Peace & Justice

Photo: Saplings grow at a community-based fruit tree nursery supported by the High Atlas Foundation (HAF) in Morocco. Credit: HAF, 2021.

Tikkun Olam: Preserving the Planet through Cultural Celebrations

By Ikbale Bouziane*

MARRAKECH (IDN) — It is common that each religion has its own new year celebrations that mark events or simply cherish the divine orders of days and months. These festivities usually mark the end or beginnings of new cycles of prosperity and being thankful for God’s blessings. However, the Jewish culture celebrates an entire holiday that is specifically dedicated to trees. The choice of trees emphasizes their importance to human beings and the environmental ecosystem as a whole.

: Africa & ME Editor; SUSTAINABILITY; Forests, desertification, land degradation & biodiversity; 17 January 2022

The Geo-Political Battle in Asia About Democracy

Analysis by Kalinga Seneviratne

SYDNEY (IDN) — With the geo-political battle between China and the United States gathering momentum in Asia, whoever can define democracy better and demonstrate that it works for the betterment of the people, could win the battle in coming years.

One may argue that there is no such battle for democracy because it is a battle between democracy and authoritarianism with China clearly in the latter box. But, while the Covid pandemic has been devastating the world, China has moved aggressively to redefine democracy as a development right accusing the West, and the US, of weaponizing human rights and democracy.

: Kalinga Seneviratne; THE WORLD; Asia-Pacific; 15 January 2022

Photo: The Higher Court in Koblenz. Source: Kanzlei Goldenstein.

Historic Verdict in Germany's Prosecution of a Syrian for Crimes Against Humanity

By Jamshed Baruah

GENEVA (IDN) — The German city of Koblenz on the banks of the river Rhine has made history. The Higher Regional Court there has convicted a former senior Syrian intelligence officer, for crimes against humanity.

The man, known as was charged with complicity in the torture of thousands of people between 2011 and 2012 in the Al-Khatib Branch of Syrian General Intelligence in the capital, Damascus. 

: Jamshed Baruah; SUSTAINABILITY; Peace & Justice; 13 January 2022

Photo: Kwasi Wiredu. Source: Globe Echo.

Distinguished Philosopher Kwasi Wiredu Passes At 90

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network

NEW YORK (IDN) — Distinguished philosopher, writer, and teacher Kwasi Wiredu, born in Ghana and recognized on three continents, has passed away at the age of 90.

The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy cites Wiredu for his decades-long study of “conceptual decolonization” in contemporary African systems of thought.

: Global Information Network; ARTS & CULTURE; 11 January 2022

Photo: An armoured vehicle is left abandoned on a road in Tigray, Ethiopia, on July 20, 2021. © UNICEF/Christine Nesbitt

UN Chief Urges End to Conflict in Ethiopia

By Caroline Mwanga

NEW YORK (IDN) — The UN Secretary-General António Guterres is deeply concerned about the impact the conflict continues to have on civilians in Ethiopia. He said he was deeply saddened by reports that more than 50 civilians were killed and injured in an airstrike in northern Ethiopia, on January 7.

: Caroline Mwanga; THE WORLD; Horn of Africa; 10 January 2022

Five Nuclear Powers Urged to Turn 'Nuke-Speak' into Real Action to Prevent Nuclear War

By Radwan Jakeem

NEW YORK (IDN) — Disarmament advocates working within the Global Council of the Abolition 2000 Global Network to Eliminate Nuclear Weapons have called on the five Nuclear-Weapon States Parties to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to follow up the affirmation made by them in their Joint Statement of January 3, 2022, that "a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought". The Abolition 2000 has urged the United States, Russia, the UK, France and China to undertake "genuine action" to change current nuclear-war fighting policies, end the costly and destabilizing nuclear arms race, and eliminate nuclear weapons.

: Radwan Jakeem; ARMAMENTS; Nuclear Weapons; 10 January 2022

Sustainable Development Observer Issue 4 Focuses on Global Health Crisis

By Kalinga Seneviratne

SYDNEY (IDN) — This fourth issue of Sustainable Development Observer focuses on the global health crisis that has been exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic and pharmaceutical industry’s greed—at the cost of peoples' health. While the world’s media has gone berserk about a new "Omicron" variant of the COVID virus, the World Trade Organisation has quietly postponed a ministerial conference that had as its main agenda item, an Indian and South African initiative supported by over 100 countries to waive patents on COVID vaccines and other medical testing systems and equipment.

: Kalinga Seneviratne; SUSTAINABILITY; Peace & Justice; 07 January 2022

Putin and Biden: Who Will Blink First?

Viewpoint by Herbert Wulf

This article was issued by the Toda Peace Institute and is being republished with their permission.

After constant Cold War rhetoric and sabre-rattling, the presidents of the USA and Russia talk to each other about the Ukraine conflict and more generally about the security architecture in Europe. The EU is directly affected but is left out and wonders.

BONN (IDN) — In recent years, observers of the security situation in Europe have been reminded of the times of the Cold War. Ice age, confrontation and mutual mistrust prevail.

: Opinion Editor; OPINION; 06 January 2022

'Unity in Diversity' Is an Essential Part of Indian Culture

Viewpoint by Dr Ram Puniyani

This article is the 17th in a series of joint productions of South Asian Outlook and IDN-InDepthNews, the flagship of the International Press Syndicate. The writer is a former professor of biomedical engineering and former senior medical officer affiliated with the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (now Mumbai) and meanwhile a social activist and commentator. This article was first published on NEWSclick on January 3, 2022.

: Suresh Jaura; OPINION; 05 January 2022

Image: Map of the South Pacific Island region with the participating countries circled. Source: Sabera Turkmani | ResearchGate

'Secret plots', sovereignty and Climate Change Challenges face Pacific in the New Year

Analysis by David Robie

Dr David Robie is a retired professor of journalism and founding director of AUT University’s Pacific Media Centre.

AUCKLAND (IDN) — In the South Pacific, the year 2021 has closed with mounting tensions over sovereignty and self-determination issues and growing stress over the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic in a region that was largely virus-free in 2020. Pacific leaders are also raising their voices globally on the devastation brought about by climate change on their islands.