SCA MORNING PRESS CLIPS

epubdos : Afghanistan

Prepared for the U.S. Department of State

Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs

By TechMIS
www.TechMIS.com

Mobile User Copy

TO:	SCA & Staff
DATE:	Monday, September 16, 2024 6:30 AM ET

Afghanistan

Taliban begins enforcing new draconian laws, and Afghan women despair (Washington Post)

Washington Post [9/15/2024 2:00 AM, Rick Noack, 52865K, Neutral]
As the Taliban begins enforcing new draconian laws, Afghan women say that whatever hopes they once harbored for an easing of the severe restrictions on them have largely vanished.

The new religious code issued late last month bans women from raising their voices, reciting the Quran in public and looking at men other than their husbands or relatives. It requires women to cover the lower half of their faces in addition to donning a head covering they were already expected to wear, among other rules.

Women’s lives were heavily regulated by the Taliban-run government before the latest rules were promulgated, and some of the new laws codify restrictions that were already imposed on women in practice. But Afghan women, speaking in phone interviews over the past week, pointed to mounting signs of a crackdown in urban areas, where rules had been less rigorously enforced.

The Taliban’s morality police, which is an extension of the regime’s most conservative elements, appears to have been handed an unprecedented amount of power in the capital, Kabul, and elsewhere, women said. While the morality police’s white robes were a rare sight in Kabul, they have become omnipresent since late August, several women said.

Officers are roaming bus stops and shopping centers searching for dress-code violations or any women who might laugh or raise their voices. On Fridays, the Muslim holy day, religious police officers disperse women in some parts of Kabul and accuse them of preventing male shop owners from making it to the mosque in time for prayers. Women are an increasingly rare sight on Afghan television broadcasts.

While girls were banned from going to school above sixth grade and women barred from universities soon after the Taliban took power three years ago, some still attended English classes as recently as a few weeks ago. But after the Taliban’s morality police issued warnings to male teachers, according to students, many families now refuse to let their daughters participate. Other women have decided to stay home out of fear.

“Three weeks ago, I was still hopeful that the Taliban may change and remove the restrictions on girls’ education,” said Meena, a Kabul resident in her 20s who runs secret classes for teenage girls. “But once they published their vice and virtue law, I lost all hope,” she said. The women interviewed for this story spoke on the condition that they remain anonymous or that only their first names be published due to fear of drawing unwanted scrutiny from the Taliban regime.

Another women’s rights activist who also lives in Kabul said she had been banned from studying when the Taliban held power in the 1990s. Now, she sees history repeating itself. “The entire country has turned into a graveyard for women’s dreams,” said the 48-year-old woman. She added that initial signs that Taliban rule would be less extreme the second time around have not borne out.

When the Taliban seized power in August 2021, the new government quickly imposed far-ranging restrictions on women. But afterward, many of these changes — particularly the bans on education — were portrayed by Taliban officials as temporary. Those officials were often unable to specify what these rules required, leaving some room for interpretation that translated into regional variation in how the rules were followed. There remained a large difference, for example, between urban Kabul and the conservative rural south of the country.

But now, some women said, hopes are waning that urban influences could moderate the Taliban.

“There are two groups within the Taliban,” said Sajia, 24, a female former university student. “One group seemed to be moderate and eager to bend the rules. But now, with the restrictions approved as law, it seems that they have failed and there is no hope left.”

Others gave up hoping long ago that the Taliban leadership could be made more tolerant. “When it comes to cruelty and restrictions, they are all on the same page,” said a 20-year-old female Kabul resident, who was admitted by Kabul University’s archaeology department just when the Taliban banned women from studying.

The Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, which oversees the morality police, could not be reached for comment. Two former senior officials with the ministry said the position of spokesman is vacant.

In a video statement to RTA, a Taliban-run broadcaster, Justice Ministry spokesman Barakatullah Rasouli said the new regulations emphasize “respect for human dignity of individuals” and advise officials to preach “gently.” The Taliban maintains that women’s lives have improved under its three-year rule and frequently argues that restrictions on women are for their protection.

Afghan women’s rights activists counter that the Quran does not ban women from getting educated and imposes far fewer rules about proper dress than the ones mandated by the Taliban.

Many of the Taliban’s beliefs are partly rooted in centuries-old Pashtun culture, which remains entrenched in many rural areas of Afghanistan. In these areas, it is not only men who share the Taliban’s views. In Kabul, some women particularly fear female members of the morality police, who are often recruited from conservative suburbs. “They behave even more aggressively than the male officers do,” said a 20-year-old female Kabul resident.

Many women in Kabul say they doubt the Taliban’s religious justifications for the rules, and there is widespread speculation that the regime is adding restrictions on women’s rights so it can later bargain them away in negotiations with international agencies and foreign capitals. The Taliban has been seeking international recognition for its government — so far, no country has done so — and trying to gain access to Afghan Central Bank reserves that remain frozen. Afghan leaders hope such a breakthrough would give a boost to the economy, helping to ease unemployment and hunger.

Some Afghan women blame the outside world for their vanishing freedoms. “The silence of the world over the last three years will go down as a dark chapter in history,” said Meena, echoing a widespread sentiment in the country that global attention has moved on from Afghanistan.

Many of the women she speaks to say they have unsuccessfully applied for scholarships abroad, she said, and are running out of options.

“The Taliban will keep using religion as a weapon against women,” she said. “To them, seeing the hair of a girl is a sin, but starving your country is not.”

The Taliban have suspended polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan, the UN says (AP)

AP [9/16/2024 5:56 AM, Staff, 4566K, Negative]
The Taliban have suspended polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan, the U.N. said Monday.

Afghanistan is one of two countries in which the spread of the potentially fatal, paralyzing disease has never been stopped. The other is Pakistan.

News of the suspension was relayed to U.N. agencies right before the September immunization campaign was due to start. No reason was given for the suspension, and no one from the Taliban-controlled government was immediately available for comment.

Anti-polio campaigns in neighboring Pakistan are regularly marred by violence. Militants target vaccination teams and police assigned to protect them, falsely claiming that the campaigns are a Western conspiracy to sterilize children.

Gunmen kill 14 in a Shiite area of Afghanistan in one of the deadliest attacks this year (AP)

AP [9/13/2024 7:37 AM, Staff, 456K, Negative]
Gunmen killed 14 people in a Shiite-majority area in central Afghanistan, the Taliban said Friday, in one of the deadliest attacks in the country this year.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility before the Taliban acknowledged the shootings, which took place Thursday and targeted people as they traveled between the Shiite-majority provinces of Ghor and Daikundi.

A machine gun was used in the assault, the IS group said. It gave a higher death toll than the Taliban.

Afghanistan’s Hazara Community Needs Protection (Human Rights Watch)

Human Rights Watch [9/13/2024 4:39 PM, Freshta Abbasi, 2M, Neutral]
The Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), affiliated with ISIS, has claimed responsibly for killing 14 men in Daikundi province this week, the latest attack on the Hazara community in Afghanistan.

The killings took place in a remote border district between Daikundi, which has a predominantly Hazara population, and Ghor provinces, in central Afghanistan. The men were returning from a pilgrimage to Shia holy sites in Karbala, Iraq when gunmen opened fire on the group.

Since emerging in Afghanistan in 2015, ISKP has killed and injured thousands of Hazaras and members of other religious minorities in attacks targeting mosques, schools, and workplaces. After the Taliban took over Afghanistan in August 2021, ISKP has claimed responsibility for at least 17 attacks against Hazaras, killing and injuring more than 700 people.

In October 2021, Human Rights Watch concluded that ISKP bombings and other targeted attacks against the Hazara community amounted to crimes against humanity. Richard Bennett, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, has called for investigations into ISKP attacks. This latest attack underscores the urgent need for the Taliban to take effective measures to protect all at-risk communities in Afghanistan, including Hazaras and other Shia Muslims.

Governments engaging with the Taliban should also call for better protection for these communities and encourage and support mechanisms to strengthen accountability for international crimes committed in Afghanistan.

The Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has an ongoing investigation in Afghanistan limited to alleged crimes by the Taliban and ISKP. Governments should back the office with the financial, logistical, and political support it needs to carry out these investigations.

The UN Human Rights Council, which is currently meeting in Geneva, should heed the call by Afghan and international human rights groups to establish a comprehensive international mechanism on Afghanistan to advance accountability for these and other grave abuses. Survivors and the families of victims need support in their quest for justice in a country where perpetrators of grave abuses have enjoyed impunity for more than four decades.

War, deforestation, flooding: in Afghanistan they are all linked (The Guardian)

The Guardian [9/14/2024 12:00 AM, Mariam Amini, 92374K, Negative]
On 10 May 2024, Haroon Nafas was in his family’s guesthouse in Baghlan, north Afghanistan, spending time with friends who had come to stay. It had been raining lightly all through the afternoon, but at about 3pm the group heard a loud crashing noise.

"We immediately went outside to see what was causing the sound," says Nafas. "Initially, we were confused, thinking it might have been a plane. But then we realised, no, it’s a flood."

Nafas rushed home to his own house, which fortunately was located up on a hillside, and started gathering his family. Meanwhile, several town members sought shelter atop the local mosque, including Nafas’s brothers, who used a mulberry tree to climb on to the roof and reach safety.

Others were not so lucky. "The flood was very severe, maybe up to 30 metres high," says Nafas. "People were even dragged in from the roofs of certain buildings. The damage from the waters spread several kilometres. Some households lost up to 11 family members."

Over two days, at least 315 people were killed in Baghlan and more than 2,000 homes destroyed. About 1,600 people were injured, and hundreds more were missing. Flash floods also wreaked havoc in other provinces across Afghanistan, with at least 50 people killed in Ghor.

Afghanistan has always been prone to natural disasters. Among low-income nations, it ranked second in the number of deaths caused by them between 1980 and 2015, according to one report. However, the frequency and extremity of disasters such as flash flooding is on the rise, and climate breakdown is not solely responsible for these changes. The country’s history of armed conflict has exacerbated the situation severely.

Dr Najibullah Sadid, an environmental researcher and water resources expert based in Germany, says it is crucial that warring parties are held more accountable as toxic artillery often gets left behind and damages the environment. Explosives can damage ecosystems, disrupt biodiversity and weaken soil structure, and can damage groundwater resources.

According to a report by the Progressive magazine, the US dropped more than 85,000 bombs on Afghanistan between 2001 and 2021. In spots where massive ordnance air blast bombs, nicknamed "the mother of all bombs", were dropped, such as Nangarhar province, scientists have found that plant yields halved due to the spread of toxins. Such toxins can also be carried to other regions by the wind or in water.

Mine contamination is another problem. As of 2021, only one of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces had ever (temporarily) been declared mine-free. The remaining 33 provinces still have explosive ordnance scattered across them. Despite this, funding for the country’s mine action sector has been declining, from $113m (\u00a386m) in 2011 to $32m in 2020. The Taliban takeover in August 2021 has threatened these streams further, as many donors remain reluctant to engage with the new government, despite improved operating conditions and access to previously unreachable locations. According to the United Nations Mine Action Service about 45,000 Afghan civilians have been killed or wounded by landmines since 1989.

Sadid says the mines have a direct connection to the recent flash floods: "Landmines [and] de-mining activity disrupt soil structure. Disrupt this, and you are basically exposing the soil to erosion. The debris flow in Baghlan, for example, can be linked to war because the floods originated from a valley which is completely dry."

Conflict-caused deforestation also worsens flash floods. In 1970, Afghanistan had 2.8m hectares (6.9m acres) of forest, covering 4.5% of the country. By 2016, this had shrunk to about 1.5%. In Nuristan, a province in eastern Afghanistan, forest cover had reduced by 53% in that time.

"Vegetation retains a lot of rainwater," says Sadid. "When there is no forest, the land becomes exposed to landslides, and the runoff increases. That’s why we now see very extreme flash floods occurring in some parts of Afghanistan."

For Sayed Abdul Baset, a disaster risk reduction expert and Herat resident, the issue hits close to home. The former adviser to the Afghan government says there is still an opportunity to unite and mobilise despite the problems caused by climate breakdown.

"These natural disasters are related to the activities of the land," he says. "They show how unsafe our homes are, how weak our coping capacity and early warning systems are. We don’t have water pipes. The topography of the soil is not good. There is no flood zoning. People live in floodplains. It is a very painful picture. It is no less than a war."

Sohila Akbari, who is based in Herat, has been leading humanitarian efforts as part of a 12-woman team for more than a decade.

With financial contributions collected from the Afghan diaspora and donors abroad, her grassroots organisation Committee Akbari regularly distributes emergency aid such as food, clothes and tents to the city’s poorest and disaster-struck.

"I first started interacting with those struggling through my work as a teacher," says Akbari. "Slowly, I started to develop an interest in finding other ways to help. I’ve since connected with Afghans all over to try to take the work further."

Akbari was herself a victim of the devastating series ofearthquakes that hit Herat in October 2023, killing more than 2,000 people. "It was a very horrible day. We hadn’t experienced an earthquake in years. It took us all by surprise."

She recalls hearing a horrible noise that resembled explosions. "You couldn’t even stand. The ground would go out from under you. Our house was on the third floor so it was especially bad. I remember telling the children to run, just run. Don’t worry about me. They ran. I was in the stairwell when the ceiling caved. I thought I was finished."

They spent the next few days seeking shelter in a local school. After two days, Akbari resumed her distribution efforts to those who had been most severely affected.

"We are in the city. What else can we do if we don’t help? We will do our best. What little we can do, we will do it," she says.

It is through locals such as Akbari, who are already familiar with the people affected, that aid can have the most successful outcome, says the longtime climate journalist Laurie Goering.

"This is the giant question in climate finance right now. How do you actually move such big amounts of money from governments and organisations to those women in Afghanistan? Taking advantage of local systems and actors, and finding intermediary groups to get more of that money to where it’s needed is really important," Goering says.

As for how much compensation warring states owe for the destruction caused in Afghanistan, Goering refers to the United Nations Development Programme’s loss and damage fund as a good place to start. This is a new fund aimed at helping impoverished nations cope with the damage caused by climate-induced natural disasters. Support will be offered in the form of grants.

"The fund is designed to help communities and countries recover from things they couldn’t have adapted to," says Goering. "So that money would be really useful in places like Afghanistan."

Since their rise to power in August 2021, the Taliban have remained excluded from the global stage. For Goering, this poses an extra challenge: "It’s hard to get funds if you’re excluded from international systems. There’s a lot of thinking at the moment about how to move money to very vulnerable places without going through the government."

Despite Afghanistan being one of the countries most vulnerable to global heating, due to its arid climate, mountainous topography and reliance on agriculture, it was once again excluded from the Cop28 climate talks last year, something Goering says is problematic.

"Afghanistan doesn’t have high emissions," she says. "This is something that’s happening globally, that everybody must work on together. Otherwise, we won’t solve the problem."

It is a sentiment shared by Rahmani, who believes support from international institutions and existing data could go a long way: "We need to create a roadmap for each region of Afghanistan. Also, 60% of Afghans are young. They can be taught. With a very small budget, they can be provided with employment, education and training in the climate field."

However, to truly muster the potential of younger generations, Rahmani admits better climate awareness is a crucial first step: "People think that this is God’s will, that because of our sins, these disasters happen to us and that we can’t do anything about it. Such beliefs and social behaviours have a lot of impact."

Rahmani also hopes to see more remediation from warring parties, as well as high-emitting nations.

"These countries have a responsibility," he says. "This is happening because of them. Places like the United States, England, Brazil and China - they keep their industry alive with fossil fuels and adapt themselves and raise their resilience. But for Afghanistan, which is currently very limited in terms of global relations, those conditions are completely closed."

In March, the UN security council voted to extend its mission in Afghanistan for another year, but this is focused mostly on the humanitarian crisis rather than climate impacts.

There is also an ongoing parliamentary inquiry in the Netherlands on the impact of the Dutch and Nato’s 20-year intervention in Afghanistan. Similar initiatives by other countries embedded in the Nato campaign could accelerate reparations and aid.

For Rahmani, prioritising smart policies and expanding irrigation projects, such as those implemented in recent years across Nangarhar province, is the way to go.

"We had a very large climate project a while ago, backed by millions of dollars. But unfortunately, all the work is suspended. We need funds. These are very serious issues. It is very necessary for the people of the world to be united so that we can solve these problems."

Since the Taliban takeover in 2021, large-scale conflict has reduced significantly. According to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, no new conflict displacement was recorded in 2023. However, by the end of that year, there were still 1.5 million people internally displaced as a result of natural disasters.

For Baghlan resident Nafas, the most pressing need for those affected is clean water. He hopes the humanitarian response offers a solution before the situation on the ground worsens.

"The tap systems have all been damaged," he says. "All the canals are covered with mud. There is no drinking water, no water for ablution, for people’s livestock, for agriculture. Incomes have also been suspended. People are living in makeshift tents. It’s chaos. It is hot now but soon the cold season will come."

Interviewees’ names have been changed to protect their identities.

Iran to deport two million Afghans in expulsion programme (The Telegraph)

The Telegraph [9/14/2024 11:52 AM, Akhtar Makoii, 31540K, Negative]
Iran is to deport two million Afghan migrants in six months, in one of the largest expulsion programmes in recent history, according to Ahmad-Reza Radan, head of Iran’s national police.

Police have already begun violently detaining migrants and dumping them back across the border of the Taliban-ruled country.

Shops in one province have been ordered not to sell food to Afghans, while videos have gone viral of an “Afghan George Floyd” having his neck knelt on by police officers.

According to the UN, around 4.5 million Afghans live in Iran, with many having fled the country since the takeover of the Taliban in 2021.

In order to prevent more migrants entering the country, Tehran is also building a 13ft-tall wall along a stretch of the 900-km-long border with Afghanistan.

Afghans who had worked in the security forces of the US-backed government told the Telegraph they were terrified of being sent back.

It follows the return of at least 600,000 Afghan refugees from Pakistan since Islamabad launched a crackdown on illegal migrants in October last year.

Mr Radan, referring to Afghan nationals, said: “We are working to deport a significant number of unauthorised foreign nationals whose presence in the country is illegal.”

Iran has been grappling with an economic crisis driven by Western sanctions and the mismanagement of the Islamic regime.

Eskandar Momeni, Iran’s interior minister, said this week: “Afghans are cultivated people, but our country cannot receive so many migrants.

“We plan to handle these matters in an orderly fashion and without much fuss,” he said, referring to the deportations. “Our priority lies with irregular migrants.”

Around 625,000 Afghan migrants left Iran in 2023, according to the Danish Refugee Council. The drastic increase in deportations promised by authorities appears to be linked to Masoud Pezeshkian’s (the new president) pledge to secure the border with Afghanistan during the election campaign.

In one widely-shared video taken last month, a group of police officers can be seen arresting a teenager, with one officer pressing his knee on the Afghan’s neck. Women protest the officers’ actions as the boy is handcuffed, lifted off the ground and shoved into an unmarked car.

The migrant, who was later released, has been nicknamed the “Afghan George Floyd,” with social media users widely circulating remarks made by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, following George Floyd’s killing by US police.

The Ayatollah said, “A police officer pressed his knee on the neck of a black man until he died, while other officers watched and did nothing, this is not something new, it is the nature of America.”

In another video, police officers take turns hitting an Afghan who leans against the boot of their patrol vehicle.

In some areas, Afghans face severe restrictions: they are banned from buying groceries, renting homes and visiting certain areas. Thousands have had their phone sim cards blocked, while goods are also sold to Afghans at higher prices than to Iranians. Local prosecutors in southern Kerman province have even prohibited bakeries from selling bread to Afghan nationals.

Afghans speaking to The Telegraph have reported being beaten and humiliated by both Iranian police and ordinary Iranians.

“My son went out to buy bread, and we didn’t hear from him for over a week, then he called us from Afghanistan,” said Mr Rahmatullah, an Afghan migrant living in the southern Iranian city of Shiraz.

His 13-year-old son was arrested at a bakery and deported to Afghanistan after spending four days in a refugee camp.

“We couldn’t go to the police to search for him during those days, as we feared they would arrest us too,” he said.

A week later, his cousin from Afghanistan’s western Herat province called to say that Mr Rahmatullah’s son was with him.

Mr Rahmatullah, 46, was a high-ranking police officer under the US-backed government before the Taliban’s return and joined thousands who fled.

“I cannot return to Afghanistan and life here is too difficult – we cannot even go out to buy bread without facing harassment from Iranians,” he said. “My cousin will send my son back to Iran.”

Another Afghan national, living in a city near Tehran for the past two decades, said that “the anti-Afghan attitude” has never been so intense.

“We have legal documents, yet we still cannot go anywhere – some ordinary Iranians sometimes even spit on us for no reason, life has become difficult,” he said.

“There are signs outside parks that say ‘Afghans and dogs are not allowed to enter’ – they claim we’re taking their jobs but no Iranian would do the hard labour that Afghans would do,” he added.

Water rights of the Helmand River

Taliban officials believe that the deportations are linked to a dispute over the water rights of the Helmand River between the two countries.

Iran relies on this water for farmland irrigation in its southeastern regions and has accused the Taliban of restricting the supply by constructing dams.

“We all know the real issue is the water, everything else is just an excuse,” an official from the Taliban’s interior ministry told The Telegraph from Kabul.

“They want more water, and we’re not giving it to them, that’s it,” he said.

“The previous government was giving them more water than Iran was entitled to.”

“There have been discussions with the Iranians to halt the return of Afghans, as the Mujahideen are already struggling to feed millions of impoverished people,” he explained.

“Adding this challenge would make the situation even more difficult,” he said.

Even amid the deportation programme, Afghans continue to hire smugglers to transport them into Iran so they can escape the hardships of life under the Taliban.

While many Afghans remain in Iran and send money back to their families in Afghanistan, some attempt to reach Europe via Turkey.

Samad, who works with smugglers in Herat province, collects Afghans arriving in the city to transport them to the border, earning a commission for each person he sends.

“The number of people fleeing the country is overwhelming, they include children and the elderly, all trying to go and send a piece of bread back home,” he said.

“They are desperate and extremely poor, leaving because if they stay, their families will starve,” he added.

Upon reaching Nimroz province, which borders Iran, Afghan smugglers hand over their charges to their Iranian counterparts. Another route goes through Pakistan.

Many will be held “hostage”, not being allowed to go out to find work, until their families pay the smugglers, who charge up to one hundred million rials (£150) – a month’s wage in Iran.

“Either war kills Afghans or hunger does,” Samad said. “That’s our destiny.”

Not all is well inside the Taliban (Al Jazeera – opinion)

Al Jazeera [9/14/2024 10:27 AM, Lakshmi Venugopal Menon, 25768K, Neutral]
On August 21, a strict public morality law was issued in Afghanistan. The 114-page document outlining the legislation contains provisions that cover transportation, media, music, public spaces and personal conduct. Among its most restrictive provisions are a ban on music and on women singing or reading aloud in public.

The announcement of the law provoked widespread condemnation internationally and raised questions about the direction in which the Taliban government is taking Afghanistan given past promises to ease restrictions on women.

The law also caused a lot of unease in Afghanistan, even if opposition was not voiced publicly. This has prompted the Taliban’s supreme leader, Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, to call for the group’s members to avoid division and embrace unity.

While the public morality legislation makes clear that the Taliban is pressing ahead with ultra-conservative policies in the face of international criticism, it also reflects growing tensions within its leadership.

Kandahar vs Kabul

In the lead-up to the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban takeover of Kabul in 2021, some Taliban officials sought to persuade the international community that a Taliban 2.0 had emerged, which held more moderate views on governance compared with the old guard’s highly conservative and stringent approach.

This new guard spoke the language of international diplomacy and made clear its desire to scrap more conservative policies to attract international support and secure legitimacy for the new Taliban government.

The formation of the interim cabinet, however, showed the first signs that the old guard was not ceding power. Promises of an inclusive government were not fulfilled, and some members of the old guard were given key roles, including Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, one of the Taliban’s founders who was appointed prime minister; Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, who was appointed as his deputy; and Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, the son of another Taliban founder, Mullah Omar, who was made defence minister.

As the interim government took on the uneasy task of steering the country away from collapse, Akhundzada established his residence in Kandahar as another seat of power, declaring himself in charge of political, military and religious affairs.

Over the past two years Akhundzada has made clear he does not intend to step back from his hardline positions. In March 2022, on his order, girls and women were banned from attending secondary school and university.

He has also sought to concentrate power in his own hands and further tighten the old guard’s grip on the government. He ordered a number of cabinet reshuffles in which his loyalists were appointed.

In September 2022, Education Minister Noorullah Munir was replaced by Maulvi Habibullah Agha, one of the figures closest to the supreme leader. In May this year, Health Minister Qalandar Ebad, a trained doctor and the only technocrat in the Taliban government, was replaced by Noor Jalal, a hardline cleric and former deputy interior minister.

While Akhundzada appears in control, signs of growing internal divisions have surfaced. In February 2023, Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani implicitly criticised him, saying, “Monopolising power and hurting the reputation of the entire system are not to our benefit. … The situation cannot be tolerated.”

In his Eid al-Fitr message this year, the interior minister again hinted at internal troubles. He called on the Taliban to avoid creating divisions with the Afghan people.

Akhundzada, for his part, urged Taliban officials during Eid to set aside their differences and serve the country properly. He has repeated this call for unity frequently, most recently during a rare trip to northern Afghanistan, in which he met with local leaders.

Dissent and silencing

The public morality law codifies rules that the Taliban promoted before but did not fully enforce. Now, the law empowers the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice to monitor, censure and punish any Afghan citizen found in violation of it.

The announcement of this legislation demonstrates that the old guard of the Taliban led by the supreme leader have an upper hand in directing policy. This is yet another sign that the Taliban 2.0 is not a more “moderate” version of the group that ruled in Afghanistan in the 1990s.

Previously, Taliban representatives who touted the Taliban 2.0 idea hinted behind closed doors at international forums that certain hardline officials could be replaced to appease the international community.

But developments over the past year, including the vice and virtue law, show that the old guard, who believe in the need for a rigid stance to maintain unity within the group, are suppressing the voices of the new guard, creating a culture of conformity through fear, replacement and sidelining.

In interviews I have conducted with current and former Taliban representatives who do not support some of the conservative policies of the Taliban government, some have shared that they have relocated their families to other countries. One of them said: “The family is more comfortable abroad and the children’s education can seamlessly continue.”

The lack of public response to the vice and virtue law may signal that disgruntled Taliban members who disapprove of it would not risk breaking the unity of the group over policy disagreements.

Silencing of dissent, however, does not help with the two major problems the Taliban is facing: growing dissatisfaction among the Afghan population and continuing international isolation.

The government in Kabul is feeling the pressure from the Afghan people, who are asking for services and jobs amid a collapsing economy and limited international assistance. That can be alleviated only by gaining international recognition of the Taliban government.

However, efforts of some Taliban members, including Haqqani, to reach out to the international community and seek engagement, more aid and investment are being undermined by Kandahar doubling down on policies like education bans for girls and women and the morality law.

In the end, Akhundzada’s strategy of consolidating power may have the opposite of the intended effect: It may sow more internal division that could lead to fragmentation or even rebellion.

What the ‘Willful Blindness’ report misses about Afghanistan’s tragedy (The Hill – opinion)

The Hill [9/15/2024 2:00 PM, Saboor Sakhizada, 19591K, Negative]
As Washington argues about the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal — pointing fingers across the aisle and debating whether to blame President Biden or former President Trump — the heart of the catastrophe is slipping from sight.

Was it Biden’s failure? Trump’s? Or should we call it what it truly was: An American-led NATO disaster, the consequence of two decades of broken promises and muddled policies?

The recent House Foreign Relations Committee report, titled “Willful Blindness,” shines light on some of the mistakes, but much of what matters remains in the dark. This is where the report fails, and where I seek to reveal what it has left unsaid.

Afghanistan had been a ticking time bomb long before the U.S. troops began their exit. After the scandal of General Petraeus, the country was destined for turmoil — there was never going to be a perfect exit. No matter how it played out, the Afghan people, the veterans who bled on the battlefields and those invested in rebuilding a fractured nation were never going to be satisfied. The hard truth is, no matter how it was spun, Afghanistan was lost well before the planes left the runway at Bagram Airfield.

The report describes chaos, failed planning and bureaucratic paralysis that gripped Washington during the first two weeks of August 2021. This dysfunction is accurate, but the narrative is incomplete.

Afghanistan — a land where decisions must be swift, not dragged out for months — was ruled by Washington’s slow machinery for 20 years. A system like that was doomed to fail in a place where hesitation means defeat.

But perhaps the most obvious omission from the report is its dismissal of the Afghan government itself. There are countless references to the Afghan Security Forces, but the Afghan government was more than just its military wing. America’s disregard for Afghanistan’s leadership — corrupt and inept as it may have been — helped destroy its legitimacy. A government dismissed is a government diminished, and in the end, it vanished under the weight of Washington’s indifference.

As America walked away, it handed more than just power to the Taliban — it left behind billions of dollars in American military equipment. The Pentagon estimated that $7.1 billion worth of defense articles were abandoned. This not only empowered an extremist group but also betrayed millions of Afghans — those who lost family members in the conflict and those who, for two decades, naively believed in America’s empty promises.

From Aug. 6 to Aug. 15, 19 provinces fell to the Taliban. There were moments — brief as they were — when the U.S. could have reevaluated its disastrous withdrawal strategy. The collapse didn’t begin on Aug. 15 with the fall of Kabul. It began in the provinces that resisted, places like Herat, Panjshir and Helmand, where battles were still ongoing. These pockets of resistance gave Washington time, which it wasted.

By the time Kabul was crumbling, Afghanistan had already been written off. A lost cause, abandoned by those who had promised to protect it. The signs were there. Biden could have paused the withdrawal when it became clear the Taliban would not honor its commitments. Diplomats had the evidence; they knew what was coming. But Washington, caught up in its own inertia, chose to look the other way.

Then there’s the decision to appoint Zalmay Khalilzad to lead American negotiations with the Taliban. Khalilzad, an Afghan by birth, was expected to resonate with the Afghan people while representing U.S. interests. He failed on both fronts. His mission was threefold: to facilitate a safe U.S. military withdrawal, to ensure that Afghanistan wouldn’t become a terrorist haven and to guide intra-Afghan negotiations. He achieved none of these.

The Doha Agreement, signed in early 2020 and touted as a roadmap for peace, had nothing to do with the Afghan people or government. It was a calculated move by the U.S. to justify its departure under the guise of “intra-Afghan talks.”

The report highlights how the Taliban blatantly violated its commitments. But what consequences did it face? None. This agreement was never about the future of Afghanistan — it was about washing America’s hands of a conflict it no longer wished to fight.

What the U.S. failed to see, and what this report neglects, is that NATO forces weren’t just fighting the Taliban — Iran, China, Russia and Pakistan all had a stake in Afghanistan’s future. The U.S. was caught in a web of global interests, some of which quietly cheered the fall of Kabul, knowing it would weaken America’s position on the world stage.

While much of the report is geared toward the American public, it is important to acknowledge that Afghanistan’s downfall wasn’t solely the result of American-led NATO failure. Afghan society, too, bears its share of the blame.

Despite 20 years of immense international support and opportunities for development, the Afghan people — whether through internal divisions, corruption or the inability to break free from deep-rooted power structures — failed to seize those opportunities fully. The burden of responsibility is shared, and this truth, while uncomfortable, cannot be ignored.

Finally, the report fixates on tactical errors but misses the greater failure: The U.S. never truly prepared Afghanistan’s forces for independence. The war effort was privatized — civilian contractors replaced soldiers, costing more while fostering corruption. In the end, it wasn’t just a military failure — it was a systemic one. A system the U.S. built, propped up and ultimately abandoned.

The House report tells a story of chaos and failure. But it’s an incomplete one. The true failure wasn’t tactical, but moral, strategic and diplomatic. And it’s a failure that will haunt not just Afghanistan but America for years to come.

Pakistan

Pakistan court grants bail to 10 MPs linked to jailed ex-PM Imran Khan (Agence France-Presse)

Agence France-Presse [9/15/2024 2:56 AM, Staff, 1.7M, Neutral]
An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan granted bail Monday to 10 lawmakers from jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s party, an AFP journalist witnessed.

At least 30 people from Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party -- including the 10 MPs -- were remanded in custody last Tuesday, two days after they led a major rally in the capital, Islamabad.

The anti-terrorism court granted them bail of 30,000 rupees ($100).

PTI has faced a sweeping crackdown since Khan was jailed in August last year on a series of charges he says are politically motivated and designed to keep him from power.

The 10 MPs, some detained at their offices in the National Assembly, were charged under a new protest law and the anti-terrorism act.

They were accused of violating the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act, passed just days before the rally was held, in a move rights groups say was an attempt to curb freedom of expression and peaceful protest.

PTI has sparred with the military since Khan was deposed two years ago.

The confrontation came to a head after the former cricket star’s first arrest on corruption charges in May 2023.

His supporters waged days of sometimes violent protests and attacked military installations, sparking a sweeping crackdown on PTI led by the army -- Pakistan’s most powerful institution.

But the clampdown failed to diminish Khan’s popularity and candidates backed by the former premier won the most seats in 2024 polls -- marred by allegations of widespread rigging.

Khan rose to power in 2018 with the help of the military, analysts say, but was ousted in 2022 after reportedly falling out with the generals.

A United Nations panel of experts found this month that his detention "had no legal basis and appears to have been intended to disqualify him from running for political office".

A number of convictions against him have been overturned by the courts.

Several members of the PTI’s social media and press team were rounded up last month and accused of "anti-state propaganda".

Pakistan braces for deadliest year for journalists, setting grim record (VOA)

VOA [9/15/2024 6:10 PM, Ayaz Gul, 4566K, Negative]
Pakistan has documented the killings of 11 journalists in 2024, reaching a record-breaking annual tally with nearly four months left in the year.

The South Asian nation continues to face persistent criticism for an alleged lack of justice or impunity for journalists’ murders, making it one of the world’s most dangerous countries for media workers.

The latest victim was Nisar Lehri, a 50-year-old Pakistani journalist and secretary of a local press club in violence-hit southwestern Balochistan province. Unknown assailants shot and killed him on September 4 near his home in the town of Mastung for his reporting about criminal elements, according to a complaint filed with the area police.

Lehri’s murder followed the death of reporter Muhammad Bachal Ghunio on August 27. He was associated with the local Awaz TV channel and was targeted by gunmen in his native Ghotki district in southeastern Sindh province.

Ghunio’s family and police investigators believe he was killed because of his reporting. Police subsequently announced the arrest of a suspect, and the recovery of a weapon allegedly used in the attack.

Islamabad-based nonprofit Freedom Network, an advocate for press freedoms, reported that before the two fatalities, nine journalists were killed in Pakistan this year, including a YouTube show host.

“Safety is every journalist’s key concern while reporting, and given the fact that 11 journalists, including a YouTuber, were killed this year so far, it has a chilling effect on independent media,” Iqbal Khattak, the executive director of the nonprofit network, told VOA.

Pakistani officials blame growing terrorist activities in the country for the uptick in attacks on journalists.

However, critics dispute these claims, noting that many of the journalist fatalities this year occurred in Sindh and the country’s most populous Punjab province, which have been relatively peaceful compared to terrorism-hit Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

While Pakistan’s military and its intelligence agencies are routinely accused of orchestrating violence against journalists critical of their involvement in national politics, influential feudal lords and politicians in Sindh, as well as Punjab, are often blamed for ordering violence against media workers in their native constituencies and escaping accountability.

“The deep-rooted impunity and political instability are driving the current violence. However, the list of press freedom predators is not restricted to the two drivers,” Khattak stated. “The list is long to name the predators. Terrorism is not excluded,” he added.

Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar told reporters Saturday that the federal government is working closely with authorities in the four provinces to address the challenges facing journalists.

“There are incidents in Sindh, I totally agree. Some people often use political influence to get their way and get out of these cases," Tarar stated when asked by VOA about his government’s role in addressing the cases of fatal attacks on journalists and providing justice to their families.

The minister pledged to coordinate with provincial counterparts to investigate these cases and deter further violence against media workers.

“We need to set an example in one or two cases, so this does not happen again. I think this is a very important issue which needs to be handled,” Tarar said.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a U.S.-based global media rights group, mourned the deaths of Lehri and Ghunio in a Friday statement.

“Pakistani authorities must immediately bring the perpetrators of the killings … to justice and show urgent political will to end the horrifying cycle of violence against journalists that has continued this year across Pakistan,” said Beh Lih Yi, the CPJ Asia program coordinator.

“The press in Pakistan cannot carry out their journalism unless the government and security agencies put an end to the impunity against journalists in the country,” she stressed.

The CPJ statement also noted that dozens of Pakistani journalists have been attacked or forced into hiding this year due to their reporting across the country.

Another global media watchdog, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), urged Pakistan’s federal and provincial authorities in a recent report to take urgent measures to address the alarming decline in press freedom in the country.

“The many press freedom violations reveal a climate of violence, and a determination to censor that has little in common with the undertakings by the political parties in their elections campaign manifestos and the message of support for journalists by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif,” stated Celia Mercier, the head of RSF’s South Asia desk.

“Pakistan remains one of the world’s most dangerous countries for media personnel, and the level of impunity for the murders of journalists is appalling,” Mercier said in June.

Stifling free press

Until this month, millions of Pakistanis experienced significant disruptions in accessing major social media platforms nationwide, including Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, drawing a public outcry.

The military-backed Sharif government was blamed for imposing the shutdowns and internet slowdowns to deter dissent or political unrest.

Pakistani authorities rejected the allegations and blamed internet disruptions on a faulty submarine internet cable.

In an August 28 announcement, the state regulator, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, announced that repairs to the faulty cable would likely be completed by early October, but slow internet speeds might persist until then.

Islamic State claims responsibility for weekend bombing that killed 2 police officers in Pakistan (AP)

AP [9/16/2024 3:03 AM, Staff, 456K, Negative]
The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the weekend bombing that killed two police officials in restive southwestern Pakistan, officials said Monday.

Analysts say the latest violence is a sign of increasing coordination between Islamic militants and separatists who for years have been targeting security forces and civilians in the oil- and gas-rich Balochistan province bordering Iran and Afghanistan.

The Islamic State group said in a statement on Sunday that it detonated an explosive device a day earlier targeting a Pakistani police vehicle in Kuchlak town near Quetta, the capital of Balochistan. Pakistani officials say the attack killed two officers and wounded two others on a highway.

The Balochistan Liberation Army has previously claimed such attacks, but the Islamic State has carried out similar attacks in recent months.

BLA last month killed dozens of people in gun and suicide attacks on passenger buses, police stations and military facilities.

Abdullah Khan, a senior defense analyst and managing director of the Islamabad-based Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, told The Associated Press that the latest claim by the Islamic State indicates that BLA and Islamic militants are now working together on attacks in Balochistan and elsewhere in the northwest.

Balochistan is the scene of a long-running insurgency, with an array of separatist groups staging attacks mainly on security forces. The separatists demand independence from the central government.

India

Delhi Leader Calls For Early Election After Release From Prison (Bloomberg)

Bloomberg [9/15/2024 5:15 AM, Malavika Kaur Makol, Santosh Kumar, and Swati Gupta, 27782K, Neutral]
Arvind Kejriwal, chief minister of India’s national capital territory of Delhi, said he would resign and called for elections to be brought forward just days after he was granted bail and released from prison.

“The court has ruled in our favor,” he told a gathering in Hindi on Sunday. Kejriwal, an outspoken critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said he would not accept the role of chief minister until the people had shown they believe he is honest. He called for Delhi elections, due to be held early next year, to be brought forward to November.

The Delhi leader was granted bail on Friday, after spending almost six months in prison without trial in a liquor-distribution case that alleged impropriety. The chief minister’s former deputy and other members of his Aam Aadmi Party have been arrested over the last few years but none has faced trial yet. The party has denied all allegations.

Kejriwal’s comments come as the election battles for key provinces heats up in India. Parties including Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party are looking for ways to boost support after disappointing general elections earlier this year, with polls due in states including Maharashtra and Haryana. AAP previously accused the BJP of using federal investigative agencies to target opposition leaders ahead of the elections.

New Delhi’s chief minister announces resignation two days after he was released on bail (AP)

AP [9/15/2024 5:25 AM, Staff, 31638K, Neutral]
One of India’s main opposition figures and New Delhi’s chief minister said he would resign from office Sunday, two days after he was granted bail in a bribery case.

Arvind Kejriwal, a fierce critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was arrested nearly six months ago ahead of national elections on charges of receiving bribes from a liquor distributor. India’s top court released him on bail Friday.

Kejriwal has consistently denied the accusations and called them a political conspiracy.

"Today I have come to ask the public whether you consider Kejriwal honest or a criminal," he said in a public address Sunday at the headquarters of his Aam Aadmi Party, which governs New Delhi. "I will resign from the post of chief minister two days from today."

Kejriwal said his party - a part of a broad alliance of opposition parties called INDIA and was the main challenger to Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party in June’s elections - will hold a meeting later to decide who will take over his position.

He also demanded the New Delhi elections, scheduled for February next year, be held in November instead.

Opposition parties widely condemned Kejriwal’s arrest. They accused Modi’s government of misusing federal investigation agencies to harass and weaken its political opponents. They pointed to several raids, arrests, and corruption investigations of key opposition figures in the months before the elections.

Kejriwal’s supporters celebrated his release by lighting firecrackers and dancing in the rain outside his New Delhi residence, with many carrying placards with photos of the popular politician.

Some leaders from Modi’s party warned that he was released on bail and not acquitted.

Government agencies have accused Kejriwal’s party and ministers of accepting 1 billion rupees ($12 million) in bribes from a liquor distributor nearly two years ago in return for revising a liquor sales policy in New Delhi, allowing private companies greater profits.

Kejriwal, a former civil servant, launched the Aam Aadmi Party in 2012. He promised to rid the Indian political system and governance of corruption and inefficiency.

The party’s symbol - a broom - and its promise to sweep the administration of graft struck a chord with New Delhi’s residents, fed up with runaway inflation and slow economic growth.

Arvind Kejriwal, just out of prison, to resign as Delhi chief minister (Reuters)

Reuters [9/15/2024 10:49 PM, Dhwani Pandya, 37270K, Negative]
Indian opposition leader Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday he will resign as chief minister of the Delhi regional government, two days after he was released from prison on bail in a graft case.

Kejriwal was granted bail on Friday by India’s Supreme Court and left prison in the evening almost six months after being detained in relation to alleged irregularities in the capital city’s liquor policy.

Kejriwal is a fierce critic of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a former anti-corruption crusader whose decade-old Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) quickly rose to mainstream politics, although its clout is relatively small compared to older opposition parties.

AAP had expected that Kejriwal’s release from prison would allow him to campaign as a chief minister in regional elections next month in the northern state of Haryana, and in Delhi early next year.

Kejriwal, announcing his resignation as chief minister at a meeting with AAP workers, said he would only return to the post if people certify his honesty by voting for him in the upcoming Delhi election. He called on the Election Commission to bring forward the Delhi election to November, from February 2025.

"I demand elections be held in November with Maharashtra elections, I demand the elections be held immediately," Kejriwal said.

He was first taken into custody in March by India’s financial crime-fighting agency, weeks before the country’s national elections, in relation to Delhi’s liquor policy.

Although he was granted bail in that case in July, he remained in detention due to his arrest the previous month by the federal police in another graft case related to the same policy.

Kejriwal, 55, and AAP deny the allegations and say the cases are "politically motivated".

Ex-head of India’s RG Kar College charged for alleged evidence tampering in rape case (Reuters)

Reuters [9/15/2024 2:41 AM, Subrata Nag Choudhary, 37270K, Negative]
India’s federal police have charged the former head of R.G. Kar Medical College in Kolkata with tampering with evidence linked to the rape and murder of a junior female doctor, a case that triggered weeks of nationwide protests.

Former college principal Sandip Ghosh is already in police custody for suspected graft. The additional charges were made against him in a petition filed on Saturday by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) before a court and which was seen by Reuters.

The CBI also arrested Abhijit Mondal, the officer in charge of police station that has jurisdiction over the college, for failing to protect the crime scene, a source with a direct knowledge of the matter said.

Asked about Mondal’s arrest, a senior Kolkata police official said: "We will respond to the charges in court."

The lawyer representing Ghosh could not be immediately reached for comment.

The rape and murder of the 31-year-old doctor, whose body was found at the college more than a month ago, set off a wave of protests by doctors demanding greater safety for women in the workplace and justice for their slain colleague.

In its petition, the CBI charged Ghosh with "deliberate destruction of evidence" in the case. It said that Ghosh, and others, allegedly delayed declaring the victim’s death as well as filing a first information report, which led to the destruction of vital evidence.

Junior doctors in India’s West Bengal state, of which Kolkata is the capital, have vowed to maintain their protests until justice for the slain doctor is meted out.

Rohingya detainees protest ‘abominable’ conditions in Indian camp (VOA)

VOA [9/14/2024 11:42 AM, Staff, 4566K, Negative]
More than 100 Rohingya refugees who have for years been detained at a transit camp in the northeast Indian state of Assam have launched a hunger strike demanding that they be handed over to the United Nations refugee agency in New Delhi, transferred to a detention facility in the Indian capital, and that the process of resettlement in a third country be started.

The 103 Muslim Rohingya refugees have been on hunger strike since Monday at the Matia Transit Camp, where immigrants, most of whom entered the country illegally, are held. Local authorities said 30 Christian Chin refugees, also from Myanmar, are on hunger strike, too, in solidarity with the Rohingyas.

A midlevel police officer in Goalpara district, where the camp is located, told VOA Thursday that senior Home Affairs Ministry officials from the state headquarters were on their way to investigate the issue.

“The officials will interact with their counterparts at the camp, as well as the detainees who are on hunger strike, and aim to resolve the issues. The detainees, who are from Myanmar, are demanding to be released from the camp,” said the police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media. “All the officials are trying to resolve the issue as soon as possible.”

Sabber Kyaw Min, an India-based Rohingya rights activist who is monitoring the situation, said that the refugees in the detention center were living in poor hygienic conditions and received “inhumane treatment.”

“Fleeing genocide in Myanmar, our people took refuge in India. Our home country continues to be increasingly unsafe for us. But we are facing persecution here — our people are being imprisoned in India,” Min, head of the Rohingya Human Rights Initiative, told VOA.

“At least 40 of the Rohingya refugees at the Matia camp hold UNHCR cards,” he said, using the acronym for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. “Yet they are treated like criminals and have been detained. Many Rohingyas have been in detention for as long as 10 or 12 years. They have finished their terms long ago. Yet they are being detained.”

India has not signed the 1951 U.N. Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol and views all Rohingya refugees as "illegal immigrants," although they have lived peacefully in the country for decades.

Since Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party came to power in 2014, however, Rohingya refugees have faced trouble in India.

After repeated directives from the Indian Home Affairs Ministry in recent years, Indian states have been detaining Rohingya refugees under charges of illegal entry into the country.

According to the UNHCR, 676 Rohingyas are in detention in India, but Rohingya rights activists put the figure at 1,000.

Min said that in many cases, Rohingya refugees are being held in detention “illegally.”

Jan Mohammad, a Rohingya refugee who recently moved back to Bangladesh from India, told VOA Friday that a relative at the Matia camp told him Rohingyas there were facing torture.

“My relative sent an audio message to me from inside the camp in which he said that the inmates were suffering from poor health care facilities. The supply of drinking water was inadequate. Some were even drinking toilet water. The living conditions in the camp were abominable,” Mohammad said. “During winter, they often could not sleep at night because they did not have enough blankets. When they complained about the poor amenities, they were beaten by the guards there.

“Many inmates there often cried, saying that their detention was for an indefinite period and they would die there, my relative said in his message, three months ago.”

VOA’s email to the Assam home ministry seeking a reaction to the issue has not received a response.

In July, a Supreme Court said the living conditions in several detention centers were “deplorable” while hearing a related petition.

In July, 35 Rohingya inmates of the Matia camp wrote to the local administration seeking resettlement in a third country or transfer to a facility with better conditions. The inmates began their hunger strike on Monday, apparently because the authorities did not respond to their appeal.

The Indian Home Affairs Ministry said years ago Rohingyas detained in India would ultimately be deported to Myanmar, but only 18 have been deported there since 2021.

The London-based Burmese Rohingya Organization UK said in a statement Wednesday that the hunger strike at Matia camp was a “direct response to their prolonged and arbitrary detention and the severe human rights abuses they endure.”

“The arbitrary detention of Rohingya refugees in India represents a grave injustice. These individuals, who have already faced unimaginable atrocities, are subjected to further mistreatment. The Indian government must act immediately to end these unlawful detentions and address the abysmal conditions within detention centers,” Tun Khin, president of the organization, said in the statement.

New Delhi-based lawyer Ujjaini Chatterji, who argues against indefinite detention of Rohingya refugees in India, told VOA Friday that "the Rohingyas cannot be detained without following the due process established by law.”

“The due process includes serving prior notice to them with an opportunity to present their case, and also for the Rohingyas to be told the grounds for their arrest or detention while being given access to adequate legal representation and contact with friends and family,” Chatterji told the VOA.

“Indefinite detention is an absolute violation of not only the very thrust of the Constitution of India, but also against various precedents set through judgments by the high courts and the Supreme Court of India,” said Chatterji.

Two Indian soldiers killed days ahead of Kashmir polls (Agence France-Presse)

Agence France-Presse [9/14/2024 12:41 AM, Staff, 88008K, Negative]
A gunfight with suspected militants left two Indian soldiers dead and two others injured in Kashmir, days before local elections in the disputed Himalayan region.

Indian-administered Kashmir has seen a rise in clashes between rebels and security forces ahead of the first local assembly polls in the region for a decade.

The Indian army said the firefight took place on Friday in Kishtwar district, paying tribute to the "supreme sacrifice of the bravehearts" in a post on social media platform X.

Muslim-majority Kashmir has been divided between rivals India and Pakistan since their independence from British rule in 1947 and is claimed in full by both countries.

Rebels have fought Indian forces for decades, demanding independence or a merger with Pakistan.

About 500,000 Indian troops are deployed in the region, battling a 35-year insurgency that has killed tens of thousands of civilians, soldiers and rebels since 1989.

The territory has been without an elected local government since 2019, when its partial autonomy was cancelled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.

A total of 8.7 million people will be eligible to vote for the region’s assembly when the election begins on September 18, with results expected in October.

Ahead of the vote, Modi is expected to address rallies for his Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the southern Jammu portion of the territory, which has a sizeable Hindu population.

In the past two years, more than 50 soldiers were killed in clashes, mostly in Jammu.

India accuses Pakistan of backing the region’s militants and cross-border attacks inside its territory, claims Islamabad denies.

The nuclear-armed neighbours have fought several conflicts for control of the region since 1947.

Indian Hindu Group In Kashmir Readies For Landmark Vote (Agence France-Presse)

Agence France-Presse [9/15/2024 :56 AM, Parvaiz Bukhari, 1.7M, Neutral]
It has taken 77 years for Dev Raj to be able to vote in local elections in Indian-controlled Kashmir, and the Hindu elder is clear on who he will thank.

"I will cast my vote, and happily, for Modi," Raj said, referring to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, leader of the Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Three-phased elections begin in the Muslim-majority region on September 18, Kashmir’s first regional assembly election in a decade -- and the first since New Delhi imposed direct rule in 2019 -- with 8.7 million eligible voters.

Raj’s case illustrates the legacy of colonialism and the complex shifting identities in the disputed Himalayan flashpoint region.

Kashmir has been divided between nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan since their partition at the chaotic end of British rule in 1947, and both countries claim the territory in full.

About 500,000 Indian troops are deployed in the region, battling a 35-year insurgency in which tens of thousands of civilians, soldiers and rebels have been killed, including dozens this year alone.

Raj, 90, was a teenager when Pakistan became independent and an estimated one million people on both sides of the new border were massacred.

Hindus escaped to India. Muslims fled the other way.

Raj settled with around 5,700 Hindu families under Indian rule in Kashmir.

Since then, descendants of those families, now totalling as many as 150,000 people, have been classified as "West Pakistan Refugees" (WPR).

They have long been recognised as Indian citizens able to vote in national elections, most recently in June, when Modi won a third term in power.

But Kashmir’s special semi-autonomous status -- constitutionally enshrined power to control its affairs -- meant only those who descended from residents of the territory in 1934 could vote and own property.

That changed in 2019 when Modi’s government scrapped those rules and imposed direct governance from New Delhi.

Some hardline separatists, who demand independence for Kashmir or its merger with Pakistan, oppose the election they see as validating New Delhi’s control.

Critics say the 90-seat assembly will only have nominal powers over education and culture. Key decisions will remain in New Delhi’s hands, including appointing its governor.

But retired shopkeeper Sardari Lal, who was 12 years old when his family fled to the region’s southern Jammu district in 1947, said the poll was something to celebrate.

"The voting right we have got is something I will hold close to my chest for life," the 89-year-old said.

Lal still recalls the horrors of partition, the immediate aftermath when they "survived by eating leaves" and the abject poverty.

"My grandchildren will do well now," Lal said. "They don’t have to live like us."

Observers say previous governments did not grant full rights to the group for fear of upsetting the demographic balance.

However, Modi’s government has encouraged those from outside the region to move to Kashmir, especially to Jammu district, which has had a majority Hindu population since partition.

Some, such as WPR activist Labha Ram Gandhi, said they would not automatically vote for the BJP.

"They (BJP) expect that since they have granted us full citizenship rights we would vote for them, but the party has not given a single ticket to anyone from among us," Gandhi told AFP. "Naturally, we are angry."

Gandhi said he would vote for candidates who would help them register formal ownership of the land they live on.

But while the WPR group is not large enough to significantly shift poll results, commentators see their vote as part of the BJP’s wider wooing of Hindu support.

"All of us will vote, 100 percent," said Shamsher Singh, an official of the WPR Action Committee.

"In the parliamentary election (in June) we voted to thank the BJP," Singh added. "Now, we will vote in celebration in the assembly election."

NSB

A US delegation talks with Bangladesh’s interim leader about the economy (AP)

AP [9/15/2024 8:24 PM, Julhas Alam, 4566K, Neutral]
A high-level U.S. delegation met Sunday with the head of Bangladesh’s interim government, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, to affirm “dedication to fostering inclusive economic growth,” according to the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka.

Yunus took over after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country last month amid a mass uprising. She was accused of corruption, violation of human rights and excessive use of force against the protesters.

During her 15-year rule, Hasina enjoyed close relations with India, China and Russia who have heavily invested in the country’s infrastructure development, trade and investment. The U.S. has also become the single largest foreign investor in Bangladesh under Hasina.

Yunus on Sunday said he sought U.S. support “to rebuild the country, carry out vital reforms, and bring back stolen assets,” his press office said in a statement after he met the delegation at the State Guest House Jamuna in Dhaka.

He told the U.S. representatives his interim administration has moved fast to “reset, reform, and restart” the economy, initiate reforms in financial sectors, and fix institutions such as the judiciary and police, the statement said.

The U.S. delegation, led by Brent Neiman, assistant secretary for International Finance at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, had representatives from the U.S. Agency for International Development, and Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Donald Lu, assistant secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, joined the delegation after visiting India.

They met with several officials in Dhaka, including Touhid Hossain, the country’s adviser to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The USAID also signed an agreement to provide $202.25 million in aid to Bangladesh.

The U.S. embassy on X underscored how American companies are entrenched in the South Asian country.

“With the right economic reforms in place, the American private sector can help unlock Bangladesh’s growth potential through trade and investment,” the embassy wrote on its official account.

The delegation also met representatives of the American companies under the American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh (AmCham) operating in Bangladesh upon arriving Saturday.

Concerns over safety and lack of order in Bangladesh were relayed by the companies’ agents.

AmCham President Syed Ershad Ahmed said at the meeting that while there were improvements after the interim government was installed, “there are some bottlenecks too.” Profit repatriation amid the ongoing crisis of U.S. dollars and challenges in the supply chain resulting from congestion at ports were among the issues he raised.

The meeting came as unrest took hold of the country’s major garment industry with workers walking out, leaving factories shuttered, as they demanded better benefits including higher wages. The factory owners, the government and workers’ leaders are holding meetings to ease the tension.

Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate-induced disasters. The U.S. embassy on its official Facebook page said the United States wanted to help it “mitigate climate risks.”

US to give Bangladesh $202 million more in aid (Reuters)

Reuters [9/15/2024 6:33 AM, Ruma Paul, 37270K, Neutral]
The United States is committed to supporting Bangladesh’s inclusive economic growth, institution building and development and will provide an additional $202 million of aid, a U.S. delegation said during a visit to Dhaka on Sunday.

The six-member delegation, led by Deputy Under Secretary of the Treasury Department Brent Neiman, is the first from the U.S. since the interim government headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus took office last month following the ousting of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after deadly protests.

In a televised address last week, Chief Adviser Yunus said the government was appealing for $5 billion in aid to help stabilise an economy that has been struggling since the Ukraine war sharply increased the cost of fuel and food imports. Bangladesh last year sought a $4.7 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) said it would provide a $202 million grant to promote good governance, social, human and economic opportunity and resilience, in a deal signed on Sunday in Dhaka.

It follows a 2021 agreement where USAID pledged a total of $954 million between 2021 and 2026, of which $425 million had already been provided.

In a statement released on its Facebook page following the meeting with Yunus, the U.S. embassy emphasised its readiness to support Bangladesh in its pursuit of a more "equitable and inclusive future".

Yunus sought U.S. support to help rebuild Bangladesh, carry out essential reforms to the judiciary, police and financial institutions and to recover assets stolen by the previous regime, according to a statement from his office.

The visiting U.S. delegation expressed Washington’s willingness to support these reform efforts, offering both technical and financial assistance, the statement said.

The talks also covered economic reforms, investment, labour issues, the Rohingya crisis and Yunus’s upcoming visit to New York for the U.N. General Assembly.

The U.S. visitors also held discussions with key members of the interim government, including Foreign Affairs Adviser Mohammad Touhid Hossain, Finance and Commerce Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed and Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan Mansur.

Donald Lu, assistant secretary for South Asia, who arrived in Dhaka after wrapping up his India tour, was part of the delegation.

The U.S. embassy said it reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with Bangladesh on expanding economic opportunities, building institutional capacity, upholding human rights and addressing climate risks.

Bangladesh eyes ‘reset, reform, restart’ after U.S. delegation visit (Nikkei Asia)

Nikkei Asia [9/16/2024 1:27 AM, Faisal Mahmud, 2.4M, Neutral]
Bangladesh’s new caretaker government has wrapped up its first key diplomatic meeting with a call to "reset, reform and restart" after a student-led uprising ousted longtime Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last month.

Interim leader Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus and other officials held talks in Dhaka on Sunday with a six-member delegation including Donald Lu, the U.S. government’s assistant secretary for South Asia, and Brent Neiman, deputy undersecretary for international finance at the Department of the Treasury.

Lu is a well-known figure in the South Asian nation, having made multiple visits including before polls in January when Hasina -- who fled to neighboring India last month -- clinched her fourth consecutive term in an election boycotted by the opposition and marred by irregularities.

During the high-level talks this weekend, Yunus outlined the myriad challenges ahead, including revitalizing the stumbling economy and a push to reform key institutions including the electoral system, judiciary and police.

He also emphasized a commitment to recovering assets embezzled by individuals associated with the previous government. "We were mired in corruption," Yunus said in a statement that added officials would push to "reset, reform and restart."

Bangladesh -- ranked 149th of 180 nations on Transparency International’s 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index -- has sought help from the FBI and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to recover billions of dollars in missing state funds.

Yunus’ finance advisor, Salehuddin Ahmed, told reporters on Sunday that there were talks with the U.S. delegation on repatriating stolen money. The new government has estimated about $100 billion was illegally moved out of the country over the past 15 years, primarily through trade mis-invoicing and an informal money transfer network known as hundi.

This estimate is supported by a 2021 Global Financial Integrity report that noted an average annual outflow of $8.3 billion between 2009 and 2018. Hasina was in power from 2009 until last month.

The U.S. delegation said Sunday it would support Bangladesh’s inclusive economic growth and institutional reforms, pledging an additional $202 million in aid through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

This comes after a 2021 agreement when USAID pledged $954 million in aid to Bangladesh through 2026, of which $425 million has already been disbursed.

At the same time as the U.S. delegation’s visit, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank announced on Sunday that they would provide Bangladesh with $2.5 billion in loans to support reforms in the banking and financial sectors.

The World Bank will allocate $1 billion of the total amount, while the ADB will contribute $1.5 billion.

Bangladesh last year sought a $4.7 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and is now asking for another $5 billion to fill up its depleted foreign exchange reserves.

"A high-level delegation could signal significant support for the Yunus government, especially in the form of crucial economic aid that Bangladesh urgently needs," Shafquat Rabbee, a U.S.-based geopolitical columnist, said of Sunday’s meetings.

The U.S. embassy in Dhaka emphasized the significant presence of American companies in Bangladesh, a major clothing exporter, that it said on social media could unlock the country’s "growth potential through trade and investment," given "the right economic reforms in place."

Shahab Enam Khan, a professor of international relations at Jahangirnagar University in Dhaka, told Nikkei Asia that Washington would back efforts at "fostering an inclusive and equitable economy supported by accountable institutions and good governance.

"The delegation’s message aligns with the public’s desire for effective governance and sustainable democratic institutions, and it reflects the U.S.’s ongoing engagement with emerging geopolitical players in the Indo-Pacific, such as Bangladesh."

China throws fresh support line to crisis-threatened Maldives (Reuters)

Reuters [9/14/2024 1:08 PM, Joe Cash and Marc Jones, 5.2M, Neutral]
The Maldives’ hopes of staving off a debt crisis were given a lift on Friday after China agreed to strengthen trade and investment in its latest demonstration of support and influence in the Indian Ocean nation.

Concerns have grown in recent months that the cash-strapped Maldives could become the first country to default on Islamic sovereign debt but this week has seen a sudden improvement in sentiment.

A sharp rebound in its only international market bond - a sharia-compliant sukuk issue - was capped on Friday as China’s central bank, the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) and the Maldivian Ministry of Economic Development and Trade announced a "memorandum of understanding".

Though the details were limited, the two sides said it was "a framework for cooperation" aimed at "promoting the settlement of current account transactions and direct investments in local currencies," as well as facilitating smoother trade.

The signing of the MoU is the latest example of the Maldives reorientation towards China and away from India, traditionally the archipelago nation’s closest regional economic and security partner.

In April, Maldives voters handed President Mohamed Muizzu’s party a landslide win in a parliamentary election. Muizzu, who took over as president in November, then held talks with China’s President Xi Jinping in Beijing in January.

China’s foreign ministry earlier in the day had said the world’s second-largest economy and biggest bilateral lender had been in touch with the Maldives about its debt to Beijing and stepping up financial cooperation between the two countries.

"China will, as always, provide support and assistance to the economic and social development of the Maldives within its capability," Mao Ning, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, told a regular press conference in Beijing prior to the announcement.

It saw the Maldives’ sovereign sukuk bond extend its swift rebound. It added a hefty 4.2 cents on the day to reach almost 79 cents on the dollar, having started the month at a record low of 68 cents.

WARNINGS

Analysts warn it is not out of the woods yet though.

Moody’s this week became the latest rating agency to warn a default was looking increasingly likely, highlighting that the country’s reserves remain "significantly below" the $600 million to $700 million worth of debt payments the Maldives has coming due next year and the more than a billion dollars it has to make in 2026.

The country’s central bank responded by vowing it would not default and that the country would make a $25 million payment on its Islamic sovereign debt next month on time and in full.

Much of the money the Maldives owes is to regional rivals China and India though, which have extended $1.37 billion and $124 million in loans, respectively, World Bank Data shows.

Tina Vandersteel, head of GMO’s Emerging Country Debt team, an investment fund with a specialism in distressed debt, said exactly how much the Maldives owes remained "murky" while its U.S. dollar-pegged rufiyaa currency was a potential problem too.

"If the peg goes and then you have the typical 30% depreciation, debt-to-GDP - which is already 120% - would go even higher," she said.

Sri Lanka’s war-scarred north hopes vote will bring change (Agence France-Presse)

Agence France-Presse [9/16/2024 4:14 PM, Amal Jayasinghe, 1.7M, Neutral]
Sri Lanka’s main newspaper in the northern port of Jaffna endured bullets and bombings during a decades-long Tamil separatist war, but its publisher says the biggest threat came during peacetime.

While an unprecedented 2022 economic crisis hit all on the island -- with furious protesters in the capital Colombo ousting the then-president -- it knocked northern regions still rebuilding 15 years after the war especially hard.

Many among the island’s Tamil minority are hoping that presidential polls on September 21, the first since the economic meltdown, will bring financial stability.

Eswarapatham Saravanapavan, 70, the publisher of the Tamil-language Uthayan daily, a defiant symbol of peaceful resistance during the no-holds-barred war, said it nearly closed because there was no foreign exchange to import newsprint paper and ink.

"I was determined that the continuity of the paper should never be hampered," Saravanapavan told AFP in his modest office in Jaffna, the capital of the Tamil-majority northern province.

Journalists were killed and media institutions were attacked during the war, which reached a brutal finale in 2009 when the army crushed Tamil Tiger separatists.

The Jaffna flagship suffered the highest losses.

In the newsroom, red tape marks the 12 bullet holes in the wall where pro-government gunmen killed two staff in 2006.

Three others were also killed. Many more were arrested, assaulted or threatened with death.

Yet it was the economic crash that nearly silenced the Uthayan’s presses.

"We were in a situation where we didn’t know if we would be able to publish the next week," Saravanapavan said.

The paper is still struggling, with its future uncertain due to high prices and rising unemployment, Saravanapavan added.

Jaffna witnessed some of the heaviest bloodshed in a conflict in which the United Nations estimates at least 100,000 people were killed.

Residents say they are still grappling with long-unresolved issues of accountability for war crimes, disappearances, and demands for the return of private land occupied by the army.

"After the war ended in 2009, our economy was at its lowest point," said R. Jayasegaran, president of the city’s chamber of commerce.

"After that, 15 years passed. We were slowly improving."

Jayasegaran hopes the next president will reopen the port, which lies just across a narrow strait, to boost trade with regional powerhouse India.

The government negotiated a $2.9 billion IMF bailout last year but is yet to complete crucial restructuring after defaulting on its sovereign debt.

Tamils make up around 11 percent of Sri Lanka’s 22 million people and the lone Tamil candidate is a rank outsider to win.

However, it is unclear who most Tamils will choose for their critical second choice on the ballot in the preferential voting system.

That adds to uncertainty in an already tight three-way race between the incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe, opposition chief Sajith Premadasa, and Marxist leader Anura Kumara Dissanayaka.

Like many in Jaffna, Saravanapavan hopes for change but is sceptical any of the trio can deliver on promises to address long-standing demands of Tamils.

Others in the city say that whoever wins, they only want the leader to tackle their list of grievances.

Y. M. Kumar, 38, sells traditional Jaffna sweets made from palms and wants fuel costs that tripled during the crash to be reduced.

Jaffna was off-limits to visitors from the rest of the island during the conflict but domestic tourism was increasing and Kumar’s sweets were popular.

The 2022 crisis put paid to that.

"Due to the very high fuel prices, fewer visitors are coming from outside Jaffna," Kumar said at his stall in Jaffna’s market.

That is echoed by fishmonger A. Johnson, 43, who said 70 percent of their costs went to fuel, and with prices high and incomes low, people bought little.

Fisherman union leader Nagarajah Warnakulasingham, 62, said politicians had failed to regulate trawlers netting their waters, leaving locals with little to catch.

"Foreign and local trawlers are destroying our fish stocks," Warnakulasingham said.

"People have no money now," he said.

Central Asia

Kazakhstan: New rules on media access spark controversy, complaints (EurasiaNet)

EurasiaNet [9/13/2024 4:14 PM, Almaz Kumenov, 57.6K, Neutral]
The Kazakh government is facing a media backlash over efforts to restrict journalists’ access to top officials. Authorities contend that recently introduced regulations on media access emulate those already in place in the West.

The origin of the brewing controversy dates to August, when officials restricted access without advance notice for journalists seeking to cover a Cabinet of Ministers meeting. Previously, journalists had been able to go to the third floor of the government building, where cabinet meetings occur. But on this occasion, journalists were told that they would have to cover the meeting from a press center set up on the second floor. The move would prevent journalists from asking government officials questions following the conclusion of the meeting.

One journalist, Zhaniya Urankayeva, a reporter for the Press.kz outlet, defied the new rule and gained access to the building’s third floor. When discovered to be in violation of the new regulation, she was escorted back to the press center. Subsequently, officials in early September decided to revoke Urankayeva’s credentials to enter the government building until the end of the year, effectively a four-month ban.

Urankayeva describes her punishment as a general attack on independent, watchdog journalism. “The government is introducing censorship and trying to ban the journalistic profession,” Urankayeva told Eurasianet.

On September 10, Press Center Director Maksat Tulegenov justified the ban, telling journalists that “the government building is a particularly important state facility, on the territory of which special rules apply regarding access and the internal regime for both employees and visitors.” He alleged Urankayeva, in going to the third floor, ignored cautions given by security services personnel. She insists no one challenged her efforts to go to the third floor.

The incident has focused a spotlight on government accountability. Urankayeva and other journalists say that authorities are becoming increasingly inaccessible to members of the media seeking comment on policy debates and decisions.

“We are forced to catch officials, because the press services of government agencies usually do not provide the necessary information to editorial inquiries, responding with meaningless formal replies,” Urankayeva said.

Many of Urankayeva’s journalist colleagues have expressed support for her actions, criticizing the ban in news reports and on social media, as well as speaking on her behalf to officials appearing at government press conferences. They describe Urankayeva as a “toothy” journalist known for always asking sharp questions on sensitive issues.

“When it’s Zhaniya’s turn to ask a question to officials, 99 percent of journalists turn on their cameras because she knows how to ask questions, get to the bottom of the truth, and we know there will be cool content,” Nazira Aidarbekkyzy, a correspondent for the news site Voice of the People, wrote on Facebook.

Gulmira Birzhanova, a lawyer at the Legal Media Center, a media advocacy NGO, contended to Eurasianet that the government’s action against Urankayeva violates Article 20 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech and prohibits censorship. “Accreditation according to international standards should not limit journalists, but on the contrary, create opportunities and favorable conditions for them to work in a given environment,” Diana Okremova, the center’s director, told Eurasianet.

The Urankayeva affair follows another unwelcome precedent, when officials declined to hold a traditional press conference following President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s annual state-of-the-nation address in early September.

Restrictions on media contacts with officials were introduced as part of new procedures for accrediting journalists, approved by the Minister of Culture and Information Aida Balayeva on August 20. The document contains a set of rules governing the issuance of journalist accreditation needed for access to government buildings and events, as well as rules for reporting in government agencies and restricted areas. Those found in violation of the regulations are subject to having accreditation revoked, as what happened to Urankayeva.

The new regulations have drawn criticism from rights groups. In early September, for example, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) issued a statement saying the new rules were vulnerable to abuses aimed at restricting the flow of information. “New and proposed amendments to Kazakhstan’s accreditation regulations are excessive and open too many doors to censorship. Instead of the greater openness promised by President Tokayev’s ‘New Kazakhstan,’ what journalists are really getting is ever more creeping state control,” said Gulnoza Said, CPJ’s Europe and Central Asia program coordinator. “Kazakh authorities should heed journalists’ legitimate complaints and revise the media accreditation rules.”

This year, Kazakhstan’s ranking in Reporters Without Borders’ press freedom index fell eight spots compared to 2023, coming in at 142 out of 180 countries surveyed. The international organization’s report notes that although “the quality of online news is improving,” “control over the Internet, the only space where independent media can express their opinions, is increasing.”

Officials are vigorously pushing back against criticism of the rules changes. In July, Balayeva, the information minister, noted that similar rules covering media access at government buildings are in effect across the European Union and in the United States. For example, two reporters, including one from the New York Times, were recently banned from police headquarters in New York City for allegedly violating access rules.

“Compliance with access and internal regimes of especially important state facilities is also an integral part of compliance with current legislation and security,” Balayeva emphasized.

Almaty Hotel Cancels Deal To Host Kazakh Group Opposing Nuclear Plant (Radio Free Europe)

Radio Free Europe [9/13/2024 4:14 PM, Staff, 235K, Neutral]
A hotel in Kazakhstan’s largest city, Almaty, has canceled its agreement with a group opposing the government’s plan to construct a nuclear power station to host a gathering next week.

Vadim Ni, a founding member of the group AES Kerek Emes (We Don’t Need Nuclear Power Plants), told RFE/RL on September 13 that the hotel, run by U.S.-based Hilton Hotels & Resorts, canceled the deal three days before the event was to take place on September 16.

"This morning, after I sent invitations to media outlets to the event, the hotel administration called me and said the agreement was annulled due to -- what they said -- the hotel’s closure," Ni said, adding that most likely the hotel canceled the gathering of about 50 people due to pressure imposed by people linked to the government or supporters of the idea to construct a nuclear power plant.

Ni also said his group is searching for an alternative site for the gathering.

The hotel’s manager, who introduced herself as Aleksandra, refused to comment on the decision to cancel the event.

Kazakh authorities said last week that a nationwide referendum on the possible construction of a nuclear power plant will be held on October 6.

On September 12, the Kazakh Prosecutor-General’s Office said four individuals and two companies were fined for holding opinion polls on the issue because they failed to inform the authorities about their intention to conduct the opinion polls.

Ni and several other activists announced the creation of their group on September 10.

The activists said that if a nuclear plant is constructed in partnership with a foreign country -- four companies are currently on the short list -- Kazakhstan could lose some of its sovereignty.

China’s CNNC, South Korea’s KHNP, France’s EDF, and Russia’s Rosatom have been named in media reports as possible partners.

Kazakh officials have avoided commenting directly, saying the decision would be made after the referendum.

Shortly before launching its ongoing invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia proposed that its Rosatom nuclear agency be Kazakhstan’s main partner in such a project.

Many Kazakhs publicly reject the idea of Rosatom’s involvement, citing the legacy of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster and Russia’s occupation of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in Ukraine as examples of Moscow’s attitude toward nuclear safety.

Many in Kazakhstan expect the referendum to succeed, given the country’s tightly controlled political environment.

But the push to build a new nuclear facility has been met by significant opposition, despite apparent efforts to silence dissent on the issue. In recent weeks, several activists known for their stance against the project have been prevented from attending public debates on the matter.

Germany to increase Kazakh crude oil imports, sources say (Reuters)

Reuters [9/15/2024 11:46 AM, Andreas Rinke, 88008K, Neutral]
Germany will sign two contracts to increase oil imports from Kazakhstan for Berlin’s main Schwedt oil refinery, sources told Reuters on Sunday.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will be in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan on Monday and Tuesday, on his first visit to Central Asia as Berlin looks for new markets and sources of energy and minerals in the wake of the Ukraine war.

Under the agreement, a monthly supply of 100,000 metric tons of crude oil will be secured until the end of 2025, with a second contract for the supply of up to 50,000 tons per month.

The PCK Schwedt refinery has already been purchasing these additional quantities for three months, but they will now be contractually fixed.

Kazakh oil imports have kept the Schwedt refinery running after a sharp drop in Russian oil supplies following European Union sanctions on Moscow for its February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Representatives of the German subsidiary of Russia’s Rosneft , Rosneft Deutschland, which Berlin put under a trusteeship last year, will sign the agreement in the Kazakh capital Astana.

In 2023, Kazakhstan exported 8.5 million tons of oil to Germany, accounting for 11.7% of Germany’s total oil imports, and up from around 6.5 million tons before the Ukraine war.

That jump made Kazakhstan Germany’s third-largest supplier after Norway and the United States, data from Germany’s Federal Statistics Office showed.

Kyrgyz Opposition Politician Beknazarov Accused Of Money Laundering (Radio Free Europe)

Radio Free Europe [9/15/2024 4:14 PM, Staff, 235K, Negative]
Kyrgyzstan’s State Committee for National Security (UKMK) said on September 13 that opposition politician Azimbek Beknazarov was detained a day earlier on suspicion of having been involved in money laundering. Bekanazarov’s son told RFE/RL on September 12 that his father was detained on unspecified charges after the UKMK summoned him for questioning. Beknazarov, 68, was among 27 activists acquitted in June of charges of "calling for mass unrest" and "plotting the seizure of power" in a high-profile case related to a deal that saw Kyrgyzstan hand over a disputed reservoir to Uzbekistan last year.

Germany Seals Migration Deal With Uzbekistan During Scholz Visit (Bloomberg)

Bloomberg [9/15/2024 12:39 PM, Michael Nienaber, 27782K, Neutral]
Germany and Uzbekistan sealed an agreement on migration and labor mobility and concluded a number of other accords designed to deepen cooperation in areas including critical raw materials and climate action.

The pacts were signed Sunday in Samarkand in the presence of Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who’s traveling to Central Asia for the first time and will head on to Kazakhstan on Monday.

Scholz is accompanied by a delegation of executives and the trip is part of his government’s push to strengthen ties with Central Asian nations in areas like industry, energy and the environment, as well as in security and defense. It’s also important to an ongoing effort to diversify Germany’s sources of energy and raw materials away from countries like Russia and China.

According to the government in Berlin, the migration agreement with Uzbekistan will help Germany attract skilled workers, though how far that helps address a persistent shortfall in Europe’s biggest economy remains to be seen. The accord also establishes a mechanism for cooperation on sending migrants back who don’t have the right to stay in either country.

“We are bringing the laborers and skilled workers into our country that we urgently need in manufacturing, small trades, nursing and many other areas,” Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, who signed the migration pact in Samarkand, was quoted as saying Sunday by the Rheinische Post newspaper.

“Anyone who has no prospects and no right to remain in Germany will have to leave our country much more quickly,” she added.

Germany inked a similar accord on Friday with Kenya during a visit by the African nation’s president, William Ruto. Scholz said that it provides opportunities for Kenyans because skilled workers or young people can come to Germany for training.

“The agreement — and this is basically the other side of the coin — also provides for effective procedures to return those who have come to us from Kenya but do not have or cannot acquire the right to remain,” he said at a joint news conference with Ruto at the chancellery in Berlin.

Scholz’s government has toughened its stance on migration in recent months in response to the rise of extreme parties on the left and right which want to curb the number of immigrants arriving in the country.

As well as the migration pact, Germany and Uzbekistan signed the following accords Sunday:

Joint declaration of intent on deeper cooperation on critical raw materials, including copper, to help make supply chains more resilient

Declaration of intent on veterinary medicine and livestock farming

Declaration of intent on cooperation on sustainable use of water resources

Agreement on transport cooperation, including high-speed rail travel

On Monday, Scholz is due to hold talks in Astana with Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and the two countries will also sign a number of agreements.

These relate to cooperation between the Bundesbank and Kazakhstan’s central bank, as well as the establishment of a German-Kazakh Institute of Science and Technology and a German school in Astana.

Scholz will also seek to encourage Kazakhstan to expand deliveries of crude oil

to a key refinery in eastern Germany, according to a senior German government official, who asked not to be identified in line with briefing rules.

The Schwedt facility gets about 70% of its crude oil via pipeline from the German port of Rostock, some 15% via pipeline from Gdansk in Poland, and about 15% via the Druzhba link from Kazakhstan.

Scholz, Tokayev and Mirziyoyev are due to meet with the presidents of Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan on Tuesday in Astana.

Twitter

Afghanistan

Malala Yousafzai
@Malala
[9/15/2024 3:30 PM, 1.9M followers, 2.2K retweets, 9.6K likes]
Today, I want to share a message with my powerful Afghan sisters. You are fighting back against the Taliban’s crimes, as they ban you from going to school and try to erase you from public life. You continue resisting. Your courage is a source of inspiration.

Amnesty International South Asia, Regional Office
@amnestysasia
[9/14/2024 2:57 PM, 91.5K followers, 136 retweets, 183 likes]
Afghanistan: Amnesty International strongly condemns the cold-blooded murder of at least 14 Hazara travellers by an armed group in central Afghanistan in an area between Sangtakh-wa-Bander district of Daikundi and Ghor province, on 12 September 2024. Amnesty International extends its deepest condolences to the bereaved families and their loved ones. This callous attack, reportedly claimed by an armed group the "Islamic State of Khorsan Province", is part of a wider pattern of deliberate and systematic attacks targeting the Hazara community in places of worship, schools, hospitals, roads and other public areas in Afghanistan at least since 2015. The perpetrators of the attack must be immediately brought to justice and measures must be put in place to protect the Hazara community from further harm. The latest killing of the Hazara civilians is yet another horrific reminder of the cost of impunity in Afghanistan and the need for the international community to work towards a robust independent international accountability mechanism to address the widespread and systematic human rights violations and crimes under international law in the country.

Habib Khan
@HabibKhanT
[9/15/2024 3:00 PM, 236.6K followers, 252 retweets, 579 likes]
Al Jazeera reports some senior Taliban members have moved their families abroad, where their daughters can attend school—while they’ve banned millions of Afghan girls from doing the same at home.

Habib Khan
@HabibKhanT
[9/14/2024 5:12 PM, 236.6K followers, 1.1K retweets, 3.7K likes]
From Paris to Kabul, women sing in solidarity with the women of Afghanistan, standing against the Taliban’s oppressive regime. Men and women from around the world need to join the Afghan women’s call for freedom.

Habib Khan
@HabibKhanT
[9/13/2024 11:32 PM, 236.6K followers, 74 retweets, 126 likes]
The Taliban have jammed the frequency of Afghanistan International TV, a leading source for uncensored coverage on Afghanistan. With all media outlets inside the country heavily censored, the Taliban now seek to tighten their control over broadcasting from outside the country.

Pakistan

Imran Khan
@ImranKhanPTI
[9/14/2024 4:19 AM, 20.9M followers, 13K retweets, 25K likes]
PTI’s Founding Chairman, Imran Khan’s informal interaction with representatives of the media after his jail trial at the Adiala Jail September 13, 2024

1- The country is currently experiencing Yahya Khan’s (Martial Law Dictator) rule all over again. (General) Yahya Khan conducted an operation against the country’s largest political party. Yahya Khan Part Two is doing the same and destroying the country’s institutions. People have lost confidence in the police as well as the subordinate judiciary because of all that is happening these days. The tout caretaker government of Yahya Khan Part Two gifted Judge Humayun Dilawar with land worth billions of Rupees and illegal NOCs (No Objection Certificate) in return for delivering a guilty verdict that led to my imprisonment. Even the other day, the judge was given instructions for three hours before he gave the verdict against Bushra (Khan). Qazi Faez Isa is being given an extension because he is giving them protection (from accountability) for their role in human rights violations and election rigging.

Nawaz Sharif has had the Supreme Court physically attacked (by goons armed) with sticks in the past, and he is now attacking the (independence of the judiciary) by attempting to extend Qazi Faez Isa’s term (as Chief Justice). If criminal mafias gain dominance over the judiciary, the country will be ruined. Qazi Faez Isa has fully facilitated holding the independent judiciary hostage. If Qazi Faez Isa’s tenure is extended, huge protests will be held. Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s statement of not extending any post is promising.

2- Investors have brought in billions of dollars into Singapore, a country with a population smaller than that of Karachi. Whereas Pakistan, which is the fifth most populous country in the world, has the lowest foreign investment in its history, at less than one billion dollars. Investments are only made in countries where rule of law is assured. Who will invest in a country where judges are threatened, their family members are abducted, and judicial decisions are flouted? Our dependence on the IMF will only end when overseas Pakistanis invest in our country. There are currently around ten-million Pakistanis living abroad who can save Pakistan.

Currently, overseas Pakistanis have to invest in Dubai and other countries because their capital is not safe here. If only a few hundred thousand overseas Pakistanis out of the ten-million invested in Pakistan, our (financial) woes would be alleviated. But, they will only invest when the constitution and rule of law is supreme. Pakistan’s future depends on the rule of law, which the duo of Qazi Faez Isa and Yahya Khan Part Two have sabotaged.

3- Ali Amin Gandapur was held (against his will) by the establishment. But he is not openly naming them to save the country from being mocked further. Who will safeguard the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa when the police is forced to focus on protecting themselves? If what the police claim is true, then the situation is extremely scary. If someone is attempting to initiate a dialogue, then that should be encouraged. The establishment and the government should, in fact, grovel before Ali Amin Gandapur to resolve the problem of terrorism through negotiations. Pakistan has had the most military operations, but that failed to establish peace, because the policy is, in itself, flawed and impossible to implement.

I would have definitely allowed the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to negotiate with Afghanistan had I been the Prime Minister. Pervez Khattak was sent to Afghanistan during Nawaz Sharif’s tenure. Ashraf Ghani’s government was against Pakistan, yet I went to Afghanistan and invited him (to Pakistan). How will we attract investment if there is no peace and justice? Ali Amin Gandapur has never talked about the secession of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This is a false propaganda. Tehreek-e-Insaf is the only federal party that can keep the nation unified. 1/2

Imran Khan
@ImranKhanPTI
[9/14/2024 4:19 AM, 20.9M followers, 3.3K retweets, 5.7K likes]
There is no point in calling Shehbaz Sharif the Prime Minister. He is merely a tout whose decisions are subject to approval from the establishment. Who knows, this tout may end up being forcibly disappeared tomorrow.

4- Whenever Sikandar Sultan Raja (Chief Election Commissioner) bowls, Qazi Faez Isa (Chief Justice of Pakistan) is in the first slip, while Aamer Farooq (Chief Justice of Islamabad High Court) in second slip [cricket analogy]. This is a fixed match, the outcome of which has already been decided based on the London Plan, and where all the characters are dishonest. The Election Commission’s cases are scheduled for hearings without delay, whereas it has been a year-and-a-half and the Tosha Khana (National Gift Repository) case has not been scheduled for hearing by the Supreme Court. We have appealed thrice for expediting the hearing, but it is yet to be scheduled because Qazi Faez Isa is holding the Supreme Court hostage. 2/2

Michael Kugelman
@MichaelKugelman
[9/13/2024 11:26 AM, 213.3K followers, 31 retweets, 98 likes]
I’m quoted by @caroline_gm_d on the power struggle in Pakistan: "At best this is a dangerous distraction. But at worst, it could be something that destabilises the country even more. It makes it all the more difficult to address Pakistan’s economic and security challenges."

Michael Kugelman
@MichaelKugelman
[9/13/2024 11:26 AM, 213.3K followers, 1 retweet, 10 likes]
"For many years the army has had its way w/dissent. It’s been able to snuff it out through crackdowns. But what’s different...[now] is that this is the social media era. The PTI has been able to master the art of social media to advance political goals." https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czx6xvgqe1ko

Hamid Mir
@HamidMirPAK
[9/15/2024 2:45 AM, 8.5M followers, 50 retweets, 409 likes]
A top Govt functionary insisted that constitutional package have nothing to do with the extension of CJP. When I asked what about the extension in retirement age of judges? The govt official said we are ready to make changes if stake holders don’t agree.

Hamid Mir
@HamidMirPAK
[9/14/2024 2:40 AM, 8.5M followers, 129 retweets, 411 likes]
According to a decade old survey there are 7 million drug addicts in Pakistan and 700 people die every day due to drugs related complications. It’s a bigger threat than terrorism today. Ice is available around every university of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

India

Narendra Modi
@narendramodi
[9/16/2024 1:52 AM, 101.9M followers, 777 retweets, 2.4K likes]
Addressing the 4th Global Renewable Energy Investor’s Meet in Gandhinagar.

Narendra Modi
@narendramodi
[9/15/2024 11:16 PM, 101.9M followers, 2.6K retweets, 21K likes]
Eid Mubarak! Best wishes on the occasion of Milad-un-Nabi. May harmony and togetherness always prevail. Let there be joy and prosperity all around.

Narendra Modi
@narendramodi
[9/15/2024 1:32 PM, 101.9M followers, 3.1K retweets, 22K likes]
In Gandhinagar, chaired a meeting of the Shree Somnath Trust. We took stock of ways to enhance the experience for pilgrims and further improve the various facilities.

Narendra Modi
@narendramodi
[9/15/2024 10:42 AM, 101.9M followers, 2.3K retweets, 12K likes]
After memorable programs in Jharkhand, landed in Ahmedabad a short while ago. I will be attending various programmes in Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad tomorrow, 16th September. In the morning, will interact with beneficiaries of PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana and thereafter take part in the 4th Global Renewable Energy Investor’s Meet and Expo at Mahatma Mandir. In the afternoon, will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for a series of development works worth over Rs. 8000 crore. These projects cover energy, roads, housing and more.

Narendra Modi
@narendramodi
[9/15/2024 9:03 AM, 101.9M followers, 3.9K retweets, 27K likes]
I am grateful to the people of Jamshedpur for the welcome earlier today. Despite the heavy rain, they came in large numbers to bless me.

Narendra Modi
@narendramodi
[9/14/2024 9:45 PM, 101.9M followers, 4.5K retweets, 16K likes]
#EngineersDay greetings to all engineers who are driving progress in every field, innovating and solving critical challenges. Remembering Sir M. Visvesvaraya, whose contribution to engineering is widely known.

Dr. S. Jaishankar
@DrSJaishankar
[9/15/2024 7:56 AM, 3.2M followers, 780 retweets, 3.7K likes]
India launches #OperationSadbhav. Demonstrating our solidarity with the people affected by Typhoon Yagi, India is dispatching aid to Myanmar, Vietnam and Laos.
- 10 tons of aid including dry ration, clothing and medicines left for Myanmar onboard @indiannavy INS Satpura today.
- @IAF_MCC is carrying 35 tons of aid comprising of water purification items, water containers, blankets, kitchen utensils, solar lanterns for Vienna.
- 10 tons of aid comprising genset, water purification items, hygiene supplies, mosquito nets, blankets and sleeping bags for Laos.

Dr. S. Jaishankar
@DrSJaishankar
[9/13/2024 10:42 AM, 3.2M followers, 235 retweets, 1.5K likes]
Delighted to witness a glimpse of Indian culture @IndiaUNGeneva today. A nice interaction with Indian community and friends at Geneva today. Spoke about India’s advances in infrastructure, technology, innovation, skilling and greater role in global economy.

Dr. S. Jaishankar
@DrSJaishankar
[9/13/2024 9:25 AM, 3.2M followers, 235 retweets, 1.4K likes]
Hansa Mehta was a pioneer and role model, whose contributions to international diplomacy and gender equality can never be forgotten. Happy to inaugurate the Hansa Mehta Hall @IndiaUNGeneva, in celebration of her work and ideals.

Dr. S. Jaishankar
@DrSJaishankar
[9/13/2024 9:42 AM, 3.2M followers, 278 retweets, 2K likes]
Dedicated the new building, which houses India’s Permanent Missions to UN, WTO and CD, as well as hosts our Consulate in Geneva. The state - of - the - art facility befits India’s expanding global footprint and deepening engagement with international institutions.

Richard Rossow
@RichardRossow
[9/15/2024 1:00 AM, 29.6K followers, 5 likes]
US-India political engagements: "Running through the tape" despite upcoming US election. Defence Minister visited DC; U.S. Climate Envoy was in Delhi; PM coming for UN/ QUAD; Commerce & Industry Minister in US in early October; Finance Minister a few weeks after; iCET; more.

Brahma Chellaney
@Chellaney
[9/15/2024 2:00 PM, 265.9K followers, 145 retweets, 435 likes]
Why would India buy second-hand Mirage 2000 fighters when India’s own Tejas (the lightest supersonic warplane) is far superior? The disruption in the production schedule of Tejas is because the U.S. is apparently leveraging its supply of GE F404 engines. https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/could-india-purchase-taiwan-s-ageing-mirage-2000-jets-french-built-fighters-scheduled-for-early-retirement

NSB

Chief Adviser of the Government of Bangladesh
@ChiefAdviserGoB
[9/15/2024 5:41 AM, 15.7K followers, 143 retweets, 1.7K likes]
Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Sunday sought support from the United States to rebuild the country, carry out vital reforms, and bring back stolen assets.

Chief Adviser of the Government of Bangladesh
@ChiefAdviserGoB
[9/15/2024 5:41 AM, 15.7K followers, 11 retweets, 155 likes]
The Chief Adviser sought the assistance when a high-powered US delegation met him at the State Guest House Jamuna in Dhaka.

Chief Adviser of the Government of Bangladesh
@ChiefAdviserGoB
[9/15/2024 7:35 AM, 15.7K followers, 5 retweets, 42 likes]
US officials have said they were eager to offer technical and financial assistance for reforms being carried out by the Interim Government.

Michael Kugelman
@MichaelKugelman
[9/15/2024 10:21 AM, 213.3K followers, 7 retweets, 70 likes]
A senior US delegation is in Bangladesh to meet w/the interim gov’t. A core message from the US will likely be emphasizing the strong (and oft-overlooked) economic ties the relationship has long enjoyed, and pledging to build on that cooperation while supporting econ. reforms.

Michael Kugelman
@MichaelKugelman
[9/15/2024 10:21 AM, 213.3K followers, 12 likes]
Most of those in the US delegation work on commercial & development policy, the main agenda points during the visit. This strictly bilateral focus is important and desirable for a relationship that in DC is often viewed (understandably) through a lens of great power competition.

Brahma Chellaney
@Chellaney
[9/15/2024 8:08 AM, 265.9K followers, 337 retweets, 840 likes]
As if the US silence over human rights abuses and killings in Bangladesh under the military-installed interim regime were not bad enough, a US delegation today signed an agreement to provide an additional $202 million in aid, despite the regime lacking constitutional legitimacy.

Awami League
@albd1971
[9/15/2024 5:08 AM, 646.5K followers, 25 retweets, 96 likes]
After beaten up ruthlessly by an unruly mob, Sahe Alam, a former lawmaker of Awami league from Barishal 2 constituency taken to police station in Gulshan. A case not proved yet in court but filed against the Awami League leader has been used as a justification of the attack and his detention, according to local leaders. The police also set free the attackers in a sign of surrendering to mob that comprised of anti Awami League political forces, similar to the recent killing of former maimed BSL leader in Rajshahi. The series of targeted attacks on citizens affiliated with AwamiLeague leaders and activists and refusal of law enforcement and the unelected regime to stop such abuse of human rights violations further encouraging mob violence to exterminate Awami League. Read https://news24bd.tv/details/186795 #Bangladesh #BangladeshCrisis #MobViolence #SaveBangaldesh #WeWantJustice

Amnesty International South Asia, Regional Office
@amnestysasia
[9/15/2024 7:00 AM, 91.5K followers, 1 retweet, 10 likes]
Join Bangladeshi student leaders, HRDs and international organizations to discuss the future of accountability in #Bangladesh at an #HRC57 side event held on 16 September from 12:00 (CET) at Palais des Nations. The event will be broadcast live on YouTube: https://youtube.com/live/lcnIh2rTOVU

Moosa Zameer
@MoosaZameer
[9/15/2024 1:28 AM, 13.8K followers, 27 retweets, 46 likes]
As a young democratic nation, we recognise the vital connection between progress and democracy, which is grounded in the values of free speech, respect for human rights, and the rule of law. Yet, new and emerging technologies pose challenges to these values, which are essential for building a sustainable, resilient, and prosperous future. On this year’s #DemocracyDay, with the theme of “Ensuring Effective Governance of AI at All Levels,” let us harness the strength of our unity, cooperation, and commitment. Together, we can ensure the responsible management of AI and leverage technology and digital innovation to create a better future for all.

Eran Wickramaratne
@EranWick
[9/15/2024 11:35 PM, 69.1K followers, 5 retweets, 24 likes]
Consumers are forgotten by governments, as they’re more focused on protecting state-owned enterprises. But we believe the private sector is better equipped than the state sector to offer quality products at competitive prices. Therefore, an SJB govt will empower the private sector to create value for consumers. The only exceptions will be in ensuring national security, food security, energy security, free healthcare and free education, which we will protect through the state sector.

Eran Wickramaratne
@EranWick
[9/15/2024 2:16 AM, 69.1K followers, 1 retweet, 15 likes]
Economic diplomacy will take centre stage in SJB’s foreign policy. We will follow the Lakshman Kadirgamar principle. Our foreign policy will never threaten India’s defence. But we will invite and welcome FDI from any country. To facilitate these FDIs, we’ll have an open and transparent platform for investors to work with local businesses.

Eran Wickramaratne
@EranWick
[9/14/2024 4:57 AM, 69.1K followers, 11 retweets, 42 likes]
To eliminate corruption, Sri Lanka needs an independent prosecution office, in the mould of the Independent Commission Against Corruption in Hong Kong, which has played a key role in making Hong Kong one of the least corrupt places globally. The attorney general, who is in charge of prosecutions currently, is the legal advisor to the government. Therefore, when charges need to be brought against a member of the government, the AG has a conflict of interest. It is easy to talk about fighting corruption, but I have gone beyond rhetoric and studied the Hong Kong model in depth. That is why an SJB govt will establish an independent prosecutor as one of its priority measures against corruption.

Ranil Wickremesinghe
@RW_SRILANKA
[9/15/2024 10:40 AM, 322.9K followers, 27 retweets, 114 likes]
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal to amend the Penal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code to prohibit corporal punishment in all forms. This milestone achievement comes after more than 20 years of efforts by child protection activists. Once gazetted, the bill will move to Parliament for final approval. The best interest of the child must be at the forefront of all legislation and regulation concerning children. It is the state’s duty to take all necessary actions to ensure children are protected from the multiple challenges posed by developments in modern society. There has been a marked increase in violence and abuse against women and children. The rise of social media has only increased the nature and gravity of these crimes, making it essential that the child protection system effectively minimises the problems children face and strengthens the state’s response to incidents of violence and abuse.

We have established women and children desks in all 604 police stations island-wide, addressing previous shortcomings where over 250 stations had no desks. Many stations didn’t even offer the bare necessities, compromising victims’ privacy and comfort. Given the alarming rise in abuse cases, providing a proper environment and increasing the number of female officers, as well as facilities that meet minimum standards, are key steps in strengthening the state’s response. We plan to equip all stations with the necessary resources to investigate crimes against women and children, including cybercrimes like stalking, cyberbullying, blackmail, trafficking, and pornography. This is important not just for the safety and well-being of our children today, but to ensure a safer, more just society for future generations as well.

Ranil Wickremesinghe
@RW_SRILANKA
[9/14/2024 12:59 PM, 322.9K followers, 28 retweets, 161 likes]
Yesterday at the Women’s Forum, we discussed the Women’s Manifesto, and I answered questions on various issues women face. I am the only candidate to present a dedicated manifesto for women, directly addressing their unique challenges. My manifesto covers the multiple roles of women, including being a homemaker, career woman, and community leader. It includes interventions designed to address numerous challenges such as economic difficulties, shelter, child protection, health, education, and the prevention of violence and abuse. I have appointed a committee of experts to study these issues, and we have already begun implementing their recommendations. Unlike other candidates’ manifestos, which include vague references to policies without practical solutions, our manifesto offers concrete steps to address these urgent matters. This is why there’s a growing call for women to unite, set aside political alliances, and vote for this manifesto to drive transformative change that will bring stability and progress to their lives.

Ranil Wickremesinghe
@RW_SRILANKA
[9/15/2024 10:08 AM, 322.9K followers, 36 retweets, 163 likes]
Sri Lanka is not out of the woods yet, and it is important to safeguard the hard won gains: @IMFNews #SriLankaCan #WeCantGoBack #Ranil2024

Central Asia

MFA Tajikistan
@MOFA_Tajikistan
[9/16/2024 1:31 AM, 5K followers, 1 like]
Meeting of the Deputy Minister with the Director of the Department of Dialogue and Cultural Diversity of ISESCO https://mfa.tj/en/main/view/15716/meeting-of-the-deputy-minister-with-the-director-of-the-department-of-dialogue-and-cultural-diversity-of-isesco

MFA Tajikistan
@MOFA_Tajikistan
[9/15/2024 4:24 AM, 5K followers, 1 like]
Side event of the Republic of Tajikistan on the sidelines of the 31st OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum https://mfa.tj/en/main/view/15715/side-event-of-the-republic-of-tajikistan-on-the-sidelines-of-the-31st-osce-economic-and-environmental-forum

MFA Tajikistan
@MOFA_Tajikistan
[9/13/2024 7:58 AM, 5K followers, 4 retweets, 7 likes]
International Conference on “The Role of Scholars and Intellectuals of the Tajik Nation in Development of Islamic Culture and Civilization" https://mfa.tj/en/main/view/15705/international-conference-on-the-role-of-scholars-and-intellectuals-of-the-tajik-nation-in-development-of-islamic-culture-and-civilization

Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s Press-service
@president_uz
[9/15/2024 2:27 PM, 199.9K followers, 4 retweets, 21 likes]
Following discussions, President Shavkat #Mirziyoyev and @Bundeskanzler @OlafScholz adopted a Joint Declaration. In the course of the official visit, eight bilateral agreements were concluded, encompassing areas such as migration, veterinary medicine, sustainable water resource management, transport, and climate change. Furthermore, the Program for Technological Partnership and Industrial Cooperation for 2024-2026 was formally endorsed.

Saida Mirziyoyeva
@SMirziyoyeva
[9/14/2024 4:09 AM, 19.4K followers, 3 retweets, 74 likes]
Had the privilege of meeting @NOIweala, @TatianaMolcean, @RGrynspan @DrTedros, @BeateAndrees to discuss reforms in UZ. Proud of our progress as a regional leader in fighting DV & expanding women’s rights. Grateful for international support as we push forward with @WTO accession.

Navbahor Imamova
@Navbahor
[9/15/2024 5:07 AM, 23.6K followers, 2 retweets, 5 likes]
Termez, Uzbekistan: Afghanistan Consulate open but the Taliban representative is mostly away, VOA is told. The office doesn’t feature the Taliban flag. Last year VOA saw it being used for talks inside the compound.

{End of Report}

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