Human rights scholars concerned about unsolved Tai Ji Men case

Human rights scholars concerned about unsolved redress of Tai Ji Men case

European and US human rights academics concerned about post-authoritarian persecution and the Tai Ji Men Case

INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMACY: Chen Chu acknowledges the importance of the issue and discusses Tai Ji Men case

In the middle of last month, an international human rights investigation group consisting of human rights academics and experts, media editors and reporters from Austria, Belgium, France, Italy, Lithuania, Spain, Romania and the US visited Taiwan and met with government agencies and human rights organizations.

(Originally published by our cousin newspaper TAIPEI TIMES)

The group’s final visit was to the Control Yuan’s National Human Rights Commission in Taipei, where they met with Control Yuan President Chen Chu (陳菊) and commission members Tien Chiu-chin (田秋堇) and Lai Chen-chang (賴振昌) to discuss issues related to transitional justice, post-authoritarian human rights persecution cases and the commission’s duties.

The group previously visited the National Human Rights Museum in New Taipei City — the former site of a prison in which more than 8,000 political prisoners were held and tried in military courts during the Martial Law period, including Chen.

European and US academics and human rights experts pose for a picture in front of the Control Yuan in Taipei in an undated photograph.

Photo: Taipei Times

Citizen Congress Watch board member Tseng Chien-yuan (曾建元), who accompanied the group, said: “These academics have seen the prison cell in which Chen Chu was being held at the time. She was an inmate at the time, and she is now the president of the Control Yuan. In addition to admiring her courage at the time, we also believe that her experiences and abilities can prevent Taiwan from repeating her experiences, and bring progress in all aspects of Taiwan’s human rights.”

Led by Italian sociologist Massimo Introvigne, who is editor-in-chief of religious magazine Bitter Winter and a world-renowned academic, and Willy Fautre, president of the Belgium-based non-governmental group Human Rights Without Frontiers, the delegation said Taiwan’s most valuable assets are freedom, democracy and human rights.

The delegation also focused on human rights abuse cases that have not yet been fully redressed in Taiwan’s post-authoritarian era, including a case involving the previously persecuted Tai Ji Men Qigong group, which urgently requires the implementation of transitional justice and obtaining redress.

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European and US academics and human rights experts meet with Control Yuan President Chen Chu, front, third right, during a visit to the Control Yuan and the National Human Rights Commission in Taipei in an undated photograph.

Photo: Taipei Times

The group was accompanied to the National Human Rights Commission by Ambassador-at-Large for Religious Freedom Pusin Tali, who was appointed after the administration of President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) created the position.

Pusin Tali is a pastor in the Presbyterian Church and has experienced first-hand the political oppression that the church has undergone.

Upon hearing about the international attention surrounding the Tai Ji Men case, including from the delegation, he made an appeal.

“The international community is supporting Tai Ji Men. While waiting for legislative reforms, the most important thing is to allow them to use their land and academies properly,” he said. “This will help them cultivate their minds and spirits. Religion is about bringing out the good side of people. Our country should make good use of Tai Ji Men and use it as a form of international diplomacy.”

The delegation’s visit was organized by the Taiwan-based Chinese Democracy Academy Association and Citizen Congress Watch.

The organizers said they made special arrangements to help the international experts experience the democratic values of Taiwan more deeply.

“The National Human Rights Commission has been operating for two to three years, but it still lacks the power of judicial review,” Tseng said. “The power of judicial review is to provide it with a weapon, for example, temporary injunctive relief for cases where human rights are being infringed upon. It should be able to suspend the execution of illegal or inappropriate administrative penalties.”

Chen expressed her willingness to make the greatest effort possible to achieve this.

Introvigne said that through the group members’ meetings and exchanges in Taiwan over the past few days, they hoped to observe and experience the diversity and prosperity of religions in Taiwan.

While praising Taiwan’s efforts and attitude toward religious freedom, they nevertheless also had to bring up the unresolved issue of Tai Ji Men as a matter of religious freedom, Introvigne said.

“Many international scholars, including those in the United States, are concerned about this issue,” he said.

Introvigne said he believes that as a highly democratic country, Taiwan’s only way to solve such problems is through dialogue.

He emphasized that they are good friends and defenders of Taiwan and are willing to help wherever they can.

Commissioner Nicolas Schmit on International Workers’ Day

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1 May 2023

Commissioner Nicolas Schmit on International Workers’ Day

In view of the International Workers’ Day, Commissioner Nicolas Schmit made the following statement:

“On 1 May, as we mark International Workers’ Day, the EU remains committed to preparing people for the changing world of work. This means investing massively in skills. The need to nurture talent in Europe is urgent, with labour shortages reported in key sectors and more than three quarters of companies struggling to find workers with the requisite skills. The European Year of Skills is our opportunity to fundamentally change the training mindset in the EU, building on the tools and actions already put in place under the EU Skills Agenda.

This is not only important to help people develop in their careers and plan their personal lives, it is also essential if we want Europe to remain competitive – as outlined in our Green Deal Industrial Plan – and to ensure that the transitions and the economic recovery are fair and inclusive.

One way we are working to match people’s skills to the needs on the labour market is through the Pact for Skills. To date, 17 large-scale partnerships have been set up in key industrial sectors such as renewable energy and microelectronics, each identifying where the skills gaps lie and committing to up- and reskill workers. We also recently presented recommendations on how to boost digital education and skills, as well as establishing a Cybersecurity Skills Academy to tackle the cyber talent gap.

Sadly, this is the second Labour Day that takes place against the backdrop of Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine. The EU remains committed to supporting the integration of people fleeing the war into the EU labour market, for as long as they wish to remain in the EU. Since March 2022, more 1.1 million employment contracts have been signed by people fleeing Ukraine. This is a testament to the contribution of employment services and employers who have worked quickly to adapt their systems and make this possible.

Finally, this day is an important occasion to recall that the Commission is committed to ensuring fair working conditions and strong labour rights for all workers in the EU, wherever they are from.

We welcome the adoption of the Directive on adequate minimum wages, which will help to ensure that that work pays and workers can earn a decent living. Fair wages and collective bargaining are more important than ever as households face an increased cost of living.

The Commission will continue to bring the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights to life, improving working conditions and ensuring fair and equal opportunities for everyone.”

A star is corn: Researchers develop biodegradable mask material made of corn

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1 May 2023

A star is corn: Researchers develop biodegradable mask material made of corn

A biodegradable mask that can comfortably protect its wearer without harming the environment is one step closer to reality, thanks to research at McMaster’s Centre of Excellence in Protective Equipment and Materials (CEPEM).

Image credit: Pixabay (Free Pixabay license)

Post-doctoral research fellow Sneha Shanbhag and PhD candidate Rong Wu have developed an effective compostable and breathable air filter made from corn-based protein.

It’s a breakthrough that holds promise for a sustainable line of personal protective equipment, says centre director Ravi Selvaganapathy, a professor of mechanical engineering and biomedical engineering at McMaster.

Finding ways to green the PPE industry has always been a goal for CEPEM, which opened its doors in June 2020 in response to the urgent need for Canadian expertise in the field.

“Many of the high-quality filter materials used in PPE are made from fossil fuel-derived materials that don’t naturally degrade in the environment,” Selvaganapathy says.

“These are forever maaterials that are going to remain behind if they’re not disposed of properly and there’s no good mechanism to dispose of them.”

Seeing piles of discarded face masks motivated Shanbhag and Wu to find a more environmentally sustainable way to keep people safe.

“We both care a lot about the earth and the environment and wanted to see a biodegradable option developed,” says Wu.

The pair looked into zein, a corn protein with low nutritional value that could potentially be sourced from agricultural waste, as a cost-effective plant-based polymer.

They developed a viable filtration material by electrospinning zein onto a paper base. They improved the filter’s durability and resistance to humidity by crosslinking the zein with citric acid to stop it from swelling, cracking or peeling off the paper backing.

And after testing of assorted designs, Shanbhag and Wu discovered that stacking the fibres into a pleated filter improved its breathability over longer-term use, while maintaining filtration qualities appropriate to an N-95 level mask.

Trials found the material would break down within about a month, making it a viable biodegradable alternative to the polypropylene-based filters in masks and respirators.

“I think there’s a lot of interest in the industry and the research community to produce biodegradable materials but there is a gap between our knowledge of those materials and transforming them into functional PPE,” says Shanbhag.

“We recognized the opportunity to use the centre’s capabilities to develop something useful that could potentially be a solution for years to come.”

Shanbhag and Wu’s research, which received funding from both the federal and provincial governments, was published in the journal Membranes in March.

The research is a very promising start toward creating viable biodegradable made-in-Canada PPE, Selvaganapathy says.

Along with integrating antimicrobial properties into the material, the centre will explore using other natural polymers, such as extracts from corn husks or wheat, to further improve the filter’s structure.

“For example, if we blend cellulose with zein to get better structural properties, we could remove that underlay of paper and have one material that is strong, with good filtration.”

Using plant products that are currently going to waste offers a cost-effective supply of raw material to keep biodegradable masks financially competitive, says Selvaganapathy.

But it also diverts those products from the waste stream, where they would otherwise add to greenhouse gases when burned or disposed of in landfill.

Shanbhag is also developing a biopolymer-based material with elastic properties that could potentially be used for mask ear straps in the future.

There is significant interest in cost-effective, biodegradable materials for PPE, Selvaganapathy says.

“Sustainability has become a very important criteria for almost all of the manufacturers in Canada.”

CEPEM focuses the ingenuity of McMaster engineering research on the challenges of next-generation PPE, says John Preston, associate dean, research, innovation and external relations with the Faculty of Engineering.

“We see our research and development helping Canadian companies become global industry leaders.”

Written by Kim Arnott

Source: McMaster University

WFP resumes operations in Sudan, amid full-blown humanitarian ‘catastrophe’

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United Nations News

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1 May 2023

WFP resumes operations in Sudan, amid full-blown humanitarian ‘catastrophe’

WFP had paused its life-saving activities after three staff were killed in North Darfur on 15 April, the first day of clashes between the Sudanese army and the rival Rapid Security Forces (RSF).

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Safety first

Ms. McCain said food distribution is expected to begin in four states – Gedaref, Gezira, Kassala and White Nile – in the coming days.

As the security situation is still highly precarious, WFP is considering locations where humanitarian access is assured, while also strongly taking security, capacity and access-related considerations into account.

“We will take utmost care to ensure the safety of all our staff and partners as we rush to meet the growing needs of the most vulnerable,” she said.

Hunger expected to rise

Ms. McCain underscored the need to end the fighting, noting that more than 15 million people were already facing severe food insecurity prior to the conflict.

She warned that numbers are expected to “grow significantly” as the unrest continues.

“It is times like this that WFP and our UN partners are needed most,” she said.

‘Breaking point’ looms

In light of the deepening humanitarian crisis in Sudan, UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Sunday dispatched his most senior aid official to the region.

UN Humanitarian Affairs Coordinator Martin Griffiths has arrived in Nairobi, Kenya, and is expected to travel to Sudan soon.

Prior to departing for the region, he said the situation in Sudan “is reaching breaking point”, as people struggle to access essentials such as water, food, fuel and medical care.

Meanwhile, senior officials from the UN and partners held a virtual briefing on Monday to update the international community on the humanitarian response to the crisis.

‘A full-blown catastrophe’

With a population of 48 million, Sudan is the third most populous country in Africa.

Roughly one third of all people, nearly 16 million, required humanitarian assistance prior to the conflict, and some 3. 7 million were displaced, mostly in Darfur.

The conflict is turning this humanitarian crisis into “a full-blown catastrophe”, Abdou Dieng, the top UN aid official in the country, told ambassadors attending the briefing.

Hundreds of people have been killed since the fighting erupted just over two weeks ago. Tens of thousands have fled to safety, both inside and outside Sudan, while millions more have been confined to their homes, unable to access basic services.

Mr. Dieng said that despite the dire conditions, humanitarians continue to deliver life-saving assistance. Through partners, they have been providing healthcare as well as distributing supplies, medicine, water and fuel to hospitals, for example.

‘Unwavering’ humanitarian commitment

“Our commitment to the people of Sudan remains unwavering,” he said, speaking from Port Sudan on the Red Sea coast. A core UN team is now based in the city following the relocation and evacuation of staff last week from the capital, Khartoum, and elsewhere in the country.

However, he noted that humanitarian capacity has been considerably impacted by the conflict, with many offices, vehicles, warehouses looted and destroyed. WFP alone lost 4,000 metric tonnes of food in Nyala, South Darfur.

Negotiating safe access

Mr. Dieng said humanitarians are assessing how they can operate under the current circumstances in Sudan.

They are developing a plan to scale-up activities which will also cover issues such as the movement of emergency items and staff into Port Sudan and other accessible areas, and negotiating safe access for aid delivery.

A crisis response hub has also been established in Nairobi, Kenya, to support operations. The expert team, which includes specialists in civil-military coordination, stand ready to deploy as soon as Sudan’s borders reopen.

“In the wake of large scale of looting and violence, we are working to identify ways to bring into the country supply to replenish our stockpile, so that we can deliver aid to those in need as soon as it is safe to do so,” he said.

Sustained ceasefire crucial

The senior UN official urged Member States to reinforce the importance of a sustained ceasefire. He also underlined the need for “flexible funding” to ensure that the humanitarian response will continue.

“We ask donors to accept the increased risk which may be associated with this in the short term to enable us to save lives,” he said.

People displaced by conflict in Sudan queue for aid on arrival in Chad.

Concern over regional impact

Meanwhile, the regional spillover effect of the conflict remains a serious concern. The fighting has displaced Sudanese citizens but also South Sudan refugees and third country nationals living in the country.

The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, estimates that some 73,000 people have already fled to neighbouring countries such as Chad, Egypt, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Some 815,000 could flee

Raouf Mazou, UNHCR High Commissioner for Operations, warned that numbers could swell unless the crisis is resolved quickly.

“In consultation with all concerned governments and partners, we’ve arrived at a planning figure of 815,000 people that may flee into the seven neighbouring countries,” he said.

UNHCR estimates that the majority, 580,000, will be Sudanese, with 235,000 South Sudanese seeking to return home “in what we would label as adverse conditions”.

Chad welcomes more refugees

Mr. Mazou thanked the neighbouring countries that have taken in people escaping the chaos in Sudan.

So far, 30,000 have found shelter in Chad, which was already hosting some 400,000 Sudanese refugees. The new arrivals are mainly located in villages close to the border.

UNHCR is coordinating its response jointly with the Government and partners, and immediately deployed emergency teams to the region.

The agency also reinforced supplies of core relief items, such as sleeping mats, soap and cooking utensils, and has increasing activities in the areas of registration, protection and border monitoring.

South Sudan returnees

More than 20,000 new arrivals were registered in South Sudan as of Saturday. Nearly 90 per cent are nationals who have returned home, though overall numbers are likely to be higher.

UNHCR is again working with partners, in particular the UN migration agency IOM, to respond to the influx and prepare for larger numbers should the conflict in Sudan wear on.

Exodus to Egypt

Mr. Mazou estimated that Egypt has received about 14,000 refugees so far.

UNHCR and partners have established a humanitarian service point on the southern border providing logistics and logistical health, and humanitarian support.

“The Egyptian Red Cross is responding to about 1,000 people arriving every day, and the needs are primarily related to water, food and health,” he added.

Refugees inside Sudan

Meanwhile, Sudan was already hosting 1.3 million refugees before the fighting broke out – one of the largest refugee populations on the content.

Most came from South Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Syria, and were mainly living in host communities and urban areas, although others stayed in camps in eastern Sudan, White Nile and Darfur.

Due to insecurity, UNHCR was forced to temporarily halt activities in Khartoum, the Darfur States and elsewhere in the country, though officers have remained in contact with some leaders and members of refugee communities.

Roscosmos admitted: We do not know what damaged our two spacecraft

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1 May 2023

Roscosmos admitted: We do not know what damaged our two spacecraft

Their failure in a short space of time may signal a crisis in Moscow’s space program

Roscosmos has not yet clarified the exact reasons for the unusual situations with the Soyuz MS-22 and Progress MS-21 spacecraft, said the general director of the state corporation Yury Borisov, quoted by TASS.

He spoke during an educational marathon.

“It’s becoming a problem. These two unusual situations … happened to our ships. … We haven’t fully clarified it yet, but it’s definitely an external influence – they disrupted the thermal management system, endangered the lives of the crews” Borisov said.

On December 15, 2022, the outer heat sink loop of the Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft’s thermal control system depressurized. Russian experts initially said the cause of the accident was likely a meteor impact.

On February 11 of this year coolant leaked from the thermal control system of the Progress MS-21 spacecraft.

According to independent experts, it would be extremely strange for two Russian spacecraft to be hit by micrometeorites in such a short interval, but nothing else on the ISS would be affected.

Illustrative Photo by Pixabay:

Did the Library of Alexandria really exist?

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1 May 2023

It is said to be one of the greatest archives of classical knowledge of the ancient world, it housed the books of all times. It was built by the Greek-speaking subjects of the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt in the 3rd century BC. The Library of Alexandria contained hundreds of thousands of papyri (according to some experts, about 700 thousand of them) and was part of the attempt to collect all knowledge on the world.

The great minds who gathered and taught in Alexandria – the cosmopolitan capital of the Mediterranean, founded by Alexander the Great himself, practically had a mission to preserve knowledge for future generations. Here we will discover the knowledge of mathematicians and geographers, as well as the notes of Aristarchus – the first astronomer who assumed that the planets revolved around the sun. He and many others were considered the founders of the Library of Alexandria and its most passionate supporters. This is where the smartest people of the time enjoyed the knowledge of the world and laid the foundations of the civilization we know today.

Then comes Julius Caesar and officially orders the burning of this rich archive. Shortly after that came the fall of the Roman Empire, and this was also the beginning of the dark ages that followed due to the lack of knowledge about Western Civilization.

This romantic story certainly looks beautiful and exciting, but it comes with one particular question: is it true?

The legends about the Library of Alexandria are certainly impressive and provide many serious surprises for any true admirer, but there is one very important detail, the dimensions of the library that are indicated practically make it much smaller than it is praised. If the Library of Alexandria existed, says the professor of the history of ancient libraries – Thomas Hedrickson, then the information about it is very scarce. Even the legend of her managed to inspire the entire ancient world, therefore one should really look for a little more information.

The whole legend begins around the 3rd century BC and it is said that the Library of Alexandria had the largest archive at that time. A man named Aristeas sends a letter to his brother Philocrates and claims to be a courier for the ruler of Egypt, Ptolemy II. His letter recounts in full the vision and beauty of this creation of science.

The letter tells how Demetrius (the director of the library) was paid to collect all the books he could get his hands on. Aristeas even had the opportunity to ask him exactly how many books were available, and the director replied that it was probably more than 200 thousand. In the future, they wanted to collect nearly 500 thousand. The letters of this subject give much information about the library itself and show its universal value, collecting the knowledge of the ancient world.

For Hendrickson, however, this is a pure form of cheating. Most scholars view the letter as about a century later, the 2nd century BC, and have serious doubts about the statement and the first written evidence of the library’s existence. According to the researchers of the time, this is a forged letter and “Jewish” propaganda, which aims to show the meaning of the Greek translation of the Old Hebrew Bible. The author’s letter attempts to increase the size and importance of the library in which Ptolemy II insisted that this particular holy book be included and be the source of all knowledge of the world.

Strangely enough, even some ancient writers expressed their doubt about the contents of the Library of Alexandria and its size. Seneca wrote in AD 49 and estimated that about 40,000 books were burned after Julius Caesar ordered their destruction. The Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus will write that about 700 thousand papyri were burned, which were gathered in one place and their fire could be seen very far away. The Roman physicist Galen would write that Ptolemy II was able to amass such a large collection because he had all arriving merchant ships present their books they carried on board to be transcribed and then the copies returned while the originals remained in the library .

Historian Roger Bagnall thinks the 6-figure number is indeed impressive, but there’s one problem, if every single Greek author in the 3rd century BC had managed to write 50 papyri, that means we’d still only have 31,250 books/papyri available. To arrive at a number like 200 or 700 thousand parchments means that in Ancient Greece about 90% of historians and scholars had to create hundreds of identical copies of each text to send to the library.

No one knows exactly the size of the archive, but it is clear that it was this history that allowed humanity to begin collecting books and creating libraries, including the modern one. Caesar returned to Rome with the idea that he would build a library of the same size, even larger than Ptolemy’s, thereby manages to irritate him even more. Octavian Augustus also developed the idea and began building a library. Later, every Roman ruler would try to build at least a few of these, but again it is not clear how they functioned and how much of their knowledge has been lost.

Every single book in antiquity was of incredible value, especially since it was written by hand. The Romans valued all of this and often used books as currency. It has been argued that the libraries of Ancient Rome played the role of museums rather than archives. And yet we will find Egypt winning again in the museum race. The first such was also built in Egypt. Its name literally means “Chair of the Muses”.

Historians to this day point out that no other library will be found destroyed as many times as the Library of Alexandria. Ancient writers and historians competed to show the barbarian enemies who attacked the fortress of knowledge. Usually, Julius Caesar is at the root of all the trouble, having ordered to burn himself. The truth is a little different, Caesar orders the city’s port to be set on fire, but the fire manages to reach and affect the library itself.

He was not the only creator of ruin, other Roman emperors also had credit for the destruction of Alexandria. And let us not forget that in 391 Christian monks were responsible for the destruction of the Serapeum – the sister library of Alexandria. At some point, almost every enemy of Ptolemy managed to scratch the stick of world history. Book burning is indeed a special attention-grabbing campaign, but no one believes or can suspect that the archive has really been destroyed. It is possible that it simply disintegrated over time, as historian Bagnall writes.

Papyri were extremely easy to destroy, and none could cope with the humid climate by the sea. Most likely, the library itself could have survived a little better inland in Egypt, where the climate is much drier. To maintain all the information, the papyri had to be copied again and again, requiring a new copy every few years. Ptolemy left no money to maintain this practice even after his death, so it is possible that this cultural monument has lost its charm over time. There are enough historians who believe that Alexandria was not responsible for the dark ages ahead, and the recorded information is unlikely to provide enough knowledge to ease through them. The truth is that the rulers of the East and the West did not have the will and the desire to continue or preserve their libraries.

This idea would flourish again in the Renaissance, when humanity took a new step and sought to expand its knowledge, and then lay the foundations of the modern era. And let’s not forget that Alexandria left about 2,000 ancient papyri that were preserved at the time and then moved to a safe place. The eruption of Vesuvius would manage to destroy them some 79 years later. The remains were examined and deciphered much later by scientists who used X-ray technology to decipher the oldest available on the planet.

For the first time in the world – Scotland launches a line with self-driving buses

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Gaston de Persigny

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1 May 2023

self-driving buses – The bus service will transport passengers between a car park outside Edinburgh and a train station in the city from 15 May

Five buses will run on the 22km route from May 15, connecting Feritol car park, in nearby Fife, with Edinburgh Park rail and tram station. The line will have a capacity of about 10,000 passenger trips per week. The buses have sensors that enable them to move along a pre-selected route at a speed of up to 80 km per hour.

However, two employees of the operator company will also travel in them. A driver will sit in the driver’s seat to monitor the equipment, and the so-called bus captain will assist passengers in boarding, purchasing tickets and enquiries.

According to the British government, it will be the world’s first public bus service served by self-driving standard-sized buses.

Illustrative Photo by Brayden Law

MEPs call for coordinated EU strategy against foreign interference

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European Parliament

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30 April 2023

MEPs call for coordinated EU strategy against foreign interference — Vote on Foreign interference in all democratic processes in the European Union, including disinformation © European Parliament

The new report on foreign interference, is illustrated by numerous examples such as EU political elites defending Gazprom’s interests and Hungary’s vulnerability to Russian intelligence activities

The EU needs a coordinated strategy against foreign interference and information manipulation (FIMI), including measures to enforce better existing provisions to fight it, say MEPs in a report adopted on Wednesday. They add that adequate funding should be provided for capacity-building activities to tackle disinformation and uphold democratic processes.

Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine clearly made the link even more evident between attempts of FIMI and threats to the EU and its immediate neighbourhood, Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership countries, as well as global security and stability, warn MEPs on the Special Committee on Foreign interference (ING2).

MEPs are requesting that the Commission develop an effective Defence of Democracy Package, taking into account the Conference on the Future of Europe final proposals., MEPs suggest that, when dealing with foreign influence efforts, the EU should consider a more effective “risk-based approach” that bears in mind if a risk country, such as Russia, China, or Iran has been involved.

Critical infrastructure and interference during electoral processes

The report names many examples of foreign interference such as political elites advancing Gazprom’s agenda in Germany; susceptibility to Russian intelligence activities in Hungary; and targeting LGBTIQ+ community with disinformation campaigns in Slovakia, Hungary and Poland.

Concerned about the EU’s dependence on foreign actors and foreign technologies in critical infrastructures and supply chains, MEPs call on the Council and the Commission to exclude the use of equipment and software from manufacturers from high-risk countries, particularly China and Russia, such as TikTok, ByteDance, Huawei, ZTE, Kaspersky, NtechLab or Nuctech.

The report urges the Commission to enable donations to be effectively traced to counter prohibited financial transactions from non-EU countries entering into the EU’s political system and calls on the member states to urgently address the issue of donations from third countries to national political parties and close existing loopholes in their legislation.

More cooperation within the EU and with like-minded partners

To foster operational exchange between national authorities and EU institutions and agencies, the report calls for a specialised EU “knowledge hub” to deal with threat intelligence.

Stressing that increased interference and information manipulation is expected in the run-up to the 2024 European elections, MEPs suggest establishing a Rapid Alert System for members of European and national parliaments to counter online disinformation and prevent sharing.

Finally, MEPs call for closer cooperation with like-minded partners to counter FIMI, and to increase cooperation on strategic communication to counter manipulated narratives in the EU neighbourhood and the Global South.

The report was adopted by 27 votes in favour, 1 against and 1 abstentions.

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Rapporteur Sandra Kalniete (EPP, LV) said: “Foreign interference in democratic processes represents a growing threat to the security of EU member states and the EU, particularly against the backdrop of rapid technological development and Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. Therefore, we must act urgently in adopting the INGE2 report and implement the INGE1 report more quickly. Significant and lasting investments must be made to build our democratic resilience, drawing on the experience of our partners like Ukraine and Taiwan.”

Next steps

The report will now be submitted to a vote in the Parliament as a whole at the May II plenary session.

As a response to the alleged attempts by foreign countries, including Qatar and Morocco, to influence MEPs, the special committee will prepare a separate report identifying the flaws in the European Parliament’s rules on transparency, ethics, integrity and corruption and make proposals for reforms to effectively fight corruption. The vote in the committee will be on 1 June.

Guterres convenes meeting in Doha to discuss key issues in Afghanistan

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United Nations News

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30 April 2023

Guterres convenes meeting in Doha to discuss key issues in Afghanistan

The aim is to reinvigorate international engagement around key issues, such as human rights, in particular women’s and girls’ rights, inclusive governance, countering terrorism and drug trafficking.

“The meeting is intended to achieve a common understanding within the international community on how to engage with the Taliban on these issues,” the UN said in a statement issued on Sunday.

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Security Council resolution

The Taliban returned to power in August 2021 and have restricted Afghan women and girls from participating in most areas of public and daily life.

Women nationals have also been barred from working with the UN in a country where nearly 29 million people depend on humanitarian assistance.

Last week, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution condemning the decision, saying that it undermines human rights and humanitarian principles.

The 15-member body called for the “full, equal, meaningful and safe participation of women and girls in Afghanistan.”

General Assembly President to visit Jordan

The President of the UN General Assembly, Csaba Kőrösi, will conduct an official visit to Jordan, starting on Monday, to spotlight solidarity with Syrian and Palestinian refugees.

More than two million Palestinian refugees live in the country, which is also among those most affected by the Syrian conflict, now in its 12th year.

Mr. Kőrösi will meet with top officials and senior Government leaders to discuss topics of mutual interest, including water sustainability and follow up from the UN Water Conference, held last month in New York.

He will also visit the Zaatari Refugee Camp, the world’s largest camp hosting people who have fled the war in Syria. The Assembly President will be accompanied by representatives from the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Programme (WFP), and others.

UN deputy chief highlights Africa’s role in multilateralism

UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed was in Kenya this past weekend, where she urged African leaders to help shape the future of multilateralism as it struggles to remain relevant.

“The UN, under the leadership of ‘SG’ António Guterres, is here to accompany the best opportunity yet for Africa, which is to lead and bridge the broken trust of multilateralism. And let’s make no mistake about that: that trust is broken,” she said in remarks to the Mo Ibrahim 2023 African Leadership Ceremony held in Nairobi on Friday.

She called for action in the areas of leadership and governance, while urging countries to offer more opportunities to young people and women.

Ms. Mohammed prefaced her remarks by highlighting the crisis in Sudan, expressing deep sadness over the unfolding tragedy while also underlining the UN’s commitment to stay and deliver for the people.

Guterres dispatches UN ‘relief chief’ to Sudan as humanitarian crisis nears ‘breaking point’

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United Nations News

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30 April 2023

Guterres dispatches UN ‘relief chief’ to Sudan as humanitarian crisis nears ‘breaking point’

“The scale and speed of what is unfolding is unprecedented in Sudan. We are extremely concerned by the immediate as well as long-term impact on all people in Sudan, and the broader region,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said in a statement.

The UN again urged the warring sides to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, allow safe passage for civilians fleeing hostilities, and respect humanitarian workers and assets.

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Nearing the ‘breaking point’

The humanitarian situation in Sudan “is reaching breaking point,” Mr. Griffiths warned in a separate statement, underscoring the need to stop the fighting.

Essential goods are becoming scarce, especially in the capital, Khartoum, and families are struggling to access water, food, fuel and other critical supplies.

Furthermore, vulnerable people are unable to leave areas worst-hit areas as transportation costs have risen exponentially, while those injured in the violence find it difficult to access urgent healthcare.

Aid stocks dwindling

“The United Nations and our partners are doing our best to reboot the humanitarian response in the country,” he said.

“Massive looting of the offices and warehouses of humanitarian organizations has depleted most of our supplies. We are exploring urgent ways to bring in and distribute additional supplies.”

The UN “relief chief” said a shipment with five containers of intravenous fluids and other emergency supplies is currently docked in the city of Port Sudan, located on the Red Sea coast, awaiting clearance by the authorities.

On April 27, 2023, the Al-Imam Al-Kadhim School in Al-Geneina City, West Darfur State, which had been serving as an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) shelter, was burned to the ground amidst the ongoing crisis in Sudan.

Appeal for renewed ceasefire

The announcement of his deployment came just hours after the UN and international partners appealed for Generals Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, known as “Hemedti”, to agree to extend a 72-hour ceasefire for another three days, amid reports of ongoing airstrikes in Khartoum.

The Trilateral Mechanism – which brings together the African Union, East African bloc IGAD and the UN – also called on the rivals to ensure their forces fully implement the truce.

“As the people of Sudan urgently need a humanitarian pause, the Trilateral Mechanism urges the parties to the conflict to respect the ceasefire, to protect civilians and to refrain from attacks on civilian populated areas, schools, and healthcare facilities,” they said in a statement.

“This ceasefire would also pave the way for talks between both sides towards the establishment of a permanent cessation of hostilities,” they added.

Death and displacement

Sudan has been undergoing a turbulent transition to civilian rule in the wake of the April 2019 overthrow of President Omar al-Bashir. A power-sharing government that brought together military and civilian leaders was also toppled in a coup in October 2021.

The Trilateral Mechanism has been facilitating talks since May 2022 which resulted in an agreement towards restoring civilian rule, signed that December.

However, hopes shattered two weeks ago when fighting erupted between the regular Sudanese army, led by General al-Burhan, and paramilitary forces under General Dagalo, known as the RSF.

Hundreds of people have been killed, and thousands have been fleeing, including to neighbouring Chad, where some 20,000 Sudanese have found refuge. Others are sheltering in the Central African Republic, Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya and South Sudan, often among already vulnerable communities.

The fighting has also forced the UN to essentially halt all aid operations in a country where nearly 16 million people, roughly one third of the population, already were in need.

Commitment to stay

The UN relocated and evacuated staff from Khartoum and other locations over the past week, who will continue to work remotely, whether from inside Sudan or in other countries.

The UN and partners are establishing a core team in Port Sudan, which will be responsible for overseeing aid operations and negotiating humanitarian access with de facto authorities.

Humanitarians now based in the coastal city, capital of Red Sea state, are determined to quickly return to Khartoum, as the UN continues to uphold its commitment to Sudan.

Earlier on Sunday, Volker Perthes, head of the UN Mission supporting the transition, UNITAMS, was briefed by the Wali (Governor) and other officials in Red Sea State on the humanitarian and security situation there.

“He assured them that the UN is not leaving Sudan and that he will work from Port Sudan until the security situation in Khartoum allows our return,” UNITAMS said in a tweet.