopters, and soldiers have been posted to the border. Reports of drones have also been released. The Iranian minister has said he “does not tolerate the presence and activities of the Zionist regime against its national security and will do whatever necessary in this regard”. Iranian government officials have also spoken out against visits by Israeli officials to neighboring Bahrain. Bahrain, along with the United Arab Emirates, normalized ties with Israel last year. The tensions between the two countries have increased due to a new Azerbaijani policy of a “road tax”. The road tax affects Iranian trucks driving through the Karabakh religion, and has led to the detainment of Iranian lorry drivers.
Iraq:
Iraq, anticipating the October 10th election, has implemented measures to limit travel for the duration of voting. Policies include the closure of airspace, as well as limiting inter-region travel between cities. All border crossings and airspace will be closed. Motorcycles and small cargo vehicles will be banned in cities. The country has large plans to ensure fair elections, including a United Nations team of 130 international experts to oversee the elections. Currently, there have been reports of illegal vote-selling, even with the new biometric voter card measures to prevent such actions. Security forces reported the seizure of such illegal cards. On Thursday, the electoral commission announced a decision to cancel the endorsement of Ashwaq Fahed Aboud al-Ghurairi because of a recent criminal case brought up against her. She is currently being charged for buying votes. The US, through the world bank, has pledged $100 million dollars in order to combat COVID in Iraq. The money has been allocated to ensure vaccines to priority groups, as well as build and support infrastructure to distribute the vaccine. Funds have also been allocated for vaccine promotion in media, as well as medical waste management.
Sudan:
On Thursday, thousands of Sudanese gathered in Sudan’s capital Khartoum demanding a transition to an exclusively civilian government. They further accused the military branch of the government of derailing the transition to democracy. Right now, Sudan’s government is co-run by a military government and a civilian branch after the military ousted Omar al-Bashir in April 2019 after four months of protests. This interim government runs under the premise that the military will transfer its power and authority over to the civilian government. However, more and more conflict is arising around this transfer of power. The tension between military forces and the civilians have heightened after a failed coup attempt within the military last week. The head of the civilian government described the coup attempt as, “an effort to undermine Sudan’s democratic transition.” On Thursday during the protests, Sudanese civilians chanted pro-democracy slogans and accused the military of postponing on transferring power to civilians. They also accused the government of dragging their feet on purging state institutions of reminders of al-Bashir’s regime, specifically about prosecuting security forces who were responsible for the death of dozens of protesters during protests in June 2019. Demonstrators gathered around the government buildings including Republican Palace which is the home of the Sovereign Council. Security forces fired tear gas at demonstrators in order to disperse the protesters. The Civilian government was supportive of Thursday’s demonstrations.
Uganda:
Many private schools in Uganda may not reopen as staff found new jobs following layoffs during the COVID-19 lockdown. When schools shut for the lockdown, families stopped paying fees and teachers stop receiving income. Forty percent of Uganda’s primary schools and 60 percent of its secondary schools are private institutions run without the help of local authorities. The source of income comes from school fees which run from $100 to $250 USD a month. The government promised it would pay the wages of both state school teachers and private school teachers but that promise has gone unfulfilled. Many teachers have transitioned to new careers and many private school’s properties have been put up for sale. One private school teacher George Wakirwaine, said that after seven years of teaching he cannot afford for his family to live in Kampala. He sent his family to his extended family’s village and his wages now depend on the goodwill of the parents whose children he taught and his side job of fetching water for different homes around the neighborhood. This situation shows the future of private schools in Uganda is unclear. At the African Energy Week in Cape Town South Africa, Uganda’s oil and gas industry will be an important topic of conversation. Back in 2006, oil was discovered in Uganda and it was seen as an opportunity economic opportunity for the country. It was not until the spring of 2020 that deal was struck between French oil company Total and China’s state-owned oil company to develop the drilling spots. Then in 2021 another deal was created to construct the East African Crude Oil Pipeline. The environmental concerns for the pipeline are severe and may prevent the project from getting off the ground. More than 250 NGOS, urged major commercial banks not to fund the East African Crude Oil Pipeline.
Zimbabwe:
On September 28th, Zimbabwe’s central bank placed an order for local banks to freeze the bank accounts of 30 people for two years. Governor John Mangudya released a list of names of 30 people accused of promoting and facilitating illegal foreign currency trading. The Governor explained how the accused used social media platforms and mobile telecoms services to enable forex trade and money laundering. In the official statement Mangudya instructed the Financial Intelligence Unit, (to) “identify and freeze any accounts operated by these individuals and, further, to bar them from accessing financial services for a period of two years, with immediate effect.” Zimbabwe has struggled with foreign exchange shortages and it was only two years, in 2019, that it re-introduced its own domestic currency. The local currency however has been losing it value and trades on the black market. The trade can be up to 100% of its official rate of 86 Zimbabwe dollars to USD. More details emerged about the Chinese Mining Company Heijin and its deal with the Uzumba villagers in the Kaseke, Uzumba district. Heijin has told the villagers that they are evicted from their homes and have no title deeds to the disputed communal land. The mining company plans to pave through 89 households which is approximately 300 hectares in order to mine granite stone. Chief Nyajina, the traditional leader of the village, said that the Heijin’s representatives were disrespectful and claimed to be “connected to the highest offices on the land.” The villagers asked the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) to stop the company from evicting them. After further investigation, ZLHR has found that Heijin has not summitted Environmental Impact Assessment. The government has sent government officials to negotiate a deal between the mine company and the villagers to resolve the ongoing disputes.
CANVAS Weekly Update – September 24th, 2021
Dear Friends,
CANVAS is delighted to bring you another issue of the weekly report! This week covers the rising tensions at the Serbia-Kosovo border, calls for governmental change in Hong Kong, and an alleged coup attempt in Sudan.
Conflict Update:
In Israel, Arab residents are protesting the onslaught of murders within the community. Just this week, three more Arab-Israelis have been killed, including one who was the victim of a shooting during a wedding. The majority of the killings, termed “communal murders” – counting 89 victims in the last year – are a result of gang infighting, family feuds, and violence against women. Earlier this year, there were already protests raised decrying the lack of police attention to Arab-Israeli murders, calling attention to the importance of race in Israel’s policing.
As a result of a new policy in Kosovo of removing Serbian license plates upon entry and replacing them with temporary Kosovo ones, ethinic Serbs have blocked two border crossings in Jarinje and Brnjak to protest for five days. Serbia has also raised combat readiness of border troops in response. Kosovar officials have denied responsibility for the reports of police beatings of three ethnic Serbs in Bernjak/Brnjak. The men claim to have been gathering wood when they were beaten and verbally attacked by Kosovar police. The police claim to have “detained, verified and then released” the three men, of Kosovar nationality, and that the Serbian media coverage is attempting to further heighten tension in the region. In Zubin Potok, Kosovo, a vehicle registration office in a municipal building was set on fire by ethnic Serbs protesting the new vehicle registration policy. In Zvecan, another public building was targeted with grenades that did not explode. It is significant that this new registration policy has been in effect in Serbia for many years, as the country does not recognize Kosovo, it’s former province, as a state, and regards the border crossing as a “temporary administrative boundary”.
In Melbourne, Australia, police arrested over 200 people in an anti-lockdown protest on Friday. The county carries some of the strictest measures on the planet – and has recently become the city to endure the longest lockdown of 253 days. Police exercised questionable measures to prevent protests by “picking off and detaining individual protestors on their way to the” planned large scale protests. This follows the protest Wednesday at the shrine of remembrance that ended with police using tear gas, rubber bullets, and pepper spray to disperse the crowd. Many have questioned the rapid pick up of Australia’s authoritarian enforcement of covid-regulations in the last year, including the use of military police, facial recognition, and tracking. Similarly, on Friday Quebec passed a law to make protesting outside of schools, hospitals, and vaccination sites illegal for the next 30 days.
Coronavirus Update:
On Tuesday, September 21, U.S. producer of vaccine materials Cytiva announced it will invest US$52.5 million in South Korea from 2022 until 2024. The announcement was made at a ceremony in New York, attended by President Moon Jae-in, about partnerships between South Korea and the U.S. Yonha News Agency attributes the investment to South Korea’s biopharmaceutical production capacity–the second-largest in the world. Furthermore, the investment is part of South Korea’s strategy to become a “global vaccine hub,” which includes a US$1.8 billion plan.
The theme of global cooperation in the COVID-19 pandemic was repeated by U.S. President Joe Biden in his speech to the United Nations General Assembly, also on Tuesday. The speech focused on Biden’s detailed vision for a new era of diplomacy in the United States–one that he claimed will move away from an “America First” era of foreign policy. Among other concerns, Biden repeated his commitment to using technological innovation and global cooperation, not war, to address challenges like the Covid-19 pandemic. He added that the US has shipped more than 160 million Covid-19 doses to countries around the world, and put more than $15 billion toward the global Covid response. Biden also announced additional Covid-19 commitments during a US-hosted global Covid-19 summit on Wednesday.
Speaking remotely from Tehran, newly elected Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi responded to Biden’s speech by slamming U.S. imposed sanctions on Iran as a mechanism of war, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. Raisi, who was sworn in last month after an election, is described by CNN as “a conservative cleric and former judiciary chief seen as close to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In his speech, Raisi stated that “sanctions are the U.S.’ new way of war with the nations of the world,” and that during the Covid-19 pandemic, such sanctions amounted to “crimes against humanity.” To note, although U.S. sanctions allow for humanitarian aid, it has made the international purchases of medicine and equipment much more difficult.
But what is the reality behind global vaccine cooperation? According to a 64-page report released on 22 September by Amnesty International called A Double Dose of Inequality: Pharma companies and the COVID-19 vaccine crisis, big pharma (Pfizer and BioNTech, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, etc.) is responsible for an unprecedented human rights crisis. The report, which reviewed all six of the big pharma companies’ human rights policy, vaccine pricing structure, intellectual property records, and transparency records, concluded that overall, these companies have failed to meet their human rights responsibility. Additionally, all six companies have yet to take part in international initiatives for sharing knowledge and technology to boost global vaccine supplies. They have also opposed proposals to temporarily lift intellectual property rights to their vaccines.
According to a research article by the BMJ, published by the British Medical Association, an intellectual property waiver for Covid-19 vaccines would significantly advance global equity. “The barrier to adequate vaccine supply today is not lack of vaccine options, nor even theoretical production capacity; the problem is the intellectual property (IP) protection governing production and access to vaccines,” the article writes. The full article goes on to explain how the lack of an IP waiver worsens (among other reasons): 1) A global political economy that allows some countries to purchase more vaccines than they need, 2) Suppliers failing to meet manufacturing targets, 3) The ability to protect against Covid-19 variants, some of which have already shown signs of resistance to current vaccines.
Afghanistan:
Ahmad Massoud and Amrullah Saleh, heading the anti-Taliban resistance in the Panjshir Valley, have been reported to have fled into Tajikistan on September 6th, in opposition to claims that they were in the Panjshir Valley. They are also reported to have lost US backing, but have gained the support of US politicians in favor of the US return to Afghanistan, such as Sen. Lindsey Graham.
The U.S. has approved two humanitarian licences for aid to Afghanistan in spite of the current sanctions placed against the country. The licenses allow for the U.S., NGO’s, and international organizations such as the UN to participate in humanitarian transactions with the Taliban/Haqqani Network. This comes after unilateral advice, from former aides to the Tajik government, that without aid, many Afghans face death and starvation in the coming winter. Due to the increase in internally displaced peoples living in refugee camps, winter conditions will affect many more people than usual.
The Taliban have appointed an Afghan UN envoy, and requested to conference with global leaders on Tuesday. Currently, they have not been accepted to speak before the General Assembly, which finishes on Monday.
Taliban founder and chief enforcer confirmed Thursday that executions and harsh punishments such as hand amputation will return under the new regime. He cited practices such as hand cutting for thieves as necessary for safety under the new regime. Judges, including female judges, will decide verdicts, but the law will follow the foundations of the Quran.
Myanmar:
Earlier this week, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights warned of the human rights catastrophe under military rule in Myanmar and urged the international community to do more to prevent conflict from worsening that would further affect the country and the region. Following the coup in February earlier this year, Western countries have condemned the junta and imposed targeted sanctions, but critics say a tougher stand must be taken, including an arms embargo. Myanmar has so far failed to deliver on its agreement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to cease violence and start a dialogue towards democracy. More than 230,000 civilians who have been displaced as a result of the junta, and humanitarian aid is needed for more than 3 million Myanmar people who are in need of assistance, and the UNHCHR has warned that the situation is certain to worsen without more outside effort and that the abuses perpetrated since the coup may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.The United States:
President Joe Biden shows the readiness of the U.S. to help deal with significant global perils. In his address at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, Biden expressed how the new america is past wars but he’s willing to stand up with his old allies and called this “an era of relentless diplomacy”. Although the country will be prepared to defend its vital national interest, focus on the use of military will take a back seat. Biden also directly acknowledged growing tensions with China to add that this is not a cold war situation and we don’t want to divide the world in two blocks.Cuba:
Nacho Rocha, a native of Spaniard whose family lives in Cuba, is on a hunger strike for the past 26 days demanding the United Nations grant him a meeting, so as to address human rights violations in Cuba. his demands include the U.N. publicly creating a resolution denouncing the humanitarian crisis in Cuba, providing proof of life and subsequent release of all political prisoners in Cuba, and Cuba’s expulsion from the United Nations Human Rights Council. A recent report by the human rights nonprofit Prisoner Defenders alleges that more than 5,000 people were detained and hundreds remain in jail. On the other hand, Miguel Marion Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, the President of Cuba, underlined the importance of multilateralism and the UN in his speech to the high-level General Debate at the General Assembly on Thursday. He also condemned the foreign policy of the United States.Nicaragua:
On Monday, 21 August, Nicaraguan police reported that they had detained Sandinista “dissident” Irving Isidro Larios Sánchez, for “conspiracy, inciting foreign interference in internal affairs, adn requesting military action against the [Ortega} government.” Larios is a sociologist and member of the Articulation of Social Movements (AMS): a group composed of different civil society organizations. He also heads the Institute for Research and Social Management (INGES). Larios is the latest of the 37 independent professionals and dissidents systematically arrested by the National Police, which began this operation on May 28. Among the arrested are seven individuals who announced their intention to run for president in the upcoming November 7 elections.Bolivia:
On Wednesday, 15 September, United States President Biden accused Bolivia and Venezuela of failing to take drug-fighting measures over the past year as specified in an international counternarcotics agreement. Both countries have denied Biden’s accusations. The Bolivian Minister of Internal Affairs, Eduardo de Castillo, stated that Luis Arces’s administration had actually succeeded in eradicating more than 6,000 hectares of coca plants, and shut down a criminal organization. “We are rejecting this report because it was prepared unilaterally,” Castillo said to journalists, adding that the U.S. has not conducted research in Bolivia unlike what multilateral organizations targeting illegal drug trade do.Belarus:
The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, and migration agency IOM have called for an immediate investigation into the deaths of four people near the border between Poland and Belarus. The agencies expressed their shock and condolence in a joint statementon 21st September. Out of four, two of the victims are identified as Iraqi nationals. BBC reports that the migrants were illegally deported from the European Union by Polish border troops and died of hypothermia. On Friday 24th, another migrant reportedly died at the Poland-Belarus border. Amid the accusations of Lukashenko using migrants as a weapon, these deaths have shocked many.
Christopher Cavoli, the commanding general of the U.S Army Europe and Africa said on Thursday that the United States and Lithuania would work to preserve the continent’s peace “no matter who positions what, where” after speaking to Lithuanian General about the region’s security. Both the counties are concerned about the recent war games between Belarus and Russia. Lithuania has further limited the electricity imports from Belarus.
According to the report Freedom on the Net 2021, global Internet freedom has declined dramatically in Belarus under the continuous “repressive campaign” by authorities.
Belarusian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs with Regional Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) held a discussion about the format of future interactions this week, ahead of the UNHCR’s decision to shut down its dedicated office in the country.
Georgia:
The Council of Europe Office in Georgia is implementing “Get Out the Vote” initiatives and voter education campaigns to encourage more active participation by Georgian citizens in upcoming local elections on the 2nd of October. This campaign is planned to be in cooperation with local NGOs, the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED), Georgian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA), and Public Movement Multinational Georgia (PMMG). The campaign aims to educate and inform Georgian voters about their electoral rights and the most up-to-date electoral regulations and practices. All the activities are implemented within the framework of the Council of Europe Project “Supporting Transparency, Inclusiveness, and Integrity of Electoral Practice and Process in Georgia”.
Over the last few months, Moscow has used the negative “foreign agent” label to describe several independent media outlets and individual journalists, and Navalny’s countywide network has been branded as “extremist.” Students, activists, and artists have received prison time for voicing support for anti-government protests. Georgia has always been seen as a political safehaven for Russian dissidents who are unsafe in Russia, and the new generation of activsts have followed this pattern, with many protestors who have recently been forced out of the country due to safety concerns moving to Georgia. However, some of those in exile have been worried as critics of the ruling Georgian Dream party say it is taking Tbilisi into Moscow’s orbit while damaging democratic institutions. With the upcoming October elections, Georgia is not as stable as it used to be and is going through political instability.
China:
The U.S., U.K. and Australia announced a new security partnership to strengthen stability in the Indo-Pacific region over the concerns of China’s military presence. Through this deal, the U.S. and U.K shall assist Australia in acquiring nuclear-powered submarines, to allow Australia’s navy to help counter Chinese nuclear-powered vessels in the region, hinting how the military balance of power is going to grow more contested now. In other news, China has urged France to boost cooperation after the announcement of the Aukus submarine deal between the U.S., UK and Australia. The Chinese ambassador expressed that this cooperation is in the interest of the whole world and later told the Russian media how this pact between three countries undermines non-proliferation efforts. Vietnam expressed its willingness to share its experience and information with China as China bids to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). CPTPP is an open free trade agreement and the members include Canada, Australia, Brunei, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru and Singapore apart from Vietnam.Hong Kong:
The UK has warned critics of Hong Kong staying in the country about traveling abroad, due to concerns surrounding the cross-border national security law by China, according to high-profile human rights advocate Bill Browder. Browder is a well-known lobbyist for sanctioning foreign governments that are involved in human rights abuses. Browder said he was contacted by the UK Foreign Office earlier this month after he was named in a Hong Kong court during a foreign collusion case. Browder has been very outspoken on the Hong Kong crackdown and has called for foreign governments to use Magnitsky-style sanctions against affiliated officials. The national security law, introduced in June 2020, broadly outlaws many acts and activities as foreign collusion, secession, subversion, and terrorism. It has been invoked to arrest more than 140 people so far, including pro-democracy figures, student activists, media executives, journalists, and human rights activists. A national security case against 47 Hong Kong democracy activists charged with conspiracy to commit subversion will resume on November 29th. It was ruled that more time was needed for pre-trial legal proceedings to be finalized and the case is then expected to move to the High Court, where longer and more severe sentences are dealt out. Hong Kong laws prohibit the media from publishing the contents of such proceedings. The 47, who include opposition politicians, are among more than 100 people who Hong Kong police have arrested under the national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020. Beijing and the city’s government say the law is necessary to ensure stability, safeguard prosperity and guard against outside interference. The 47 were arrested on charges of participating in an unofficial and independently organized primary vote last year to select candidates for a since-postponed city election, which authorities say was a “vicious plot” to subvert the government. Diplomats and rights groups are closely watching the case amid increasing worry over the independence of Hong Kong’s judicial system, which is seen as the foundation on which its financial reputation was built.Indonesia:
On Friday, 24 September, vice head of the Indonesian House of Representatitves (DPR) Azis Syamsudin was officially listed as a suspect by the Corruption Eradication Committee (KPK) for the bribery of former KPK investigator Stepanus Robin Pattuju. According to the KPK’s spokesman Ali Fikri, investigations are currently ongoing. Syamsudin, who was formerly a lawyer/ advocate (in Indonesia, all lawyers are given the term advocate), joined the DPR as a member in 2009. He has risen in rank over the years to eventually become vice head of the DPR for the period of 2019-24. Syamsudin’s last reported net value, or LHKPN, in April 2021, was 89.4 billion IDR (more than 6,000,000 USD). In contrast, in 2003, his net worth was listed as 11 billion IDR (more than 770,000 USD).Thailand:
Thailand’s disease control committee has proposed cutting in half the current two-week hotel isolation requirement for vaccinated arrivals, amid delays in plans to waive quarantine and reopen Bangkok and other tourist destinations starting in October. Thailand is keen to welcome back foreign visitors, after nearly 18 months of strict entry policies caused a collapse in tourism, a key economic sector for the country. Senior health official, Opas Karnkawinpong, also said that this will benefit both business workers and students who have been struggling with required travel for work or study. The proposal will be presented on Monday, proposing that those without vaccination proof would be isolated for 10 days if arriving by air, and 14 days if by land. Less than a quarter of the estimated 72 million people living in Thailand have been fully innoculated. The country is still fighting its worst wave of COVID, which has accounted for about 99% of its 1.5 million cases and 15,884 deaths.Iran:
In Iran, prisoner Shahin Naseri was reported dead this week. His fellow inmate, political prisoner Farhad Salmanpour-Zahir has claimed that he was incapable of committing suicide, and many suggest his death comes as a result of his testimony in the 2020 murder trial of Navid Afkari, claiming that his cellmate Afkari had been tortured into confessing to the murder of Hassan Turkan in 2018 during an anti-government protest.Iraq:
On Sunday, US officials released reports confirming they carried out an airstrike on a weapons storage facility in Iraq. Allegedly, they were targeting Iran-backed militias in the region, as well as in Syria. They claimed that the attacks were carried out in retaliation to drone attacks against US personnel in Iraq. Death tolls were not released, but two Iraqi militia members claimed 4 militia members were killed in the airstrikes.
The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) have vowed revenge on the US airstrikes, promising to “attack American military facilities with missiles.” Iraqi politicians affiliated with the PMF have said that the US “only understands the language of force”. With 2,500 US military members in Iraq, there have been 40 attacks against the US in the region since the start of the year. With the new tensions added, there are likely to be more.
Sudan:
On Tuesday morning, Sudan’s government claims there was an alleged coup. Government officials and military personnel stated that a group of officers attempted to occupy a state-operated media building. The Sudanese army claim that 21 officers along with an unspecified group of soldiers have been arrested in connection with the coup attempt. Military officials see this coup attempt as a threat for a power grab and have escalated tensions between the two sides. The paramilitary commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, known for his nickname Hemeti, stated, “We will not allow a coup to take place. We want real democratic transition through free and fair elections, not like in the past.” This message falls directly in line with the military’s position that they are the ones who will allow for free and fair elections. Hemti and other government officials went on to accuse civilian politicians of encouraging a coup attempt. The military wants to covey the message that the civilian politicians have been too concerned with internal problems and have neglected public welfare. The August 2019 power-sharing agreement that started after the overthrowing of Omar al-Bashir declared that Sudan would be run by a joint military and civilian government. The civilian body, titled the sovereign council, was enacted to oversee a transition to full civilian rule.Uganda:
An electric fence initiative started by a partnership between the NGO Space for Giants and Uganda Wildlife Authority is one solution to stop crop raids and poaching. Local farmers are relieved by the move as they can relax their heightened security around their property. Since the electribe was erected in 2018, farmers have seen a significant decrease in human-wildlife contact. Even though poachers and crop raiders are deterred by the fence, animals have found ways to maneuver around which means this initiative will need to be updated to adapt to the animals new behavior.
In efforts to increase COVID-19 vaccination rates around Uganda, President Yoweri Museveni said they will dismiss local government and health officials who do not mobilize the population. They describe someone who fails to mobilize as someone who lets vaccines expire or go to waste. Museveni’s goal is to vaccinate at least half the nation. Additionally, Museveni’s cabinet considered introducing a new law to fine people for violating measures that were created to stop the spread of COVID. For the moment, Uganda has given out at least 1.8 million doses.
Zimbabwe:
Studies from UNICEF show that Zimbabwe is lacking diversity in nutrition for children. In the report, UNICEF finds that between 2010-2020 Zimbabwean 20% of children age six to 23 months received the minimum dietary diversity. As an explanation as for why this is happening the researchers report that seventy-nine percent of women said they could not afford nutritious food for their families. This is resulting in young children consuming high levels of ultra-processed foods and drinks which will have negative long term effects on their health; twenty-nine percent of children in Zimbabwe consume juices with high levels of artificial sweetener. UNICEF has urgently asked the Zimbabwe government, along with the 19 countries that are failing to provide adequate food for children, to increase the availability, accessibility and affordability of nutritious food.CANVAS Weekly Update – September 17th, 2021
Dear Friends, CANVAS is delighted to bring you another issue of the weekly report! This week covers the forced digital silencing of those who organized the 2020 Tiananmen Square vigil by Hong Kong authorities, the UN pledging one billion dollars to aid those impacted by the worsening living situation in Afghanistan, the mobilization of 200,000 Russian troops in war-games with Belarus, and the lengthened imprisonment of former Bolivian President Jeanine Áñez.
Conflict Update:
Following the jailbreak from an Israeli Prison last week, 1,400 Palestinians held in Isreali jails have begun a hunger strike to protest detention conditions, refusing food until Israeli authorities inform them on what they have been charged with and when they are to be released. On Tuesday, it was reported that three were arrested on suspicion of aiding the escapees, adding to the arrests of many of the escapees’ family members in Jenin. Now, four of the six escapees have been captured. On Wednesday, in the Ketziot and Ramon Prisons in south Israel Palestinian inmates set fire to their cells in response to new restrictions imposed due to the prison break. Following the “day of Rage” protests held throughout the West Bank in support of the prison escapees, a Palestinian doctor succumbed to injuries inflicted by the IDF. More than 100 are said to be injured.
In Beita, Palestine, continued protests to the illegal settler outpost were ongoing, a “nightly ritual” of the nearby residents with protests continuing for 100 consecutive days. In Jenin refugee camp, a resistance hotbed, the military wings of Fatah, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad announced the formation of a joint operations room, the first time the three movements have joined forces. This is likely in response to both the increased protests and killings in the past months, as well as the near nightly raids and arrests in the refugee camp. It is believed that the two remaining escapees are planning to return to the camp, and when they do, the Israeli army will descend upon it. An Islamic Jihad fighter claims they have arrived in the camp “in preparation for any battle”, and to protect the fugitive prisoners with force. On Wednesday, Russian plane’s attacked northwestern Syria’s Idlib, injuring a woman and three children. It is believed they were targeting a poultry farm.In India, police clashed with an opposition protest demanding employment for the youth. Many protests were arrested, with protestors jumping over police barricades to continue their march to the government offices in Delhi.
Coronavirus Update:
On Thursday (16/09), the Philippines’ capital region—home to over 13 million people across 16 cities—exited two weeks of wide-scale lockdowns. Simultaneously, the government began pilot tests of localised lockdowns (termed “general community lockdowns” or GCQs) in order to balance reopening the country’s economy with curbing the spread of the virus. The Philippines is part of a broader trend of Southeast Asian nations like Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, and Indonesia, who has decided to start reopening their economies, effectively treating the virus as endemic. With the said reopening comes a wide range of experiments including, as the South China Morning Post details, “military-delivered food, sequestered workers, micro-lockdowns and vaccinated-only access to restaurants and offices.”
In Europe, former health minister Agnés Buzyn is being investigated for “endangering the lives of others” through her alleged mishandling of the pandemic. In February 2020, Buzyn left her post to run for Paris mayor, with the excuse that Covid was “low risk.” But in June 2020, she acknowledged to the newspaper Le Monde that she “knew a tsunami was approaching.” According to the BBC, Buzyn’s is “one of the world’s first cases of a minister facing legal accountability for their pandemic response.” As part of a global three-phase clinical trial of China’s Sinovac Biotech COVID-19 vaccine, 2,000 children and adolescents aged six months to 17 years will be vaccinated in South Africa, starting 10 September. The pediatric trials will also recruit 12,000 participants from Kenya, the Philippines, Chile, and Malaysia. According to a statement from Sinovac: “The primary objective of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of two doses of the CoronaVac against confirmed symptomatic COVID-19 cases in children and adolescents.” Sinovac is also planning to open a vaccine production facility in South Africa, according to executives from its local partner, Numolux group.
In China, an outbreak of the Delta variant in Putian, Fujian province, continues to grow. On Tuesday, 14 September, authorities announced that the outbreak is the largest school-linked spread in the country since the start of the pandemic. As of Friday, 17 September, the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) reported over 200 Covid-19 infections. There has been no reported deaths. Speaking to respiratory medicine expert Leung Chi-chiu, The South China Morning Post reported the outbreak “could be controlled within two 14-week incubation periods, if there are no signs of widespread infections within the next two or three days.” Part of the government’s efforts to contain the spread of the virus includes mass Covid-19 testing, closing tourist attractions, banning large social gatherings, and restricting vehicle movement. For example, the closure of provincial expressways and highways into Putian, as well as the suspension of train services from Xiamen to major cities.
Afghanistan:
On Monday more than one billion dollars was pledged to Afghanistan on behalf of the UN in response to increasing poverty rates, the closing of public services, and food and water supplies estimated to run out within the month. While on Friday, the IMF suspended its aid agreements and resources with Afghanistan, waiting for approval from the international community in recognizing the new Taliban government.Myanmar:
Some townships in Myanmar that are openly anti-junta have had authorities shut down access to the internet. This has now occurred in ten townships in five administrative regions that have seen widespread anti-junta protests since the February 1st coup, including Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, and those in the state of Kachin. Those residents now fear an imminent military offensive in this information lockdown, and all have seemed to acknowledge the heightened risk of rights abuses with cut-off internet. Abuse by the militia, including violence and arrests, has increased since the shadow National Unity Government (NUG) declared war on the junta last week. PDF militias have destroyed dozens of towers operated by military-run telecom Mytel Telecommunications in a bid to decrease company revenue they say the regime will use to buy weapons to wield against the population.The United States:
Six moments of silence were held on Saturday to mark the times of the 9/11 attacks. President Joe Biden and other leaders honored the heroes and remembered the tragic deaths that happened 20 years ago.Cuba:
The European Parliament is set to call on the 27-nation bloc to impose sanctions condemning violence against human rights activists, protesters, dissidents, and opposition leaders in Cuba after a wave of detentions in July following anti-government protests. Cuba finally seeks World Health Organization (WHO) approval of three COVID-19 vaccines on 16 September. Cuba’s Academy of Sciences presented a report questioning the allegation of the US and Canada regarding mysterious attacks on their diplomats while posted on the islandand subsequently developing health problems. The report by the 20-member panel questions whether the variety of reported symptoms could even be referred to as a single syndrome and said that some of the proposed explanations violated basic laws of physics. However, they have acknowledged that they couldn’t examine much of the evidence cited by US researchers regarding Havana Syndrome.Nicaragua:
In August, the opposition party Ciudadanos por la Libertad (CxL) had its legal status removed at the request of the Constitutionalist Liberal Party (CSE), allegedly an ally of the Ortega regime because of its support for the Sandinista Liberation Front part (FSLN). Four months prior, two other political parties, the Democratic Restoration Party (PRD) and the Conservative Party (PC), were also revoked of their legal status. The cancellation of these parties’ legal status comes just in time for the Nicaraguan elections on Sunday, November 7, to elect the President, Vice President, and the deputies of the National Assembly before the Central American Parliament (Parlacen). Currently, 30 prominent political opponents have been arrested, including seven presidential candidates, in addition to a clampdown on media outlets like La Prensa, who was raided by police earlier in August.Bolivia:
Former President Jeanine Áñez will remain in prison for another six months, until February 2022. Although as of Tuesday, 14 September, Áñez has completed the first term of her sentence of six months, a second case has been brought against her, resulting in her continued imprisonment. This second case, according to attorney general Juan Lanchipa, accuses the former president of non-compliance with duties and resolutions contrary to the Constitution.Belarus:
Georgia:
Giorgi Gakharia, Georgia’s ex-prime minister who resigned in February of this year from the Georgian Dream party, has been facing drug abuse accusations in the face of his endeavor to become the Mayor of the capital city Tbilisi. The incumbent mayor, Kakha Kaladze of the ruling Georgian Dream party, challenged Gakharia, his primary opponent, to take a drug test ahead of elections. Gakharia refused to take the test in Georgia and instead opted to fly elsewhere in Europe the next day to take a hair drug test in an unnamed laboratory. Party leader Kobakhidzey claimed that by refusing to take the test in Georgia, “Gakharia effectively admitted to his drug use problem,” he declared on September 16. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Gakharia reaped the reputational rewards and became the most popular leader Georgian Dream had had in years. In the summer of 2020, he enjoyed 65 percent public approval in summer 2020. According to polls, after he quit the Georgian Dream party and started his own movement, many of the disenchanted Georgian Dream supporters with him, leading people to believe that Gakharia stands a good chance in the mayoral race despite drug allegations.China:
An earthquake of 6 magnitudes 6 shakes China’s Sichuan province, killing 3 and injuring 88 people. More than 76,000 people were successfully evacuated. The world’s leading academicians are investigating research papers containing genetic or facial information on minorities amid allegations of ethical violations in the gathering of the data. Concern about such profiling has led to calls for the retraction of published research papers from China. Which has affected more than 80 Chinese papers including those having DNA profiling of Uygurs and Tibetans where voluntary consent is hard to establish.Hong Kong:
Organizers of Hong Kong’s annual vigil marking the Tiananmen Square crackdown said on Thursday that they had been ordered by national security police to delete their online presence and had complied following intense Chinese internet curbs and probes into activist activity. The organizers, the Hong Kong Alliance, is one of many opposition groups to be targeted by a sweeping national security law that China imposed to dampen dissent following the significant 2019 pro-democracy and anti-extradition law protests. The group’s previously used online platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube, and their official website, were closed and became inaccessible after 10 pm.Indonesia:
There has finally been a verdict decided from a lawsuit filed in 2019 by Jarkarta residents over the governments negalicancy of the air pollution in the city. President Joko Widodo and other government officials will be held negligent for the poor air quality in Jakarta according to an Indonesian district court. According to US researchers, the air pollution in Jakarta reduced residents’ life expectancy by 5.5 years. The court has stated that President Widodo must improve the national standard of air quality, this includes conducting testing of outdoor air quality tests, and must periodically perform tests of older vehicles in Jakarta. This is a big win for activists in Jakarta however the city still faces greater environmental issues. Researchers say that the city is sinking at an alarming rate and by 2050 the whole city could be submerged. North Jakarta has sunk 8 feet (2.5 meters) over the past 10 years.Thailand:
Many dissidents from Myanmar who managed to free from the militia crackdowns have gone into hiding in Thailand while attempting the process to seek humanitarian protection in third countries. Myanmar’s dissidents have historically fled to Thailand since Myanmar’s former military rule from 1962 to 2011, where the Thailand’s border town of Mae Sot and the northern city of Chiang Mai were destinations for exiled dissidents. Since the military coup in February of this year, thousands of people from Myanmar have sought refuge in Thailand following violence along Myanmar’s southeastern border. However, despite promises made by the country int he past, Thailand has not granted them any formal protections. Myanmar-based media outlet, The Irrawaddy, reported on September 7 that Thai police had been alerted to arrest anyone connected with the opposition National Unity Government (NUG) in Myanmar, and were encouraged to raid places suspected of sheltering NUG members and sympathizers. Many of those exiled are undocumented and living in hiding, fearing arrest and deportation. In addition, applying for protection in a third country is a long and arduous process and many of those in need are currently lacking support from any organisation in Thailand.Iran:
Iranian dissident Toomaj Salehi, infamous for his career as an opposition rapper, was arrested by Iranian security forces after releasing a song calling out activists and journalists who cover up the regime’s crimes, calling them regime apologists. In his song “Buy a Rot Hole” he encourages such agents to buy rate holes to hide out in, implying retribution will soon follow for their crimes. Twitter has also suspended the rappers account, and hashtags with the rappers name have become the most frequently used persian-language tags on the platform.Iraq:
Sudan:
Health concerns are rising in Sudan as the federal Ministry of Health reports rising COVID-19 cases and confirms the reemergence of Rift Valley fever (hereinafter:RVF). RVF primarily affects animals however it can be transmitted to humans. Doctors have found 95 cases of RVF among livestock (68 miscarriages and 27 deaths) and three suspected cases in humans. Health authorities from both the state and federal level are working with the Ministry of Livestock to intervene and form protocol for preventive and curative measures.Uganda:
Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine stated in an interview with France 24 on Thursday that he was “definitely the elected president of Uganda.” Bobi Wine is the leader of Uganda’s National Unity Platform. Referring to the election in January 2021, he called the current President Yoweri Museveni a mass murder saying that President Museveni should be compared to dictators Robert Mugabe (the late, ousted leader of Zimbabwe) and Omar al-Bashir (former leader of Sudan). Wine was critical of Western countries and the African Union’s tepid response to his accusation of a fraudulent election. During the interview Wine encouraged the Ugandan people to “liberate themselves from the (Museveni’s) dictatorship”. His criticism of the sitting President continued as he explained that Museveni’s decision to welcome Afghan refugees as a move to clean his image and that Museveni’s statement that he would prosected the people responsible for killing protesters following the 2021 Presidential election a farce.