Peace Consulting

06/02/2022

Read a summary of the UNSG's latest report on , covering the period from 1 October 2021 to 30 January 2022.
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The report provides an update on the activities of the United Nations in Afghanistan, including political, humanitarian, and human rights efforts, since the issuance of the previous report, dated 2 September 2021

The situation in Afghanistan remains uncertain six months after the Taliban takeover, as the multiple political, socio-economic, and humanitarian shocks reverberate across the country.

The report is submitted pursuant to General Assembly resolution 68/11 and Security Council resolution 2596 (2021), in which the Secretary-General was requested to submit a written report to the Security Council by 31 January 2022 on strategic and operational recommendations for the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).

24/01/2022

$31.5 Billion: Illicit Networks Make Great Fortunes in Zones, Experts Tell the Read my full article here:

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, , and are the cornerstones for any country. Yet global efforts are increasingly being threatened and sabotaged by . Transnational organized crime is invading every level of society and is becoming more diverse in its scope of operations. The growth and convergence of criminal networks have been increasingly taking advantage of governance weaknesses during local conflicts and are sustaining non-stage armed groups and terrorists.

The link between and is undeniable, and this phenomenon is sustaining conflicts worldwide, with illegal exploitation and taxation of gold, oil, and other natural resources overtaking traditional “threat finance” sectors, such as kidnapping for ransom and drug trafficking. This was the major statement of the experts from the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime and INTERPOL when briefing the UN Security Council on 7th November 2021.

The address was delivered as part of the annual briefing on UN Peacekeeping operations, led by Alexander Zuev, Assistant Secretary-General for the Rule of Law, at the Department of Peacekeeping Operation (DPKO) and included presentations from UN Police Commissioners, on the work being carried out by Missions in South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Haiti.

Mr. Zuev said that the growing risks associated with organized crime, which he described as striking “at the heart of the United Nations’ core business” have been recognized at the highest level of the UN, including Secretary-General António Guterres.

The scale of the money being illicitly generated by organized crime networks in conflict zones is sustaining conflicts worldwide and they have amassed $31.5 billion.

23/01/2022

The International Court of Justice Orders Provisional Measures for Armenia and Azerbaijan over the conflict of Nagorno-Karabakh

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https://www.peaceconsulting.net/the-international-court-of-justice-orders-provisional-measures-for-armenia-and-azerbaijan-over-the-conflict-of-nagorno-karabakh/

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) announced its decision on December 7, 2021, regarding the request for provisional measures by Armenia and Azerbaijan, marking the next stage of the proceedings in the ongoing conflict between the two countries.

The background of the case is that Armenia brought a case to the ICJ against Azerbaijan on September 16, and Azerbaijan made a counter-claim against Armenia on September 23. Both states claim violations of the Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD). The reason both states brought claims under that treaty is that that treaty has a unique method that provides the Court jurisdiction over the parties. (See my previous article here for the background of the case here.

21/01/2022

: Frankfurt Court Finds a Former Member Guilty of for Crimes Committed Against the # Minority in Based Upon Universal

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Frankfurt’s Higher Regional Court sentenced a former Islamic State member, Mr. Taha Al-Jumailly, to life imprisonment for the killing of a 5-year-old Yazidi girl, marking the first conviction for committing genocide against the Yazidi religious community by a former Da’esh/ISIL member. The verdict was delivered on December 9, 2021, following a 19-month trial in Frankfurt, Germany.

Mr. Taha Al-Jumailly, 29, an Iraqi citizen, was found guilty of genocide and war crimes resulting in death, at the court in Frankfurt. He was ordered to pay the child’s mother $57,000 in damages. He was indicted based upon universal jurisdiction as the crimes were not committed in Germany. Mr. Al-Jumailly was arrested in Greece based upon a European arrest warrant against him and then transferred to Germany to face trial. His 30-year-old German wife, Ms. Jennifer Wenisch, was sentenced last month in Munich, in a separate trial, to 10 years imprisonment for crimes against humanity.

20/01/2022

Syria Trial in Germany: Landmark Guilty Verdict and Life Imprisonment for a former Syrian Intelligence Officer for Crimes against Humanity Based Upon Universal Jurisdiction

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https://www.peaceconsulting.net/syria-trial-in-germany-landmark-guilty-verdict-and-life-imprisonment-for-a-former-syrian-intelligence-officer-for-crimes-against-humanity-based-upon-universal-jurisdiction/

The Higher Regional Court in Koblenz convicted a former Syrian regime intelligence officer on January 13, 2022, of crimes against humanity, concluding the world’s first trial related to state-sponsored torture in Syria, under President Bashar al-Assad. He was sentenced to life in prison. He will be eligible for parole in 15 years.

The Court found Anwar R. guilty of crimes against humanity of “killing, torture, serious deprivation of liberty, r**e and sexual assault in combination with murder in 27 cases, dangerous bodily injuries in 25 cases, particularly serious r**e, sexual assault in two cases, over a week of deprivation of liberty in 14 cases [and] hostage-taking in two cases and sexual abuse of prisoners in three cases.”

Anwar R. is the former head of the Investigation Department of the notorious detention facility of Branch 251 of the General Intelligence Service in Syria. He was charged with complicity in the torture of thousands of people between 2011 and 2012 in the Al-Khatib Branch (Branch 251) of Syrian General Intelligence in Damascus. According to the court’s findings, at least 4,000 prisoners were held in the prison attached to Raslan’s interrogation unit while he worked there.

17/12/2021

: A New Report is Published on and by the Secretary-General

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This is the fifth report of the Secretary-General on and in the Central African Republic and covers the period from July 2019 to June 2021. The report was submitted to the UN Security Council.
According to the report, the protection and well-being of children in the Central African Republic (CAR) has gravely deteriorated since the end of 2020 with a spike for most of the six , highlighting the latest report on children and armed conflict of the UN Secretary-General. The vulnerability of Central African children, to grave violations, was largely exacerbated by a surge in across the country, including attacks by and by government and pro-governmental forces during the in 2020 which are continuing to this day.
“The security situation in the Central African Republic has rapidly worsened in recent months and children are paying a high price for these renewed hostilities,” said the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Virginia Gamba.
There was a significant increase and the scale of grave violations against children committed by all perpetrators of the . There is serious concern about the of schools of hospitals by the armed forces and bilaterally deployed and other security personnel. In the reporting period, a new Code was promulgated that is welcoming. 653 children were released from armed groups yet remain a lot of concern about the ongoing recruitment and use of children by armed groups. Sexual violence against children remains a serious issue. A former ex-Séléka leader was surrendered to the International at The Hague. The hearings in the trial of two anti-balaka leaders, Albert Yekatom and Patrice Edouard Ngaissona, commenced before the International Criminal Court.
The report addresses the effect of the cycles of violence on children in the country, highlighting trends and patterns of the six grave violations committed against children and contains information on the perpetrators, the political context and progress are also outlined.

What are the major findings of the UN Secretary-General report on Children and Armed Conflict in the Central African Republic?

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16/12/2021

THE STATUS OF TAIWAN: The of a Potential Between and

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President Biden, unlike his predecessors, has made some major policy changes that have resulted in a firm commitment towards Taiwan. On October 21, 2021, he stated that if China attacked Taiwan, the United States would defend Taiwan from Chinese action. This is a clear departure from a long-held U.S. This is the first time in U.S. history that a U.S. President has made a military commitment to defend against . The Taiwan Relationship Act, adopted by Congress in 1979, only gave the option to do so.
President Biden also brokered the AUKUS on 15 September 2021, offering nuclear-powered to , and probably even more countries in the future, which is going to fundamentally alter the power in the region against China.
China, in response, has increased its military threats against Taiwan and entered into Taiwan’s territory several times in recent weeks. In response, U.S. Admiral John Aqualino, Head of the Pentagon’s Indo-Pacific command, said that “a Chinese invasion of Taiwan is much closer to us than most think.”
It is getting clear to us that a war in the Indio-Pacific region, more particularly, between China and Taiwan, is not a question of if, but a question of when. Would a war over Taiwan be ? In order to examine the situation, the priority is to understand the of Taiwan and its relationship with China.

CLICK HERE to read my full article: https://lnkd.in/gKXZiEdZ

13/12/2021

SUDAN: New Coup Endangers and the Implementation of the for in

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On October 25, 2021, Sudan’s seized power from Prime Minister Hamdok, by means of a , dissolved civilian rule, arrested political leaders, and declared a . Furthermore, detained Sudan’s Prime Minister, over his refusal to support the military coup, after weeks of tensions between military and civilian figures in the Sovereign Council.
The military coup jeopardized the years-long to civilian-led democracy that began after al-Bashir, whose 30 years rule was marked by famine and alleged in the country Darfur’s region, was pushed out of power by his own military in 2019.
Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of the capital Khartoum and its twin city of Omdurman to protest against the military coup on 25 October 2021 and protests have been ongoing ever since. People in Sudan have been holding demonstrations to protest against the military’s detention of civilian leaders, including Prime Minister Hamdok. At least four people were killed, and gunfire was used against the civilians.
The relationship between the military generals and Sudanese pro-democracy groups has deteriorated in recent weeks over the country’s future.
Internet and telecoms services have been cut and roads and bridges connecting with Khartoum, the capital, blocked off. Security forces occupied the headquarters of Sudan’s state TV station in the city of Omdurman.

What has been the recent political situation in Sudan?
Military and transitional civilian authorities have ruled together since April 2019 in Sudan, when President was arrested. He is now behind bars in Khartoum`s high-security Kober prison. He is facing the International Criminal Court charges of , and committed in Sudan`s region.
A transitional government was set up, called the Sovereign Council, composed of both military and civilian groups after a power-sharing agreement was signed. They have been ruling the country together since April 2019. The country was going through a transitional period until new elections, which were due to take place in early 2023, and the power was then supposed to go back to . This transitional period was meant to set the country on the right path.


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12/12/2021

ETHIOPIA: UN Report States that and , of Extreme Brutality, Have Been Committed in ’s Region

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https://www.peaceconsulting.net/ethiopia-un-report-states-that-war-crimes-and-crimes-against-humanity-of-extreme-brutality-have-been-committed-in-ethiopias-tigray-region/

Grave uncertainty is surrounding the future of and the stability of the whole egion. The one-year war in the Tigray region in Ethiopia has reached “disastrous proportion” according to reports presented at the Security Council on November 8th, 2021. There also concerns that ethnic tensions could lead to the break-up of the entire Ethiopian .

Ethiopia is a land-locked country in the Horn of Africa, covering 1,104,300 square kms. It is the second most populous country in Africa, with an estimated population of 117 million people. The country remains one of the least developed economies in the world. It is home to over 80 ethnic groups, and over 90 languages. Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa and used to be an important ally for the United States in the .

The UN report says that war crimes, crimes against humanity, of extreme brutality, have been committed in the Tigray region of Ethiopia by all parties to the from November 2020 to June 2021, the period that was subject to . The report was published jointly by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC), on November 3rd, 2021, based upon a joint investigation into alleged crimes committed in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia.

The report said that the Tigrayan leadership was reluctant to engage in the investigation due to the presence of investigators from the state-appointed Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, raising concerns about the of the report.

What are the major findings of the UN report on alleged crimes committed in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia?

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https://www.peaceconsulting.net/ethiopia-un-report-states-that-war-crimes-and-crimes-against-humanity-of-extreme-brutality-have-been-committed-in-ethiopias-tigray-region/

11/12/2021

THE NEW Alliances : What Does it Really Mean for the World?

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What is the Aukus Alliance?
The US, the UK and Australia signed a new on 16 September 2021, which allows Australia to get the to build -ed . The US is sharing its submarine technology for the first time in 50 years, having previously only shared it with the UK after the Second World War. It means that Australia will be able to build nuclear-powered submarines that are faster and harder to detect than conventionally powered ones, and which can stay submerged for months and shoot ballistic missiles from longer distances, although Australia has stated it had no intention to put nuclear weapons on them. This is the most important since the Second World War.
No of this magnitude has been concluded since the signature of the North Atlantic Treaty, which formed the basis of the NATO, and was signed on 4 April 1949. It is increasingly clear that the US is now seeking alternative and new forms of defense in the future, which are outside of the old-fashioned NATO, to confront emerging
The three-way strategic alliance Aukus, between the UK, US and Australia will replace the current bilateral deal between Australia and France that was worth over 65 billion USD. Australia will end the contract given to France in 2019 to build 12 diesel electric-powered submarines to replace its existing Collins submarine fleet. France invested heavily at the level to get this contract, but apparently, France was only given 3-hours-notice before the Aukus deal was announced to the world.
Obviously, this deal will go out of the window now as French Foreign Minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, said that it was a “stab in the back” . It is also a major blow to President Macron who is seeking re-election in 2022. President Macron, unlike his predecessors, invested heavily to help the Anglo-Saxon countries: the Americans in Afghanistan the British on , and the Australians in the Indian-Pacific. This is a major blow for his efforts. No French President, since President Chirac, has done more in the field of international peace and security on the world stage than President Macron. It is regrettable that his efforts have not been appreciated because France still has major influence in the French-speaking parts of the African continent.This move might have a negative impact on the participation of France in . Let’s remember that de Gaulle withdrew from NATO in 1966, and France only returned under President Sarkozy in 2009.


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10/12/2021

The Conflict of Nagorno-Karabakh: Both Armenia and Azerbaijan have made claims at the International Court of Justice

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https://www.peaceconsulting.net/the-conflict-of-nagorno-karabakh-both-armenia-and-azerbaijan-have-made-claims-at-the-international-court-of-justice/

The Republic of Armenia instituted proceedings against the Republic of Azerbaijan, on 14 September 2021, before the Court of Justice, the principal judicial organ of the with regard to alleged violations of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial (CERD), including Articles 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.

Armenia contended that for decades, Azerbaijan had subjected Armenians to and that, as a result of this State-sponsored policy of Armenian hatred, Armenians had been subjected to systemic discrimination, mass killings, , and other abuse, which were directed at individuals of Armenian ethnic or national origin, regardless of their actual nationality.

Armenia also filed for the indication of in order to “protect and preserve Armenia’s rights from further harm”. After Armenia made its claim, Azerbaijan filed a counterclaim a week later, accusing Armenia of violating the same treaty, and also filed for the indication for provisional measures, accusing Armenia of carrying out ethnic discrimination against Azerbaijanis.

Public hearings were held on 14 and 15 October 2021 at the Peace Palace at The Hague concerning the case brought by Armenia and were devoted to the request for the indication of provisional measures.

During the opening arguments before the ICJ, the Armenian representative, Yeghishe Kirakosyan asked the court to order the release and repatriation of prisoners of war taken during the conflict in late 2020 and to issue an order to halt hate speech.

The feud between Azerbaijan and Armenia, over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, escalated into a in 2020, which left over 6000 people dead. War originally broke out in 1991 between the two countries, and tensions and have been on and off ever since.

What is the history of the over the region of Nagorno-Karabakh between Azerbaijan and Armenia?

A former province of the Kingdom of Greater Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh (NK) was annexed to the Czarist Empire under the Treaty of Gulistan in 1813. In the 19th century the region underwent many border changes aimed at blocking the formation of a homogenous ethnic entity.

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https://www.peaceconsulting.net/the-conflict-of-nagorno-karabakh-both-armenia-and-azerbaijan-have-made-claims-at-the-international-court-of-justice/

09/12/2021

LYBIA: UN Investigation, Commissioned by the Human Rights Council, Finds War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity Have Been Committed

Read my article here: https://www.peaceconsulting.net/libya-un-investigation-commissioned-by-the-human-rights-council-finds-war-crimes-and-crimes-against-humanity-have-been-committed/

The UN Human Rights Council, based in Geneva, commissioned a fact-finding mission to Libya to examine the human rights situation concerning alleged crimes committed in Libya since 2016. The panel published its report at the 48th session of the Council, on 4 October 2021. It found that alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity were committed in the country and called for the extension of its mandate to examine the situation further and identify the persons responsible.

The UN fact-finding mission had faced extreme challenges and difficult circumstances that hampered its entry to Libya prior to June 2021. They interviewed more than 150 people and examined thousands of documents, which resulted in the publication of its report.

What is the Mandate of the UN Fact-Finding Mission to Libya?

The mandate of the UN fact-finding mission to Libya is relevant for various reasons. The rationae materiae includes the investigation of alleged violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law, but excludes international criminal law due to a subsequent investigation being carried out by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The ratione temporis is fixed as “since the beginning of 2016”, and does not date back to 2011, the fall of the Qaddafi regime and the NATO military operations. It started at the beginning of 2016, when massive migration started, and the human rights situation had severely deteriorated in Libya. On the other hand, the ICC`s investigation has the mandate to investigate breaches of international criminal law starting from 2011, after the fall of the Qaddafi regime.

The ratione persone of the UN fact-finding mission, mandated by the Human Rights Council, is focused on Resolution 43/39, which refers to violations and abuses committed by “all parties”. This is excellent news because all state actors and non-state actors are covered by this definition, as well as mercenary groups.

What are the Findings of the UN Investigation to Libya?

The work of the UN fact-finding mission to Libya was led by Mohamed Aujjar (Morocco), a former Minister of Justice, Tracy Robinson (Australia) and Chaloka Beyani (Zambia/United Kingdom).

According to their findings, they have evidence that possible crimes against humanity and war crimes were committed in Libya. Many of the alleged crimes were committed against civilians and migrants detained in the country while trying to get to Europe.



What has the political situation been like in Libya since the fall of Qaddafi in 2011?

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UN Investigation, Commissioned by the Human Rights Council, Finds War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity Have Been Committed