By Dr Francisco Rojas Aravena* The writer is the Rector of the University for Peace (UPEACE), San José, Costa Rica. Following are his remarks at the High-Level Forum on the Culture for Peace convened on 31 August by the President of the UN General Assembly. NEW YORK. 4 September 2023 (IDN) — Peace remains elusive, […]
Will Military Coup Leaders Show up at the UN?
By Thalif Deen* UNITED NATIONS. 3 September 2023 (IDN) — The rash of recent military take-overs in Africa was perhaps best described by French President Emmanuel Macron as “an epidemic of coups in the Sahel”—a fast spreading disease in the continent. France, a former colonial power in Africa with access to rich minerals in the […]
Group Snubs Chance to Reset Peace and Justice for West Papua
By David Robie, Editor of Asia Pacific Report AUCKLAND. 1 September 2023 (IDN) — The ‘Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG)’ has thrown away a golden chance for achieving a historical step towards justice and peace in West Papua by lacking the courage to accept the main Papuan self-determination advocacy movement as full members. MSG comprises four […]
Backers of Endless War Deplore That Many Trump Supporters Favor Use of Violence
By Norman Solomon* SAN FRANCISCO. 31 August 2023 (IDN) — Ever since Donald Trump became a former president, news outlets and commentators have cited polls showing that many Republicans believe violence might be needed to save the country. As Trump’s legal woes increase, so do mainstream media alarms about the specter of violent responses. But […]
Thailand Is Open Again for Business and Tourism
By Jan Servaes* BRUSSELS. 31 August 2023 (IDN) — With the arrival of the government of real estate magnate Srettha Thavisin on 28 August 2023, the Thai political theatre seems to be entering the next phase. As I feared in previous posts, this phase makes the 14 May election results look like a joke. The […]
Afghanistan: Taliban Must Earn Legitimacy through Diplomacy
By Latheef Farook* COLOMBO. 30 August 2023 (IDN) — After more than four decades of foreign occupation, death and destruction, the landlocked mountainous country of Afghanistan, bordering Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to the north, Iran to the West, Pakistan to the east and south, liberated itself from United States occupation two years ago in August […]
The Earth-shattering “I Have a Dream” and Its Impact
By Jonathan Power* LUND, Sweden. 28 August 2023 (IDN) — Sixty years ago, Martin Luther King made his earth-shattering “I Have a Dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC. Is there anybody who watches and listens to it on YouTube not moved to the soles of their shoes? I’ve heard […]
Gabonese President Seeks 3rd Term Amidst Questions of Voting Legitimacy
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK. 28 August 2023 (IDN) — As voters went to the polls in Libreville, the capital of the oil-rich nation of Gabon, polling stations were already opening late. Scheduled to begin in the morning of August 26, many sites had failed to open as of 2 p.m. Incumbent […]
International Criminal Court Is No Longer a Paper Tiger
By Jonathan Power* LUND, Sweden. 23 August 2023 (IDN) — There can be no question that if President Bashar al-Assad of Syria falls the International Criminal Court (ICC) will want to put him on trial for war crimes. The long arm of international law will reach him wherever he flees to. The ICC has an […]
Polarisation as a Challenge to Democracy
By Wolfgang Merkel* This article was issued by the Toda Peace Institute and is being republished with their permission. BERLIN. 22 August 2023 (IDN) — It is above all social conflicts that shape politics, its disputes and its effects on democracy. The effects can be positive or negative, depending on the degree of conflict and […]