Human Rights - Related

What Does the ICC Decision Mean for Kenya?

ian — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

What does the ruling by the International Criminal Court (ICC) mean for Kenya’s presidential election later this year, now that cases against two top aspirants—First Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Kalenjin leader William Ruto—are to proceed to trial in The Hague?

Critical Questions for 2012

ian — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

From international security and regional study to global challenges, CSIS experts will address many of the world's most difficult policy concerns and critical questions in 2012. To kick off the new year, we asked 25 of our scholars to identity what worries them most and what are the biggest opportunities in their respective areas of study.

Why Go to Myanmar?

ian — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Why should Hillary Clinton go to Myanmar? The short answer is to encourage the best chance at real political change in a country that effectively cloistered itself under harsh military rule for nearly five decades. Myanmar, or Burma, has been the virtual political ball and chain of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which it joined in 1997.

Middle East Notes and Comment: Politics of Piety

ian — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Many in the United States—and in the Middle East—worry that religious extremists in the Arab world are on the cusp of something big. Across the region, groups that blend religion and politics are injecting more religion into more open politics.

Saudi Youth: Unveiling the Force for Change

dholodnik — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0400

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been spared the unrest that recently swept many of its neighbors in the Middle East.

Wider Europe, Fall 2011

bbocka — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0400

A Warning for Bosnia
Excerpt "An insightful report just released by the U.S.-based Democratization Policy Council and the Sarajevo-based Atlantic Initiative issues a stern warning about renewed ethnic violence in Bosnia. The authors, who are seasoned Balkan analysts, are not predicting imminent violence, but their warnings need to be heeded by international actors who assume that the current status quo can last indefinitely."

The Lord’s Resistance Army

ian — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0400

President Obama announced on October 14 that he was sending approximately 100 military advisers to central Africa to assist in efforts to neutralize one of the continent’s most notorious rebel groups, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA).

Responding to Burmese Reform

gpoling — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Burma may be in the midst of the most significant political reform since the 1960s when the military seized control. No one can be sure if these changes will take hold and how far they will go, but it is critical for the United States to recognize what is happening, encourage those pressing for change, and start to consider steps to help end the country’s decades of isolation.

Governance: The Blind Spot in China's Narrative

gpoling — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Australian political scientist Hugh White’s argument that the coming century will be dominated by China and that, therefore, the most rational foreign policy course for Australia and others to follow would be to recognize China’s dominance and align their countries accordingly has a gaping blind spot.

Hemisphere Insider Volume I, Issue 5- September 2011

cwatson — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0400

UP CLOSE: Venezuela's Midas Moves, Post 9/11 U.S.-Hemispheric Relations

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS: Security and Democracy in Central America, Disaster Response in the Dominican Republic

IN BRIEF: Mexico, Colombia, Oil and Trade Updates

What Does the Arab Spring Mean for Russia, Central Asia, and the Caucasus?

jdunton — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0400

The demonstrations that were sparked by Mohamed Bouazizi’s self-immolation in protest of police corruption in Tunisia in December 2010 spread a contagion of revolutions across North Africa and the Middle East.

Meeting the Challenge of Drought and Famine in the Horn of Africa

ecurran — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0400

The scale of the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in the Horn of Africa is becoming clearer by the day. The numbers of people affected by drought and famine are mind-boggling: at least 12.4 million people are in need of emergency assistance across five countries.

The Forgotten Conflict in Southern Kordofan

ecurran — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Introduction

A New Narrative for Mexico

cwatson — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0400

UP CLOSE: A New Narrative for Mexico

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS: Returning Government to Colombia's Post-conflict Zones

IN BRIEF: Canada, Mexico, Peru, Brazil, Chile updates

Conference Report: Planning for Post-Gadhafi Libya

mDziuban — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0400

On July 25, CSIS convened approximately 50 experts from the government, diplomatic and expert communities to analyze the way forward in Libya. Among the key conclusions of the speakers are:

Drought in the Horn of Africa

ian — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0400

The humanitarian emergency in drought-affected regions of the Horn of Africa has taken a turn for the worse. The United Nations has declared that a famine is under way in the two hardest-hit areas of Somalia, the southern Bakool and Lower Shabelle regions. The strict benchmarks that must be surpassed in order for famine status to be reached give a hint to the scale of the crisis.

Talking Over the Arab Spring

ian — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0400

As Washington has struggled to deal with the Arab Spring over the past few months, New Delhi has also watched developments in the Arab world with similar concern. For India, the Middle East represents 70 percent of its imported petroleum reserves according to analysis from the Energy Information Administration.

Second-Order Effects in Sub-Saharan Africa

ian — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0400

The crisis in Libya has raised fears among security analysts that the ongoing confl ict will destabilize the already fragile states of the Sahel and strengthen the hand of affi liates of al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) operating in Mauritania, Mali, and Niger. There is good reason for these fears.

Politics in the Lion City: Toward an "Orchid Evolution"?

ian — Wed, 18 May 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Singapore’s May 7 General Election opened a new chapter in the city-state’s history, marking a big step toward a more open political system—and perhaps a unique, Singapore-style democracy.

Hemisphere Insider Volume I, Issue 2 - April/May 2011

cwatson — Tue, 17 May 2011 00:00:00 -0400

In Brief:

Mexico's Economic Policy and Migration

jdunton — Thu, 12 May 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Mexican migration to the United States is primarily a result of inadequate employment opportunities in Mexico. Other motives for emigration exist, namely kinship relations in destination locations, but the primary motive remains economic improvement. Lack of opportunity for meaningful employment largely stems from stagnant growth in Mexico.

After bin Laden: A Chance to Review the U.S.-Pakistan Relationship—without Distractions

rsickles — Wed, 11 May 2011 00:00:00 -0400

The temptation by the United States is to visit immediate consequences on Pakistan for the alliance breaches related to Osama bin Laden. As former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf concluded on National Public Radio’s Morning Edition last Friday, the entire episode exposes either complicity or incompetence by Pakistan’s military, especially its security forces.

Issue Perspective - Vol. 1, Issue 1

mentman — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0400

In this issue:

"India-Pakistan Trade and 'Other Channels of Engagement'" by Amb. Karl F. Inderfurth
India's Stake in a Stable Pakistan by Sunil Khilnani and Arvind Subramanian

Saudi Stability in a Time of Change

mentman — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0400

The MENA region has begun a process of political change and turmoil that will take years to play out, and which could destabilize some MENA countries for a decade or more as a worst case. There is a tangible risk that Saudi Arabia will be affected in the short term, and it will take continued leadership and vision for Saudi Arab to deal with its longer-term internal challenges.

Endgame in Côte d’Ivoire

mentman — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0400

The protracted election crisis in Côte d’Ivoire has taken a decisive turn. Armed forces professing loyalty to the winner of November’s presidential election, Alassane Ouattara, made their move following months of deadlock caused by the incumbent Laurent Gbagbo’s refusal to leave office.

Hemisphere INSIDER Volume I Issue 1 - March 2011

cwatson — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0400

In Brief

Haiti’s Orderly Runoff Election—Progress You Can Believe In?

mentman — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0400

On Sunday, March 21, Haitians turned out in significant numbers to vote in runoff elections for president, as well as several legislators. Initial exit polls suggest that Michel Martelly, a popular entertainer turned politician, leads Mirlande Manigat, a former first lady and academic. While official results will not be available until March 31, the second round appeared to go smoothly.

Can Chávez Rescue Qaddafi?

mentman — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0500

When protests against Muammar Qaddafi’s 41-year rule began to envelop Libya in late February, Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez may have been wondering if his 12-year-old regime could be next.

Wider Europe, Spring 2011

bbocka — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0500

The Transition to Authoritarianism

Understanding Saudi Stability and Instability: A Very Different Nation

mentman — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Saudi Arabia is scarcely immune to protest and dissent, and has long struggled with the challenges of reform. What is most striking about the Kingdom over the past weeks of crisis, however, has been the lack of any major challenge to government and the way it functions

The U.S., China, and Preparing for North Korea's Demise

nanderson — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Much of the recent commentary on North Korea focuses on two dimensions. The first is the personal story line, depicting North Korean leader Kim Jong Il and his heir apparent Kim Jong Eun as irrational dictators intent on playing brinksmanship with the West.

Transitional Justice in North Korea: Accountability for Human Rights Atrocities

nanderson — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Around the 1990s the international community eventually directed its attention to the atrocities in North Korea (NK: hereinafter) when the realities of these atrocities began to surface, piece by piece, from the live testimony of slave labor workers in Siberia, a former guard and survivors in the concentration camps, and numerous defectors hiding mostly across the Chinese and Russian borders.<

What's Next for Tunisia?

mentman — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Tunisia remains in a state of emergency. The 23-year rule of Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, one of the Arab world’s most ruthless and efficient autocrats, has crumbled. Few are sorry to see him and his cronies go, but it remains unclear what kind of governing system will take his place.

Côte d’Ivoire Standoff Continues

mentman — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Reports of violence are mounting in Côte d’Ivoire as incumbent president Laurent Gbagbo continues in his refusal to relinquish power to Alassane Ouattara, broadly recognized by the international community as the legitimate winner of the country’s November 28 presidential runoff election.

Côte d’Ivoire Standoff Continues

Online Africa Policy Forum — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Côte d’Ivoire Standoff Continues

Online Africa Policy Forum — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Southern Sudan's Referendum

mentman — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0500

The people of Southern Sudan are on the verge of making a momentous decision about the future of their country. They will vote in a referendum, beginning on January 9, on whether to remain united with the North or secede from Sudan and form an independent state. Almost 4 million southerners have registered to take part.

Southern Sudan's Referendum

Online Africa Policy Forum — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Why U.S. Leadership is Critical to Reforming the Mineral Trade in Eastern Congo

Online Africa Policy Forum — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0500

In mid-September 2010, President Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) announced a comprehensive ban on mining in three provinces of the conflict-wracked Eastern Congo. During my recent visit to the region, the ban was a central preoccupation for most of the diggers, traders, government agents, and civil society representatives with whom I met.

The International Criminal Court and the Post-Election Violence in Kenya

Online Africa Policy Forum — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Luis Moreno-Ocampo, chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court(ICC) in the Hague, on December 15 requested the court to issue summonses to appear against six prominent Kenyans, including cabinet ministers Uhuru Kenyatta, William Ruto and Henry Kosgey, and Secretary to the Cabinet Francis Muthaura, former Police Commissioner Mohamed Hussein Ali , and radiobroadcaster Joshua arap Sang.<

The QDDR: a New Emphasis on Partnerships

mentman — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0500

The authors of the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review make a strong case for conducting twenty-first-century statecraft, which Secretary of State Hillary Clinton defines as “seeking to connect the private and civic sectors with America’s foreign policy work by bringing new resources and partners to the table.” Secretary Clinton deserves kudos for elevating partn

Policy Brief Number 9 -- After the Astana Summit: More Questions than Answers

bbocka — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0500

The OSCE Astana Summit on December 1-2, 2010 concluded with an important Commemorative Declaration outlining the road ahead for the organization, but failed to adopt a tangible Action Plan.

QDDR and the Future of Diplomacy