epubdos : Afghanistan
SCA MORNING PRESS CLIPS
Prepared for the U.S. Department of State
Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs
TO:
SCA & Staff
DATE:
Thursday, July 18, 2024 6:30 AM ET

Afghanistan
US aid vetting failures may have benefited militants in Afghanistan, watchdog finds (Reuters)
Reuters [7/17/2024 5:01 PM, Jonathan Landay, 42991K, Neutral]
Two State Department bureaus could not prove compliance with internal policies for vetting aid groups in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan that received $293 million in funds, raising a risk that extremists may have profited, a U.S. watchdog said on Wednesday.

"It is critical that State knows who is actually benefitting from this assistance in order to prevent the aid from being diverted to the Taliban or other sanctioned parties," said the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) report.

The Taliban, the report said, has tried to obtain U.S. aid funds "through several means, including the establishment of humanitarian organizations," underscoring the need for the department to "fully and consistently assess the risks posed by its implementing partners."

The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

SIGAR said three of five State Department bureaus were found in compliance with department regulations requiring vetting of aid fund recipients.

But the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, and the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs could not provide enough documentation to prove their adherence.

"State could not demonstrate compliance with its partner vetting requirements on awards that disbursed at least $293 million in Afghanistan," it continued.

For that reason, "there is an increased risk that terrorists and terrorist-affiliated individuals and entities may have illegally benefitted," it said.

The department agreed with the report’s conclusions and would "work to ensure compliance" with vetting requirements, it said.

The U.S. remains the largest aid donor to impoverished Afghanistan nearly three years after the Taliban seized Kabul as the last U.S. troops completed a chaotic pullout following 20 years of war with the Islamist militants.

Since the U.S. withdrawal was completed on Aug. 30, 2021, Washington has provided more than $17.9 billion in assistance to Afghanistan.
Biden Admin Doesn’t Know If It’s Sending Taxpayer Cash to the Taliban, Government Audit Finds (Washington Free Beacon)
Washington Free Beacon [7/17/2024 5:30 PM, Adam Kredo, 690K, Neutral]
The Biden administration doesn’t know if millions of dollars in taxpayer funds sent to Afghanistan are falling into the Taliban’s hands because its terrorism vetting files are incomplete—or, in some instances, destroyed—a government audit found.

Two State Department bureaus—Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) and International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL)—"could not demonstrate their compliance with partner vetting requirements because they were unable to provide supporting documentation for many of their respective awards," the Special Investigator General for Afghanistan Reconstructions (SIGAR) disclosed in a Wednesday report. "Collectively, State could not demonstrate their compliance with its partner vetting requirements on awards that disbursed at least $293 million in Afghanistan."

The oversight authority, which monitors America’s multibillion-dollar aid program in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, determined the State Department violated federal document preservation requirements, making it nearly impossible for federal investigators to learn if U.S. officials properly vetted its Afghan-based partners for potential ties to the Taliban and other terrorist groups.

"Because two State bureaus could not demonstrate their compliance with State’s partner vetting requirements, there is an increased risk that terrorist and terrorist-affiliated individuals and entities may have illegally benefited from State spending in Afghanistan," the report says.

"As State continues to spend U.S. taxpayer funds on programs intended to benefit the Afghan people, it is critical that State knows who is actually benefiting from this assistance in order to prevent the aid from being diverted to the Taliban or other sanctioned parties."

The findings come two months after SIGAR revealed in a May audit that "at least $10.9 million" in taxpayer funds went to the Taliban, sparking a demand for further investigation by congressional Republicans.

More than $2.3 billion in aid has made its way to Afghanistan since the Biden administration’s disastrous 2021 evacuation from the country killed 13 American soldiers and brought the Taliban back into power. The withdrawal cast a shadow over Joe Biden’s presidency. It has been hammered by Republican foreign policy leaders, including former president Donald Trump, as the party vies to retake the White House.

The United States and other international donors pump around $80 million in aid to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan every two weeks, money that the State Department cannot always track once it reaches the country, according to SIGAR.

Such oversight is particularly vital as aid dollars continuously move into Afghanistan amid efforts by the Taliban "to obtain U.S. funds intended to benefit the Afghan people," according to SIGAR. In a bid to obfuscate funding channels, the Taliban has created scores of nonprofit front groups, complicating efforts to vet every organization for terrorism ties.

The State Department told SIGAR in September 2023 that "they were not aware of any instances in which potential implementing partners were identified as newly created Taliban-affiliated organizations." But "in that same month, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) officials told SIGAR that USAID had ‘heard reports that over 1,000 new national NGOs have registered with the so-called [Ministry of Economy], and there are rumors that many of these newly registered NGOs may have Taliban affiliations.’"

"The risk of Taliban-founded NGOs, or other organizations that could funnel money to terrorist groups, benefiting from U.S. taxpayer funds underscores the importance of State complying with its own vetting and document retention requirements," SIGAR said in its report.

There is also evidence the State Department destroyed critical documents related to its vetting process.

The State Department "initially refused to cooperate with this audit and destroyed the [Risk Analysis Management] vetting documents for unselected implementing partners in accordance with its records retention policy before we could examine them."

The watchdog group ultimately determined that State’s DRL and INL bureaus "did not comply with federal document retention requirements because supporting documentation to demonstrate their compliance with State partner vetting requirements was missing from the bureaus’ award files."

The State Department also "acknowledged that not all bureaus complied with document retention requirements" and that there are "gaps in compliance with federal and internal document retention requirements."

DRL, for instance, was only able to produce proper vetting documents for "three of its seven awards, while the partner vetting documentation for four of its awards were missing from its contracting files," according to the investigation.

Similarly, "INL could only provide SIGAR with supporting vetting documentation for 3 of its 22 awards because supporting documentation for 19 of its awards was missing from its contracting files."

SIGAR said the findings "underscore the importance of State retaining complete, timely, and accurate records of its partner vetting activities in Afghanistan, as these records are critical to understand whether vetting occurred and for completing audits of those activities."
Afghan child remains in limbo after appeals court voids U.S. Marine’s adoption (FOX News)
FOX News [7/17/2024 7:38 PM, Liz Friden, 48215K, Negative]
The future remains uncertain for a young Afghan child whose family was killed in a U.S. night raid in Afghanistan five years ago. A Virginia appellate court voided the adoption of the Afghan war orphan, nicknamed "Baby Doe" in court documents, by U.S. Marine Maj. Joshua Mast and his wife Stephanie Mast on Tuesday. The court determined Mast never should have been granted the adoption of Baby Doe, who has lived with Mast and his wife for three years now.

Appellate Judge Daniel Ortiz wrote in Tuesday’s order that Mast’s adoption does not fit the criteria required by state law. Ortiz said the procedural errors that led to the adoption were "so outside the scope of the adoption code" that the circuit court did not have the power to sign the adoption. From the initial adoption filing, Mast failed to inform the court that the Afghanistan government never gave up its claim to Baby Doe, and that she had been given to Afghan relatives.

Baby Doe, who turns five this month, was orphaned following a U.S. raid that killed her family in Afghanistan in 2019. At 40-days-old, Baby Doe was found in the rubble with life-threatening injuries. The Afghan government and International Committee of the Red Cross determined Baby Doe had living relatives, and united her with them as required by international law. After an investigation, the Afghan government determined Baby Doe’s parents were neighboring farmers in the wrong place at the wrong time and not foreign fighters who were living in an al-Qaida compound targeted in the night raid. However, U.S. Marine attorney, Maj. Joshua Mast, caught wind of the case and he and his wife became determined to adopt Baby Doe and bring her into their family as an act of Christian faith.

After hearing of the baby found in the rubble, Mast convinced a judge in rural Fluvanna County, Virginia to grant him an adoption of Baby Doe from 7,000 miles away, despite Baby Doe being cared for by her cousin and his wife. During the 2021 Afghan withdrawal chaos, Mast lured Baby Doe’s cousin and his wife to the U.S., promising medical care and an education for Baby Doe.

The couple carrying Baby Doe, having narrowly escaped Taliban rule, met the Masts at Fort Pickett, Virginia where thousands of Afghan evacuees were brought. The Afghan couple wept in horror when then two-year-old Baby Doe was taken away by Mast. They had misunderstood the situation after being told by Mast and his wife that they wanted to help the young Afghan family adjust to life in America and get an education for Baby Doe.

Baby Doe’s cousin and wife have since settled in Texas and continue to fight to get Baby Doe back in their custody. NCIS and the Navy IG have opened an investigation and gag orders have been issued on the two parties. The Defense Department said it cannot comment on the ongoing case.

The Masts have insisted they acted "admirably" and are the legal parents to Baby Doe. The cousin and wife have not seen Baby Doe in nearly three years.

The appellate court decision on Tuesday does not clarify who will raise the almost 5-year-old Afghan girl. She will remain living with the Mast family for now.

Several legal organizations working with the Afghan couple said they were encouraged by the court’s decision on Tuesday.

National Center for Youth Law senior attorney Becky Wolozin told the Associated Press that by "clearly stating that the Masts have no legal rights over Baby Doe, the Court refused to legitimize their unlawful actions – actions which have led to profound and unnecessary suffering."
The Olympics Should Stand With Afghanistan’s Women Athletes (New York Times – opinion)
New York Times [7/17/2024 4:14 PM, Friba Rezayee, 831K, Neutral]
When the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021, one of its first actions was to bar women and girls from participating in sports publicly. It came as no surprise to me, one of Afghanistan’s first two female Olympians.

As a judo practitioner, I too have been forbidden to compete in my country. My life has been threatened by religious extremists and those who believe the country should adhere to strict Shariah law. Female athletes in Afghanistan today face similar threats from the Taliban, including physical abuse and raids on their homes.

What has been more surprising is the sports world’s lack of support for the brave women and girls who, unlike me, have not been able to flee the country. The most recent example is the International Olympic Committee’s decision to allow a team representing Afghanistan in the Paris Games. Instead, the committee, with the Games just days away, should reverse course and bar the team from competing on behalf of Afghanistan. It should let the athletes — most of whom live in exile — compete on the Refugee Olympic Team, which would send a message of hope to refugees around the world.

The Afghan team is made up of three women and three men, which the I.O.C. said meets its gender equality requirement in this case. But none of the three women representing Afghanistan — in athletics and cycling — live and train in the country, nor could they visit without risking their lives. Two of the three male athletes, a sprinter and a swimmer, are also joining from exile. The third, a judoka like me, trains in Afghanistan. By allowing them to compete for Afghanistan, the I.O.C. is not only undermining its own commitment to Olympic values but also lending legitimacy to the Taliban’s unrecognized regime.

For its part, the I.O.C. said it had dealt with an Afghan national Olympic committee that operates in exile and that no Taliban officials will be allowed to attend the games. But that is beside the point. Its decision to allow a team from Afghanistan to compete is an act of recognition — although perhaps unintentional — of a regime that punishes women for participating in sports. The Olympic Charter states in its opening: “The practice of sport is a human right. Every individual must have access to the practice of sport, without discrimination of any kind.” The I.O.C.’s role, the charter further states, is “to act against any form of discrimination affecting the Olympic movement.”

There is a precedent for barring an Afghan team. The I.O.C. did so ahead of the 2000 Sydney Olympics on the basis of the Taliban’s discrimination against women. This ban was reversed after the Taliban fell in 2001, paving the way for my own appearance at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

What followed was more than 15 years of slow, painstaking progress toward greater gender equality in Afghanistan. It did not come easily; it did not come without grave risks for the pioneering women who pushed for such progress. But it did come, until it was snatched away again in August 2021.

Since then, the Taliban has issued over 80 decrees targeting women and girls. Women can no longer obtain driver’s licenses, nor can they travel more than 45 miles without a male guardian. Girls are banned from attending school past sixth grade. Women are no longer allowed to work at nongovernmental organizations or the United Nations.

Afghan women “are putting their lives on the line” to oppose Taliban abuses, an official at Human Rights Watch wrote this year. “They deserve the international community’s full solidarity in their struggle.” I couldn’t agree more. One way to show solidarity is by refusing to offer the Taliban any impression of legitimacy.

To be clear, I respect and admire the hard work and dedication of the three female athletes in exile (and the men) who plan to walk in the opening ceremony at the Paris Olympics. I believe they have every right to be there, but as refugees, not as representatives of a country where women are barred from sports.

As it stands now, they will compete for a country where stadiums are better known for public executions than athletic competitions. These women deserve a place on the global stage as the world tunes in to watch the Games. However, their presence should be a reminder of the cruel, unjust nature of the Taliban regime; it should not help pave the path to its legitimacy or serve as window-dressing to distract from the Taliban’s brutality toward women.
Pakistan
Pakistan summons Afghan diplomat to protest a suicide attack that killed 8 soldiers in the northwest (AP)
AP [7/17/2024 9:55 AM, Staff, 31180K, Negative]
Pakistan summoned a senior Afghan diplomat Wednesday to strongly protest a deadly militant attack that left eight soldiers dead in the northwest bordering Afghanistan, the Foreign Ministry said.

A bomber rammed his explosive-laden vehicle into the ouster wall of an army housing complex on Monday in the city of Bannu in the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. In return, security officers opened fire, killing 10 insurgents.

A splinter group of Pakistani Taliban, or Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, led by a militant commander Gul Bahadur, has claimed responsibility for the attack. The TTP is a separate group but also an ally of the Afghan Taliban and has stepped up its attacks in Pakistan since the Afghan Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in 2021.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said it asked Kabul to fully investigate the bombing and take immediate action against the perpetrators.

There was no immediate reaction from Afghanistan’s Taliban government.

Pakistan has witnessed a surge in militant attacks in recent years, mainly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In January 2023 militants killed at least 101 people, mostly police officers, when a suicide bomber disguised attacked a mosque in the northwestern city of Peshawar.
Pakistan summons Taliban envoy after attack on military base (Reuters)
Reuters [7/17/2024 7:57 AM, Charlotte Greenfield, 42991K, Negative]
Pakistan’s foreign ministry summoned the Taliban’s deputy head of mission on Wednesday and urged the latter’s administration to take action against Afghanistan-based militant groups that Islamabad says attacked a military base this week.

Militants attacked the base in Bannu in northwestern Pakistan on Monday, ramming a vehicle loaded with explosives into the perimeter wall and killing eight Pakistani security force members.

The attack was claimed by the Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group, which Pakistan’s military said operates out of neighbouring Afghanistan.

Islamabad says it has consistently taken up the issue of rising cross-border attacks with the Taliban administration, raising tensions between the neighbours whose security forces have clashed at the border in recent years.

The Taliban, whose spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment, has previously denied allowing the use of Afghan territory by militants.

"Pakistan reiterated its serious concerns over the presence of terror outfits inside Afghanistan that continue to threaten Pakistan’s security," Pakistan’s foreign office said in a statement.

It urged Taliban authorities to "fully investigate and take immediate, robust and effective action against the perpetrators of the Bannu attack and to prevent the recurrence of such attacks."

Pakistan has carried intelligence-based operations inside Afghanistan to target militant groups, which the Taliban says included airstrikes in March.
Pakistan summons Afghanistan diplomat over deadly military base terror attack (VOA)
VOA [7/17/2024 1:07 PM, Ayaz Gul, 4032K, Negative]
Pakistan lodged an official complaint Wednesday with the Taliban government in Afghanistan over a recent extremist attack against a military compound in the northwest, which resulted in the deaths of eight soldiers and injuries to many others.

The Foreign Ministry said that it summoned the deputy chief of the Afghan Embassy in Islamabad to deliver a "strong demarche" or official diplomatic note regarding Monday’s pre-dawn raid in the garrison city of Bannu.

The statement urged Taliban authorities to “fully investigate and take immediate, robust and effective action against the perpetrators” of the attack.

The Pakistani military has said that 10 heavily armed men carried out the Bannu assault and were all killed in the ensuing hours-long gun battles with security forces.

The Foreign Ministry asserted that the assailants were allies of the globally designed terrorist group Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, based in Afghanistan and orchestrating cross-border attacks.

The statement said the group “is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Pakistani civilians and security forces.” It urged de facto Afghan authorities to “fully investigate and take immediate, robust, and effective action against the perpetrators” of the deadly violence and “prevent the recurrence of such attacks” from Afghan soil.

“Pakistan reiterated its serious concerns over the presence of terror outfits inside Afghanistan that continue to threaten Pakistan’s security,” the foreign ministry stated Wednesday, reiterating Islamabad’s call for “decisive action against terrorism.”

Taliban officials in Kabul have not responded to the charges immediately, though they have previously denied such allegations and claimed no foreign groups are present in Afghan territory.

Pakistani security officials have claimed that their investigations into the Bannu attack identified one of the slain assailants as an Afghan national. They stated that he was a resident of the eastern Afghan province of Logar and an active Afghan Taliban combatant.

U.S. reaction

On Tuesday, the United States, while commenting on surging militant violence in Pakistan, renewed its call for Taliban authorities to combat extremist threats emanating from Afghanistan.

“We have a shared interest with the Pakistani people and the government of Pakistan in combating threats to regional security,” State Department spokesperson Mathew Miller told reporters in Washington.

“We do continue to urge the Taliban to ensure that terrorist attacks are not launched from Afghan soil. That has been a priority for us in engagements with them, and it continues to be,” Miller added.

The United Nations released a report on the security situation in Afghanistan earlier this month, describing the TTP as “the largest terrorist group” operating in the country.

“TTP continues to operate at a significant scale in Afghanistan and to conduct terrorist operations into Pakistan from there, often utilizing Afghans,” said the report by the U.N. sanctions monitoring team. It noted that the ruling Taliban and al-Qaida are increasingly supporting cross-border TTP attacks.

“The Taliban do not conceive of TTP as a terrorist group: the bonds are close, and the debt owed to TTP is significant,” the U.N. report added.

Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid rejected the U.N. findings, saying they are part of efforts to malign their Islamic administration in Kabul.

The TTP, commonly referred to as the Pakistani Taliban, is known to have publicly pledged allegiance to the Afghan Taliban. It provided shelter on Pakistani soil and recruits for their Afghan ideological allies to help them wage insurgent attacks against the U.S.-led NATO troops for years until U.S. and international forces withdrew in 2021, and the Taliban reclaimed control of Afghanistan.
Pakistan’s IMF program ‘at risk’ if agriculture goes untaxed (Nikkei Asia)
Nikkei Asia [7/17/2024 9:15 PM, Adnan Aamir, 2042K, Neutral]
Taxing agriculture is a core component of the International Monetary Fund’s new program for Pakistan and is critical to its success, said Nathan Porter, the IMF’s chief of mission for Pakistan. "If the commitment is not followed, the program’s success will be at risk," Porter told Nikkei Asia.

Pakistan and the IMF on Friday reached a staff-level agreement on a $7 billion extended fund arrangement (EFF) spread over 37 months. This agreement is subject to approval by the IMF’s executive board.

Agriculture accounts for 24% of Pakistan’s GDP but has remained tax-free to date. In the latest IMF program, the provincial governments have agreed to tax the sector in the same way as the federal government taxes personal and corporate income. "These measures will bring in more revenue and place more sectors under the taxation net," Porter told Nikkei in the exclusive recent online interview.

Taxing farms has been a contentious issue in Pakistani politics. Many powerful landowners are active in leading political parties and have lobbied to keep agricultural income tax-free. The new commitment made by the government to tax agriculture could result in a political backlash, making it difficult for the government to make good on its commitment.

However, Porter made it clear that if this commitment is not followed, then the Pakistani program’s success will be at risk. "There will be reviews under the program every six months," he clarified.

The latest program also focuses on making Pakistan’s power sector viable through a timely adjustment of power tariffs -- that is, increasing power bills in the short term.

"Viability of the power sector in Pakistan is critical to avoiding load-shedding (power cuts) and circular debt, as well as to make the power sector sustainable," Porter said. "What’s important is the electricity system is able to cover its costs. If costs come down, including because of the cost of inputs, then tariffs should reflect this."

The IMF also advised Pakistan not to further expand its power generation capacity.

This raises questions about certain power plants in the pipeline, including the 300-megawatt coal-fired power plant envisaged for Gwadar Port under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the $50 billion Pakistan component of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Asked if the IMF is advising not to build any new power project, including the Gwadar plant, Porter said Pakistan already has ample capacity, and pays capacity charges if it is not used. "In the new program, we have argued for the government to avoid further capacity commitments without new transmission infrastructure being added in parallel and the full utilization of existing capacity," he said.

Moreover, Pakistan’s finance minister is scheduled to visit China this month to request Chinese leadership to reschedule Pakistan’s power debt of over $15 billion.

Nikkei asked Porter if Pakistan is making this request to China on the IMF’s demand.

"We have discussed the reform agenda for the power sector of Pakistan, which includes finding ways to reduce the costs of [independent power producers], but we have not singled out any particular providers," he said.

In response to criticism that the IMF’s measures target Pakistan’s salaried class and protect the elite class, Porter responded that all IMF programs focus on what is needed to stabilize the economy and create an environment for higher inclusive growth with inflation under control.

"In the new EFF, we have focused on raising revenue from currently under-taxed sectors of the economy. Exporters have also been brought under the standard GST (general sales tax) and corporate tax regimes. So, with this budget and program, the tax system will be fairer for every sector in Pakistan," he wrote.

In the recently passed budget, the Pakistani government exempted civil and military bureaucrats from tax on the disposal of immovable property. This move received criticism given the government’s focus on raising revenue.

Porter said the government has agreed to remove a lot of exemptions in the budget ahead of the new program. "Removing exemptions in the tax system is critical to making tax collection both fairer and more efficient, and we will continue to look to reduce exemptions in the future," he added.

Pakistan is currently engaged with the IMF in its 24th program. Porter said Pakistan has one of the largest numbers of IMF programs, running over one of the longest periods.

The IMF’s detractors say Pakistan is likely to be stuck in IMF programs forever.

In response to this, Porter said most countries with IMF programs at some point move on from the fund’s support, while others have precautionary arrangements even though they do not need the financing.

He also shared a recipe for the success of IMF programs.

"What past experience has shown is that broad-based political ownership of the programs’ goals and implementation, without backtracking, is critical to success," Porter concluded.
Pakistan Is Trying to Ban Imran Khan’s Party. Will That Spark a Political Crisis? (Foreign Policy)
Foreign Policy [7/17/2024 8:06 PM, Michael Kugelman, 2014K, Neutral]
On Monday, Pakistani Information Minister Atta Tarar announced that the government planned to ban what is arguably the country’s most popular political party: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), led by imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan. The PTI, Tarar said, is “a direct threat to the fabric of our nation.” Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar clarified the next day that the decision wasn’t final, though his comments—which include accusing the PTI of being a “foreign-funded party”—suggest that the government still intends to proceed with the move.

Any ban, however, is unlikely to hold up in court. On Friday, Pakistan’s Supreme Court—which, according to the constitution, must sign off on any decision to ban a political party—affirmed in a ruling that the PTI is a legitimate political party and thus eligible for an additional 23 seats in the National Assembly. The government’s plan to ban the PTI is likely a direct response to that decision.

These developments reflect an intensifying tussle between Pakistan’s judiciary and its military, which officially ruled the country for decades and continues to be its most dominant political actor. Usually, it’s civil-military relations that lead to political tensions in Pakistan. But at a time when the country’s civilian government is actually on good terms with its military leaders, the new judiciary-military rift has become the latest fault line threatening to spark a new phase of instability in Pakistan’s long-standing political crisis.

Pakistan’s judiciary has often been willing to inject itself into domestic politics. This inevitably leads to tensions with the military, which sometimes play out in bizarre ways. In 2007, a bitter confrontation between the Supreme Court and Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan’s last military dictator, culminated in Musharraf suspending the constitution and sacking Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. The top judge joined large groups of lawyers to demonstrate for democracy. Chaudhury became an unlikely symbol of the democracy movement that contributed to Musharraf’s eventual ouster.

Today, the military no longer formally holds power, and the judiciary isn’t as overtly political. But a fresh confrontation is unfolding. Since Khan was ousted as prime minister after a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April 2022, the state—indirectly led by the military—has cracked down hard on Khan and his party, including by pressuring the courts to rein in the PTI. This has resulted in multiple charges and convictions against Khan, many of them likely politically motivated.

PTI leaders have repeatedly gone to the courts seeking relief. Sometimes, the Supreme Court has ruled in their favor, such as when it ordered Khan’s release after his initial arrest in May 2023; other times, it has not, such as when it forbade the PTI from using its symbol, a cricket bat, in this year’s elections.

Several factors make the recent judiciary-military confrontation especially worrisome. As civil-military relations have become more robust since Khan’s ouster, governing coalition leaders have willingly ceded greater say in policymaking to the military. This means the government, which shares the military’s goal of sidelining the PTI, will not try to check military pressure on the courts.

The military is further motivated to influence the judiciary to curb the PTI because of an ugly vendetta between Khan—who has resorted to withering criticism of the military from his prison cell—and the current army leadership. Violent public protests targeted army facilities after Khan’s initial arrest.

A stunning letter, written in March by six High Court judges to senior judicial figures, revealed the scale of this pressure. It accused Pakistan’s military-run intelligence agency of extreme forms of interference and intimidation of judges and their families, including abduction, torture, and even the installation of hidden security cameras in their bedrooms.

This confrontation distracts policymakers from other major crises. Pakistan is suffering a resurgence of terrorism, with major increases in attacks over the past year. On Monday, just a few weeks after the government announced a “reinvigorated” counterterrorism plan, militants assailed an army base in northwestern Pakistan, killing at least eight troops.

Additionally, Pakistan faces serious economic stress. On Friday, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), a critical donor, announced a new staff-level agreement to provide fresh funds, but the deal is subject to IMF board approval. The IMF has recently signaled the need for political stability in Pakistan, suggesting that it may delay releasing funds if instability worsens.

With Pakistan experiencing multiple crises, the potential costs of a dangerous confrontation between two critical institutions could go well beyond politics.
India
Modi Allies Demanding Billions Pile Pressure on Indian Budget (Bloomberg)
Bloomberg [7/17/2024 8:00 PM, Ruchi Bhatia, 1985K, Neutral]
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a tough balancing act to manage in the first budget of his new coalition government.

He’s facing billions of dollars in spending demands from two key allies who he’ll need to keep happy to make the coalition work. At the same time, he’s under pressure to curb government debt before credit rating companies will consider any upgrades.

The two allies — regional parties which together hold 9.5% of the governing coalition’s seats in the national parliament — have already put demands on the table for more than $15 billion in financial aid for the states they run.

For now, it seems that Modi will likely be able to manage those demands without blowing out the budget deficit. That’s largely thanks to a record transfer of funds from the central bank and a surge in tax revenues, which have boosted the government’s coffers. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg predict the government will either stick to its deficit target of 5.1% of gross domestic product for the fiscal year through March 2025, or narrow it slightly.

Both the coalition partners didn’t haggle much over powerful positions in the cabinet, which went to top leaders in Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party. Instead, the two allies — N Chandrababu Naidu of the Telugu Desam Party and Nitish Kumar of the Janata Dal (United) — have used their positions to push for funding for their financially-troubled states.

The TDP has demanded more than $12 billion over the next few years for the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, with a substantial portion to be paid out in this year’s national budget. Naidu recently told his party’s parliamentarians to mobilize as much funds as possible from the government. The JDU is seeking assistance of $3.6 billion this year to help fund projects in the eastern state of Bihar, one of the poorest provinces in the country.

These sorts of budget demands are the “cost of doing business” in nearly all coalition governments, said Milan Vaishnav, director and senior fellow of the South Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “The only open question is the precise modality of the transfers.”

Naidu made an impressive comeback last month after winning the state elections and 16 seats in the national parliament. He says his state’s coffers are empty due to “mismanagement of funds” by the previous regional administration. He wants to breathe life into building a new capital Amaravati, complete an irrigation project that’s been delayed for years and find ways to attract investments.

Meanwhile, Kumar, who has a controversial political career as a leader that’s often switched sides, needs to show that he is able to lure more funds to Bihar before crucial elections next year. Outstanding debt in both the states amount to more than a third of their respective gross domestic outputs.

“The political landscape has become more complex for Modi given the need now to negotiate with allies who he has to depend on to stay in power, and who will want to push their own agenda as is evident from their demands,” Shumita Sharma Deveshwar, chief India economist at GlobalData.TS Lombard, said by phone.

Risks Galore

While the government is flush with cash this year and deficit targets aren’t at risk, the fiscal concerns lie further down the road, Deveshwar said.

“The risk with giving into one regional party is increased demand from others and the perception of political favoritism, which won’t go down well with voters in other regions,” she said.

States including Karnataka, West Bengal and Kerala have long complained that they’re not receiving their fair share of tax revenue collected by the federal government and then distributed to the provinces. States have limited ability to raise their own revenue through taxes and can’t borrow more than 3% of their GDP.

India’s ability to curb the deficit and government debt will affect its credit ratings, which are currently the lowest investment grade level. S&P Global Ratings has signaled a possible upgrade in coming months if India’s fiscal metrics improve.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had previously pledged to curb the budget deficit to 4.5% of GDP in the fiscal year through March 2026, and that remains an important objective for the government, said Jeremy Zook, a director of Asia Pacific sovereigns at Fitch Ratings Ltd.

Beyond that “we have less clarity on the fiscal path,” he said. “And while we expect gradual deficit reduction to be sustained, realities of coalition politics could mean a slower pace of consolidation over the medium-term.”

The BJP’s worse-than-expected election performance increases the possibility of more welfare spending to shore up voter support before several key states go to the polls over the next 12 months. Sitharaman’s budget speech on July 23 will be closely watched by investors for clues on the coalition government’s spending priorities going forward.

“Even if the government decides to use part of the surplus funds for populist measures, some demands of the allies can certainly be met,” Garima Kapoor, an economist at Elara Securities India Pvt Ltd, said by phone. The government will be able to keep the deficit target intact this year, she said.
The India-Russia Relationship Is Less Than Meets the Eye (Wall Street Journal – opinion)
Wall Street Journal [7/17/2024 2:54 PM, Sadanand Dhume, 810K, Neutral]
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s high-profile visit to Moscow last week set off a firestorm of criticism in the West. But if you look beyond the hyperbole used to describe India-Russia relations, it becomes obvious that there’s less to the connection than meets the eye. As a weakened Russia grows more dependent on China, India has no choice but to draw closer to the U.S.

That Mr. Modi’s first visit to Russia since 2019 drew rebukes should surprise no one. By choosing Russia rather than a neighboring country for his first bilateral official visit in his third term as prime minister, Mr. Modi elevated the trip’s significance. Thanks to partially overlapping dates with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s summit in Washington, Mr. Modi’s Moscow sojourn appeared designed to undermine the Biden administration’s efforts to isolate Russia after its invasion of Ukraine.

To make matters worse, images of Mr. Modi hugging Vladimir Putin, riding in a golf cart around the Russian strongman’s private residence, and accepting Russia’s highest civilian award—the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle—coincided with horrific pictures of a Russian strike on a children’s hospital in Kyiv. In a meeting with Mr. Putin, Mr. Modi said that “when innocent children are killed, the heart bleeds and that pain is very terrifying.” But this oblique criticism, which didn’t directly blame Russia for the attack, did nothing to calm critics.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tweeted after the hospital strike that the Modi-Putin hug was “a huge disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts.” Former Trump national security adviser H.R. McMaster tweeted that it’s “time to reassess the relationship with India based on much lower expectations.”

In a rare note of public caution, U.S. Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti said that the U.S.-India relationship was “not yet deep enough” to be taken for granted. The British TV personality Piers Morgan was blunter. “Shame on you,” he tweeted, while sharing a video of Mr. Modi accepting the award from Mr. Putin.

Why would India risk upsetting its Western partners to please Moscow? The reasons are complex. As Indian foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar has pointed out, India views the Eurasian landmass as dominated by three major powers: China, India and Russia. India’s longstanding rivalry with China—including border tensions that have lasted more than four years—drives its efforts to prevent Moscow from drawing closer to Beijing.

India’s dependence on Russian arms looms large in the relationship. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute estimates that only 36% of Indian arms imports between 2019 and 2023 were from Russia, down from 76% between 2009 and 2013. But India’s large inventory of Soviet and Russian weapons means it’s still dependent on Moscow for spare parts and ammunition. India has saved about $13 billion by buying steeply discounted Russian oil since 2022, according to ICRA, a rating agency. India also sourced about a quarter of its imported fertilizer from Russia last year.

Domestically, India hasn’t fully shed its old Cold War habit of measuring its independence by its ability to thumb its nose at America. Even today, some of India’s foreign-policy commentators view Russia in a sentimental light, as the friend that helped India stare down an unfriendly U.S. in the 1971 India-Pakistan war, the conflict that led to the birth of Bangladesh. Dealing with Russia can also seem simpler than dealing with the U.S. Mr. Putin raises no pesky questions about democratic backsliding or human rights, and the Russian media tamely takes its cues from the Kremlin.

Russophile Indian pundits hold an almost mystical view of Russia as an eternal great power. Indian foreign-policy scholar Zorawar Daulet Singh says Russia is “too proud, too independent and too militarily powerful to ever submit to China.” Mr. Jaishankar, the foreign minister, calls India’s “special and privileged strategic partnership” with Russia the “one constant in world politics.”

The trouble with these formulations is simple: They’re untrue. India may wish to prevent Russia from becoming a Chinese satellite, but New Delhi lacks the economic and technological heft to stop it. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has already made Russia too dependent on China to be a reliable long-term partner for India.

As a recent Center for Strategic and International Studies report noted, “Beijing has dramatically eased the pressure caused by sanctions on the Russian defense industrial base.” China has supported Russia’s war effort by supplying Moscow with semiconductors, ball bearings, machine tools and drones, among other items. China has also become the top importer of Russian oil. (India is second.) Two-way trade between China and Russia ($240 billion) dwarfs India-Russia trade ($65 billion, mostly oil). Chinese banks and electric-vehicle manufacturers have rushed to fill the void left by the West’s sanctions. Last December, about one-third of Russia’s foreign trade was settled in yuan.

Contrary to what India would like to believe, there are no constants in international politics. Working with Washington may require more effort than working with Moscow, but no country matters more than the U.S. to India’s economic and military modernization in the face of growing Chinese power. The sooner India realizes its bet on Moscow is mistaken, the better off it will be.
NSB
US urges Bangladesh to uphold right to peaceful protest amid anti-quota protests (Reuters)
Reuters [7/17/2024 4:49 PM, Kanishka Singh and Simon Lewis, 42991K, Negative]
The United States has called on Bangladesh to uphold the right to peaceful protest amid demonstrations against the government’s job quota system in which police have fired tear gas and rubber bullets amid violent clashes that have left at least six dead and scores injured.

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT

The protests turned violent this week when thousands of anti-quota protesters clashed with members of the student wing of the ruling Awami League party across the country. Six people, including at least three students, were killed during clashes on Tuesday, police said.

Students have protested over public sector job quotas, which include a 30% reservation for family members of fighters from the 1971 War of Independence from Pakistan. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the government will form a judicial committee to investigate the killings.

The quotas have caused anger among students who face high youth unemployment rates, with nearly 32 million young Bangladeshis not in work or education out of a total population of 170 million people.

KEY QUOTES

"We condemn any violence against peaceful protesters. We’ve been watching this matter very closely, both from our embassy and officials here in Washington. (We) have been monitoring the protests, have seen the reports of people dying, being killed in the protests. And we again, call on the government to uphold individual’s rights to protest peacefully," U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Wednesday.

CONTEXT

Demonstrations intensified after Hasina, the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led Bangladesh’s independence from Pakistan, refused to meet the protesters’ demands. Hasina labeled those opposing the quota as "razakar," a term used for those who allegedly collaborated with the Pakistani army during the 1971 war.

The protests are the first significant challenge to Hasina’s government since she secured a fourth consecutive term in January in an election that the U.S. said was not free and fair.
Violent clashes erupt between police and protesters in Dhaka even after 6 die during campus protests (AP)
AP [7/17/2024 2:39 PM, Julhas Alam, 2248K, Negative]
Several major universities in Bangladesh agreed to shut their doors Wednesday after at least six people died in violent campus protests, while protest organizers announced they would shut down all but essential services and relentless clashes between demonstrators and police stretched into the night.

After two days of demonstrations and unrest over the allocation of civil service jobs, the University Grants Commission urged all public and private universities to close until further notice. About a dozen major public universities said they would, according to officials and media reports. Wednesday was a public holiday in Bangladesh, so the number of universities that closed was expected to become clearer on Thursday.

Among them was Dhaka University, which was at the center of the violence. It has suspended classes and closed its dormitories indefinitely, a university official told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to media.

On Wednesday, the protesters announced they would enforce “a complete shutdown” across the country on Thursday in response to security officials’ continued attacks on the campus demonstrators.

Asif Mahmud, one of the protest organizers, said on Facebook that only hospitals and other emergency services would be allowed to operate. There was no immediate response from authorities.

The country’s main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party said Wednesday night that it would do what it could to make the shutdown a success.

The violence continued late Wednesday in Dhaka. Traffic was halted on a major highway as police fired teargas and rubber bullets at protesters who set fire to a toll booth, blocked streets and detonated explosives, Somoy TV reported.

Other news outlets said scores were injured in the hours of violence.

Protesters are demanding an end to a quota system that reserves up to 30% of government jobs for family members of veterans who fought in Bangladesh’s war of independence in 1971. They argue that the system is discriminatory and benefits supporters of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, whose Awami League party led the independence movement, and they want it replaced with a merit-based system.

Hasina defended the quotas Tuesday, saying veterans deserve the highest respect for their sacrifice in 1971, regardless of their current political affiliation.

“Abandoning the dream of their own life, leaving behind their families, parents and everything, they joined the war with whatever they had,” she said during an event at her office in Dhaka.

Hasina’s government halted the quotas after mass student protests in 2018. But last month, Bangladesh’s High Court nullified that decision and reinstated the quotas after relatives of the 1971 veterans filed petitions, triggering the latest demonstrations. The Supreme Court then suspended the High Court’s ruling and is expected to rule on Aug. 7.

“I am requesting all to wait with patience until the verdict is delivered,” Hasina said in a televised address Wednesday evening. “I believe our students will get justice from the apex court. They will not be disappointed.”

While job opportunities have expanded in Bangladesh’s private sector, many people prefer government jobs because they are stable and well paid. Each year, some 400,000 graduates compete for 3,000 jobs in the civil service exam.

Hasina said there would be a judicial probe into the deaths and vowed that those responsible would be brought to justice.

“Some precious lives have been lost unnecessarily,” she said. “I condemn every killing.”

The United Nations’ Human Rights chief Volker Türk said in a post on the social platform X that all acts of violence and deadly use of force must be investigated and the perpetrators held accountable. Türk said freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are fundamental human rights.

The protests began late last month but turned violent on Monday as protesters at Dhaka University clashed with police and counterprotesters organized by the Awami League’s student wing, leaving 100 people injured. At least six people were killed Tuesday in continued violence in the capital Dhaka, the southeastern city of Chattogram and the northern city of Rangpur, authorities said.

There were new clashes Wednesday at Dhaka University, where police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters who carried empty coffins to represent the people killed, witnesses said. Paramilitary forces patrolled the streets of Dhaka and other major cities.

Police also clashed with BNP supporters in Dhaka after a funeral Wednesday for the six who died. Police official Sentu Mia said they used rubber bullets to disperse the protesters who they said attacked police, and several opposition activists were arrested. BNP Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir accused police of barring their supporters from the funeral prayers.

Bangladesh’s ruling party blamed the BNP for the chaos, and Dhaka police raided the party’s headquarters late Tuesday. Detective Chief Harun-or-Rashid said police arrested seven members of the party’s student wing, and said detectives found 100 crude bombs, 500 wooden and bamboo sticks, and five to six bottles of gasoline in the raid.

Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, a senior BNP leader, said the raid was a government attempt to divert attention from the protests.

Obaidul Quader, the Awami League’s general secretary and a senior Cabinet minister, said “evil forces” had taken over the student movement, blaming the student wings of the BNP and rightist Jamaat-e-Islami party for Tuesday’s violence.

Facebook has been occasionally inaccessible to Associated Press reporters in Bangladesh since the violence erupted, although other platforms such as Slack were working. The government has not commented on the disrupted service, but London-based internet monitor NetBlocks said there may have been an official crackdown.

“Our metrics indicate a high likelihood of intentional interference with Facebook as well as WhatsApp backend servers over the last few days in Bangladesh,” Alp Toker, the director of NetBlocks, told AP, adding that the disruption “appears to target the protests or their coverage and public visibility.”

Meta, which owns Facebook and WhatsApp, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
Student protesters vow ‘complete shutdown’ in Bangladesh after days of violent protest (AP)
AP [7/18/2024 3:44 AM, Julhas Alam, 456K, Neutral]
People stayed home and many malls closed their doors Thursday morning in Bangladesh’s capital as protesters attempted to impose a “complete shutdown” after days of student protesters violently clashing with police and ruling party-backed student activists.

Traffic was thin on Dhaka’s usually clogged streets. Offices and banks opened, but commuters complained that transport was limited.

Salma Rahman, an official at a financial institution in Dhaka, said that she left his car at home and caught a ride on a motorcycle. “Our office has alerted us to stay safe on streets, as there is fear that violence could happen during the shutdown.”

Students have been demonstrating for weeks against a quota system for government jobs they say favors allies of the ruling party, but the protests have escalated since violence broke out on the campus of Dhaka University on Monday. Six people were killed amid protests on Tuesday, leading the government to ask universities across the country to close and police to raid the main opposition party’s headquarters.

The violence continued late Wednesday in Dhaka. Traffic was halted on a major highway as police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters, who set fire to a toll booth, blocked streets and detonated explosives, Somoy TV reported.

Other news outlets said scores were injured in the hours of violence.

On Thursday morning, with classes suspended and dormitories closed, students near Dhaka’s BRAC University clashed with police, who fired tear gas.

Police set up checkpoints at the entrances to Dhaka University.

On Wednesday night, the protesters announced they would enforce “a complete shutdown” across the country on Thursday in response to security officials’ continued attacks on the campus demonstrators. The opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party said that it would do what it could to make the shutdown a success.

Protesters are demanding an end to a quota system that reserves up to 30% of government jobs for family members of veterans who fought in Bangladesh’s war of independence in 1971. They argue that the system is discriminatory and benefits supporters of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, whose Awami League party led the independence movement, and they want it replaced with a merit-based system.

Hasina’s government halted the quotas after mass student protests in 2018. But last month, Bangladesh’s High Court nullified that decision and reinstated the quotas after relatives of the 1971 veterans filed petitions, triggering the latest demonstrations. The Supreme Court then suspended the High Court’s ruling and is expected to rule on Aug. 7. The government has also separately appealed the High Court decision in the wake of the protest, according to the attorney general’s office.

“I am requesting all to wait with patience until the verdict is delivered,” Hasina said in a televised address Wednesday evening. “I believe our students will get justice from the apex court. They will not be disappointed.”

While job opportunities have expanded in Bangladesh’s private sector, many people prefer government jobs because they are stable and well paid. Each year, some 400,000 graduates compete for 3,000 jobs in the civil service exam.

Hasina said there would be a judicial probe into Tuesday’s deaths and vowed that those responsible would be brought to justice.

“Some precious lives have been lost unnecessarily,” she said. “I condemn every killing.”

U.N. Human Rights chief Volker Türk said in a post on the social media platform X that all acts of violence and deadly use of force must be investigated and the perpetrators held accountable. Türk said freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are fundamental human rights.

Bangladesh’s ruling party blamed the BNP for the chaos, and Dhaka police raided the party’s headquarters late Tuesday. Detective Chief Harun-or-Rashid said police arrested seven members of the party’s student wing, and said detectives found 100 crude bombs, 500 wooden and bamboo sticks, and five to six bottles of gasoline in the raid.

Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, a senior BNP leader, said the raid was a government attempt to divert attention from the protests.
Violence breaks out at Bangladesh anti-quota protests, government orders probe into killings (Reuters)
Reuters [7/17/2024 12:33 PM, Ruma Paul, 85570K, Negative]
Police in Bangladesh fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse students protesting against the government’s job quota system on Wednesday, a day after violent clashes left six people dead and scores injured.

Authorities also announced the indefinite closure of all public and private universities from Wednesday following the protests over public sector job quotas, which include a 30% reservation for family members of fighters from the 1971 War of Independence from Pakistan.

Later, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the government will form a judicial committee to investigate the killings.

Wednesday’s violence broke out after security forces deployed outside the Dhaka University campus as students chanted: "We will not let our brothers’ blood go in vain".

Police fired teargas and rubber bullets and lobbed sound grenades at the students as they marched in processions carrying coffins in solidarity with those killed, said protest coordinator Nahid Islam.

The quotas have caused anger among students who face high youth unemployment rates, with nearly 32 million young Bangladeshis not in work or education out of a total population of 170 million people.

Demonstrations intensified after Prime Minister Hasina, the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led Bangladesh’s independence from Pakistan, refused to meet the protesters’ demands.

The protests turned violent this week when thousands of anti-quota protesters clashed with members of the student wing of the ruling Awami League party across the country. Six people, including at least three students, were killed during clashes on Tuesday, police said.

Prior to the killings, she had labelled those opposing the quota as "razakar" - a term used for those who allegedly collaborated with the Pakistani army during the 1971 war.

But on Wednesday she said in an address to the nation: "I believe our students will get justice. They will not be disappointed."

Announcing a judicial investigation, she assured families of those killed of her full support.

The protests are the first significant challenge to Hasina’s government since she secured a fourth consecutive term in January in an election boycotted by the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

Experts attribute the unrest to stagnant job growth in the private sector, making government jobs, which offer regular wage hikes and other privileges.

Violence was also reported in many other places across the country, with students blocking a bridge, leaving a 10 km-long tailback of vehicles. Police said they had to fire tear gas to disperse stone-throwing BNP activists during a protest in Dhaka.
Bangladesh suspends mobile internet, police fire tear gas at protesters (Reuters)
Reuters [7/18/2024 3:50 AM, Ruma Paul, 5.2M, Neutral]
Police fired tear gas to scatter protesters in Bangladesh on Thursday, while authorities cut some mobile internet services as violent clashes that have killed six and injured hundreds this week showed no signs of slowing.

Shops and offices were open in Dhaka, the capital, but there were fewer buses on the streets, as a call for a nationwide shutdown from students demanding abolition of a quota of 30% reservations drew little response.

Police fired tear gas to disperse stone-throwing students who blocked a major highway in the southern port city of Chittagong as mobile services were halted across most of the South Asian country.

"Mobile internet has been temporarily suspended due to various rumours and the unstable situation created ... on social media," Zunaid Ahmed Palak, the junior information technology minister, told reporters.

Services would be restored once the situation returned to normal, he added.

The protests are the first significant challenge to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government since she won a fourth straight term in January in an election boycotted by the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

Angered by high youth unemployment, with nearly 32 million out of work or education among a population of 170 million, the students are pushing for abolition of the quota of 30% reservations for the families of freedom fighters.

Sporadic clashes were reported in several places as demonstrators blocked major highways, while witnesses said riot police fought pitched battles with protesters in several places in Dhaka.

Authorities had shut all public and private universities indefinitely from Wednesday and sent riot police and the Border Guard paramilitary force to university campuses to keep order.

In a speech on Wednesday, Hasina promised her government would set up a judicial panel to investigate the deaths after police fired bullets and tear gas to scatter protesters.

On August 7, the Supreme Court will hear the government’s appeal against a High Court verdict that ordered reinstatement of the 30% reservation for the families of those who fought in the 1971 war of independence from Pakistan, she added.

Hasina asked the students to be patient until the verdict.

The violence was sparked by nationwide clashes between thousands of protesters and members of the student wing of Hasina’s ruling party, the Awami League. At least three students were among the six killed in Tuesday’s clashes, police said.

The demonstrations intensified after Hasina, the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led Bangladesh to independence, refused the protesters’ demands.

Rights groups, such as Amnesty International, as well as the United Nations and the United States, have urged Bangladesh to protect peaceful protesters from violence.
Bangladesh students defy orders, occupy universities as tensions spiral (Al Jazeera)
Al Jazeera [7/17/2024 8:50 AM, Faisal Mahmud, 20871K, Negative]
Armed with sticks and cricket stumps, Mahin Sarkar stood guard at the gates of Dhaka University with fellow students. Anyone who wanted to enter had to show them identification proving they were from the university.

Just outside the gates, several police platoons were positioned, one police officer said on condition of anonymity, to “prevent any further acts of vandalism”.

On Wednesday afternoon, Bangladesh’s oldest functioning university was a fortress with opposing forces stationed on either side of the gates and the prospect brewing of the tense standoff descending into clashes.

The government ordered all schools and colleges shut down on Tuesday, a day after nationwide protests against a quota for government jobs turned violent with student activists of the ruling Awami League engaging in street fights against demonstrators and riot police unleashing tear gas. At least six people have died, and hundreds have been injured in the clashes, most of which occurred near or inside university campuses, the central hubs of protests against a quota system that many students insist is discriminatory.

More than half – 56 percent – of government jobs are reserved for descendants of Bangladeshis who fought for independence from Pakistan, women, people from districts with poor socioeconomic indices, ethnic minorities and people with physical disabilities. The student protesters oppose the quota for veterans’ families.

Yet hours after the order demanding that students vacate university premises, many students have refused to leave. Instead, they have hunkered down in their dormitories and occupied key locations on campuses. At Dhaka University, for instance, students have moved towards the area near the vice chancellor’s residence to try to pressure authorities to reverse the decision to shut the campus down.

But hundreds of police and paramilitary officers were also positioned in the area near the vice chancellor’s residence, even as students chanted slogans, demanding they withdraw from Dhaka University. The university has given students until the evening to vacate the campus.

But what happens if students don’t leave by then?

‘We want commitments in writing’

Mohammad Shohagh Mia, a student, said he wouldn’t budge until the demands of protesters are met. He said they include not just reforms to the quota system but also freedom on campus from “the ruling party’s toxic politics”.

“We want these commitments in writing,” Mia told Al Jazeera after activists of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the Awami League’s student organisation, clashed with the student protesters on Monday and Tuesday. The student protesters have since driven BCL activists out of the campus.

“We have liberated our campus from the Chhatra League, and we intend to keep it that way,” Sarkar said.

Students in almost all other public universities have defied the eviction order as well.

“We refuse to leave the campus,” said Abu Hasnat, a student resident at Rajshahi University, the largest public university in northern Bangladesh. “If we depart now, the government will suppress our protest.”

In Jahangirnagar University on the outskirts of the capital, Dhaka, protesting students said they weren’t sure they would be able to return safely if they left campus.

“The Chhatra League attacked us, and neither the state nor the university administration has ensured our safety,” said Arif Sohel, a leading protester at Jahangirnagar University. “Now, if we leave the dormitories and campus, we have no guarantee of returning home safely. Until justice is delivered for the assaults on us and the campus is rid of threats, we refuse to vacate the dormitories.”

‘Fitting response’

Meanwhile, leaders and activists of the BCL have pledged to deliver a “fitting response” to the students protesting against the quota system.

Hundreds of activists from the student organisation participated in a funeral in absentia for one of their members who was among the six people killed on Tuesday near Dhaka University’s main gate.

On Wednesday afternoon, these BCL activists positioned themselves along a key thoroughfare of the capital armed with hockey sticks and other makeshift weapons.

Saddam Hossain, BCL president, accused the quota protesters of disrupting educational institutions and endangering the lives of other students.

“In the effort to ensure the safety of ordinary students and preserve a conducive academic environment, over 2,000 BCL activists sustained injuries,” he told the media.

He highlighted instances when BCL leaders and activists were assaulted and their dormitory rooms vandalised and attributed the vandalism to activists of student wings of the main opposition parties.

He also declared that the BCL would respond to the attackers through both street protests and legal action.

Heading towards more confrontation

Independent observers said the current situation surrounding the quota protest has reached a deadlock.

Talking with Al Jazeera, Rezaul Karim Rony, editor of Joban magazine, said that initially, many Bangladeshis were largely indifferent to the protests.

However, the fatal violence on Monday has shaken people, Rony said.

“I believe it has transcended mere quota reform at this point. People have found a platform to voice their frustration against the Awami League’s autocratic rule over the past decade and the erosion of their voting rights,” Rony added. Many rights groups have accused the Awami League of crackdowns on political opponents during its 15-year rule.

Political analyst Zahed Ur Rahman said he expected the government to eventually resort to using force to quell the protests and regain control.

“They have no alternative now because they understand that the protesting students are desperate due to the severe decline in employment opportunities and the country’s struggling economy,” Rahman told Al Jazeera. “Therefore, the government sees no choice but to employ force.”

However, Rahman cautioned that such a move could potentially backfire on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government.

“The events of the past two days have demonstrated the unpopularity of the current administration and the widespread dissatisfaction among the people. Taking drastic measures could further exacerbate their situation.”
Bangladesh Students Reject PM Olive Branch After Deadly Protests (Agence France-Presse)
Agence France-Press [7/18/2024 12:00 AM, Shafiqul Alam, 1.4M, Negative]
Bangladesh students vowed Thursday to continue nationwide protests against civil service hiring rules, rebuffing an olive branch from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who pledged justice for seven killed in the demonstrations.

Hasina’s government has ordered schools and universities to close indefinitely and stepped up efforts to contain weeks of rallies demanding equal access to public sector jobs.

Riot police have fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds while protesters and students allied to the premier’s ruling Awami League have battled on the streets with bricks and bamboo rods.

Hasina condemned the "murder" of protesters in a televised address to the nation and vowed that those responsible will be punished regardless of their political affiliation.

But Students Against Discrimination, the main group behind this month’s rallies, said her words were insincere and urged supporters to press on.

"It did not reflect the murders and mayhem carried out by her party activists," Asif Mahmud, one of the coordinators of the protests, told AFP.

The group called on Bangladeshis to observe a nationwide shutdown Thursday, by keeping shops closed and staying at home ahead of fresh protests planned for later in the day.

The call was widely observed in the capital Dhaka, with barely any vehicles seen on the city’s usually traffic-choked roads.

Dhaka residents reported widespread mobile internet outages on Thursday, two days after internet providers cut off access to Facebook -- the protest campaign’s key organising tool.

Police on Thursday announced the death of a seventh protester the previous evening, conceding that police weaponry had killed the 18-year-old.

"He was hit by rubber bullets," police inspector Bacchu Mia told AFP. "He was brought to the hospital but died before he was admitted."

More than 500 others were injured in clashes around the country on Wednesday, while six people were killed on Tuesday.

Hasina’s speech did not assign responsibility for the deaths, but descriptions from hospital authorities and students given to AFP earlier suggest at least some of the victims died when police used supposedly non-lethal weapons on demonstrations.

Rights group Amnesty International said video evidence from clashes this week showed that Bangladeshi security forces had used unlawful force.

Fresh clashes overnight included a battle on Dhaka’s outskirts between police and more than 1,000 protesters who set fire to a roadside toll booth.

"We spent the whole night fending off attacks from the protesters," deputy police commissioner Iqbal Hossain told AFP, adding that officers had eventually dispersed the group with rubber bullets and tear gas.

At the heart of the protests are demands to end of a quota system for lucrative government jobs that opponents say unfairly benefits members of Bangladesh’s ruling party.
Bangladesh’s Tough Tightrope Walk Between India and China (The Diplomat)
The Diplomat [7/17/2024 8:18 AM, Saqlain Rizve, 1156K, Neutral]
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to China to Dhaka on July 8-10 was her fifth to that country and her first in five years. The China visit came close on the heels of her recent visits to India – the first on June 9 for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s swearing-in and the second, just weeks later, an official bilateral visit.

The visits to China and India hold significant implications for Hasina’s foreign policy, economic strategy, and Bangladesh’s position in the geopolitical landscape. They highlight the challenges that Dhaka faces in balancing the competing interests of major global powers such as the United States, China, and India.

According to media reports, the main goal of Hasina’s China visit was to secure a $5 billion loan to bolster the Bangladeshi economy, which has been grappling with a foreign exchange crisis in recent years.

However, Hasina’s visit did not turn out as hoped. India News Network reported that her meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, including interpretation time, lasted only 30 minutes, indicating limited high-level engagement. Furthermore, Hasina was not accorded the customary protocol. No Chinese government ministers, including the foreign minister, called on her, highlighting a tepid bilateral interaction.

The visit was supposed to extend over four days but Hasina returned to Dhaka a day earlier, citing her daughter’s ill health. Media reports claimed that she shortened her visit due to dissatisfaction over Beijing’s failure to deliver promised financial support and provide the expected protocol during her visit.

The decision to cut short her visit suggests that her objectives for the trip were not met, Economic Times reported, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter. Although Bangladesh sought a loan of $5 billion, China agreed to provide only 1 billion yuan or $140 million (at a press meeting after the visit, Hasina claimed that Beijing had agreed to give Bangladesh $2 billion).

In light of this shortfall, analysts have questioned the success of Hasina’s trip to China.

Importantly, it is unclear what form the Chinese loan will take. “We don’t yet know the proportions of commercial loans, concessional loans and interest-free loans, but I doubt they will be anything substantial. And for now, 1 billion yuan seems like a drop in the ocean of our massive economic needs,” said Md Touhid Hossain, former foreign secretary of Bangladesh, in an interview with The Business Standard, a Bangladeshi daily.

China’s objectives in Bangladesh are multifaceted, primarily focusing on reinforcing its strategic and economic influence in South Asia. By elevating their relationship to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, China aims to deepen its involvement in regional infrastructure through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which includes investments in transportation, energy projects, and industrial parks.

China has invested in several infrastructure projects in Bangladesh, including the Padma Bridge, the Payra Power Plant, and various road and railway projects. These have been pivotal in Bangladesh’s development trajectory over the last decade.

Such investment has strengthened the Sino-Bangladesh partnership and Chinese presence in Bangladesh. It has helped Beijing secure a foothold in a strategically significant location between Myanmar and India. It allows for an expansion of Chinese geopolitical influence.

During Hasina’s visit, the two sides signed 21 instruments, including two renewed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and seven more projects to elevate the bilateral relationship to a “comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership” from “strategic partnership.”

Both countries also promised to fight against external interference. This comes in the context of the United States and other Western powers trying to interfere in Bangladesh’s domestic affairs. In the run-up to the general elections early this year, the U.S. issued statements calling for a free and fair election and imposed sanctions on several Bangladeshi government officials for human rights violations and corruption.

Hasina also reaffirmed Bangladesh’s position on Taiwan. “Bangladesh firmly upholds the one-China principle and supports China’s stance on Taiwan,” she said.

Hasina’s visit to India on June 21-22 focused on enhancing trade, connectivity, and security cooperation. The two sides signed a rail connectivity agreement that will allow India to use Bangladesh’s rail network to transport goods to its Northeast. India has also agreed to extend transit facilities to Nepal and Bhutan for Bangladeshi goods through its railway networks.

The Teesta River water-sharing issue has been a longstanding point of contention between Bangladesh and India. A final agreement on sharing the waters of this river remains elusive.

Meanwhile, Dhaka plans to build a reservoir on the Teesta, a project that China is keen to finance, which has triggered concern in New Delhi, given its implications for India’s security. During Hasina’s visit to New Delhi, India announced it would send a technical team to evaluate the Teesta water conservation and management project.

Ahead of her China visit, Hasina said she would choose India over China regarding the Teesta reservoir project, although China has made good progress on the project.

Hasina’s statement is likely to have had “a negative impact, as China may be somewhat dissatisfied with our decision,” Hossain said. China’s interest in participating in the Teesta project stems from its broader regional strategy to step up economic and infrastructure investments in neighboring countries like Nepal and Bhutan, which also share rivers with India and Bangladesh.

It is likely that the United States, which is keen to contain China’s expanding influence, would be monitoring these developments. It is a long-standing trade, investment, and development partner of Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, on June 10, Bangladesh joined the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) as its fifth member. Established in 2020, CSC is an India-initiated security alliance to counterbalance China’s influence in the Indian Ocean region.

The juxtaposition of these visits illustrates Bangladesh’s strategic hedging, balancing the influence of China and India while safeguarding its national interests.

Hasina’s recent trips to China and India lay bare its efforts to diversify Bangladesh’s international partnerships while maintaining a strategic balance. The mixed outcomes from these visits, especially the setbacks on the Chinese front, indicate churning and even changing equations in its relations with its powerful neighbors.
Does Vietnam and Bangladesh’s Cheap Labor Threaten ‘Made in China’ Textiles? (The Diplomat)
The Diplomat [7/17/2024 8:49 AM, Andey Ng, 1156K, Neutral]
There is rising chatter about Vietnam and Bangladesh harnessing cheap labor to compete head on with the textile manufacturing “Made in China.” What does this mean for the 20 million people in China whose livelihoods are tied to the textiles industry?

When economic reforms began in the 1970s, China desperately needed a way to stimulate its economy and employ its large unskilled, cheap, yet willing workforce. Policymakers turned their attention to making China the manufacturing powerhouse of the world. Their success eventually coined the label “Made in China,” with 83 million people working in factories by 2000.

This push to manufacturing, particularly in the textiles industry, played a large role in pulling a stunning 800 million people in China out of extreme poverty, defined as those living on less than $1.90 per day. As of 2018, more than 700 million people in China have moved into the middle class.

Most of China’s textile manufacturing is clustered around the coastal regions of China, such as Guangdong, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Shandong. These provinces have historical and geographic advantage because their proximity to the ocean allows them to reap the benefits of logistics and shipping. After all, the cheapest way for transporting cargo is still via ships despite advances in aviation and trains. Especially with fashion trends constantly changing so rapidly, it’s crucial that the textile manufacturing hubs are near trade ports.

These regions have been the poster-child of China’s rapid development, highlighting how mass manufacturing can play a large role in transforming a developing country like China from rags to (lower-middle income) riches in the matter of three decades.

China’s Changing Landscape: Internal Threats to “Made in China”

Thanks to manufacturing stimulating the economy of China’s coastal regions, these provinces have begun to develop rapidly. The rise in wealth pushed more people to college in recent years, with more than 11.58 million college graduates in China 2023, an increase of 800,000 over the previous year.

As China grows richer and more educated, fewer young people are interested in taking jobs on the factory floor.

In Yiwu of Zhejiang province, a factory owner shared: “Young people come to me as college educated looking for white-collar jobs as accountants, when I only need more blue-collar factory workers on the ground. I offer to pay people more to be blue-collar workers, but there’s a decline in young people willing to work in factories today.”

This is a great sign and incredible feat for China’s development; the country was able to upgrade the public’s skills and education within one generation. More highly educated people enable the freedom of choice and careers of young people, creating a premium cost for blue-collar factory workers. This, in turn, poses new risks, as cheaper labor in countries like Vietnam becomes more attractive for manufacturers.

Couldn’t China just import cheaper labor from its underdeveloped poor communities in western China? In the relatively underdeveloped west, labor is cheaper because of higher unemployment, coupled with lower education and skill levels on average.

However, China already has had the largest migration in human history from 1978 and 2012, with 260 million rural farmers moving to the big cities to take jobs in manufacturing. This placed large burdens on cities to provide healthcare, schools, and social welfare to migrant workers and their families. Another wave of migrant workers from China’s west to serve as cheap factory workers in the east would only add to the strain urban finances, and further inequality with urban poverty.

If moving millions of workers east to staff factories is infeasible, should China relocate its factories inland to these less developed areas in western China? Despite some efforts in that regard, it’s largely still too expensive, since the initial infrastructure for starting these factories is costly.

Another option would be for China to implement more automation in the textiles industry. This would solve the problem of keeping the factories within China, because higher labor costs would be counterbalanced by fewer employees. However, it would mean fewer jobs in textile factories, which would shift the job market for low-skilled laborers toward service and delivery workers.

These ideas are getting closer to a solution.

How E-commerce and Consumerism Saved “Made in China”

China’s population of 1.4 billion people has a growing middle class that has allowed China to enter a consumerist culture with the rise of digitization and e-commerce – despite consumption per capita in China being below the world’s average. E-commerce platforms such as Taobao and Pinduoduo have a business model oriented around affordability rather than high quality, providing more opportunities for different socioeconomic classes of people to shop online. Digitized and instantaneous shopping have become inherent parts of life in China today.

As a result, 70 percent of China’s textile output feeds directly back to the domestic Chinese market. Despite COVID-19 dropping the overall Chinese household consumption by 3 percent, with textiles declining by 2 percent in 2022, China’s overall online consumption has increased since 2022. China delivered 120 billion packages in 2023, averaging nearly 100 packages per person per year, up 8.5 percent since 2022. With the rise of e-commerce and domestic consumerism culture (despite not necessarily guaranteeing an overall consumption increase), there are more small orders being placed online every day.

Amid the e-commerce boom, many rural villages in the coastal regions – where there is still cheap labor – have begun to cluster together to manufacture low-end products like leather jackets to sell on Taobao and other e-commerce platforms. The result is a new trend known as “Taobao villages.”

Many of these Taobao village clusters focus on similar products. One town will specialize in all leather products, while others will specialize in children performance clothing. Through their clustering, small business owners and mom-and-pop factories can lower the supply chain costs by using the same infrastructure roads, logistic centers, and e-commerce platforms.

Clustering also allows the skill transferability to be more seamless, ultimately lowering the barrier to learn and enter the manufacturing market in China. If you don’t know how to make your village’s specialty, you could simply ask your neighbor.

By clustering together, these Taobao villages have created a semi-self-sustaining ecosystem that creates a cushion to external shocks. Thus, despite the rising labor costs, China is able to lower the other factors that impact the costs of Chinese-produced clothes. Many labor economists often forget that it takes more than just the cost of factory workers’ labor that’s factored into “Made in China” clothes. Vietnam hasn’t invested as early and as heavily as China has in their roads and infrastructure to create this type of clustering ecosystem.

E-commerce has incentivized more people to join the production and consumption era, keeping “Made in China” clothes relevant. China alone has 1.4 billion people that will still consume their own textile output. Moreover, unless Vietnam and Bangladesh can reduce its non-labor related factors to reduce the supply chain costs, China can stay alive in this cutthroat competition.
Sri Lanka: False Terrorism Cases Enable Repression (Human Rights Watch)
Human Rights Watch [7/17/2024 9:30 PM, Staff, 2.1M, Neutral]
Sri Lankan authorities continue to use the notorious Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) to target perceived opponents and minority communities without credible evidence to support the allegations despite repeated pledges to end the practice, Human Rights Watch said today. While some victims have suffered years of arbitrary detention and torture, others are persecuted even after the case against them is dropped.

The law, widely known as the PTA, has provisions allowing for extended administrative detention, limited judicial oversight, and inadequate protections against torture. In a 2022 speech to the United Nations Human Rights Council, the then foreign minister pledged a moratorium on its use, but under President Ranil Wickremesinghe, detentions under the PTA have continued. Such is the chilling effect of the law that in September 2023 the International Monetary Fund found that “broad application of counter-terrorism rules” restricts civil society scrutiny of official corruption.

“Sri Lanka’s extensive domestic security apparatus routinely uses baseless accusations of terrorism to target innocent people, silencing critics and stigmatizing minority communities,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “Previous international pressure has led to modest improvements, and Sri Lanka’s foreign partners should renew their call to repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act.”

Following government promises to repeal the PTA since 2015, draft legislation to replace it, known as the Anti-Terrorism Bill (ATB), was published in March 2023. While the new bill contains some improvements, it includes provisions that could facilitate abuse.

Since it first came into force in 1979, the PTA has primarily been used to target members of the Tamil minority during a separatist war led by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), which was defeated in 2009. While many long-term PTA prisoners have been released in recent years, in part due to international pressure by the European Union and others, at least eight who were first detained between 1996 and 2011 remain in prison.

In November 2023, police in the eastern town of Batticaloa arrested nine people under the law for commemorating the war dead. They were released on bail a month later, but one of those detained told Human Rights Watch that he remains under intense surveillance and his family has lost its income because of the case.

A former LTTE child soldier said that she was arrested under the PTA in 2019 and held for three years. Because she was a minor at the end of the war, she had been placed in the care of the Red Cross instead of being sent to government “rehabilitation” with adult combatants. She believes that the ongoing surveillance and harassment is because security agencies regard her as “unrehabilitated.” She said: “I am afraid. I don’t know who is watching me.”

Human Rights Watch also interviewed a man who was among several arrested under the PTA in 2019 after receiving financial support from the Tamil diaspora, which the Sri Lankan authorities sometimes construe as “terrorist financing.” “We don’t know why we were arrested,” he said. “The PTA allows them to keep us without any reason.” He faced abuse in prison, including threats at gunpoint by a government minister. Following his release three years later, he still faces intense police harassment. “My freedom of movement is restricted. People are afraid to give me a job.”

Following the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, when Islamist suicide bombers targeted churches and hotels, killing over 260 people, the authorities detained at least 125 Muslims in the eastern town of Kattankudy under the PTA. Little or no evidence was produced against most of them, a lawyer familiar with the situation told Human Rights Watch. Most spent between one and three years in detention and were then either discharged altogether or released on bail. Twenty-four are facing trial in a proceeding that is expected to continue for years.

Former detainees from this group told Human Rights Watch that they had experienced torture and ill treatment in custody, and that the police had made extortion demands on their families for their release.

Following their release due to lack of evidence, they said they had received frequent threatening home visits or phone calls and are under surveillance by security agencies. They have been unable to access banking services, obtain passports, or operate their businesses. “They can’t go abroad for work,” said an activist who works with the community. “They can’t live freely in peace with their families.” In many cases, children have been forced by hardship to drop out of school.

A man who had been held under the PTA for about a year, then discharged, said that while there is a tradition of charitable giving in the Muslim community, security officials warn others not to help affected families, and people are afraid to do so for fear that they may be accused of supporting terrorism.

Numerous human rights defenders in the Northern and Eastern provinces said that members of police and intelligence agencies routinely warn that they will be accused of terrorism because of their work. “If we talk of Tamil rights, they use the PTA to silence us, saying we are working to reorganize the LTTE,” said an activist in the Northern Province.

Another rights activist, who works on several PTA cases, said in May 2024, “Just yesterday a [police] CID person called me and said, ‘Where are you? What are you doing?’ They oppress us because they want to stop the information we can provide from reaching the international community.”

Like the PTA, the draft law to replace it appears designed to give the president, police, and military broad powers to detain people without evidence, to make vaguely defined forms of speech a criminal offense, and to arbitrarily ban gatherings and organizations without meaningful judicial oversight.

It would expand the definition of terrorism to include crimes such as property damage, and restrict rights to freedom of assembly and speech. It would give the police and military sweeping powers to stop, question, search, and arrest anyone without a warrant, and allow the attorney general to “impose” “voluntary” custodial “rehabilitation” on a person who has not been convicted of any crime.

Recommendations

The government should impose a full moratorium on the PTA and work to repeal it.
The authorities should draft rights respecting counterterrorism legislation in consultation with experts and civil society.

Foreign partners including the United States, EU, and UK should insist that Sri Lanka abides by commitments to repeal the law.

The UN Human Rights Council should renew the mandates of resolution 46/1 for reporting and investigating human rights violations in Sri Lanka.

“For many Sri Lankans, baseless allegations of terrorism and sweeping powers provided by the PTA remain the most frightening and unaccountable method of repression,” Ganguly said. “Foreign governments seeking to support improved governance and respect for human rights should prioritize action to end the Sri Lankan government’s misuse of counterterrorism powers.”
Sri Lanka’s Many IMF Programs: What’s Changed and What Hasn’t (The Diplomat)
The Diplomat [7/17/2024 10:22 AM, Tharindu Udayanga Kamburawala, 1156K, Neutral]
Over the past two decades, Sri Lanka’s economic trajectory has been significantly shaped by assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Through a series of programs, the IMF has sought to stabilize the country’s economy, enforce fiscal discipline, and promote sustainable growth. To date, Sri Lanka has engaged in 17 IMF programs. The most recent of these initiatives is the Extended Fund Facility approved in 2023.

A critical evaluation of the policy objectives within these programs reveals recurring themes as well as unique aspects specific to each intervention.

Key Factors Behind the 5 Most Recent IMF Programs

This analysis spans the five most recent IMF programs: the Standby Arrangement (SBA) in 2001, the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and Extended Credit Facility (ECF) in 2003, another SBA in 2009, the EFF in 2016, and the most recent EFF in 2023. Each program was launched in response to specific economic challenges faced by Sri Lanka, ranging from fiscal deficits and currency devaluation to post-war reconstruction and the impacts of global financial crises.

In 2001, despite achieving a 6 percent GDP growth rate in 2000, Sri Lanka’s economy encountered significant fiscal challenges. The rapid escalation in government spending and borrowing by public enterprises resulted in a fiscal deficit of approximately 10 percent of GDP. This situation was exacerbated by the depletion of foreign reserves, depreciation of the exchange rate, and rising short-term interest rates, underscoring the necessity for IMF intervention. The Standby Arrangement introduced in 2001 aimed to restore macroeconomic stability, enhance public sector finances, and rebuild reserves through the implementation of a flexible exchange rate system.

By 2003, Sri Lanka had reached a pivotal moment with the initiation of a peace process. The government introduced “Regaining Sri Lanka,” a comprehensive economic reform and poverty reduction strategy aimed at accelerating growth and alleviating poverty through private sector-led development. This approach marked a departure from previous policies focused on redistribution and transfers. The Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and Extended Credit Facility (ECF) programs established in 2003 were designed to support these reforms, stabilize the economy, and restore fiscal sustainability.

The global financial crisis of 2008 had a severe impact on Sri Lanka. Lax fiscal policies, dependence on short-term external financing, and an overvalued exchange rate rendered the country particularly vulnerable. The sudden cessation of capital flows and a sharp decline in foreign reserves necessitated IMF intervention. The 2009 Standby Arrangement (SBA) was implemented to facilitate adjustment to the external shock, restore fiscal health, and stabilize the financial system while preventing a disruptive devaluation.

The Extended Fund Facility in 2016 was introduced during a period of political transition, presenting an opportunity to reset macroeconomic policies. Despite underlying economic momentum, Sri Lanka faced challenges due to unbalanced policies and a difficult external environment. The Extended Fund Facility of 2016 aimed to implement structural reforms to enhance growth, reduce public debt, and strengthen financial stability, thereby laying the groundwork for sustained economic development.

The most recent Extended Fund Facility in 2023 was implemented in response to an unprecedented economic crisis, compounded by substantial fiscal imbalances, loss of access to international capital markets, and the repercussions of COVID-19. The program aimed to restore macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability, alleviate the impact on vulnerable populations, and bolster financial sector stability. Additionally, it focused on governance reforms to reduce corruption vulnerabilities and enhance growth potential.

Analysis of Policy Objectives

The table below presents the aims and objectives of recent IMF programs in Sri Lanka. The objectives of each program have been coded using the program name. The objectives of these programs reflect both recurring themes and context-specific priorities.

A critical examination of the policy objectives of these IMF programs reveals 11 themes with which the recent IMF programs align. The figure below visualizes these 11 themes and how they appear in each IMF program.

The figure above illustrates that all five recent IMF programs aimed to achieve revenue-based fiscal consolidation, highlighting Sri Lanka’s ongoing struggle with fiscal deficits and its failure to maintain progress across successive programs. Additionally, these IMF programs share other significant policy objectives, including restructuring state-owned enterprises (SOEs), strengthening foreign exchange reserves, and enhancing financial system stability.

Among the five recent IMF programs, four – all but the SBA in 2009 – have focused on SOE restructuring. This issue remains a policy priority in the latest IMF program, emphasizing Sri Lanka’s persistent challenges in reforming SOEs, particularly the Ceylon Electricity Board and the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation.

Strengthening foreign reserves has been a common target in most programs, reflecting the typical motivation for seeking IMF assistance during periods of foreign reserve shortages.

However, certain policy objectives were specific to one or two programs, representing key differences among recent IMF program goals. Notably, post-conflict reconstruction and humanitarian aid were objectives in only two programs: the ECF/EFF program in 2003 and the SBA in 2009, both initiated after extended civil conflict. The 2003 program followed peace talks with the LTTE, while the 2009 program commenced after the war ended.

Moreover, themes such as restoring price stability and public debt sustainability, mitigating corruption risks, and empowering economically disadvantaged groups were prioritized in only two recent IMF programs, particularly within the 2023 EEF, due to the specific contextual needs at the time.

Conclusion

The examination of IMF programs in Sri Lanka since 2000 highlights both continuity and change in policy objectives. Recurring themes such as revenue-based fiscal consolidation, SOE restructuring, and financial stability underscore persistent economic challenges. Meanwhile, the unique objectives of each program reflect the specific socioeconomic contexts at the time. This analysis not only illuminates the evolving nature of IMF interventions in Sri Lanka but also underscores the importance of context-specific policy responses to address Sri Lanka’s dynamic economic landscape.
Central Asia
The Stati v Kazakhstan Saga Ends (The Diplomat)
The Diplomat [7/17/2024 1:04 PM, Paolo Sorbello, 1156K, Neutral]
Kazakhstan’s government and its main creditor have agreed to a settlement that ends a 14-year legal dispute. Both sides said that the resolution could lead to “increased investment potential” in the country.

The so-called Stati Case started in 2010, when the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce first considered a claim by a group of companies owned by the Moldovan businessman Anatol Stati and his son Gabriel against Kazakhstan’s government for the illegal seizure of their business.

In December 2013, the arbitration court ruled that Kazakhstan should pay $500 million plus legal fees to the Stati parties, but the government refused to comply, thus breaching the Energy Charter Treaty principle that it had adopted in an effort to lure in investment.

The Stati parties then chased the dispute across several jurisdictions, leading to a U.S. bank freezing $22.6 billion in national fund assets in 2017, as well as several other courts in Europe also limiting operations at certain state-owned assets that had transferred residency there.

Last year in June, the Svea Court of Appeal in Sweden ordered Kazakhstan to pay $75 million, plus $1.5 million in court fees, to the Stati parties.

The official statement from the Kazakh Ministry of Justice regarding the recent settlement offered no details, but hints that the sum was never paid out.

“The settlement decision was made taking into account the public interest, and the settlement does not involve the use of any public funds,” Minister Azamat Yeskarayev said in the statement on July 16.

Argentem Creek Partners, a U.S.-based bondholder that was supposed to obtain around 70 percent of the overall arbitration claim, which had grown to at least $530 million, also said it was satisfied with the settlement.

“The settlement of this long-standing dispute demonstrates that Kazakhstan is meeting its international treaty obligations,” Daniel Chapman, Argentem’s director, said in the statement.

Chapman also took the occasion to celebrate Kazakhstan’s “new era” with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the helm.

“We support the framework agreement and welcome President Tokayev’s decision to create a Just Kazakhstan and warmly support the reforms he has planned.”

The tone of the statement is in line with the creditors’ political line of placing the blame entirely on Kazakhstan’s “old guard,” given that the seizure of Stati’s assets took place during the three-decade-long rule of President Nursultan Nazarbayev.

After the Svea court decision last year, Chapman urged Tokayev to try to settle the issue.

“It is time for the kleptocratic ‘old guard’ to step aside and allow President Tokayev to showcase his commitment to reform by honoring international treaty obligations, paying the [arbitration] Award and turning the page on this ugly saga,” Chapman wrote in June 2023.

Since Nazarbayev resigned in 2019, however, the relationship between Stati and Tokayev’s government has been rocky, with a few wins by the Kazakhstani side amid several court losses.

One of the main figures in Kazakhstan’s legal battle against Stati was Minister of Justice Marat Beketayev, who survived the power transition and headed the ministry from 2016 to January 2022.

After Qandy Qantar, the “Bloody January” repression of widespread protests in January 2022, Tokayev fired Beketayev as justice minister, and named him adviser to the prime minister, a post he would keep for a year.

Beketayev later came under fire for potentially benefitting from advisory contracts through a firm called Bolashak Consulting Group. The Stati dispute was among the cases that the firm advised, sources said.

In October last year, Beketayev was detained “while attempting to leave the country,” the General Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement. He is now awaiting trial for corruption.

Now, it seems that Beketayev and a few other representatives of the “old guard” may face the blame for the Stati Case, for which Kazakhstan has spent tens of millions of dollars already.

In the process of cleaning house after Qandy Qantar, so-called “New Kazakhstan” has tried to distance itself from the “bad apples” of the past.

In April last year, a specialized court sentenced Karim Massimov, formerly chairman of the National Security Committee, to 18 years in prison for high treason. He had been named “the main architect of the attempted coup” that arguably followed Qandy Qantar.

Massimov was prime minister at the time the Stati assets were expropriated.

While unlikely, more details could seep through the sealed final settlement, allowing Kazakhstan’s public to better understand how and how much budget money was spent on the case, as well as reassuring U.S. customers of the major bondholders that their investment did not vanish after the latest handshake.
Kyrgyz President’s Relative Arrested For Fraud (Radio Free Europe)
Radio Free Europe [7/17/2024 4:14 PM, Staff, 235K, Negative]
The Birinchi Mai district court in Bishkek told RFE/RL on July 17 that a relative of President Sadyr Japarov has been placed under arrest on fraud charges.

According to the court’s press service, Ulan Japarov, who is a son of President Sadyr Japarov’s cousin, Rakymjan Japarov, was sent to pretrial detention until at least August 19.

Media reports say Ulan Japarov is suspected of obtaining a significant amount of cash from a person in exchange for securing an official post for him, which in the end never happened.

Japarov was initially arrested in July 2023 on corruption charges.

Presidential spokesman Erbol Sultanbaev said at the time that Ulan Japarov was suspected of involvement in corrupt activities linked to the Customs Service.

In October 2023, the Birinchi Mai district court transferred Japarov to house arrest. An investigation into that case is also under way.

Also, on July 17, media reports in the Central Asian country said a brother-in-law of the chief of the State Committee for National Security (UKMK), Kamchybek Tashiev, was arrested on a fraud charge.

The reports gave the man’s initials as A.T.O.

Sources close to the UKMK leadership confirmed to RFE/RL that a man with those initials was arrested but did not give any further details.

Kyrgyz authorities have yet to officially confirm the arrest. Tashiev has not commented on the reports.

The Birinchi Mai district court told RFE/RL that its judge on June 11 sent A.T.O. to pretrial detention for at least two months. The court neither elaborated on the case nor confirmed if the suspect was related to Tashiev.

A week earlier, the Birinchi Mai district court said the boyfriend of President Japarov’s niece had been arrested on a charge of producing illegal drugs.

Aftandil Sabyrbekov, the boyfriend of Lazzat Nurgojoeva, who is a daughter of President Japarov’s younger brother, Davletbek, was arrested days after a video showing him proposing to Nurgojoeva in a lavish ceremony circulated on the Internet, sparking a public outcry.
Rights groups urge Uzbek president to veto law on deporting or barring ‘undesirable’ foreigners (AP)
AP [7/17/2024 8:29 AM, Staff, 31180K, Negative]
More than 25 human rights groups are calling on Uzbekistan’s president to veto a proposed law that would allow foreigners to be deported or blocked from entry if they are deemed undesirable for a wide array of reasons including insulting the country.

The legislation was passed by the lower house of parliament in June and needs passage by the upper house to be sent to President Shvkat Mirziyoyev to sign.

The bill says foreigners may be declared undesirable if they make public statements or actions that pose a threat to Uzbekistan’s security, provoke racial or religious enmity, or discredit Uzbeks’ dignity and history.

In a statement published in early July by the Article19.org freedom of expression group, the human rights organizations said, “We fear that this legislation could effectively be used to ban entry for those advocating for human rights in Uzbekistan, as well as those reporting on rights violations, corruption, abuse of power, the socio-political landscape, women’s rights, the environment, and other politically sensitive issues.

“The adoption of provisions to impose entry bans on foreigners who shed light on human rights conditions inside the country represents a sharp departure from President Mirziyoyev’s recent policies of de-isolation, reform, openness and engagement with the international community,” the statement said. It was endorsed by groups including Reporters Without Borders and the Belarusian human rights group Viasna, whose imprisoned founder was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Twitter
Afghanistan
Amrullah Saleh
@AmrullahSaleh2
[7/18/2024 2:10 AM, 1.1M followers, 19 retweets, 69 likes]
Project Taliban is getting US$ 80,000,000 every fortnightly from Biden administration - for what ? Is it a covert Forward Operating Base (FOB) against the region? The reasons cited by western cynics & apologists for injection of funds to the Talibs without oversight and accountability are not making sense. Let pull down the curtain.

Amrullah Saleh
@AmrullahSaleh2
[7/17/2024 2:16 PM, 1.1M followers, 10 retweets, 25 likes]
Taliban confirm the tripling of people feeling the country and announce the opening of three new passport distribution centres: New reports show that exceeding interest in fleeing the country has resulted in opening of three new passport distribution branches in Kabul. The passports continue to be printed and distributed with the Republican name and symbols due to Taliban’s lack of any international recognition, and their complete lack of domestic legitimacy.

The opening of new branches shows the increasing attempt by families and youth to seek refuge from Taliban’s draconian rule. Most of the youth are the educated graduates of State and Private Universities of the republican era which had experienced development throughout the country and with the return of Taliban, the educated populace has fallen in hopelessness and despair. The brain drain has also resulted in administrative setbacks which Taliban tried to fix by placing their illiterate militias, only for it to concur wide-encompassing collapse.

Aside from brain drain and escape of wealth, refuge from the country results in further lack of national identity and division. With Taliban’s return, the stature of Afghan Passport and identity plummeted and Afghans traveling through Kabul and international transits endure rude, and often humiliating belittlement of the fact that they are Afghans. Afghanistan under Taliban has become a place void of honour, dignity and rule of law with dark experiences resulting in people’s wish to seek alternatives by distancing themselves from their national identity. For a citizen of Afghanistan who endures such humiliations and migrates overseas baring its scars, it’s difficult to prove themselves exceptional and create a distinction between themselves and Taliban. And this is why, whoever finds a way to escape Taliban’s brutality, tries to prove themselves as a distinction from others, but note their birth in a miserable nation.

When speaking with Afghan refugees, it’s evident they seek to differentiate themselves from Taliban. When speaking to a Pashtun dissident, they always state that they are Pashtun, but they are not Talib, and they consider Talib to be a stain to their tribe and history, and that their anti-Talib stance has resulted in their migration. This is true to all peoples of Afghanistan, who by expressing their ethnicity, seek to distinguish and separate themselves from Taliban. Taliban’s illegitimate regime has created a severe identity crisis in the nation, and their solution has been to use religion to downplay its severity which has yielded no result. “Talib” has become the new ethnic and religious identity of Taliban’s militia due to collective hatred, and rejection of all ethnicities towards this group. Taliban are alien to the nation, like a tumour in a body, and the body will not find comfort until this alien is surgically removed and disposed – InShaAllah.

Nilofar Ayoubi
@NilofarAyoubi
[7/17/2024 7:06 PM, 66.5K followers, 16 retweets, 66 likes]
This is what the Taliban is depriving Afghan women of: education, progress, and the ability to contribute to positive change or even save lives. Hats off to this courageous female doctor who, with quick thinking and rapid response (CPR) , revived a senior citizen who had a heart attack and collapsed at an airport food court. #EducationForAll #LetHerLearn #EndGenderApartheid #UnitedAgainstGenderApartheid

Bilal Sarwary
@bsarwary
[7/17/2024 5:29 PM, 254.6K followers, 4 retweets, 6 likes]
Docter Yaqoob Shinwari was kidnapped from his private clinic inside Jalalabad city. It is not clear if this was done by Taliban’s notorious intelligence service or by armed criminal gangs. His friends and family members remain extremely worried about his fate.
Pakistan
Dr. Asif Mahmood
@DrMahmood40
[7/17/2024 10:20 AM, 15K followers, 641 retweets, 1.4K likes]
Recent statements and wish list of Federal Ministers of #Pakistan about banning the most popular political party #PTI shows the Authoritarian mindset of these individuals. I have spoken to many congressional members including @BradSherman about the dangers to #Democracy in the nuclear state of 250 million. I am informing you in advance that this will be the main topic of discussion in an upcoming hearing with senior officials of #StateDepartment with Foreign Affairs Committee. I will share the time and link if anyone has any doubt or interest to watch live.

Anas Mallick
@AnasMallick
[7/18/2024 12:16 AM, 73.2K followers, 9 retweets, 49 likes]
Wouldn’t be surprised if Pakistan opts for a kinetic approach to dislodge terror infrastructures in Afghanistan as they have done so in the past following the recent attack at Bannu Cantonment that was done by Afghanistan based HGG

Anas Mallick
@AnasMallick
[7/17/2024 9:35 AM, 73.2K followers, 16 retweets, 75 likes]
NO Pakistani national is involved in the attack that took place in Oman and has been claimed by Islamic State(IS), this after section of social media blamed the attack in a fashionable unverified manner on Pakistani nationals. Among those killed are 4 Pak nationals.

Anas Mallick
@AnasMallick
[7/17/2024 7:17 AM, 73.2K followers, 23 retweets, 119 likes]
Pakistan SUMMONS Afghan DHM in Islamabad, serves strong demarche on the terrorist attack in Bannu on 15th July, reiterates that the attack was done by Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, urges Afghan interim authorities to act against terrorists, reads excerpts from @ForeignOfficePk PR

Habib Khan
@HabibKhanT
[7/17/2024 5:42 PM, 228.6K followers, 11 retweets, 33 likes]
Pakistani forces brutally assaulted the sit-in protest in Khuzdar, Balochistan, injuring demonstrators. The Baloch people, enduring relentless oppression by the Pakistani state, now face another grim chapter in their struggle for justice and freedom.
India
Narendra Modi
@narendramodi
[7/17/2024 10:21 AM, 100.1M followers, 3.4K retweets, 27K likes]
It was a delight to meet @drrbalu earlier today. Also signed a copy of his book. My best wishes to him for his future endeavours.

Gautam Adani
@gautam_adani
[7/17/2024 7:36 AM, 1.1M followers, 274 retweets, 2.7K likes]
Grateful to @USAmbIndia for his visit to Adani’s 30 GW Renewable Energy site at Khavda and Mundra Port. Invaluable insights on geopolitics, energy transition and India-U.S. relations in an open and candid Q&A with Adanians. Amazing to see his adoption of Indian culture, from kadak chai to celebrating holi, to playing cricket to speaking in Hindi and eating chole bhature every day! #WindowsToNayaBharat

Derek J. Grossman
@DerekJGrossman
[7/17/2024 12:37 PM, 90.6K followers, 8 retweets, 70 likes]
On US-India ties: “In Washington, over the past year, there has been growing acceptance that an ambitious agenda for the partnership is probably unachievable, leading to a downward revision of expectations.” https://theprint.in/opinion/india-us-ties-under-modi-echo-nehrus-reluctance-to-commit-hope-consequences-arent-the-same/2177528/
NSB
Awami League
@albd1971
[7/17/2024 12:51 PM, 639.3K followers, 32 retweets, 92 likes]
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called for patience until a final verdict on government job quotas is delivered as deadly violence in protest against the system convulses the country. In a televised address to the nation on Wednesday evening, she announced a judicial investigation into the incidents of violence during the protests. “I believe they [victims] will get justice, and won’t be frustrated,” she said.

Hasina said the incidents surrounding the quota protest were “painful”. The government adopted a tolerant approach from the outset of the protest, while police assisted the protesters in holding demonstrations. “But it is a matter of regret that some quarters took advantage of the movement to fulfil their unacceptable ambitions through terrorist activities”, the prime minister said. “The events that have happened as a result of this are deeply distressing. Several priceless lives have been lost. No one understands the agony of losing loved ones more than I do,” she said, referring to the Aug 15 massacre of #Bangabandhu #SheikhMujiburRahman’s family.

She offered prayers for the victims of the #violence and expressed her condolences to their families. “I condemn all the killings. The incidents that have happened are never desired,” Sheikh Hasina said. The prime minister criticised the violent attacks on pro-government students. “Terrorists threw students from a multi-storey building with the intention to kill. Many students’ tendons were cut off. They were hit with sticks and sharp weapons. One person has died and many others are fighting for their lives,” she said.

University buildings in Dhaka, Rangpur, and Rajshahi were vandalised and torched, while the protesters also attacked innocent passers-by, shopkeepers, and blocked ambulances carrying patients. “I believe the quota reform protesters do not have links to these terrorists who have created anarchy using the movement.” The prime minister said those involved in such incidents will be identified and brought to justice.

She also promised jobs and other sorts of help for the families of those killed in the violence. “I declare unequivocally that action will be taken to ensure that those who have committed murder, looting, and terrorist activities - whoever they are - will be punished. “I also declare that a judicial investigation will be conducted in the interest of fairness and justice in all the unintended incidents, including the murders,” the prime minister announced.

She also said an investigation will be conducted to determine who instigated the conflict and the reasons behind pushing the country into a state of anarchy. "I am deeply worried about the safety of the innocent students who are protesting. There is a risk that these terrorists might retaliate at any moment, creating a volatile atmosphere. “Therefore, I appeal to the parents and teachers of these students to remain vigilant about their children’s safety. At the same time, I call for heightened security measures in all educational institutions to ensure the safety of all students." @bdnews24com #SheikhHasina #Bangaldesh #QuotaReform #Quota_Reform_Movement

Awami League
@albd1971
[7/17/2024 2:08 PM, 639.3K followers, 19 retweets, 37 likes]
How the Quota-Protests Turned Violent —— The anti-quota movement was going ahead peacefully, with law enforcement even ensuring the security of the protestors. It should be noted that it was the @albd1971 Govt which abolished all quotas in 2018 through a declaration, heeding students’ demand. The protests started when the High Court cancelled the 2018 declaration. However, right away, the Govt. moved to the Appellate Division and secured a subject matter status quo, which basically reinstated the govt declaration. The AD will hear the final appeal on August 7. Following this, the protestors peacefully submitted a memorandum to the President and all district chief executives. However, on July 14, due to the instigation of Shibir and Chatro Dal infiltrators in the students’ movement, clashes broke out with the AL’s student wing. The fact that infiltrators penetrated the movement was made clear when yesterday, Shibir and Chatro Dal activists, in the guise of protestors, carried out wholesale beatings, throwing AL people of roofs, burning police boxes, beating up teachers and students etc. It was to bring back public order and ensure security that law enforcement then had to take measures, including dispersing people off streets, using rubber bullets and tear-shells. In response, Shibir Chatro Dal infiltrators swooped on law enforcers, injuring scores of them. #QuotaReformProtest #Bangladesh #Violence

Awami League
@albd1971
[7/17/2024 11:22 AM, 639.3K followers, 41 retweets, 121 likes]
HPM #SheikhHasina assures the students who are demanding #QoutaReform that they will not be disappointed by the Supreme court’s decision. During her address to the nation, she declared to conduct judicial inquiries and bring perpetrators to justice. https://albd.org/articles/news/41496

Sabria Chowdhury Balland
@sabriaballand
[7/17/2024 8:18 PM, 5.3K followers]
The US Embassy in Dhaka will be closed to the general public on Thursday (18 Jul) amid the ongoing  ongoing student demonstrations against quotas in government jobs. #Bangladesh https://www.tbsnews.net/foreign-policy/situation-extremely-volatile-us-embassy-remain-closed-thursday-amid-quota-protest

Sabria Chowdhury Balland
@sabriaballand
[7/17/2024 6:28 PM, 5.3K followers, 2 retweets, 9 likes]
There will be a complete shutdown in #Bangladesh on Thursday. This is the ideal opportunity for the opposition parties & civil society to join in, expanding largely the demands from quota to every other aspects which have destroyed democracy in Bangladesh. This is the time to act & change the tyrannical system.

Amnesty International South Asia, Regional Office
@amnestysasia
[7/17/2024 1:20 PM, 83.4K followers, 2.4K retweets, 5.9K likes]
BANGLADESH 🇧🇩: @amnesty has analysed and authenticated witness testimonies, video and photographic evidence which confirms that the police used unlawful force against student protesters. Further witness testimonies confirm the continuation of a multi-year pattern of violence against protesters, allegedly committed by members of the Bangladesh Chatra League (BCL), a group affiliated with the ruling party. Our analysis finds that the shooting of student protestor Abu Sayed in Rangpur, was a seemingly intentional, unprovoked attack on an individual posing no threat to police officers, using ammunition designed for hunting which is extremely dangerous and unlawful for use in the policing of protests. "We urgently call on the Government of Bangladesh to rehabilitate all those injured and ensure they receive proper medical treatment. The authorities must also ensure that all those engaged in the attacks on peaceful protesters are held to account, and that an impartial, independent, and swift investigation is conducted against these attackers as well as the police officers who have directly perpetrated or failed to prevent such breaches of the law" said Taqbir Huda, Regional Researcher for South Asia at Amnesty International. #ProtectTheProtest Read our full analysis here: https://amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2024/07/bangladesh-witness-testimony-video-and-photographic-analysis-confirm-police-used-unlawful-force-against-protesters/

Tshering Tobgay
@tsheringtobgay
[7/17/2024 12:01 PM, 99.4K followers, 1 retweet, 24 likes]
Met with the leadership of @Drukair and @Bhutan_Airlines to discuss their challenges and explore how the government can provide support. Requested them to submit a proposal for the government to subsidize airfares, aimed at boosting international tourist arrivals to Bhutan.

Tshering Tobgay
@tsheringtobgay
[7/17/2024 10:54 AM, 99.4K followers, 1 retweet, 10 likes]
Had very productive online meetings with H.E. Albert Ramdin, the Foreign Affairs Minister of Suriname @MOFASur, and H.E. @FontaineMax9 Minister for Environment and Sustainable Development of Madagascar; we discussed opportunities for collaboration in environmental conservation.

Tshering Tobgay
@tsheringtobgay
[7/17/2024 10:54 AM, 99.4K followers, 4 likes]
As fellow carbon-negative and carbon-neutral countries, we should unite our voices and work at an accelerated pace to leverage our conservation efforts;

Tshering Tobgay
@tsheringtobgay
[7/17/2024 10:54 AM, 99.4K followers, 1 retweet, 5 likes]
we should set ourselves as an example of countries that have gone beyond mere pledges to take climate change seriously and shown tangible outcomes, not only for the benefit of our countries but the world at large.

Tshering Tobgay
@tsheringtobgay
[7/17/2024 6:57 AM, 99.4K followers, 1 retweet, 21 likes]
Met with representatives from Hotel and Restaurant Association of Bhutan to discuss challenges and explore potential solutions.Assured them of government’s full support, and emphasized the importance of hoteliers doing their part to uphold the highest standards in their services.

Tshering Tobgay
@tsheringtobgay
[7/17/2024 3:10 AM, 99.4K followers, 3 retweets, 26 likes]
Impressed by the remarkable transformation of the former vegetable/meat market into a clean, beautiful, and lively complex; it represents what we can achieve if we commit ourselves to fulfilling the noble aspirations of His Majesty The King.

The President’s Office, Maldives
@presidencymv
[7/17/2024 5:53 AM, 109K followers, 143 retweets, 144 likes]
Vice President @HucenSembe had a productive sitdown with the local NGO, Youth Policy Advisory Group. The introductory meeting channelled constructive dialogue and provided a platform for the NGO to express their views and concerns.

Mohamed Nasheed
@MohamedNasheed
[7/17/2024 3:11 PM, 272.3K followers, 58 retweets, 122 likes]
It is an honour to signed an MOU between @TheCVF and the world famous @Dilmah tea company to help reduce GHG emissions from tea production and restore biodiversity. This is a great initiative from Sri Lanka’s Climate Prosperity Plan.

Mohamed Nasheed
@MohamedNasheed
[7/17/2024 1:27 PM, 272.3K followers, 46 retweets, 82 likes]
Delighted to speak alongside President Ranil @RW_UNP and Prime Minister Gunawardena @DCRGunawardena at the Sri Lanka Human Capital Summit in Colombo.

MOFA of Nepal
@MofaNepal
[7/17/2024 4:25 AM, 258.6K followers, 15 retweets, 107 likes]
H. E. Mr. Chen Song, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Nepal paid a courtesy call on Minister for Foreign Affairs Hon. Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba at the latter’s office today. Various matters relating to Nepal-China relations were discussed on the occasion.

Baburam Bhattarai
@brb1954
[7/17/2024 9:00 PM, 1.5M followers, 21 retweets, 94 likes]
‘Nepal, the world champion of political instability!’ That’s why we have been campaigning for a directly elected Presidential system since the declaration of the republic in 2008. https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2024/07/16/nepal-the-world-champion-of-political-instability_6686514_4.html

Namal Rajapaksa
@RajapaksaNamal
[7/17/2024 12:02 PM, 436.4K followers, 3 retweets, 30 likes]
Met with the Election Office, Meeting, Canvassing, and Polling Committees at the SLPP Professional Center today. Preparing for the upcoming elections.

Eran Wickramaratne
@EranWick
[7/18/2024 3:03 AM, 68.8K followers, 2 retweets, 7 likes]
Visited Welikada Prisons’ female ward. Severe overcrowding. Inmates are forced to sleep shoulder to shoulder. But ward still holds many drug users & senior citizens. Authorities must systematically transfer the drug users to rehab centres, & release the reformed, fragile seniors.
Central Asia
UNODC Central Asia
@UNODC_ROCA
[7/18/2024 2:04 AM, 2.4K followers, 1 retweet, 6 likes]
Prisoners are part of our communities, and what happens in prisons impacts all of us - #PrisonersMatter. This #MandelaDay join @UNODC to call for the universal practical application of the #MandelaRules

Javlon Vakhabov
@JavlonVakhabov
[7/17/2024 12:15 PM, 6K followers]
President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov will visit Uzbekistan on July 18-19 at the invitation of @president_uz Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Key topics will also cover enhancing opportunities in the transport and transit sector. The visit aims to boost cultural and humanitarian exchanges between the two nations. The presidents will launch several joint projects and sign bilateral agreements. Concurrent events include a business forum, rectors’ forum, and Kyrgyzstan Culture Days in Uzbekistan. More: https://president.uz/ru/lists/view/7406

{End of Report}
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