EAST TIMOR'S BIG MOMENT

October 31, 2012

East Timor is a step closer to stability and the prosperity its off-shore oil deposits could bring, as the United Nations peacekeeping mission hands over the responsibility for policing the nation to the government.

The half-island nation of East Timor has had a troubled history. It freed itself from Portuguese rule in 1975, only to be occupied by Indonesia soon after. The subsequent struggle cost the lives of approximately 200,000 people, over half due to direct conflict and the rest through malnutrition. The 1999 UN sponsored referendum, which resulted in a clear vote for independence, was followed by such vicious reprisals by militias backed by Indonesia, that first Australia and then the UN had to intervene.

The situation was so volatile, that the UN stayed and administered the nation for three years. However, the dire economic situation following independence, which was declared on May 20, 2002, led to renewed outbreaks of violence and further interventions from Australia and the UN. The latter will now, at last, be withdrawing its force of approximately 1,200 police officers.

The country's first president, Xanana Gusmão, who was re-elected as prime minister last July, said that he was delighted that the National Police of East Timor "are assuming full responsibility for maintaining law and order".

East Timor now needs to set an example of responsible government to other new or emerging nations by tackling the partisanship, greed and corruption that has been holding it back these last ten years.

TRANSNISTRIA ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF EVENTS

October 30, 2012

Recognition of Transnistria may not be that far away, as events on both sides of its borders seem to be going in its favour.

On its eastern border, the outcome of the Ukrainian parliamentary election (see yesterday's post)lent towards the pro-Russian parties, while to its west, the rest of Moldova and Romania may be edging closer towards reunification, leading Russia to insinuate that it would fully recognise the sovereignty of Transnistria, if the the two countries were to merge. Moldova considers Transnistria, which declared its independence in 1990, part of its territory and the breakaway territory is not fully recognised by any United Nations member state. Nevertheless, if the benefits of unification to Romania were substantial enough, who is to say that the strip of mostly ethnic Russians will not be sacrificed by Moldova?

Transnistria, with its capital Tiraspol, has already managed to assert itself effectively as a presidential republic. It has its own parliament, security forces, postal system, currency and flag. It had split away after the breakup of the Soviet Union out of fear of being absorbed into Romania with the rest of Moldova. Whereas much of Moldova, or Bessarabia as part of it was called, had a strong affiliation with Romania, the territory of Transnistria was, since the late 1700s, very much under the influence of Russia. For Moldova to let it be, might not be such a bad idea.

Alexander Suvorov, founder of Tiraspol

UKRAINE CRITICISED FOR TAKING A "STEP BACKWARDS"

October 29, 2012

The Party of Regions, the Ukrainian pro-Russian party of President Victor Yanukovich, is on course to win a comfortable majority with the support of its traditional political allies. The party and its coalition partners are set to gain more than half of the 450 seats in the parliamentary assembly, thus allowing the incumbent an easy ride before his likely re-election bid in 2015. The new liberal party, UDAR of Vitaliy Klychko, led by Heavyweight boxing champion Vitaly Klitschko did fairly well, as did the far right nationalist party.

Whilst some independent observers were satisfied with the electoral process, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which sent more than 600 observers, expressed deep concerns regarding the fairness of the poll. Objections included "lack of transparency" with regards to campaign funding and a marked bias towards Mr Yanukovich's party by the permitted media. There are also serious doubts about the legitimacy of the continued detention of former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko who was arrested on unsound and politically motivated charges, after having lost the last Presidential election to Mr Yanukovich in 2010. She has now started another hunger strike.

The overall assessment was that the way this election was conducted was a disappointing "step backwards" (alluding to the autocratic leadership of Leonid Kuchma in the 1990s). It is a great pity that this with all the potential Ukraine had to nudge Russia into the right direction, it had decided to follow it into dark days reminiscent of the worse that was the USSR.

GREEK EDITOR ARRESTED FOR EXPOSING TAX EVASION SUSPECTS

October 28, 2012

One would think that journalists were be safe enough in Europe, as long as they did not engage in phone hacking, taking sneaky photos of royal breasts or getting up the nose of the American administration... Well, Greek editor and journalist Costas Vaxevanis can prove that this is not always the case. He was arrested and released pending a trial for publishing the names of 2,059 people on an "official" list of possible tax dodgers.

Mr Vaxevanis claims the list was sent to him anonymously and relates to compilation sent to Greece by France a couple of years ago requesting an investigation into the tax dealings of the suspected evaders. Christine Lagarde, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was the French finance minister at the time, so the list has been dubbed "The Lagarde List".

Mr Vaxevanis, who published the document in the weekly magazine Hot Doc, justified his actions as being in the public interest:

"I did nothing more than what a journalist is obliged to do. I revealed the truth they were hiding. If anyone is accountable then it is those ministers who hid the list, lost it and then said it didn't exist. I did my job."

He has a point. Particularly in the current climate, where many of Greece's financial problems are said to originate from endemic tax evasion. If he has breached European data protection laws, then surely so have the government officials who lost the document in the first place.

IRAN TRIBUNAL HIGHLIGHTS A DECADE OF ATROCITIES

October 27, 2012

Today the Court Hearings around the Islamic Republic of Iran's involvement in the execution of tens of thousands of citizens in the 1980s came to an end in the Hague. The session, which started on October 25, marks the conclusion of a two-part investigation into the atrocities. The first part consisted of the proceedings of the Truth Commission which took place at the Amnesty International Human Rights Action Centre in London from 18-22 June, 2012. This led to the publication of a 330 page Report, 260 of which consisted of witness statements and other evidence, which informed this week's hearing. Much of this evidence was horrific: hundreds of teenagers were said to have been exterminated, detainees were brutally tortured, and young women were alleged to have been raped prior to their execution, because Sharia Law forbids the killing of virgins...

The process was organised by the Iran Tribunal which does not hold any legal standing, but aims to highlight the the fact that crimes against humanity were committed, in the hope that the case will be taken up by the United Nations. In the words of the Commission:

"The Iran Tribunal Campaign is a social movement which was initiated by a group of individuals composed of the families of the victims of Iran's political prisoners, former Iranian political prisoners, the survivors of mass executions in the 1980s, political and labour activists, women's rights activists, lawyers, students, children's rights activists, writers, artists and human rights activists , who have been holding regular meetings since October 2007 in order to assess the possibility of setting up a "Truth Commission" and a "People's Court."

The idea of such a tribunal is not new, for instance Bertrand Russell and Jean Paul Sartre had organised a similar committee from 1965 to 1967 in order to investigate and publicise the atrocities carried out by American forces during the Vietnam War.

The Court Hearings will add weight to the Truth Commission's conclusion:

"These violations of human rights were devised, instigated and executed (or caused to be executed) by a single central authority and as such the Islamic Republic of Iran is the only authority responsible for these acts."

Let us hope that justice will be done at last, particularly seeing as many of the perpetrators of those heinous crimes are now in positions of privilege and power in today's Iran.

MOUNTAIN GORILLAS FACE EXTINCTION AS GUERILLAS TAKE OVER

October 26, 2012

The promised truce offered by various rebels operating from Virunga National Park, that was supposed to allow rangers and conservationists to ensure the protection of the endangered gorillas living there, appears to have come to an end as two rangers and a soldier are killed in an ambush. Five rebels, thought to belong to the Mai Mai militia, were also killed as military guards shot back.

The park, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is the home to the largest concentration in the world of mountain gorillas, with about 480 out of 790 living there. The gorillas are threatened with extinction owing to human incursions into their habitat. The militias, which include M23 guerillas, have had a particularly devastating effect on the primates and on other wildlife in the National Park, owing to their disregard for the environment and animal welfare. The extreme threat to rich bio-diverse Virunga National Park is such, that the UN has placed it on its list of endangered World Heritage sites.

Since 1996, more that 130 rangers have been murdered while bravely trying to protect the primates from militia and poachers. The military are helping protect them, but clearly more needs to be done. At this rate we will soon be left with guerillas, but with no gorillas or rangers.

IF TRUTH IS THE FIRST CASUALTY OF WAR, JOURNALIST CANNOT BE FAR BEHIND

October 25, 2012

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia has only been in office for a few weeks and despite his excellent credentials, it will no doubt take a good while before he can start making an impact.

Mr Mohamud has to deal with al-Shabab, the Islamist group that is linked to al-Qaeda and that has wielded control over much of the country, and the host of other problems linked to secessionists, the economy and security.

Security is particularly problematic if you happen to be a journalist. This week, yet another has been assassinated, bringing the total killed to 16 so far this year. Ahmed Saakin Farah Ilyas was a television journalist with Universal Television operating in the breakaway, and generally more peaceful territory of Somaliland; he was shot on October 23, at just 25 years of age.

Reporters Without Borders, now ranks Somalia with Syria at the top of the list of deadliest countries for journalists. However, it appears as though the culprits are not solely from the ranks of al-Shabab. Powerful politicians and businessmen are also alleged to be involved. As yet, no one has been convicted for any of these deaths.

Journalists are generally murdered for uttering the truth and their killers would be hypocritical in deed not to acknowledge that they are amongst the most demonic forces on earth. Only a few weeks ago, in Pakistan, it was the 14-year-old Malala Yousafzai, these truth-haters tried to eliminate. If there is such a thing as selling one's soul to the Devil, then they cannot be far from it.

UNREST IN WEST PAPUA

October 24, 2012

Trouble has flared up again this week in West Papua as protesters were fired upon when their rally turned violent. Security forces said that the demonstrators started hurling rocks at them when they were ordered to retreat to the University, as many of them were students. The protesters claimed that the police were forcing them to have their photos taken, which could have resulted in reprisals later. There were a few casualties on both sides, but no fatalities.

Secessionist problems started in West Papua after a rigged referendum administered by Indonesia led to the annexation of the territory by the Indonesian State in 1969. The Dutch has already relinquished territories of the former Dutch East Indies, on the island of New Guinea, to Indonesia after the Indonesian National Revolution in December 1949, but they held on to Western New Guinea (Netherlands New Guinea), because the locals were ethnically different and wanted to be independent from Indonesia. In 1962 the government in the Netherlands agreed to a transitional United Nations administration as part of the New York Agreement which guaranteed a plebiscite on the independence question. Ever since that condition was flouted, unrest has been flaring up periodically.

Independence is not always synonymous with improvement, but when a whole section of the people within a territory does not feel it belongs to the country, then the government of that country should listen. There are so many ways of reaching mutually beneficial agreements, that just ignoring the problems indicates a serious lack of political acumen as well as a shortage good will. Indonesia should spend more time studying how other governments, like those of the Philippines, Spain and even Britain, to name but a few, deal with their secessionist issues. There may be no easy answers, but unless these issues are tackled, they will not go away and risk getting a lot worse.

LOCUST ALERT FOR NORTH AFRICA

October 23, 2012

"They shall cover the surface of the soil so thick, that the soil will not be seen. They shall devour the remainder that is left to you, all that has survived from the hail; they shall devour all your trees growing in the fields; they shall fill your palaces, the houses of your courtiers... Your forefathers and their ancestors will never have seen the like, since first they lived in the country."

Thus does the Book of Exodus describe the coming of the eighth plague. Now the United Nations warns of a a similar plague that may grip North Africa in the coming weeks. The Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) has issued a press statement highlighting the threat:

"Prevailing winds and historical precedents make it likely the swarms, once formed, will fly to Algeria, Libya, southern Morocco and north-western Mauritania. Once there, they could damage pastures and subsistence rain-fed crops. They could also pose a threat to harvests in Chad, Mali and Niger."

The cause is a 250-fold increase in locust numbers owing to favourable rains and breeding conditions over the summer, that have seen two generations multiply exponentially in the Sahel region. The statement noted that tens of millions were forming and urged the northern African states to mobilize their forces in order to try to contain the damage. The FAO is also trying to raise $6 million to help support the defence effort, which has already started via spraying and other preventative methods.

Swarms can cover over a thousand kilometres in a week and each locust can consume the equivalent of its own body weight - approximately two grams - in a single day, resulting in a calamitous devastation of crops that would otherwise feed hundreds of thousands of people.

Many North Africans have already suffered bereavement through civil wars, as well as the darkness of unenlightened rulers: the last thing they need is another plague.

FROM THE WINDS OF CHANGE TO A LOT OF HOT AIR

October 22, 2012

Madonna has been summoned to appear in a St Petersburg court on Thursday for having challenged a bill that was passed in the city last February that criminalised the promotion of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community to minors .

The charges relate to her concert there on August 9, where she distributed pink wristband and urged her supporters to raise their arms and show their support and love for the gay community.

It is a tragedy that the magnificent St Petersburg, with its rich cultural heritage, should now have more in common with Kampala, Islamabad and Riyadh, than the modern cities of the twenty-first century. In deed, if President Putin had his way, the whole of Russia would be following suit and become the repressive power it was before the fall of the iron curtain.

The greatest tragedy of all is that Mr Putin is having his way.

ROY BATES AND THE PRINCIPALITY OF SEALAND

October 21, 2012

When it comes to eccentricity, few can compete with Prince Roy of Sealand who died earlier this month aged 91.

Paddy Roy Bates was born in Ealing, England and started his career as an apprentice to his father's butcher stall in Smithfield's Market. Much of his early life, however, was spent in the army where he reached the rank of Major. The stories of his military escapades, which started when he was only 15, would have been dazzling enough. He volunteered to fight against Franco's forces in Spain, he fought at the battle of Monte Cassino (nearly losing his head in the process when grenade blew up in his face) and he was captured and escaped several times. On one occasion he would have been shot by firing squad, after having been recaptured by Greek fascists, had it not been for the intervention of a German officer.

His swashbuckling stories and charm secured his greatest victory: the hand of his sweetheart, Joan Collins, a beauty queen from Essex. If she imagined that life with her husband would be an adventure, he certainly did not let her down. A natural entrepreneur, he did not miss a business opportunity. In 1965 he established the first 24-hour pirate radio station from a sea platform 13km off the Suffolk coast and on Christmas Eve 1966 he moved to a similar one called Fort Roughs, which had been abandoned by the Royal Navy, some years earlier. That is when the real fun started...

Realising that British law was going to undermine his operations, because he and his British associates would be subject to restrictions because of their citizenship, despite Fort Roughs being outside any national territorial waters, he took the remarkable step of calling his platform Sealand and declaring it an independent Principality. Legally, there was nothing the British authorities could do and thus he became Prince Roy of Sealand and his wife became princess Joan.

Sealand Standard That was not the end of it, though, for the prince had to battle with a few assailants in order to protect his territory. On one occasion Radio Caroline tried to take over the platform, as a base for their own broadcasts, but he repulsed them with shots and volleys. On another occasion a disgruntled business partner tried to oust him, with the help of mercenaries, while he was away. Prince Roy launched an attack, freed his territory and kept his opponent's lawyer hostage, until reparations were made! He even managed to repulse the Royal Navy, although this landed him in a British court, which, however, was legally powerless to do anything against him.

In the meantime Prince Roy was making money by selling titles, issuing stamps, offering asylum and doing whatever else he could get away with. He is survived by his his wife and daughter, as well as his son, Michael, who has inherited his title.

It sounds like a bizarre story; and yet, in some ways, probably not that different from the beginnings of all royalty: the product of folly or genius, or more likely, a touch of both.

LIBERTAD HIGHLIGHTS ARGENTINA'S POOR RECORD

October 20, 2012

If you lent me $20, as a friendly gesture, it would be a matter of honour for me to repay you as soon as I could; if you lent it to me because you wanted to earn a buck or two on the transaction, I would feel just as obliged to pay you, since that is the nature of business. There is an element of trust that keeps it all ticking. We stay in hotels, we eat in restaurants we have our hair cut, we take out a bank loan... and then we foot the bill. That's how it works; otherwise all our interactions would be plagued by distrust and chaos. So why shouldn't Argentina still be chased for compensation for its 2002 default? A nation has an even greater moral obligation to pay its debts than an individual, firstly because it should know better and secondly because its actions set and example for its people to follow.

Today, President Cristina Fernandez of Argentina, ordered 326 sailors to abandon the navy frigate, Libertad, after life support was being jeopardised by the seizure of the vessel by Ghanaian authorities. The ship was detained in the port of Tema on October 2, 2012, following a court order relating to millions of dollars owed to Elliott Management.

The indignation voiced by the Argentine government is unjustified and it is only fair that firms do all they legally can to recoup some of their losses. "Might" is not "right" and Argentina needs to understand that. Only a few months ago, on the April 16, the Argentine president sent a bill to Congress calling for the nationalisation of 51% of the 57.4% shares the Spanish oil company Respol held in Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales (YPF). The move caused outrage in Spain and the EU, leading to threats of dire consequences...

The Ghana incident shows that it may take time, but karma always finds a way. Argentina cannot expect to carry on being a law unto itself and keep getting away with it. Potential investors will keep away, while past investors will carry on hounding it. And all the while its honour is compromised.

LUXEMBOURG'S BEST OF TIMES

October 19, 2012

This is proving to be quite a month for the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the tiny country nestled in the midst of Belgium, Germany and France. First, on October 12, it is awarded, with the rest of the Europe Union, the Nobel Prize for Peace. Then, yesterday, it was elected to the United Nations Security Council for a two year term which will start in January 2013. And today, its heir to the throne, Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg married Belgian countess Stephanie de Lannoy in a civil ceremony which will be followed by a religious one tomorrow morning.

Luxembourg's area is made up of just over 2,500 square kilometres and its population, of around 513,000 enjoys, after Qatar's, the highest per capita GDP in the world. This weekend Luxembourg is being joined by more affluence and by grandees from all over the world. It will be a time for celebration. Then, with the start of its mandate in January, it will be a time for Luxembourg to turn its attention further afield and show its real worth.

RWANDA GAINS UN SECURITY COUNCIL SEAT DESPITE CONTROVERSY

October 18, 2012

The United Nations General Assembly has elected Rwanda on the Security Council for a two-year term, despite allegations linking it to the March 23 (M23) terrorist group operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Rwanda's mandate will start at the beginning of 2013 and will be joined by Argentina, Australia, Luxembourg and the Republic of Korea (South Korea). The new countries will be replacing Colombia, Germany, India, Portugal and South Africa; and they will be joining the other five non-permanent members Azerbaijan, Guatemala, Morocco, Pakistan and Togo, whose terms will end a year later. The five remaining countries of the 15-strong Council are the permanent, veto wielding, members: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The Security Council is, in theory, the most powerful political force on Earth. The United Nations summarises the Security Council's responsibilities as follows:

"Under the UN Charter, the Council has primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. It has 15 Members, and each Member has one vote. Under the Charter, all Member States are obligated to comply with Council decisions.

"In addition, the Council takes the lead in determining the existence of a threat to the peace or act of aggression. It calls upon the parties to a dispute to settle it by peaceful means and recommends methods of adjustment or terms of settlement. In some cases, it can resort to imposing sanctions or even authorize the use of force to maintain or restore international peace and security.

"The Council also recommends to the General Assembly the appointment of the Secretary-General and the admission of new Members to the United Nations. And, together with the General Assembly, it elects the judges of the International Court of Justice (ICJ)."

This being the case, it is remarkable that Rwanda managed to get through. All the more so because Rwanda's involvement with M23 was highlighted in a recent report by the UN itself. The report states that M23 receives direct military instructions from the the highest levels of the Rwandan administration, thus implicating President Paul Kagame himself. The evidence has been pointing in Mr Kagame's direction for a while now and has resulted in some countries withdrawing substantial financial support to his government.

M23 was only formed formed in April 2012, after some army contingents mutinied on account of the poor conditions they claimed they were having to put up with. Since then it has become a destabilising force in the DRC and has been blamed for numerous atrocities by various human rights organisations, including Human Rights Watch.

If Mr Kagame were involved with M23, as seems likely, he must stop at once, and his country's elevation to this highest honour makes it even more imperative now that he does so.

MARIE ANTOINETTE'S SLIPPERS FIND A HOME

October 17, 2012

Was it a romantic prince charming with a nostalgia for the tales of his youth? Could it have been an ecstatic Imelda Marcos adding the final glory to her collection of shoes? Whoever it was, they paid 62,460 euros for the privilege of owning a pair of slippers that belonged to the remarkable Marie Antoinette. The dainty trophies went under the hammer in France and sold for five times the expected price to a telephone bidder.

Marie Antoinette was the daughter of the Holy Roman Emperor Francis I and Empress Maria Theresa and an archduchess of Austria. She became queen of France in 1774 when her husband became Louis XVI on the death of his grandfather Louis XV. After the abolition of the monarchy in 1792, she was tried and guillotined on October 16, 1793. She was a romantic figure and died a tragic death, so it would seem appropriate to treasure and safeguard her slippers.

Some will no doubt consider paying so much for a pair of old slippers the modern day equivalent of "Let them eat cake!", but everything has its worth and these are no ordinary slippers. When you consider the billions languishing in banks, the sight of a slippery investment is not a bad thing. They will possibly disappear now, like a fleeting comet, and then reappear in a different generation under a different hammer. At least they will be loved.

STAR...BUCKS!

October 16, 2012

"Laws are like cobwebs: if a powerless of insignificant thing had to get enmeshed, the web would hold it fast, but if anything sizeable should fall into it, the the silky threads would be torn asunder and the creature would go free."

So Solon, one of the seven sages, is reputed to have said about 600 years before the Christian era. Not much has changed then. The same thing can be said about tax.

Take the American coffee company Starbucks for instance. It is the largest coffee-house in the world, operating nigh-on 20,000 outlets in about 60 different countries. In Britain alone it has almost 800. Think how much tax that generates for Britain! Surely it must be worth losing our dear old friendly little coffee shops, with real croissants that shatter with every bite, for all this lovely tax money. So what if the croissants are chewy! Who cares if every Café looks the same! And why not sit on sweaty leathery chairs! Think of all the good those tax revenues can bring. They will be able to keep hundreds of bankrupt coffee shop owners on the dole for years!

Well, think again.

Reuters conducted a four-month's long investigation into Starbucks tax affairs in Britain and found that in the past three years it has paid nothing at all. Illegal? I'm afraid not. Despite the millions it rakes in year after year, the web is so constructed that it happily lets the big fry go. It's worth thinking about as you're sipping your coffee.

PANAMA AIMS TO STRADDLE ANOTHER CONTINENT

October 15, 2012

This must be the European Union's lucky month! First the EU is honoured with the Nobel Peace prize and now a ringing endorsement by President Ricardo Martinelli of Panama who told German Chancellor Angela Merkel that he would like to adopt the Euro alongside the US dollar.

President Martinelli made his announcement today at a news conference in Berlin, while on official visit to Europe. He expressed every confidence in the recovery of the Euro and would work towards facilitate its circulation in Panama as legal tender.

Panama, which straddles North and South America, has a buoyant economy which is forecast to expand thanks to projects centred around the expansion of the Panama Canal. The Euro is already the legal currency in French Guiana which is an overseas region of France, so it would not be new to the Americas. In Europe itself, ten out of the 27 member states have not adopted the Euro, although it is used by a few others that are not in the union, such as Kosovo, Monaco and Montenegro.

For all we know, Mr Martinelli's proposal might end up giving the Euro and even bigger boost than he imagined. After all, it he ends up with a happy relationship, perhaps the dollar will be invited to the old world to repay the compliment. And why not other currencies too? I am sure economists would have plenty of intelligent answers for that, but the simple one is that we would all end up spending too much time on our little calculators

MAURITANIA'S AZIZ MAKES LIGHT OF ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

October 14, 2012

No sooner had the transitional government in Mali received the good news regarding the UN resolution that paved the way for a combined military offensive against the extremists's stranglehold of the north, than its neighbour feels the backlash.

Late yesterday, President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz of Mauritania, was shot in an ambush by some his own forces, as his motorcade was returning to the capital, Nouakchott, from a visit to his ranch in Toueila. He was wounded in his abdomen and was immediately flown to France for treatment. The bizarre thing about the incident is that, despite his condition, the president was keen to make a public statement - condemning his assailants, one would assume... but no, a statement dismissing the whole thing as "an accident". It is difficult to see how, unless perhaps Halloween comes early in Mauritania and Mr Aziz was dressed as Count Duckula and mistaken for legitimate game. More likely, he is trying to diffuse a potentially explosive situation.

President Aziz is no friend of the extremists. He overthrew Mauritania's first democratically elected president, Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallahi, a few months after he was inaugurated in August 2008, because he had reached out to the fundamentalists. A year later, however, Mr Aziz was legitimately elected president, having resigned from transitional office a few months earlier. That President Aziz should be targeted by moderates or the enemies of Mali would come as no surprise, as a weakened Mauritania is just what the extremists would need. Hence Mr Aziz's desperate attempt to make light of yesterday's incident.

The news is still sketchy, although it seems that the worst has been avoided. If anything the attack may have backfired, showing Mauritania in a stronger position that expected.  

MALI ON THE VERGE OF WAR

October 13, 2012

As the situation in Mali goes from bad to worse, the UN Council has finally agreed a resolution that supports preparations for a joint military response that would aim to put an end to the occupation of the north of the country by Islamist extremists. The UN's 15-member Security Council had been reluctant to give any signs for a go-ahead without a detailed plan for doing so, but has now urged for the submission of an invasion strategy within 40 days. The task will fall on the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union (AU) and other partners. The decision will come as a relief to Mali's transitional government which has been pleading for such force, as the top half of the country is ravaged by violent and destructive extremists who have highjacked the Tuareg's initial push for an independent north.

Security Council considers options for northern Mali

The conflict with the Tuareg secessionists had intensified in January 2012 and it briefly turned in their favour after the military coup on March 22. The Tuareg declared the north an independent state called Azawad, but soon regretted the decision as their inexperience and isolation made them easy prey to fundamentalists backed by Al-Qaeda, whose initial support was accompanied by a heavy price. Historical and religious sights are deliberately being destroyed and strict Sharia law is stamping out the spiritual and tolerant expression of Islam that has been practised by the Sufi inhabitants of the area for centuries. Amputations and beating are becoming widespread as forms of punishment, but on the other hand there are reports of all sorts of abuses, including rape and murder.

The Security Council realised that it could no longer take its time, while the treasures of Timbuktu, Gao and Kidal were being destroyed and looted and while innocent lives were being abused or killed. It therefore decided to act under Chapter VII of the UN Charter which will allow “such action by air, sea, or land forces as may be necessary to maintain or restore international peace and security.”

40 days is a long time and there may be incalculable losses in the meantime, and the ensuing civil war may bring many more. Mali is on the verge of war. Still, these usurping rebels may not be as powerful as they make out. The Tuareg are fed up of them, Al-Qaeda is weakened and the signs are that the general population have had enough of them. Perhaps the sight of a united African force may be enough to scatter the darkness.

EU RECEIVES 2012 NOBEL PEACE PRIZE

October 12, 2012

Congratulations to the European Union (EU) for having been awarded the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize! The achievements of the Union are so often taken for granted, that it is encouraging to see that its tireless efforts to bring peace and cooperation amongst the peoples of Europe have been recognised by the Nobel Committee.

The Nobel Peace prize has been going since 1909 and has been awarded 93 times since then, often being omitted during times of international conflict (when one would think it would be needed most). In all, it missed 19 years: 1914-1916, 1918, 1923, 1924, 1928, 1932, 1939-1943, 1948, 1955, 1956, 1966, 1967 and 1972. On several occasions the prize has been shared between two or more people, such as the 2011 award that went to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Leymah Gbowee and Tawakkol Karman.

The EU is not the first organisation to win the prize. In all 21 organisations received it and two of those received it more than once: three times to the International Committee of the Red Cross and two to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Here's the full list of organisational recipients:

1904: Institut de droit international (Institute of International Law)
1910: Bureau international permanent de la Paix (Permanent International Peace Bureau)
1917: Comité international de la Croix Rouge (International Committee of the Red Cross)
1938: Office international Nansen pour les Réfugiés (Nansen International Office for Refugees)
1944: Comité international de la Croix Rouge (International Committee of the Red Cross)
1947: 1)Friends Service Council (The Quakers),
         2) American Friends Service Committee (The Quakers)
1954: Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
1963: 1)Comité international de la Croix Rouge, (International Committee of the Red Cross),
         2)Ligue des Sociétés de la Croix-Rouge (League of Red Cross Societies)
1965: United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
1969: International Labour Organization (I.L.O.)
1977: Amnesty International
1981: Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
1985: International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War
1988: United Nations Peacekeeping Forces
1995: Joseph Rotblat, Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs
1997: International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), (+Jody Williams)
1999: Médecins Sans Frontières
2001: United Nations (U.N.), (+Kofi Annan)
2005: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) (+Mohamed ElBaradei)
2006: Grameen Bank (Muhammad Yunus)
2007: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), (+Al Gore Jr.)
2012: European Union (EU)

THE TRUE ENEMIES OF ISLAM

October 11, 2012

There are different types of blasphemy and the shooting an innocent child in the name of God must certainly be one of the most sacrilegious. When assassins from Tehrik Taleban Pakistan (TTP) shot the 14-year-old Malala Yousafzai and a couple of her companions for advocating girl's rights to education, their insult to to all things holy by far surpassed the cheap, petty and insulting video that resulted in so many violent protests.

Malala, who lived in Mingora, in the volatile Swat Valley of Pakistan , was on sitting on a bus, on her way home after having sat an exam, when the gunmen shot her at close range in the head and neck. The incident happened on Tuesday and Malala is still in a critical condition, as is one of the other girls. Many in Pakistan have united in prayer, but TTP is unrepentant and is threatening to "finish her off".

Where are the demonstrations? Where are the heated protests? Where is the frothing outrage? An enemy's insults on the other side of the globe are far less damaging than this devious cancer within Islam that is trying to highjack all that is good in the religion and taint it with hate, ignorance and violence. Combating these cruel and sinister operatives would be the real concern of those who are truly devoted to their religion. Their priority should be putting their own house in order rather than being the pawns of second rate politicians with agendas of their own.

On this occasion, the real faithful have taken to prayer. They have not opted to riot or cause mayhem. They are clearly very different from the ones on our television screens not that many days ago. I wonder what those people are doing now.

RSPCA PROSECUTES CAT LOVER WHILE LETTING THE BIG FISH GO FREE

October 10, 2012

Hands up those of you who did not know that cats cannot metabolise paracetamol, even if given in small doses? Well, Claire Pritchard's hand would have been up, if she had not learned the hard way. Yes, her cat, Midnight, died, but that was just the beginning...

Mrs Pritachard, a 45-tear-old cat lover with two other cats called Maisie Moo-Moo and Sidilicious, gave Midnight a quarter of a 500mg tablet one night when it returned home limping and then another quarter in the morning. When Midnight did not seem any better, The family then called the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) for advice:

"I am really sorry, but I must inform you that Paracetamol does not agree with cats and its life may have been endangered by the drug. Please bring it in and we shall see what we can do. In future please feel free to call us at any time for advice: that is what we are here for. And please do not worry, we will do all that we can in order to help Midnight recover..."

That, or something like that, is what one would expect. What did the RSPCA do instead? They prosecuted Mrs Pritchard under the 2006 Animal Welfare Act. Mrs Pritchard has now ended up with a £280 fine and a two year conditional discharge. If I had been the judge, I would have sentenced the RSPCA instead: £280 for wasting the court's time and two years' worth of obligatory "Get-off-your-pedestal" and customer service training. As for the judge, no comment, lest I get put in the stocks for criticising the judgement.

With so much animal abuse in the UK, both in the laboratories and abattoirs, the RSPCA should have better things to do than to prosecute a misguided cat lover. Like the typical bully, it has decided to go for an easy target.

                   

UNWELCOME IMMIGRANTS

October 9, 2012

Migration is generally good for society, as cultures and genes intermix and lead to richer minds and bodies. However migrations have not always been beneficial, not to both parties at least, as invading hordes have wiped out civilisations. Entire Caribbean populations, for instance, where annihilated through brutal occupation and imported disease after Europe's discovery of the Americas. Nowadays, freedom of movement is as a rule managed by governments and peaceful and as such, constructive. If governments mismanage the process, they should not blame that on the immigrant. This finger-pointing seems to be exactly what the British home secretary, Theresa May, was doing when speaking to the Sunday Time about European policy on the free movement of workers:

"We are looking at this whole area of the abuse of the freedom of movement."

Immigrants have a rough enough time without being made to feel like abusers or advantage takers, so the home secretary should choose her words more carefully and be explicit as to whether she is referring to policies, people who follow them in good faith, or the abuse of policies via illegal means. If she was referring to the first or second scenario, as seems to be the case, seeing as her gripe was with Europe and not with the way the law was implemented in Britain, the word "abuse" is totally out of place and should not be used to describe European law or other members of the European community who abide by it.

There have, however, been a great number of unwelcome visitors from Europe. Non-native species that have been devastating British forests:

• Chalara Fraxinea, a fungus that is finding its way into Britain via imported saplings and threatening its native Ash trees. (It killed 90% of Denmark’s ash trees in 7 years) alone
• The Lappet Moth that arrived from Russia and is attacking British Pine trees
• The Bark Beetle that found its way from Europe and has been destroying Spruce trees since 1982
• The Leaf Miner Moth that was first recorded in Macedonia in 1970 an is already devastating British Horse Chestnut trees by weakening them and making them vulnerable to disease (the moths lay their eggs in the leaves and the tiny caterpillars tunnel through them leaving brown trails of dead cells)

Others invaders are attacking British fauna from other parts of the world. From Asia:

• The Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia Axyridis) that is threatening the more benign local species of ladybird
• The green parrot that has become a familiar sight in southern England to the detriment of smaller native birds

Then, of course, you have our friend from America that has virtually wiped out its red cousin south of the Scottish border:

• The grey squirrel

These are only a few examples affecting Britain. Other countries have similar problems and sometimes entry is through bizarre events. The West Coast of the US, for instance is already on alert, after some potentially threatening species have washed up on US shores on flotsam caused and carried by last year's Japanese tsunami. When nature is responsible, stopping the tide is just not that easy.

Finally: don't forget to check your bananas!

CATHOLIC CHURCH IN ALBANIA PREPARES FOR BLOOD FEUD EXCOMMUNICATIONS

October 8, 2012

The Catholic Church in Albania has finally had enough of the increasing number of vendetta murders and has proved that it can excommunicate people for more than just the heinous crime of tax evasion! (See blog post dated September 21, 2012: The Soul Tax: Pay Your Tithes Or Be Cursed).

In Albania there is now an average of 10 such murders a month. Added to other homicide figures this makes Albania the murder capital of the Balkans, with about four murders per 100,000 people.

As well as announcing the decree to excommunicate those who commit these murders, the Church is also calling for stricter sentences, suggesting life imprisonment, without the possibility of parole. It is good that the Church is taking a serious stance, and it is a pity it has not been as vocal in other instances, such as when the Catholic IRA was blowing up innocent people in the UK before the Good Friday Agreement of 1998. Still, better late than never, I suppose.

Having said this, unequivocal condemnation is not the same as excommunication. The Church has a duty to opt for the former when the the main tenet of Christianity, which is to love God and, as an extension of that, ones neighbour, is flouted. But excommunication is another matter. The "sinner" excommunicates himself or herself by his or her cruel deeds. It is not up to the Church to block someone from God. Even if it could do that, doing it would be one of the greatest sins of all.

THE PHILIPPINES GIVES PEACE A CHANCE

October 7, 2012

Peace is finally within reach in the Philippines as the government signs a peace deal with the southern Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) separatists. The accord, announced today, should end decades of fighting that killed over 120,000 people and ruined any prospects of development. Under the terms of the agreement, the Muslim dominated south will be supported towards the creation of the Bangsmoro Autonomous Region which should come into full effect before the end of Mr Benigno Aquino’s term as president, in 2016. This should pave the way for economic growth for both parties, as untapped resources, such as oil, gas and mineral deposits, will now be made accessible to industry.

H.E. Albert F. Del Rosario giving his speech at the General Assembly

The Secretary of Foreign Affairs for the Philippines, Mr Albert Del Rosario, declared on October 1, when giving his country's speech at the 67th United Nations General Assembly, that the Philippines was "steadfast in promoting the peaceful settlement of disputes using a rule-based approach". So far, it has been true to its word. Of course there may still be obstacles ahead, as Mr Aquino's opponents on the one hand and splinter rebel groups on the other, may try to undermine the settlement for their own ends. This could, however, be avoided with with a fair and transparent opening up of the south's resources. It would be in no one's interest to inflict more suffering and destruction to an area that can become a welcomed source of prosperity.

ABORTION, GENDERCIDE AND WHAT WE'RE WORTH

October 6, 2012

When, yesterday, I wrote that Women on Waves should concentrate on the abortion issues closer to home, I did not expect that Jeremy Hunt, the new Health Secretary, would ignite the issue with his comments about favouring a reduction in the time limit for abortions from 24 weeks to 12. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists called his proposal "insulting to women".

The only thing that can beat the self-righteousness of the anti-abortion lobby is the pro-abortion one. One of the criticisms to the reduction in weeks is that it would make testing for conditions like Down's Syndrome difficult. Interesting. Since when has eugenics been one of the pillars of the argument for abortion? Of course we all know that it happens; not only eugenics, but gender selection too. Countless female foetuses are aborted, not only in China where the one-child policy exacerbates the situation, or India, where poverty and prejudice may, but also in places like Great Britain. I would have thought that if anything were insulting to women, it would have been this massacre of millions of terminated females.

Caitlin Morgan is quite blasé about the whole thing in her book: How To Be A Woman. She states that she deliberated a lot longer when choosing the worktops for her kitchen than whether to abort what would have been her third child. At least she's honest about it and surprisingly she hit the nail on the head:

"I cannot understand arguments that centre on the sanctity of life. As a species, we've fairly comprehensively demonstrated that we don't believe in the sanctity of life. The shrugging acceptance of war, famine, epidemic, pain and life-long, grinding poverty show us that, whatever we tell ourselves, we've made only the most feeble efforts to really treat human life as sacred."

Sad, but true. And we can take the argument even further if we consider how we abuse animals. If the argument against abortion is to make any sense, it can only do so in the context of the value or sacredness of life. So until we get that right the controversy over abortion will just keep on going...

WOMEN ON WAVES CAUSE DANGEROUS WAVES OVER ABORTION IN MOROCCO

October 5, 2012

Abortion is a delicate subject, because on the one hand one must consider the rights of the pregnant woman, while on the other, one must take into account the rights of the embryo or foetus. The former rights are particularly significant when there are physical, mental or social issues involved. The latter are always important, because whether we like it or not, we are assigning a value to the unborn child in relation to the needs or convenience of the woman. This being the case, a militant approach helps no one and only jeopardises any possibility of dialogue.

This week's attempt by "Women on Waves" to dock their pro-abortion boat in the port of Smir in Morocco in order to draw attention to the issue is at best clumsy; for many Moroccans it was a provocation. A few hundred took to the streets to demonstrate against the "abortion ship". The Dutch boat has done similar feats in catholic countries like Portugal and Ireland. Its stunts are not promoting its cause, nor helping its country. How would the Dutch feel if the Saudi's, say, decided to send a "death penalty" boat to their country. That too is a delicate subject.

Besides, there is enough controversy about abortion in Europe already and the organisation should focus on the real issues there, before venturing into dangerous waters. Perhaps it could start by improving its communication skills and the standard of English on its website.

CAMBODIA ARRESTS FREE THINKER MAM SONANDO

October 4, 2012

Cambodia jostles with its neighbour Vietnam for the position of the most intolerant towards freedom of speech (see post dated September 25). On October 1, 2012 Mam Sonando, a 71 year-old radio journalist and entrepreneur was sentenced to a 20 year prison sentence for "planning an insurrection". The US Department of State expressed deep concern over the arrest, which was directly ordered by Prime Minister Hun Sen in June. It points out that a number of observers in Cambodia "have noted that the charges against him appear to have been politically-motivated, based on his frequent criticism of the government". The same sentiments were expresses by Dr Agnes Callamard, who is the Executive Director of the human rights organisation Article 19:

"Mam Sonando's conviction is unfounded. He has done nothing but exercise his right to freedom of expression. The government's linking him to a fabricated secessionist movement and court's unjustified verdict, is a clear move to silence Sonando and to send a threatening message to other critical voices."

What these oppressive governments or regimes do not understand is the fact that power, or even peace, can never be lasting when coupled with shame. Human dignity will eventually rise up against it. By suppressing dialogue these "rulers" are sacrificing the future for the present and the present for a more distant future. A future that will not fail to resent them for their cruelty and lack of vision.


Ozymandias

I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desart. Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed:
And on the pedestal these words appear:
"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

Percy Bysshe Shelley

"IF YOU PRICK US, DO BE NOT BLEED?"

October 3, 2012

There you have it: barely a whisper. I am referring to yesterday's post about the massacre at the Federal Polytechnic in Mubi, Nigeria. The story has been hardly covered by the selection of websites and papers I have looked at. Shylock springs to mind:

"Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands,
organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions; fed with the same
food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases,
heal'd by the same means, warm'd and cool'd by the same winter
and summer, as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? If
you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die?"

These poor students were either shot or "killed like goats"(meaning they had their throats cut), according to a police commissioner. Several people have already been arrested, some of them student, leading to speculation that the attack was a related to an internal affair, such as the recent student elections. Before the full details are known, the story would have already vanished into oblivion, so we may never get to hear them. Hence Globecatcher's desire to have local correspondents from every nation.

Having eyes and hands is not always enough.

SLAUGHTER AT FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC IN MUBI NIGERIA

October 2,2012

Do you remember the Columbine High School massacre in 1999? Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold went on a shooting spree that cost the lives of 12 students and one teacher; they then killed themselves. Or what about Virginia Tec? Seung-Hui Cho shot and killed 32 people there before turning the gun on himself. If you had been old enough to understand what was going on, the chances are that you would remember these stories, as the papers were full of the news for many days after the events.

On Tuesday night, about 26 students were gunned down by unidentified gunmen while they were in their dorms in Nigeria's north-eastern town of Mubi in Adamawa state. Reports say that the students were called out by name before being shot. The incident could have been a revenge attack by the Islamist militant group, Boko Haram, as some of their operatives had been arrested in the area a few days earlier, or it could have been linked to political feuding following student elections. Whatever the reason, the story has so far received low-key coverage in much of the world press. The tragedy happened too early for many of today's front pages, but it will be interesting to see where the story will be placed in tomorrow's papers. So far coverage on the web has been minimal.

Is it that the media is responsible for people's ethnocentric interests when it comes to news, or does the media simply reflect existing attitudes? I suspect it could be a bit of both. Nevertheless, the media does have a responsibility to report what is newsworthy in an equitable way and a tragedy is a tragedy, wherever it takes place.

CHEMICAL WEAPONS: "NO PLACE IN THE 21ST CENTURY"

October 1, 2012

The tragic thing Syria, Angola, North Korea, Egypt, Israel, Myanmar, Somalia and South Sudan have in common is that they have not signed up to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), which bans the use and stockpiling of such weapons. Today, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned of the serious threat these chemicals posed and emphasised that they still constituted "a serious global concern". The Secretary-General was particularly alarmed at Syria's remarks which indicated that it would not discount employing its arsenal, if the government deemed it necessary.

"I once again emphasize the fundamental responsibility of the Syrian Government to ensure the safety and security of any such stockpiles. The use of such weapons would be an outrageous crime with dire consequences."

Mr Ban's comments were made in the context of the high-level meeting of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons which was taking place alongside the final debates of the General Assembly’s 67th session.

There are four main types of chemical weapons: blister agents, nerve agents, blood agents and choking agents. They are horrific in a number of ways. Firstly they are indiscriminate weapons of mass destruction, secondly they can inflict intense and agonising pain and lastly their effects can continue long after their deployment. No government can legitimately call itself civilised when it considers using such barbaric means of destruction. But can we say nuclear weapons are any better? And yet, how many so called civilised countries are happily sitting on these nuclear devices? Then again, if I had my way, the simple bayonette is bad enough and I'd propose a convention banning that too.