IDN-InDepthNews – Page 646 – News for a Sustainable World, Peace and Security

UN INSIDER2017-08-092023-07-10

A British Journalist Given Charge of UN Global Communications

By J Nastranis

UNITED NATIONS (IDN) – Nearly three months after Cristina Gallach of Spain vacated her post as head of the United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI), Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Alison Smale of the United Kingdom as her successor with the designation Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications.

Smale is the first head of DPI, since it was established in 1946, who comes from a country that along with China, France, Russia, and USA, is one of the five veto-wielding permanent (P5) members of the Security Council.

DPI maintains offices in 63 locations worldwide and is responsible for promoting global awareness and understanding of the work of the United Nations.

Nuclear Weapons2017-08-092023-07-10

U.S.-North Korea: Give Diplomacy a Chance

Viewpoint by Daryl G. Kimball

Daryl G. Kimball is Executive Director of the Arms Control Association, an independent, membership-based organization dedicated to providing authoritative information and practical policy solutions to address the threats posed by the world’s most dangerous weapons.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (IDN) – Just six months into the administration of President Donald Trump, the war of words and nuclear threats between the United States and North Korea have escalated, and a peaceful resolution to the escalating crisis is more difficult than ever to achieve.

Both leaders need to immediately work to de-escalate the situation and direct their diplomats to engage in an adult conversation designed to resolve tensions.

Asia-Pacific2017-08-082023-07-10

Between the Surging Dragon and a Suspicious Sacred Cow – Sri Lanka’s Choices

By Dr Palitha Kohona*

COLOMBO (IDN) – Sri Lanka’s long history has been intimately conditioned by the monsoonal winds that buffet its shores and the tides and waves of the vast Indian Ocean. The greed and ambitions of its regional and distant neighbours who followed the winds and rode the waves coveting its treasures and its unique strategic location have been a bane as well as blessing.

While, time and time again, it was forced to ward off the marauding attention of external powers during the course of its long history, (in the early part, mainly from South India), geography provided it with the opportunity to exploit its fortunate position as a trading hub.

Now, once again history appears to be ready to place little Lanka at centre stage with emerging India nervously seeking to place constraints on it from engaging too intimately with distant powers (China in particular) and China identifying it as a central player in its One Belt One Road (OBOR) Initiative.

OPINION2017-08-082023-07-10

International Law is a Powerful Tool to Reduce Ethnic Disputes

Viewpoint by Jonathan Power*

LUND, Sweden (IDN-INPS) – It’s not that many years ago that Warren Christopher, the U.S. Secretary of State, commenting on the outbreak of separatist ethnic strife in the 1990s in countries such as Somalia, Zaire, Rwanda, East Timor and ex-Yugoslavia, asked. “Where will it end? Will it end with 5,000 countries?”

It was a serious misjudgement. Separatist wars have fallen sharply. Minorities are not fighting for their own patch of territory at the rate they were. Since 1993 the number of wars of self-determination has been halved.

Nuclear Weapons2017-08-072023-07-10

A Nuclear-Weapons-Free World Requires Global Effort

By António Guterres’

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message to the Peace Ceremony in Hiroshima, Japan, on August 6 2017 as distributed to the media and posted online https://www.un.org/press/en/2017/sgsm18634.doc.htm – The Editor

UNITED NATIONS (IDN-INPS) – It is a profound honour to pay my deep respects to the victims of the atomic bomb and to the Hibakusha and the city of Hiroshima for your fortitude and example.

In 1946, when eminent personalities were invited to share their ideas for rebuilding Hiroshima, the distinguished Hibakusha novelist Yōko Ōta said her vision was “to interweave dream and reality in harmony and enrich citizens’ lives”. As the world looks to Hiroshima today, we see a city built on resilience and hope. Your determination for peace is an inspiration to the world.

OPINION2017-08-072023-07-10

The United States and Russia Relations on Life Support

By Somar Wijayadasa*

NEW YORK (IDN) – The U.S. sanctions against Russia, passed on July 27, in retaliation for Russia’s alleged interference in the 2016 presidential election may have ruined relations between the two countries.

The sanctions targeting Russia’s defense, intelligence, mining, shipping and railway industries, and restricting dealings with Russian banks and energy companies would have crippling effects on the already straddled Russian economy.

The bill may penalize individuals or companies who invest in the construction of Russian energy pipelines, or who provide services for such projects.

UN INSIDER2017-08-072023-07-10

Colonialism Very Much Alive on UN Agenda

By Shanta Rao

UNITED NATIONS (IDN) – There has been a longstanding myth that colonialism has been long dead – and was unceremoniously buried in the 1950s and 1960s.

But not so fast, says the United Nations.

A 29-member UN Special Committee on Decolonization, which was established by the General Assembly back in 1961, is very much alive and remains fully engaged.

But it is fighting a near-losing battle with a fistful of Western colonial powers who are determined to hold onto their colonies – euphemistically called “non-self-governing territories.”

UN INSIDER2017-08-062023-07-10

Security Council Permanent Seat Remains an Illusion for India

By Santo D. Banerjee

NEW YORK (IDN) – A pious wish has been making the rounds since August 4 2017 in the online news sites in India. On that remarkable day, they carried reports from Washington, D.C. conveying the impression that India’s permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council was just round the corner. The source was invariably the U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert.

The TIMESOFINDIA.COM, for example, carried the following report that apparently served as template for others: “The US, which supports India being given membership at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), is likely to raise the issue of New Delhi’s membership at the world body later this month, said the US State Department today [August 4].”

UN INSIDER2017-08-052023-07-10

Security Council Debates Effectiveness of UN Sanctions

By J Nastranis

UNITED NATIONS (IDN) – While the UN Security Council unanimously moved on August 5 to expand sanctions against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK or North Korea) in response to the launches of ballistic missiles of possible intercontinental range, the Council discussed two days earlier the spirit and purpose of resorting to the restrictive instrument of sanctions.

The Security Council is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations, charged with the maintenance of international peace and security as well as approving any changes to the UN Charter. Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of international sanctions, and the authorization of military action.

UN INSIDER2017-08-042023-07-10

Humanities to the Rescue of Sustainability

By A.D. McKenzie

PARIS (IDN) – If you suggest studying the humanities to some college-bound young people, you might be met with loud, pitying laughter. What is the value of a degree in literature, philosophy or history, they may ask.

An ambitious conference in Liège, Belgium, aims to provide an attitude-changing response to that question and, at the same time, draw up a programme to keep the humanities from becoming more “marginalised” at universities.

The event, titled the “World Humanities Conference: Challenges and Responsibilities for a Planet in Transition”, will take place from August 6 to 12.