SCA MORNING PRESS CLIPS
Prepared for the U.S. Department of State
Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs
TO: | SCA & Staff |
DATE: | Tuesday, October 8, 2024 6:30 AM ET |
Afghanistan
Over 12 million in Afghanistan face ‘severe’ food insecurity, UN agency says (Amu TV)
Amu TV [10/8/2024 3:40 AM, Staff, Negative]
The United Nations World Food Program has reported that 12.4 million people in Afghanistan are grappling with what it describes as “severe” levels of food insecurity.
In its latest report, the agency stated that a significant number of Afghans are uncertain about where their next meal will come from. The World Food Program estimates that it needs an additional $617 million in immediate funding to supply aid packages to those in need by December 2024.
The report highlighted that the acute financial crisis following the Taliban’s return to power has jeopardized the program’s ability to deliver food aid across the country. Due to limited funding, the World Food Program can currently support only about one million people, leaving over 11 million others without essential assistance.
As malnutrition rates continue to rise, the agency warns that 1.4 million children and nursing mothers will be excluded from receiving specially fortified food packages due to funding constraints.
The report also emphasized that climate-related challenges are exacerbating the crisis, further complicating the situation for communities across Afghanistan. Singer Elaha Soroor on her anthem for Afghan women (Financial Times)
Financial Times [10/7/2024 11:38 PM, Simon Broughton, 14.2M, Neutral]
It’s a little over three years since the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan and the situation for Afghan women has steadily worsened. Women can’t attend secondary school and are forbidden from most paid work. A newly introduced law states that when they venture outside the home, women must be completely veiled, and their voices should not be heard in public. Data compiled by health workers in the country suggest that Afghanistan is now one of the few countries where more women commit suicide than men.
It’s to counter this suppression of women’s voices that UK-based Afghan singer Elaha Soroor has written “Naan, Kar, Azadi!” (“Bread, Work, Freedom!”). The song was premiered last month at the unprecedented All-Afghan Women Summit, attended by female activists and former politicians in Tirana, Albania. “I don’t want to preach to anybody, but I can talk about my own experience,” says Soroor, not her real name but a pseudonym which means “Goddess of Happiness”. “The song’s an expression of a woman’s struggle for autonomy, identity and liberation from the constraints imposed by patriarchal authority.”
Soroor was born in Iran, but her parents returned to Afghanistan following the fall of the Taliban in 2001. Despite strong disapproval from her parents, she became a singer and competed in the popular talent show Afghan Star in 2009. But this — and a hit she had with Afghan band Aryan — led to threats against her. She had stones thrown at her, was falsely accused of making a porn video and was ultimately forced to live in hiding. She left the country in 2010. “As soon as a woman is assertive and has a vision, it’s not acceptable in this misogynist society. If you wear make-up, express your femininity and particularly if you sing, you are a loose woman. In Afghanistan there is this problem that music leads you to being seen as a whore.”
In the UK, Soroor recorded her debut album Songs of Our Mothers in 2019 with the group Kefaya. It is a brilliant collection of female-oriented Afghan folk and popular songs in which the expressive power of her voice is clearly heard.
The music of “Naan, Kar, Azadi!” is her own and is performed with a band of six, including women on sax, drums and percussion, Kefaya’s Al MacSween on keyboard and Afghan musicians Asif Karimi on plucked dambora and Ramesh Karizi on dholak drum. Soroor also invited US-based Afghan rapper Sonita Alizadeh to contribute. They still haven’t met in person, but have been admiring each other’s music from afar. Alizadeh is best known for “Brides for Sale”, a rap against forced marriages — something she escaped from twice, aged 10 and 16. “I listened to Elaha’s voice, her message, and I was inspired to add more to encourage Afghan women to stand up for themselves,” says Alizadeh. “I didn’t add anything new but put more emphasis on what Elaha was saying: ‘Why should I be afraid, because I have not committed murder or robbed anyone? Stop threatening me, because I will not listen any more. I want to stand up for myself. In Afghanistan every whip has kissed my body and I’m still standing. You can ask the Hindu Kush mountains, the dusty road of Herat, I’m still standing strong like them.’”
Can a song change anything? “Definitely, if people are looking for change.”
Alizadeh cites as an example the Iranian song “Baraye”, written by Shervin Hajipour after the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022 in police custody, who was arrested for allegedly wearing her hijab improperly. The slogan “Women, Life, Freedom” was chanted at protests and included in the lyrics. It was declared “Best Song for Social Change” at the 2023 Grammy Awards and is clearly an inspiration for “Naan, Kar, Azadi!”.“The women of Afghanistan have to understand that nobody is going to empower them if they don’t empower themselves,” says Soroor. “If we hold each other’s hands and empower our children and teach them better, that’s the power of the mother in society and that can make the difference.”
Her song is in Farsi, but towards the end she uses the words of a lullaby in Pashto, the other main language in Afghanistan. This is a tribute to her maternal grandmother, who was kidnapped by her grandfather to be his bride and died by suicide when Soroor’s mother was still young. One of the few things she knows about her was that she spoke a different language, which she assumes was Pashto. The lyric goes: “Grandmother, grandmother, push the swing/So high that it becomes remarkable./If I get cold up there,/My mother’s warm embrace will hold me.”“I think that sentiment is so beautiful. It gives me goosebumps every time I think about this image,” says Soroor.
Her own parents are still in Afghanistan: does her mother know about her singing this song? “No, she doesn’t know. We don’t talk about what I do. . . My parents love me, but they disapprove of my singing. The reason they disapprove is because they’re surrounded by people who disapprove of what I’m doing. They only hear Taliban propaganda and it goes inside your brain. If my parents were living in London, it would be different.”
The tightening repression of women under the Taliban has been widely condemned and the Afghan Women’s Summit declared it “gender apartheid”. But in a way, Sonita Alizadeh welcomes it: “In truth, I was happy when they created these restrictions because I want them to show that this is who they really are,” she says. “I am mostly disappointed in our people, not in the Taliban, because they are cavemen. Afghan people say Afghanistan is the land of lions. They should prove it. You can’t be afraid of being killed because living under the Taliban regime is dying every day, to be honest, especially for women. So I’m shocked that our people, especially men, are so quiet. If they want to live freely they have to take the risk.”
Since the return of the Taliban, there have been protests by women in Afghanistan shouting “Naan, Kar, Azadi!”, but since 2023 they have largely stopped. People in Afghanistan do have access to the internet, and music is shared on YouTube, WhatsApp and Messenger, so Soroor believes the song will be widely heard.“In Afghanistan, it’s not done to talk about your emotions,” she says. “But as a musician, as a singer I think I can enter people’s subconscious and make them feel differently.” Pakistan
SCO summit in Pakistan faces security concerns following Karachi attack (Nikkei Asia)
Nikkei Asia [10/8/2024 4:35 AM, Adnan Aamir, 2.4M, Neutral]
The Sunday attack on Chinese personnel near a Karachi airport has raised questions about Islamabad’s security lapses in protecting Chinese nationals, putting Pakistan under pressure as it hosts the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) later this month.
According to airport sources, 40 Chinese nationals arrived in Karachi on a flight on Sunday night. This group included personnel of Port Qasim Electric Power Co, who were targeted in the attack. The company operates two 660 megawatt coal power plants in the city, which are part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the $50 billion Pakistan component of the Belt and Road.
The security measures for all Chinese nationals were beefed up after an attack on Chinese engineers in the north of Pakistan this March.
"Attacks on Chinese nationals take place frequently in sensitive locations," Kiyya Baloch, an independent security analyst, told Nikkei Asia. "Security agencies need to seriously consider why this keeps on happening," he added.
This security failure marks trouble for the Pakistan government which is hosting the summit of SCO’s Council of Heads of Government on Oct. 15-16. SCO is a Eurasian political, economic and security organization comprising 10 members including China and Russia.
"Islamabad must now be bracing for diplomatic pressure and economic consequences. Such a high-profile attack only a week before the SCO summit risk undermining the country’s image on an international stage," Khuram Iqbal, an Islamabad-based counterterrorism expert and author of "The Making of Pakistani Human Bombs," told Nikkei.
This attack once again highlights the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist militant group that has turned out to be the prime instigator of attacks on Chinese interests in Pakistan since the inception of CPEC.
BLA claimed responsibility for Sunday’s attack and said that a high-level delegation of Chinese engineers and investors was targeted in the attack.
BLA seeks independence for the southwestern province of Balochistan. This group has launched deadly attacks targeting the Chinese consulate in Karachi in 2018, the Chinese-owned Pakistan Stock Market in 2020, and a suicide attack on Chinese teachers at the University of Karachi in 2022.
Pakistan alleges that India and other countries hostile to Pakistan fund BLA. India denies this allegation.
Experts say that BLA’s operations continue to be more sophisticated with each passing day.
"The success of BLA indicates that Islamabad’s disproportionate reliance on kinetic counter-terrorism is failing," said Iqbal, the counterterrorism expert. "Suppression of legitimate avenues of dissent is clearly leading to growing recruitment for terrorist organizations," he added.
Baloch, the security analyst, agrees.
"Despite heightened security measures, the BLA’s ongoing targeting of Chinese nationals highlights both their persistence and capability to exploit vulnerabilities in Pakistan’s security apparatus," he said.
Baloch added that BLA has transitioned from a rural insurgent group to a more coordinated urban insurgent group. "This transition is a very alarming escalation by BLA to challenge the state and even target its most sensitive locations," he added.
Experts say that Beijing is visibly upset with the continuous attack on its nationals in Pakistan.
"China will of course renew its call to deploy its security personnel in Pakistan," said Baloch. "This would, I think, signal Beijing’s diminishing trust in Pakistan’s ability to safeguard its citizens and infrastructure projects," he added.
Iqbal fears it will be difficult for Pakistan to agree to this demand of Beijing.
"Islamabad is unlikely to permit the deployment of Chinese Security personnel as it raises concerns about sovereignty, control and societal backlash," Iqbal said.
A Pakistani security official, talking to Nikkei on condition of anonymity, defended the security arrangements to protect the Chinese.
"We have thwarted countless terrorist attacks and if one goes through it is blown out of proportion, as security lapse," the official said. "Pakistani security forces will go after anti-China militants with a new resolve and we will hunt them down," the official added. Chinese Targeted in Karachi Airport Bombing (Newsweek)
Newsweek [10/7/2024 7:10 AM, Shamim Chowdhury, 6765K, Negative]
A separatist group in Pakistan has said it was behind the bombing of a convoy of Chinese nationals outside Karachi’s main airport, which resulted in the deaths of two Chinese workers and injured eight others.The Baloch Liberation Army said the attack, which occurred in the southern port city late on Sunday night, was the work of a suicide bomber.The attack comes a week before Pakistan is set to host a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a security alliance founded by China and Russia to counter Western influence, raising significant concerns about the Pakistani government’s ability to ensure security for high-profile events and foreign nationals.Police officers who were escorting the convoy when the explosion occurred were among the injured.Pakistani news channels have aired footage showing flames engulfing vehicles and a thick plume of smoke rising from the scene, as troops and police cordoned off the area.Counterterrorism officials are investigating how the attacker was able to penetrate security in Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city.Junaid Baloch, a spokesperson for the BLA, said the bomber specifically targeted a convoy of Chinese engineers and investors leaving the airport.The BLA, which is mainly based in the tumultuous southwestern province of Balochistan, has attacked foreign nationals and security forces across Pakistan in the past.The Chinese Embassy in Islamabad confirmed that the convoy included staff members from the Port Qasim Electric Power Company, a coal-powered plant developed through a joint venture between China and Pakistan.Pakistani security officials indicated that a bomb disposal unit had cleared the road outside the airport prior to the convoy’s movement.However, to avoid inconveniencing residents and travelers, the road had not been fully blocked, according to officials who spoke to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the bombing, calling it a "heinous terrorist attack" and extending condolences to the families of the victims.Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif described the attackers as "enemies of Pakistan" and assured that they would face punishment."I strongly condemn this heinous act and offer my heartfelt condolences to the Chinese leadership & the people of China," he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "Pakistan stands committed to safeguarding our Chinese friends. We will leave no stone unturned to ensure their security & well-being."Both Pakistan and the United States have designated the BLA, which is thought to have about 3,000 fighters, as a terrorist organization. The group regularly targets Pakistani security forces.Analysts say the group’s ability to launch high-profile attacks has increased in recent years, raising the possibility of further assaults, especially as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit approaches.PowerChina Resource Ltd., which is part of the Power Construction Corporation of China, owns the Port Qasim Electric Power Company and is coordinating responses to the incident.Thousands of Chinese workers reside in Pakistan as part of Beijing’s multibillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative, which funds major infrastructure projects across the country.The BLA has long waged an insurgency as it seeks independence for Balochistan, frequently warning against the involvement of Chinese nationals in the region.In August, a series of deadly assaults killed more than 50 people in Balochistan, where attackers targeted Chinese-funded development projects.Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest yet least populated province, is rich in oil and minerals and home to an ethnic Baloch minority that has accused the central government of discrimination and exploitation. Why Chinese workers are under attack from militants in Afghanistan and Pakistan (The Independent)
The Independent [10/7/2024 8:41 AM, Arpan Rai, 53826K, Negative]
As Chinese workers and development projects increasingly come under attack in Pakistan, security experts say separatist militants see the foreign presence as a threat to local resources and their grip on the restive South West.
Two Chinese nationals were killed in a bombing near the international airport of the southern Pakistani city of Karachi on Sunday. The attack, which took place around 11pm outside Pakistan’s Jinnah International Airport, targeted a van of Chinese nationals, just a week before the high-level Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
Shortly after, separatist militant group, Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), from Pakistan’s troubled southwestern Balochistan province claimed responsibility, stating that it used a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device targeting "a high-level convoy of Chinese engineers and investors".
China has supported its smaller Asian allies Pakistan and Afghanistan with financial and infrastructure aid for decades and invested significantly in its defence and technology. But its resources are now prime targets for dozens of terrorist groups in the region, experts said.
"Sunday night’s attack is part of a larger pattern of attacks by Baloch separatist militants and Pakistani Taliban factions targeting Chinese nationals and interests in Pakistan," said security analyst Ihsanullah Tipu Mehsud.
This is one of the biggest terrorist attacks since 2018 targeting Chinese workers in Pakistan, Mr Mehsud told The Independent, including the November 2018 attack on Karachi Chinese Consulatewhich killed four, July 2021’s Dasu suicide attack which killed nine Chinese nationals, BLA’s attack on the Pakistan Stock Exchange in June 2020, and their suicide attack in April 2023 which killed three Chinese tutors.
This is the second major attack on Chinese nationals. Earlier in March, a suicide car bombing killed five Chinese workers in Pakistan’s Shangla district. The Chinese engineers, who were employed on the site of a hydropower project in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, were on their way to the Dasu Dam In Afghanistan. The December 2022 attacktargeted Kabul’s China Town and wounded five Chinese nationals in a hotel where Beijing’s investors were staying.
"The Baloch militants’ propaganda is heavily focused on Chinese presence in Balochistan and they consider it as a threat to their influence and resources. They believe China’s financial and technical assistance to Pakistan strengthens the government’s grip on the region, undermining their activities and influence," said Mr Mehsud, who is also the co-founder of The Khorasan Diary, a digital news and research platform specialising in tracking and analysing militancy in the region.
This perception fuels their attacks on Chinese nationals, investments, and projects, he added.
"This is not merely an attack but a larger security and intelligence failure by Pakistan in protecting Chinese nationals, mostly engineers working on major projects," said Abdullah Khan, a senior defence analyst and managing director of the Islamabad-based Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies.
"They also show something critical: most of the attacks are moving targets and vehicles in transit carrying workers," he said, adding that it meant there was obviously a security breach.
The BLA seeks independence for the province of Balochistan, located in Pakistan’s southwest and bordering on Afghanistan and Iran. BLA specifically targets Chinese interests, in particular the strategic port of Gwadar on the Arabian Sea, accusing Beijing of helping Islamabad exploit the province.
Security issues have affected China’s billions of planned investments, including under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor which is part of Chinese president Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road.
In August prime minister Shehbaz Sharif said the attacks by separatist militants were aimed at stopping development projects that form part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). "The terrorists want to stop CPEC and development projects," he said in a televised address to cabinet, adding that the militants also wanted to drive a wedge between Islamabad and Beijing.
But the predictable civilian losses will not deter China from sending its nationals to the region, Mr Khan added, stating that Mr Xi visited Pakistan in April 2015 for the massive CPEC project investment when the country was facing its worst surge in terrorism.
"The Chinese are very much aware that this is a conflict zone where they are pursuing these projects because when they had started the CPEC in Pakistan in 2015, that was the time Pakistan was facing the highest degree of terrorism in the country with tremendous terrorist attacks in 2014," Mr Khan said.
"Their investment projects are development projects in Pakistan which they will continue despite these challenges," he said.
Pakistan is preparing to host the SCO summit in capital Islamabad, which was roiled by protests and clashes over the weekend between police and supporters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan. High-level Chinese representation and the first visit by an Indian foreign minister in a decade are expected at the summit next week, which authorities have vowed to secure. Protests Spread in Pakistan After Taxes Rise Under IMF Bailout (Bloomberg)
Bloomberg [10/7/2024 10:30 PM, Faseeh Mangi, 27782K, Negative]
On paper, Pakistan’s deal with the International Monetary Fund for a $7 billion bailout seemed like an inevitability. A period of crushing inflation, depleted foreign currency reserves and other economic shocks pushed the South Asian nation to the brink of default.But locking down the funds recently might have been the easy part.The finer print of the IMF program, which included increasing taxes by a record 40%, has caused panic across Pakistan. Leading to the deal, electricity prices jumped threefold for some people and the price of milk in Karachi surpassed what it would cost in Paris. Many Pakistanis now spend more than half of their income on food. And items from rice to shoes are increasingly out of reach for an already shrinking middle class.“People simply have no power to buy,” said Niaz Muhammad, who sells produce in an affluent area of Islamabad, the capital. Customers who used to purchase fruits and vegetables from him daily are now doing so only a couple of times a week, he said. “It’s not just me facing this. Everybody is.”Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose coalition government has only been in power for seven months, is urging patience in a country that can no longer keep up. Over the past few years, Pakistan has lurched from one crisis to the next, including a tempestuous period of political unrest and deadly floods that caused billions of dollars in damage.For a stretch, Pakistan reported Asia’s highest inflation rate. Though consumer prices have somewhat moderated this year, the cost of essentials continues to inflict pain. Incomes aren’t rising and purchasing power has roughly halved or more over the past five years. Inflation, which averaged 23% or so in the last fiscal year, is far higher than the average salary hike of 5% to 10% for Pakistan’s vast population of daily wage earners, according to government data.In an interview with a local broadcaster, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb acknowledged “transitional pain” from the IMF bailout. “But if we are to make it the last program,” he said, “then we have to carry out structural reforms.”The IMF has also publicly defended terms of the deal. In a column, Esther Perez Ruiz, the lender’s resident representative, pointed out that Pakistan’s economic metrics have broadly improved over the past year and the momentum must be sustained.“Further efforts are essential to meet the aspiration for a better life for a broader spectrum of the Pakistani people,” she wrote recently for The News International, a local media outlet.A pivotal question now is whether Pakistanis will bear the higher tax rates or mobilize for yet another change of government. Protesters appear on the streets regularly to vent their frustrations at Sharif and a political establishment they believe has looted them for decades without a payoff. The latest IMF program, which was secured two weeks ago, is the 25th time Pakistan has received bailout money since achieving independence.Authorities will also want to avoid the kind of deadly protests that gripped Kenya in June and July, and that forced the government there to reverse tax hikes linked to IMF-backed austerity measures, putting billions of dollars of funding from the Washington-based lender at risk.In a recent policy note, Moody’s Ratings warned that “a resurgence of social tensions on the back of high cost of living” could make it more difficult for Pakistan to implement reforms agreed upon with the IMF. Beyond a 40% general tax hike, Pakistani officials plan to increase taxes on agricultural income and within the retail sector.Electricity prices are an especially sensitive issue, roiling rich and poor alike. In a recent video on social media, the popular actor Rashid Mehmood held up his inflated electricity bill and said he no longer wanted to live anymore.“This has become too much,” he said.Outside a hospital in Karachi, Ashrat Bano, 55, a cleaner in the building, expressed similar frustration. Electricity is now her biggest monthly expense. She routinely borrows money to support a family of four.“I can’t pay it,” Bano said.While almost nobody disputes that Pakistan needs to widen its tax base – the South Asian nation has one of the world’s lowest tax-to-GDP ratios at about 9% – the latest budget has triggered an uproar. Though taxes have risen for the middle class, there’s been no cut in state expenses for the new fiscal year, which started in July. Revenue generated from salaried Pakistanis fills 42% of the government’s tax coffers.Private companies aren’t happy either. Pakistan’s current corporate tax of about 30% is among the highest anywhere. Exporters who were protected for decades by the government because they earned valuable dollars were also brought into the existing tax regime — bumping their tax rate from 1% to 29%.Eighteen export associations published front page advertisements for multiple days in a row in leading newspapers to protest the move.To meet the moment, multinational companies are resorting to “shrinkflation.” Nestle SA and Procter & Gamble Co. have reduced the purchasable quantities of products including yogurt and diapers. PepsiCo Inc.’s Aquafina launched a more compact water bottle two years ago. And bread is available in smaller loaves, including a four-slice one.Ali Khizar, head of research at Business Recorder, said it’s hard to find a bright spot these days for salaried workers. Car sales are the lowest in two decades. The price of air conditioners has doubled over the past couple of years. And Pakistan’s best and brightest are moving out of the country at a record pace.Though the new taxes will help tame inflation, he said, the economic slowdown will continue.“The misery of the middle and lower middle class is not likely to go away anytime soon,” Khizar said. Pakistan bans prominent Pashtun rights group citing security concerns (Al Jazeera)
Al Jazeera [10/7/2024 6:19 AM, Staff, 25768K, Neutral]
Pakistan has banned the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM), or Pashtun Protection Movement, a prominent rights group, listing it as a "proscribed organisation".
A notification issued by the federal government on Sunday said the PTM was "engaged in certain activities which are prejudicial to the peace and security of the country".
Pashtuns are a distinct ethnic group with their own Pashto language, living mostly in Pakistan and Afghanistan but divided by the colonial-drawn Durand Line that splits the two countries.
The movement, founded in 2014, advocates for the rights of ethnic Pashtuns affected by Pakistan’s war against the Taliban and its local affiliate, Pakistan Taliban, known by the acronym TTP.
PTM is known for its strident criticism of Pakistan’s powerful military for its role in alleged enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings of rights activists and ethnic leaders.
PTM, which is not a political party, has at its peak pulled tens of thousands of people to largely peaceful rallies demanding better protection from the state. It said more than 200 activists have been arrested in recent days in advance of a jirga, or a council of elders, planned for later this week.
Pakistani authorities have in recent months attempted to curtail dissent - clamping down on the street power of jailed opposition leader and former Prime Minister Imran Khan after he led a wave of criticism against the powerful military and intelligence services.
At the weekend, the capital was on lockdown with entry and exit points blocked and mobile phone services cut as Khan supporters attempted to protest. The demonstrations came weeks after the government introduced a new protest law that limits gatherings.‘Extreme decision’
The independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) asked for the withdrawal of the ban on the PTM.
"HRCP condemns the government’s decision to proscribe the PTM, a rights-based movement that has never resorted to violence and always used the framework of the Constitution to advocate its cause," it said in a post on X.
"This extreme decision was neither transparent nor warranted."
Pakistan has long grappled with violence in the border areas near Afghanistan, with attacks on the rise since the Taliban seized power in Kabul in 2021.
The country is just days away from hosting several heads of government for a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting, a bloc established by Russia and China to deepen ties with Central Asian states. Pakistan bans Pashtun group as government cracks down on dissent (The Guardian)
The Guardian [10/7/2024 8:03 AM, Hannah Ellis-Petersen, 92374K, Negative]
Pakistani authorities have unleashed a draconian crackdown on dissent, breaking up opposition protests with violence and mass arrests and banning a movement to promote the rights of the ethnic Pashtun community under terrorism laws.
Hundreds of riot police fired teargas and charged with batons as supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the party of the incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan, gathered to protest over the weekend in the cities of Islamabad and Lahore.
Dozens of PTI figures, including prominent leaders and lawyers, were arrested and hundreds more were charged under terrorism laws, with Khan among those named.
Khan’s supporters took to the streets to demand the release of their leader and to call for an independent judiciary. Khan, 72, has been held in jail since August 2023 on upwards of 100 charges of corruption and terrorism that he alleges are politically motivated. Khan was earlier sentenced to 10 years for leaking state secrets but the courts overturned the verdict.
The weekend’s events marked a notable escalation of a crackdown on PTI that started several months ago. The crackdown began before February’s election, which was marred by allegations against the military establishment that it had rigged results to prevent the PTI from taking power.
Among the senior PTI figures picked up by authorities on the weekend was Ali Amin Gandapur, the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. His party alleged he was "disappeared" from Islamabad for more than 24 hours before reappearing on Sunday night in parliament, where he claimed he had been held by police and paramilitary forces.
On Sunday night, the interior ministry suddenly announced that the government would be banning the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), a peaceful organisation that has long championed the rights of Pakistan’s ethnic Pashtuns.
PTM has been highly critical of Pakistan’s powerful military establishment and its role in abuses and enforced disappearances in the Pashtun-dominated areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
In a brief statement, the ministry said that PTM had been declared a terrorist organisation due to "certain activities that are prejudicial to the peace and security of the country". Pakistan’s human rights commission condemned the ban, emphasising that PTM was a peaceful organisation and describing the government’s decision as "neither transparent nor warranted".
PTM has recently begun to mobilise in large numbers and had planned a historic three-day national gathering this week in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The national gathering was planned as a response to the worsening security situation and increase in militant attacks in the region, as well as to challenge abuses committed by the military against Pashtuns. In an unusual move, PTI and other opposition parties had agreed to join the event in a show of unity.
Hundreds of PTM members have been arrested in recent days, and the organisation’s founder and leader, Manzoor Pashteen, is now in hiding. Fida Wazir, a PTM leader, said the group still intended to go ahead with the event, despite police and paramilitary forces attempting to break it up with violence and by setting fire to their camps.
"We will challenge the illegal ban in the court tomorrow," said Wazir. "We are hopeful that the court will overturn the unjust and unconstitutional ban."
The government is taking an increasingly iron-fisted approach to all forms of opposition even as it is weakened by growing economic and security problems.
It is ruled by an unwieldy coalition of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and its former rival the Pakistan People’s party (PPP), and is seen as weak and beholden to the powerful military, which has long been accused of interfering in political affairs. The prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, is increasingly unpopular with the public as the country grapples with sky-high inflation and an economic crisis.
Militant attacks have continued to rise in Pakistan’s border areas in the aftermath of the Taliban takeover of neighbouring Afghanistan, with little sign of the security situation improving. Almost 1,000 people have been killed in militant attacks and counter-terrorism operations in the past three months alone, the majority in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and neighbouring Balochistan.
Senior figures in PML-N have repeatedly sought to blame Khan and PTI for the country’s woes. In July, the government said they would be banning Khan’s party but have yet to act on the threat.
This week, Maryam Nawaz, the PML-N chief minister of Punjab and the niece of the prime minister, said PTI was a "terrorist group that repeatedly is attacking its own country", adding: "The state should treat the PTI like terrorists - otherwise, it will be too late." India
US State Dept okays defense sales to India, Italy, Romania for $965 million (Reuters)
Reuters [10/7/2024 3:22 PM, Kanishka Singh, 37270K, Neutral]
The U.S. State Department approved possible military sales to Italy, India and Romania for a combined total of $965 million, the Pentagon said on Monday.The potential sales are: India for MK 54 MOD 0 Lightweight Torpedoes for $175 million; Romania for sentinel radar systems for $110 million; and Italy for electronic attack mission system for $680 million, the Pentagon said in separate statements.The principal contractor will be RTX Corp (RTX.N) for the Romania sale and BAE Systems (BAES.L) for the Italy sale. Below the surface in a ‘new Kashmir,’ anger over repression by India (Washington Post)
Washington Post [10/7/2024 12:52 PM, Karishma Mehrotra and Shams Irfan, 52865K, Neutral]
Shuttered movie theaters are now open, as are new cafes, market roads and sports facilities. Government schools have been renamed after police officers. A train line connecting the Kashmiri capital Srinagar and Delhi is almost ready to open. The Indian flag is everywhere.After decades of violent conflict between separatists and Indian authorities that killed thousands, the Indian government now speaks of a “new Kashmir.”But these snapshots mask a feeling of repression voiced by residents across Kashmir. Since the Indian government revoked the region’s special autonomy in 2019, Kashmiris deemed too vocal or too close to separatists have been fired, jailed or warned to stay silent.After a six-year delay, Kashmir is holding elections for the local legislature. About half of Kashmir’s eligible residents, according to official poll numbers, have cast their votes over the past few weeks.In a region previously known for its election boycotts, even former separatists are running for office because, many Kashmiris say, there is no other way to be heard. The results are due Tuesday.“The establishment interpretation is that they are coming out in such droves because democracy has been restored,” said Siddiq Wahid, a history professor at India’s Shiv Nadar University who is from Kashmir. “Nothing could be further from the truth. The voter turnout is a keen realization of the fact that enough is enough.”An absent sense of safetyFor three decades, stone-throwing Kashmiri protesters regularly clashed with security forces outside Mohammed Saleem Anfal’s business. It got so bad, he said, that he eagerly made regular trips to Delhi and even spent his honeymoon there.Decades earlier, Srinagar, a picturesque city surrounded by mountains, had been the go-to honeymoon spot for many Indians, but tourists stayed away as violence brewed. Now, Indians are again considering Kashmir for honeymoons. And the absence of clashes has allowed Anfal, 46, to grow his pharmaceutical business, he said.But even with the new malls and tourists, he added, a “sense of safety is still missing.”Kashmir, a Muslim-majority region, was granted its special status after Britain in 1947 partitioned colonial India into two countries, India and Pakistan, and the leader of the region called Jammu and Kashmir decided to unite with India instead of Pakistan at the time of their independence. Since then, India and Pakistan have fought two wars over the Himalayan region. Each country now administers separate parts of it while claiming all of it. Decades of separatist movements in India’s part of Kashmir were triggered in 1987 by an allegedly rigged election.In 2019, the Indian government revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s autonomous status and clamped down on the region, jailing thousands. Opposition politicians, journalists, lawyers and civil rights activists have since been arrested under stringent laws that allow detentions without trial. A local nonprofit, the Forum for Human Rights in Jammu and Kashmir, estimates more than 2,700 people were arrested between 2020 and 2023. Journalists have had their passports revoked and their newsrooms raided. Srinagar’s shuttered Press Club is now a police office.While ending the special autonomy for the region, India’s government converted it into a union territory. Government officials have promised that the region will eventually be given statehood again.But as a result of the 2019 decision, legislators elected during the current contest will have no power over matters of public order or police and will need approval from the lieutenant governor appointed by New Delhi for any financial decisions.“To call this a democratic exercise would be wrong,” said a Kashmiri journalist with a prominent newspaper who spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid potential repercussions. “It’s a cosmetic success.”And it’s the only way, residents say, to express their dissatisfaction. In previous elections, “people would not vote out of anger and fear,” said Imtiyaz Ahmed Dar, a construction business owner. “Now, people are coming to vote driven by fear and anger.”Genuine or enforced peace?Senior Indian government officials who oversee the region offer a much more upbeat perspective. In interviews, they said the increased arrests and other security measures have curtailed the violence and blocked Pakistan’s influence, adding that only a few bad actors have been detained, to prevent them from continuing to express “anti-India” thoughts that violate the country’s constitution.“No country can allow people to speak against national security or national integrity. Any feeling of a lack of freedom is a very small proportion. And if they want freedom for terrorism and anti-national activity, that won’t be allowed,” said one official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity so he could speak freely. “It’s a narrative created by political parties. Kashmiris know that the future of Kashmir is with India.”The official provided a litany of examples of new investments and development projects that have transformed the region.In recent days, the Indian government sponsored a trip for more than a dozen foreign diplomats to witness the election activities. South Korea’s deputy chief of mission told Indian state media that they are seeing “democracy working.”But journalists with foreign passports were not granted permission to travel to the region during the election period so they could cover the voting, and some outside experts are expressing skepticism about the value of the elections.“We are watching an event unfold that is choreographed as a romance, but it is in actuality horrific,” said Angana Chatterji, a South Asia scholar at the University of California at Berkeley. “The votes are a plea for a voice, for visibility, and an act of resistance.”There is also some skepticism about the official claims of newfound economic success. Haseeb Drabu, Jammu and Kashmir’s former finance minister, said that investors are aware that “the absence of armed insurgency does not necessarily mean peace.”Shakeel Qalandar, who runs a woodworking business, said he has seen factories close all around him, while the unemployment level soars. The tourism boost is tremendous, he said, but it’s a fragile “deck of cards” resting on a “temporary, enforced peace.”He added, “Dignity and respect will always be more important than development.”Running from behind barsFor two weeks, 16-year-old Sugra Barkati, wearing a black head covering and black gloves, has campaigned on behalf of her jailed father, hoping that if he is elected, he’ll be freed. Her father, Sarjan Barkati, known locally as “Freedom Uncle,” was arrested twice in the past six years for holding rallies against India and charged with funding terrorism.On a recent day, a crowd ran to Sugra, kissing her hand, some in tears, screaming, “We will vote for your father, and he will be out of jail soon.” A group of young boys under the shade of walnut trees chanted, “We will avenge jail with votes.”Twenty-five miles north, surrounded by nearly ripe apple orchards, two other daughters passed out campaign pamphlets. Aira, a 5-year-old in a pink dress, doesn’t remember her father. He was jailed just two months after her birth on charges of supporting an armed insurgency.“My sister tells me if he wins, he will come home. I want him to win,” she said. Modi’s Support Tested as Two Indian Provinces Begin Vote Counts (Bloomberg)
Bloomberg [10/7/2024 10:30 PM, Swati Gupta, 27782K, Negative]
India began counting votes in two northern provinces Tuesday, with exit polls predicting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party would trail in both as voters worry over jobs and incomes.In Haryana, a relatively small state in the Hindi-speaking belt of the country, Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party has governed for a decade — but it’s now at risk of losing control of the 90-seat legislature as farmers in the largely rural province turn against the BJP.In Jammu and Kashmir, the only Muslim majority province in Hindu-dominant India, voters want Modi’s government to restore the region to a fully fledged state, where the 90-seat legislature would have control over key functions like policing and healthcare. Modi’s government downgraded the region to a union territory in 2019, putting it under the control of the central government in New Delhi.Counting of the votes in both provinces began at 8 a.m. local time. The elections took place on separate days in September and October.The BJP’s main opposition in the provincial elections is the Indian National Congress, which dented Modi’s support in recent national polls, preventing his party from winning a clear majority in the parliament.In Jammu and Kashmir, the Congress party has formed an alliance with a regional party, which exit polls show will come close to the majority mark. The BJP has promised investment and tens of thousands of jobs in the province, which has been isolated for decades due to political instability in the region. Votes are being counted in the election for a truncated government in Indian-controlled Kashmir (AP)
AP [10/8/2024 3:52 AM, Staff, 456K, Neutral]
Votes were being counted Tuesday in the recent election for a largely powerless local government in Indian-controlled Kashmir, the first since Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government stripped the disputed region of its special status five years ago.Thousands of additional police and paramilitary soldiers patrolled roads and guarded 28 counting centers as officials tallied votes. A final result was expected to be declared later Tuesday by the region’s electoral office.
Nearly 8.9 million people were eligible to vote in the election that began on Sept. 18 and concluded on Oct. 1. The overall turnout was 64% across the three phases, according to official data.
It was first such vote in a decade and the first since Modi’s Hindu nationalist government scrapped the Muslim-majority region’s long-held semi-autonomy in 2019.
The unprecedented move downgraded and divided the former state into two centrally governed union territories, Ladakh and Jammu-Kashmir. Both are ruled directly by New Delhi through its appointed administrators along with unelected bureaucrats and security setup. The move — which largely resonated in India and among Modi supporters — was mostly opposed in Kashmir as an assault on its identity and autonomy amid fears that it would pave way for demographic changes in the region.
The region has since been on edge with civil liberties curbed and media gagged.
India and Pakistan each administer a part of Kashmir, but both claim the territory in its entirety. The nuclear-armed rivals have fought two of their three wars over the territory since they gained independence from British colonial rule in 1947.
Early results may give an indication of the vote’s direction. However, exit polls by major television channels in last two days projected the regional National Conference emerging as a single largest party followed by the Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party. Such mandate is likely to be seen as a referendum against Modi’s 2019 move.
The National Conference fought the election in alliance with India’s main opposition Congress party.
Their coalition may still need support of some seats to form the government, that is likely to come from Peoples Democratic Party, another Kashmiri group. Five seats are appointed and 90 elected, so a party or coalition would need at least 48 of the 95 total seats to form a government.
The vote will allow Kashmir to have its own truncated government and a regional legislature, called an assembly, rather than being directly under New Delhi’s rule.
However, there will be a limited transition of power from New Delhi to the assembly as Kashmir will remain a “union territory” — directly controlled by the federal government — with India’s Parliament as its main legislator. Kashmir’s statehood must be restored for the new government to have powers similar to other states of India.
The region’s last assembly election was held in 2014, after which the BJP for the first time ruled in a coalition with the local Peoples Democratic Party. But the government collapsed in 2018, after the BJP withdrew from the coalition.Polls in the past have been marked with violence, boycotts and vote-rigging, even though India called them a victory over separatism.
Militants in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir have been fighting New Delhi’s rule since 1989. Many Muslim Kashmiris support the rebels’ goal of uniting the territory, either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country.
India insists the Kashmir militancy is Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. Pakistan denies the charge, and many Kashmiris consider it a legitimate freedom struggle. Tens of thousands of civilians, rebels and government forces have been killed in the conflict. Indian foreign minister promises to ‘behave himself’ on rare Pakistan visit (The Independent)
The Independent [10/7/2024 8:29 AM, Shweta Sharma, 53826K, Neutral]
Indian foreign minister S Jaishankar has said that he will "behave himself" during his upcoming trip to Pakistan, marking the first visit by a top official to the rival countryin almost a decade.
New Delhi confirmed that Mr Jaishankar will travel to Islamabad on 15-16 October for the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, or SCO, a transregional grouping led by China, in place of prime minister Narendra Modi.
The visit marks a significant moment in regional diplomacy as relations between the rival neighbours have remained tense since they gained independence from the British in 1947.
In spite of periods of relative peace and normalcy, the animosity has grown over the years with the two nations fighting multiple wars and frequently suspending trade and cultural ties.
Relations have been almost frozen since India carried out crossborder airstrikes in Pakistan in early 2019, a few weeks after a car bombing killed at least 46 Indian paramilitary personnel in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir.
Speaking about his maiden visit to Islamabad, Mr Jaishankar emphasised that the agenda is not to address bilateral issues. "It will be for a multilateral event. I’m not going there to discuss India-Pakistan relations. I’m going there to be a good member of the SCO," he said.
"But, you know, since I’m a courteous and civil person, I will behave myself accordingly."
He made the remarks on the sidelines of an event in New Delhi on Saturday. "I am scheduled to go to Pakistan in the middle of this month for the SCO Summit. Normally, the prime minister would have gone," he said.
Although Mr Jaishankar downplayed expectations of a discussion on bilateral relations, the mere presence of Indian and Pakistani leaders in the same room is likely to attract attention.
Observers see this as a moment for cautious optimism as multilateral platforms often serve as conduits for behind-the-scenes engagements, even in the absence of formal dialogue.
Michael Kugelman, senior programme associate for South Asia at the Woodrow Wilson International Centre, argued that the significance of the visit for India-Pakistan relations "shouldn’t be overlooked".
"2019 was a disastrous year for India-Pakistan relations. 2020 brought the pandemic. 2021 yielded a new LoC truce, which has helped keep ties relatively stable-a cold peace-despite continued tensions," he said.
"It’s in this environment that Jaishankar’s visit was able to go forward."
The last Indian foreign minister who visited Pakistan was the late Sushma Swaraj. She attended the Heart of Asia Conference in December 2015 and her visit was followed by Mr Modi’s surprise stopover in Lahorewhere he met then prime minister Nawaz Sharif.
Pakistan’s then foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari visited India last year to attend a SCO ministerial meeting in Goa. He and Mr Jaishankar exchanged heated statements at the main event and did n0t hold any bilateral talks.
The SCO was founded by China, Russia and four Central Asian countries in 2001 in Shanghai. It has since expanded to include nine member states in Eurasia. The summit agenda of the SCO is typically focused on issues such as regional security, counterterrorism, and economic cooperation. Does India Offer a Glimmer of Hope for Democracy? (New York Times)
New York Times [10/7/2024 4:14 PM, David Belcher, 831K, Neutral]
Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India was elected to a third term in office in June, but his Bharatiya Janata Party failed to win a simple majority in the lower house of Parliament, surprising political observers inside and outside the country.
With the B.J.P. winning only 240 of the 543 seats, far short of the 300 that party members had hoped for, Mr. Modi now leads a coalition government.
India and the Allure of Modi, a panel discussion at the Athens Democracy Forum on Oct. 3, addressed this issue, focusing on the appeal — and the shifting role — of this galvanizing figure and the future of Hindu nationalism that had cemented much of his power.
Ahead of the Democracy conference, two of the panelists, Yamini Aiyar and Maya Tudor, were interviewed by video for their take on Mr. Modi’s future and what it portends for the world’s largest democracy and for other democracies facing elections. Ms. Aiyar is a visiting senior fellow at the Saxena Center for Contemporary South Asia at Brown University and Ms. Tudor is the professor of politics and public policy at the Blavatnik School of Government, and a fellow at St. Hilda’s College, both at Oxford University. The panel was moderated by Jyoti Thottam, senior editor and member of The New York Times editorial board.
The interviews were edited and condensed.
What is the allure of Narendra Modi, and how has it evolved?
MAYA TUDOR Modi came to power in 2014 on the heels of several corruption scandals that had marred the previous governments. He was able to nationalize a strategy he had really honed in the state of Gujarat when he was the chief minister, which was to polarize in places where doing so reaped political dividends.
There is some indication that Modi’s promise of delivery has not been realized. India is growing, but at the same time prices are rising. And I think we saw there were lots of voters in that district who said that, yes, we have a new expensive Hindu temple, but prices are still rising. We still don’t have a great deal of jobs. And bread and butter concerns will trump all of that with time. And that’s what we saw in the most recent election, that some of that allure, some of that golden sheen, has begun to dull a bit.
YAMINI AIYAR Modi is, as all successful politicians are, an extremely charismatic leader — positioning himself as a grass-roots leader, someone from a relatively deprived caste community and presenting himself as an alternative to the elite. The second aspect of his appeal has a lot to do with how he also positioned himself as a strongman leader, but a kind of aspirational oriented strongman leader. Modi very effectively deployed a language of opportunity, of aspirations, of looking to the future, which is very different for Indian politics.
Modi is an extremely clever politician. And while he has picked up from the populist playbook from across the world in terms of how he deals with dissent, how he deals with political opposition, he has also been very effective in deploying the cult of his personality and seeking legitimization with voters.
One of the tools he uses for a country like India at our stage of development has been welfare politics and welfare schemes. He’s very effectively used technology to build welfare schemes through what we call in India direct benefit transfers, which are effectively cash transfers. And what he’s been able to do is to use that as a way of building a direct, emotive connection with voters.
Is there a sense that India’s democracy, since Modi didn’t do a power grab, has a bit of hope?
TUDOR Absolutely there is. I think there’s a big sense in India that something has changed. I wrote an article in the Journal of Democracy titled “Why India’s Democracy Is Dying” and I asked if this can be reversed. And yes, it can be. The key to reversing it will be a political party that develops genuine grass-roots reach that is not the B.J.P. because you need an organization that can mount a systematic challenge to the B.J.P. And for many years, it looked like that simply didn’t exist in India.
It’s also worth stepping back and thinking about what is happening to global democracy and how India epitomizes that. Elections are just one pillar of democracy, and that’s a really important point because the way that democracy is dying around the globe today is not through tanks rolling in the streets and military generals grabbing governments, or through leaders who come to power and cancel elections. Democracy doesn’t die with a bang right now. It’s eroding quietly and slowly.
But the real ray of hope in India is that it has not come to the point where there is a supermajority in Parliament, which, of course, the Modi government was actively pursuing and which would have allowed it to change the Constitution. I think that many people are breathing a real sigh of relief and feel that Indian democracy is in safer territory.
Tell me more about that sigh of relief.
TUDOR Society’s ability to ask probing questions — to raise them and to debate them — that kind of deliberation, as well as the kind of rights and forums and political opposition that enables those questions, is the lifeblood of democracy. Note these rights matter principally when individuals oppose the existing government, because if you’re simply in favor of what the government is doing, then your rights are typically protected. It’s when you are dissenting that the right to speech and assembly really needs to be protected. The partially realized hope is that these rights are once again more protected — both because the coalition constrains the government, but so too do other parties and other state institutions who are starting to timidly reassert a little bit of independence.
Is Modi respecting the process of democracy?
AIYAR Yes he is, but it is more complex than that. The election campaign did not start on a level playing field. In March, every legitimate and not-so-legitimate step was taken to ensure total dominance. And that included freezing accounts of the [Indian] National Congress party and putting senior opposition political leaders in jail. Criminal cases were brought against opposition politicians, curbing dissent of independent voices, as well as complete and total control of mainstream media. All of these were elements of why several of us have argued that democracy was backsliding.
How was this election different for India?
AIYAR I think a really important element of this election was the role of social media. When there was total control of mainstream media, it was social media that pried open spaces for those who were looking for alternative voices. And that played a role in building the narrative that supported an alternative idea or at least reminded voters of some of the challenges of excessive dominance of a single authoritarian — or close to — an authoritarian party.
A politician in India once said to a colleague of mine, “I don’t really worry about inequality. I worry about poverty alleviation. I want all boats to be lifted.” Sure, all capitalism will raise all boats, but if you don’t put checks and balances on its more pernicious aspects, the vast gap between the boats of those that were already rising and the boats of those that are risen have serious implications for the kind of society we are building and the kind of politics that it then enables. At least 15 killed in floods, landslides in India’s Meghalaya (Reuters)
Reuters [10/7/2024 6:39 AM, Tora Agarwala and Ruma Paul, 37270K, Negative]
At least 15 people have been killed in floods and landslides triggered by heavy rainfall in India’s northeastern state of Meghalaya over the last four days, officials said on Monday.More rain is expected in parts of the state through this week, with the India Meteorological Department forecasting "isolated heavy rainfall".The weather department classifies rainfall between 64.5 mm (3 inches)and 115.5 mm (5 inches)as "heavy".Those killed include seven members of a single family who were buried alive in the South Garo Hills district, two people whose vehicle was swept away by floodwaters, and a man killed by a falling tree."The situation is better now as the weather has cleared, and all bodies have been retrieved," Sanjay Goyal, commissioner and secretary of the state Revenue and Disaster Management Department, told Reuters.The affected population of 17,000 people from about 165 villages has been shifted to relief camps, he said.The death toll from floods in the northern parts of neighbouring Bangladesh, which shares a border with Meghalaya, rose to six on Sunday.However, with no rain during the night, officials said the situation is improving and floodwaters are slowly receding."People are already starting to leave the shelters and return to their homes" said Torofdar Mahmudur Rahman, the district administrator of Sherpur, one of the hardest-hit regions.The floods, which submerged vast swathes of farmland, have also caused significant damage to crops in the region, though the full extent of this is still being assessed, he said.Several parts of South Asia have been ravaged by floods during the June-September monsoon season that delivered surplus rains this year.At least 244 people, including dozens of children, were killed in landslides and floods in Nepal last week as two days of incessant rains washed away homes, roads, power plants, and bridges.Bangladesh itself saw flooding in its eastern region in August, which left more than 70 people dead and caused damage estimated at $1.2 billion, according to a study by think-tank Centre for Policy Dialogue. India prepared to handle oil supply hit from Middle East conflict, oil minister says (Reuters)
Reuters [10/7/2024 9:43 AM, Nidhi Verma, 37270K, Negative]
India will be able to navigate through any hit to oil supplies from the potential widening of the Middle East conflict, oil minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Monday.India, the world’s third-biggest oil importer and consumer, imports about 85% of its over 5 million barrels per day of oil needs, with a significant part of that coming from Middle East producers.Global oil prices have risen due to fears of a wider Middle East conflict and potential disruption to exports from the major oil producing nations, with Brent nearing $80 a barrel."We are watching the situation very, very carefully. Energy availability can get affected if there is an exacerbation (of the crisis in the Middle East)," Puri said at an event to launch the 2024 ExxonMobil Global Energy Outlook.Puri said India will, however, be able to navigate the situation as the market is awash with oil supplies."Today, there is more oil available in the world than there is consumption. If some parties hold back on the availability, there are new suppliers in the market also," he added.The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies including Russia, known collectively as OPEC+, has been cutting oil production in recent years to support prices because of weak global demand.The Group is due to raise production from December."In the short-to-medium term I don’t see any shortage of oil in the world. There is enough oil available and we have enough choices to exercise. We have ensured sufficient availability in the past, and will do it in the future as well," Puri said. India police charge man in rape and murder of doctor that sparked widespread protests (CBS News)
CBS News [10/7/2024 8:45 AM, Arshad R. Zargar, 59828K, Negative]
Indian police have charged a man for the rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor which sparked wide-scale protests throughout the country.
Protests erupted in West Bengal in August to demand justice after the doctor’s body was found with multiple injuries in a lecture hall in Kolkata’s state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital. Authorities at the time said the woman had gone to the lecture hall to rest during a night shift when she was attacked.
An autopsy confirmed the doctor was sexually assaulted and attacked before she died. It also suggested she resisted and may have been tortured before being murdered.
In a nationwide protest that went on for weeks, medics from public hospitals across India turned away all but emergency patients as they demanded safe workplaces and swift legal action.
"Our indefinite cease-work and sit-in will continue till our demands are met," vowed Dr. Aniket Mahata, a spokesperson for striking junior doctors at the R.G. Kar facility, in August.
Kolkata Police arrested a volunteer member of the force the day after the murder. On Monday, Sanjoy Roy, was formally charged with a confidential document of evidence submitted to the court.
"Sanjoy Roy has been charged with the rape and murder of the on-duty trainee post-graduate doctor inside the hospital," a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) official told AFP.
Roy, widely reported by Indian media to be aged 33, and who had been working as a volunteer in the hospital supporting patients, would potentially face the death penalty if convicted.
In addition to the doctors, tens of thousands of ordinary Indians joined in the protests, which focused anger on the lack of measures for women doctors to work without fear.
While most medics have returned to work, a small group began a hunger strike this month. The doctors say the West Bengal state government had failed to deliver on its promises to upgrade lighting, security cameras and other measures to protect them.
India’s Supreme Court last month ordered a national task force to examine how to bolster security for healthcare workers, saying the brutality of the killing had "shocked the conscience of the nation."
In West Bengal last month, the state assembly passed a law that would raise the punishment for rape from the current sentence of at least 10 years to either life imprisonment or execution.
The law is largely symbolic because India’s criminal code applies uniformly nationwide. However, presidential approval could make an exception and see it become state law.
The gruesome nature of the attack drew comparisons with the 2012 gang rape and murder of a young woman on a Delhi bus, which also sparked weeks of nationwide protests.
India reported an average of nearly 90 rapes per day in 2022, according to the most recent data from the National Crime Records Bureau, although experts believe the real number could be much higher since many rapes go unreported due to prevailing stigmas around sexual violence and a lack of faith in police investigations. Conviction rates remain low. India opens Mumbai subway line to reduce traffic, pollution (Nikkei Asia)
Nikkei Asia [10/7/2024 4:13 PM, Takanori Okabe, 2376K, Negative]
India’s first fully underground subway line began running Monday here in the country’s commercial capital, in an effort to alleviate worsening congestion in a metropolitan area that is home to 18 million people.Mumbai Metro Line 3, developed by Mumbai Metro Rail, began partial service along a stretch that includes Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and the Bandra Kurla Complex business district.Mumbai Metro Line 1, which has sections above and below ground, is already in operation. Line 3 will span 33.5 kilometers when fully operational in March, connecting 27 stations from the north of Mumbai to the tourist area in the south, which is home to World Heritage Sites.The project as a whole costs the equivalent of 680.6 billion yen ($4.57 billion), more than half of which -- 354.1 billion yen -- has been provided by Japan in yen loans.Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended an opening ceremony on Saturday and took an inaugural ride on the new line. In a speech, he called the project "a symbol of India-Japan friendship."Japanese trading house Mitsui & Co. was awarded a contract for track construction, and Nippon Steel supplied the rails.The Mumbai metropolitan area is one of the world’s most densely populated regions, and its traffic congestion is worsening. The number of registered automobiles in Mumbai reached 3.53 million in 2018, more than triple the 2001 figure. The average speed of vehicles on the city’s main roads is only about 15 kph, and traffic jams lasting hours are common during morning and evening rush hours.At times, it takes more than an hour to get from the international airport to the business district, where many foreign companies have offices. On Metro Line 3, the trip can be made in about 10 minutes.Fares are being kept low to make it accessible to all income levels. Fares for the section that opened Monday start at 10 rupees, or 12 cents, while longer trips cost a maximum of 50 rupees.Facilitating travel around Mumbai will make it a more convenient destination for businesspeople and overseas tourists. India brought in about $3 billion in tourism revenue for January, data company CEIC reports. Though improving, the revenue remains below pre-pandemic highs.The subway is expected to help combat air pollution by reducing carbon dioxide emissions. India had the third-worst air quality after Bangladesh and Pakistan in a 2023 pollution ranking by Swiss research company IQAir.Subway networks are growing rapidly throughout India. The operating length of the Delhi Metro, which runs through the country’s capital, has reached 393 kilometers. Plans are in place to open new subway lines or extend existing ones in seven major cities, including Mumbai, New Delhi and Chennai, over the next three to four years.This is part of a broader push by India to develop public transportation. The government said in 2019 it would invest 100 trillion rupees ($1.19 trillion at current rates) in related infrastructure over five years. In fiscal 2021, India set the development of public transportation systems in regional core cities with populations of 1 million to 4 million as priority projects.In a 2023 survey by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, Japanese manufacturers ranked India as the most "promising" country for medium-term development for the second consecutive year. But they cited underdeveloped infrastructure as a challenge along with competition with other companies and unclear legislation. NSB
Bangladesh’s Yunus Says No Elections Before Reforms (Agence France-Presse)
Agence France-Presse [10/8/2024 12:00 AM, Staff, 5.5M, Neutral]
Bangladesh’s interim leader has refused to give a timeframe for elections following the ouster of his autocratic predecessor, saying in an interview published Tuesday that reforms are needed before polls.Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus was appointed the country’s "chief advisor" after the student-led uprising that toppled ex-premier Sheikh Hasina in August.The 84-year-old microfinance pioneer is helming a temporary administration, to tackle what he has called the "extremely tough" challenge of restoring democratic institutions."None of us are aiming at staying for a prolonged time," Yunus said of his caretaker government, in an interview published by the Prothom Alo newspaper."Reforms are pivotal," he added. "If you say, hold the election, we are ready to hold the election. But it would be wrong to hold the election first."Hasina’s 15-year rule saw widespread human rights abuses, including the mass detention and extrajudicial killings of her political opponents.More than 600 people were killed in the weeks leading up to her ouster, according to a preliminary United Nations report which said the figure was likely an underestimate.Her government was also accused of politicising courts and the civil service, as well as staging lopsided elections, to dismantle democratic checks on its power.Yunus said he had inherited a "completely broken down" system of public administration that needed a comprehensive overhaul to prevent a future return to autocracy."Reforms mean we will not allow a repetition of what happened in the past", he added.Yunus also batted away criticism at the numerous politicians, senior police officers and other Hasina loyalists arrested on murder charges after her government’s ouster.The arrests have prompted accusations that Yunus’ caretaker government would hold politicised trials of senior figures from Hasina’s regime.But Yunus said it was his intention that any criminal trials initiated against those arrested would remain free from government interference."Once the judicial system is reformed, then the issues will come forward, about who will be placed on trial, how justice will be carried out," he said.At least 25 journalists -- considered by Hasina’s opponents to be partisans of her government -- have been arrested for alleged violence against protesters since her downfall.Press watchdog Reporters Without Borders has condemned those arrests as "systematic judicial harassment".But Yunus insisted he wanted media freedom."Write as you please," he told the newspaper."Criticise. Unless you write, how will we know what is happening or not happening?" Maldives Pivots Back Toward India to Ease China Debt Squeeze (Bloomberg)
Bloomberg [10/7/2024 9:40 AM, Dan Strumpf, Sudhi Ranjan Sen, and Malavika Kaur Makol, 5.5M, Neutral]
The president of the Maldives swept into power a year ago on a campaign to push India out of the island nation’s affairs and draw closer to China. Now, as a debt crisis looms and earlier Chinese loans come due, he is in New Delhi looking to mend some fences.
Mohamed Muizzu arrived in New Delhi on Sunday on a four-day state visit — his first since taking office — with the financial crisis one feature of discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. Prior to the trip, Muizzu has softened his rhetoric notably, saying he’s never opposed India and New Delhi knows the financial strain his nation is under and was willing to help.
That’s a contrast to a year ago when he won elections on an “India Out” campaign, pushing for the withdrawal of Indian troops from the Maldives and promising new big-ticket projects backed by China. His campaign thrust the Maldives to the center of the rivalry between the two powers, which have been vying for influence over the Indian Ocean nation known for pristine beaches and its strategic location straddling global shipping routes.
Both China and India have poured hundreds of millions of dollars worth of loans into the Maldives in recent years, saddling the tourism-dependent nation with debt amid a protracted economic slowdown, a drought of foreign reserves and a slow return of visitors.
The Maldives’ looming debt crisis and its economy are all high on the agenda for Muizzu’s visit, according to an Indian official familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified as the discussions are private. The two sides will also review Indian projects in the Maldives and will seek a restart in tourism and a review of the introduction of India’s digital payments platform in the island nation, the person said.
During their meeting Monday, Modi and Muizzu discussed a potential free trade agreement, as well as ways for New Delhi to help the island nation develop infrastructure and military capacity, India’s External Affairs Ministry said. India has also extended two currency-swap agreements to the Maldives — one US-dollar agreement worth $400 million and one Indian-currency agreement worth 30 billion rupees ($357 million) — to shore up its access to foreign currency.
The currency agreements are aimed at bolstering confidence in the economy of the Maldives, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told reporters in New Delhi. He said the two sides will continue to work on defense cooperation, adding that both countries handled the withdrawal of Indian troops with sensitivity.
The Maldives’ debt is estimated at 110% of gross domestic product, and risks are growing it may fail to make payments on its sukuk. If that were to happen, it would be the world’s first default of an Islamic bond.
India gave the Maldives a $50 million lifeline last month to help it avoid that outcome, but that was likely only a short-term fix given additional looming payments, according to investors and analysts.
Fitch Ratings estimates the country’s total external debt obligations will grow to $557 million in 2025, and exceed $1 billion by 2026. The island nation’s foreign reserves stood at just $437 million as of the end of August, sufficient to cover only around one-and-a-half months of imports.
A default event was looking more likely, according to Fitch, while the International Monetary Fund has also warned of a potential debt crisis.“This is a growing concern and the debts are piling up,” said Aditya Gowdara Shivamurthy, an associate fellow at the Observer Research Foundation, a New Delhi-based think tank. “They’ve been able to repay until now. What will happen next is something we will have to see.”
China and India are the No. 1 and 2 external lenders for Maldivian central government debt, respectively. The Maldives owed about $400 million to the Export-Import Bank of India and about $530 million to the Export-Import Bank of China at the end of last year, according to official figures.
China has said it’s held discussions with Male over debt relief, while the People’s Bank of China recently signed an agreement to expand the use of local currencies between the two countries.“President Muizzu has tried to steer the Maldives away from its traditional reliance on India to a more independent foreign policy, including friendlier relations with China,” said Søren Mørch, head of emerging markets debt at Danske Bank AS. “This recent bailout from India has shown the limits of this approach.”
Tourism Crunch
The debt crunch comes as the Maldivian economy has failed to maintain momentum in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. While GDP growth reached 13.9% in 2022, it slowed to 4% last year, with tourists spending at rates below pre-pandemic levels, according to the World Bank.
Relations between the Maldives and India took a dive in January after a social-media spat in which a Maldivian deputy minister mocked Modi — prompting a backlash from Indian citizens and several celebrities calling for a tourism boycott of the island.
In an interview with the BBC, Muizzu said the Maldives is not facing a sovereign debt default, nor would it join an IMF funding program. Still, India’s backing in any potential debt restructuring is likely to prove invaluable, making a fence-mending with New Delhi all the more important, said Gulbin Sultana, associate fellow at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, a government-backed think tank in New Delhi.“Muizzu is re-balancing ties with India, as is New Delhi trying to reset its ties with the island nation,” she said. India offers financial support to Maldives after talks to repair ties (AP)
AP [10/7/2024 6:40 AM, Ashok Sharma and Sheikh Saaliq, 456K, Neutral]
India stepped up its development assistance to the Maldives after the two leaders held talks in New Delhi on Monday in a bid to repair strained ties that saw the president of the Indian Ocean archipelago forging closer relations with China.
After the talks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India will offer financial support to the cash-strapped Maldives in form of a $100-million treasury bills rollover. The countries also signed a $400-million currency swap agreement.
The two leaders virtually inaugurated a new runway of Hanimaadhoo International Airport in the Maldives, and Modi announced that work will be accelerated on the India-assisted Greater Male Connectivity Project, which aims to link key islands of the Maldives through modern transport networks.“India is Maldives’ nearest neighbour and a close friend,” Modi said during a joint news conference. He said the Maldives held an important position in India’s “neighbourhood first policy.”
Tensions between India and the Maldives have grown since President Mohamed Muizzu, who favors closer ties with China, was elected last year after defeating India-friendly incumbent Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. Leading up to the election, Muizzu had promised to expel Indian soldiers deployed in the Maldives to help with humanitarian assistance. In May, New Delhi replaced dozens of its soldiers with civilian experts.
In January, Maldivian leaders lashed out at Modi for promoting India’s Lakshadweep archipelago for Indian travelers. Lakshadweep is off the southwestern coast of the Indian mainland.
Maldivians saw the move as a way to lure Indian tourists away from their country. It sparked angry protests from Indian celebrities who called for a tourism boycott to the Maldives. Tourism is the mainstay of the Maldives’ economy.
The dispute deepened when Muizzu visited China ahead of India in January, a move seen by New Delhi as a snub. On his return, Muizzu spelled out plans to rid his tiny nation of dependence on India for health facilities, medicines and import of staples.
A thaw ensued after Muizzu attended Modi’s June swearing-in ceremony in New Delhi for a third five-year term. Since then, Muizzu has toned down his anti-Indian rhetoric, and official-level contacts have intensified with New Delhi as concerns rose that the Maldives could be staring at an economic crisis.“India is a key partner in the socio-economic and infrastructure development of the Maldives and has stood by the Maldives during our times of need,” Muizzu said after the meeting. He said the currency swap agreement “will be instrumental in addressing the foreign exchange issues we are facing right now.”
Muizzu will also hold meetings with senior Indian officials during his five-day visit.Regional powers India and China compete for influence in the archipelago nation, which is strategically located in the Indian Ocean.
For decades, India has been a critical provider of development assistance to the Maldives. Meanwhile, the Maldives joined China’s Belt and Road Initiative to build ports and highways and expand trade as well as China’s influence across Asia, Africa, and Europe.
Muizzu’s visit is essential for Modi, who is facing a challenging time in neighborhood diplomacy with Marxist politician Anura Kumara Dissanayake taking over as Sri Lanka’s president and India-friendly Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fleeing to India in August after being forced to resign by students-led protests. Nepal also elected pro-China K.P. Sharma Oli as its prime minister. India bails out Maldives after president softens tilt towards China (Financial Times)
Financial Times [10/7/2024 9:39 PM, John Reed, Arjun Neil Alim, and Joseph Cotterill, 14.2M, Neutral]
India has unveiled a $760mn bailout for the Maldives after the cash-strapped Indian Ocean archipelago turned to New Delhi to stave off a sovereign default despite attempts by its president to tilt towards China.
India’s central bank said on Monday it had agreed currency swap lines of $400mn and Rs30bn ($357mn) to the Maldives, a move that cements New Delhi’s central role in supporting its economy.
The swaps were announced during a meeting in New Delhi between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mohamed Muizzu, who was elected Maldivian president last year on an “India Out” platform.
Muizzu’s campaign capitalised on resentment in the Maldives, a Muslim-majority country of just over half a million people, towards their huge northern neighbour. But in written remarks issued through his office ahead of his arrival in India, Muizzu described India as “our closest neighbour, with whom we share deep historical, cultural and economic ties”.“India’s proximity and long-standing support have been pivotal in the Maldives’ development and stability,” he added.
The Maldives’ net or usable foreign exchange reserves fell to about $36mn in September, the country’s monetary authority said on Monday, underscoring the depth of a crisis facing the dollar-pegged rufiyaa currency.
The swaps would be “instrumental in tackling the ongoing financial challenges faced by the Maldives”, Modi’s office said after his meeting with Muizzu.
India has already rolled over $100mn of short-term dollar loans to the Maldives this year, allowing the country to make an interest payment this month on a $500mn Islamic sukuk that comes due next year.
Investors had worried that the Maldives would be the first country to default on a sukuk, a form of debt that follows Islamic strictures against interest.
Muizzu this year told India to withdraw its small military contingent from the islands, a force that mostly helped in medical evacuations and maritime surveillance.
Muizzu also alarmed India by paying one of his first foreign visits as president to China — New Delhi’s biggest regional rival. However, the Maldives and India have since reconciled and civilian personnel have replaced the soldiers.
Muizzu said the Maldives had also “cultivated a robust relationship with China”, which he described as “one of our top development partners”, including through projects under Beijing’s flagship global infrastructure programme, the Belt and Road Initiative.
Last month the state-owned State Bank of India agreed to lend $50mn to the Maldives, days before it faced a roughly $25mn coupon payment on the sukuk.“Given its ambitions of being a net security provider in the Indian Ocean, India has no way of turning away the Maldives,” said Indrani Bagchi, chief executive of the Ananta Centre, a New Delhi-based think-tank.“There has also been a better realisation of the actual role India plays inside the Maldives, including a fairly large humanitarian role — something which cannot be replicated by any other power,” Bagchi said.
The Maldives’ foreign exchange reserves fell to critically low levels after its tourism economy was battered by Covid-19 travel restrictions and debt ballooned because of high spending on infrastructure projects and imports.
The country’s sukuk maturing in 2026 plummeted to trade at 70 cents on the dollar last month over investor fears of a sovereign default. They rose 0.4 per cent to 80 cents on the dollar following Monday’s bailout news.
Wary of Chinese influence in its backyard, India has sought to assist regional neighbours suffering economic difficulties. In 2022, New Delhi provided nearly $4bn in loans and grants for supplies of fuel, medicine and other food to Sri Lanka after it suffered a crippling liquidity crisis. Five Russian climbers die in a fall on the world’s seventh-highest peak (AP)
AP [10/8/2024 3:48 AM, Staff, 456K, Neutral]
Five Russian mountaineers who appeared to have slipped and fallen on the world’s seventh-highest peak have died, an expedition organizer in Nepal said Tuesday.
The Russians were climbing 8,167-meters (26,788-foot) high Mount Dhaulagiri during Nepal’s autumn climbing season.
The climbers had been reported missing since Sunday and a rescue helicopter spotted their bodies on Tuesday, said Pemba Jangbu Sherpa of the Kathmandu-based I AM Trekking and Expeditions.No decision has been made about bringing the bodies down from the mountain, which would require extensive planning, manpower and equipment.
Two of the climbers had actually reached the summit. The remaining had returned without reached the top. Radio contact was lost between them and the team members at the base camp. .
The autumn climbing season, which is not as popular as the spring season, began last month. Mountains are less crowded and the permit fees are also lower.
Other details were not available. Central Asia
Amid Clampdown On Dissent, Kazakh Voters ‘Support’ Nuclear Power Plant (Radio Free Europe)
Radio Free Europe [10/7/2024 4:14 PM, Staff, 235K, Neutral]
Kazakhstan’s Central Referendum Commission (OSK) said that almost three-quarters of voters cast ballots in support of the construction of a nuclear power plant amid a crackdown on activists opposed to the project.
The OSK said on October 7 that preliminary results from the referendum a day earlier showed 71.12 percent voted in favor of Kazakhstan building its first nuclear power plant.
Supporters say the project will help end the country’s reliance on coal, but opponents argue it is too expensive and will be an environmental hazard.
Despite widespread opposition, many observers had expected the referendum to pass given the government’s tight hold on Kazakhstan’s political environment.
Voters were presented with a single yes-or-no question in the October 6 referendum: "Do you agree with the construction of a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan?"
Overall, almost 64 percent of eligible voters participated in the referendum, the OSK said.
The lowest turnout was recorded in Almaty, the country’s largest city with the most politically active population, where only 25 percent of voters participated.
Many in the city say the majority of the residents were against the plan to raise a nuclear power plant but decided to boycott the poll amid pressure imposed on the opponents of the idea.
In the days ahead of the vote, nearly 30 activists were detained and protest rallies ruled out as the government looked to keep a lid on dissent.
There were also reports of detentions and arrests on the day of the referendum, while observers reported irregularities in several regions, including allegations of election officials placing multiple ballots into the urns at certain polling stations.In Astana, noted activist Elvira Bekzadina was detained for protesting against the nuclear power plant, while in Almaty, activist Aset Abishev was also detained.
Both were later fined for violations unrelated to public gatherings.
Qural Seitkhanuly said he filed a complaint with the prosecutor’s office when he observed what he said was a person dropping off five or six ballots at a polling station in the Turkistan region. He said he was removed from the station.
"There are 2,438 registered voters here, and only about 500 people came. But they reported 70 percent [turnout]. How?" he said.
The government sees the project as a way to provide clean and affordable energy, helping Kazakhstan maintain low electricity tariffs.
In addition to concerns about environmental risks, some activists and opposition politicians warned such a plant could pose a national security.
They say if Russia’s state-owned nuclear agency, Rosatom, is involved, it could increase Kazakhstan’s dependence on Russia and make the country a strategic target in the event of future conflict.
Memories of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster and Russia’s recent actions at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in Ukraine, where the Kremlin launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022, have further fueled public skepticism.
While Kazakh officials have not confirmed which foreign company might lead the project, Rosatom, China’s CNNC, South Korea’s KHNP, and France’s EDF have all been named as potential partners.
"The government should conduct an analysis and conduct relevant negotiations," President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev said after casting his ballot.
"From my personal point of view, an international consortium consisting of global companies possessing advanced technologies should work in Kazakhstan," he added.
He did not provide further details. Nuclear Power Referendum Passes in Kazakhstan (The Diplomat)
The Diplomat [10/7/2024 9:22 AM, Catherine Putz, 1198K, Neutral]
On October 6, Kazakh citizens voted in a nationwide referendum on whether to pursue the construction of a nuclear power plant. According to preliminary results released by the Central Referendum Commission (CRC), 71.12 percent voted in favor of building independent Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power plant.
As scholar Togzhan Kassenova wrote recently for The Diplomat Magazine, "Whether and how Kazakhstan builds a nuclear power plant will impact the country’s future beyond the narrow issue of nuclear energy."
"It will demonstrate how Kazakhstan will deal with its energy security challenges, manage its complicated geopolitical situation and relationship with Russia, and whether the government will live up to its promise of being a ‘listening state,’" Kassenova argued.
Reuters highlighted a comment from Almaty-based journalist and vlogger Vadim Boreiko referencing this final aspect. "I have come to the conclusion that the decision to build the nuclear power plant, and to build it with [Russian state nuclear firm] Rosatom, has already been made in [Tokayev’s office] and the people of Kazakhstan are being invited to polling stations as ‘notaries’ to authenticate this decision with their votes," he wrote.
Nationally, 64 percent of eligible voters took part in the referendum, with a dramatically lower proportion in Almaty, the country’s largest city, where only 25 percent of eligible voters cast ballots.
RFE/RL reported that nearly 30 activists were detained ahead of the vote and protests against the nuclear power plant proposal were denied. On October 6, there were some reports of ballot stuffing and discrepancies between reported turnout and anecdotal witness accounts.
At a press conference on October 7, the Yerk\u0456nd\u0456k Qanaty Foundation said independent observers of the referendum faced pressure, stating that at least three were removed from polling stations and another was attacked. At one polling station in Astana, an independent observer was accused by polling station staff of interfering in the election process by taking "photos, audio, and video recordings, violating the principle of observing the secrecy of the vote." As the foundation noted at their press conference, however, under the election law, observers have the right to make photo, audio, and video recordings.
The foundation also noted that in its study of TV coverage of the referendum, citizens were presented a one-sided view of the vote: a push in favor of the nuclear power plant plan.
"69% of the content was about support for the construction of nuclear power plants, and in the remaining cases it was covered neutrally," Kasiet Temirzahkyzy, one of the authors of the study said, adding that the core arguments presented highlighted Kazakhstan’s energy shortages, the economic advantages of a nuclear power plant, employment opportunities, and the narrative that nuclear power is environmentally friendly.
The location for the prospective plant, near Lake Balkhash, was not mentioned in media coverage.
Kassenova also observed this, writing that:
Now that the vote has concluded, the road ahead is long and uncertain. Kazakhstan is the world’s top uranium producer, but aside from three nuclear research reactors, its last nuclear power plant - BN-350, a fast breeder reactor - was decommissioned in 1999. That reactor took nearly a decade from the start of construction until its commissioning in 1973. The nuclear power plant will not solve Kazakhstan’s immediate energy crisis, even if construction were to start immediately (and it won’t).Rosatom, the Russian state nuclear corporation, is among four contractors whose reactors are reportedly under consideration in Kazakhstan, in addition to France’s \u00c9lectricité de France (EDF), China National Nuclear Corporation, and South Korea’s Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP). The process for selection has not been clarified, but Moscow stands as the most likely partner. Russia is already partnering with neighboring Uzbekistan on the construction of small nuclear power plants, and Kyrgyz officials have floated similar ideas.
After voting in the referendum, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said, "From my personal point of view, an international consortium consisting of global companies possessing advanced technologies should work in Kazakhstan." The present geopolitical context makes that highly unlikely.
Tokayev suggested a referendum on nuclear power in June 2019, seemingly cognizant of the controversial nature of the question. But by 2021, he had labeled "phobias" regarding the dangers of nuclear power as "inappropriate" and said Kazakhstan needed to look at the issue seriously. Putin To Meet Iran President In Turkmenistan Friday: News Agencies (Agence France-Presse)
Agence France-Presse [10/7/2024 8:19 PM, Staff, 4566K, Positive]
Russian President Vladimir Putin is to meet Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian for talks Friday at a forum in the Central Asian country of Turkmenistan, a senior aide said Monday.
Yury Ushakov, Putin’s aide on foreign policy, told journalists the leaders would meet in Ashgabat while attending an event celebrating a Turkmen poet.
"This meeting has great significance both for discussing bilateral issues as well as, of course, discussing the sharply escalated situation in the Middle East," Ushakov said.
Leaders of Central Asian countries are meeting to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the birth of 18th-century poet Magtymguly Pyragy.
Putin’s attendance had not been previously announced.
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin visited Iran last week for talks with Pezeshkian and First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref.
The talks come as Israel intensively bombs Lebanon, targeting Iran-backed Hezbollah, and Russia has evacuated some citizens.
Russia has close relations with Iran, and Western governments have accused Tehran of supplying Moscow with drones and missiles, which it has repeatedly denied.
Pezeshkian will also hold talks with Putin during a visit to Russia this month to participate in a BRICS summit of emerging economies. Uzbekistan emphasizing FDI diversity (EurasiaNet)
EurasiaNet [10/7/2024 4:14 PM, Staff, 57..6K, Neutral]
Wary of becoming overly dependent on Chinese and Russian investment, Uzbekistan is working with firms from Saudi Arabia and South Korea to develop infrastructure projects promoting efficient water management and the expansion of trade.
In early October, Uzbek officials inked a deal with the Saudi-based entity Miahona to take over the management of five wastewater treatment plants in the Ferghana and Jizzakh regions, along with an option to build up to four more plants in other areas.
The Miahona agreement is just the latest in a series of investments by Saudi companies in Uzbekistan’s “green” agenda. In May, the Trade & Investment Ministry announced three deals with Saudi firms worth almost $10 billion, including the construction of a wind power plant in Karakalpakstan projected to generate 5 Gigawatts of power, the establishment of a data center in Tashkent based on “green technologies” and the modernization of heating infrastructure in various cities, including Nukus, Ferghana and Quvasoy.
Meanwhile, Tashkent is turning to South Korea to develop two “dry ports” designed to speed trade along the Middle Corridor route connecting China and Europe. The new trade hubs are planned to take shape in the Syrdarya and Jizzakh regions. Feasibility studies are expected to take about a year to complete, according to officials at the Uzbek Transport Ministry.“Implementation is expected to significantly improve the logistics infrastructure of Uzbekistan, strengthening its role as a key transport hub in Central Asia, and attract new investments to the region,” the semi-official news outlet UzDaily reported.
During the first quarter of 2024, China and Russia ranked one and two in Uzbekistan’s foreign-direct-investment standings, accounting for almost 37 percent of total FDI during the reporting period. Since then, Uzbekistan has sought to diversify its FDI investors. Saudi Arabia’s overall investment portfolio in Uzbekistan has reached $30 billion, according to the official website of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan signed a series of preliminary agreements in June with South Korea worth potentially $9.6 billion, on top of existing investments worth an estimated $7.5 billion. Twitter
Afghanistan
Habib Khan@HabibKhanT
[10/7/2024 3:59 PM, 238K followers, 269 retweets, 870 likes]
The Taliban are out there taking Halal photos with Chinese women in Kabul while totally banning Afghan women from public life. Talk about hypocrisy!
Habib Khan@HabibKhanT
[10/7/2024 4:07 AM, 238K followers, 334 retweets, 895 likes]
Women of Afghanistan continue to protest the Taliban regime, demanding an end to their oppressive rule. With the ban on protests, they gather in small groups indoors, finding ways to speak out where they can no longer take to the streets.Jahanzeb Wesa@JahanzebWesa
[10/7/2024 12:57 PM, 4.3K followers, 11 retweets, 25 likes]
Due to the strictness and violence of women against Afghan women, Taliban fighters treat foreigners differently. The images shared by Afghanistan International show that Chinese women with American weapons in their hands take souvenir photos and eat with the Taliban
Jahanzeb Wesa@JahanzebWesa
[10/7/2024 7:38 AM, 4.3K followers, 5 retweets, 19 likes]
Free Afghan Refugees A group of Afghan women protesting in Iran, in response of brutal violence and deportation of Afghan refugees and to the increasing restrictions by the Taliban on Afghan women. Called on international media to stand for the rights of Afghan refugees.
Yalda Hakim@SkyYaldaHakim
[10/8/2024 2:03 AM, 220.4K followers, 63 retweets, 162 likes]
1117 days since the Taliban banned teenage girls from school. Women are also banned from singing in public and their voices are not allowed to be heard outside the house. #LetAfghanGirlsLearn Pakistan
Government of Pakistan@GovtofPakistan
[10/7/2024 1:39 PM, 3.1M followers, 29 retweets, 153 likes]
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif addresses an All Parties Conference with regard to Palestine Solidarity Day, today in Islamabad.
Government of Pakistan@GovtofPakistan
[10/7/2024 1:16 PM, 3.1M followers, 27 retweets, 155 likes]
Islamabad: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif meets the Chinese Ambassador, H. E. Jiang Zaidong, at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China.
Madiha Afzal@MadihaAfzal
[10/7/2024 3:34 PM, 42.8K followers, 24 retweets, 84 likes]
Pakistan’s education spending as a percentage of GDP in this year’s budget: a paltry 1.91%. The National Economic Policy of 2009 - 15 years ago - had set a target for education spending to increase to 7% of GDP. The country is no closer to that goal than 15 years ago. India
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[10/7/2024 11:18 PM, 102.6M followers, 3.4K retweets, 18K likes]
Air Force Day greetings to our brave air warriors. Our Air Force is admired for their courage and professionalism. Their role in protecting our nation is extremely commendable.Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[10/7/2024 10:00 AM, 102.6M followers, 9.5K retweets, 49K likes]
#23YearsOfSeva… A heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has sent their blessings and good wishes as I complete 23 years as the head of a government. It was on October 7, 2001, that I took on the responsibility of serving as the Chief Minister of Gujarat. It was the greatness of my Party, @BJP4India, to task a humble Karyakarta like me with the responsibility of heading the state administration.
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[10/7/2024 10:00 AM, 102.6M followers, 928 retweets, 4K likes]
When I assumed office as CM, Gujarat was facing numerous challenges - the 2001 Kutch Earthquake, before that a Super Cyclone, a massive drought, and the legacy of many decades of Congress misrule like loot, communalism and casteism. Powered by Jana Shakti, we rebuilt Gujarat and propelled it to new heights of progress, even in a sector like agriculture, for which the state was not traditionally known.
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[10/7/2024 10:00 AM, 102.6M followers, 752 retweets, 3.1K likes]
During my 13 years as Chief Minister, Gujarat emerged as a shining example of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas,’ ensuring prosperity for all sections of society. In 2014, the people of India blessed my Party with a record mandate, thus enabling me to serve as Prime Minister. This was a historic moment, as it marked the first time in 30 years that a party secured a full majority.
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[10/7/2024 10:00 AM, 102.6M followers, 664 retweets, 2.6K likes]
Over the past decade, we have been able to address several challenges our nation faces. Over 25 crore people have been freed from the clutches of poverty. India has become the fifth largest economy and this has particularly helped our MSMEs, StartUps sector and more. New avenues of prosperity have opened for our hardworking farmers, Nari Shakti, Yuva Shakti and the poor as well as marginalized sections of society.
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[10/7/2024 10:00 AM, 102.6M followers, 1K retweets, 3.5K likes]
India’s developmental strides have ensured that our country is being viewed with utmost optimism globally. The world is keen to engage with us, invest in our people and be a part of our success. At the same time, India is working extensively to overcome global challenges be it climate change, improving healthcare, realising SDGs and more.
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[10/7/2024 10:00 AM, 102.6M followers, 1.1K retweets, 4.1K likes]
Much has been achieved over the years but there is still more to be done. The learnings over these 23 years enabled us to come up with pioneering initiatives which have made an impact both nationally and globally. I assure my fellow Indians that I will keep working tirelessly, with even more vigour in service of the people. I will not rest till our collective goal of a Viksit Bharat is realised.
Vice-President of India@VPIndia
[10/7/2024 11:54 AM, 1.5M followers, 114 retweets, 884 likes]
Hon’ble Vice-President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar attended the banquet hosted by Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu Ji in honour of H.E. Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, President of Republic of Maldives at Rashtrapati Bhavan today. @rashtrapatibhvn @MMuizzu
Vice-President of India@VPIndia
[10/7/2024 7:14 AM, 1.5M followers, 109 retweets, 881 likes]
Hon’ble Vice-President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar called on President of Maldives, Dr. Mohamed Muizzu today. Both leaders agreed that the Vision Document adopted today will act as a framework for deepening bilateral ties and transform it into a comprehensive partnership that is future oriented and beneficial to both countries. @MMuizzu @MEAIndia #NeighbourhoodFirst
Rahul Gandhi@RahulGandhi
[10/7/2024 10:51 PM, 27.1M followers, 2.6K retweets, 11K likes]
On Air Force Day, my heartfelt respect to the brave men and women of the Indian Air Force. Your unwavering dedication keeps our skies safe and our spirits high. We are forever indebted to your selfless service and sacrifices. Jai Hind NSB
Sabria Chowdhury Balland@sabriaballand
[10/7/2024 3:08 PM, 7.2K followers, 2 retweets, 3 likes]
Dhaka should be made livable for all, and youth need to be involved in building a developed and environmentally friendly city. #Bangladesh https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/environment/specific-plans-should-be-taken-make-dhaka-livable-rizwana-960396?amp
Sabria Chowdhury Balland@sabriaballand
[10/7/2024 8:12 AM, 7.2K followers, 3 retweets, 5 likes]
Economic growth will be largely driven by exports and remittances, both of which are showing positive signs despite the ongoing challenges in the global economy. #Bangladesh economy to rebound over coming year: HSBC
The President’s Office, Maldives@presidencymv
[10/7/2024 4:03 PM, 110.2K followers, 160 retweets, 157 likes]
President Dr Muizzu meets with Indian President Murmu https://presidency.gov.mv/Press/Article/31835 The President’s Office, Maldives@presidencymv
[10/7/2024 3:22 PM, 110.2K followers, 169 retweets, 166 likes]
Minister of Health of India pays courtesy call on the President https://presidency.gov.mv/Press/Article/31833
The President’s Office, Maldives@presidencymv
[10/7/2024 1:57 PM, 110.2K followers, 157 retweets, 155 likes]
President Dr Muizzu addresses India-Maldives Business Forum in New Delhi https://presidency.gov.mv/Press/Article/31832
The President’s Office, Maldives@presidencymv
[10/7/2024 1:42 PM, 110.2K followers, 225 retweets, 227 likes]
President His Excellency Dr @MMuizzu, and First Lady Madam Sajidha Mohamed, along with the Maldivian official delegation, attended the banquet dinner hosted by the Indian President, Her Excellency Droupadi Murmu. During the dinner, both Presidents delivered remarks on strengthening the relationship between the two countries.
The President’s Office, Maldives@presidencymv
[10/7/2024 3:38 AM, 110.2K followers, 230 retweets, 215 likes]
#Livestream: President and Indian Prime Minister deliver a joint statement https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1lDxLlNzywqxm Dr Mohamed Muizzu@MMuizzu
[10/7/2024 1:13 PM, 86.6K followers, 546 retweets, 1.7K likes]
I thank President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister @narendramodi and the Government of India for the warm welcome and generous hospitality accorded to me, my wife and delegation during my State Visit to India. I had highly productive meetings with the Prime Minister and President. I am pleased with our in-depth discussions on enhancing development cooperation, and fostering people-to-people connections. India and the Maldives share long and historic relations, and I deeply appreciate the constructive dialogue. We are committed to further enhancing the relations and look forward to working together to implement the Vision for a Comprehensive Economic and Maritime Security Partnership.Anura Kumara Dissanayake@anuradisanayake
[10/7/2024 10:22 AM, 130.7K followers, 44 retweets, 447 likes]
I had a productive meeting with members of the Essential Food Commodities’ Importers and Traders Association, including its President Mr. G. Illamanathan, Mr. G. Rajendran, and Secretary Mr. Abdul Azeez Alimohamed. We discussed the current market conditions and ways to address ongoing challenges.
Anura Kumara Dissanayake@anuradisanayake[10/7/2024 3:46 AM, 130.7K followers, 40 retweets, 347 likes]
I met with @ADB_HQ Country Director Takafumi Kadono, reaffirming ADB’s commitment to Sri Lanka’s economic recovery. Key areas of focus: tourism, energy, and support for small-scale entrepreneurs. ADB will aid tourism in the Northern Region.
Anura Kumara Dissanayake@anuradisanayake
[10/7/2024 3:42 AM, 130.7K followers, 81 retweets, 890 likes]
Sri Lanka secures USD 200M from the World Bank’s IDA for Phase 2 of the RESET program! This funding supports economic reforms for stability, growth, and protection of the vulnerable. Signed by Finance Secretary K.M. Siriwardana & World Bank’s Country Director David Sislen. Central Asia
Navbahor Imamova@Navbahor
[10/7/2024 12:49 PM, 23.7K followers, 4 retweets, 8 likes]
Kazakh former President Nursultan Nazarbayev voting in a referendum on the construction of a nuclear power plant, in Astana, Kazakhstan October 6, 2024. @Reuters
MFA Tajikistan@MOFA_Tajikistan
[10/7/2024 8:10 AM, 5K followers, 1 retweet, 1 like]
Celebration of the State Language Day of the Republic of Tajikistan abroad https://mfa.tj/en/main/view/15912/celebration-of-the-state-language-day-of-the-republic-of-tajikistan-abroad
Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s Press-service@president_uz
[10/7/2024 10:37 AM, 201.2K followers, 5 retweets, 24 likes]
President of the Republic of #Uzbekistan Shavkat #Mirziyoyev arrived in Moscow to participate in the #CIS Summit. Agenda includes current issues of further development of multilateral cooperation within the Organization.{End of Report} To subscribe to the SCA Morning Press Clips, please email SCA-PressOfficers@state.gov. Please do not reply directly to this email.