Author: c.bunce

European leaders have expressed concern over the growing number of casualties among migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean to EU countries. An estimated 43,000 people have fled Libya on boats this year and 1,300 have died while at sea, including nearly 250 migrants in the last few days after two overcrowded vessels sank. Earlier this year, EU leaders agreed to millions in funding to help the Libyan coast guard as well as provide support to refugee camps and assist migrants. The EU faced backlash from human rights groups who noted that Libya is incredibly dangerous for migrants. European efforts seem like a failure so far, but there is certainly no easy way to address this problem and prevent further loss of life.

President Trump has approved a plan to provide military weapons and support to the Syrian Kurds in their fight against ISIS, including helping them retake Raqqa. Turkey, a NATO ally, has previously opposed the idea because they insist that the Kurds work closely with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, a listed terrorist organization. Turkey also fears that the weapons supplied to the Kurds may be used against their forces in the future. American officials noted that the supply of weapons will be limited to help the Kurds carry out specific operations and excess equipment will be retrieved at the end of each mission. It will likely be a topic of concern at next week’s meeting between Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and could potentially damage their alliance.

The UN Commissioner for Human Rights, Prince Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, warned that the Ethiopian government could set back years of economic development in the country if they continue to suppress civil liberties. Nearly 700 people were killed in protests in a seven month period and thousands more have been detained. There is little political and social freedom – political opposition is banned, media is censored, and civil society is suppressed. Hussein called for an “open democratic space” for the Ethiopian people in order for the country to succeed long-term.

Agnes Callamard, UN expert on extrajudicial killings, denounced the “war on drugs” approach backed by Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte. Delegates at the UN General Assembly last year decried drug-related corruption and called for a multifaceted approach with an emphasis on health and justice in the campaign against drugs.

There have been 4,000 drug-related deaths since Duterte started cracking down on drug users nearly a year ago and rights groups claim that the police are responsible for a significant number of them. Despite denying any responsibility, Duterte has been publicly implicated by a police officer and hit man whose lawyer has called for Duterte to be tried in the International Criminal Court for mass murder.

Four foreign International Medical Corps (IMC) employees were detained and deported by the Turkish government last week. The IMC is a U.S.-based aid organization which works with Syrian refugees, including millions in the Turkish city of Gaziantep. The actions that President Erdogan and the Turkish government have taken since his referendum victory are especially alarming and reveal their efforts to combat their enemies both home and abroad. The Turkish government began cracking down on NGOs and other humanitarian aid organizations late last year amidst pro-government media making serious allegations against them. As more agencies are shut down in the country, thousands of Syrian refugees will be left without the aid and support that they desperately need which will further exacerbate the humanitarian crisis.

 

A group of 36 Yazidi survivors were recently rescued from ISIL slavery and are being cared for by the United Nations Population Fund with international support. The UNFPA set up various checkpoints to provide women and children with first aid as well as medical, psychological, and legal services. They will be referred to comprehensive women’s centers established by the UNFPA for further treatment.

It is estimated that up to 1,500 women and children are being held captive and potentially exposed to sex slavery by ISIL. The UN acknowledged the Governments of Canada, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, and the United States for the support of the UNFPA’s work.

Venezuela is in the midst of political and economic turmoil which in turn has led to a dire humanitarian situation, including severe food and medicine shortages. Venezuela relies heavily on oil revenue, but the drop in oil prices and strict price controls have led to inflation and shortages of basic necessities. Thousands have fled the country in seek of refuge from increasing poverty and violence.

Actions by the increasingly autocratic government, including blocking humanitarian assistance and detaining opposition, have sparked massive protests in the country as well as international condemnation. The Organization of the American States (OAS) has threatened to expel Venezuela and Mercosur, South America’s trade bloc, suspended Venezuela in 2016.

During a recent visit to Saudi Arabia, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis called for an end to the conflict between Sunni Arabs and Houthis in Yemen. He suggested that the war could not be solved through military means, but rather through negotiations brokered by the United Nations. Backed by the Saudis, Sunni Arab countries are seeking intelligence and military assistance from the United States in their war against the Houthis. Mattis’s visit was meant to foster relations with Saudi Arabia in anticipation of President Trump’s foreseeable trip to the nation.

Humanitarian agencies have urged against Saudi-led airstrikes in the Houthi-controlled port city of Al Hudaydah, arguing that it will only exacerbate severe food shortages. Seven million people are at risk of famine in Yemen and the sustained bombing of Al Hudaydah could severely damage infrastructure and diminish the country’s food supply.

A panel of UN experts advised the UN Human Rights Council on serious human rights violations against gay men occurring in Chechnya, a republic which is part of the Russian Federation. In the last few weeks, reports have surfaced of local authorities torturing and killing men perceived to be homosexual. The UN strongly condemned the actions of the Chechen security forces and statements made by officials, urging that Chechens are “living in a climate of fear fueled by homophobic speeches by local authorities.”

The Russian Federation has a history of violating the rights of gay and transgender people and it is likely that the UN’s warnings will be disregarded. The international community must continue to bring attention to the human rights situation in Chechnya and demand Chechen authorities to end the persecution of gay men.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) urged for investments in sustainable agriculture and climate change relief to address the humanitarian and ecological crisis in Lake Chad Basin. Years of fighting and violence are largely responsible for the crisis, but climate change and environmental neglect have further escalated the situation. Approximately seven million people in the region suffer from severe hunger and 50,000 are on the brink of famine in northeastern Nigeria alone. Ninety percent of the Lake Chad Basin population relies on agriculture for food security.

The FAO and its partners urged the international community to provide immediate food assistance and food production support in an effort to alleviate severe hunger among Lake Chad Basin residents. The FAO’s three-year response strategy aims to improve food security and help farmers produce sustainable agriculture. The area also suffers from severe droughts and the FAO is working to help farmers save water through various irrigation strategies. The FAO Director General, Jose Graziano da Silva, warned that the need for agriculture in the region cannot be ignored if the crisis is going to be resolved.