SCA MORNING PRESS CLIPS
Prepared for the U.S. Department of State
Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs
TO: | SCA & Staff |
DATE: | Friday, September 6, 2024 6:30 AM ET |
Afghanistan
Taliban pressures Germany for more diplomatic control (Deutsche Welle)
Deutsche Welle [9/5/2024 6:49 AM, Rosalia Romaniec, Nina Haase, and Masood Saifullah, 16637K, Neutral]
In late July, the Taliban publicly announced that it only recognized five Afghan diplomatic missions in Europe as legitimate: its embassies in the Netherlands, Spain, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic, as well as a consulate - in Munich.
"These diplomatic missions follow Afghanistan’s orders and represent the country abroad. We have confidence in their work and these activities are carried out transparently," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in an interview with DW. "They are accountable and carry out our orders," he added.
To be clear: most of Afghanistan’s diplomatic representatives in Europe distanced themselves from the Taliban after they took back power in 2021. They no longer received financing from Kabul, nor did they send regular reports back to the Taliban’s Foreign Affairs Ministry. Still, for the last three years, the Taliban did not object to the operations by Afghanistan diplomatic missions and allowed them to carry out consular duties such as extending passports, visas and other documents to the roughly 420,000 Afghans living in Germany.
The Taliban have withdrawn their recognition of Afghanistan’s embassy in Berlin and consulate in Bonn, both of which were unwilling to cooperate with them. Therefore, these missions can no longer issue documents which are valid in Afghanistan, losing their largest source of income and making their diplomatic status less certain than ever.
Business at the Munich consulate, however, which appears to directly follow Kabul’s orders, is booming. No Afghan diplomats in Berlin or Munich were willing to speak with DW about the situation. The Foreign Ministry in Berlin reacted to the Taliban’s decision to restrict consular activity to Munich with a "formal notification" addressed to the "acting Foreign Ministry" in Kabul. Berlin has spoken of "technical discussions" with Afghanistan’s de facto government. DW is in possession of a copy of the document in question. According to the paper, the German Foreign Ministry has accepted the fact that Afghanistan’s mission in Munich has now taken over all consular responsibility for Afghans in Germany.
According to international humanitarian law there is little Berlin can do about the Taliban’s decision, said Winfried Kluth, a law professor at Germany’s University of Halle-Wittenberg. Kluth told DW the fact that Germany has not protested is an "expression of political pragmatism," adding, "Germany’s interest is to ensure that there remains a consulate where certain things are still possible, for instance, the issuance of visas and passports for deportations."
The only point in which Berlin has so far contradicted Kabul is in the Taliban’s insistence that the Munich consulate will not only provide services to Afghans in Germany but Afghan citizens across the whole of Europe. Berlin explained that such a move would be in violation of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Ultimately, Berlin’s objections are merely symbolic, as no one in the government has any way of keeping track of whether Afghans appearing at the Munich consulate are from Germany or elsewhere.
Afghan diaspora fears increased pressure from Taliban
Striking a diplomatic tone in the document seen by DW, the German Foreign Ministry signaled it is ready to discuss possible solutions: "The Federal Republic of Germany is ready to consider ways that would allow for the satisfactory provision of consular services to Afghan nationals residing in Germany."
That has sparked fear in the Afghan community. "The entire diaspora has family in Afghanistan," said Afghan social activist Patoni Teichmann. "If the Taliban gains access to personal information from the embassies it will make it easier to put pressure on people."
Alema Alema, a women’s rights activist and Afghanistan’s former deputy minister for refugee affairs, also sees the possibility that the Taliban may demand an embassy in Germany in return for accepting deported Afghans. "We have to remain vigilant over the coming days in order to avoid getting overrun."
The Taliban could very well try sending their own people to the diplomatic missions in Germany. At a time when the German government is pushing for more deportations to Afghanistan, this would put pressure on Berlin. The Foreign Ministry told DW: "The prerequisite for a normalization of relations is for Afghanistan to uphold its international obligations, especially upholding international human rights obligations. So far, those prerequisites have not been fulfilled."
Technical discussions, or steps toward normalization?
The fact that Berlin is conducting "technical discussions" with the de facto government in Kabul has increasingly come up in public statements. As the German Embassy in Kabul has remained shuttered since the Taliban took back power in 2021 and Berlin no longer has diplomatic representation in the country, all such statements have been made below the political level - "especially through the contact office we established in Doha in order to maintain communications with representatives for the de facto government who are present there," as a speaker for Berlin’s Foreign Ministry said during a recent government conference.
When it comes to more pressing political issues, such as the recent deportation of criminal Afghans from Leipzig to Kabul in late August, the German government said it had bypassed technical discussions, opting instead to rely on mediating countries like Qatar for assistance.
All the more astonishing is the fact that the "formal notification" delivered to the Taliban and seen by DW was printed on letterhead marked "Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany Kabul." The correspondence also bore a German-language stamp reading, "Botschaft der Republik Deutschland Kabul" [Embassy of the Republic of Germany Kabul].
Legal scholar Kluth sees this decision as a kind of "gray zone," possibly even "an effort to obfuscate."
"It contradicts the legal facts and it is difficult to tell what the author was thinking," he said. Germany’s Foreign Ministry did not want to comment on the matter.
Afghanistan expert Thomas Ruttig told DW the Taliban is selling the fact that Germany is conducting technical discussions as "an important step toward diplomatic recognition." He added that "the German side will attempt to downplay such claims, but of course, in light of current talks about deportations to Afghanistan, they are interested in them."
That has prompted the Afghan community in Germany to call for a demonstration in Berlin. Police rejected an application for such an event on September 1, but now Afghans hope to stage a protest on September 11. Afghan women raise their voices in song in online protests against Taliban’s bid to silence them (CBS News)
CBS News [9/5/2024 10:56 AM, Ahmad Mukhtar, 59828K, Neutral]
Afghan women have turned to social media to protest the latest draconian edict issued by Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers, which the Biden administration says is aimed at erasing them completely from society. Women both inside and outside the country have posted poignant videos of themselves singing - a defiant response to the Taliban’s latest restrictive laws prohibiting women and girls from using their voices or showing their faces outside their homes.
As CBS News reported, Article 13 of the 114-page law adopted by Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers in August states that if a woman leaves her own home, "she is obligated to hide her voice, face, and body."
The Biden administration said the law sought to remove women completely from public life in Afghanistan and it has expressed growing frustration with the country’s Taliban regime, which swept back to power in the summer of 2021 as U.S. and allied forces pulled out in a chaotic withdrawal.
"I raised concerns w/ counterparts about the Taliban’s ‘morality law’ which aims to complete the erasure of women from public life," U.S Special Envoy Rina Amiri said Tuesday in a social media post. "My message was clear: our support for the Afghan people remains steadfast but patience with the Taliban is running out."
In response to the Taliban’s ongoing crackdown on human rights, activists and campaigners in Afghanistan, who already live under intense Taliban scrutiny, started uploading protest videos to social media of themselves signing and blasting the law as ignorant and repressive.
CBS News interviewed three women in Afghanistan who took part in the campaign. All of them said they would continue to defy the Taliban’s new law because they have nothing left to lose, and they urged the international community to shame the Taliban for its gender-based oppression. The women concealed their identities in their videos, and CBS News is identifying them only by their first names to protect their safety.
Afghan women have been subjected to harassment, detention and even physical assault for daring to advocate for their fundamental rights since the Taliban’s return to power.
"Despite the uncertain future and danger we face daily, women in Afghanistan will not silence their voices," Zuhal, who was forced to abandon her education after 10th grade due to the Taliban’s draconian rules, told CBS News. "We will not surrender, because I have no hope for the future and I feel I will take all my dreams to the grave with me if I don’t fight back."
Hakima, a former midwifery student who was also unable to complete her education, said the Taliban were afraid of women’s voices and the influence they could have on society. She said she believed it was crucial for women to keep speaking out to hold the Taliban regime accountable for its actions before the international community.
"The Taliban are scared of women. They are afraid of women’s voices. They know how powerful Afghan women are, and our voices will destroy them. That is why they want to silence half of society with their women-hating laws," she told CBS News.
Hakima recorded a video at her home in northern Afghanistan with her three sisters to post on social media. In it, the women beg the world not to "forget the women of Afghanistan."
"Talib, where are you, and how far has the world gone?" Hakima sings in the video, holding up a piece of paper with the words: "My face is not intimate."
In another video, a woman can be heard walking along a busy road in Kabul while declaring out loud: "I sing from the streets of Kabul, the very streets where we once protested for our rights and were brutally suppressed, leading to the loss of all our freedoms."
"I’m a woman, I’m the world, who sings of freedom and love," she continues. "I stand firm, and I’m not scared of your cruelty."
"Banning our voices is the last terrible command the Taliban could issue," she declares, "we will defeat you with our voices."
Women’s rights activists outside Afghanistan also joined the campaign. Masih Alinejad, a prominent Iranian journalist and activist, shared a video of herself singing a well-known Afghan song in support of the protests, many of which have used a hashtag that translates to: "A woman’s voice is not intimate."
It has been three years since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, but no other nation has formally recognized the group as the Afghan government since then. Hakima and Zuhal attribute that at least in part to the power and determination of Afghan women, who have continued to protest and raise their voices in defiance of the group.
"They don’t want women’s voices to reach the international community and U.N. agencies,"
"Our decision is that whatever new law they issue regarding the women and girls of Afghanistan, we will stand against them and raise our voices, and we will not let them win," Hakima told CBS News. Assessing Claims That Trump Freed the Leader of Afghanistan From Prison in 2018 (The Dispatch – opinion)
The Dispatch [9/5/2024 5:31 PM, Peter Gattuso, 1388K, Positive]
Several social media posts are promoting the claim that the current leader of Afghanistan was released from prison in 2018 by then-President Donald Trump. "Let this sink in," the posts state. "The new ruler of Afghanistan was in prison until Trump let him out in 2018." The posts include photos of Trump and Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban’s political leader who also serves as deputy prime minister in Afghanistan.These claims are mostly true, but lack important context. Baradar, the second-most powerful Taliban leader-below only Supreme Commander Hibatullah Akhundzada-indeed spent nearly eight years imprisoned in Pakistan, and a U.S. diplomat has said that he asked for Baradar’s release. In 2010, Baradar-who even then was a high-profile military leader in the Taliban command structure-was detained in Pakistan for his involvement with the terrorist organization. Pakistan’s interior minister said its government’s security agencies led the operation to detain Baradar, aided by intelligence U.S. officials provided to them. However, U.S. officials told the New York Times at the time that Baradar’s arrest was carried out in a secret joint mission involving both Pakistan’s national security agency-the Inter-Services Intelligence-and U.S. CIA agents. Although then-White House press secretary Robert Gibbs did not clarify whether the U.S. was involved in Baradar’s arrest, he told reporters that the operation marked "a big success for our mutual efforts in the region." While Trump did not arrange for Baradar’s release personally, Zalmay Khalilzad, then the U.S. special representative for Afghanistan reconciliation, has acknowledged that he asked Pakistan to release him.At the time of Baradar’s release in October 2018, the Trump administration was attempting to establish negotiations with the Taliban, which had declined an offer from the Afghanistan government for peace talks. The Taliban officials, however, were open to discussions with U.S. officials-negotiations that ultimately produced the Doha Accord in 2020. In 2018, Khalilzad-who had formerly served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Iraq, and Afghanistan-requested Pakistani authorities release Baradar from prison, in hopes it would motivate the Taliban to engage in diplomatic relations. "The release of Mullah Baradar-which was my request-[Pakistan] accommodated that because Baradar had the reputation of being more pro-peace," Khalilzad said in 2019. "[Former Afghanistan] President Karzai during his administration and [Former Afghanistan President Hamid] Ghani during his period mentioned that Baradar would be a force for peace. Less than two years after Baradar’s release, the U.S. and Taliban formally agreed to the Doha Accord-and Khalilzad and Baradar were among the first signees. As Tom Jocelyn wrote for The Dispatch’s in 2020:The written agreement was signed by a Taliban political leader, Mullah Baradar, who was imprisoned by Pakistan for years and released solely so he could sign this deal. Baradar, a legacy Taliban leader, has no actual power on the ground in Afghanistan. None of the senior Taliban leaders who run the insurgency put their names on this agreement. It appears the U.S., Pakistan, and the Taliban used Baradar as a prop to grant the proceedings the appearance of gravitas. Pakistan
Sanctions complicate Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project (VOA)
VOA [9/5/2024 1:16 PM, Iftikhar Hussain and Ilyas Khan, 4566K, Negative]
Pakistan Federal Minister for Petroleum Musadik Malik said Wednesday that international sanctions have caused complications for the Iran-Pakistan cross-border natural gas pipeline project.Media outlets reported that Iran had warned Pakistan to complete its part of the project or face an $18 billion penalty — news that sparked a debate days later in Pakistan’s lower house, the National Assembly.Responding to a question by a lawmaker on the floor of the house regarding Iran’s final notice, Malik said, “This is a deeply complicated matter and involves international sanctions." Malik did not provide more details about sanctions, but said the government is available to discuss the complications.He rejected the penalty figure of $18 billion, saying, “I do not know where it has come from.”In response to a query regarding reports of Iran’s notice, Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said last week that Pakistan had taken note of the development.“Pakistan and Iran have robust channels of communications including this matter. We have always said that we would like to resolve all issues [with Iran] through friendly consultations,” she said during a briefing.Petroleum Minister Malik, during an informal conversation on the gas pipeline project with local journalists in March, confirmed that Pakistan would present its case to the U.S. and seek an exemption from sanctions.“We cannot bear American sanctions. We will present our stance to the U.S. We want to complete this project but without any sanctions," Malik told journalists. However, Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Baloch, also in March, said that the project is progressing "in conformity with our commitment to the Iran-Pakistan pipeline." She emphasized that Pakistan perceives no grounds for objections from external parties as the construction activities are confined within Pakistani territory.During a briefing Tuesday, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said that helping Pakistan address its energy shortage was a priority for the United States. He added, however, that "we will continue to enforce our sanctions against Iran. We also advise anyone considering a business deal with Iran to be aware of its possible ramifications."Pakistan experts say Pakistan failed to meet its commitment to build its part of the pipeline for several reasons, including a volatile security situation in Balochistan, where the pipeline is supposed to pass. Gas pipelines are not safe in restive Balochistan and Baloch insurgents frequently target gas pipelines in the resource-rich southwestern province bordering Iran.“In my opinion, however, Pakistan’s real worry is U.S. sanctions," said Naveed Hussain, an editor of the Pakistan English daily newspaper The Express Tribune. "It has declared force majeure, but Iran says Pakistan had signed the agreement while being fully cognizant of [the] U.S. sanctions risk, especially when India had withdrawn from the project for the same reason.”Khaleeq Kiani, who writes about the economy for the Pakistan English daily newspaper Dawn, told VOA, “The U.S. stance is clear, and recently it imposed sanctions on companies providing equipment to Pakistan missile programs, that was a clear indication to Pakistan to not proceed with the pipeline project.”In April, the U.S. imposed sanctions on four entities — one based in Belarus, and the other three in China — for supplying missile‐applicable items to Pakistan’s ballistic missile program, including its long-range missile program.Despite that precedent, Pakistan’s foreign minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, said at a May press briefing that Pakistan would not succumb to international pressure on the pipeline project.“We will not let anyone use their veto,” Dar said, without naming the United States.Dar’s remarks came weeks after Donald Lu, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian Affairs, told a U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing that importing gas from Iran would expose Pakistan to U.S. sanctions. Pakistan is facing gas shortages and relies on subsidized gas, putting pressure on the national exchequer, Petroleum Minister Malik said on the house floor Wednesday.Originally envisaged as the Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline, the project was reduced to a bilateral agreement after India pulled out in 2008. Tehran and Islamabad signed a 25-year contract in 2009 to export gas from Iran through a 2,400-kilometer gas pipeline to be built jointly by both countries.While Iran has completed its pipeline section, Pakistan keeps dragging its feet on the project. In 2019, the two countries revised their contract, and Islamabad committed to building its portion of the pipeline by 2024. Pakistan hasn’t learned lessons from 2022 deadly floods, experts say (AP)
AP [9/5/2024 9:46 AM, Munir Ahmed, 31638K, Negative]
Millions of people in Pakistan continue to live along the path of floodwaters, showing neither people nor the government have learned any lessons from the 2022 devastating floods that killed 1,737 people, experts said Thursday, as an aid group said half of the victims among 300 people killed by rains since July are children.
Heavy rainfall is currently drenching those areas that had been badly hit by the deluges two years ago.
The charity Save the Children said in a statement that floods and heavy rains have killed more than 150 children in Pakistan since the start of the monsoon season, making up more than half of all deaths in rain-affected areas.
The group said that 200 children have also been injured in Pakistan because of rains, which have also displaced thousands of people. Save the Children also said that people affected by floods were living in a relief camp in Sanghar, a district in the southern Sindh province, which was massively hit by floods two years ago.
"The rains and floods have destroyed 80% of cotton crops in Sanghar, the primary source of income for farmers, and killed hundreds of livestock," the charity said, and added that it’s supporting the affected people with help from a local partner.
Khuram Gondal, the country director for Save the Children in Pakistan, said that children were always the most affected in a disaster.
"We need to ensure that the immediate impacts of the floods and heavy rains do not become long-term problems. In Sindh province alone, more than 72,000 children have seen their education disrupted," he said.
Another charity, U.K.-baed Islamic Relief, also said weeks of torrential rains in Pakistan have once again triggered displacement and suffering among communities that were already devastated by the 2022 floods and are still in the process of rebuilding their lives and livelihoods.
Asif Sherazi, the group’s country director, said his group is reaching out to flood-affected people.
There was no immediate response from the country’s ministry of climate change and national disaster management authority.Pakistan has yet to undertake major reconstruction work because the government didn’t receive most of the funds out of the $9 billion that were pledged by the international community at last year’s donors’ conference in Geneva.
"We learned no lessons from that 2022 floods. Millions of people have built mud-brick homes on the paths of rivers, which usually remain dry," said Mohsin Leghari, who served as irrigation minister years ago.
Leghari said that less rain is predicted for Pakistan for monsoon season compared to 2022, when climate-induced floods caused $30 billion in damage to the country’s economy.
"But, the floodwater has inundated several villages in my own Dera Ghazi Khan district in the Punjab province," Leghari said. "Floods have affected farmers, and my own land has once again come under the floodwater."
Wasim Ehsan, an architect, also said Pakistan was still not prepared to handle any 2022-like situation mainly because people ignore construction laws while building homes and even hotels in the urban and rural areas.
He said the floods in 2022 caused damages in the northwest because people had even built homes and hotel after slightly diverting a river. "This is reason that a hotel was destroyed by the Swat river in 2022," he said.
Saad Edhi, an official at the country’s largest ambulance service, also said based upon his past experience of supervising relief operations, he could say that Pakistan may suffer damages if it faces the 2022-like floods. 193 Pakistani Soldiers Killed In Anti-Terrorism Operations This Year, Army Says (Radio Free Europe)
Radio Free Europe [9/5/2024 4:14 PM, Staff, 235K, Negative]
The top spokesman for the Pakistani Army said on September 5 that since the beginning of 2024 the army has conducted 32,173 anti-terrorism operations in which 193 officers and soldiers have been killed. Major General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said in Rawalpindi that in the past month a total of 4,021 operations were conducted in which 90 suspected militants were killed. He said that the army and law enforcement agencies conduct an average of 130 operations per day. The army has recently stepped up raids against militants, and Chaudhry said the Pakistani Army was "continuing its efforts" to "end terrorism.” He did not identify terrorist groups by name but said foreign elements are training the militants and are involved in the attacks. Pakistan’s Military Vows Accountability in Its Ranks Amid Trial of Former Spy Chief (The Diplomat)
The Diplomat [9/5/2024 5:55 AM, Umair Jamal, 1198K, Neutral]
The Pakistan Army’s recent announcement regarding accountability within its ranks is a significant development. The army’s robust system of accountability ensures that no individual, regardless of rank, is above the law or exempt from scrutiny, it said in a rare statement made during a top commanders’ conference.
This statement from the highest levels of the military serves multiple purposes. The timing and tone of this statement are particularly noteworthy, as Pakistan’s powerful army attempts to confront many challenges on various fronts.
The statement’s emphasis on the army’s "well-established and rigorous system of accountability" and the assertion that "there aren’t any exceptions or partiality" convey a strong message to those whose confidence in the institution’s system of accountability may have faded.
The message comes as the institution has put some of its retired officers on trial for violating discipline and the code of conduct. In particular, the former spy chief, Lt. Gen. Faiz Hameed (retd) faces a court martial trial for violating the Pakistan Army Act.
Additionally, the military’s decision to publicly address the issue of internal accountability suggests a desire to maintain the institution’s professionalism and integrity, even in the face of a polarized political landscape.
The emphasis on internal accountability could partially be a response to the impact of the country’s polarized political environment on the armed forces. It is important to note that the statement comes as concerns are rising that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan, who is accused of instigating the deadly attacks on military sites on May 9 of last year, may be charged in a military court.
The former prime minister has already petitioned the court to prevent his possible trial before a military court regarding the May 9 attacks. Seemingly, politicians have been warned by the military leadership through the Corps Commanders’ Conference declaration that any attempt to undermine the institution will face severe consequences.
By talking about the issue of internal discipline proactively, the military leadership aims to prevent any potential distractions and uphold its focus on its core responsibilities, including the fight against militancy.
There has been a surge in attacks by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and a resurgence of Baloch extremist organizations in Baluchistan. In August 2024, there were 59 terrorist attacks in Pakistan resulting in the death of 84 people, compared to 38 attacks the previous month. There have been 29 attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 28 in Balochistan, and two in Punjab. With the military busy fighting on several fronts, its leadership is unlikely to put up with any politicization of issues or diverting focus from the situation at hand as it would make it harder for the forces to concentrate on these urgent security matters.
Moreover, the timing of the statement, ahead of Pakistan’s National Defense Day, is also significant. During this annual event, the military typically showcases its capabilities and resolve to defend the country. This year’s commemoration may see the army leadership reiterating its recent announcements emphasizing the need for unity and accountability and a strong bond between the military and the people.
Furthermore, the mention of "Freedom Movement" at the Corps Commanders’ Conference to refer to those confronting India’s control of Jammu and Kashmir suggests that Pakistan is unlikely to accept New Delhi’s increased jurisdiction over the contested region. This indicates that the dispute over Kashmir will continue to be a point of contention between the two countries, especially as India prepares to hold elections in its part of the region soon.
Overall, the Pakistan Army’s public announcement of ruthless accountability within its ranks is an important development. The fact that this discussion took place at the highest level of the military’s command structure underscores the unity and consensus within the institution on the issue of maintaining discipline and accountability, among serving and retired officers.
Among other things, it demonstrates that the military feels the need to maintain its professionalism in the face of challenging times. However, only time will tell if the military establishment’s current exposure to Pakistan’s political landscape could prevent it from coming up in discussions and debates. India
Indian opposition parties name LGBTQ+ activists to key posts in ‘major moment’ (Reuters)
Reuters [9/6/2024 4:11 AM, Arpan Chaturvedi and Krishna N. Das, 5.2M, Neutral]
India’s main opposition Congress party set up a new internal group this week to promote LGBTQ+ rights, while another party has named a person from the community as its spokesperson, in the first such political recognition after many setbacks.
The Supreme Court decriminalised homosexuality in 2018 but greatly disappointed the LGBTQ+ community last year when it declined to legalise same-sex marriage, leaving the matter to parliament to decide.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, which has also said the legislature is the right platform to decide, canvassed public opinion this week on how best to ensure policies for the community inclusive and effective.
Same-sex ties are mostly taboo in the largely conservative country of 1.42 billion people, and the government told the Supreme Court last year that such marriages were not "comparable with the Indian family unit concept".
This unit comprised a husband, a wife and children, it added.
Congress, whose political clout has risen after doing much better than expected in the April-June general election, named LGBTQ+ activist Mario da Penha this week to head its new unit for the community, under its its All-India Professionals’ Congress division.
The appointment follows Congress’s poll promise to bring in a law to legalise civil unions between same-sex couples.
It was the "only representative framework for queer people within any recognised national political party in India", Da Penha said on X.
Da Penha’s appointment was "a major moment for queer inclusion in Indian politics", said Anish Gawande, who last month became the first person from the community to become the spokesperson for a big party, the opposition Nationalist Congress Party - Sharadchandra Pawar.
Speaking of the Nationalist Congress appointment earlier, Gawande said on social media: "If you’d told me 10 years ago that it would be possible to be out and in Indian politics, I would have scoffed in disbelief."
The government says its measures to benefit the community include access to food programmes for same-sex couples as families, allowing them to open joint bank accounts and choose each other as nominees, as well as provision of medical and other care without discrimination.
In a statement on Sunday, the social justice department said it had sought suggestions from the public to ensure policies and initiatives for the community were inclusive and effective.
The ministry’s top bureaucrat did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A government official said on condition of anonymity that authorities were focused on ridding policies and initiatives of discrimination against the community.
"Stakeholders and the public are free to express their views on how to have inclusive policies and initiatives," the official said in a text message, without mentioning any law to recognise same-sex marriage. Family of slain Kolkata doctor says police rushed them into cremation (Reuters)
Reuters [9/5/2024 10:04 AM, Subrata Nag Choudhury, 37270K, Negative]
The father of the doctor who was raped and murdered in India’s Kolkata city said late Wednesday night that police rushed the family into cremating her even though they wanted to keep her body for some time.Officers from Kolkata police did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.The Aug. 9 attack at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital had triggered nationwide protests as people demanded justice for the trainee doctor, who was killed in a classroom where she was resting during a gruelling 36-hour shift.A police volunteer has been arrested for the crime and is in judicial custody.Protesters are also demanding better security at government hospitals that they say lack basic amenities like resting rooms for doctors, closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, and security personnel."We wanted to keep the body of our daughter but extraordinary pressure was mounted on us and the body was cremated," the woman’s father said as he joined doctors protesting at the college on Wednesday night.He also alleged that a senior police officer had taken him aside and offered him money when his daughter’s body was brought home after an autopsy and before cremation."I gave him a piece of my mind and refused to take any money," he said, without specifying why the money was offered.The officer accused of making the offer did not respond to calls and messages seeking comment. The victim cannot be named under local laws.West Bengal Women and Child Development Minister Shashi Panja said on Thursday that the government would not conduct a "postmortem" of the parents’ comments."We respect what the family is saying, they have lost their daughter," she said at a media briefing where she also urged the federal police, who took over the probe last month, to conclude the investigation quickly and "reveal the truth".Reuters reported earlier this week that the West Bengal government had, in 2019, promised to take measures to ensure better security at hospitals in the state, but failed to implement these on the ground.The federal police has also arrested the former principal of R.G. Kar Medical College, his close aide, and two vendors of hospital supplies for alleged graft.The incident has once again put the spotlight on the lack of safety for women in India, who activists say continue to suffer sexual violence despite tougher laws being introduced after the 2012 gang-rape and murder of a woman in a moving bus in Delhi. Bank of America Shared Nonpublic Information With Investors in India, Whistleblower Says (Wall Street Journal)
Wall Street Journal [9/5/2024 4:19 PM, Alexander Saeedy, 810K, Neutral]
Bank of America BAC -0.89%decrease; red down pointing triangle is investigating allegations that bankers in Asia shared nonpublic information with investors before the bank sold hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of stock.
The whistleblower complaint alleged that bankers shared transaction details with investors before a stock sale in India was announced this spring, according to a copy of the complaint reviewed by The Wall Street Journal—potentially enabling the investors to engage in what is known on Wall Street as “front running.”
Sharing nonpublic information ahead of a major sale of publicly traded stock is illegal in many countries because it can give the recipients an advantage over others. Investors with advance knowledge could “front run” bets on how shares would perform and profit if the market moved as predicted. The practice is illegal in India, and sharing nonpublic information about deals is prohibited under Bank of America’s policies.
Company records shared with the Journal showed that bankers in Asia contacted investors in March ahead of the deal cited in the whistleblower complaint, a roughly $200 million sale of stock for a subsidiary of Indian conglomerate Aditya Birla and financial firm Sun Life. People familiar with the sale said that bankers contacted investors via WhatsApp to share details of the transaction before it was announced.
A Bank of America spokesman said, “We take complaints seriously and thoroughly investigate them. At this time we have not found anything to support these allegations.”
The whistleblower’s complaint, filed in June, also cited separate concerns about the bank’s conduct in a roughly $500 million initial public offering of stock for SoftBank-backed retailer FirstCry and a $300 million rights offering for Carlyle-backed housing company PNB Housing Finance, according to the complaint reviewed by the Journal.
The bank has retained British law firm Clifford Chance and Indian firm J. Sagar & Associates to investigate the whistleblower complaint, people familiar with the investigation said. Lawyers from the firms have recently interviewed senior and junior bankers involved in the transactions, the people said.
Company records reviewed by The Wall Street Journal show that ahead of the $200 million public sale of stock for Aditya Birla, bankers sought meetings with investors including quantitative-trading firm Jane Street, Norges Bank and life-insurance company HDFC Life. The sale was announced on March 18 and completed around March 20.
Many of the firms declined to, or didn’t, respond, but HDFC Life met with bankers and company executives to discuss the terms of the stock sale around a week before the sale occurred, the people said. The meetings with HDFC Life were set up via WhatsApp, the people added.
The bankers also kept unofficial records of the communications and meetings that took place but didn’t report them on the official roadshow system for the deal, the people said.
The whistleblower’s complaint was shared in June with India’s securities regulator as well as the head of investment banking for Bank of America in Asia. The regulator has been increasing enforcement of rules forbidding insider trading and front-running of trades, according to data released by the agency.
American banks are also subject to U.S. regulations when they do business abroad. The Federal Reserve has supervisory and regulatory responsibility for the international operations of banks that it supervises, which include the largest banks in the country such as JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America.
Large trades of stock for corporate clients in India are a big source of revenue for Bank of America’s investment-banking franchise in Asia, bankers working there said.
Bank of America’s work culture has come under growing scrutiny after the recent death of a 35-year-old associate working for the investment bank in New York. The Journal previously reported how junior bankers are routinely instructed to lie about their hours to avoid exceeding hourly limits imposed by the bank, which were put in place over a decade ago after an intern died while working long hours.
After the investigation was published, the bank urged staff to obey the rules and report the hours they work and to alert superiors or the human-resources department if they are being pressured to misreport hours, The Journal reported.
Bankers on the $200 million transaction filed a memorandum in early March to Bank of America’s equity commitment council, which evaluates whether prospective deals are in line with the risk requirements of the bank. The bankers said that “there will be no deal roadshows or deal-related meetings related to this deal,” according to a copy of the memorandum reviewed by The Journal.
Bank of America’s internal policies state that “deal roadshows or one-on-one deal related meetings must not be conducted” for public stock sales, according to the memorandum. The bank mandates a “cooling-off” period of two-to-four weeks if bankers speak for any reason to investors that might participate in the deal, according to a copy of the memorandum seen by the Journal.
Banks have paid fines to settle allegations that they improperly shared information with investors ahead of stock sales. In January, Morgan Stanley paid $249 million in the U.S. to settle criminal and regulatory investigations into allegations that some employees improperly shared information about clients’ stock sales. Electric Vehicles No Longer Need Subsidies, Indian Minister Says (Bloomberg)
Bloomberg [9/5/2024 6:33 AM, Rakesh Sharma and Ruchi Bhatia, 27782K, Positive]
India no longer needs to subsidize electric vehicles as falling battery costs make them increasingly competitive, Federal Road Minister Nitin Gadkari said.“Demand has increased, volume has increased and cost has reduced,” Gadkari said at the annual BNEF Summit in New Delhi on Thursday. “I feel we don’t need subsidy.”He said the cost of lithium ion batteries has fallen to $107 per kilowatt-hour and is on track to hit $90, a price that can avoid the need for subsidies, and indicates the market is mature. Electric vehicles in India are taxed at 5% while diesel and gasoline cars can attract rates as high as 48%, Gadkari added.His comments come after local media reported on Wednesday that the government will soon roll out fresh incentives to boost adoption of EVs, citing Heavy Industries Minister HD Kumaraswamy.Electric scooter and bike sales in India grew 40% last year and electric car registrations were up 70% year-on-year thanks to subsidies, according to the International Energy Agency’s global EV outlook report. That compared with less than 10% growth for total car sales. China’s Economic Pain Is an Opportunity for India (Bloomberg – opinion)
Bloomberg [9/5/2024 4:00 PM, Karishma Vaswani, 27782K, Neutral]
China’s economic slowdown is worrying officials in Beijing, and putting global CEOs on edge — but for India it’s a huge opportunity. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been on a diplomatic charm offensive since he won a third term but lost his parliamentary majority: Moscow, Kyiv and this week, Brunei and Singapore. The trip comes as the world’s fastest growing major economy is trying to position itself as a worthy alternative to China, its rival in the Global South. But it’s a chance India isn’t capitalizing on, held back by insular trade policies and a “me-first” approach to foreign and security affairs.Modi is popular with the diaspora in Singapore and received a rousing welcome. He met with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, as well as business leaders and representatives of the semiconductor sector — an attempt to boost his own country’s chip capacity. But China’s influence in Singapore, as is the case in most Southeast Asian countries, is much greater. Beijing views the region as its historical backyard, and is positioning itself as a viable option to the US-led liberal international order that has been in place since World War II. It has invested heavily in developing countries, building infrastructure through its Belt and Road Initiative. China’s one-party system has meant that it can act as a unified force, with a top-down approach to strategic investments. Through port and railway projects around the world, Beijing has been able to buy political influence in nations from Australia to Africa.Despite a long tradition of cultural and religious synergies with Southeast Asia, India has trailed behind. The two nations have competed for influence in the Global South for decades, dating as far back as 1955 at the Asia-Africa Conference, which laid the framework for the Non-Aligned Movement. India was just emerging from British rule, and the People’s Republic of China was newly formed.At the time, if you were to have placed a wager on which country would rise as a global economic leader, the smart money would have been on India. Its strong civil service, railways and the English language made it a safer bet compared to an unstable China, dealing with the failed experiment and subsequent famine of the Great Leap Forward.Today, it’s a different story. India’s $3.5 trillion economy is dwarfed by the $17.8 trillion Chinese giant. Per capita income started out roughly the same in the 1960s, but now India’s is at around $2,500, versus China’s $12,600. But it is catching up. Bloomberg Economics analysis found that India’s economy will accelerate to 9% by the end of the decade, while China will slow to 3.5%. That puts India on the path to surpass China as the world’s biggest growth driver by 2028. Money talks in geopolitics, and New Delhi has all the right ingredients to match Beijing’s clout, so why is it losing ground? The government’s “Act East Policy” has been in place for the last decade, but domestic politics are the priority, which curbs investments and vital regional trade agreements. Joining mega trade blocs such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership is a sensible move, and something the World Bank is urging New Delhi to reconsider.Faith holds India back, too. Right-wing Hindu ideology is successful domestically, but it doesn’t play well overseas. For many Muslim majority nations like Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei, Modi’s public condemnation of minorities is hard to stomach, not withstanding Beijing’s treatment of Uyghur Muslims.Another reason for New Delhi’s lukewarm economic engagement with Asean — the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations — is that these efforts haven’t gone down so well in its own backyard. India has been accused of meddling in the political affairs of its closest neighbors, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, who are now telling it to back off. Modi’s decision to offer shelter to Sheikh Hasina, recently ousted from power after decades of increasingly authoritarian rule, is prompting a backlash in Dhaka. Still, the ambition to combat Beijing’s role in regional statecraft is understandable. Modi’s government is deeply suspicious of President Xi Jinping, and the nuclear-armed neighbors have a decades-old border dispute high in the Himalayas that remains unresolved. These tensions pushed New Delhi to team up with the US, Australia and Japan in the Quad — a grouping of like-minded democracies, whose ostensible aim is checking Chinese domination.But India will have to do more than that to win the battle for influence. Investing in Southeast Asia, where China has a head start, is a good move. Singapore is the largest foreign direct investor in India, even as it continues to focus on Chinese growth — but was also the top investment destination for Indian companies last year. New Delhi could also mend ties with Southeast Asian nations disillusioned with the US over its perceived hypocrisy on Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza. In a widely cited poll, the majority of Asean respondents picked Beijing over Washington when asked which side they’d align with if forced to choose.Modi can point to centuries of constructive Indian influence across Asia, from Thailand to Indonesia and Sri Lanka, to rival China’s rise. The India of the past was not an outwardly muscular right-wing Hindu nation, despite housing a deeply misogynistic society, and discrimination in the now outlawed but still widely practiced caste-system. Modi would be wise to take that lesson from ancient history, as he fashions a modern narrative about the world’s largest democracy. NSB
Rallies in Bangladesh mark one month since ex-premier Sheikh Hasina was ousted (AP)
AP [9/5/2024 3:00 PM, Julhas Alam, 31638K, Negative]
Thousands of people rallied Thursday in Bangladesh’s capital to mark one month since former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted in a mass uprising sparked by students over government job quotas.
Hasina fled to India on Aug. 5 after weeks of violence left more than 600 people dead, including students. The uprising ended the 15-year-rule of the country’s longest-serving prime minister, who began a fourth consecutive term in January following an election boycotted by the major opposition parties.
The demonstrators chanted slogans such as "Where is Hasina? Bury her, bury her!" and "Hasina-Modi, warning, be careful!" or "Naraye Takbeer, Allahu Akbar."
They were referring to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as Hasina is known to be a trusted ally of India. Many protesters have condemned India for promoting Hinduism and for sheltering Hasina.
The central procession, styled as a "shaheedi march" or "procession for the martyrs" began from the Dhaka University campus and marched through the streets. In addition to the many Bangladeshi flags, some participants carried a giant Palestinian flag.
Tens of thousands joined rallies across the Muslim-majority nation of 170 million people.
In Dhaka’s Uttara neighborhood, thousands of school and madrasah students in uniform took part in processions, chanting anti-Hasina slogans. Some carried banners and placards reading "We want Hasina’s execution" and "We want reforms of the state."
Thursday’s protests came as Bangladesh was returning to normalcy, despite challenges such as a struggling economy. An interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, who had a frosty relationship with Hasina, has prioritized law and order to stabilize the country.
In a message to the nation marking the day, Yunus vowed to build a new Bangladesh.
"I am committed to fulfilling the dream that our young revolutionaries have instilled into the minds of the people of our country to build a new Bangladesh," he said. "The sacrifices of the martyrs have inspired us to change the course of history. We want to begin a new era."
In an interview with the Press Trust of India, or PTI, news agency released Thursday, Yunus said Hasina should stay quiet, and that her political remarks from India are an "unfriendly gesture."
Opponents of Hasina want her and her associates to stand trial for mass killings during the demonstrations that began in July.
"If India wants to keep her until the time Bangladesh wants her back, the condition would be that she has to keep quiet," the PTI quoted Yunus as saying.
"No one is comfortable with her stance in India because we want her back to try her. She is there and at times she is talking, which is problematic ... No one likes it," he said.
Yunus was apparently referring to Hasina’s statement last month in which she demanded "justice", saying those involved in recent "terror acts," killings and vandalism must be investigated, identified and punished.
The press office of Yunus, who holds the official position of chief adviser in the interim government, told journalists Thursday that he had the backing of 197 global leaders, including 97 Nobel laureates.
It said that in a show of international support, individuals including former U.S. President Barack Obama, entrepreneur Richard Branson and renowned activist Jane Goodall, congratulated the people of Bangladesh and Yunus in a letter.
Yunus’ administration is reorganizing police, bureaucracy and other state institutions to take control as violence and unrest escalate. On Thursday, the country’s chief election commissioner and his deputies who oversaw the recent elections resigned from office.
Days of street protests by garment workers and other industries forced owners to shut their factories for days before they resumed operations on Thursday amid heightened security in two major industrial hubs outside Dhaka.
Also, media reports said that a young Hindu man was beaten Wednesday by a Muslim mob in the presence of security officials in the southwestern Khulna region after he allegedly posted derogatory comments online about the Prophet Muhammad.
The military’s Inter Service Public Relations office said in a statement later Thursday that soldiers rescued the man, named as Sri Utso, after an angry mob attacked him inside the office of a senior police official. It said he survived and was out of danger, and he would be handed over to police for legal actions against him.
Yunus in the interview with PTI refuted earlier reports that the Hindu minority had been targeted since Hasina’s fall. Modi had also earlier voiced concern over the reports of attacks on Hindus.
Yunus said the issue of attacks on minority Hindus in Bangladesh is "exaggerated" and questioned the manner in which India projected it.
He said the attacks on minorities in Bangladesh are more political than communal: he described them as the fallout of political upheaval as there is a perception that most Hindus supported the now-deposed Awami League regime of Sheikh Hasina.
Also on Thursday, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs lodged a formal protest to India over the killing of a 13-year-old Bangladeshi girl, Shwarna Das of Moulvibazar district, who was shot and killed by India’s Border Security Force on Sept. 1, according to Yunus’ press office.
Bangladesh has a 4,096-kilometer (2,545-mile) border with India. Bangladeshi students rally to mark one month since Hasina’s fall (Reuters)
Reuters [9/5/2024 11:59 AM, Ruma Paul, 37270K, Negative]
Thousands of students rallied in Bangladesh on Thursday to mark the one-month anniversary of the fall of long-serving former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after deadly protests.Students, teachers and families of those killed in the unrest joined the "March for Martyrs" carrying the national flag and chanting slogans such as "Blood of the martyrs is our power".The anti-government protests started in July as a student-led movement against public sector job quotas and escalated into a nationwide uprising against Hasina.More than 1,000 people lost their lives in the unrest, which forced Hasina to resign and flee to India on Aug. 5 just before her official residence was stormed by crowds. The violence continued for several days after she fled.An interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus replaced Hasina’s administration, with the mandate to restore stability following the country’s deadliest violence since its independence in 1971, implement reforms, and organise fresh parliamentary elections.Yunus urged students to resume their studies."Schools, colleges, and universities have reopened, and I encourage you to return to your classrooms. A well-educated and competent generation is essential to secure the gains of the revolution," Yunus said in a statement marking the anniversary of the fall."Hundreds of students and people from all walks of life made the ultimate sacrifice for one of the most glorious revolutions in history."Amir Ali, whose son was killed during the protests, said his child’s name was not included in the official list of martyrs."I came here to honour my son and the victory achieved through his sacrifice," he said as he joined others in remembering the martyrs.Nahid Islam, 26, a key protest organiser now serving in Yunus’ cabinet, said, "We’ve got a new Bangladesh in exchange for their blood. We are alive for them. Freedom of speech is back."Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal stepped down on Thursday following widespread resignations and appointments by the new government. The administration has forced out the chief justice, the central bank governor and the police chief who oversaw the crackdown on the students.The United Nations Human Rights Office announced last Friday that it would dispatch a fact-finding mission to Bangladesh at the request of the interim government to investigate alleged human rights violations during the recent deadly violence. Bangladesh: thousands rally to mark ousting of PM (Deutsche Welle)
Deutsche Welle [9/5/2024 3:15 PM, Staff, 16637K, Negative]
Tens of thousands of students and supporters marched through the streets of Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday to celebrate the ousting of the country’s former long-serving prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, one month ago.
The event was billed as a "March for Martyrs," that commemorated the lives of the many people killed in protests that led to Hasina’s removal.
Those marching, mainly Muslim male students, carried Bangladeshi and Palestinian flags, shouting slogans such as "the blood of the martyrs is our power" and "execute Hasina."
More than 1,000 people were killed in the riots, which stemmed from anti-government protests sparked by the introduction of government quotas for public-sector jobs.
Bangladeshi students demand India return ex-PM to stand trial
Hasina was forced to flee to neighboring India on August 5, just before her official residence was stormed.
After several days of violence, Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, was selected to lead an interim government in an effort to restore stability, enact reforms and organize new elections.The summer riots were the most violent in the country since it gained independence from Pakistan in 1971.
The country’s chief election commissioner, chief justice, central bank governor and police chief were among those forced out of office over the past several weeks.
Bangladesh’s students are calling for Hasina and her associates to be returned from India to stand trial for last month’s killings.
Interim PM says India ‘exaggerating’ claims of Hindus being targeted
Muslims in the country are angered by the fact that India, with which Bangladesh shares a 4,096-kilometer (2,545-mile) border, has provided safe harbor for Hasina.
There were also chants of "warnings" to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a Hindu nationalist.
Indian PM Modi has voiced concern over the reported targeting of Bangladesh’s Hindu minority, something Yunus said was being "exaggerated" by Modi.
Hasina, for her part, has demanded "justice" and called for investigations into those who started the summer riots and the punishment of rioters, vandals and killers.
UN launches fact-finding mission
Sheikh Hasina governed Bangladesh for 15 years, making her the country’s longest-serving PM ever. Her reelection to a fourth consecutive term in January was controversial, with major opposition parties boycotting the vote.
On Friday, the United Nations Human Rights Office announced that it had launched a fact-finding mission to Bangladesh to investigate rights violations during the uprising. The mission was launched at the request of the interim government.
On Thursday, interim PM Yunus told reporters in Dhaka that he and the people of Bangladesh had the backing of 197 world leaders and 97 Nobel laureates. Bangladesh ex-PM should ‘keep quiet’ until trial: Yunus (Agence France-Presse)
Agence France-Presse [9/5/2024 8:51 AM, Staff, 88008K, Negative]
Bangladesh’s ousted premier Sheikh Hasina should "keep quiet" while exiled in India until she is brought home for trial, interim leader Muhammad Yunus told Indian media on Thursday.Hasina, 76, fled to India by helicopter one month ago as protesters marched on her palace in a dramatic end to her iron-fisted rule of 15 years.An interim government led by Nobel laureate Yunus has been under public pressure to demand her extradition and trial over the hundreds of demonstrators killed during the weeks of unrest that toppled ultimately her."If India wants to keep her until the time Bangladesh wants her back, the condition would be that she has to keep quiet," Yunus, 84, told the Press Trust of India news agency."Sitting in India, she is speaking and giving instructions. No one likes it. It’s not good for us or for India."Hasina has remained in India, her former government’s biggest patron and benefactor, since her August 5 overthrow, inflaming tensions between the two South Asian neighbours.She gave a public statement the week after her arrival calling for Bangladeshis to gather in Dhaka to mark the 1975 assassination of her father, independence hero Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.Hasina’s comments were seen as a provocative effort to galvanise members of her Awami League party and undermine law and order in the fragile first days after Yunus took office.It was prevented by a counter-demonstration outside her childhood home in the capital by a mob that beat suspected Awami League supporters with sticks and rods.Yunus did not say whether a formal extradition request had been made to India. His government has avoided committing itself to demanding her return.Hasina’s government was accused of widespread human rights abuses, including the mass detention and extrajudicial killing of her political opponents.Numerous criminal cases have been lodged against Hasina and senior Awami League figures over the deaths of protesters in a police crackdown on the student-led uprising that ultimately ousted her.Demonstrations were planned in Dhaka on Thursday to mark one month since Hasina’s toppling and to remember the "martyrs" killed during the unrest.Yunus returned from Europe three days after Hasina’s departure to head a temporary administration that faces the monumental challenge of steering democratic reforms.He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for his pioneering work in microfinance, credited with helping millions of Bangladeshis out of grinding poverty.His caretaker government has promised fresh elections but has given no firm commitment on when they will be held. Bangladesh struggles to restore normalcy 1 month after leader flees (Nikkei Asia)
Nikkei Asia [9/5/2024 3:31 PM, Ryosuke Hanada, 2376K, Negative]
In the month since former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted from power, the provisional government has struggled to control the border from incoming refugees and fleeing political partisans, while deadly floods threaten a health crisis.Hasina resigned and fled Bangladesh on Aug. 5 following weeks of deadly clashes between demonstrators and authorities. Student-led protests against a public-sector jobs quota initially sparked the uprising.Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus returned from France to lead the caretaker government formed by different factions. Over 1,000 people have died in the upheaval, according to an estimate issued by the new government in late August.The government is attempting to restore normal public order by reinstating police officers and other officials."The subversive activities that took advantage of the government’s collapse have been brought under control, and we no longer feel threatened," said Yuji Ando, the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) representative to Bangladesh, who works in an office in the capital, Dhaka.Border security has become a pressing challenge. Bangladesh has information that "around 8,000" Rohingya refugees have entered the country from Myanmar, foreign policy advisor Touhid Hossain said Tuesday, according to local media.The Rohingya, a predominantly Muslim group, has been subject to repression in Myanmar, a Buddhist-majority nation. Many of the refugees live in tent camps inside Bangladesh. Yunus said last month that the government will continue providing assistance to the refugees.Hossain expressed sympathy for the refugees and acknowledged that it is "not fully possible" to close off the border. Yet Hossain said Bangladesh does not plan to shelter any more displaced Rohingya, citing lack of capacity.An outflow of people from Bangladesh to India is also causing headaches. Both countries reportedly have tightened border security in response to attempts by officials from the Awami League -- Hasina’s onetime ruling party -- to escape to India, fearing reprisals from opponents.Hasina herself chose India as she sought a haven. The border situation risks worsening relations between Bangladesh and India.Beyond the political turmoil, torrential rains have caused flooding responsible for 71 deaths as of Tuesday. The natural disaster has harmed the livelihood of millions of others and raised concerns of a public health crisis.During her 15 years in power, Hasina increasingly ruled Bangladesh with an iron fist, directing her clampdown against opposition parties and the media. The Awami League won the general election in January, but the largest opposition party boycotted the race, saying it had no faith the election would be administered fairly.The time frame for the next election has yet to be determined. Previously, a caretaker government took charge for roughly two years amid intense interparty conflict and public distrust of politicians. U.S. intervention in Bangladesh affairs aggravates political upheaval there (People’s World)
People’s World [9/5/2024 12:00 PM, W.T. Whitney Jr., 115K, Neutral]
For a country worried about foreign interference in its elections, the U.S. seems to have no problems with meddling in the affairs of Bangladesh and other countries.
Weeks of student-led and often violent protests have forced the resignation and exile on Aug. 5 of Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Demonstrators were reacting to inflation, unemployment, governmental and banking corruption and a quota system that preferentially opens up government jobs to descendants of people participating in the national liberation struggle. Brutal police repression and killings recalled Bangladesh’s long history of recurring coups, protests, and lethal violence.
Sheikh Hasina’s Awami alliance won a large parliamentary majority in elections taking place in January 2024, and she remained as prime minister. She had served as such from 1996 to 2001 and again from 2008 on.
Sheikh Hasina faced little opposition in the low-turnout election. The large Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) did not participate.
Her political party harks back to the Awami League, the central protagonist to the liberation struggle that in 1971 turned the former East Pakistan into an independent nation. Sheikh Hasina’s father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was an Awami leader and Bangladesh’s first president. He and most of his family were killed in a coup in 1975.
Contributing to distress
Here we consider economic factors contributing to people’s distress and dissent and the U.S. role in the country’s difficulties.
Indian economist Prabhat Patnaik suggests that Sheikh Hasina’s government was oblivious to both the country’s changing economic situation and deterioration of living conditions. He points out that until recently, "growth in Bangladesh’s garment exports [had been] so rapid that it was even suggested that within a very short time Bangladesh would be meeting as much as 10 per cent of the world’s garment demand." In 2022-2023 that industry provided Bangladesh with 84.58% of its export earnings.
Now production and export are reduced. Patnaik points to "the rise in imported fuel prices after the start of the Russo-Ukraine war [that] has contributed to a serious foreign exchange shortage, given rise to prolonged power cuts, and also caused a rise in the price of power that has had a cost-push effect on the economy as a whole."
Factors contributing to inflation include "depreciation in the exchange rate vis-à-vis the dollar" and "the growing fiscal squeeze that the government is compelled to enforce within a neoliberal setting."
The government is unable, according to Patnaik, "to insulate the people from the effects of inflation." Additionally, "A rise in the minimum wage, as a means of compensating workers in the face of inflation, is … [impossible] within the neoliberal setting;" "export markets" would suffer.
Patniak’s report appears in People’s Democracy, the website of the Communist Party of India (M). He suggests that, "The transcendence of neoliberalism requires the mobilization of people around an alternative economic strategy that gives a greater role to the State, focuses on the home market, and on national control over mineral and other natural resources."
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus now heads a make-shift government backed by Bangladesh’s military. The army chief and representatives of three political parties are meeting to form an interim government made up of "advisors." Preparations for elections are underway.
The Awami League is not participating. Patnaik observes that, "if the Awami League is not allowed to contest the elections that are to be held, then the right-wing parties would emerge as the main beneficiaries of the political upheaval; Bangladesh would be pushed to the right to the delight of imperialism and the domestic corporate oligarchy."
The U.S. government is paying attention. Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu visited Bangladesh on May 17. Interviewed, he indicated that discussions covered Bangladesh’s role in U.S. strategy for the Indo-Pacific region. He denied reports that the United States wants to build an airbase in Bangladesh.
The U.S. Department of State on May 20 announced sanctions against retired Army General Aziz Ahmed on grounds of "significant corruption." Its statement testified to "U.S. commitment to strengthening democratic institutions and rule of law in Bangladesh."
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina spoke at a meeting May 23 of leaders of political parties making up the Awami League. She reported that a foreign country, unnamed, was seeking her approval for an airbase to be built in Bangladesh and would reward her by protecting her tenure in office. The proposal, she said, came from a "white skin country." She insisted that, "I do not want to gain power by renting or giving certain parts of my country to anyone."
Hold on power insecure
Hasina’s hold on power was insecure. At a follow-up meeting on June 4 independent Awami League candidates and heads of political parties associated with the League joined in vigorously disputing the results of the January, 2024 elections.
Hasina had earlier predicted that, "if the (opposition) BNP came to power, it would sell the island to the US." She was referring to St. Martin’s Island, located in the Bay of Bengal at the southernmost tip of Bangladesh. It sits eight kilometer west of the Myanmar coast.
In 2003, U.S. ambassador to Bangladesh, Mary Ann Peters, rejected speculation about a U.S. airbase in the country. In Parliament on June 14, 2023, Deputy Rashed Khan Menon, president of the Workers Party - Bangladesh’s largest Communist Party - asserted that, "The U.S. wants Saint Martin’s Island and they want Bangladesh in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad). They are doing everything to destabilize the current government."
The Bay of Bengal is crucial to marine commerce in the entire region. An Indian observer notes that, "The island is ideally positioned to facilitate surveillance in the Bay of Bengal which has gained strategic significance due to China’s assertive push in the Indian Ocean region." A Myanmar analyst refers to China as "the most influential foreign actor in Myanmar [and] the biggest investor" there.
The U.S.-promoted "Quad" alliance, aimed at China, includes India, Japan, Australia and the United States. The U.S. government has long pressured Bangladesh to join, while China has urged Bangladesh to maintain its non-aligned status.
In his remarks, Menon condemned the visa policy announced by the U.S. State Department on May 24, 2023 as "part of their ‘regime change’ strategy." The U.S. government would withhold visas from Bangladeshis (family members too) viewed as "undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh."
Menon had more to say: "During our Liberation War, [the United States] dispatched the Seventh Fleet, aiming to strip us of our hard-won victory. Amidst a severe famine, they rerouted a grain ship from the Indian Ocean, a calculated move to disrupt Bangabandhu’s administration. Their clandestine influence was also involved in the assassination of Bangabandhu. Now, they are repeating such tactics, doing all within their power to undermine the existing government." ("Bangabandhu" is the honorific of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sheikh Hasina’s father.)
Under Sheikh Hasani’s leadership, U.S-Bangladesh relations have cooled, mostly in response to U.S. accusations of human rights abuses and U.S. economic sanctions. Visiting China on July 10 and seeking $20 billion in new loans, Hasani signed 28 bilateral agreements centering on trade and investments. Through its Belt and Road Initiative, China has upgraded the country’s infrastructure.
Bangladesh, it seems, is a small country attached to a worldwide economic system serving big powers but always close to social and economic catastrophe. Its plight is not unique.
Patnaik elaborates upon the theme: "Because of the world capitalist crisis, many third world countries pursuing neoliberal policies are being pushed into economic stagnation, acute unemployment and burgeoning external debt, which are going to make their prevailing centrist regimes that maintain a degree of autonomy vis-à-vis imperialism, unpopular; but this creates the condition for right-wing regimes supported by imperialism to topple these centrist regimes and come to power."
In an authoritarian turn, security forces of the new government on August 22 arrested and detained Workers Party president Rashed Khan Menon, along with other cabinet ministers of the Sheikh Hasina government. They were blamed for deaths resulting from street protests prior to August 5. His defenders see a "political vendetta" on the way. What’s at stake in Sri Lanka’s first presidential vote since its economic meltdown? (AP)
AP [9/6/2024 12:17 AM, Krishan Francis, 456K, Neutral]
Sri Lanka will hold its presidential election on Sept. 21 in a crucial vote that will decide the future of the South Asian nation still struggling to recover from its economic collapse in 2022, which provoked mass protests and forced the former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee the country and later resign.The election is seen as a referendum on President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s two-year-long rule that has overseen a fragile recovery of the country’s economy.
He faces a tough challenge from the leader of the opposition in parliament, as well as from a left-leaning politician with a powerful alliance, who is gaining popularity among young voters.
Almost 17 million of Sri Lanka’s 22 million people are eligible to vote, and 38 candidates are running for office.
Who are the main candidates?
Wickremesinghe, whose United National Party has been weakened by a split, is running as an independent candidate. Even though Wickremesinghe remains unpopular for carrying out austerity measures — including sharp tax hikes — in exchange for an International Monetary Fund bailout, he is hoping to gain votes from his success in largely abating the shortage of essentials such as fuel, cooking gas, medicines and food.
But Wickremesinghe — a six-time prime minister — is at a disadvantage because he belongs to the old guard, whom Sri Lankans blame for the economic collapse.
Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the leader of a Marxist-led coalition named National People’s Power, is fast emerging as a key challenger to Wickremesinghe due to his popularity among the young people fed up with corruption that they believe caused the economic crisis. He is also drawing support from some voters who participated in the 2022 protests demanding the resignation of the then-President Rajapaksa.
Although he has been a leftist in the past, Dissanayake now professes economic freedom and promises welfare measures to help the working class. Political analysts say he is a strong contender because, unlike his rivals, he is not linked with the business and political elites who ran the country in the past.
Wickremesinghe’s other challenger is Sajith Premadasa, the incumbent president’s former deputy and leader of his breakaway party, United People’s Power. Premadasa promises to continue with the IMF program but with changes to lessen the burden on poor people.
He has also promised a degree of power devolution to the minority Tamil community, who make up about 11% of the country’s population. In return, Premadasa has secured the support of a strong Tamil political bloc.
What about the Rajapaksa family?
Namal Rajapaksa, the heir apparent to the once-powerful Rajapaksa clan, is also contesting. Namal’s candidacy will test whether his powerful clan — which has produced two presidents — can retain its hold on the country after many of its members were pushed into the political wilderness. His father, Mahinda Rajapaksa, is credited with crushing the Tamil armed separatist movement in 2009.
Namal is promising to ease the tax burden on Sri Lankans and build a strong economy, saying its meltdown in 2022 was largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
How does the election work?
Votes will be cast throughout the day on Sept. 21, with results expected to be out by evening the following day.
Voters can select three candidates from the ballot paper in the order of their preference. The first preferences will be counted first and the candidate who secures more than 50% of the valid votes will be declared winner.
If there is no clear winner, the first two candidates will be retained in the race and ballot papers that chose other candidates for No. 1 will be checked to see if either of the top two contenders are their second or third preference. Those votes will be added to the tally of the remaining two candidates. The candidate who gets the highest number will be declared the winner.
Sri Lanka has a powerful executive presidential system with the President being the head of state, government, cabinet and the armed forces. The prime minister has some powers like recommending Cabinet ministers.
There are no reliable opinion polls to suggest which candidate is in the lead, but many observers say Dissanayake has been gaining popularity.
Veeragathy Thanabalasingham, a senior journalist and political observer, said while it appeared to be a “two-horse race” between Premadasa and Dissanayake in early September, campaigning in the final weeks could place all three candidates on equal ground.
What are the big issues?
Sri Lanka’s economy is the key issue in the election.
Under Wickremesinghe, important economic figures have improved: Inflation dropped below 5% from 70% in 2022, interest rates were lowered, and foreign reserves grew. A 2% growth is predicted for 2024, the highest since the economic collapse, but financial benefits have not reached the common people, many of whom are affected by high living costs. Businesses and professionals are complaining of high taxes.
While Wickremesinghe says that the IMF agreement can’t be significantly changed, his rivals say they will try to renegotiate it to ease the burden on the public.
A large section of the population is also unhappy because it believes Wickremesinghe’s administration protected the Rajapaksa family, which has been accused of economic mismanagement and corruption. Many feel the family should be held accountable. Central Asia
Kazakhstan requests delay to maintenance at giant Kashagan oilfield, sources say (Reuters)
Reuters [9/5/2024 1:19 PM, Ron Bousso and Ahmad Ghaddar, 37270K, Neutral]
Kazakhstan’s energy ministry has requested shareholders in the giant Kashagan oilfield delay to next year maintenance planned to begin at the site in October, citing gas shortages, trading sources with knowledge of the matter said.The ministry made the request in a letter sent in recent days to partners in the North Caspian Operating Company (NCOC) consortium that operates Kashagan, two of the sources said.A decision was expected to be made on Sept. 10, they added.The 400,000 barrels per day field was scheduled to be shut down in October for maintenance that was planned to last 28 days.The Kazakh energy ministry said in a statement that it considered delaying the maintenance, but no decision was made."Kazakhstan remains committed to the OPEC+ Agreement and is taking measures to fully comply with its obligations and meet the Compensation plan submitted to the OPEC Secretariat," the ministry said.NCOC said that maintenance at Kashagan was scheduled and that the start of the work would be announced on its website, without providing details.The offshore Kashagan field, one of the biggest discoveries in recent decades, is being developed by Eni (ENI.MI), Shell (SHEL.L), opens new tab, TotalEnergies (TTEF.PA), ExxonMobil (XOM.N), KazMunayGas (KMGZ.KZ), Inpex (1605.T) and CNPC (CNPC.UL).Kazakhstan has committed to reduce its oil output as part of a global deal between major oil producers led by Saudi Arabia and Russia, a group known as OPEC+. Kyrgyz Government Again Warns Citizens Against Travel to Russia (The Diplomat)
The Diplomat [9/5/2024 9:32 AM, Catherine Putz, 1198K, Neutral]
On September 5, Kyrgyzstan’s Foreign Ministry warned Kyrgyz citizens against traveling to Russia. It’s Bishkek’s third such warning since the Crocus City Hall attack in March, after which Russian authorities intensified targeting of Central Asian migrant workers with increased regulations.
In a statement, the ministry urged Kyrgyzstan’s citizens to "temporarily refrain" from traveling to Russia unless they have "compelling reasons" to do so on account of the continuation of "additional security measures" and "enhanced control over the passage of foreign citizens across the state border."
Previous warnings were issued in March and May.
Kyrgyzstan maintains close relations with Russia, but the last few years have presented particular challenges.
Almost immediately after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, reports emerged of Central Asians being coerced or lured into joining the Russian military. Those concerns deepened in September of that year when Moscow announced a partial mobilization, prompting Kyrgyzstan and most of the other Central Asian states to issue warnings to their citizens against participating in a foreign war.
The March 22 attack on Crocus City Hall, a concert venue in Krasnogorsk on the outskirts of Moscow, triggered an escalation in migration enforcement targeting Central Asians. The attack, in which four Tajik assailants killed 145 people, ignited a significant backlash against Central Asians in Russia more broadly.
Russia represents a major destination for Central Asian migrant workers and is of particular importance to the economies of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. According to a December 2023 World Bank report, remittances to Tajikistan were equivalent to 48 percent of the country’s GDP (about $5.7 billion in 2023); remittances to Kyrgyzstan were equivalent to about 21 percent of GDP (about $2.6 billion in 2023). Millions of Central Asians travel to Russia each year; many of them to work in seasonal jobs or in construction, service, and manufacturing. Analysts point out that Russia’s economy in many ways relies on foreign workers, given its demographic decline.
Nevertheless, since the Crocus City Hall attack Russian legislators have pushed through a variety of new regulations.
In May, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov raised labor mobility issues directly with Putin during a meeting of the Eurasian Economic Union’s Supreme Eurasian Economic Council. Japarov couched his comments within the parameters of the EAEU, ostensibly a customs union that ought to allow Kyrgyz citizens access to the Russian labor market.
"For the Kyrgyz Republic, issues of worker mobility are of fundamental importance, and therefore we call on you to prevent violations or deterioration of the provisions of the Treaty on the EAEU. We must not allow serious damage to the image of our association. It is necessary to strengthen the trust of our citizens and continue to work on the formation of a single labor market," Japarov said.
In July, two bills were approved in the Russian State Duma. One requires military registration upon obtaining a Russian passport and introduces possible termination of citizenship upon failure to register for military service. The second bill introduced a new mechanism for deportation of migrants that circumvents a court procedure.
As those bills were being approved, Kyrgyz Deputy Foreign Minister Almaz Imangaziev met with the newly appointed Russian ambassador, Sergei Vakunov, to express concerns about the reported increased refusal of entry to Kyrgyz citizens at the Russian border. The Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry statement regarding the meeting, however, also stressed that "the Kyrgyz side understands the measures taken by the Russian side are aimed at ensuring security in the country."
In late August, after the Russian bills were signed into law, the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry issued a note explaining the new rules, particularly the new "expulsion regime," which is technically slated to go into effect in February 2025.The note urged Kyrgyz citizens to "put all their documents in order in the near future and settle all issues related to legal stay in the territory of the Russian Federation" in order to avoid being included in the "register of controlled persons," which entails a host of restrictions and possible deportation.
The situation for Central Asian migrants in Russia does not look likely to improve any time soon, promoting some to consider alternative destinations. For example, as Agnieszka Pikulicka-Wilczewska reported last month for Meduza’s The Beet, a growing number of Uzbeks are opting to migrate to Poland in search of work, rather than Russia.
Politicians from Russia’s "A Just Russia - For Truth" party, meanwhile, have proposed a moratorium on granting Russian citizenship to Central Asians. That proposal isn’t likely to go anywhere, but it does underscore the artless contempt with which Russian nationalists view Central Asians. Kyrgyzstan’s First President Seeks Restoration of ‘Ex-President’ Status and Privileges (The Diplomat)
The Diplomat [9/5/2024 11:36 AM, Catherine Putz, 1198K, Neutral]
Kyrgyzstan’s first president, Askar Akayev, has petitioned the country’s parliament, the Jogorku Kenesh, to restore his status as an ex-president.
Cholpon Sultanbekova, the head of the parliament’s Constitutional Committee confirmed to the media that she’d received Akayev’s letter on September 5 - it had been received by Speaker Nurlanbek Shakiyev on August 30 when the parliament was in recess.
"The issue will not immediately appear on the agenda," she told RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service. "The first will be talks with factions, their leaders and deputies. After that, we will tell you on which day the issue will be put on the agenda."
Akayev has the dual distinction of having been independent Kyrgyzstan’s first president and also its first president to be ousted in a popular revolution.
In October 1990, Akayev - at the time president of the Kyrgyz Academy of Sciences and a deputy in the Supreme Soviet of the USSR - was selected by the Kyrgyz Soviet Socialist Republic’s Supreme Soviet as a compromise candidate to fill the newly created post of president. Akayev was born in a village in northern Kyrgyzstan’s Chuy Region in 1944.
Following Kyrgyzstan’s August 31, 1991 declaration of independence, on October 13 Akayev was elected president in an uncontested poll. He was re-elected in 1995 and again in 2000. In the 2000 election, he faced off against Omurbek Tekebayev and Almazbek Atambayev. The Organization for Cooperation and Security in Europe (OSCE) which had previously dispatched an observation mission to the country’s February/March 2000 parliamentary elections, concluded after the presidential poll that "despite some positive features, [the election] failed to comply with OSCE commitments for democratic elections and failed to reverse the negative trends identified during the parliamentary elections."
Those trends included a restrictive registration process that excluded some opposition candidates, as well as pressure exerted on monitors, media, and harassment of opposition candidates’ activities.
There were some protests in southern Kyrgyzstan after the 2000 election, but it wasn’t until after the February 2005 parliamentary elections that the drums of revolution began to sound in earnest. What was later deemed the Tulip Revolution saw Akayev pushed from power, with Kurmanbek Bakiyev - head of the People’s Movement of Kyrgyzstan electoral alliance - rising to the top of a fractured opposition. Akayev fled the country on March 24, 2005, traveling via Kazakhstan to Russia and in early April resigned. Kyrgyzstan’s parliament later stripped him of the title of "First President of Kyrgyzstan."
After 16 years living in exile in Russia, in August 2021 Akayev returned to Kyrgyzstan for the first time to to cooperate with a State Committee for National Security (SCNS) investigation into corruption related to the Kumtor Gold Mine. Earlier in 2021, Kyrgyz authorized had moved to take control of the mine and by April 2022 had effectively nationalized it.
After a week in Kyrgyzstan, Akayev appealed to the Kyrgyz people for forgiveness and then returned to Russia. He visited Kyrgyzstana again in December 2021 for further interviews, after which an associate said that all charges against Akayev had been dropped.
In January 2023, the last criminal case pending against Akayev in relation to Kumtor was closed and the following month current Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov convened an extraordinary meeting in Dubai, gathering all of Kyrgyzstan’s former presidents, including Bakiyev (himself ousted in 2010) and Atambayev - who had been released from prison in Kyrgyzstan only a week earlier and allowed to leave for Spain.
With this recent history in mind, Akayev’s rehabilitation would seem to be only a matter of time.
On X, formerly Twitter, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Edil Baisalov pedantically argued that "From a legal point of view, there is no doubt that Askar… continues to hold the title of ex-president of Kyrgyzstan." In his personal view, Baisalov said, there’s no need to divert resources to debating the past.
RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service noted, however, that a former president can be stripped of ex-president status by parliament on the basis of a serious criminal charge. And it’s not just a rhetorical matter.
As 24.kg reports, if Akayev’s status as an "ex-president" is indeed restored, he would receive benefits under the country’s law "On guarantees of the activities of the President and the status of the former President of the Kyrgyz Republic," including complete immunity from criminal prosecution for acts committed while in office, as well as the provision of a monthly allowance, state security, and free medical care. He would also be provided a state dacha. After his death, his relatives would inherit his monthly allowance.
At present, only two of Kyrgyzstan’s five former presidents enjoy the privileges of "ex-president" status: Roza Otunbayeva and Sooronbay Jeenbekov. Akayev, Bakiyev, and Atambayev do not.
24.kg polled parliamentary deputies for their opinions in the matter (and is running a public poll too). Most seemed cautious, having just learned of Akayev’s petition. Iskhak Masaliev, head of the Butun, Kyrgyzstan faction suggested that Japarov could simply grant ex-president status to Akayev but stated that he was "categorically against it." Marlen Mamataliev, a deputy of the Yntymak faction, argued that Akayev "hasn’t done enough for the country" and suggested that Akayev first open at least "two plants in seven regions." Others, including outspoken deputy Dastan Bekeshev, cited the costs associated with granting the privileges of an ex-president and highlighted Akayev’s role in Kyrgyzstan’s economic troubles. Kyrgyzstan: Overturn Decision to Liquidate Kloop Media (Human Rights Watch)
Human Rights Watch [9/5/2024 9:00 PM, Staff, 2M, Neutral]
Kyrgyzstan authorities should retract their decision to liquidate the award-winning investigative outlet Kloop Media, eight international human rights groups said today.
On August 29, 2024, Kloop Media Public Foundation reported that Kyrgyzstan’s Supreme Court upheld a February liquidation order from a Bishkek district court against the publication. The decision was made in a closed hearing on July 16, but Kloop Media was only informed on August 22. The Supreme Court’s rulings are considered final and not subject to appeal.“The forced closure of Kloop Media not only silences a crucial voice in Kyrgyzstani society but also signals a continued decline in Kyrgyzstan’s respect for civil and political rights and freedoms of its citizens,” said Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “This action undermines the public’s right to information and further weakens the foundations of democratic governance in the country.”
The case against Kloop Media was initiated in August 2023 following a lawsuit by the Bishkek City Prosecutor’s Office. The lawsuit alleged that Kloop had failed to register as a mass media outlet and had engaged in media activity not listed in its charter, which can warrant the liquidation of legal entities under Kyrgyzstan’s civil law code. The lawsuit also cited a pretrial investigation into Kloop’s activities initiated by the Kyrgyz State Committee for National Security in November 2021, alleging violations of criminal code provisions against “making public calls for the violent seizure of power online.”
The lawsuit accused Kloop Media of “sharp criticism of [the] government” and listed a number of articles that it categorized as critical of the Kyrgyz government’s policies and of state and municipal bodies. The opinions of several court-affiliated legal experts cited in the lawsuit said that Kloop’s publications use “hidden manipulation,” as experts put it, leading to “dissatisfaction” and “distrust” of the authorities among its readership, which could lead to their “zombification” and to encouraging readers to join anti-government protests.
The lawsuit also spotlighted Kloop’s coverage of the situation in the country’s southern Batken region, which had been the site of two border conflicts with Tajikistan over the past three years. A Human Rights Watch report on the most recent conflict, in September 2022, found that forces from both sides committed apparent war crimes in attacks on civilians. The lawsuit alleges that Kloop’s articles about the region were responsible for the continued flow of internal and external migration away from the region, which the lawsuit claims serves Tajikistan’s strategic goals.
In September 2023, the authorities blocked Kloop’s website and on February 9, 2024, a district court in Bishkek ruled in favor of the prosecution’s request to liquidate Kloop Media on grounds of its failure to list journalistic activities as part of the foundation’s charter. Kloop tried to appeal to the Bishkek city court, which said the filing deadline had expired. The Supreme Court supported that decision, effectively exhausting Kloop Media’s legal options.
Kloop Media is known for its independent reporting on national and regional affairs. It has also collaborated on anti-corruption investigations with the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Kyrgyz Service and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, a global investigative journalism network.
The assault on Kloop is part of a broader pattern of media repression in Kyrgyzstan, the organizations said. In January 2024, police arrested 11 current and former journalists associated with Temirov Live, another investigative outlet, following raids on their homes. They faced criminal charges in retaliation for their reporting and are currently on trial. Four remain in pretrial detention.
In 2023, the authorities brought cases against Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Kyrgyz service, resulting in the freezing of its bank account and the blocking of its website. In addition, in January 2024, the office of the news agency 24.kg was closed for more than two months pending a spurious criminal investigation opened following a raid and the detention of media editors by the Kyrgyz national security agency.
Numerous other independent media outlets, journalists, and bloggers have also faced increasing pressure, including politically motivated criminal cases, arrests, and prosecution. The websites of various independent news sites have been arbitrarily blocked, creating a chilling effect on free expression throughout the country.
In addition, the undersigned organizations share grave concerns that the currently considered legal amendments, which include recriminalizing defamation, could lead to a new wave of violations of the right to freedom of expression. Due to the widening media crackdown and increasing violations of civic freedoms, Kyrgyzstan is currently on the CIVICUS Monitor’s global watchlist, which highlights countries facing a serious decline in civic space.
Kyrgyzstan’s actions against independent media have significant international implications. As a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Kyrgyzstan has a particular obligation to uphold fundamental human rights and freedoms. However, the forced closure of Kloop and the harassment of other media outlets not only violate Kyrgyzstan’s own constitutional guarantees but also breach its international human rights obligations. “The regression in media freedoms tarnishes Kyrgyzstan’s international reputation and raises questions about its commitment to the values UN Human Rights Council members are expected to uphold,” said Brigitte Dufour, director of International Partnership for Human Rights.
Kyrgyzstan’s international partners, including the UN, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and bilateral allies, should exert diplomatic pressure on the Kyrgyz government to reverse its repressive course against independent media. In all their interactions, they should insist that the authorities need to clearly demonstrate that Kyrgyzstan complies in practice with its international human rights commitments. “The Kyrgyz authorities’ move to liquidate the acclaimed independent news organization Kloop Media is yet another sign that the government prefers to silence critics rather than address the issues they raise. This is an unacceptable attack on press freedom. Independent media like Kloop Media are the canary in the mine for civil and political rights; silencing them leaves no doubt about the deterioration of freedom. The Kyrgyz government must reverse its assault on Kloop Media and other critical voices,” says John Stauffer, acting executive director at Civil Rights Defenders.“We urge the Kyrgyz government to halt its campaign of intimidation and legal persecution against journalists and media outlets, allowing Kloop and all other independent news sources to operate without interference or fear of reprisal,” said Marie Struthers, director of Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Regional Office. “The recent actions against Kloop Media, a beacon of investigative journalism in Kyrgyzstan, represent a grave threat to press freedom and human rights in the region.” Uzbekistan making progress on green-energy power plan (EurasiaNet)
EurasiaNet [9/5/2024 4:14 PM, Staff, 57.6K, Neutral]
A green-energy project in Uzbekistan to stabilize the country’s electricity distribution system has taken a major step toward launching before the end of 2024.
The Podrobno.uz news outlet reports that the installation of a battery energy storage system (BESS) with a capacity of 150 MW/300 MWh has been completed in the Ferghana Region. Three Chinese entities, China Energy Overseas Investment Co. Ltd (CEEC), Huawei, and the Central South China Electric Power Institute (CSDI), are involved in the project.
The facility, which is costing $140 million to build, is projected to help generate upwards of 2.2 billion Kilowatt hours of electricity annually. It is expected to begin operating in December. At present, the average Uzbek household consumes about 200 KWh per month. Thus, the Ferghana facility could ensure steadier supplies of electricity to roughly 900,000 Uzbek households every year. BESS systems are important for maximizing the efficiency of power generated by renewable sources, such as wind and solar, which fluctuate due to natural causes.
Podrobno, a business-oriented Uzbek outlet, describes the project as a “key component of the large-scale energy strategy of Uzbekistan, implemented to eliminate the electricity deficit and support the country’s transition to a ‘green’ economy.” It also noted that the initiative is “evidence of the systematic implementation of agreements and international cooperation within the framework of [China’s] ‘One Belt, One Road’ initiative.”
Meanwhile, Novosti Uzbekistana reports that Chinese entities are prepared to invest in a variety of power plants, including a facility in the Tashkent Region with a power-generating capacity of 500 Megawatts, and two smaller hydroelectric facilities with a combined generating capacity of 45 MW. The publication did not provide any other details. For Some Russian Art Collectors, Uzbekistan Is How You Avoid Sanctions (Radio Free Europe)
Radio Free Europe [9/6/2024 4:02 AM, Dmitry Sukharev, 235K, Neutral]
A few days after New Year’s 2023, a Dutch company specializing in the delicate work of shipping and storing expensive art unloaded a shipment of paintings and sculptures from a yacht docked in the port of Vlissingen. Among the paintings were works by Salvador Dali, Pierre Auguste-Renoir, and Henri Matisse.
The 68-meter yacht, named Triple Seven, was managed by an offshore company linked to Aleksei Repik, a Russian pharmaceuticals magnate who’s also developed real estate in the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, now occupied by Russia after a devastating siege.
After unpacking, the artwork was shipped to the Amsterdam airport, then to the capital of Uzbekistan, and three days later to Repik in Moscow, utilizing an obscure Uzbek logistics company called Bek Broker.
Russian collectors of art have been shut out of global markets since Moscow’s all-out invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 resulted in unprecedented sanctions imposed by Western countries. Art dealers pulled out of Moscow, and major auction houses like Christie’s and Sotheby’s closed down what had been profitable offices inside Russia.
Stepping in to the fill the void: shadowy logistics companies like Bek Broker, which has helped import more than 200 works of art into Russia over the past two years, according to new findings by Systema, RFE/RL’s Russian investigative unit.
The total value of the art imported to Russia over that period exceeds $36 million, according to Systema’s estimates.
Who, Or What, Is Bek?
Headquartered in Tashkent, Bek Broker is far from a newly created, fly-by-night firm.
The company has helped arrange shipping and customs brokerage in Russia for more than two decades, according to customs data, transporting thousands of shipments for Russian clients including oil giant Lukoil and state pipeline operator Transneft.
Owned by four Uzbek citizens, the company registered a Russian affiliate in 2011, located in a nondescript nine-story apartment building in a residential district of Moscow. There is no public record of the company’s financial performance.
Bek Broker did not respond to multiple messages from Systema seeking comment.
From 2018 to 2022, customs data show, Bek Broker transported at least 8,700 cargo shipments from Russia to Uzbekistan. Just 106 shipments were made in the opposite direction, into Russia from Uzbekistan.
After the Kremlin launched its all-out war on Ukraine and Western countries imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia, Bek Broker’s logistics shifted.
In the 2 1/2 years since the invasion, Bek Broker has handled 1,962 cargo shipments into Russia -- with a declared value of $41.6 million -- as of last month, customs data show. Just 61 deliveries were made from Russia into Uzbekistan by Bek Broker.Customs data also show a noticeable change in categories of transported goods, with artworks becoming the company’s primary goods shipped into Russia, with a declared value of the transported paintings, figurines and other items totaling $36.6 million.
By comparison, Bek Broker imported just $5 million worth of all other cargo during the same period.
Triple Seven
The paper trail tying Repik to the 2023 art shipment comes in part from the Panama Papers, the massive leak of law firm documents in 2016 that revealed how wealthy individuals around the world -- including Russians -- hid their wealth.
The company that managed the yacht Triple Seven is Nawton Ltd., based in the British Virgin Islands. Nawton paid for the Dutch shipping company Kortmann Art Packers and Shippers B.V. to take the art from the yacht and send it to Tashkent, then to Moscow.
The Panama Papers leak indicated that Nawton also owned an aircraft with the tail number M-FINE, which flight tracking data showed had been previously used by Katerina Tikhonova, one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s daughters.
In total, 44 artworks and other valuable and semi-valuable items worth a total of $4.6 million were shipped from the yacht by the Dutch company, including paintings by Dali, Renoir, and Matisse; sculptures by Rembrandt Bugatti and Fernando Botero; and Japanese prints. Also included: many elephants -- vases, inkwells, paperweights, candlesticks -- which were a favorite of the Repik family.
In the chummy world of Russian art collecting, Repik himself is not considered to be a particularly astute collector.
"In the circles of market players associated with Russia, Repik is practically unknown and hasn’t distinguished himself in any way," Konstantin Akinsha, an art historian and former journalist, told Systema. "He is not a collector. He was more interested in elephants, an interior decorator without taste and understanding."
Repik’s wife, Polina, however, is public on social media about her collecting prowess.
On her Instagram page, she has posted photographs of some of her art collection: one, dating from March 2021, shows the Triple Seven yacht and an elephant-shaped vase made by the French artist Niki de Saint Phalle that is valued at $35,000, according to customs data.
Representatives of Kortmann, the Dutch shipper, told Systema that they did not know the final destination of the artworks that they handled in January 2023.
A month later, however, Repik was sanctioned personally by Britain, which cited regular meetings between the businessman and Putin. Australia and Canada later followed suit.
This past January, the yacht Triple Seven was spotted sailing along the Turkish coast, and Polina Repik has continued to publish photos from the Turkey on her Instagram account.
Aleksei Repik did not respond to requests for comment from Systema. Polina Repik, however, told Systema that the family had sold Triple Seven in 2021.
A public maritime registry called Equasis that was reviewed by Systema indicated the yacht was still listed under the Repiks’ name as of this month.
She confirmed artwork had been imported to Russia but said it had been transferred to a museum, which she declined to name.
The Silk Road -- For Art
The entire region of Central Asia has emerged as a major conduit for all sorts of companies looking to circumvent Western sanctions and import goods to Russia.
In March 2022, the European Union, along with the United States, Switzerland, and other countries, jointly imposed sanctions on luxury goods shipments to Russia in particular. The restrictions applied to works of art and antiques worth more than 300 euros.
Prior to that, the Russian art market had been a vibrant and a lucrative industry for collectors, experts, shippers, restorers, and all sorts of related businesses. The most expensive artwork ever sold at auction was Salvator Mundi, a painting attributed to Leonardo da Vinci that was sold by Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev for $450.3 million in 2017.
In 2023, however, sales of works by Russian artists within Russia itself increased by more than 125 percent, exceeding $25 million, according to ARTInvestment, a Russian market analysis firm. That’s one indication of how the market for Russian collectors has shifted inward, toward Russian artists.
Along with restrictions on the import of luxury goods, Western countries began confiscating assets belonging to Russian oligarchs -- powerful, politically connected businessmen.
In May 2022, British authorities seized a Faberge egg belonging to Viktor Vekselberg, an oligarch who made his fortune in oil and metals trading. Nearly two decades earlier, Vekselberg made a splash in the art world when he purchased scores of Faberge eggs and other objects from the Forbes family in the United States, pledging to return them to Russia.
In November 2022, German police seized 30 paintings from the yacht of Alisher Usmanov, an Uzbek-born billionaire with close ties to the Kremlin, as the yacht was undergoing repairs in Hamburg. Police also seized four Faberge eggs from him.
In 2023, authorities seized artworks from the yacht of Farkhad Akhmedov, an Azerbaijani-Russian businessman who previously served in Russia’s upper house of parliament.
Alex Prezanti, a British lawyer and co-founder of a nonprofit organization called State Capture: Research and Action, says any citizen or entity based in Britain or the European Union could face criminal liability if found to be shipping artwork to Russia in violation of sanctions.
He says a person could also be liable if the artwork ended up in a third country, like Uzbekistan, if the sender knew the final destination was Russia. However, the liability would depend largely on what the shipper knew or should have known about the final owner and destination of the artwork.
Make Art, Not Guns
The Repiks were not the only wealthy Russian family who used the services of Bek Broker to ship works of art.
Customs data showed that Mkrtch Okroyan, a businessman whose companies produce engines for cruise missiles and spare parts for military helicopters used by the Russian Army, has also imported artwork via Tashkent.
In February 2023, researchers affiliated with the late anti-corruption crusader Aleksei Navalny published an investigation that found Okroyan’s family owned a three-story mansion west of London estimated at about 10 million pounds.
In the wake of that revelation, a number of paintings and other pieces of art, valued around $286,000 according to customs data, were shipped to Uzbekistan; one Russian customs document dated February 21, 2023, shows the name of Okroyan’s wife, Alla, signing for the shipment of paintings to Tashkent. Bek Broker then completed the shipment from Tashkent to Moscow
Seven months later, in September 2023, the United States added Okroyan and his family to its sanctions list, with the European Union and Britain following a few months later.
Mkrtich Okroyan did not respond to requests sent to both him directly and to his company. Twitter
Afghanistan
Abdul Qahar Balkhi@QaharBalkhi
[9/5/2024 3:50 AM, 246.5K followers, 52 retweets, 162 likes]
Remarks Regarding the Removal of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s Name from the list of Proscribed Groups by the Republic of Kyrgyzstan
Freshta Razbaan@RazbaanFreshta
[9/5/2024 5:57 AM, 5K followers, 3 retweets, 9 likes]
What’s happening to women under the Taliban regime in Afghanistan is unprecedented and unmatched in its cruelty anywhere else in the world. First, they stripped all women and girls of their rights to work and education. Then, under the guise of "having a mahram," they placed women under the control of men, essentially making men the rulers over women’s lives. They’ve closed off all public spaces to women - parks, beauty salons, and all women-owned businesses. Now, they’ve stooped even lower by recruiting extremist women, indoctrinated in radical schools, to spy on other women, even within the privacy of their homes, reporting back to the Taliban. There’s no safe place left for women in Afghanistan. Women can’t even trust each other anymore, fearing they might be Taliban informants. This is a unique calamity that has befallen Afghan women, a level of oppression I’ve never seen anywhere else. If the world isn’t willing to fight the Taliban for whatever reason, if Afghanistan no longer matters on the global stage, then the very least we can do is throw open the doors wide for Afghan women seeking refuge. We must offer them a way out of this nightmare, a chance to live with dignity, to learn, to work, and to be free from this open-air prison.
Habib Khan@HabibKhanT
[9/6/2024 2:09 AM, 235.7K followers, 9 retweets, 36 likes]
Fawzia Koofi says the Taliban told her during negotiations that they’d allow women to pursue education, even PhDs—but they lied. The Taliban don’t believe in coexistence. Koofi is a strong voice for Afghan women and a member of the negotiating team.
Habib Khan@HabibKhanT
[9/5/2024 12:52 PM, 235.7K followers, 219 retweets, 651 likes]
Basira Sipahi was one of the 7,000 women serving in the Afghan security forces before the Taliban’s return in 2021, when women held 27% of parliamentary seats and made up 28% of the government workforce. Now, their public presence has been almost completely erased. Pakistan
Shehbaz Sharif@CMShehbaz
[9/6/2024 12:29 AM, 6.7M followers, 158 retweets, 487 likes]
Today, I join the entire nation in honoring the sacrifices of our soldiers and martyrs, as well as all those who have fought valiantly for Pakistan’s #defence Let us draw inspiration from our shuhada and ghazis to defend and rebuild Pakistan with the same Spirit of September, and in line with the vision of our Quaid, Muhammad Ali Jinnah by embracing the values of hard work, integrity, and compassion to chart a course towards a brighter future for our beloved Pakistan.
Government of Pakistan@GovtofPakistan
[9/6/2024 12:41 AM, 3.1M followers, 16 retweets, 36 likes]
On Pakistan Defence Day, we commemorate the courage, resilience and unmatched dedication of our armed forces. As we remember the heroes who stood tall against all odds, let us reaffirm our commitment to unity and strength. Together, we honor their legacy by pledging to build a stronger and more secure Pakistan. #DefenceDay2024
Government of Pakistan@GovtofPakistan
[9/5/2024 2:41 PM, 3.1M followers, 20 retweets, 56 likes]
Google decides to increase its investment and support the Government’s initiative of youth’s skills training Mr. Scott Beaumont, President of APAC region, said Google has decided to further increase its investment footprint in Pakistan and support the Government’s initiatives of Youth’s skills training. He reiterated that by 2026, 5,00,000 Chromebooks will be manufactured in Pakistan which will revolutionise the IT Industry of Pakistan.
Michael Kugelman@MichaelKugelman
[9/5/2024 12:47 PM, 212.9K followers, 9 retweets, 23 likes]
Pakistan’s ill-fated gas pipeline project with Iran has become emblematic of Pakistan’s geopolitical and economic struggles, and it shows how they get in the way of the country’s national interests. This week for @ForeignPolicy: https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/09/04/iran-pakistan-pipeline-gas-arbitration-economy-sanctions/ India
President of India@rashtrapatibhvn
[9/5/2024 9:25 AM, 25.6M followers, 264 retweets, 1.3K likes]
President Droupadi Murmu conferred National Awards on teachers from across the country at a function held in New Delhi on Teachers’ Day. Emphasising that teaching is a sacred mission of human development, the President said that teachers should identify the natural talent of each child and bring it out.
Rajnath Singh@rajnathsingh
[9/5/2024 7:57 AM, 24.3M followers, 213 retweets, 1.1K likes]
Attended the maiden Joint Commanders’ Conference in Lucknow. Lauded the Armed Forces for their invaluable contribution in safeguarding national interests and advancing the vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’. Also, appreciated the efforts being undertaken for furthering jointness and integration among the three Services. https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2052252
Richard Rossow@RichardRossow
[9/5/2024 9:50 AM, 29.6K followers, 1 retweet, 7 likes]
U.S.-India goods trade- back in the "flat as a chapati" phase. Stuck at roughly $120-130b annual range for a couple of years now. NSB
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh@BDMOFA
[9/5/2024 9:30 AM, 45.6K followers, 948 retweets, 3.2K likes]
MoFA has lodged a formal protest to the Govt of India on the killing of a 13-year-old Bangladeshi girl, Shwarna Das of Juri upazila of Moulvibazar district, who was shot by BSF of India on 01 September 2024.
Brahma Chellaney@Chellaney
[9/6/2024 1:37 AM, 265.6K followers, 261 retweets, 443 likes]
U.S. officials, including Blinken, regularly berated the Hasina government over democratic backsliding, but their silence over the mounting human rights abuses and killings under Bangladesh’s new military-backed regime is deafening.
Sajeeb Wazed@sajeebwazed
[9/5/2024 8:06 PM, 465.1K followers, 44 retweets, 193 likes]
The scale of the attacks on law enforcement has been staggering. As of the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government, 450 police stations and 70 police installations were targeted. Reports indicate that hundreds of police officers were killed, and thousands more injured. Additionally, thousands of weapons and large quantities of ammunition were looted. https://bd-pratidin.com/en/special/2024/08/12/18351 Jon Danilowicz@JonFDanilowicz
[9/5/2024 7:52 AM, 7.8K followers, 28 retweets, 81 likes]
These reports of violence are concerning, but the version of events being propagated by outside interests appears motivated to spread a misleading picture of what is happening in #Bangladesh. The mob’s reported actions are deplorable, however the actions of security forces to protect the victim are laudable. Also notable are the calls by religious leaders for restraint. Vigilantism has a long history in Bangladesh and stems from the understandable lack of faith in the justice system. There is a long term challenge for the Interim Government and its successors to rebuild the justice system and restore the people’s faith in institutions. https://newagebd.net/post/country/244452/youth-beaten-up-in-khulna-for-making-derogatory-comments-about-prophet
Tshering Tobgay@tsheringtobgay
[9/5/2024 4:29 AM, 99.5K followers, 1 retweet, 17 likes]
Congratulations to the bright young minds of Bhutan embarking on the transformative journey of Gyalsung. Your dedication and service will shape the future of our nation and define our path forward.
Tshering Tobgay@tsheringtobgay
[9/5/2024 4:29 AM, 99.5K followers, 3 likes]
I submit my deepest gratitude to His Majesty The King for this visionary initiative, empowering our youth to build a stronger, more self-reliant Bhutan. May you all serve with pride and purpose.
Eran Wickramaratne@EranWick
[9/6/2024 12:26 AM, 69.1K followers, 4 retweets, 9 likes]
When reducing the size of the public sector it must be done in a methodical manner, over time, so as not to create further social instability. We will build a system which is fair by the taxpaying citizens as well as the public servants, to create a public service valued by all. It is politicians who are responsible for the bloating of the sector, not public servants. Sri Lanka had 700,000 public servants. Politicians doubled that in a 20-year period, by recruiting a large number of people purely for political gain. I made these points at the unveiling of the SJB Blueprint 3.0 on Wednesday.
M U M Ali Sabry@alisabrypc
[9/6/2024 2:33 AM, 6.4K followers, 3 likes]
The 20 Sri Lankans rescued from the cyber slave camp in Myanmar arrived in Sri Lanka this morning - Central Asia
MFA Kazakhstan@MFA_KZ
[9/5/2024 1:12 PM, 52.2K followers, 4 retweets, 9 likes]
Kazakhstan and the International Labor Organization Discussed the State and Prospects of Cooperation in the Field of Labor Standards https://gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/840518?lang=en
MFA Kazakhstan@MFA_KZ
[9/5/2024 11:34 AM, 52.2K followers, 1 like]
The Interaction with Iran at the UN was Discussed in the Kazakh Foreign Ministry https://gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/840493?lang=kk
Peter Leonard@Peter__Leonard
[9/6/2024 7:42 AM, 22.5K followers, 1 retweet, 4 likes]
An unusually candid news report from Uzbekistan on the near-total lack of information around a poisonous gas leak at a natural gas well; locals report feeling unwell, symptoms such as difficulty breathing, fatigue, and headaches, but officials staying mum
Peter Leonard@Peter__Leonard
[9/5/2024 11:59 AM, 22.5K followers, 2 retweets, 2 likes]
Kyrgyzstan has removed the Taliban from its list of proscribed organizations https://mfa.gov.af/en/17662 Kazakhstan announced earlier this week that is has done the same
Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s Press-service@president_uz
[9/5/2024 11:20 AM, 198.6K followers, 4 retweets, 17 likes]
President Shavkat #Mirziyoyev met with a delegation from the People’s Republic of #China led by Chen Min’er, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Tianjin Municipal Committee. They discussed strengthening Uzbek-Chinese cooperation through interregional dialogue and implementing joint projects. An agreement was reached on developing a roadmap for cooperation between regions of Uzbekistan and Tianjin.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s Press-service@president_uz
[9/5/2024 10:12 AM, 198.6K followers, 1 retweet, 16 likes]
President Shavkat @Mirziyoyev met with @FAO Director-General, @FAODG to discuss strengthening the partnership in food security. The talks focused on digitalizing agriculture, adopting innovative technologies and improving soil fertility. The meeting also highlighted the success of the collaboration, including the launched of seven new initiatives in the past year.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s Press-service@president_uz
[9/5/2024 9:13 AM, 198.6K followers, 13 likes]
President Shavkat #Mirziyoyev chaired a meeting focused on boosting #production, #exports, and #investments in the #electrical industry. Key measures discussed included enhancing product quality, reducing production costs, and fostering inter-sectoral #cooperation to tackle rising competition in foreign markets.
Javlon Vakhabov@JavlonVakhabov
[9/5/2024 5:08 AM, 6K followers, 2 retweets, 4 likes]
Honored to welcome at the @IICAinTashkent Kaha Imnadze, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Central Asia, the Head of the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (@unrcca), and Abdulaziz Kamilov, the Special Representative of the President (@president_uz) of Uzbekistan for Foreign Affairs. Our discussions focused on the outcomes of the 6th Consultative Meeting in Astana, highlighting our collective commitment to strengthening regional cooperation. A key issue we addressed was the Uzbekistan’s chairmanship’s priority tasks as we are hosting the 2025 summit in Uzbekistan, which will serve as another pivotal step towards advancing regional unity in Central Asia.{End of Report} To subscribe to the SCA Morning Press Clips, please email SCA-PressOfficers@state.gov. Please do not reply directly to this email.