DT e-Paper, Thursday, December 15, 2016

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DT 8 World THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2016 SOUTH ASIA Pakistan, India to consider fresh talks on water dispute Pakistani and Indian officials said Wednesday they would consider resuming direct talks over water sharing after the World Bank halted a process to arbitrate a long-standing dispute over two Indian hydroelectric projects. Pakistan, a country of 180m people with a largely agriculture-based economy, fears the projects could severely deplete its water resources. AP INDIA Indian SC orders action on child drug abuse India’s Supreme Court court on Wednesday ordered the government to come up with a plan to tackle child drug abuse, acting on a petition from a child rights group. With government figures showing almost 20% of addicts in India are under 21, it said more needed to be done to educate young people about the dangers of substance abuse in India. AFP CHINA China urges Myanmar to ensure border stability China hopes Myanmar will ensure peace and stability along their border and keep stray bullets out of its neighbour’s territory, the defence ministry said on Wednesday. A series of attacks by ethnic armed groups on Myanmar security forces last month sent thousands of people crossing into China to escape the violence. REUTERS ASIA PACIFIC Malaysia court rejects Anwar’s bid for review Former Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim will remain in jail after the country’s highest court on Thursday rejected his bid for a review of his controversial 2014 sodomy conviction. Anwar last year began serving a five-year jail term for sodomising a male aide, charges that his supporters say were trumped up to sideline the former deputy prime minister. AFP MIDDLE EAST US cancels weapons transfers to Saudi over Yemen campaign The White House has blocked the transfer of precision munitions to ally Saudi Arabia, amid anger about the civilian death toll from the kingdom’s bombing campaign in Yemen. The White House has long struggled to balance its unease over the prosecution of the Saudi campaign and risking a broader feud with a key Middle Eastern partner. REUTERS Myanmar to write its ‘true history’ without the Rohingyas • AFP, Yangon Myanmar’s religious affairs ministry plans to write a book to prove the Rohingya are not indigenous to the country, as tensions grow over a brutal military crackdown on the Muslim minority. Almost 27,000 Rohingya have crossed into Bangladesh since the beginning of November, the UN said Tuesday, fleeing a bloody military campaign in Myanmar’s western Rakhine state. Their stories of mass rape and murder at the hands of security forces have shocked the international community and cast a pall over the young government of Nobel peace prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi. Myanmar has angrily rejected the criticism and called an emergency Asean meeting next week to discuss the crisis, which has sparked protests in Muslim nations in the region. Late Monday, the country’s Ministry of Religion and Cultural Affairs announced plans to write a thesis to refute foreigners who “stir things up by insisting the Rohingya exist and (who) aim to tarnish Myanmar’s political image”. “We hereby announce that we are going to publish a book of true Myanmar history,” the ministry said in a statement posted on Facebook late Monday. “The real truth is that the word Rohingya was never used or existed as an ethnicity or race in Myanmar’s history.” Myanmar’s more than one million Rohingya are loathed by many from the Buddhist majority, who say they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and refer to them as “Bengali” even though many have lived in the country for generations. Even the term Rohingya has become so divisive that Suu Kyi has asked government officials to avoid using it. According to the ministry, the term was first used in 1948 by a “Bengali” MP. Rights activists say the Rohingya are among the most persecuted people in the world. They were removed as one of the country’s recognised ethnicities by the former military government under a 1982 law stipulating minorities must have lived in Myanmar before the first Anglo-Burmese war of 1824-26. • Turkey leads rise in journalist detentions • AFP, Paris The number of journalists detained worldwide rose in 2016, an increase related to Turkey where more than 100 journalists and media contributors are in jail, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said Tuesday. “A total of 348 journalists are currently detained worldwide – 6% more than were detained at this time last year,” RSF said in its annual report. The figure includes bloggers and freelance contributors. “The number of detained professional journalists in Turkey has risen 22% after quadrupling in the wake of the failed coup d’etat in July,” it said. The number of women journalists imprisoned more than quadrupled over the period (from 5 to 21). “The persecution of journalists around the world is growing at a shocking rate,” RSF secretary general Christophe Deloire said in a statement. “At the gateway to Europe, an allout witch-hunt has jailed dozens of journalists and has turned Turkey into the world’s biggest prison for the media profession. In the space of a year, the Erdogan regime has crushed all media pluralism while the EU has said virtually nothing.” USA 5,000 By walking through the borders of neighboring countries Canada 2,000 Number of migrants in the world Their number reached outside Arakan 2,000,000 estimated They are present in more than 50 countries around the world By Sea with the help of human traffickers Norway 300 Denmark 400 Ireland 200 UK 500 Turkey 100 Jordan 388 Sudan 200 52 held hostage, 341 in prison according to Reporters Without Borders Bahrain 14 Vietnam 15 Eritrea 15 Saudi Arabia 10 Aside from Turkey, between them China, Iran and Egypt account for more than two-thirds of journalists imprisoned, RSF said, calling for the creation of a special representative for the safety of journalists directly attached to the office of the UN secretary general. The number of journalists held hostage has however fallen this year, with 52, mostly locals, held around the world compared with 61 last year, although RSF said the CAUSES OF EXODUS: 1. Racism 2. Bloody massares against them by the government and extremist Buddhists. 3. Denial of exercising fundamental rights. 4. Restrictions on practicing their religon. 5. Restricting them to work. Airborne who were in the capital of Myanmar, ‘Rangoon’ Sweden 300 Azerbaijan 8 Uzbekistan 9 Bangladesh Pakistan 500,000 400,000 India 15,000 Saudi Arabia 250,000 UAE 10,000 Yemen 1,000 Ethiopia 8 Nepal 100 Singapore 100 Thailand 50,000 Malaysia 50,000 UAE 4 Japan 300 China 5,000 Combodia 1,000 Indonesia 6,000 Turkey +100* Syria 28 Laos 4 27 27 Egypt Iran Australia 8,500 JOURNALISTS DETAINED IN THE WORLD Source: RSF Journalists in prison *of which 41 confirmed cases 3 Bangladesh 102 China 3 Russia Hostages 26 Syria 16 Yemen 10 Iraq 2 North Korea 2 Cuba 2 Libya 17 Others 2015 number was particularly high. This year all the hostages are in the Middle East – Syria, Yemen and Iraq – with 21 held by the Islamic State group alone. The group considers journalists missing when there is insufficient evidence of their death or kidnapping and no credible claim of responsibility for their death or abduction. In a separate report released Tuesday, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reported that 259 journalists were imprisoned around the world in 2016, 81 of them in Turkey. Its number is lower because the CPJ only counts journalists detained by the state, while RSF also reports on those held hostage by non-state groups. The CPJ said the top five countries for jailing journalists are Turkey, followed by China, Egypt, Eritrea and Ethiopia. •
CHRONICLE World The battle for Aleppo Restoring full control over Aleppo, Syria’s most populous city before the war, has been seen as critical to the fortunes of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in a multi-sided civil war now in its sixth year. Famous for textiles, soap and its Unesco-listed citadel, Aleppo was Syria’s economic hub and of huge historic and cultural importance. Below is a timeline of the key events in the battle for control of the city: 2011: Violence breaks out in Syria after government cracks down on pro-reform protests In March 2011, mass demonstrations break out in the Syrian capital Damascus demanding political reform, civil rights and the release of political prisoners, soon spreading to other cities. A few small protests take place in Aleppo. 2012: Rebels take parts of Aleppo city In early 2012 rebels take control of the rural areas northwest of Aleppo city, besieging the Minnegh military air base and the largely Shia towns of Nubl and Zahra. 2013: Rebel gains cut Aleppo-Damascus highway The western, government-held half of Aleppo comes under almost complete siege as rebels briefly also cut the alternative route. But in October government and allied forces retake it and strengthen their position. In April 2013 the 1,000-yearold minaret of Aleppo’s Umayyad Mosque collapses after being struck during fighting. 2014: Rebels and government consolidate positions in Aleppo The government’s control of the skies starts to show as it increasingly uses jets and helicopters to strike rebels. 2015: Big rebel gains, Russia intervenes A series of rebel advances puts the government under pressure in northwest Syria, where Aleppo is located. But in October 2015 the first Russian air strikes take place and swiftly put the rebels on the back foot. 2016: The siege and bombardment of east Aleppo February advances by the army and allies with Russian air support cut the most direct road from Turkey to rebel-held east Aleppo, recapturing Minnegh air base, ending the rebels’ siege of Nubl and Zahra and putting pressure on insurgent supply routes. Combatants fighting in Aleppo The battle for Aleppo, for months the focal point of Syria’s multi-sided civil war, is close to its end after the army and its allies have swept through rebel-held areas. Here are the main combatants fighting in the city: REBEL GROUPS Jabha Shamiya (levant front) One of the main rebel groups fighting under the banner of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) in east Aleppo. Jabha Shamiya has received support from Turkey and other states. Ahrar al-Sham A hardline Islamist group widely believed to have received backing from Turkey and some Gulf states. Ahrar al-Sham is an influential rebel force, with a strong presence in northwestern Syria around Aleppo and Idlib. THE UNITED NATIONS AND SYRIA Britain Members until Dec 31, 2016 Angola Malaysia New Zealand Spain Venezuela Start of the conflict March 2011 Source: UN Nour al-Din al-Zinki movement A rebel group that counts itself part of the FSA umbrella, but has also recently participated in an operations room with the Islamist Jaish al-Fatah coalition. It has received military support, channelled through Turkey, from states opposed to Assad, including USmade Tow missiles. Jabhat Fateh al-Sham Formerly known as the Nusra Front, the powerful group changed its name to Fateh al-Sham in July and said it was breaking its formal allegiance to al-Qaeda. Fateh al-Sham and other jihadist groups based outside the city attacked the southern Aleppo outskirts in October, taking part in a failed rebel offensive aimed at breaking the siege on the east in October. SYRIAN GOVERNMENT TROOPS AND ALLIED FORCES Syrian army The Syrian army is supported by Russian air strikes, local pro-government militias and mostly Shia foreign militias. Throughout the war, its air force Permanent members with veto rights China France Russia 15 members VETOS ON SYRIA RESOLUTIONS Oct 4 SECURITY COUNCIL Russia China Feb 4 July 19 May 22 2012 2014 USA Members until Dec 31, 2017 Egypt Japan Senegal Ukraine Uruguay Oct 8 Dec 5 2016 has given it a big advantage over opponents, and the Russian intervention in Syria last year turned the tide in Assad’s favour. Military experts think the army numbered around 300,000 personnel pre-war, but after almost six years of conflict, desertions and defections, its current size is not known. Tiger force Pro-Damascus sources say this elite unit of the Syrian army has played a leading role in the ground assaults in rebel-held eastern Aleppo. It is led by Suheil al-Hassan, an army officer who has risen to unusual prominence in the Syrian military. Hezbollah The Lebanese Shia movement gives allegiance to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Its armed forces have long experience of military action after fighting numerous wars against Israel. Hezbollah’s entry into the Syrian war in 2013 helped stem rebel advances and it has played a significant role in From July to November Russian air power and Shia militias from Iraq and Lebanon help the army recapture Ramousah on September 8, firmly re-encircling the rebel enclave. On September 22, the heaviest air strikes in months hit east Aleppo and the government announces a new offensive to retake it. After weeks of intense bombardment, in which many hospitals and other civilian infrastructure are hit, Russia and Syria’s government declare a pause in their campaign on October 18, urging rebels and civilians to quit east Aleppo. Intense air strikes resume against east Aleppo on November 15, putting all hospitals out of action by November 19. On November 28, pro-government forces take the northern part of the rebel sector in a sudden advance that reduces its size by more than a third. December December 5-6: Brings the al-Shaar district and much of Aleppo’s historic Old City under government sway, leaving the rebels trapped in a small southern portion of their former enclave. December 12: The army makes a series of new advances after taking the Sheikh Saeed district after days of intense fighting and under a heavy aerial bombardment, leaving rebels stuck in only a tiny part of the city. December 13: Insurgents agree to withdraw in a ceasefire deal which would see them evacuate to rebel-held areas outside Aleppo with their families and any other civilians wanting to leave. • Source: REUTERS the fighting around Aleppo. More than 1,500 of its fighters have died in Syria since the start of the war. Other militias Iranian-sponsored Shia militias have come to Syria from countries including Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, to fight on the government’s side. Harakat al-Nujaba, an Iraqi Shia militia fighting in Syria, sent more than 1,000 extra fighters to southern parts of Aleppo in September to reinforce its positions, the group’s spokesman said. Kurdish people’s protection units (YPG) The Kurdish YPG militia is at the heart of a US-led campaign against Islamic State and it controls swathes of the north, where Kurdish groups associated with the militia have set up local government councils since the start of the war. In and around Aleppo, the YPG has clashed with nationalist Syrian Arab rebels. • Source: REUTERS 9 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2016 USA Trump wins Wisconsin, Pennsylvania in recount DT Presidential election recount efforts came to an end Monday in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, with both states certifying Republican Donald Trump as the winner in contests that helped put him over the top in the Electoral College stakes. Green Party candidate Jill Stein successfully requested and paid for the Wisconsin recount. AP THE AMERICAS Brazil Senate backs 20- year spending freeze Brazil’s Senate approved Tuesday a 20-year freeze on government spending billed as a centrepiece of austerity reforms, sparking angry clashes in the capital Brasilia where protesters torched a bus. Hundreds of people clashed with police who fired tear gas to break up the crowd following the upper house vote, which saw the measures quickly pushed through by 53 votes to 16. AFP UK ‘EU citizens should collect proof of living in UK’ EU nationals living in UK should make a file of documents that prove they have lived in the country since before the June referendum, according to the chair of a House of Lords committee. Helena Kennedy QC suggested collecting together bills, rental or home ownership documents, employment paperwork, or evidence of appointments for those who do not have jobs. GUARDIAN EUROPE Polish lawmakers pass law restricting rallies Poland’s conservative populist-dominated parliament has passed a law restricting public meetings which has been slammed by the opposition as being anti-democratic, media reports said Wednesday. The legislation, passed late on Tuesday, introduces the concept of “periodic meetings” for rallies organised repeatedly in the same place and on the same date, giving such gatherings priority over other meetings. AFP AFRICA President calls for national dialogue to end S Sudan war South Sudanese President Salva Kiir called Wednesday for a “national dialogue” to end the threeyear-long civil war in South Sudan. In a speech to parliament, Kiir, whose wrangling for power with his former deputy Riek Machar plunged the world’s newest nation into a brutal, destructive and ongoing civil war in December 2013, said the dialogue would “consolidate peace” in South Sudan. AFP
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