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MEASURES OF CONFLICT RESOLUTION
01/01/2015.
From January 22 to 31 and from February 10 to 14, the
Geneva II Peace Conference on Syria took place in Switzerland.
The conferences were backed by the UN, the EU, the
Arabic League, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
However, none of the talks led to any results. The OPCW-UN
mission for the removal of chemical weapons in Syria continued.
OPCW reported that chlorine was systematically used
in several cities during April. In Yemen, the UN brokered a
ceasefire between security forces and the al-Houthi rebels on
September 21, after al-Houthi rebels had captured the capital
Sanaa on the same day [→ Yemen (al-Houthi rebels)]. The UN
Security Council (UNSC) extended the MINURSO mandate for
another year to 04/30/2015. The mission was mandated to
monitor the ceasefire and to ensure a free and fair referendum
over the status of Western Sahara. In Gaza, 20 people
died when the Israel Air Force attacked a UN school, suspecting
militants to be hiding among refugees in the school.
SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
In the Central African Republic, the EU, the AU, and the UN
supported the interim government of President Catherine
Samba-Panza in her attempt to mediate between ex-Séléka
and Anti-Balaka militias [→ Central African Republic (Anti-
Balaka ex-Séléka)]. On April 1, the EU approved the EU
Military Operation in the Central African Republic (EUFOR
RCA), a 1,000-strong peacekeeping mission for immediate
deployment around the capital Bangui. Also, the 1,600-strong
AU-led MISCA mission transferred its authority to MINUSCA,
a 12,000-strong UN peacekeeping mission. Throughout the
year, MISCA and MINUSCA personnel were involved in several
clashes with militants, leaving at least three peacekeepers
dead.
The EU and the UN also played a central role in Mali. Representatives
of the UNSC reached an agreement with militant
Tuareg groups to enter negotiations with the government
about the status of the northern regions of Mali [→ Mali
(HCUA, MNLA et al. / Azawad)]. Also, MINUSMA and the AU
mediated negotiations between different militant groups. In
this context they brokered a ceasefire and the start of peace
talks. In addition to the 2013-launched military EUTM-Mali
mission, the Council of the European Union established the
civilian EU Capacity Building Mission in Mali (EUCAP Sahel
Mali) on April 15.
In the ongoing war between the al-Shabaab militants and
the Federal Government of Somalia, the latter was supported
by the African Union Mission for Somalia (AMISOM). On January
22, the 4,000 Ethiopian troops active in Somalia were
officially integrated into the AMISOM mission, increasing its
strength to a total of 22,000. On May 29, the UNDPA extended
its mission UNSOM by twelve months. Although carrying out
a civilian mission, UNSOM personnel were attacked by militants
several times. At least two UN peacekeepers were killed.
AMISOM also got involved in heavy fighting while carrying
out joint operations with the Somali National Army against
the militants. In September, Human Rights Watch published a
report criticizing the increase of sexual abuse of Somali girls
and women by AMISOM soldiers.
In the DR Congo the UN MONUSCO mission continued its support
of the government against the armed group Democratic
Forces. Also the head of MONUSCO, Martin Kobler, mediated
between the DR Congo and Rwanda over their territorial conflict.
The 2007-launched civilian EUPOL RD CONGO mission,
mandated to support Congolese security forces and to protect
human rights, ended in 2014.
ASIA AND OCEANIA
On February 17, the 2013 established UNHCR Commission of
Inquiry on Human Rights in the Democratic People's Republic
of Korea (DPRK) released its final report, stating that human
rights violations were systematic and widespread. Based on
the report, the UNSC set the human rights situation in the
DPRK to its agenda and debated on referring it to the ICJ.
After the conflict over the southern Kuril Islands between
Japan and Russia had escalated to a non-violent crisis due
to an increase in Russian military presence near the disputed
area, on November 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin and
Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo met at the APEC summit
in Beijing, agreeing to negotiate over a formal peace treaty.
In the course of the conflict over territory, resources, and
international power in the South China Sea, the UN Permanent
Court of Arbitration treated the case between the
Philippines and the People's Republic of China (PRC) over
territorial claims. In March, the Philippines asked the court
to uphold its right to exploit waters within its 200 nautical
mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) [→ China Vietnam et al.
(South China Sea)]. After the US had urged all conflict parties
to reduce tensions during the ASEAN summit on August 10,
the PRC repeatedly warned the US to stay out of the dispute.
THE AMERICAS
In the Americas, human rights organizations played a role
in several conflicts. In Ecuador, the environmental group
Yasunidos announced it would sue the government before
the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. Yasunidos had
previously submitted a list of about 70,000 signatures to
the National Electoral Council for a referendum to vote on
further oil exploitation in the Yasuní National Park, which
was rejected. On July 29, the International Court of Human
Rights ruled over a case concerning the conflict between
the indigenous Mapuche and Chile. The court ruled in favor
of the Mapuche claimants, criticizing the application of an
anti-terror law against the Mapuche.
In the oppositional conflict in Venezuela, UNASUR mediated
negotiations between the government and the opposition
coalition Mesa de la Unidad Democrática, which remained
unsuccessful. Although the relations between Cuba and the
US improved by the end of the year, on April 30, the US
Department of State again classified Cuba as a state sponsor
of terrorism in its annual report. Cuba along with the Community
of Latin American and Caribbean States repudiated the
classification. (hzi)
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