IDN-InDepthNews

News for a Sustainable World, Peace and Security

IDN-InDepthNews
UN INSIDER

Somalia Urged to Follow Timeline for Democratic Governance

By J Nastranis

NEW YORK (IDN) – As the ancient proverb goes, “there is many a slip between the cup and the lip”, but if Somalia – often described as a ‘failed state’ – abides by the postponed timeline for this year’s parliamentary and presidential elections, the United Nations would have reason to record success in a long-winded process.

The United Nations Security Council’s 15 members in their meeting on August 19 adopted the Presidential Statement applauding the progress under way for the last four years, and underscored “the need to maintain the momentum towards democratic governance, with an inclusive, transparent and credible electoral process in 2016 as a stepping stone to universal suffrage elections in 2020”.

ARMAMENTS

Wide Support for UN Talks on a Legal Ban-the-Bomb Tool

By Jamshed Baruah

GENEVA (IDN) – In what the International Campaign to abolish nuclear weapons (ICAN) calls “a dramatic final day”, a group of non-nuclear countries have pushed through a proposal to initiate negotiations in 2017 to prohibit nuclear weapons of mass destruction.

The UN Open Ended Working group on nuclear disarmament (OEWG) wrapped up on August 19 the third series of sessions that have been convened since February, by adopting a recommendation to the United Nations General Assembly in October to initiate negotiations on a legal instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading to their elimination.

The Working Group held a total of 30 substantive meetings from February 22 to 26, May 2-4 and May 9-13 as well as on August 5, 16, 17 and 19. Several informal meetings were also held.

OPINION

Social Business a Way Out of Misery for World’s 3 Billion

Viewpoint by Prof Muhammad Yunus*

DHAKA (IDN-INPS) – We are living in a time of unparalleled prosperity, fuelled in part by revolutions in knowledge, science, and technology, particularly information technology. This prosperity has changed the lives of many, yet billions of people still suffer from poverty, hunger, and disease. And now, food, oil price and financial crises have combined forces to bring even greater misery and frustration to the world bottom 3 billion people.

Sadly, however, we saw headlines reporting news of a sort many people assumed we would never experience again: skyrocketing prices for staple foodstuffs like grains and vegetables (wheat alone having risen in price by 200 percent since the year 2000); food shortages in many countries; rising rates of death from malnutrition and undernourishment; environmental threats to agricultural production; even food riots threatening the stability of countries around the globe.

UN INSIDER

UN Aid Chief Worried About Shortfall in Emergency Fund

By J Nastranis

NEW YORK (IDN) – The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which manages the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) on behalf of the UN Secretary-General, estimates that this year, there will be a $50 million shortfall on the annual $450 million funding target.

“I am very concerned that this could force the Fund to significantly reduce allocations for underfunded emergencies in the future,” the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O’Brien, has said, and appealed to all UN Member States, regional organizations and private citizens “to scale up their support to CERF and enable us to save more lives”.

UN INSIDER

UN Decision to Name Anti-Gay Violence Monitor Questioned

By Jamshed Baruah

GENEVA (IDN) – The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Consultative Group has named Vitit Muntarbhorn, a Thai law professor who has held prior UN rights posts, as the world body’s first independent expert to monitor violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

The Group comprises five diplomats. One of them, Amr Ramadan, Egypt’s ambassador to the Council, has refused to participate in the selection process. He detailed his reasons to the council president in a letter obtained by UN Watch, a non-governmental organization based in Geneva.

NGOs & CSOs, SYNDICATION

People’s Tribunal on Nuclear Weapons Convicts Leaders

BERLIN | SYDNEY (IDN | UNFOLDZERO) – An International Peoples’ Tribunal on Nuclear Weapons and the Destruction of Human Civilisation held in Sydney handed down its judgement on August 16 affirming the illegality of any use or threat to use nuclear weapons and convicting the leaders of the nine nuclear-armed States of war crimes, crimes against humanity, crimes against peace and crimes of threatening, planning and preparing acts which would constitute genocide, ecocide and omnicide (the destruction of humanity as a species).

The tribunal also considered a test case against Malcolm Turnbull, the leader of Australia, which is one of the states under extended nuclear deterrence relationship with the United States. Turnbull was convicted for complicity, i.e. aiding and abetting the planning and preparation for the use of nuclear weapons, which would constitute a crime, and for making illegal threats to facilitate and support the use nuclear weapons.

OPINION

Japan Shows the Way to Good Life with Little Growth

Viewpoint by Jonathan Power

LUND, Sweden (IDN-INPS) – The announcement was made on August 15 by Japan’s Finance Ministry: In the last quarter of the year the Japanese economy grew at an annualised rate of 0.2%. “One wonders if the economy will remain at a standstill for the rest of the year”, the Financial Times asks.

But then Japan’s economy has been becalmed for 30 years. Even though the government has poured billions of dollars into the economy it has had only a small effect in boosting demand.

One wonders when the government will give up and what happens then – another decade of minimal growth? If that is what happens how much does it matter?

Africa

Four Years on New Charges Rock British Mining Giant

NEW YORK | JOHANNESBURG (IDN | GIN) – Prayers have been said this week for 34 men, employees of the UK mining company Lonmin, who were fatally shot on August 16, 2012 during a strike and protest action over pay and conditions at the British Marikana platinum mine.

The shootings, by the South African Police Service, unleashed a national crisis. A Commission, appointed by President Jacob Zuma, found that the “decisive cause” of events on four years ago was an unlawful and reckless decision by senior police officials to disarm and disperse the strikers, by force if necessary.

Africa

‘Shamed’ Sierra Leone Bars Pregnant Girls from School

NEW YORK | FREETOWN (IDN | GIN) – At their next meeting in Geneva, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child will review reports detailing the obstacles, risks and challenges imposed by governments that limit the prospects for children to succeed.

Among the countries to be reviewed is Sierra Leone whose ban on admitting pregnant girls to mainstream schools was the subject of a briefing paper called “Shamed and Blamed”. Submitted by Amnesty International, it faults the policy expressed by Minister Minkailu Bah that “visibly pregnant girls would be a negative influence to other innocent girls”.

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