Items related to "Human Security Gateway: Report". Fri, 16 May 2008 0:30:14 +0000 Fri, 16 May 2008 0:30:14 +0000 robert_hartfiel@sfu.ca (Robert Hartfiel) Thu, 15 May 2008 15:33:44 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24391 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24391 In the past three years the authorities in the Netherlands have introduced a series of measures with the stated aim of better integrating its migrant population. The two key measures are integration tests–one administered in the Netherlands that most foreign residents must take, and another that must be passed by would-be family migrants from some countries before they can join spouses or family members in the Netherlands. The policies were adopted during a period of heightened public concern about the impact that migrant communities have on social cohesion, with a particular criticism of the supposed lack of integration among Moroccan and Turkish migrant communities. SOURCE: Human Rights Watch Human Rights Watch Thu, 15 May 2008 13:03:29 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24386 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24386 It seems possible that the Council will take up the situation in Lebanon in the coming days. The recent fighting in Beirut brought back memories of the Civil War and underlined to all how fragile the situation has become with the ongoing political crisis. An Arab League delegation is arriving in Beirut today to try to mediate between the two sides. The “Friends of Lebanon” have called for the immediate cessation of fighting. Some Council members are currently considering whether the Council can add its voice in a constructive way to reinforcing these initiatives and calming the crisis. However, at press time, the timing and the format of any Council action remained unclear. SOURCE: Security Council Report Security Council Report Thu, 15 May 2008 13:00:56 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24385 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24385 This paper focuses on the main factors that contribute to the dangers of violent internal conflict erupting, or re-igniting after a peace has been concluded. The conflict literature has identified greed and grievance as the principle causes of conflict. But for either of them to take the form of large-scale violence there must be other factors at work, specifically a weakening of the ʻsocial contractʼ. Such a viable social contract can be sufficient to restrain opportunistic behaviour such as theft of resource rents and violent expression of grievance. The social contract, therefore, refers to the mechanisms and institutions of peaceful conflict resolution. Three main risk factors are considered in this briefing: The breakdown of redistributive mechanisms, democratic transitions and lack of economic progress. SOURCE: Microconflict Microconflict Thu, 15 May 2008 12:47:20 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24384 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24384 The recent clashes between government supporters and Hizbullah, which claimed more than 80 lives, marked the most serious escalation in Lebanon's internal divisions since the end of the 1975-1990 civil war and demonstrates how the impending threat of a new civil war is constantly present. The decision by the government of Fouad Siniora to ban Hizbullah's phone network, which is critical to its military operations, and dismiss a Shia army officer responsible for security at Beirut's airport, was taken as a "declaration of war" by Hizbullah which laid siege to west Beirut and government institutions. The government's decision to withdraw the measures marked a significant victory for Hizbullah, at least for the short term. SOURCE: Foreign Policy Association Foreign Policy Association Thu, 15 May 2008 12:37:54 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24383 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24383 Hizbollah’s takeover of much of West Beirut began as a cost-of-living strike on 7 May 2008. Yet the course of events, their speed and ultimately violent turn exposed the true stakes. For almost four years, Lebanon has been in a crisis alternatively revolving around the government’s composition, its program, the international tribunal investigating Rafiq al-Hariri’s assassination, the choice of a new president and the electoral law. All attempts at peaceful resolution having failed, it has reverted, more dangerously than ever, to its origins: an existential struggle over Hizbollah’s arms. The government’s 14 May decision to reverse the measures – removal of the airport security chief and questioning Hizbollah’s parallel telephone system, a key part of its military apparatus, precipitated the crisis – is welcome as is the Arab League-mediated solution. The onus is now on all Lebanese parties to agree a package deal that breaks the political logjam and restricts how Hizbollah can use its military strength without disarming it for now. SOURCE: International Crisis Group International Crisis Group Thu, 15 May 2008 12:27:44 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24382 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24382 Military operations against armed opposition groups in Pakistan have displaced hundreds of thousands of people in recent months, according to the limited information available. While many of the internally displaced people (IDPs) have apparently been able to return to their areas of origin after an end to the fighting, others remain displaced with little access to hu-manitarian assistance. In the North West Frontier Province’s Swat Valley, conflict between an armed opposition group and the army led to Asia’s biggest new displacement in 2007, with between 400,000 and 900,000 people forced to flee their homes towards the end of the year. Many people re-turned as soon as possible, but some of them found their homes and property damaged. SOURCE: Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre Thu, 15 May 2008 12:22:33 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24381 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24381 To understand the reasons for the relative failures of the transition to democracy, the formation of a law-based state and the establishment of respect for human rights in the independent states of Central Asia today, as well as the role of the international community, one has to assess, first of all, the dynamics of the political process in this region of the world. In large part, the origins of the current weakness of democratic processes are the result of developments during the final decades of Soviet power. By the early 1990s, there arose a situation in which the ruling authorities Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU), ruling authorities, realising the necessity of reform but at the same time wishing to retain power, initiated a set of reforms that employed democratic phraseology but which aimed first of all at protecting the interests of the ruling group. In this context, during the late 1980s and early 1990s, the reduction of the CPSU’s power, on the other hand and the beginning of independence for the former republics of the Soviet Union on the other hand resulted in a certain liberalisation of both public opinion and social institutions. SOURCE: Centre for European Policy Studies Centre for European Policy Studies Thu, 15 May 2008 12:08:57 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24379 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24379 Negotiations toward a ceasefire in Gaza, mediated by Egypt and other channels, have been ongoing for some time. Now, however, Egypt's efforts to convince Hamas and the other armed groups in Gaza to agree to a ceasefire while relinquishing some of their demands have borne fruit. The Egyptian minister of intelligence, Omar Suleiman, came to Israel to urge the government to accept Egypt's proposal for a six month ceasefire. Israel must decide whether such a ceasefire would harm Israel's broader interests, and whether its conditions resolve Israel's principal hesitations. The main terms of the ceasefire that must be agreed upon are: The territory to which it applies; Who is governed by it; Its linkage to the easing of pressure on Gaza. * Its linkage to the issue of arms smuggling into Gaza SOURCE: Institute for National Security Studies Institute for National Security Studies Thu, 15 May 2008 11:26:43 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24378 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24378 Recent abuses committed by military personnel in war zones and violent conflicts the world over reemphasize the central importance of the law of armed conflict—the law of war—for the protection of combatants, prisoners, and noncombatants alike, and cultural and religious landmarks. At their most basic level, the laws of war promote and protect many of the values intrinsic to human life and dignity. Every country has an obligation to provide training to ensure that their military personnel understand and can adhere to the law of armed conflict. Under the Geneva Conventions, states are explicitly required to “include the study [of the law of armed conflict] in their programmes of military . . . instruction, so that the principles thereof may become known to all their armed forces.” Yet not all countries currently include law of war training as part of their regular military training or offer it in any form. Although this shortcoming sometimes results from a lack of motivation or a simple disregard for the Geneva Conventions, in most countries this lack of law of war training stems primarily from an absence of knowledge and opportunity. SOURCE: United States Institute of Peace United States Institute of Peace Thu, 15 May 2008 09:08:02 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24376 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24376 The paper, authored by Raspal Khosa, argues that Australia’s security interests are tied to the success of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission. The paper advances three key recommendations on how to increase the effectiveness of Australia’s commitment at little additional cost. First, we must focus on security sector reform by training competent Afghan security forces. Second, we must improve reconstruction and development efforts through better coordination of civil and military resources. Third, we must engage with Pakistan more closely to contain cross-border insurgent activity. The paper argues that the only way to expedite our withdrawal and protect our interests is to work towards a sustainable, democratic and secure Afghanistan. SOURCE: Australian Strategic Policy Institute Australian Strategic Policy Institute Thu, 15 May 2008 09:06:18 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24375 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24375 The Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict (Optional Protocol) is meant to safeguard the rights of children under 18 from military recruitment and deployment to war, and to guarantee basic protections to former child soldiers, whether they are seeking refugee protection in the United States or are in U.S. custody for alleged crimes. The U.S. Senate ratified the Optional Protocol in December 2002. By signing and ratifying the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the U.S. bound itself to comply with the obligations contained in the Optional Protocol. The Optional Protocol provides that the absolute minimum age for voluntary recruitment is 16 years old. It also instructs countries to set their own minimum age by submitting a binding declaration, and the United States entered a binding declaration raising this minimum age to 17. Therefore, recruitment of youth ages 16 and under is categorically disallowed in the United States. SOURCE: American Civil Liberties Union American Civil Liberties Union Wed, 14 May 2008 16:42:43 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24372 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24372 Haiti connaît actuellement une grande insécurité alimentaire. Celle-ci a surtout été causée par la mauvaise performance de la dernière saison agricole (août à décembre 2007) et par une très forte hausse des prix des céréales sur le marché international. Bien que le niveau très élevé des prix des aliments ait affecté tout le pays, certaines communes sont plus affectées (voir Figure 1-a). Les quartiers pauvres des villes n’ont pas été épargnés. La flambée des prix conduit à des stratégies de survie inacceptables (réduction des repas, vente effrénée de charbon de bois, migrations,….). Elle a aussi été à la base des manifestations violentes survenues début avril dans les villes. L’insécurité alimentaire devrait évoluer négativement durant la période d’avril à juin 2008. SOURCE: Famine Early Warning Systems Network - USAID Famine Early Warning Systems Network - USAID Wed, 14 May 2008 14:42:05 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24365 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24365 The Council has been discussing, both at the experts level and in informal consultations, the humanitarian situation in Myanmar since Cyclone Nargis struck the country on 2 May 2008. France has been pushing for Council action but, at the time of writing, it was unclear if France would put a draft resolution on the table. It seems that a text is being consulted with various members of the Council and that it may appeal to member states to offer emergency aid and assistance and urge the government of Myanmar to establish a coordinating mechanism to assist and facilitate in the delivery of aid. SOURCE: Security Council Report Security Council Report Wed, 14 May 2008 13:53:53 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24363 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24363 L’Appel global a pour objectif de mobiliser l’attention des donateurs des secteurs public et privé, ainsi que des organisations et des particuliers, quant au sort de millions de réfugiés et d’autres personnes relevant de la compétence de l’UNHCR. Il est mis à la disposition de tous ceux qui s’intéressent à la mission et au mandat du Haut Commissariat : les membres du Comité exécutif (ExCom) et les observateurs auprès du Comité permanent, les Gouvernements et leurs missions à Genève, le Secrétariat des Nations Unies, les institutions onusiennes et les organismes intergouvernementaux, les ONG, les organisations régionales et les particuliers concernés. SOURCE: Nations Unies // Haut commissaire des Nations Unies pour les réfugiés Nations Unies // Haut commissaire des Nations Unies pour les réfugiés Wed, 14 May 2008 13:36:29 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24361 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24361 Ce rapport contient de l'information sur la prévalence et le principal mode de transmission du VIH dans les pays de l'Océanie. SOURCE: Nations Unies // Programme Commun Des Nations Unies Sur le VIH/SIDA Nations Unies // Programme Commun Des Nations Unies Sur le VIH/SIDA Wed, 14 May 2008 13:35:49 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24360 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24360 The May 4 referendum in Bolivia's Santa Cruz region to approve an autonomy statute highlights the deep lack of consensus that permeates Bolivian politics and society. Under its terms, the statute establishes Santa Cruz as an “autonomous department” within Bolivia with many of the rights and privileges normally reserved for a national government. The referendum, denounced by President Evo Morales and his supporters as illegitimate and unconstitutional, in fact tracks closely with the overall course of Bolivian politics during the last five years, leading to a situation in which the exercise of political power and the rule of law are often at odds. If this tendency is not reversed, Bolivia’s already weak social, regional, ethnic, and political fabric will fray. SOURCE: Center for Strategic and International Studies Center for Strategic and International Studies Wed, 14 May 2008 13:30:27 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24359 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24359 Ce rapport contient des résumés sur les régions suivants: Etats-Unis d’Amérique et Canada, et Europe occidentale et centrale. SOURCE: Nations Unies // Programme Commun Des Nations Unies Sur le VIH/SIDA Nations Unies // Programme Commun Des Nations Unies Sur le VIH/SIDA Wed, 14 May 2008 13:22:22 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24358 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24358 Si le nombre total de cas de VIH notifiés reste modeste (à l’exception du Soudan), les chiffres sont en hausse dans plusieurs pays, en raison notamment de l’élargissement des activités de dépistage du VIH. SOURCE: Nations Unies // Programme Commun Des Nations Unies Sur le VIH/SIDA Nations Unies // Programme Commun Des Nations Unies Sur le VIH/SIDA Wed, 14 May 2008 13:16:16 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24357 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24357 Ce rapport contient des résumés sur les régions suivants: Amérique du Sud et Amérique centrale. SOURCE: Nations Unies // Programme Commun Des Nations Unies Sur le VIH/SIDA Nations Unies // Programme Commun Des Nations Unies Sur le VIH/SIDA Wed, 14 May 2008 13:09:40 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24356 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24356 La prévalence du VIH atteint voire dépasse 1% aux Bahamas, à la Barbade, au Belize, au Guyana, en Haïti, en Jamaïque, au Suriname et à la Trinité-et- Tobago (ONUSIDA, 2006). La plupart des pays de la région montrent une baisse ou une stabilisation de la prévalence du VIH, particulièrement dans les zones urbaines, tandis que les changements intervenus dans les zones semi-urbaines et rurales ont été modérés. L’inadéquation des systèmes de surveillance du VIH dans plusieurs pays rend néanmoins difficile l’analyse des tendances récentes de ces épidémies. SOURCE: Nations Unies // Programme Commun Des Nations Unies Sur le VIH/SIDA Nations Unies // Programme Commun Des Nations Unies Sur le VIH/SIDA Wed, 14 May 2008 13:04:09 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24355 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24355 Ce rapport contient des résumés sur les régions suivants: Chine, Inde, et Asie du Sud et du Sud-Est, et aussi sur les thèmes suivantes: Double péril - sexospécifité et risque de VIH parmi les consommateurs de drogues injectables; Comprendre les nouvelles estimations du VIH en Inde, et Surprise dans le Sud. SOURCE: Nations Unies // Programme Commun Des Nations Unies Sur le VIH/SIDA Nations Unies // Programme Commun Des Nations Unies Sur le VIH/SIDA Wed, 14 May 2008 12:51:54 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24354 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24354 Ce rapport contient des résumés sur les régions suivants: Afrique australe, Afrique de l’Est, Afrique de l’Ouest et Afrique centrale, et Afrique centrale, et aussi sur les thèmes suivantes: le double défi de la tuberculose et du VIH, circonsion masculine et préventions du VIH, epidémies latentes parmi les hommes ayant des rapports sexuels avec des hommes, la consommation de drogues injectables: un facteur croissant dans plusiers épidémies de VIH de L'Afrique Subsaharienne, et signes de changements vers des comportements à moindre risque. SOURCE: Nations Unies // Programme Commun Des Nations Unies Sur le VIH/SIDA Nations Unies // Programme Commun Des Nations Unies Sur le VIH/SIDA Wed, 14 May 2008 12:31:59 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24351 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24351 The Joint Committee on Human Rights scrutinises Government Bills for their human rights compatibility. The Committee draws the special attention of both Houses to the Counter-Terrorism Bill. This is the Committee’s second Report on this Bill. The Committee has also published four other Reports relevant to the Bill. This Report updates them in light of the Government’s replies to two of the Committee’s Reports and puts forward amendments to the Bill to give effect to the Committee’s recommendations. The Committee’s approach is based on the human rights standards with which the Government’s counter-terrorism measures must be compatible and on the belief that such measures should as far as possible be part of the ordinary criminal law (paragraphs 1-5). SOURCE: United Kingdom House of Lords // United Kingdom House of Commons // Joint Committee on Human Rights United Kingdom House of Lords // United Kingdom House of Commons // Joint Committee on Human Rights Wed, 14 May 2008 12:22:22 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24350 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24350 Le risque d’une reprise des violences en Ituri est aujourd’hui limité du fait de la présence de la Mission des Nations unies (MONUC), du démantèlement de la plu­part des groupes armés et de la lassitude de la popu­la­tion après des années de souffrance et de destructions. Cependant, les problèmes de fond à l’origine des violences extrêmes qu’a connu le district pendant la guerre – un accès équitable à la terre et une gestion transparente des revenus issus de l’exploitation des ressources naturelles et minières – restent entiers. L’absence de réconciliation intercommunautaire et l’impunité pour la grande majorité des crimes commis pendant la guerre sont également extrêmement inquié­tants en perspective d’élections locales en 2009. Afin d’éviter toute reprise de la violence, dont les femmes seraient les premières à souffrir, les éléments fonda­men­taux d’une paix durable doivent être urgemment mis en place dans le cadre d’une stratégie intégrée impliquant les institutions nationales et provinciales avec le soutien actif de la MONUC et des bailleurs de fonds du Congo. SOURCE: International Crisis Group International Crisis Group Wed, 14 May 2008 12:06:57 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24347 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24347 In a significant change of policy, Turkey recently initiated high-level official dialogue with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) of Iraq. A columnist for the Turkish mass circulation daily Zaman commented that such an official dialogue “was not an ordinary step. It was a turning point in the approach to the Kurdish issue and broke a taboo” (Zaman, May 5). The talks—which focused on a wide range of political, economic and security issues—are the first to occur on such a high official level. The May 2 talks in Baghdad involved a delegation led by KRG Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani and a Turkish delegation led by Ahmet Davutoglu, the senior advisor to the Turkish prime minister; Murat Ozcelik, the special coordinator for Iraqi affairs at the Turkish Foreign Ministry; and Derya Kanbay, Turkey’s ambassador in Baghdad. SOURCE: Global Terrorism Analysis // The Jamestown Foundation Global Terrorism Analysis // The Jamestown Foundation Wed, 14 May 2008 12:05:49 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24346 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24346 Cette année marque un tournant pour le programme d’aide du Canada et l’agence canadienne chargée du développement international. Il y aura une réorientation majeure pour donner suite aux attentes des Canadiens et des Canadiennes, qui réclament un programme d’aide efficace qui donne des résultats concrets. J’ai moi-même été témoin des résultats que nos ressources ont permis d’accomplir, résultats qui ont eu pour effet de soulager les moins fortunés par la promotion des droits de la personne, de la liberté, de la démocratie et de la primauté du droit – en appui aux politiques du gouvernement du Canada. Néanmoins, je crois que nous pouvons accomplir davantage en ciblant davantage nos efforts et en renforçant l’efficacité, l’innovation et la reddition de comptes. Le présent rapport met en lumière l’engagement que nous avons pris à l’égard des Canadiens et des Canadiennes, soit accroître l’efficacité de notre action, et les principales mesures que nous prendrons en 2008-2009. La tâche ne sera pas simple et exigera des décisions difficiles et une bonne capacité d’adaptation. L’amélioration de l’efficacité de notre aide internationale est tributaire du soutien de tous. Les réformes envisagées appuient notre objectif central, soit réduire la pauvreté, encourager le respect des droits de la personne et intensifier le développement durable dans les pays et les régions prioritaires. Nous sommes toujours déterminés à étayer la reconstruction et le développement de l’Afghanistan, pays bénéficiaire de notre plus important programme d’aide, d’une valeur de 1,2 milliard de dollars sur dix ans. Nous allons aussi redynamiser notre relation avec les Amériques en visant des objectifs clés, soit promouvoir les valeurs démocratiques fondamentales, bâtir la prospérité et relever de nouveaux défis en matière de sécurité. Enfin, le Canada respectera l’engagement qu’il a pris au Sommet du G8, c’est-à-dire doubler l’aide à l’Afrique grâce à un investissement qui totalisera 2,1 milliards de dollars au cours du présent exercice financier. Nous continuerons de mettre à profit l’expertise reconnue du Canada dans les domaines suivants : la réforme du secteur public, la formation technique et professionnelle, l’égalité entre les femmes et les hommes, le développement du secteur privé, l’environnement, la santé et l’éducation de base. Nous allons également jouer un rôle de chef de file en matière de programmes novateurs. Ces interventions et les nombreuses autres initiatives de l’Agence canadienne de développement international (ACDI) en matière de réduction de la pauvreté et de développement durable sont décrites dans le Rapport sur les plans et les priorités de 2008-2009, que je dépose à l’attention du Parlement du Canada. -- L’honorable Beverley J. Oda, C.P., députée Ministre de la Coopération international SOURCE: Agence canadienne de développement international Agence canadienne de développement international Wed, 14 May 2008 12:05:21 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24345 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24345 Like any major terrorist event, the July 7, 2005 (7/7) bombings of London’s public transportation system that killed 52 commuters and four suicide bombers had the immediate result of generating a number of wide-ranging and speculative conspiracy theories. One of the early unanswered questions concerned the fact that the four bombers left behind at least one viable explosive device in their car at Luton train station, raising the question of whether there was a “fifth bomber” (Guardian, May 19, 2007). Numerous other leads and stories have led to all manner of speculation, but thus far only one very concrete element of conspiracy has shown up in the British legal system, in the form of the ongoing trial against Mohammed Shakil, 31; Sadeer Saleem, 27; and Waheed Ali, 24; all originally of Beeston in West Yorkshire, the hometown of the 7/7 team (Telegraph, April 6, 2007; BBC, April 10). SOURCE: Global Terrorism Analysis // The Jamestown Foundation Global Terrorism Analysis // The Jamestown Foundation Wed, 14 May 2008 12:04:38 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24344 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24344 The past week once again saw the international media intensely focus on the capture and death of prominent Islamist leaders. On May 8, hundreds of reports appeared that al-Qaeda’s commander in Iraq Abu Ayub al-Masri (a.k.a. Abu Hamza al-Muhajir) had been captured by U.S. and Iraqi forces in Mosul; this claim proved false (Telegraph, May 9). Then on May 11, Western media flocked to an al-Qaeda internet communiqué announcing that one of its senior field commanders, Abu Suleiman al-Otaibi, had been killed in Afghanistan in a “fierce battle with the worshippers of the cross” after returning from fighting in Iraq (Reuters, May 11). On the same day, the British media focused on the arrest at Manchester airport of an Islamist named Hassan Butt, who is reputed to have helped “200 British Muslims train for jihad” (Guardian, May 11). SOURCE: Global Terrorism Analysis // The Jamestown Foundation Global Terrorism Analysis // The Jamestown Foundation Wed, 14 May 2008 11:55:28 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24343 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24343 These have been fifteen years of remarkable achievement, but also of shaky foundations for such progress as we have accomplished. All along we have witnessed the shaping of a large consensus in the international community in support of justice, but also periodic threats imperiling that consensus and the real possibility of backtracking. In this regard, perhaps our analysis of international justice should cover a somewhat longer period, in order to understand the social practices in certain transitions that eventually led to normative developments and trends in international justice mechanisms. It is actually in the last quarter century that the most recent wave of democratization has placed an important emphasis on breaking the cycle of impunity. International efforts at justice-making were largely inspired by earlier efforts at the domestic level, in countries emerging from dictatorship or from conflict, to deal effectively and honestly with legacies of mass atrocities. Those efforts reminded us of the existence of concepts like war crimes and crimes against humanity, and of the special legal consequences that should be derived from that characterization. SOURCE: International Center for Transitional Justice International Center for Transitional Justice Wed, 14 May 2008 11:52:53 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24342 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24342 The imperatives of peace and justice are often juxtaposed, as if they pose a choice between two mutually exclusive options. As the ICTJ increasingly works in contexts with varying degrees of conflict or transition, we are sometimes confronted by the notion that justice must either wait or be sacrificed entirely for peace. The Center’s work has affirmed that both peace and justice may be pursued simultaneously, including in countries where a transition may not have occurred yet or where conditions remain precarious (continued below). SOURCE: International Center for Transitional Justice International Center for Transitional Justice Wed, 14 May 2008 11:48:38 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24341 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24341 The present report is submitted pursuant to paragraph 6 of Security Council resolution 1769 (2007), by which the Council requested me to report every 30 days on the status of financial, logistical and administrative arrangements for the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) and on the extent of progress by UNAMID towards full operational capability. The report covers significant developments during the month of April 2008, including the security and humanitarian situation in Darfur. It also provides an update on the Darfur political process. SOURCE: United Nations Secretary General Report United Nations Secretary General Report Wed, 14 May 2008 11:48:27 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24340 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24340 Dans ce numéro : Etat des lieux sur les droits de l’enfant en RD Congo P. 1 La problématique réinsertion des ESF-GA P. 1 Défis à relever pour les membres de la Coalition en RDC P.2 La résolution 1612 du Conseil de Sécurité de l’ONU en RDC P.2 Processus DDR Enfant– 3me phase P.3 Rappel des engagement de PARIS sur les enfants soldats P.3 Plaidons tous pour une justice Contre ceux qui violent les droits des en RDC Campagne Main Rouge a Uvira P.3 SOURCE: Coalition Pour Mettre Fin à L’Utilisation d’Enfants Soldats, Uvira, RDC Coalition Pour Mettre Fin à L’Utilisation d’Enfants Soldats, Uvira, RDC Wed, 14 May 2008 11:35:42 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24338 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24338 Le Rapport sur la gouvernance en Afrique est le fruit de larges travaux de recherche sur les pratiques de gouvernance entrepris dans 27 pays africains par la Commission économique pour l’Afrique (CEA), par l’intermédiaire d’instituts nationaux de recherche, qui ont recueilli, ensemble par échantillonnage, les opinions de plus de 50 000 ménages et de 2 000 experts. Les conclusions, soumises à la CEA entre 2002 et 2004, ont fait l’objet d’un processus rigoureux d’examens auxquels ont participé des experts nationaux et internationaux travaillant sur la gouvernance et les questions politiques et économiques. Ce rapport est la première grande étude de ce type initiée par les pays africains, qui vise à analyser de façon empirique les opinions des citoyens quant à l’état de la gouvernance dans leurs pays, tout en mettant en évidence les principaux déficits de capacité dans les pratiques et institutions de gouvernance et en recommandant des pratiques optimales et des solutions pour y faire face. On s’est attaché à assurer l’appropriation locale de l’ensemble empirique de résultats afin de renforcer l’efficacité et la légitimité de la prise de décisions et de l’effort de sensibilisation aux niveaux national et infrarégional. Les données ainsi générées peuvent être utilisées pour mesurer la performance des gouvernements et de toutes les principales parties prenantes dans leur réponse aux préoccupations exprimées par les citoyens et pour suivre la mesure dans laquelle le contrat qu’ils ont passé entre eux est respecté. Nous avons pris soin de ne pas être trop directif. Le Rapport sur la gouvernance en Afrique contient des recommandations qui découlent essentiellement des réalités propres aux pays, car, pour être durable, la gouvernance doit être replacée dans son contexte et internalisée. SOURCE: Nations Unies // Commission économique pour l'Afrique Nations Unies // Commission économique pour l'Afrique Wed, 14 May 2008 11:02:26 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24335 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24335 Le présent rapport fait la synthèse de la première grande étude continentale visant à mesurer et contrôler les « Progrès accomplis sur la voie de la bonne gouvernance en Afrique », entreprise par la Commission économique pour l’Afrique. Dans le cadre de cette étude, des enquêtes et des recherches ont été menées sur 28 pays. Les résultats complets et l’analyse de l’étude seront publiés en 2005 dans le premier «Rapport sur la gouvernance en Afrique ». La CEA a entrepris ce travail pour évaluer l’idée que les citoyens se font de l’état de la gouvernance en Afrique, pour rassembler des informations sur les meilleures pratiques et pour identifier les principaux besoins de la région en matière de développement des capacités. Le projet a identifié quatre tendances positives sur la voie de la création d’États compétents en Afrique: transitions démocratiques, ouverture politique, liberté d’expression et obligation comptable, et gestion économique. SOURCE: Nations Unies // Commission économique pour l'Afrique Nations Unies // Commission économique pour l'Afrique Wed, 14 May 2008 11:00:46 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24334 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24334 This report outlines one offensive conducted by the Burma Army against the Karen people in northern Karen State, eastern Burma. It also provides an insight into other means by which the dictators attempt to control and exploit the population in the ethnic areas and provides an analysis of Burma Army strategy and tactics and how the ethnic resistance counters these. It describes the situation of the internally displaced people (IDPs) and makes recommendations for action. Finally, it tells the story of a people living on the edge of survival who have not given up and need help. The slow but unrelenting attacks and building of new camps seem to be driven by a plan to dominate,chase out or crush any people in these areas. This was the largest offensive in Karen State since 1997. It began in earnest in February 2006, with troops from over fifty battalions attacking through the rainy season, and the construction of 7 new main camps and 26 smaller support camps. The Burma Army is now planning the construction of two new roads that, when completed, will cut the northern Karen State into quarters. SOURCE: Free Burma Rangers Free Burma Rangers Wed, 14 May 2008 10:30:40 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24333 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24333 The Sudanese conception of citizenship differs from the Western understanding of it. In Sudan and the Middle East generally, there is a sharp distinction between a person’s “public” rights regulating for example political rights and the “private” rights regulating civil rights such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, maintenance and financial custody of children, and alimony. In Sudan, the “private” civil rights are the legal domain of the religious and tribal communities. Research on gender in the Middle East claim that religiously anchored “private” civil rights systematically discriminate women. SOURCE: Chr. Michelsen Institute Chr. Michelsen Institute Wed, 14 May 2008 10:25:02 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24332 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24332 Ce document porte sur le conflit des Grands Lacs en Afrique, qui a donné naissance au génocide rwandais en 1994 avant d'aboutir à l'affrontement de sept pays sur le même sol de la république démocratique du congo. Ces nombreux affrontements de plus de quarante ans qui ont opposé les hutu et les tutsi ont coûté beaucoup à l'Afrique, particulièrement sur le plan économique. Il a fallu attendre les années 2004 pour qu'un espoir de paix se fasse jour ; une paix à laquelle la communauté internationale veut apporter un timide soutien. Le portail propose également une rubrique "Repères", ainsi qu'une carte géographique du continent africain. Table des matières : Introduction I- Un conflit ancien 1.Hutu et Tutsi : 40 ans d'affrontements 2.Le génocide rwandais de 1994 3.Le premier conflit du Zaïre 1996-1997 II- La régionalisation du conflit 1998-2003 1.Sept pays en guerre sur le sol de la Rép. dém. du Congo (RDC) 2.Un conflit meurtrier 3.Le pillage des ressources naturelles III- La RDC entre paix et guerre depuis 2003 1.La transition démocratique 2.Persistance des violences SOURCE: La Documentation française, Paris, France La Documentation française, Paris, France Wed, 14 May 2008 10:22:14 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24331 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24331 U.S.-backed security operations in the southern Philippines are making progress but are also confusing counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency with dangerous implications for conflict in the region. The “Mindanao Model” – using classic counter-insurgency techniques to achieve counter-terror goals – has been directed against the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and has helped force its fighters out of their traditional stronghold on Basilan. But it runs the risk of pushing them into the arms of the broader insurgencies in Mindanao, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). The U.S. and the Philippines need to revive mechanisms to keep these conflicts apart and refocus energies on peace processes with these groups. That imperative has become particularly acute since the Malaysian government announced with­drawal, beginning on 10 May, from the International Monitoring Team (IMT) that has helped keep a lid on conflict since 2004. If renewed attention to a peace agreement is not forth­coming by the time the IMT mandate ends in August, hostilities could quickly resume. SOURCE: International Crisis Group International Crisis Group Wed, 14 May 2008 09:49:54 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24327 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24327 De 1915 à 1918, plus d’un million d’'Arménien(ne)s furent les victimes de massacres et de déportations systématiques. La Suisse n'’a pas à ce jour reconnu cet événement historique comme un génocide. De nombreuses interventions parlementaires ont déjà demandé la reconnaissance suisse du génocide. Le dernier en date a été le postulat Zisyadis que le Conseil national a rejeté de justesse en mars 2001. Les développements politiques et juridiques actuels sur la scène nationale et internationale ont mis à nouveau la question du génocide des Arméniens à l’ordre du jour de l’'agenda politique. Lors de la session de printemps 2002, Jean-Claude Vaudroz, Conseiller national, a déposé un postulat visant la reconnaissance du génocide arménien par la Suisse. Le postulat exige que le Conseil national reconnaisse le génocide des Arméniens et qu’'il demande au Conseil fédéral d’'en prendre acte et de la transmettre par voie diplomatique habituelle. Avec la présente documentation, le génocide arménien est présenté et donne lieu à une discussion politique et juridique dans le contexte national et international. SOURCE: Société pour les peuples menacés Société pour les peuples menacés Tue, 13 May 2008 12:33:24 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24326 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24326 The risk of renewed violence in Ituri is limited today by the presence of the UN Mission in the Congo (MONUC), the dismantling of the majority of armed groups and the local population’s war weariness after years of suffering and destruction. To ensure lasting stabilisation, however, it is essential to tackle simultaneously the conflict’s root causes and abandon purely reactive or short-term approaches. Those root causes persist, including unequal access to land and unfair sharing of revenues from exploitation of natural resources. As local elections in 2009 approach, the absence of inter-community reconciliation and persistence of impunity for the majority of crimes committed during the war are also extremely worrying. To prevent new violence, which would affect women particularly, an integrated peacebuilding strategy has to be implemented, involving national and provincial institutions and with the active support of MONUC and donors. SOURCE: International Crisis Group International Crisis Group Tue, 13 May 2008 12:30:36 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24325 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24325 Zimbabwe is facing a deepening political crisis, marked by state-sponsored violence against opposition party supporters. Following the March 29 presidential and parliamentary elections, in which the opposition won control of parliament and won more votes in the presidential contest, the government unleashed a nationwide campaign of violence against opposition groups. At least 32 supporters of the Movement for Democratic Change, or MDC, have been killed, over 700 have sought medical treatment, over 6700 have been displaced, and over 1000 people have been arrested. All signs point to the situation worsening, with the government using violence and intimidation ahead of a runoff presidential election announced by the government. SOURCE: ENOUGH Project ENOUGH Project Tue, 13 May 2008 12:16:32 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24324 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24324 It has been three years since Uzbek government forces killed hundreds of unarmed protesters in the eastern city of Andijan on May 13, 2005, following an attack by armed men. Yet even today the government continues vigorously to seek out and persecute anyone it deems to have a connection to or information about the Andijan events. This is particularly true for many of the relatives of hundreds of persons who fled to Kyrgyzstan in the immediate aftermath of the massacre and were later resettled in third countries, as well as those who fled but later returned to Andijan. These groups remain under intense government pressure. They have been subjected to interrogations, constant surveillance, ostracism, and in at least one case an overt threat to life. As a result, three years after the massacre, government persecution continues to generate new refugees from Andijan. SOURCE: Human Rights Watch Human Rights Watch Tue, 13 May 2008 11:56:38 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24323 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24323 The armed conflict and humanitarian crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan has become a rallying cry for Western civil society, and is held to represent the worst series of ongoing human rights violations in the world today.Yet try as it might, the international community has not been able to stall the bloodshed, nor has the government in Khartoum shown great interest in pacifying the restive region. On Wednesday April 9, FRIDE held a closed seminar on international organisations’ response to the Darfur crisis. It is generally accepted that the outcome of the missions (UNAMID and EUFOR) in the region is highly unpredictable, and that the UN, the European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU) are facing one of the largest humanitarian crises of the 21st century, testing the credibility and reputation of all three organisations. SOURCE: Fundación para las Relaciones Internacionales y el Diálogo Exterior Fundación para las Relaciones Internacionales y el Diálogo Exterior Mon, 12 May 2008 15:56:34 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24314 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24314 The Uzbek government continues to persecute people it believes have any connection with the May 2005 unrest in Andijan, Human Rights Watch said in a new report. The 45-page report, “Saving its Secrets: Government Repression in Andijan,” documents intense government pressure on people who participated in the Andijan protests, families of refugees who fled Uzbekistan in the aftermath of the Andijan violence, and refugees who returned to Uzbekistan. Interrogations, constant surveillance, ostracism, and threats continued to generate new refugees from Andijan. Some of the refugees are fleeing for the second time since May 13, 2005, when government security forces massacred hundreds in an attempt to quell anti-government protests that followed an armed attack on the city. SOURCE: Human Rights Watch Human Rights Watch Mon, 12 May 2008 15:16:55 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24313 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24313 This article contends that the William Clinton and George W. Bush administrations experienced similar transformations in their respective policies towards UN peace operations and nation-building. Although they began from nearly opposite perspectives, both came to remarkably similar conclusions about the value of peace operations, UN-led or otherwise, as tools for US foreign policy. Initial positions, driven in part by ideological concerns, gave way to more pragmatism about how the United States would support UN peace operations, reinforced by experiences with Congress and at the UN. A defining feature of this pragmatism was a deep reluctance to contribute significant numbers of troops to UN-commanded operations, even as both administrations supported increases in the number and scale of UN missions. SOURCE: The Henry L Stimson Center The Henry L Stimson Center Mon, 12 May 2008 15:11:20 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24312 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24312 Stability in the twenty-first century will only be achieved when trust is established between citizens and their states across the globe. Decades of persistent conflict have exposed millions of people to insecurity, loss of opportunity, and increased risk of falling into poverty. Failure or fragility of the state has been at the heart of this crisis of governance and human rights violation. Loss of legitimacy is the primary cause of the fragility and failure of states. The vicious cycle begins with loss of trust in the state to create an inclusive political, social, and economic order made predictable by rule of law. Some of the markers coincident with loss of legitimacy are: an increase in illegality, informality, and criminality in the economy; ineffective delivery of basic services; failure to maintain or expand essential infrastructure; increase in corruption; and appropriation of public assets for private gain. As a result, administrative control weakens and the bureaucracy is seen as an instrument for abuse of power, in turn leading to a crisis in public finances—where both revenue and expenditure are unpredictable and budgeting becomes an exercise in emergency management. SOURCE: Institute for State Effectiveness Institute for State Effectiveness Mon, 12 May 2008 14:54:24 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24310 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24310 On January 8, 2007, Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed set foot in the capital city of Mogadishu for the first time since taking office in 2004. His arrival symbolized a victory by Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government (TFG) over the Islamic Courts, a group of fundamentalist Islamic militias that had grown so powerful over the preceding year that they briefly controlled much of the country’s territory. Though international observers had hoped the TFG would bring stability to the war-torn nation after sixteen years of “failed state” status, by mid-2008 experts said the TFG was fraught by internal divisions. Meanwhile, the Islamists have made a strong comeback, with an increasingly radicalized extremist movement holding sway over more moderate factions of the Courts. SOURCE: Council on Foreign Relations Council on Foreign Relations Mon, 12 May 2008 14:10:54 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24308 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24308 On May 2, 2008, Cyclone Nargis swept through Burma’s delta region, devastating a country that was already on the brink of a humanitarian crisis. The death toll is likely to mount to over 70,000, and as many as two million people have been displaced from their homes. There are alarming reports of entire villages destroyed, their populations missing. The international community must rally around a UN-led response to the crisis, set aside political disputes with the government of Burma, and begin preparing for not only immediate assistance, but also medium- and long-term stabilization and reconstruction plans. Burma was ranked as one of the poorest countries in the world before Nargis hit. (See Burma: A New Way Forward). Though comprehensive assessments in the aftermath of the cyclone have yet to get underway, the delays in response are raising fears of cholera, malaria, malnutrition, and even starvation in isolated parts of the delta. SOURCE: Refugees International Refugees International Mon, 12 May 2008 14:02:43 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24307 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24307 This is the first in a series of reports by the Majority and Minority staff of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (Committee) on the threat of homegrown terrorism inspired by violent Islamist extremism. The Committee initiated an investigation into this threat during the 109th Congress under the leadership of Chairman Susan Collins (R-ME). The first hearing on the homegrown threat considered the potential for radicalization in U.S. prisons, including an examination of the activities of Kevin Lamar James, an American citizen. While in prison, James adopted a variant of violent Islamist ideology, founded an organization known as the Assembly for Authentic Islam (or JIS, the Arabic initials for the group), and began converting fellow prisoners to his cause. Upon release, James recruited members of JIS to commit at least 11 armed robberies, the proceeds from which were to be used to finance attacks against military installations and other targets in southern California. James and another member of the group eventually pled guilty to conspiring to wage war against the United States. SOURCE: United States Senate // Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs United States Senate // Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Mon, 12 May 2008 13:49:37 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24306 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=24306 Why do terrorist attacks frequently succeed, even though later investigations almost always show that warnings had been available but were either misunderstood or ignored? Conventional wisdom, as seen in the 9/11 Commission Report, holds that disasters such as the 9/11 attacks have been caused by failures of analytical imagination, a lack of long-term strategic intelligence on the threat, and organizational limitations that prevent the U.S. intelligence community from being able to “connect the dots” of the existing intelligence. The conventional wisdom is reassuring, because it suggests that if we can fix these problems, the American intelligence community (IC) will be more likely to connect the dots next time and prevent the next major terrorist attack. But the conventional wisdom is wrong, and this reassurance is misplaced. The history of American efforts to prevent terrorist attacks suggests that more imagination, better strategic intelligence, and intelligence reorganization will not prevent future disasters. SOURCE: Belfer center for Science and International Affairs // John F Kennedy School of Government // Harvard University Belfer center for Science and International Affairs // John F Kennedy School of Government // Harvard University