Monthly Archives: April 2008
Wednesday Morning Coffee
>>Georgia – Russia has accused Georgia of amassing 1,500 soldiers in the upper Kodori gorge and threatened to retaliate if Georgia uses force in Abkhazi. Russia also stated that it is increasing its force levels in Abkhazi and South Ossetia. Georgia denies that it is building up troops and called the Russian action a pure provocation. EU foreign policy minister Javier Solana urged restraint during a meeting with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov. Russia has kept a peacekeeping force in Abkhazia and South Ossetia since the 1990s, when the regions broke away from Tbilisi and formed links with Moscow. There are around 2,000 Russians posted in Abkhazia and about 1,000 in South Ossetia.
>>India – President Ahmadenijad met with India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday in an attempt to seal a $7.6 billion pipeline deal, under the strenuous objection of the U.S. The pipeline would be completed by 2012 and would initially transport 60 million cubic meters of gas a day to Pakistan and India. The U.S. had suggested that India instead use Ahmadenijad’s visit to press Iran to stop nuclear enrichment. India responded that it didn’t need any “guidance” in bilateral relations.
>>Turkey – Turkey’s parliament has approved legislation that softens penalties the EU has criticized for limiting free speech. Since 2003, Article 301 of the penal code has been used to prosecute hundreds, including Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk, for “insulting Turkishness.” Critics contend that the softening didn’t go far enough; insulting the Turkish nation still carries a two-year penalty.
Wednesday Morning Coffee
>>Georgia – Russia has accused Georgia of amassing 1,500 soldiers in the upper Kodori gorge and threatened to retaliate if Georgia uses force in Abkhazi. Russia also stated that it is increasing its force levels in Abkhazi and South Ossetia. Georgia denies that it is building up troops and called the Russian action a pure provocation. EU foreign policy minister Javier Solana urged restraint during a meeting with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov. Russia has kept a peacekeeping force in Abkhazia and South Ossetia since the 1990s, when the regions broke away from Tbilisi and formed links with Moscow. There are around 2,000 Russians posted in Abkhazia and about 1,000 in South Ossetia.
>>India – President Ahmadenijad met with India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday in an attempt to seal a $7.6 billion pipeline deal, under the strenuous objection of the U.S. The pipeline would be completed by 2012 and would initially transport 60 million cubic meters of gas a day to Pakistan and India. The U.S. had suggested that India instead use Ahmadenijad’s visit to press Iran to stop nuclear enrichment. India responded that it didn’t need any “guidance” in bilateral relations.
>>Turkey – Turkey’s parliament has approved legislation that softens penalties the EU has criticized for limiting free speech. Since 2003, Article 301 of the penal code has been used to prosecute hundreds, including Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk, for “insulting Turkishness.” Critics contend that the softening didn’t go far enough; insulting the Turkish nation still carries a two-year penalty.
“The Terminator” Goes to Jail
Move over, Arnold — there’s a new “Terminator” in town. And this one’s not heading to the gubernatorial halls of Sacramento, but to the courtrooms of The Hague.
A Congolese warlord known as “the Terminator” is being sought for prosecution, the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague has revealed.
The arrest warrant for Bosco Ntaganda, was issued in 2006 but not made public and he is still at large.
He is accused of conscripting children under 15 to fight in hostilities in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo between July 2002 and December 2003.
Interestingly, the ICC said it had not publicized its arrest warrant for Ntaganda earlier because this may have “hindered the court’s investigations.” This illustrates an important dynamic in the Court’s work — and one that we have previously highlighted in reference to Uganda. Simply put, the ICC is better able to achieve its mission of bringing justice and accountability to a region when peace has already been secured. Whereas northern Uganda fell agonizingly short of a landmark peace deal, a ceasefire in eastern Congo was signed in January. Even as this peace still needs to be consolidated, now seems to be the time to begin the process of bringing to justice those who inflicted such untold misery on the innocents of eastern Congo.
“The Terminator” Goes to Jail
Move over, Arnold — there’s a new “Terminator” in town. And this one’s not heading to the gubernatorial halls of Sacramento, but to the courtrooms of The Hague.
A Congolese warlord known as “the Terminator” is being sought for prosecution, the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague has revealed.
The arrest warrant for Bosco Ntaganda, was issued in 2006 but not made public and he is still at large.
He is accused of conscripting children under 15 to fight in hostilities in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo between July 2002 and December 2003.
Interestingly, the ICC said it had not publicized its arrest warrant for Ntaganda earlier because this may have “hindered the court’s investigations.” This illustrates an important dynamic in the Court’s work — and one that we have previously highlighted in reference to Uganda. Simply put, the ICC is better able to achieve its mission of bringing justice and accountability to a region when peace has already been secured. Whereas northern Uganda fell agonizingly short of a landmark peace deal, a ceasefire in eastern Congo was signed in January. Even as this peace still needs to be consolidated, now seems to be the time to begin the process of bringing to justice those who inflicted such untold misery on the innocents of eastern Congo.
Interview: Katrin Verclas on using mobile technology for social change
Interview with Katrin Verclas, co-founder of MobileActive.org and co-author of Wireless Technology for Social Change: Trends in Mobile Use by NGOs
What are the major findings of the publication?
We found that there’s a lot of activity. Lots of organizations are beginning to use mobiles for social change are are realizing the potential of mobile technology. We’re really just seeing the tip of the iceberg. Right now, mobile phones are still primarily being used for staff coordination as opposed to an actual tool for advancing civil society work. However, we found that there is a huge awareness in the NGO community about the potential for doing so and quite a number of pilot projects probing that potential.
Interview: Katrin Verclas on using mobile technology for social change
Interview with Katrin Verclas, co-founder of MobileActive.org and co-author of Wireless Technology for Social Change: Trends in Mobile Use by NGOs
What are the major findings of the publication?
We found that there’s a lot of activity. Lots of organizations are beginning to use mobiles for social change are are realizing the potential of mobile technology. We’re really just seeing the tip of the iceberg. Right now, mobile phones are still primarily being used for staff coordination as opposed to an actual tool for advancing civil society work. However, we found that there is a huge awareness in the NGO community about the potential for doing so and quite a number of pilot projects probing that potential.
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The SC; HRC; DPRK; South Sudan
The SC: The Security Council today held its last consultations under the Council Presidency of ROK. Tomorrow, Russia will take over the rotating Presidency of the Security Council for March under Ambassador Vitaly Churkin.
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The SG; Mali; Middle East; Palestine
The SG: At the Fifth Global Forum of the UN Alliance of Civilizations in Vienna, Austria today, the SG emphasized the role of youth in ensuring a “prosperous, equitable and peaceful future.”
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The SG; DRC; HRC; Palestinian Prisoner
The SG: In Ethiopia over the weekend, the SG is now in the United Arab Emirates. Today he met with Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashed Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, where the two discussed developments in the region, including Syria, Iran, Lebanon, Egypt and Jordan, and in the Middle East Peace Process.
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