SCA MORNING PRESS CLIPS
Prepared for the U.S. Department of State
Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs
TO: | SCA & Staff |
DATE: | Wednesday, January 24, 2024 6:30 AM ET |
Afghanistan
After Years, F.B.I. Recovers Remains of American Woman in Afghanistan (New York Times)
New York Times [1/23/2024 11:55 AM, Adam Goldman, 13914K, Neutral]
Cydney Mizell, an aid worker teaching English in southern Afghanistan, vanished in 2008, abducted after being driven off the side of a road and presumed dead for 15 years.Members of her family, left with few other details of the circumstances surrounding her disappearance, wondered whether they would ever learn her fate.Jan Mizell, her younger sister, said she would tell people: “Somebody over there knows what happened to my sister. They’re just not talking.”But about a year ago, Ms. Mizell, 64, who lives south of Seattle, received news from the F.B.I.: Agents had collected small bone fragments belonging to Cydney in Afghanistan and would try to bring back all of her remains.The recovery of Cydney Mizell brings to an end a terrorism case that had long stymied investigators, becoming one of the oldest kidnappings that the F.B.I. has worked on in Afghanistan. It also demonstrates the intricacies of tracking down hostages, particularly in a country where the United States no longer has a presence, and underscores the difficulty of finding the bodies of those lost abroad.The F.B.I. did not make the discovery public at the time but confirmed in a statement on Saturday that Ms. Mizell’s remains were “recovered and repatriated to her family.” The effort included F.B.I. agents in the District of Columbia, as well as officials across the intelligence community who are part of the Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell, which focuses on hostage cases.So far, no one has been charged in Ms. Mizell’s kidnapping and killing. But a former U.S. official familiar with the case said the Taliban were most likely behind the abduction and had hoped to trade her for one of their members held at the U.S. military prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.In Afghanistan, Ms. Mizell worked for the Asian Rural Life Development Foundation, teaching English at Kandahar University as well as embroidery and sewing at a girls’ school, according to a 2008 statement. She loved music, including singing and playing the piano and the guitar.Jan Mizell said her father learned of his daughter’s disappearance in late January 2008. A shopkeeper, she recalled, had witnessed the kidnapping, relaying how Cydney and her driver had been forced off the road and taken hostage by a group of gunmen.The kidnappers, using Ms. Mizell’s cellphone, repeatedly called the aid agency over several days. Only shortly after did the kidnappers indicate that Cydney had been killed, Jan Mizell said, though they offered few other details.Ms. Mizell’s father died in the months after his daughter was kidnapped.Over the years, Jan Mizell intermittently heard from the F.B.I. about the case. She received a letter from the Obama administration alerting her to changes it had made in hostage recovery efforts after families complained of haphazard communication and conflicting information from the administration. Under President Biden, the administration invited her to two video conference calls with Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, and Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken. Ms. Mizell said the calls were for victims of terrorism and their families to ask questions about how the government handles these types of investigations.Ms. Mizell said the F.B.I. received various tips, though nothing panned out. After receiving information about the possible whereabouts of her sister’s remains, the F.B.I. made a major push to solve the case. In 2021, the government posted a reward of up to $5 million for information about Cydney Mizell, including her “location, recovery and return,” and publicized the notice in several languages.“I was shocked and in awe that this effort was being made,” Ms. Mizell said of the bid to find her sister.Ms. Mizell said the reward appeared to lead to a breakthrough, with somebody stepping forward with the bone fragments. DNA taken by F.B.I. agents in 2008 from Ms. Mizell and her father confirmed it was Cydney.Then the government took steps to locate and bring home her entire skeletal remains, including by having the bones brought through a third country. Ms. Mizell said two F.B.I. agents in April 2023 escorted the remains back to the United States draped in an American flag.A copy of the autopsy report the F.B.I. gave her showed that her sister had been shot in the head and her skull crushed. Agents also presented her with an urn of ashes and an American flag. The agents also returned the personal journals Cydney kept during her time in Afghanistan.“Without the agents, we would still be in some big black hole of nothingness,” Ms. Mizell said.In October, Ms. Mizell’s family held a memorial at a Baptist church in Tacoma, Wash., where her father was once the pastor. Dozens attended the service, including F.B.I. agents. The American flag Ms. Mizell had received was on display.Her family is expecting to finally receive an official death certificate.Ms. Mizell said her sister, who would have turned 66 next month, sought to improve the lives of those around her.“She was devoted to loving and helping people around the world, especially supporting women and girls in desperate situations,” she added.Other kidnapping cases have continued to frustrate the F.B.I. In Afghanistan, investigators are still trying to track down Paul Edwin Overby Jr., an author who officials say was last seen in May 2014 in Khost city while researching a book. He had hoped to interview the leader of a militant network when he went missing. And Ryan Corbett, of Western New York, was detained by the Taliban in 2022 after visiting northern Afghanistan on a business trip. Pakistan
Pakistan to deploy army for election security - statement (Reuters)
Reuters [1/23/2024 12:56 PM, Asif Shahzad, 11975K, Neutral]
Pakistan will deploy the army to ensure peace at its general election next month, the prime minister’s office said, amid concerns that recent attacks by Islamist militants could threaten the holding of the Feb. 8 polls.The military’s deployment at the polling stations has been controversial in the past, with several political leaders alleging the army uses troops to help its favourite party rather than provide security, a charge the army denies.The cabinet chaired by caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Kakar approved the deployment of army and paramilitary troops to ensure a peaceful election, a statement by Kakar’s office said, adding, "These contingents will perform duty at polling stations and in sensitive areas."An uptick in attacks by militants who aim to overthrow the government and install their own brand of strict Islamic law has underscored worries among political leaders that such violence could threaten the peaceful holding of the polls.Pakistan’s last election in 2018, which brought former prime minister Imran Khan to power, saw hundreds of thousands of troops deployed across the country to provide security.Khan’s opponents and several analysts alleged that vote rigging helped by the troops contributed to his victory, which the military denied.Khan is now in jail after falling out with the generals and his party faces what analysts consider a military-backed crackdown.Analysts believe the powerful military has thrown its backing behind Sharif for the vote following a standoff with Khan, giving the former an edge in a country where army generals exert undue influence over setting up governments.The military denies the accusations, and says it remains apolitical.The party that wins the Feb. 8 election faces the task of reviving a struggling $350-billion economy grappling with historic inflation and an unstable rupee currency that limits growth and job opportunities for the young.The South Asian nation received a $3-billion loan programme from the IMF in July that averted a sovereign debt default in a standby arrangement set to expire this spring. Bhutto scion aims to focus on Pakistan’s youth, break with old politics (Reuters)
Reuters [1/23/2024 11:05 PM, Ariba Shahid, 5239K, Neutral]
Youth appeal and ambitious plans to combat climate change form the core of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s effort to become prime minister of Pakistan, which, if successful, would make him its youngest premier since his mother Benazir was in office.As general elections near on Feb. 8, the 35-year-old, a former foreign minister and scion of a family that gave the nation two prime ministers, called for new ideas and leadership to calm political and economic instability."The implications of the decisions taken today are going to be faced by the youth of Pakistan," Bhutto Zardari told Reuters in Larkana, his hometown in the southern province of Sind, a family bastion."I think it would be better if they were allowed to make those decisions."About two-thirds of Pakistan’s population of 241 million is younger than 30, while its prime ministers since 2000 have been older than 61, on average.The Oxford-educated Bhutto Zardari is less than half the age of three-time premier Nawaz Sharif, 74, whom analysts consider the frontrunner in next month’s election, and former cricket super star Imran Khan, 71, who won the last election in 2018.The eventual winner faces the task of reviving a struggling $350-billion economy grappling with historic inflation and an unstable rupee currency that limit growth and job opportunities for the young.The South Asian nation received a $3-billion loan programme from the IMF in July that averted a sovereign debt default in a standby arrangement set to expire this spring.Bhutto Zardari plans to tap into widespread anger, saying he has a concrete plan to provide free electricity and boost social safety programmes, despite fiscal constraints."What we propose is to completely restructure Pakistan’s development model, putting the threat of climate change front and centre," he said, in a reflection of his party’s election manifesto.Making a promise rare in Pakistan, it aims to ensure that funds exceeding $10 billion pledged last year go to fight climate change, after super floods in 2022 that displaced more than 7 million people.A member of Pakistan’s most powerful political dynasty, Bhutto Zardari spoke in an interview during a gruelling four-week campaign that took him to more than 33 towns, while other parties began canvassing just last week.He is the son of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, assassinated while on the campaign trial in 2007, and the grandson of former Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, hanged by a military dictator in 1979, both still venerated by Pakistanis.If Bhutto Zardari won the election, subject to the vagaries of government formation, calculations show he could be just 25 days short of his mother’s age on entering office in 1988, at the earliest."I haven’t actually counted, but ... I think she was the youngest," he responded, when asked how he rated his chances.ALTERNATIVE CHOICEHowever, his Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has lost space to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) of Sharif and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of Khan, who have been locked in a bruising political battle for more than a decade.Positioning himself as an alternate to them in 2024, he recently called on supporters of Khan to vote for him while their leader is in jail.In the 2013 elections, the PPP came second after Sharif’s party, garnering 42 of the 342 seats up for grabs. In 2018, with 54 seats, it was runner-up to the parties of both Sharif and Khan.Bhutto Zardari ruled out joining hands with either contender, however, saying he preferred to form a government with independent candidates."You know, lots of independent politicians, probably the highest (number) in our history, are taking part in the coming elections," he added.Most of the independents belong to Khan’s party, which lost the right this month to contest on a single platform, making the approaching election the most open in recent times.But one analyst felt the role of prime minister might be a tough goal for Bhutto Zardari, saying his party had struggled to build its political strength."One might be tempted to look at Bilawal as a dark horse candidate for prime minister," said Michael Kugelman, director of the Wilson Center’s South Asia Institute, as he appeared to be favoured by the military and had been foreign minister."But I don’t see him as prime minister material just yet," Kugelman added. "The election will likely lead to a coalition government, and Bilawal could be in the mix for a cabinet-level position, but the top slot is likely too much of a reach."Instead, Pakistan’s army may prefer more experienced leaders, such as Sharif, he said.Analysts believe the powerful military has thrown its backing to Sharif following a standoff with Khan, giving the former an edge in a country where army generals exert undue influence over setting up governments.The military denies the accusations, and says it remains apolitical.Bhutto Zardari, asked if he thought the military backed Sharif, responded, "He’s certainly giving the impression that he is relying on something other than the people of Pakistan to become prime minister for the fourth time."Questions of transparency will hover over the 2024 elections, just as with earlier ones, he added, but he and his party hoped to win against expectations.Pushed into the political fray as a teenager in 2007, after his mother’s assassination, Bhutto Zardari later inherited her party, but steered clear of politics until he finished his education.His father, Asif Ali Zardari, was elected president after Benazir’s death.Bhutto Zardari won a parliamentary seat in his first contest in 2018, which was followed by a 16-month stint as foreign minister, until August 2023. China assures Pakistan of closer economic ties, support on efforts to defend ‘territorial integrity’ (South China Morning Post)
South China Morning Post [1/23/2024 7:00 AM, Zhao Ziwen, 951K, Neutral]
China seeks stronger economic ties with Pakistan under the Belt and Road Initiative, and supports its efforts to defend “territorial integrity”, a senior Chinese diplomat has said.Foreign vice-minister Sun Weidong made the pledge during a visit to Pakistan days after it engaged in deadly tit-for-tat air strikes along the border with Iran.Sun arrived in Islamabad on Saturday to attend a working group meeting on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a centrepiece of Beijing’s belt and road cooperation with the neighbouring country.His three-day trip also included a series of talks with top Pakistani leaders and military chiefs, including President Arif Alvi, caretaker prime minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar and caretaker foreign minister Jalil Abbas Jilani. Pakistan is scheduled to hold general elections early next month.Meeting Alvi on Monday, Sun said Beijing supported Islamabad in its defence of “sovereignty, independence, and territory integrity”, in what was a clear reference to the cross-border military assaults last week.Later the same day, Sun told army chief General Syed Asim Munir that he acknowledged Pakistan’s efforts to promote regional peace and stability. He also travelled to Rawalpindi for talks with General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, chairman of Pakistan’s joint chiefs of staff committee.The Pakistani army said the talks covered bilateral security, defence cooperation, and the “regional and international security environment”.Pakistan on Thursday carried out missile strikes in Iran’s border areas, two days after Tehran staged its own cross-border air raid. Both sides said they were targeting separatist militant groups. The deadly attacks sparked fears of a wider spillover of the conflict in the Middle East and sparked a diplomatic stand-off between the neighbours.But tensions have since eased, with full diplomatic ties resuming on Monday. Tehran also said Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian would visit Pakistan next week at Islamabad’s invitation.Ma Zhaoxu, another Chinese foreign vice-minister, held a phone call with Iranian deputy foreign minister Ali Bagheri Kani on Sunday. They exchanged “views on bilateral relations, and regional and international issues of mutual interest and concern”, a statement from Beijing said, but did not reveal details.Asked whether Beijing was playing mediator – given Ma’s phone call and Sun’s Pakistan trip – Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin on Monday said China maintained “close connections” with both countries, and was willing to continue to play a “positive and constructive role in improving the relationship” between them.As China’s “iron brother”, a term indicative of their “all-weather strategic partnership”, Pakistan shares a close military connection with its more powerful neighbour and is the largest buyer of Chinese weapons.During talks with Alvi, Sun also voiced support for Pakistan in promoting “stability, development and prosperity”, while pledging to create an “upgraded version” of the CPEC, according to the Chinese ministry.The more than US$50 billion flagship corridor is part of Beijing’s efforts to connect its landlocked western Xinjiang region to the Arabian Sea through Pakistan’s Gwadar port in Balochistan province – targeted by Iran in its January 16 raid.The most high-profile belt and road plans in Pakistan revolve around the CPEC, which involves dozens of infrastructure projects, including Gwadar.On Sunday, Sun co-chaired the fourth round of a high-profile meeting to review the CPEC, alongside the foreign secretary of Pakistan, Mohammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi. Previous meetings of the CPEC Joint Working Group on International Cooperation and Coordination were held in 2019, 2020 and 2022.Sun and Qazi pledged to focus on information technology, science and technology, and agriculture for future development of the CPEC, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said.The two countries also “rejected the disinformation campaigns and distorted reporting” on the CPEC, and pledged to “counter fallacious narratives and misinformation”.Gwadar port is one of many CPEC projects in Pakistan’s largest but poorest region of Balochistan, bordering Afghanistan and Iran. The ethnic minority Baloch there have protested against China’s infrastructure plans and carried out deadly attacks against Chinese projects and personnel.With the CPEC project at the centre of Islamabad’s conflict with Baloch separatists, Beijing has become increasingly worried about the security situation there.Last year, China reportedly cited security concerns in turning down Pakistan’s call to invest in new CPEC projects related to energy, climate change, electricity transmission lines and tourism.Calling on caretaker foreign minister Jilani in Islamabad on Monday, Sun emphasised Pakistan’s role as an “iron brother and reliable friend”, and an important part of China’s foreign policy.Jilani emphasised the significance of the CPEC for Pakistan and thanked China for its support, while pledging that Pakistan would continue to strive to realise the corridor’s full potential for shared benefits. India
Israel turns to Indian workers as Gaza war worsens labor shortage (Washington Post)
Washington Post [1/24/2024 2:00 AM, Karishma Mehrotra, 6.9M, Neutral]
Israel is looking to address a major labor shortage, abruptly worsened by the conflict with Hamas, by recruiting tens of thousands of Indians at a time when Palestinians who have long played a crucial role in Israeli construction and other sectors are being barred from the country.
While Israel had already been in discussions with India about recruitment before the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas against Israelis and Israel’s withering reprisal in Gaza, tough new restrictions on Palestinian workers have dealt a blow to the economy. Many foreign workers, notably thousands from Thailand, have headed home because of the conflict.
Israeli authorities say they are hoping to see 10,000 to 20,000 Indian migrant workers in the coming months. That would be equal to the total number of foreign workers that entered the country through bilateral agreements in 2021, according to Israel’s Center for International Migration and Integration (CIMI).“India will be one of, if not the, largest supplier of building workers in Israel in the coming years,” said Shay Pauzner, the deputy director general of the Israel Builders Association, adding that about 5,000 workers in New Delhi and Chennai had already been secured.
Pauzner said his association had turned to India “because of the decision to stop the Palestinian workers coming to Israel since the beginning of the war.” About one-third of the workers in the Israeli construction sector had been Palestinians, but work permits had been canceled for those from Gaza and the occupied West Bank after fighting erupted. “Right now we are looking for any way to close this gap. We are under a lot of pressure,” he said.
In December, Raul Srugo, president of the Israel Builders Association told Israeli lawmakers that industry output is at 30 percent. “As far as we’re concerned, you can bring workers from the moon,” he said.
Israel’s turn toward Indian workers in part reflects the warming of relations with India in recent years. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has publicly embraced Israel.
Even before the Gaza war, the two countries signed an agreement in May that would send 42,000 Indian construction and nursing workers to Israel, according to comments by former Israeli foreign minister Eli Cohen in the Israeli parliament. Advertisements for recruitment across India show salaries ranging from $1,400 to $1,700 per month. Roughly 17,000 Indian workers now reside in Israel, mostly employed in nursing, according to local Indian media and Israeli officials.
While Indian officials minimized any connection with the war, they also said recruitment is now accelerating. “This is just the beginning,” said an Indian government official involved in recruitment who was not authorized to speak officially. “The objective is that this has to be much wider.”
Israeli government officials deny that the move is explicitly designed to replace Palestinian workers but acknowledge there is new pressure. “The current situation has its demands,” said an Israeli government official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of ongoing negotiations. “Of course, now there is a sense of more urgency.”
Before the war, a new “all-time high” of 193,000 Palestinians worked in Israel and Israeli settlements in the occupied territories after a one-third jump in 2022, according to the International Labor Organization. One-fifth of the West Bank workforce was employed in Israel.
But those numbers plummeted after violence broke out. “Letting workers from the territory of an enemy population into Israel during a war is a terrible mistake that will cost blood,” Gideon Saar, an opposition lawmaker serving in the emergency government, told the Times of Israel. And Economy Minister Nir Barkat told the Jerusalem Post that the Oct. 7 attack exposed the “risks” of employing Palestinians and stated his plan to replace them with foreign workers.
The return of Palestinian workers into Israel has become entangled in the country’s wartime politics. In addition to construction companies and hospitals, many in the security establishment are pushing for employment permits to be reactivated in significant numbers. The lack of wages, they fear, will contribute to despair and anger in the West Bank, where violence has already surged during the Gaza war.
But reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was prepared to launch a pilot program allowing certain vetted Palestinians to come back to their jobs ran into stiff opposition from right-wing lawmakers. More than a dozen members of his own Likud party condemned the plan in a public letter Wednesday.In India, Amit Kumar, a recruiter in a small town in Uttar Pradesh state who works with a large New Delhi workforce agency called Dynamic Staffing Services, is telling interested workers that Muslims cannot apply for the job. “They don’t want Muslim workers,” he said in an interview. In numerous YouTube videos explaining the process and calling for applications, he tells viewers, “Your name should be Hindu,” and “Only Hindu brothers can apply.”
Government officials who oversee recruitment and Indian workforce agencies — including in the states of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and in the city of Hyderabad — said there was no restriction on Muslim workers. Dynamic Staffing managers did not respond to repeated requests for comment.
Indian unions and activists have lambasted the recruitment drive, alleging dangerous conditions for workers. “We are against this because it is sending workers into the mouth of death,” said Ramher Bhivani, general secretary of a construction workers union in Haryana. “They entice workers with a lavish salary, but none of my workers will go.”
Several Indian unions, meantime, have released press releases stating that the step would signal “complicity” with “Israel’s ongoing genocidal war against Palestinians.”
During the October attack, Hamas militants killed 39 Thai migrant workers and took 32 hostage, Thai officials told Reuters. About 7,000 Thai workers, out of 30,000 in total, left Israel after the attack, according to the Times of Israel, and Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin appealed for the remaining Thai workers to come back. Since 2014, Thai workers have consistently accounted for more than two-thirds of migrant workers arriving through bilateral agreements.
Nepali workers also departed after the attack, leaving Israeli nursing homes operating with only half their staff, according to an Israeli parliamentary committee on foreign workers.
The Israeli official downplayed the danger to Indian workers. “We aren’t going to send people into areas that we ourselves aren’t willing to work,” he said.
Many Indian workers seem undeterred. “I need to work somewhere or another. It’s dangerous here, too,” said Vinod Dangi, a construction worker in Haryana who only has a few documents left to complete before getting to go to Israel. “But I am not going for Israel. I am going for my family.”
He has watched numerous videos online about Israel to learn more, including several videos of Kumar, the recruiter in Uttar Pradesh.“Wherever they are from, they are just saying one thing,” Kumar said in a YouTube video. “Sir, I want to go to Israel.” Undeterred by Gaza war, thousands of Indians turn up for jobs in Israel (Al Jazeera)
Al Jazeera [1/24/2024 4:30 AM, Arbab Ali and Rifat Fareed, 2.1M, Neutral]
It’s a frigid January morning and the sun has not risen yet.
A shivering Pramod Sharma queues up outside the main entrance of Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) campus in Rohtak, a small town in the northern Indian state of Haryana, about 84km (52 miles) from New Delhi.
Sharma, 43, is joined by hundreds of other men appearing for a skill test for the role of a shuttering carpenter in Israel – the first time the Israeli construction sector has opened up to Indians, who had previously found work there primarily as caregivers.
After more than 100 days of Israel’s war on Gaza, a labour crisis has emerged in the country, rooted in its decision to block tens of thousands of Palestinians from working in Israel.
In October, Israeli construction companies reportedly requested their government in Tel Aviv to allow them to hire up to 100,000 Indian workers to replace Palestinians whose work licenses were suspended after the Gaza offensive began.
Over in India, Israel’s desperate search for labour has in turn exposed a gulf between claims of economic success by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, which insists that a rising GDP is turning the nation into a global powerhouse, and the lived reality of millions of people. As India heads for national elections, the unemployment rate hovers around a high 8 percent.
The Haryana government in December advertised 10,000 positions for construction workers in Israel, including 3,000 posts for carpenters and ironworkers, 2,000 for floor tile fitters, and 2,000 for plasterers. Its advertisement said the salary for the jobs would be around 6,100 shekels, or approximately $1,625, a month – in a state where the per capita income is around $300 a month.
The same month, Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, also released a similar advertisement for another 10,000 workers. Reports said the recruitment drive began in state capital, Lucknow, on Tuesday, drawing hundreds of applicants.
Earlier this month, recruiters from Israel arrived in India to interview the workers.
An official from Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam Limited, one of the state government agencies overseeing the recruitment drive, told Al Jazeera an average of 500-600 applicants were interviewed every day during the weeklong recruitment drive in Rohtak that ended on Sunday.‘Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity’
Sharma came to Rohtak with a group of about 40 other workers from Bihar, one of India’s poorest states, more than 1,000km (620 miles) east of Rohtak.
He told Al Jazeera he initially took a verbal test by a recruitment agency in Bihar, which interviewed him about construction-related topics.“They told me I had cleared the first round, that an Israeli client will now come to Rohtak for a second round of interviews, and that I should come here,” he said.“We have been sleeping inside the bus in this cold for the last three days and using the washroom at a roadside eatery, waiting for our interview.”
Sharma, who lost his construction job in New Delhi during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, said working in Israel appears to be “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to climb out of poverty.
Since then, he has been working under a government employment scheme that pays him less than $3 a day for working for five hours in a field. But he still struggled to provide three square meals to his wife, two children and a dependent sister.“If I am able to get this job in Israel, I will be able to provide for my children and save up enough to get my sister married,” he said.
Shiv Prakash, another construction worker from Bihar who returned from Saudi Arabia last year, said the salary offered by Israeli companies is three times what he previously made.“Who would want to miss such an opportunity?” asked the 39-year-old.
Vikas Kumar, 32, from Haryana’s Panipat district also appeared for the skill test. He said Israeli officials set up multiple construction-related simulations, with applicants performing a live demo in the final round.
Kumar works 12 hours a day as a plasterer and earns $120 (10,000 rupees) a month. He hopes to secure a job in Israel to support his family of six.
Israeli citizens, foreign workers flee war
Israel’s economy took a major hit on October 7 when Hamas launched an unprecedented attack inside its territory, killing nearly 1,200 people. Since then, Israeli forces have killed at least 24,620 Palestinians, including 16,000 women and children, in Gaza.
The war also forced nearly 500,000 Israelis and more than 17,000 foreign workers to leave the country, according to data from the Israeli Population and Immigration Authority. Furthermore, around 764,000 Israelis, or nearly one-fifth of Israel’s workforce, are currently unemployed due to evacuations, school closures, or army reserve duty call-ups for the war.
The Israeli construction sector mainly relies on foreign labour, a majority of whom are Palestinian. However, after the Gaza assault began, work licenses of more than 100,000 Palestinian workers were suspended by the Israeli government.
While the ongoing war is being cited as the reason for Israel seeking workers from India, the Israeli government had been working on the plan for well over eight months. In May 2023, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen signed an agreement with his Indian counterpart, S Jaishankar, allowing 42,000 Indian construction workers to migrate for work.
But it is not just the labour class that desires to travel to Israel for work. Young, educated Indians are also applying for these jobs in their search for a stable income.
Sachin, a 25-year-old final-year engineering student at a state-run university in Haryana, also appeared for the interview. “Nobody would want to go to a place where rockets fly overhead but there are little opportunities in India,” he told Al Jazeera.According to a 2023 report by a leading private university, India’s unemployment rate among college graduates under 25 years of age reached a staggering 42 percent after the pandemic.‘Oppose uprooting Palestinian workers’
But India’s plan to send workers to a country effectively involved in a genocide of Palestinians has been criticised by labour groups and the opposition.
In November, 10 of India’s biggest trade unions issued a strongly-worded statement, urging the government to not send Indian workers to Israel amid the ongoing war on Gaza.“Nothing could be more immoral and disastrous for India than the said ‘export’ of workers to Israel. That India is even considering ‘exporting’ workers shows the manner in which it has dehumanised and commodified Indian workers,” said the statement.
The Construction Workers Federation of India, another major union, also opposed “any attempt to send the poor construction workers of our country to Israel to overcome its shortage of workers and in any way support its genocidal attacks on Palestine”.
Tapan Kumar Sen, former Indian parliamentarian and general secretary of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions, said his organisation was not opposed to cross-border labour mobility, but it should not come at the expense of Palestinian workers.“We want all workers to find work. We don’t want someone fired and someone else given a job. Every Indian worker should oppose uprooting Palestinian workers and replacing them with Indian workers,” said Sen.
Clifton D’Rozario, national secretary of the All India Central Council of Trade Unions, told Al Jazeera the Indian government was acting like a “contractor” for Israel and that the idea of sending workers to Israel reminded him of indentured servitude during the British colonialism in the 19th century.“The state negotiating for a section of workers to be sent to a particular state, one that has a history of oppressing another community, to come in as a replacement under any circumstances is unacceptable. Even if there is no conflict, I say that is not acceptable,” he said.
As criticism mounted, spokesman for India’s Ministry of External Affairs Randhir Jaiswal last week told a news conference the government was conscious of its responsibility to provide safety and security to Indian nationals abroad. He said the labour laws in Israel were “robust and strict, and provide protection of labour rights and migrant rights”.
Al Jazeera reached out to the Israeli officials conducting the interviews, but they refused to speak or provide information about the recruitment drive.
Experts meanwhile say India should thoroughly assess the conditions in Israel they would be subjecting the workers to, even if it was financially beneficial.
In the past, Israel has been accused of violating the rights of workers. According to a 2015 Human Rights Watch report, Thailand workers in Israel’s agriculture sector were paid salaries below the minimum wage. They were also subjected to unsafe working conditions and forced to work long hours.
There have also been examples of Indian workers caught in the crosshairs of the conflicts in the Middle East.
In March 2018, the Indian government admitted that 39 Indian workers were killed after they were kidnapped by the ISIL (ISIS) armed group in Iraq. A group of 46 Indian nurses were freed in July 2014 by ISIL after more than a week in captivity.
India’s pro-Israel stance under Modi
India’s foreign policy has historically backed the Palestinian cause. But that policy has seen a shift in the past decade.
In 2017, Narendra Modi became the first Indian prime minister to visit Israel. He is also seen referring to his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu as a “close friend” on social media.
Soon after the Gaza war began, India in late October abstained from voting on a United Nations General Assembly resolution calling for a ceasefire. Two months later, however, New Delhi backed another UN resolution demanding ceasefire.
Back home, authorities in several Indian states banned pro-Palestinian rallies and arrested people for protesting or even posting Palestine solidarity messages on social media.
Mani Shankar Aiyar, former federal minister and diplomat, said India’s policy for at least the last 50 years had been to encourage Indians to go as migrant workers in the Middle East and other parts of the world.“Their remittances to India are a very important part of our economy. So, for economic reasons, I would certainly support the idea of Indian labourers going to Israel. However, given the context of Israel’s present genocide in the Gaza Strip, this is the worst way for Indians to make a little money out of Israel,” he told Al Jazeera.
According to a UN report on international migration, inward remittances from Middle Eastern countries to India were $38bn in 2017.
Many Indian aspirants for the jobs in Israel said they were unfettered by the war in Gaza, with some workers even supporting Israel in its operation against the Palestinians.“Given a chance, I am even willing to work for the Israeli forces,” Yash Sharma, an aspirant from Haryana’s Jind region, told Al Jazeera.
Many others like Sharma had a far more compelling reason. “I will take my chance. It is better to die there than go hungry,” he said. Indian workers flock to Israeli jobs despite war and ethical concerns (Nikkei Asia)
Nikkei Asia [1/23/2024 9:46 PM, Raihana Maqbool, 293K, Positive]
When Israeli and Indian officials ran six days of skill tests for workers in the state of Haryana earlier this month, thousands lined up for interviews and a chance to demonstrate their abilities as carpenters, iron benders and plaster masons, hoping to win jobs in the Middle Eastern state. Fears of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, it seemed, were trumped by more practical considerations, like how to support families."It took me seven hours by train to reach here. I have been coming to the venue for two days, and I’m hoping today I get the slot for the screening test," Gaurav Seni, a 27-year-old high school graduate, told Nikkei Asia as he waited on a university lawn with a crowd of other men.Seni said he has a debt of 500,000 rupees ($6,000). "If I get this job, I can take my family out of the debt ... within a few months," he said, pointing to the promised monthly salary of 137,000 rupees.So far, Haryana and the state of Uttar Pradesh have advertised for skilled workers to interview and test for jobs in Israel, which has turned to countries such as India and Sri Lanka to fill labor shortages in sectors like construction and farming. An initial 10,000 workers were due to be hired from India.The program is not without controversy, over both risks and ethics. Critics have slammed India’s arrangement with Israel for potentially endangering workers by sending them to a conflict zone, and for indirectly helping Israel strip jobs from Palestinian workers.Roughly 90,000 Palestinians were reportedly employed in Israel’s construction sector. But due to the conflict, which started when Hamas militants stormed into Israeli communities and killed around 1,200 people in October, Israel has canceled the work permits of thousands of such workers. Meanwhile, over 25,000 people have been killed in Israel’s campaign against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, according to authorities in the besieged Palestinian enclave.The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), a group of industry organizations, denounced the recruitment and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government to terminate the arrangement with Israel. "CITU appeals to the Indian workers not to fall prey to the abetment of the BJP-led government ... and states for going for jobs in Israel, which is itself a conflict-torn area and its [government] is rendering thousands of Palestinians working in Israel jobless while carrying out genocidal attacks on Palestine," Tapan Sen, CITU’s general secretary, said in a statement.Israel has strongly denied accusations of genocide leveled at the United Nations, insisting its war is in self-defense.The Indian government, which has forged closer ties with Israel in recent years, has defended the hiring drive."We have mobility partnerships with several countries across the world. And we now have an agreement with Israel as well. The agreement started long before the conflict erupted," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters last Thursday. Stressing there is no basis for concern, he added, "Let me tell you that labor laws in Israel are robust and strict and provide protection of labor rights and migrant rights."Before the war, such protections had been called into question by rights groups, highlighting alleged cases of mistreatment of Thai workers -- another key source of labor for the small country of about 9 million people.But Jaiswal stressed: "We are conscious of our responsibility to provide safety and security to our people who are abroad. When the conflict erupted in Israel, we launched Operation Ajay for all those people who wanted to come back," referring to repatriation flights. "Having said that, we remain committed to safe migration of our people."For workers like Seni, the decision is simple."Risks are everywhere, and we need to take them. I can’t just sit at home and starve my family," he said. He was also confident that he would not end up working near Israel’s tense borders. "Why would the government send us to some unsafe place?"The enthusiasm for the jobs also highlights India’s own challenge of finding enough work for its population -- now the world’s largest at over 1.4 billion. The overall unemployment rate stood at 8.65% in December, according to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy. For the age 20-24 bracket, it was reported as high as 44%.Kamal Kishore, a 24-year-old arts graduate from Uttar Pradesh, said he had faced multiple rejections for jobs in India. That, he said, was why he had been "shivering in the cold since 5 a.m." to try out for carpentry work in Israel."We have huge unemployment rates in India. Even though I have the required qualifications, I faced challenges in securing a job," he said. "I belong to a poor family, and earning to support my family is important despite the potential risks."His reasoning was similar to Seni’s. "What do we have to do with the war?" he said. "Death can come anywhere, but at least I can earn better in Israel and support my family." India to strengthen ties with France with Macron as chief guest on national day (Reuters)
Reuters [1/24/2024 3:18 AM, Krishn Kaushik and Michel Rose, 5.2M, Neutral]
French President Emmanuel Macron will attend India’s Republic Day celebrations on Friday as the chief guest, as New Delhi and Paris continue to negotiate multi-billion dollar deals to buy French fighter jets and submarines for the Indian military.
However, officials in New Delhi and Paris said the visit will be more ceremonial than substantial, and no major outcomes are expected.
France is India’s second largest arms supplier, and has been one of its oldest and closest partners in Europe for decades. It was the only Western nation that did not impose sanctions on New Delhi after India conducted nuclear tests in 1998.
Ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit for Bastille Day celebrations in July, the Indian government had given an initial approval to buy 26 Rafale jets and jointly produce three Scorpene class submarines worth around 800 billion rupees ($9.62 billion).
But the deals are yet to be finalised. France is also keen to enhance cooperation in space and nuclear sectors.
For France, this visit is an opportunity to cement the strategic partnership Paris has forged with New Delhi over the past decades, but no new contract in the defence sector is expected, French presidential advisers told journalists ahead of the visit.
India has relied on French fighter jets for four decades now. Much before buying Dassault Aviation’s Rafale, India bought Mirage jets in the 1980s and those still comprise two squadrons of the air force.
This would be the fifth meeting between Modi and Macron since May.
India had earlier hoped to have U.S. President Joe Biden as well as Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to be the ceremony’s chief guests. The three nations along with India form part of the Quad group of countries, and New Delhi had planned to hold a Quad summit this week.
That plan fell through because Biden was unavailable.
During his 40-hour state visit Macron will also meet business leaders from pharmaceutical, auto, space, energy and hydrogen industries, according to officials in New Delhi and Paris. Myanmar border clashes cast shadow over ties with India (Nikkei Asia)
Nikkei Asia [1/23/2024 12:07 PM, Staff, 293K, Negative]
Fighting between Myanmar’s military and armed ethnic groups is intensifying near the border with India, disrupting a key infrastructure project and threatening to drive a rift between the two countries.The Arakan Army, an armed ethnic group based in western Myanmar, took control of Paletwa township near the port city of Sittwe in mid-January. The area is a link in the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project, an Indian-led effort to connect Kolkata with eastern India via Myanmar.The Arakan Army has posted photos of government facilities and military weapons it seized in Paletwa on social media. Myanmar’s military has not announced its withdrawal from the area, and reportedly conducted retaliatory airstrikes against the group.The Kaladan transport project aims to link Kolkata and Sittwe by sea, and Sittwe with eastern India via the Kaladan River. The Sittwe port officially began operations in May 2023.Several explosions were reported in Sittwe shortly after the Arakan Army took control of Paletwa. It is unclear whether the armed group was responsible, but Indian stakeholders are on edge.India is concerned that the instability in Myanmar could spill across their border, with hundreds of Myanmar soldiers fleeing to India amid the fighting. The conflict is displacing more civilians as well.India soon will fence its border with Myanmar and reconsider its free travel agreement with the country, Indian Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah said Saturday. New Delhi is sending back over 600 Myanmar military personnel who fled to the Indian border region of Mizoram by Tuesday, the Press Trust of India also reported.Myanmar national security adviser Moe Aung met with Vinay Kumar, the Indian ambassador to Myanmar, in Naypyitaw on Jan. 17 to discuss security issues and stability in the border region. The two countries had maintained relatively friendly ties even after the Myanmar military took control of the country in February 2021.Fighting in Myanmar escalated after three ethnic groups announced a coordinated offensive against the military on Oct. 27 beginning in the country’s northeast. The fighting has since spread to other regions and involved more forces. The military has lost control of hundreds of facilities and remains under heavy attack.The Arakan Army, which is one of the three groups, also has conducted repeated attacks in Kyaukpyu, a crucial link in China’s Belt and Road infrastructure-building initiative. The Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, another group, this month took control of parts of northeastern Myanmar.The Myanmar military and the three groups on Jan. 12 announced a truce brokered by China. But attacks by both sides have continued in the days since. In Iran, Jaishankar Practices India’s Strategic Silence (The Diplomat)
The Diplomat [1/23/2024 2:31 AM, Mohamed Zeeshan, 201K, Neutral]
Amid the cacophony of conflicts, missile strikes, and international court rulings over the past week, India’s Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar went to Tehran for a series of high-level meetings with the Iranian leadership.Given the chaotic context into which he had waded, Jaishankar’s visit should have been a major geopolitical development. Over the last several days, the war in Gaza has expanded to engulf other parts of the region. Early this month, in the Iranian town of Kerman, two explosions by Islamic State militants claimed nearly 100 lives at a memorial for the late commander Qassem Soleimani, who was assassinated in 2020.Meanwhile, Yemen’s Houthi rebels — who have long been backed by Iran — launched repeated attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea. That caused heightened tensions between Iran and India’s partners in the West. Last month, the United States accused Iran of a drone attack against a chemical vessel in the Indian Ocean — about 200 nautical miles from India’s coast. Britain’s Foreign Secretary David Cameron then called Iran “a thoroughly malign influence in the region and in the world.”These tensions continued to boil over as Jaishankar flew to Iran. Only three days before India’s foreign minister landed in Tehran, the United States and its allies conducted strikes against various Houthi targets in Yemen. However, Jaishankar flew under the radar by deploying a studied silence. Although he lodged strong displeasure over the “perceptible increase in threats to the safety of maritime commercial traffic,” Jaishankar offered no position on the broader geopolitical fracas driving that heightened threat.To be sure, Iran did not fail to prod him to take a position. In a statement released after their discussions, Iran said that President Ebrahim Raisi had “described the crimes committed by the Zionist regime in Gaza as clear examples of war crimes” and told Jaishankar that “it is important for India to play a role in ending the bombings, lifting the blockade of this region and realizing the rights of the Palestinian people.” Yet, although Jaishankar reiterated India’s support for a two-state solution, he refrained from calling for a ceasefire or naming either Israel or Hamas.Instead, Jaishankar focused on New Delhi’s narrower bilateral goals: trading in the Indian rupee, gaining access to Central Asia through Iran, and increasing bilateral cooperation with Iran at the BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). But given the far more urgent security agenda on their minds, it appears unlikely that the Iranian government would seek to prioritize these matters in the immediate term.In light of India’s strong push all through last year to position itself as an emerging global leader, Jaishankar’s reluctance to engage publicly on the key geopolitical debates of the day might strike some as discordant. In both New Delhi and Washington, some analysts have been of the view that India’s policy of silence and neutrality — on Ukraine, Taiwan, Gaza, and other flashpoints — might help it to play the role of an effective mediator.Yet, to the contrary, India’s silence should be seen less as a means to a larger goal and more as a goal by itself. In a fractious world where disputes appear intractable, New Delhi seems to have concluded that it has little to gain in offering an opinion or playing a more proactive problem-solving role. Instead, India hopes to use its ambiguous silence as leverage to keep warring partners guessing — often playing them off of each other.For the most part, this strategy has worked. On Ukraine, for instance, India has shown that it can have it all without offering anything in return. Washington continues to see India as a key strategic ally, despite diminishing common ground in global debates. Meanwhile, ties with Russia have also flourished: Trade has multiplied several times since the beginning of the war in 2022, and last month, India and Russia inched closer to a landmark agreement to jointly develop weapons.But this strategy is not without its risks for India. In the Middle East, where emotions run relatively high, partners may yet come to expect more solid commitments of support before offering much in return. The longer the war in Gaza goes, the loftier those expectations may get. NSB
Maldives gives port clearance to a Chinese ship. The move could inflame a dispute with India (AP)
AP [1/23/2024 10:30 AM, Krishan Francis, 6902K, Neutral]
The Maldives government said Tuesday that it had given clearance to a Chinese ship to dock in its port, a move that could further irk India with whom the tiny archipelago nation is involved in a diplomatic spat.The Maldives foreign ministry confirmed local media reports that research vessel Xiang Yang Hong 3 was headed to the Maldives. It didn’t give a date of arrival.A ministry statement said that “a diplomatic request was made by the government of China to the government of Maldives, for the necessary clearances to make a port call, for rotation of personnel and replenishment.” It said the ship won’t be conducting any research while docked in Male port.“The Maldives has always been a welcoming destination for vessels of friendly countries, and continues to host both civilian and military vessels making port calls for peaceful purposes,” it said.The ship arrives amid a diplomatic dispute between the Maldives and its giant neighbor India. There was no immediate comment from the Indian government.The spat started when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted pictures on social media of himself walking and snorkeling in Lakshadweep, an Indian archipelago that looks nearly identical to islands in the Maldives. The Indian government believes that the white sand beaches of Lakshadweep have untapped potential for tourism.However, some in the Maldives saw it as a move by Modi to lure tourists away from its famous beaches and island resorts. Three deputy ministers posted derogatory remarks on social media against Modi, which sparked calls in India for a boycott of the Maldives.The dispute deepened when Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu visited China, India’s regional rival, and on his return, spelled out plans to rid his small nation from dependence on India for health facilities, medicines and import of staples.The largest number of tourists who came to the Maldives last year were from India, and Muizzu said that Chinese visitors had been leading the way before the COVID-19 pandemic and that steps would be taken to double their numbers.He also said in an indirect reference to India that his country’s smaller size didn’t give any other country the license to bully it, and added that China respects Maldives’ territorial integrity firmly.India and China have been vying for influence on the Maldives as part of their competition to control the Indian Ocean. India, the closest neighbor to the Maldives, has considered the country to be in its sphere of influence. China, meanwhile, has enlisted Maldives as its partner in its Belt and Road initiative meant to build ports and highways to expand trade — and China’s influence — across Asia, Africa and Europe.Pro-China Muizzu was elected to office in November on a platform to evict Indian military personnel stationed in the Maldives. On his return from China, he proposed a meeting with Indian officials that the troops be withdrawn by mid-March.At least 75 Indian military personnel are said to be stationed in the Maldives, and Muizzu had accused his predecessor of compromising national sovereignty by allowing Indian personnel on Maldivian islands.The known activities of the Indian military include operating aircraft and assisting in the rescue of people stranded or faced with calamities at sea.Sri Lanka, another island nation close to India, recently declared a year-long moratorium on research ships docking in its ports. While the official stance of the government has been that it’s for the purpose of capacity building of local experts participating in joint research missions, the move is seen as a result of concerns raised by India over a planned visit of a Chinese ship. Maldives says Chinese vessel will not conduct research in its waters (Reuters)
Reuters [1/23/2024 9:28 AM, Uditha Jayasinghe, 5239K, Neutral]
A Chinese research vessel on its way to the Maldives will not conduct any research while in the archipelago’s waters in the Indian Ocean, the Maldivian foreign ministry said on Tuesday.The Chinese vessel Xiang Yang Hong 03, which is en route to the Maldives, will only make a port call "for rotation of personnel and replenishment" while in its waters, the ministry said in a statement.Such vessels are not officially military ships but India and other countries worry about the military use of their oceanographic research.Its presence is likely to raise concern in New Delhi, which has previously viewed such vessels close to its shores as problematic."The Maldives has always been a welcoming destination for vessels of friendly countries, and continues to host both civilian and military vessels making port calls for peaceful purposes," the foreign ministry said.Permission to allow the ship to dock could further vex the ties between traditional friends New Delhi and Male, which have soured since President Mohamed Muizzu took office in November promoting an ‘India Out’ campaign.Both New Delhi and Beijing vie for influence on the tiny Indian Ocean nation but the new government in Male is pivoting towards China and has asked India to withdraw its nearly 80 troops stationed there.New Delhi has in the past flagged similar visits by other Chinese research vessels with its neighbour Sri Lanka, which has denied permission for such vessels to dock at its ports since 2022.Chinese state media has said research by such vessels should not be called threatening. Maldives’ Chinese ship move could anger India (Deutsche Welle)
Deutsche Welle [1/23/2024 2:19 PM, Staff, 2728K, Neutral]
The government of the Maldives on Tuesday announced that a Chinese marine research vessel, the Xiang Yang Hong 03, had been given permission to dock in the archipelago.The Maldives Foreign Ministry said the vessel was currently en route but did not specify when it was expected to arrive.The Foreign Ministry said it had received a "diplomatic request" from Beijing for permission to dock. According to officials, The vessel will reportedly rotate crew and resupply in port before heading back out to sea, and will not conduct any research while in Maldives’ waters.A Foreign Ministry statement said, "The Maldives has always been a welcoming destination for vessels of friendly countries, and continues to host both civilian and military vessels making port calls for peaceful purposes."Neighboring India, which previously warned against allowing the Chinese to operate in the Indian Ocean, has yet to comment on Tuesday’s announcement.Rocky relations between the Maldives and IndiaRelations between India and the Maldives have soured since Mohamed Muizzu was elected president of the archipelago in November. The pro-Beijing politician ran on the promise to kick "India out" of the country and recently traveled to Beijing for meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping.New Delhi, which has always considered the Maldives to be in its sphere of influence, has bristled at Beijing’s overtures to Male. Beijing has challenged New Delhi for influence over the islands, enlisting the Maldives as a key partner in its global Belt and Road Initiative.New Delhi sees China as a regional threat and has raised concern over its maritime activities in the Indian Ocean, which it claims may be military in nature, simply conducted under the guise of oceanic research.Beijing says its vessels pose no threat.According to Maldives President Muizzu, China respects the country’s territorial integrity. He has also suggested that India has no right to bully the small island nation.Beyond security concerns — tourismIn early January, Indian President Narendra Modi triggered a cycle of acrimonious exchanges on social media that further soured relations. Modi posted photos of himself sitting, walking and snorkeling in the Indian archipelago Lakshadweep.Lakshadweep’s beaches rival those of the Maldives and observers saw Modi’s posts as a potential threat to the Maldives’ main source of income, tourism.Last year, most tourists to the Maldives were from India, while the Chinese made up the largest share of visitors prior to the coronavirus pandemic. New Delhi has spoken of Lakshadweep’s potential development as a tourist destination and Modi’s posts drew angry responses in the Maldives with deputy ministers going after the Indian leader by posting derogatory comments. This, in turn, triggered calls for Indians to boycott the Maldives.Upon returning from his state visit to China just days after the Modi dust-up, Muizzu laid out plans to decouple from India — ridding the Maldives of dependence on India for health care, medicine and staple goods. He also called for a meeting with Indian officials in order to facilitate the withdrawal of some 75 Indian soldiers stationed in the Maldives by mid-March. Nepal explores tapping flood-risk glacial lakes for clean power (Reuters)
Reuters [1/23/2024 10:31 AM, Mukesh Pokhrel, 11975K, Neutral]
High in the Himalayas, two villages near Nepal’s border with Tibet are getting power from an unusual source: a threatening glacial lake.In this high-altitude region, climate change is accelerating the melting of mountain ice, with villages located below fast-filling glacial lakes facing a rising risk of catastrophic flooding.But efforts to drain some of the excess water building up in the lakes, to lower surging disaster risk, also present an opportunity to boost clean power production, by installing small hydropower generators in the drainage channels.Since 2017, 175 households in Langtang and Kyanjin, two villages in the high Kyanjin Valley, have been able to tap clean hydropower from efforts to drain the Kyanjin glacial lake for cooking, lights and other energy needs."We used to go three hours away from here to collect firewood" - something hard to find above the tree line, said 48-year-old Pasang Tamang, who runs a hotel in Kyanjin, a popular stopping point for tourists trekking in the mountains."Now we have electricity to cook food and boil water," she said.The hydropower project, which cost $448,000, was paid for by the Hong Kong-based Kadoorie Charitable Foundation.But expanding such smart solutions - which unusually cut both disaster risk and climate changing emissions - is proving challenging in Nepal with funding limited and work in high-mountain environments challenging and often costly.POWER FROM RISKCommunities in the Himalayas - and other high mountain regions of the world - face growing risks from fast-filling glacial lakes, which can suddenly burst under pressure and send huge volumes of flash floodwater surging downstream.More than 150 people were killed and 2,000 houses damaged after Lhonak Lake in the northeastern Indian province of Sikkim burst its banks in October last year.Nepal has worked to lower the pressure in several of its most at-risk mountain lakes, including Tsho Rolpa and Imja, using canals to channel some water away.It also has looked at generating power from glacial lake draining since at least 2016, when Dhananjay Regmi, a glacier expert at Tribhuvan University, recognised the possibility while leading work on efforts to reduce lake levels and cut disaster risk near Mount Everest.Working with colleagues, he studied four Nepalese glacial lakes - Thulagi, Lower Barun, Lumding Tsho and Hongu-2 - and produced a study showing hydropower generation was possible as part of drainage efforts.All four lakes were identified in a 2020 report by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development as having a high risk of bursting their banks."There are two benefits to us: first, the risk of outburst will be reduced, and second, we get energy at the same volume throughout the year," Regmi told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.He has focused in particular on Thulagi glacial lake, about 200 km (125 miles) from Kathmandu in Manang district.The 2.5-km-long (1.55-mile) lake is 73 metres (240 ft) deep and holds 36 million cubic metres (1.27 billion cubic feet) of water, according to Regmi’s 2017 report - enough to fill more than 14,400 Olympic swimming pools.If it were to burst, the resulting floods could directly affect 166,000 people downstream and impact many more, with roads, bridges and larger hydropower projects in the region at risk, according to an unpublished analysis by Narendra Khanal, a geography professor at Tribhuvan University.Losses could reach $415 million, the research found, if expected flood levels of 35 metres (114 feet) above the riverbed were reached, requiring replacement of the Marsyangdi and Middle Marsyangdi hydropower dams and putting their revenue at risk.Channelling water out of the lake to hydropower generating equipment, could produce 50 megawatts (MW) of electricity year-round, he said, and lower the lake’s water level by five to 10 metres (16.4 to 32.8 feet)."When the water level is reduced, we don’t have to worry about the lake bursting," Regmi said.FUNDING DILEMMABut finding money for such double-benefit projects and putting them into operation is not easy.Nepal, working with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is seeking $50 million from the Green Climate Fund, with co-financing from the government, UNDP and the private sector, to lower water levels and cut the risk of floods from the Thulagi, Lower Barun, Lumding Tsho and Hongu-2 lakes.But the proposal does not include plans to also generate hydropower.Chiranjeevi Chataut, the director general of Nepal’s Department of Energy Development, said making such generation projects work in the high Himalayas is too challenging, one reason the country is not making plans for them.Still, "if any private sector (applicants) are interested, we can discuss," he said.Regmi admitted that working at high altitude could be difficult and costly, but said such generation could be helpful in regularising year-round hydropower supplies.Nepal, for instance, in recent years has generated about 2,800 MW of hydropower nationally each year during the monsoon season, but only a third of that at other times of year, according to the Nepal Electricity Authority.Deepak K.C., a climate change and resilience analyst for UNDP in Nepal, said tapping the country’s high-mountain hydropower potential in combination with efforts to cut disaster risk would likely require more joined-up funding."Only the private sector can invest in that type of (power) project," he said. "Donor agencies don’t invest in generating hydropower."If the government goes ahead with a lake-lowering project at Thulagi, Regmi’s team hopes to find private backing to build a demonstration hydropower project, to show generating clean power at high altitude can work.Installing the project could have other benefits as well, Regmi said. For instance, putting in place a hydropower system would require establishing a cable in the mountains to transport equipment to the site.That could then be turned into a cable car system to attract tourists, or for local transport, he said."The project can be done without environmental or ecosystem loss," he said. Sri Lankan lawmakers debate controversial internet safety bill amid protests by rights groups (AP)
AP [1/23/2024 7:00 AM, Bharatha Mallawarachi, 2565K, Negative]
Sri Lankan lawmakers on Tuesday began debating a controversial internet safety bill that has been criticized by opposition politicians, journalists and rights groups as a move by the government to stifle freedom of speech.Public Security Minister Tiran Alles introduced the bill in Parliament, saying it seeks to address problems related to online fraud, abuse and false statements that threaten national security and stability.He said the laws are necessary to deal with offenses committed online, noting that last year more than 8,000 such complaints were filed with police related to sexual abuse, financial scams, cyber harassment, data theft and other offenses.However, media, internet and civil rights groups say the bill would have “a chilling effect on free speech,” as several provisions would serve to undermine human rights and freedom of expression. The groups have demanded that the government withdraw the bill.Lawmakers are expected to vote on the bill on Wednesday.The bill aims to establish an online safety commission with “wide-ranging powers to restrict free speech” that could direct users, service providers and others to “take down content and block access to accounts on extremely vague and overbroad grounds,” said Article 19, a rights watchdog, and 50 other groups.Opposition lawmaker Rauff Hakeem said the government is trying to throttle freedom of speech in Sri Lanka, adding that “a very oppressive environment is going to be created.”
“This is a manifestation of a government which is trying to dismantle even the remaining few safeguards for freedom of expression in this country and to destroy democracy,” Hakeem said.Alles rejected the accusations, saying the bill was not drafted with the intention of harassing media or political opponents.Debate over the bill comes as Sri Lanka struggles to emerge from its worst economic crisis, which hit the island nation two year ago. The country declared bankruptcy in April 2022 with more than $83 billion in debt, more than half of it to foreign creditors.The crisis caused severe shortages of food, fuel and other necessities. Strident public protests led to the ouster of then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The IMF agreed last March to a $2.9 billion bailout package.Under new President Ranil Wickremesinghe, the severe shortages of food, fuel and medicine have largely abated over the past year and authorities have restored power supply. But public dissatisfaction has grown over the government’s effort to increase revenue by raising electricity bills and imposing heavy new income taxes on professionals and businesses.Media and civil rights groups accuse the government of trying to introduce more repressive laws in an attempt to “suppress the public’s right to expression as a narrow effort with the aim of winning the upcoming elections at any cost.”Sri Lanka’s presidential and parliamentary elections are likely to be held later this year or early next year. Sri Lanka votes on new law to regulate online content (Reuters)
Reuters [1/24/2024 2:14 AM, Uditha Jayasinghe, 5.2M, Neutral]
Sri Lanka’s lawmakers are set to vote on a social media regulation bill on Wednesday which opposition politicians and activists allege will muzzle free speech.
The Online Safety Bill proposes jail terms for content that a five-member commission considers illegal and make social media platforms such as Google, Facebook and X, formerly known as Twitter, liable for those posted on their platforms.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s government says the bill is aimed at battling cyber crimes including child abuse, data theft and online fraud.
Voting was expected later on Wednesday, a day after the bill was introduced in the parliament for the lawmakers to debate on. The main party backing Wickremesinghe has a majority in the parliament.
"Sri Lanka had 8,000 cyber crimes complaints last year. We all agree that we need laws to address these issues. This is why we are bringing this law," Public Security Minister Tiran Alles said on Tuesday while introducing the bill.
"It is not to suppress the media or the opposition... Any complaint will be taken up by the commission, who will be appointed by the president and they will decide how to act."
The Asian Internet Coalition (AIC), which has Apple, Amazon, Google and Yahoo as members, warned Sri Lanka that the bill could impact investments in the country’s IT industry and called for extensive amendments to it.
"We unequivocally stand by our position that the Online Safety Bill, in its current form, is unworkable and would undermine potential growth and foreign direct investment into Sri Lanka’s digital economy," the AIC said in a statement.
A small group of activists and opposition members protested outside parliament on Wednesday against the legislation.
"We do not understand why the government is in such a hurry to pass this bill," Eran Wickramaratne, a lawmaker of Sri Lanka’s main opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya, said during Tuesday’s debate.
"We should take more time and have a better approach to passing laws that are this significant." Sri Lanka’s Proposed Internet Law Threatens Upcoming Elections (Human Rights Watch)
Human Rights Watch [1/23/2024 9:16 AM, Meenakshi Ganguly, 190K, Neutral]
A repressive new internet law that Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe is trying to rush through parliament this week would create broad and vague new speech-related offenses punishable by lengthy prison terms. The law would seriously threaten the right to freedom of expression as Sri Lanka prepares for parliamentary and presidential elections later this year.
The proposed law, the Online Safety Bill, purportedly provides protections against online harassment, abuse, and fraud. Instead, it is mostly concerned with creating a new “Online Safety Commission,” appointed by the president, that can decide what online speech is “false” or “harmful,” remove content, restrict and prohibit internet access, and prosecute individuals and organizations.
Commission-appointed “experts” would be empowered to enter and search suspects’ premises. Offenses under the law carry hefty fines and prison sentences up to five years. The United Nations human rights office said the law “could potentially criminalize nearly all forms of legitimate expression, creating an environment that has a chilling effect on freedom of expression.”
The Asia Internet Coalition, an industry body including tech giants such as Google, Apple, and Meta, has called the bill a “draconian system to stifle dissent” and warned it “could undermine the potential growth of Sri Lanka’s digital economy.”
Sri Lanka is still reeling from an economic crisis partly caused by misgovernment and failures of accountability. In 2022, months-long protests demanding reform toppled the prime minister and president. Since coming to power that year, President Wickremesinghe has moved to stifle dissent.
Other repressive legislation before parliament includes a new broadcasting law, which the UN experts say could be used to “suppress dissenting voices,” and a counterterrorism law that “grants wide powers to the police - and to the military - to stop, question and search, and to arrest and detain people, with inadequate judicial oversight.”
According to the International Monetary Fund, which is supporting Sri Lanka’s economy, restrictions on civil society, including the “broad application of counter-terrorism rules,” already limit “oversight and monitoring of government actions,” contributing to “severe governance weaknesses and corruption vulnerabilities.”
Sri Lanka’s repressive laws have facilitated widespread human rights violations for decades and contributed to economic and political crises. Passing the Online Safety Bill would be a disastrous setback. Central Asia
Eight People Injured In Earthquake Near Almaty (Radio Free Europe)
Radio Free Europe [1/23/2024 7:35 AM, Staff, 223K, Negative]
Authorities in Kazakhstan’s largest city, Almaty, said on January 23 that eight people sustained injuries during an overnight earthquake that struck the nearby Kyrgyz-China border region. Three were rushed to hospital after jumping from second- and third-floor windows, and one remains hospitalized in serious condition. Five others were injured while fleeing their apartments. The magnitude of the earthquake that hit an area along the China-Kyrgyzstan border was 7 and was accompanied by four other earthquakes with a magnitude of around 5, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. Kazakhstan: Strong earthquake plunges Almaty into panic (EurasiaNet)
EurasiaNet [1/23/2024 4:14 PM, Almaz Kumenov, 57.6K, Neutral]
Powerful and long-lasting tremors in the early hours of January 23 in southern Kazakhstan sparked widespread alarm and prompted thousands to take to their cars and flee the country’s largest city, Almaty, for safety.
The epicenter of the magnitude 7.1 earthquake was registered in a sparsely inhabited area of Xinjiang, a region in northwestern China, some 262 kilometers from Almaty. The AP cited Chinese officials as saying three people were killed.
The impact was far feebler in Almaty, but still enough to cause minor damage to some buildings. People reported sensing tremors as far away as Astana.
Fully 67 people had to be given medical treatment, mainly for minor injuries, officials said. At least thee people reportedly jumped out of second- and third-story windows in a panic.
Officials said in the immediate aftermath that emergency workers had been put on high alert and that rescue units were poised to intervene if needed.
Large numbers of spooked Almaty residents braved the post-midnight temperatures of minus nine degrees Celsius on the street out of concern of repeat shocks. The reaction is testament to perceptions of the scale of the tremors and possibly, to some extent, evolving attitudes toward tolerance for risk. Weaker quakes in the past have typically elicited some mild surprise and a shrug of the shoulders from the bulk of Almaty’s citizenry.
Many car-owners rushed to flee the city. That caused lengthy traffic jams and long lines at gas stations.
About 12,000 people spent the night in specially organized local government gathering points at schools, kindergartens and universities. The first major quake was succeeded by a series of weaker aftershocks throughout the night.
Mischief-makers did their bit. Bogus claims circulated on messaging apps about seismologists supposedly warning of an even bigger earthquake on the morning of January 23.
Anxieties about the deadly potential of these kinds of natural phenomena have been particularly high across Central Asia since an earthquake on the Turkish-Syrian border in February 2023 that claimed more than 50,000 lives.
As aftershocks diminished in power, the authorities sought to strike a reassuring note.
The director of the National Scientific Center for Seismological Observations and Research, Daulet Sarsenbayev, told reporters that he could state with “100 percent confidence” that there would be no more strong earthquakes in Almaty.
Public officials are also having to contend with the input of cranks like Alexander Savelyev, a science-fiction writer who earlier this month chided seismologists for disregarding his predictions of an imminent earthquake in mid-January, a revelation he suggested had arrived to him in a psychotropic mushroom-induced haze. Despite the less-than-impeccable credentials possessed by Savelyev, who is popularly known as “the mushroom blogger,” his theories are widely entertained and his likely coincidental guess on this occasion will only buttress the value of his stock.
Hypothesizing the possibility of earthquakes in and around Almaty is hardly rocket science, though. The city is located in a zone of increased seismic hazard. In 1887, powerful tremors wiped out what was then called Verny from the face of the earth and claimed hundreds of lives. Another earthquake in 1911, not far from where Almaty stands, proved no less destructive and fatal. Kazakhstan’s Evolving Afghanistan Policy (The Diplomat)
The Diplomat [1/23/2024 10:03 AM, Aziza Mukhammedova, 201K, Positive]
As the global community experiences a turbulent and unpredictable period, Kazakhstan, alongside other countries, faces a range of challenges and risks. A timely reorientation and adjustment of both its external and internal policies may enable the country to effectively cope with these challenges and even extract benefits from them.For example, the Ukraine war exposed vulnerabilities stemming from Kazakhstan’s intensive economic and trade relations with its northern neighbor, Russia. In light of this, the Kazakh government has increasingly focused on developing resiliency in managing the security, trade, and logistical challenges it is facing today. Among those challenges are various restrictions regarding northern trade routes, as well as concerns about the potential introduction of secondary sanctions. Dealing with these challenges, the Kazakh authorities realized the importance of finding new markets, trade routes, and economic opportunities for the country.In this environment, Kazakhstan has emerged as a model for revising its foreign policy in favor of cooperation with South Asia in service to this quest for new prospects. This move can be looked at as an attempt to diversify away from its heavy dependence on Russia, paired also with a carefully crafted balanced position toward both the United States and Russia. There is an alternative way to view these shifts, however, according to which Russia is possibly an actor gently pushing Kazakhstan toward the south, as Moscow can also benefit from trade routes to through Central Asia. As was stated by Russian President Vladimir Putin last July, “the international transport corridor ‘North-South’ will provide Russian goods with a shorter route to the African continent and back to Russia.”Regardless of the motivation, there has been a noticeable increase in Kazakhstan’s interest in South Asian countries, particularly Afghanistan. Indeed, in December Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry decided to exclude the Taliban from its list of terrorist organizations.Afghanistan’s market (as an importer of industrial and agricultural products) and its position (as a trade route that can connect Central Asia to countries such as Pakistan, with significant ports) are both critically important to Kazakhstan and shape its emerging new Afghanistan policy.Kazakhstan’s Trade Relations with Afghanistan.Kazakhstan’s support for Afghanistan is rooted not just in considerations of regional stability but also Astana’s own economic interests in growing trade links through Afghanistan into South Asia.Although Kazakhstan has never officially recognized the Taliban government in Afghanistan, it has been pragmatic about contacts with the Taliban and maintained economic and trade relations with the country. The first high-level interaction between Kazakhstan and the Taliban government occurred on September 2021, less than a month after the Taliban assumed control. Kazakhstan’s then-Ambassador to Afghanistan Alimkhan Yessengeldiyev met with Acting Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Kabul, where they committed to strengthening economic cooperation. Collaboration for the revival and extension of trade and economic links contributed to a substantial increase in trade turnover between the two nations. In 2022 the volume of trade between Kazakhstan and Afghanistan reached a record $987.9 million, twice as much as the previous year ($474.3 million). By November 2023, the trade between the two countries had decreased to $583 million, with it unlikely to have jumped dramatically in the final month of the year. In an interview with journalists in May 2023, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade and Integration Serik Zhumangarin said, “Politics is politics, economics is economics,” when discussing trade with Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. His intent was to convey that even without recognizing the Taliban government and while disagreeing with their domestic policies, it is possible to have a fruitful bilateral trade relationship as it brings benefits to both sides. Kazakhstan’s approach is pragmatic and practical, given that Afghanistan has become a major market for the sale of Kazakh products. In January 2023, Afghanistan became one of the top 10 trading partners of Kazakhstan thanks to the export of $133.8 million worth of diesel-electric railway locomotives to Afghanistan. In comparison, the export of a single locomotive was equal to the volume of total monthly trade of Kazakhstan with Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan. The Kazakh-Afghan business forum held in April 2023 in Kabul was a significant investment in strengthening existing ties. During the forum, they announced the opening of a trading house in the Afghan capital. This contrasts with the closure of the Trade Representation of Kazakhstan in Russia last year. Kazakhstan’s Interests in Transport and Logistics As previously mentioned, Kazakhstan seems to have far greater interests in cooperation with Afghanistan using the geographical location of the country as a trade corridor for reaching South Asian ports. Kazakhstan is particularly interested in participating in the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan’s infrastructure, especially in the fields of transport, energy, and agriculture. This was evidenced by a March 2023 meeting between Muttaqi and Yessengeldiyev. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the development of the railway system in Afghanistan.However, Kazakhstan does not border Afghanistan and does not have any existing routes installed. This reality is expected to push Kazakh authorities to deepen collaboration with other Central Asian nations, particularly Uzbekistan, in the construction of trans-Afghan transit and logistical projects.Kazakhstan has already taken steps to help restore Afghanistan’s rail potential. The Afghanistan Railway Authority and the Kazakhstani company Integra Construction signed a contract to resume construction work on a railway branch from Rozanak Station to Rabattaryan Station (43 kilometers) in October 2023. Furthermore, another benefit that Kazakhstan could enjoy is participation in the mining industry as Afghanistan is reportedly rich in resources such as copper, gold, precious stones, and others. Based on a survey of only 30 percent of Afghan territory, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) estimated the country’s resource wealth to be around $1 trillion. This has attracted many interested parties, such as China, and may also interest Kazakhstan. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid recently declared that Kazakh companies, among others, are expected to invest in the mining sector, energy production, and hydroelectric projects in 2024.Domestic Motivations The first factor in Kazakhstan’s domestic politics that influences its present approach toward Afghanistan is the recent cadre reshuffle. In September 2023, then-Minister of Trade and Integration Serik Zhumangarin, known for his pragmatic views on Kazakhstan’s approaches to Afghanistan, was promoted to the position of deputy prime minister. This indicates top-line support for his views regarding the establishment of pragmatic economic ties with Taliban-ruled Afghanistan and suggests that they will be further solidified in Kazakhstan’s foreign policy agenda.Moreover, also in September 2023, the establishment of a Ministry of Transport was announced, signaling the country’s readiness to dedicate specific attention to infrastructure and transportation projects, both domestically and internationally. Late last year, Kazakhstan dispatched a new ambassador to Kabul, Alim Khan Yasin Gildayev. He met with Muttaqi on December 29.Another internal factor that influences Kazakhstan’s policy is public opinion regarding active cooperation with Afghanistan. Kazakh expert Eldaniz Gusseinov, of the Heartland Expert-Analytical Center, told The Diplomat that the Kazakhstan-Afghanistan Business Forum held in April 2023 triggered some criticism and concerns among a part of Kazakhstan’s population. People expressed fear of their country’s convergence with a state ruled by a “terrorist group.” But on the other hand, as described above, the Kazakh authorities clearly realize the importance of Afghanistan’s involvement in regional processes and the benefits that Central Asian countries could get from usable trans-Afghan routes. Potential Challenges to Kazakhstan’s Afghanistan PolicyWhile shaping its emerging policy toward Afghanistan, the Kazakh government must take into consideration the reality that the Taliban’s government is still not recognized by the international community. This lends a degree of unpredictability to the situation. Another important problem is that according to Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) data, there are more than 20 terrorist organizations operating in the territory of Afghanistan, a total number of approximately 10,000 individuals. The potential aims of these various groups are not necessarily known in full, but their presence poses a potential threat to the wider region. This is a cause for concern because a secure environment is needed to effectively exploit the potential of trans-Afghan rail routes. In order to fully realize trade routes that will connect Kazakhstan to South Asia’s major trading ports, it will be important for Kazakhstan to continue developing ties with Uzbekistan. Despite the current positive trajectory of relations between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, there are potential conflicts between the two that could damage Kazakhstan’s plans.Finally, Kazakhstan’s Afghanistan policy could be hindered in part by Astana’s membership in the Eurasian Economic Union. The requirement of consensus within the union regarding certain trade policies may complicate Kazakhstan’s ambitions in Afghanistan, or at the very least chip away at Kazakhstan’s ability to independently develop such economic and trade relations.Conclusion The economic and political consequences of the war in Ukraine arguably prompted Kazakhstan to look more seriously southward to Afghanistan and South Asia. However, it is worth noting that although Kazakhstan is looking away from its northern neighbor, this initiative also aligns with Russia’s interests. Russia is a possible beneficiary of the very same trade routes in which Kazakhstan is currently most interested. The Kazakh authorities are seeking access to South Asia’s seaports by assisting in the development of routes across Afghanistan. The realization of such trade routes require Kazakhstan to take steps in strengthening cooperation with the other countries of Central Asia, namely Uzbekistan, which currently manages the construction of the trans-Afghan railway route from Termez through Mazar-i-Sharif, Kabul, and on to Peshawar, Pakistan. Kazakhstan’s recent exclusion of the Taliban from its list of terrorist organizations speaks loudly regarding their attitude toward the Taliban government, confirming a commitment to further close cooperation. If the relative peace in Afghanistan continues, Kazakhstan’s Afghanistan policy will pragmatically forge ahead as cooperation deepens. Measles Cases Soar In Europe, WHO Says, Noting Highest Numbers In Russia, Kazakhstan (Radio Free Europe)
Radio Free Europe [1/23/2024 2:13 PM, Staff, 223K, Neutral]
The number of measles cases soared in Europe in 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on January 23 as it called for urgent vaccination efforts to halt the spread.Some 41 countries out of 53 that the WHO includes in its Europe region reported the infectious disease. There were 42,200 cases in 2023, up from 941 in 2022.Russia and Kazakhstan fared the worst, with about 10,000 cases each from January to October last year. In Western Europe, Britain had the most cases with 183.The WHO said there were nearly 21,000 hospitalizations and five measles-related deaths in the January-October period in the 51 countries in its European region.New cases were reported on January 23 in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Three children at a kindergarten in Sarajevo were infected, Ademir Spahic, representative of the Health Center of Sarajevo Canton, confirmed to RFE/RL."All of this is the result of the anti-vaxxer lobby. I call once again on parents to vaccinate their children," Spahic said.Vaccines against measles are part of the compulsory immunization program in Bosnia.In the Tuzla Canton in northern Bosnia, a measles epidemic was declared on January 19. About 30 children were hospitalized.Spahic said the competent health institutions in Sarajevo Canton will eventually decide if and when a measles epidemic should be declared.Vaccination rates against measles slipped during the COVID-19 pandemic and the WHO says urgent vaccination efforts are now needed.Some 1.8 million infants in the WHO’s Europe region were not vaccinated against measles between 2020 and 2022."It is vital that all countries are prepared to rapidly detect and timely respond to measles outbreaks, which could endanger progress towards measles elimination," the WHO said.Measles is caused by a virus and spreads easily when people breathe, cough, or sneeze. It is most common in children but can affect anyone. Symptoms often include a rash, running nose, cough, and watery eyes.The vaccination against the disease consist of two shots, usually one at nine months of age and the second at 15-18 months. It is often given along with one for mumps and rubella.At least 95 percent of children need to be fully vaccinated against the disease in a locality to prevent outbreaks. Kyrgyz Parliamentary Committee Approves Controversial Bill On ‘Foreign Representatives’ On Second Reading (Radio Free Europe)
Radio Free Europe [1/23/2024 10:44 AM, Staff, 223K, Negative]
The Kyrgyz parliament’s committee for constitutional laws on January 23 approved on second reading a controversial bill that would allow authorities to register organizations as "foreign representatives" in a style that critics say mirrors repressive Russian legislation on "foreign agents." Dozens of nongovernmental organizations in Kyrgyzstan have called on lawmakers to reject the bill, insisting that it merely substitutes the term "foreign representative" for "foreign agent" and would have a similarly chilling effect on their work. Russian authorities have used the law on "foreign agents" to discredit those labeled as such and to stifle dissent. Underage Marriages Rampant In Tajikistan Despite Increased Legal Age To Wed (Radio Free Europe)
Radio Free Europe [1/23/2024 12:47 PM, Farangis Najibullah, 223K, Neutral]
Dilrabo says she agreed to get married at the age of 16 to escape the dire life she faced after her father died and mother remarried, leaving her at a state boarding school for underprivileged children."My marriage only lasted two years…during which I faced abuse at the hands of my husband. Now, my young son and I have nowhere to live," said the 23-year-old Dushanbe resident, who requested that her family name not be published.Dilrabo says her life "may have been different" if she hadn’t ended her studies after the seventh grade and gotten married."I could be working now, earning a living," Dilrabo told RFE/RL. "Instead, I am left to deal with this hardship."Dilrabo didn’t say whether her marriage -- and the subsequent divorce -- were officially registered or if she just had an Islamic marriage, or "nikah."In 2010, the Muslim-majority Central Asian country raised the minimum age for marriage from 17 to 18. Authorities said the move was to protect women’s rights and ensure their well-being.The government also warned religious figures not to conduct a "nikah" to anyone below 18.Tajiks, however, can still marry at 17 with a court’s permission. Official statistics show that underage marriages with court permission have rising steadily in Tajikistan in recent years.More than 4,000 people married at the age of 17 with a court’s approval in Tajikistan in 2022, according to Tajik human rights ombudsman Suhaili Qodiri.The number marks a significant rise from 2018 when registry offices recorded some 2,500 underage marriages."These figures are far too high," Qodiri said. "Marriage should not be allowed before the age of 18. We need to eventually amend the law."The law doesn’t say under what circumstances courts can grant the right to marry at 17. The ombudsman says such ambiguity in the family code has paved the way for many to legally marry one year earlier.Women’s rights activists claim that some Tajik parents take advantage of the loophole in the law to push their daughters into marriage.The majority of those who married at 17 years are women, as most families in the conservative society prefer to have their daughters marry early.In one opinion poll in Tajikistan taken in 2021, 53 percent of 1,500 heads of households surveyed said the best age for women to get married is 19-20 and 24 for men.Asked why men marry later than women, most respondents said they believe men must get a university education before being wed.Unhappy EndingExperts and women’s rights groups say women who marry early often end up with mental and physical problems.They say 17-year-old girls are not ready to start a married life in which they must care for their husband, children, and do the household chores at their in-laws’ home as Tajik tradition dictates. It is also not uncommon in Tajik families for in-laws to be deeply involved in a son’s marriage."A woman once sought advice from our organization about marrying off her 17-year-old daughter. I explained to her that her daughter is still a child and is not ready for marriage -- that it will not work," said Shohsanam Qaraboeva of the women’s rights group Ghamkhori.The woman nonetheless decided to go ahead with the wedding, Qaraboeva said. But the marriage ended in divorce 18 months later and the teenage bride is now a single mother at 19 years of age, Qaraboeva said."The woman came back to our office to say, ‘You were right,’" Qaraboeva said. "The young bride’s in-laws complained that she was not ‘ready for married life’ and that she ‘wouldn’t even wake up early [to do housework],’ for example."Although court permission to marry at 17 must be based on a request by the potential bride or groom, it is widely believed such applications are often submitted under pressure from their families. Turkmenistan: This town, is coming like a ghost town (EurasiaNet)
EurasiaNet [1/23/2024 4:14 PM, Staff, 57.6K, Neutral]
Turkmenistan rarely allows in foreign journalists, but there is not much it can do about travel video bloggers arriving on tourist visas.
There is an irony in this since a successful YouTuber enjoys a reach far beyond anything most print journalists can even dream about. And video travelogues from Turkmenistan are invariably a variation on the same theme in describing a warm and friendly population looked over by a hyper-paranoid police state.
When travelers arrive in the capital, Ashgabat, they marvel — as Indian YouTuber Nomadic Tour did, to take a recent example — at the canyons of marble-clad buildings and the empty roads. The team of frothy 20-somethings behind the Yes Theory YouTube channel (8.2 million subscribers) giggle with glee at the deserted sidewalks and roads of the city at midday. That video, titled “Traveling to the Strangest Country on Earth,” has been viewed almost 3 million times.
Uninformed foreigners view this as an amusing quirk, whereas it is in fact the result of feckless incompetence, as an article published on January 17 on Amsterdam-based outlet Turkmen.news amply documents.
Take the lack of thought given to the citizen moving about on foot. There is not a single pedestrian-activated traffic crossing in Ashgabat, the outlet explains. Underpasses at times require people to walk down to a depth of two stories. Traversing divided highway-style roads in the downtown entails time-consuming treks — not a welcome proposition in a city where temperature routinely hit the high 40s (Celsius) in summer.
That last detail makes public transport unappealing. Buses have no air conditioning, making them a potential death trap for anybody with a weak heart. The high floors, meanwhile, make it difficult for anybody with heavy shopping or strollers to board. The much-vaunted air conditioned bus stops are few and far between.
For all former President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov’s proselytizing about the virtues of the bicycle, infrastructure for this means of transport is near non-existent.
As Turkmen.news argues editorially, the look of Ashgabat is the result of valuing form in its most literal sense over function: the airport is shaped like a bird, the Foreign Ministry looks like a globe, a Dentistry Center is in the form of a tooth, the Central Bank is a giant gold bar, and a state publishing house is built in the semblance of a giant open book.“At the same time, no one even tries to take into account the needs of little people living between these giant teeth, books and globes,” the website concludes.
The result is a ghost city.
The same appears likely to happen to Turkmenistan’s newest city, Arkadag, which continues to occupy much of the thoughts of its founder, the ex-president, and now-National Leader, Berdymukhamedov.
On January 20, Berdymukhamedov visited Arkadag to conduct another inspection on the ongoing second stage of construction there. At one stage he offered feedback on proposed designs for an Agriculture University complex, the buildings of which will resemble the buds of cotton plants or ears of wheat, as Vienna-based Chronicles of Turkmenistan has pointed out.
Berdymukhamedov is already alive to the possibility that he is building another vacant urban center and has expressed some frustration with the lackluster quality of the campaign to get people to resettle there.“These issues must be approached very responsibly and comprehensively. Everything necessary must be done to ensure a happy life for people in the new city,” said Berdymukhamedov. Improving “the culture of trade and establishing … a service sector” are priorities, he said. In other words, nobody wants to live in Arkadag because there are no decent shops or basic amenities.
If things have not changed since July, when a correspondent for Chronicles visited the then-freshly inaugurated city, it is not hard to see why uptake has been weak. That account spoke in part about the complications inherent in buying property in Arkadag. It had initially been bruited that apartments would as an incentive be transferred into the ownership of residents after a decade had elapsed, but Chronicles said its sources later said the talk was of homes being sold with 30-year mortgages.
Because Arkadag is still mostly a building site, there is little employment going around. In a freer economy, this could become a boom town with entrepreneurs moving to capitalize on the energy inherent in such grand new projects. But as this is a centrally planned, top-down exercise that enthusiasm is absent.
Just to make matters more suffocating, a vast array of CCTV cameras will make future Arkadag denizens perhaps the most surveilled people in the region.
Not that the street is the only place that the Turkmen state conducts surveillance.
At the January 19 Cabinet meeting, President Serdar Berdymukhamedov (the son of the former president) heard a briefing from Mammetkhan Chakiyev, the head of Turkmenistan’s state agency for transport and communications, about work being done to strengthen the country’s cybersecurity infrastructure. Since Turkmenistan is currently cut off from most of the global internet, courtesy of its suspicious security services, it feels like the risks should be modest.
Berdymukhamedov the younger has nevertheless signed off on an official resolution on “planned measures to strengthen … cybersecurity in Turkmenistan.”
One wheeze cooked up to limit the exposure of Turkmens to evil outside internet is to provide indigenous alternatives to popular platforms. The government has accordingly created Belet Video, a video-hosting platform that is presumably intended to lure people away from YouTube.
There is an easy if crude method to assess the money-wasting failure that is Belet Video, which has been up and running for more than three years now. The daily evening Turkmen state TV news bulletin is uploaded both there and on YouTube. To take the example of a recent broadcast, the January 21 bulletin was viewed 2,700 times on YouTube, only a dozen people (at last count) watched the same program on Belet Video.
Of course, both sets of figures are weak and demonstrate that the Turkmen public is either unable or unwilling to consume the news fed to them by state outlets.
People are more eager, where possible, to seek out accounts of the alleged thuggery perpetrated by the extended ruling family.
RFE/RL’s Turkmen service, Radio Azatlyk, reported on January 15 on a particularly lurid incident said to have occurred earlier in the month. It is claimed that on January 6, a cousin of the president descended on a bar in a popular shopping mall, sending other terrified patrons fleeing for the doors. When Shamurad Rejepov saw that some visitors were either too oblivious or brazen to make themselves scarce, he allegedly took it out on the barman, whom he beat up with the assistance of his security detail. Other victims purportedly included a pregnant woman, whom Rejepov — known popularly as Shami the Lawless — slapped in the face. Uzbek President In China Seeking New Era Of Relations And Investments (Radio Free Europe)
Radio Free Europe [1/23/2024 3:18 PM, Reid Standish, 223K, Neutral]
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev is in Beijing to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping for a high-profile state visit intended to lay the groundwork for strong ties between the two countries.In an article signed by Mirziyoev that appeared in Chinese state media ahead of the trip, the Uzbek leader praised China’s model of economic development and said relations between the two countries are experiencing “new historical heights” that will allow him to use the January 23-25 trip to “develop a new long-term agenda” for the two countries that will last for “decades.”"Every time I visit China, I sincerely admire the scale of the reforms taking place here, the accomplishments, creative strength, diligence, and talent of the Chinese people who are confidently pursuing the path of modernization to realize their centuries-old dream,” the article said.The state visit comes following the first in-person China-Central Asia leaders’ summit in May where China inked several agreements to deepen its economic and security links with the region. In Beijing, Mirziyoev is looking to build upon those deals as well as a comprehensive strategic-partnership agreement signed in 2022.While meeting with Xi and other top-level Chinese officials, the Uzbek delegation will look to court investment and agree with their counterparts on how to bring many previously signed deals to fruition, from developing green energy projects to cooperation in science and boosting tourism between China and Uzbekistan.“This is less about concrete outcomes and more about setting a road map for the future,” Niva Yau, a fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Global China Hub, told RFE/RL. “China has committed to investments and projects and this high-level visit is [about] how to achieve them and to search for new areas to cooperate together.”Evolving TiesThe visit takes place against the backdrop of several major developments that have changed the political environment at home and abroad for Uzbekistan’s relationship with China.Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine has boosted China’s standing as a reliable political and economic force for the countries of Central Asia as Moscow -- the region’s traditional dominant partner -- has grappled with financial and geopolitical fallout from the conflict.After a decade of infrastructure investments around the globe through Beijing’s multibillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China wants to use the project to invest in new sectors and become a more strategic lender after facing criticism for a lack of transparency in BRI loans as it now grapples with a slowing domestic economy.Facing such headwinds, China is looking to make the BRI smaller and greener through more risk-averse loans and investments in renewables, and Yau said this could factor into the results from Mirziyoev’s visit.China, she notes, has been investing heavily in environmental and scientific research and monitoring, with several notable investments in Central Asia.Tajikistan, which neighbors Uzbekistan to the southeast and shares a border with China, opened a Chinese observation station on Lake Sarez in 2021, reportedly for environmental research and “international disaster reduction and prevention,” according to the Chinese Academy of Sciences.In July 2023, Chinese researchers also unveiled a new “super” observation post for climate and environmental monitoring in Shahritus, near the meeting point of China’s borders with Uzbekistan and Afghanistan.The stations have scientific and technological applications, but observers note the installations are part of a broad network of similar stations across BRI countries in South and Central Asia that could have dual applications for security and surveillance.Beijing has also looked to expand the list of countries cooperating with its space program, reaching an agreement with Turkmenistan in 2023.While traditional Chinese investments in Central Asia are still in play, such as a proposed natural gas pipeline from Turkmenistan to China and a railway connecting China to Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, their futures are uncertain.Yau said Beijing is looking to bring these new areas of investment and industry that it has expanded elsewhere in the world to Central Asia, and Uzbekistan, with a population of some 35 million, is an attractive partner.One particular sector of interest is renewable energy and opening up new markets for Chinese electric vehicles.China has been positioning itself as a market leader around the world for years and, in December, China’s Henan Suda signed a deal with the Uzbek Energy Ministry to build some 50,000 charging stations for electric vehicles around the country by 2033.“These are areas where China is becoming a global leader and it wants to bring them to Central Asia,” Yau said.New President, New EraWhile events like the war in Ukraine have affected the relative appeal of Beijing and Moscow as partners for Central Asia, Mirziyoev’s high-profile visit is the product of years of warming ties between China and Uzbekistan, says Temur Umarov, a fellow at the Carnegie Russia-Eurasia Center in Berlin.“This direction towards China has been Mirziyoev’s priority from the beginning,” he told RFE/RL. “Mirziyoev is very interested in China and often quotes [former Chinese leader] Deng Xiaoping in his speeches; and he clearly sees the country as an example for how to develop economically.”China’s experience combating top-level corruption under Xi and its efforts to lift millions out of poverty, Umarov says, have been a particular focus for the Uzbek leader since he came to power in 2016 following the death of Islam Karimov, the country’s first ruler after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.“China has become a source of knowledge in a way for Mirziyoev,” Umarov said. “Given that Uzbekistan is a personalistic regime, how he sees China matters a lot.”Uzbekistan followed a far more isolationist foreign policy under Karimov that was suspicious of outside influence.China was still an important partner, with Chinese leader Hu Jintao inviting Karimov to Beijing for a visit in 2005 less than two weeks after the bloody crackdown against protesters in the northeastern Uzbek city of Andijon, though the relationship was limited. Under the hard-line Karimov regime, Chinese companies and capital in many sectors of the economy were restricted.That changed following Karimov’s death, which brought Mirziyoev to power.As the new Uzbek president has opened up his country’s economy, China has been both a reliable source of investment and a valuable ally that has helped Mirziyoev build his legitimacy at home and abroad.As Umarov notes, China’s own model of opening its economy while retaining tight political control is one that looks increasingly appealing to Mirziyoev.“This is very relevant to him as he tries to build his own political regime based on Karimov’s heritage,” Umarov said. “He knows that he needs to adapt to the world and learn from similar regimes about how to navigate the complex realities of today.” Twitter
Afghanistan
UNAMA News@UNAMAnews
[1/24/2024 12:20 AM, 301.6K followers, 9 retweets, 16 likes]
As we mark #InternationalDayofEducation, UN Envoy to #Afghanistan, Roza Otunbayeva, urges access to education for all: https://youtu.be/gpDE7FT3eKI
Mary Lawlor UN Special Rapporteur HRDs@MaryLawlorhrds
[1/23/2024 5:38 AM, 54.1K followers, 65 retweets, 144 likes]
Despite the intimidations & violence they face, women human rights defenders in #Afghanistan continue to peacefully march for their rights & brave the abusive restrictions imposed by Taliban. The international community needs to support them & pressure the de facto authorities.
Heather Barr@heatherbarr1
[1/24/2024 3:00 AM, 62.1K followers, 9 retweets, 8 likes]
The crisis for women/girls in Afghanistan is deepening in 2 ways. The Taliban issue new abusive policies often. But less visible--& more pernicious--is their steadily intensifying enforcement of existing policies. Life gets harder each day for women/girls. https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-taliban-single-women-restrictions-c00c6cddf846957afc2ea43814cf374f
Heather Barr@heatherbarr1
[1/24/2024 3:05 AM, 62.1K followers, 3 retweets, 5 likes]
Good to hear @antonioguterres understands the horror Afghan women face. Next step is for him to invite Afghan women--as full participants--to the envoys meeting he is planning on Afghanistan, perhaps for Feb. Last spring he held this meeting and shut them out. @UN @unwomenchief
Heather Barr@heatherbarr1
[1/23/2024 4:04 AM, 62.1K followers, 16 retweets, 23 likes]
This is a very good discussion of how the latest Taliban escalation of abuse against women and girls—detaining/abusing them for “bad hijab”—is also a coded ethnic attack on Hazara communities. ‘I was arrested for the crime of being a Hazara and a woman’ https://zantimes.com/2024/01/22/campaign-targets-women/
Amnesty International South Asia, Regional Office@amnestysasia
[1/23/2024 12:39 AM, 75.6K followers, 8 retweets, 18 likes]
The Taliban must be held accountable for depriving millions of girls from seeking their right to education. The international community must not give up on girl’s education in #Afghanistan. #SpeakUpForAfghanWomen #EducationForAll #StandWithAfghanGirls #InternationalDayOfEducation 1/2
Amnesty International South Asia, Regional Office@amnestysasia
[1/23/2024 12:39 AM, 75.6K followers, 3 retweets, 5 likes]
Sign the petition to hold the Taliban accountable: https://amnesty.org/en/petition/stop-the-roll-back-on-human-rights-in-afghanistan/ #SpeakUpForAfghanWomen #EducationForAll #StandWithAfghanGirls #InternationalDayOfEducation 2/2 Pakistan
Government of Pakistan@GovtofPakistan
[1/24/2024 12:30 AM, 3.1M followers, 7 retweets, 19 likes]
Voters play a central role in shaping the government and their future. Every single vote matters! Use your right to vote. #Elections2024 #ElectionPakistan pic.twitter.com/VY7C96VNXL
Government of Pakistan@GovtofPakistan
[1/23/2024 11:00 PM, 3.1M followers, 1 retweet, 11 likes]
On International Day of #Education, let’s strive to ensure that quality education reaches every corner of our nation. Together, we can make education more accessible, inclusive, diverse and equitable for all. #InternationalDayofEducation #EducationForAll pic.twitter.com/bpxN7R3CG India
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[1/23/2024 9:48 AM, 94.8M followers, 11K retweets, 68K likes]
I am delighted that the Government of India has decided to confer the Bharat Ratna on the beacon of social justice, the great Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur Ji and that too at a time when we are marking his birth centenary. This prestigious recognition is a testament to his enduring efforts as a champion for the marginalized and a stalwart of equality and empowerment. His unwavering commitment to uplift the downtrodden and his visionary leadership have left an indelible mark on India’s socio-political fabric. This award not only honours his remarkable contributions but also inspires us to continue his mission of creating a more just and equitable society.
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[1/23/2024 10:14 PM, 94.8M followers, 2.2K retweets, 11K likes]
On National Girl Child Day, we salute the indomitable spirit and accomplishments of the Girl Child. We also recognise the rich potential of every girl child in all sectors. They are change-makers who make our nation and society better. Over the last decade, our government has been making many efforts to build a nation where every girl child has the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive.
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[1/23/2024 10:17 PM, 94.8M followers, 2K retweets, 7.7K likes]
I bow to Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur Ji on his birth centenary. On this special occasion, our Government has had the honour of conferring the Bharat Ratna on him. I’ve penned a few thoughts on his unparalleled impact on our society and polity. https://www.narendramodi.in/a-tribute-to-jan-nayak-karpoori-thakur-ji-578509 Vice President of India@VPIndia
[1/24/2024 3:11 AM, 1.5M followers, 7 retweets, 25 likes]
Hon’ble Vice-President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar inaugurated the ‘Hamara Samvidhan Hamara Samman’ Campaign, commemorating the 75th year of India as a Republic. Shri Dhankhar also launched Nyaya Setu, a Tele-facilitation Service, that aims to expand the reach of legal services till the last mile. @MLJ_GoI @arjunrammeghwal
Vice President of India@VPIndia
[1/24/2024 2:44 AM, 1.5M followers, 19 retweets, 295 likes]
Hon’ble Vice-President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar paid floral tributes to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi today. @MLJ_GoI @arjunrammeghwalRichard Rossow@RichardRossow
[1/23/2024 11:14 PM, 28.8K followers, 5 retweets, 16 likes]
Odisha’s privatization of electricity distribution (to @TataPower) rivals GST as the biggest reforms in India in the last decade. On Monday I hosted a conversation w/ CEO of Tata Power and the Principal Secretary of Odisha (@EnergyOdisha) to discuss. https://www.csis.org/events/report-launch-indias-private-power-market NSB
Awami League@albd1971
[1/23/2024 9:41 AM, 635.3K followers, 24 retweets, 72 likes]
UNDP Resident Representative Stephan Liler said @UNDP will work together to achieve #Bangladesh’s #SDGs, sensor-based monitoring, wetland conservation and waste management. It will also increase its activities in Bangladesh to combat #climatechange. https://bssnews.net/news/169609
Bangladesh Nationalist Party-BNP@bdbnp78
[1/23/2024 9:14 AM, 47.7K followers, 19 retweets, 119 likes]
Bangladesh has become a submissive state due to Sheikh Hasina’s knee-jerk foreign policy driven by a hunger for power. Today, the BGB is defenseless because of the anti-state compromise of the illegitimate government. #BorderKilling
Jon Danilowicz@JonFDanilowicz
[1/23/2024 12:49 PM, 3.7K followers, 11 retweets, 127 likes]
It is shameful how quickly countries that paid lip service to the importance of democracy and human rights in #Bangladesh are returning to business as usual after the January 7 sham election. Dictators around the world are paying attention to this capitulation.
Sabria Chowdhury Balland@sabriaballand
[1/23/2024 3:39 AM, 5K followers, 4 likes]
12 US Senators have sent a letter to Sheikh Hasina to end the harassment of #Bangladesh Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus.
Moosa Zameer@MoosaZameer
[1/23/2024 6:23 AM, 12.6K followers, 55 retweets, 79 likes]
Press statement by the Government of Maldives concerning media reports surrounding the port call by a Chinese research vessel: https://foreign.gov.mv/index.php/en/media-center/news/statement-by-the-government-of-maldives-2024-pr-14
Brahma Chellaney@Chellaney
[1/24/2024 1:21 AM, 261.8K followers, 184 retweets, 532 likes]
China is aggressively engaged in mapping the Indian Ocean bed and collecting seismic and bathymetric data to facilitate submarine operations in India’s maritime backyard. And the Maldives, under its new Islamist-leaning, pro-China president, is becoming an enabler. After terminating the 2019 hydrographic surveying agreement with India and ordering the expulsion of several dozen non-combat Indian military personnel tasked with rescue and relief in that disaster-prone archipelago nation, Maldivian President Muizzu has agreed to host a Chinese spy ship whose mission is to collate data on undersea conditions. The Muizzu government claim that the PLA-linked ship would not conduct oceanographic research in the Maldivian waters is laughable as the Maldives has zero capability to detect such activity. Muizzu’s latest provocation, by mocking the security concerns of the traditionally friendly India, is unlikely to escape scot-free.
MOFA of Nepal@MofaNepal
[1/23/2024 5:31 AM, 256.2K followers, 9 retweets, 47 likes]
Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Ms. Izumi Nakamitsu paid a courtesy call on Minister for Foreign Affairs Hon. Mr. N P Saud at his office today.
MOFA of Nepal@MofaNepal
[1/23/2024 5:31 AM, 256.2K followers, 3 retweets, 2 likes]
During the call on, a range of topics were discussed, including collaboration for global peace and security and further enhancing the UNRCPD’s effectiveness in promoting peace and stability in Asia and the Pacific. @NPSaudnc @sewa_lamsal @amritrai555 Central Asia
MFA Kyrgyzstan@MFA_Kyrgyzstan
[1/24/2024 3:06 AM, 9.1K followers]
On 23 January 2024, with the participation of the Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers - Head of the Administration of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic Akylbek Japarov the Collegium of @MFA_Kyrgyzstan dedicated to the results of work in 2023 was held.
UNODC Central Asia@UNODC_ROCA
[1/24/2024 2:13 AM, 2.3K followers, 1 like]
Exciting visit from the EC DG INTPA trainees to UNODC in Kyrgyzstan! Visitors were introduced to #JUST4ALL, EU co-funded project advancing probation and justice reform in Kyrgyzstan with LBI-GMR collaboration. #JusticeReform #EUinAction @MittalAshita @georgeabadjian
Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s Press-service@president_uz
[1/24/2024 1:22 AM, 152.6K followers, 1 retweet, 8 likes]
President Shavkat #Mirziyoyev visited Tiananmen Square in #Beijing and laid a wreath at the Monument to the People’s Heroes, paying a tribute of respect to the fighters who gave their lives for the national independence and freedom of the Chinese people in the 19-20th centuries.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s Press-service@president_uz
[1/24/2024 12:45 AM, 152.6K followers, 1 retweet, 10 likes]
As part of the event program of the state visit to #China, the President of the Republic of #Uzbekistan Shavkat #Mirziyoyev met with the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress Zhao Leji.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s Press-service@president_uz
[1/23/2024 11:38 PM, 152.6K followers, 2 retweets, 21 likes]
President Shavkat #Mirziyoyev has started his state visit to #China with a meeting with Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China Li Qiang. The issues of further expansion of multifaceted practical cooperation, primarily in the trade, economy, culture and education, were considered.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s Press-service@president_uz
[1/23/2024 10:14 PM, 152.6K followers, 1 retweet, 16 likes]
The President of the Republic of #Uzbekistan Shavkat #Mirziyoyev with his spouse have arrived to the People’s Republic of #China on a state visit. The President and the First Lady were warmly welcomed by China’s Minister of Culture and Tourism Sun Yeli and other officials at #Beijing’s #Shoudou Airport
Furqat Sidiqov@FurqatSidiq
[1/23/2024 4:39 PM, 1.1K followers, 3 retweets, 12 likes]
We are one day away from the opening of the Exhibition Rishtan’s Blue Ceramic! Tomorrow, we not only showcase over 1500 exquisite ceramic items but also bring you a live masterclass. Take advantage of this unique opportunity to dive into the vibrant world of Uzbek ceramic art.
Uzbekistan MFA@uzbekmfa
[1/23/2024 11:59 AM, 6.8K followers, 1 retweet, 1 like]
On January 23, 2024, the Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Afghanistan Ismatulla Irgashev met with the Special Representative of the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan for Afghanistan Asif Durrani. https://mfa.uz/35240
Uzbekistan MFA@uzbekmfa
[1/23/2024 11:51 AM, 6.8K followers, 1 retweet, 4 likes]
On January 23, 2024, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan Bakhromjon Aloyev met with the Special Representative of the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan for Afghanistan Asif Durrani. https://mfa.uz/35237
Navbahor Imamova@Navbahor
[1/23/2024 1:29 PM, 22.5K followers, 2 retweets, 8 likes]
Uzbekistan’s natural gas supplies to China almost halved in 2023, reaching $563.5 million. In December, exports amounted to $54.5 million. @gazeta_uz
Navbahor Imamova@Navbahor
[1/23/2024 10:28 AM, 22.5K followers, 1 retweet, 9 likes]
Uzbekistan: @Ezgulik_HRSU #HumanRights Society’s head Abdurakhmon Tashanov met with two (political) prisoners this month - Karakalpak activist Dauletmurat Tajimuratov, sentenced to 16 years last year for his involvement in the July 2022 unrest in Nukus and blogger Otabek Sattoriy, sentenced to 6,5 years in 2021 for extortion and slander. Tashanov reports both are in good health. Yet he found Tajimuratov stressed, complaining about the difficulties in communicating with his family, relatives’ visits, and package deliveries. Sattoriy, according to Tashanov, seemed content and eager to start a new life, even planning a career in tech once out, which could be as soon as this spring. He did not want his photo taken. FYI, both Tajimuratov and Sattoriy still maintain that they were convicted on baseless/false grounds.{End of Report} To subscribe to the SCA Morning Press Clips, please email SCA-PressOfficers@state.gov. Please do not reply directly to this email.