Croatia/Serbia: Gotovina ruling ‘opens old wounds’

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The acquittals of General Ante Gotovina and Mladen Markac for war crimes by a UN appeals court were greeted with jubilation in the streets of the Croatian capital, Zagreb, on Friday.

The successful appeal marks the biggest reversal for the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia during its two decades of hearing cases involving the bloody breakup of the country.

Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic welcomed the decision, but conceded that there had been wrongdoing on his side:

“Obviously these are two innocent men but that does not mean that the war was not difficult, bloody and just as far as Croatia is concerned.

There were mistakes in that war, mistakes that the Croatian state is ultimately responsible for, not Markac and Gotovina. And for those, and to those, who were wronged by the Croatian state, Croatia will fulfil its debt to justice,” he said.

Shameful

But, Savo Strbac, the director of Serbian NGO “Veritas”, echoed the feelings of many of his countrymen.

“We are shocked by the verdict. I can freely say that it is shameful because I am a judge myself and I know how things work. This verdict is the result of a majority vote,” he said.

The Serbian President was also vocal in his opposition to the courts decision.

In a written statement Tomislav Nikolic said: “It is now quite clear the tribunal made a political decision and not a legal ruling. Today’s ruling will not contribute to the stabilisation of the situation in the region and will open old wounds.

If we had reasons to believe that the tribunal is neutral, fair and more than a court only for Serbia and its people, these reasons are now annulled with the acquittal of war criminals.”

Egyptian PM seeks Israel-Palestine ceasefire

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The Egyptian Prime Minister has denounced Israel’s attacks on Gaza and says Cairo will try to secure a ceasefire.

Hisham Qandil paid a three-hour visit to the Palestinian territory on Friday, visiting the Council of Ministers building as well as a hospital treating those wounded by the attacks.

Cross-border fighting continued during the visit.

Egypt, which signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1979, has brokered informal truces between Israel and Palestinian militants in the Gaza strip before.

The government of Egypt, which is seen as ideologically close to Hamas, now has to balance solidarity with the fellow Islamists with the country’s dependence on US aid, worth around 1.6 billion euros per year.

Qandil says Egypt seeks the establishment of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.

Russian handbook insults immigrants

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What was intended to be a friendly guide for labour migrants to Russia, has instead been taken as an insult. The brochure gives practical advice on dealing with authorities, such as guards and police, but workers have taken exception to the fact that the booklet represents them as work tools.

The book was published by an NGO and distributed in the Russian, Uzbek, Kyrgyz and Tajik languages.

Alexander Shishlov the Human Rights Ombudsman in St. Petersburg said: “When migrant workers who come here from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and other countries are portrayed as spatulas, brushes and other tools, while all the other characters in the brochure are portrayed as people, this clearly sets people who live here against those who are visitors. And this comparison is insulting to a large degree.”

Outrage

The government of Tajikistan has formally asked Russian authorities to withdraw the handbook, but despite the book having been promoted on a Russian government website, authorities have denied any connection with its publication.

Gleb Panfilov, deputy head of the Look into the Future group that published the guide in St Petersburg said he could not understand the sudden public outrage, many months after its release. He claims to have consulted workers from Tajikistan and Uzbekistan while putting the book together aiming “to help labour migrants learn about their rights and avoid getting into trouble in this city”.

Hate crime

Activists say the book is another example of discrimination against the impoverished, mostly Muslim migrants who move to Russia and take on low-skilled work. The immigrants, many of whom have dark skins, have been the targets of hate crime in recent years.

This reached a peak in 2008 when 115 immigrants were killed and nearly 500 wounded, according to an independent watchdog. A police crackdown on neo-Nazi groups has helped to reduce racially motivated crimes, but numbers are said to be still high.

Russia: Navalny to lead protest movement

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Anti-Putin blogger Alexai Navalny has been selected to lead the opposition movement and will now be tasked with turning mass street protests into more structured attack on the Russian President.

More than 81,000 people voted online to chose 45 new leaders, who it is hoped will unify protesters and give them direction.

Professional chess player Garry Kasparov and writer Dmitry Bykov were also popular choices and will join the opposition’s coordination council. Navalny was the outright winner with 43.723 votes.

It is reported the election had to be extended by a day due to cyber-attacks on the platform.

Putin has been the subject of spirited protests since returning to the presidency for a third time in May but the opposition candidates gained no ground in Russia’s regional elections on October 14.

Russian opposition leader detained

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Russian opposition leader Sergei Udaltsov has was led away by police on Wednesday morning, as authorities began criminal proceedings against him, and other associates, for planning “mass disorder” in protests against President Vladimir Putin.

The charges focus on allegations, made in a pro-Kremlin documentary, which claims Udaltsov received money and orders to cause mass unrest in Russia, from an ally of Georgian President Mikeil Saakashcili. The charges carry a jail sentence of up to 10 years.

The head of the investigation committee, Vladimir Markin, gave a warning to protest leaders:

“I would like to warn all of those who think that one can organise without consequences, massive disorders and terror attacks that threaten the life and health of civilians in our country. You don’t imagine how professional our special services are,and you don’t know our laws and our penal code.”

Udaltsov who has led a series of protests sanctioned by Moscow denies the allegations against him.

His supporters say the Kremlin is conducting a politically motivated crackdown on protest leaders.

Colombian government holds peace talk with FARC in Oslo

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The Colombian government and Marxist rebels are set to hold peace talks in Norway aimed at ending nearly half a century of conflict.

President Juan Manuel Santos has made the latest attempt to negotiate a deal with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas after recent criticism on security issues, although there have been improvements over the last decade helped by a US backed offensive against the rebels and drug barons.

Before boarding the plane with the rest of his team in Bogota, the government’s chief negotiator, Humberto de la Calle, said he was optimistic.

“We don’t believe in false expectations but I think the structural elements exist that will allow us to have hope, and hopefully we will have good news for Columbia.”

There was a reported conflict over the composition of the FARC delegation especially the inclusion of Dutch National, Tanja Nijmeijer.

Interpol said Colombia had asked for the lifting of so-called “red-notices”, much like arrest warrants, on several FARC members, but Colombia only controls its own notices and Nijmeijer is also wanted in the US so it could not be lifted.

She is not therefore expected to attend the preliminary meetings in Norway but should be at the table when the talks move to Cuba shortly afterwards, where the focus is expected to be on land, drugs and political participation.

Philippines: Peace deal between government and Muslim rebels

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The Philippine government has agreed a peace deal with Muslim rebels ending more than four decades of violent conflict.

The agreement represents a major breakthrough in trust between the authorities and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) separatists and sets in motion the creation of a new autonomous Bangsmoro region in the Muslim dominated south of the mostly Catholic country.

Bangsmoro refers to both the Muslim and non-Islamic people of the Southern Philippines.

The transition which should be completed by the end of President Benigno Aquino’s term in 2016 will give the Muslim area more political and economic powers, including a larger share in revenues from natural resources.

The conflict has stunted the Philippine economy and killed more than 120,000 people although recently the country has seen a recent growth spurt and a resurgence in investor interest.

It is hoped the long awaited new deal will now bring peace and free up untapped deposits of oil, gas and mineral resources in rebel areas.

Radical preacher Hamza lands in US

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Radical Islamist cleric, Abu Hamza, arrived in New York on Saturday where he is expected to appear in a US court on terrorism charges within 24 hours.

Hamza was deported from the UK along with four other suspects following an eight year legal battle which strained the country’s relationship with the European court of human rights.

The hate preacher faces 11 charges in the US related to hostage taking, conspiracy to establish a militant training camp and calling for a holy war in Afghanistan.

US State Department spokesman Mark Toner welcomed the move: “This ends a period of lengthy litigation through UK courts as well as the European court of human rights and also speaks of the strength of the law enforcement relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom.”

The five suspects left a military airbase in Suffolk in two planes just hours after their final appeals were turned down. Adel Abdul Bary and Khaled al-Fawwaz joined Hamza in New York.

While Babar Ahmad and Tahla Ahsan, were flown to Connecticut where they face charges of running a pro-Jihad website.

Georgia: Outcry over prison torture video

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Mothers of prisoners were joined by thousands of protesters on Thursday, after a video emerged showing guards torturing and raping inmates at a prison. They called for the resignation of the Interior and Justice Ministers.

One mother said: “I can not bear this any more, I fainted three times yesterday. I didn’t know that such things happened at the prison. At least I did not believe it.”

In an effort to diffuse tensions President Mikhail Saakashvili has accepted the resignation of the minister in charge of penitentiaries, and completely reshuffled prison personnel.

Georgian prosecutors have arrested 12 prison officials and Saakashvili has vowed to punish those responsible.

The video comes at a sensitive moment for the president, who has led Georgia since 2004, just ahead of parliamentary elections on October 1.

The video showing guards torturing prisoners and raping them with truncheons and broom handles was broadcast by two opposition TV channels on Monday, leading the government to claim that it was staged for political reasons.

Pope calls for peace on last day in Lebanon

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On the last day of the Pope Benedict’s visit to Lebanon, he celebrated an open-air mass in front of around 350,000 pilgrims, as well as politicians from all sectors of the multi-faith country.

 

The pilgrims had come to Beirut from across the Middle East, where the service was held at an altar built on land reclaimed with debris from Lebanon’s 1975-1990 sectarian civil war.

 

The crowd cheered and waved Vatican as well as Lebanese flags as the Pope gave a speech in which he appealed for tolerance and religious freedom and for reconciliation between Christians and Muslims.

 

These have been the central themes of the visit which comes amid soaring sectarian tensions in the region, exacerbated by the conflict in Syria.

 

The pope also called on Christians not to leave the region despite war and growing pressure from radical Islamists.

 

 

Ukraine risks increasing isolation

 

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While Ukraine hosted the Yalta European strategy conference, it is feared that the former Soviet republic could be moving further away from the European Union.

Ukrainian Prime Minister, Mykola Azarov, spoke of EU criticism such as politically motivated judgements, corruption and the violation of the rule of law:

“We should get rid of these stereotypes,” he said, “The sooner we do this, the better we can develop our relationship on a brand new basis.”

Meanwhile Swedish foreign Minister, Carl Bildt warned that the country was at risk of being stuck in the middle of no-where and failing to form closer ties with either East or West:

“My fear is not that they are going in one direction or another, but that they are going no-where. And in a fast changing global economic environment I think that is even more dangerous, that they are standing still when everything is changing, neither going to the EU nor to the custom union, but standing still with the risk of stagnation.”

A senior US official also warned Ukraine that if it didn’t make some changes ahead of next month’s general election it could fall short of democratic standards, and distance itself on all sides.

Argentina: Thousands attend anti-Fernandez rallies

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Tens of thousands took to the streets of Argentina’s largest cities on Thursday, in protest against the policies of President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner.

The rallies, which were organised over social media, were far more widespread than similar ones in June. Among their grievances protesters named; strict currency controls, high crime rates and a rumoured change to the constitution which would allow President Fernandez to serve a third term.

Following her first four year term the President won a landslide re-election in October, but her approval ratings have since plummeted.

Her policies have effectively created multiple exchange rates, which threaten to depress investment to Latin America’s third largest economy and increase inflation which is already estimated at around 25 percent a year.

Anti-US clashes continue in Cairo

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Anti-US protests sparked by an American made film which mocks the Prophet Muhammad continued in Cairo on Friday.

After clashes at the US embassy in Cairo earlier in the week, President Barrack Obama described the US-Egyptian relationship as a work in progress, and said he sees Egypt neither as an ally nor an enemy.

Under ousted autocratic President, Hosni Mubarak, the United States was a close ally of the country and gives assistance including over a billion dollars of military aid each year.

Violent Anti-American protests started across the Middle-East and North Africa following the release of the anti-Islamic film.

On Tuesday the storming of the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya, resulted in the death of the US ambassador.

Le seul médaillé

Après que la légende américaine de la natation, Michael Phelps a remporté ce nombre impressionnant de médailles olympiques, j’ai entendu et lu beaucoup de gens se demandant : “s’il était une nation à lui tout seul, à quel place apparaîtrait-il au tableau des médailles?”

Cette question sont assez facile à répondre, la “nation Michael Phelps” serait arrivée 16è en 2004 avec six médailles d’or et deux d’argent juste derrière les hôtes, les Grecs et juste devant les Brésiliens qui seront les hôtes en 2016.

A Pékin, où il a remporté huit médailles d’or il aurait été 10ème, et cette année avec quatre médailles d’or et deux médailles d’argent, il aurait terminé 20è.

En 2008 et 2012, ses résultats personnels n’ont pas changé la place de l’équipe américaine dans le tableau des médailles, mais en 2004, les Etats-Unis ont battu la Chine 35 médailles d’or à 32, ce qui signifie que ses médailles personnelles ont été déterminantes pour clamer la première place.

Mais malgré cette importante récolte de médailles, des dizaines d’autres athlètes étaient en compétition, de manière individuelle ou par équipe, et ils sont également essentiels à ce résultat. Mais que ressentirait-il si il avait relevé à lui seul la position de son pays au classement olympique ?

Eh bien, à Londres en 2012, un petit groupe d’athlètes a fait exactement cela. En remportant l’or ces athlètes, à eux seul, ont permis à leur pays de remonter de la dernière place à la 50ème au classement : Taoufik Makhloufi pour l’Algérie a remporté le 1500m,  l’Ougandais Stephen Kiprotich a remporté le marathon, Kirani James a décroché la seule médaille d’or de la Grenade (Antilles) dans les 400 mètres et Ruben Limardo Gascon est offert une médaille d’Or en escrime au Venezuela.

Je pense qu’une attention spéciale doit être accordée à l’unique médaille de l’Afghanistan, celle de Rohullah Nikpah médaille de bronze en taekwondo. Lorsqu’il avait réalisé cet exploit lors des Jeux olympiques de 2008 (Pékin), il fut accueilli en héros lors de son retour au pays. Le président afghan, Hamid Karzaï, lui a offert une voiture, une maison et d’autres biens de luxe aux frais du gouvernement, lui qui était devenu un symbole de paix pour son pays. J’imagine qu’il a de nouveau été récompensé pour lorsqu’il a réédité son exploit.

Dans les prochains jours, je vais essayer de contacter ces athlètes pour savoir comment toutes ces médailles ont pu changer leur vie.

Restez à l’écoute.

What if they were a nation?

When American swimming legend Michael Phelps won his astonishing number of Olympic medals I heard and read a lot of people asking: ‘if he were a nation on his own, where would he come in the medals table?”

This question quite easy to answer, the nation of Michael Phelps would have come 16th in 2004 with six golds and two silvers just behind the hosts, Greece and just ahead of next years hosts Brazil. In Beijing where he won eight gold medals he would have been 10th and this year with four golds and two silver medals he would have finished 20th.

In 2008 and 2012 his personal results didn’t change Team USA’s place in the medals table, but in 2004 the USA led China by 35 gold medals to 32, meaning that his personal medals were crucial to claim the top spot.

But with a medal haul like this, there were dozens of Athletes, competing individually or as part of teams who were also essential for this result. But how would it feel to single handedly raise your country’s position in the ranking in the Olympic games?

Well at London 2012 there were a small group of Athletes who did just that. By winning gold medals for their country these athletes single handedly took their country from dead last to 50th in the standings.

These were; Taoufik Makhloufi of Algeria who won the 1500m and Stephen Kiprotich, Uganda, Men’s marathon champion. Kirani James won Grenada’s only medal with gold in the 400 metres and Ruben Limardo Gascon, who won a fencing gold for Venezuela.

I think special considerations have to be given to Rohullah Nikpah Afghanistan’s only medallist, who won Bronze in Taekwondo. When he achieved this feat at the 2008 games, he returned home to a heroes welcome. Also Afghan President, Hamid Karzai rewarded him with a car, a house and other luxuries at the government’s expense, as he stood as a symbol of peace in the country. I imagine he was similarly rewarded for achieving this feat a second time.

In the next few days I’m going to try to contact these athletes to see how their lives changed as a result of winning medals. Stay tuned.