The Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act, 1978 and Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act, 1990, passed by the Indian parliament in September 1990, grant Indian troops absolute authority to curb the civil rights of the Kashmiri people without fear of being prosecuted for extrajudicial killings.
This has lead to torture, custodial deaths, rape, juvenile offences, and hostage killings in a heavily militarised zone where 500,000 – 700,000 troops are stationed. The National Human Rights Commission of India has acknowledged that Section 19 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 severely restricts its powers to investigate incidents involving armed forces.
The first-ever report on human rights’ violations clearly depicts the massive state-sponsored atrocities inflicted upon Kashmiris by none other than Indian troops. The United Nations Security Council Resolution 47 adapted on April 21, 1948, expanded the mandate of The United Nations Commission for Pakistan and India to facilitate and hold a plebiscite.
However, this was never held due to the militarization of the zone by Indian troops. India has been violating Article 5 of the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and Article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which both require that “no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment”.
Pressure must be mounted on India for being solely responsible for this crisis. The international community must put India on a watch list under Article 5 of UDHR. Let Robert Wirsing’s proposal to apply international pressure more deliberately, consistently, and impartially in order to resolve the dispute be put into immediate effect.
The controversial leader of the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization) is still nowadays an inspirational figure for the Palestinian people. Considered as the father of the Palestinian national movement, when we refers to his name in Israeli society, he is nevertheless considered as terrorist accountable for many terrible acts.
Childhood and first commitments
Yasser Arafat was born in 1929, but his birthplace -like so much else about him- is controversial. Some sources claim that he was born in Cairo in Egypt, but he claimed that he was born at Jerusalem (القدس). He spent his childhood in Cairo with his six brothers and sisters.
He was very young when he begins to campaign for the palestinian cause and to struggle against zionism. As a teenager, he studied the works of Theodor Herzl and declared “I need to understand my enemy”. He even served a german SS lieutenant and denounced to the Egyptian police, with other young people, Jews belonging to the Zionist movements. During this period he was working for the great Mufti of Jerusalem Amin Al-Husseini and was secretly selling weapons to fight against Jews and English. He later obtained a degree in civil engineering at the University King Fouad I st of Cairo. He left the University to fight against the Jews in 1948, the official date of the creation of the State of Israel. From this period started what the Arabs (especially palestinians) call the Nakba (النكبة) , which mean the tragedy, disaster or catastrophe.
The Nakba occurred during the Arab-Israeli war of 1948 and caused a Palestinian exodus of nearly 700,000 people to other Arab countries. Following the failure of the peace agreements their right of return will not be granted. About 400 villages are abandoned. Nowadays there are now nearly 5 million Palestinian refugees.
The Fatah
It is at the University in Egypt that Yasser Arafat meets those with whom he will found Fatah. From 1956, it’s in Kuwait that Yasser Arafat decides to live. In 1959 he decides to create his own political party called « Fatah » (acronym in Arabic to designate a national liberation movement). This movement has for doctrine the liberation of Palestine, the struggle against the Jewish State and the independance of Palestine from the Arab States. The organization moved clandestinely in Syria and Lebanon in 1964 and decides to take action against Israel from these countries. Fatah build important relations the same year with Algeria, the USSR, China and North Korea. Arab countries like Egypt, Lebanon or Jordan show their hostility towards Fatah at the end of 1965. It was in 1968 that Yasser Arafat knew the beginning of a recognition. Funded and supported by Abdel Nasser as a Palestinian authority, Yasser Arafat organizes internal resistance in the West Bank through series of sabotages and attacks
The Creation of a leader for Palestinian People
Its during these years that the “Che Guevara of the Middle East” takes shape: with its sunglasses, his kheffier and his beard, this one becomes the symbol of the Palestinian people.
In the 60s, another political movement emerged : the Palestinian Liberation Organization, created by the Arab Ligue. Just like the Fatah, its purpose is firstly to liberate Palestine from occupation and the British mandate. First led by Ahmed Choukairy, a syrian, Yasser Arafat takes the lead in 1969.
In 1974 The United Nations recognized the PLO as « the sole legitimate representative of Palestinian people » and Yasser Arafat as the first representative of a non-governmental entity. He is the first to come to the General Assembly of the United Nations to speak about the fate of the palestinian people, and to put forward the « Palestinian question ».
This speech is paramount in the Palestinian history.
The year of 1988 marked a change for Arafat and the PLO. Yasser Arafat gave a speech at the United Nations and said that all involved parties could live together in peace. He undertakes a pacification of the conflict and officially renounces to terrorist attacks. He also recognizes the right of existence of Israel. It’s lead to the peace process of the Oslo agreement in 1993 which allowed for palestinian self-rule and official elections, and also recognizes PLO as the official authority.
On 1st July 1994, Yasser Arafat moved to Gaza and was elected on 20 January 1996 to head the Palestinian Authority with 88.2% of the vote. He was president of Fatah since October 10, 1959, president of the PLO on February 4, 1969, and became president of the Palestinian Authority since July 5, 1994.
Yasser Arafat died on november 11, 2004, in France. He is still one of the leading figures in the struggle for Palestinian independence. His portrait is present everywhere in Palestine (West Bank), difficult not to see ! Koffye has become a symbol of Palestinian liberation. A large modern museum is dedicated to him in Ramallah.
On 17th of October, an eighteen years old student perpetrated a mass shooting in Kerch, in the Russia annexed peninsula of Crimea.
The student of the Kerch Polytechnic College carried out the attack starting in the canteen, where he allegedly detonated an explosive device filled with “metal objects”. Students present in the canteen said to have heard several explosions, and these were heard from the surrounding area. He then proceeded to a general firing from class to class, killing nineteen students and hurting more than forty.
Rifle and handguns ownership is highly regulated in Russia, making a shooting like this one rare. From 2000 to 2014 four mass shootings were reported, making the fatality rate per 100.000 just 0.01, a low number compared to the staggering 0.34 in neighboring Finland or 1.30 in Norway.
State policy in Russia makes a point of honor for security, it is a national priority and one of the matters of high importance for the Kremlin. Russia is developping technology to be at the forefront of cyberwar, how could this ever occurred in a region of particularly inclined to turmoil as Crimea is since its annexation?
Annexationist of Crimea was one of the most important geopolitical events of the 21st century.
Since March 2014, the Crimea peninsula was subjected to a takeover of the territory by pro-Russian separatists, despite most foreign governments not supporting the annexation of the Republic of Crimea and the federal city of Sebastopol as subjects of Russia. Ukraine never ceases to claim sovereignty over the Crimean Republic, being backed up by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 68/262, even though this latter is non-binding.
Russia has not demonstrated the proper competence required to maintain the safeguard of a region being ruled de facto for over four years now. This attack can be seen by the international arena as the perfect juncture to launch a new commission that tackles the matter with its due deference. The gravity of an unlawful annexation and the inability of Russia to demonstrate the proper competence required to maintain the safeguard of a region being ruled de facto should only generate an appropriate response.
The world order has more and more the aspects of a polycentric model characterized by the upsurge of global insecurity due to regional instability. An early tentative of democratic legitimization by holding a Crimea-only referendum in 2014 was deemed unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court of Ukraine. Crimean population is predominantly drawn to Russian culture and civilization, however, it is Ukrainian de jure. The anciently known as Tauric Peninsula has always been subject to colonization -from Greeks to Genoese- and an agreement considering the three parties at stake could lay foundation on this terrible attack to ensure the rightful geopolitical accommodation of the Republic.
this article has been written by Alberto Armengol, The YoungDiplomats Spain director !
The European Union is an economic and political partnership recognized as a single market with a free flow of goods and people. Founded following the World War Two it involved 28 European countries to encourage cooperation and avoid war between countries trading together. Brexit is a merge between the words “Britain and Exit”. In fact, this word was used to claim the will of the UK to leave the European Union (EU).
A referendum voted on the 23 June 2016 in order to decide whether the UK should leave or remain in the European Union. UK votes “to leave” won by 51.9% to 48.1%.
One of the main aims of BREXIT was to “Take the control back“. Consequently an important step for the UK was to change their passport. The British government has decided to head back to its traditional blue cover. This design was abandoned in 1988, when the country adopted burgundy colour, the common feature with most other EU member states. Gemalto has been awarded the contract to supply a new generation of UK passport. The full production will be in place by early 2020.
But… What is Gemalto ?
Gemalto is an international digital security company providing in the Civil Identity domain, secure documents, identity solutions and services addressing the Governments needs. The company was founded in June 2006 by the merge of Axalto, a Dutch company and Gempus International a French company (https://www.gemalto.com/). Gemalto is an experienced and trusted company. Concerning passports production it works with over 40 countries around the world. Gemalto has already worked notably with the UK on driving licenses, Biometric Residence permits and transport cards. Gemalto has employed over 500 staff in the country since 2012.
The new passports provided by a French company: A decision that divided the country
Besides changing the colour, the new passport will be one of the most technically advanced anywhere in the world, “offering holders outstanding protection against even highly sophisticated attempts at forgery and counterfeiting notably thanks to the use of polycarbonate rather than paper for the passport data page that contains the holder’s biographic details”. (https://www.gemalto.com/govt/security-features/polycarbonate-color). Gemalto a French/Dutch company following the country’s decision to leave the European Union replaced the previous British company De La Rue, in charge of the production of the UK passports in burgundy. The decision of the government has been criticized a lot by some politicians and by the population. Indeed the goal of the BREXIT was to take control back and this decision doesn’t seem to fit well with it. Priti Patel the previous Secretary of State for International Development, even claimed ” It’s a national humiliation “. The Daily Mail has also wrote to the Britain’s ruling class: “Why do you hate our country, its history, culture and the people’s sense of identity” with a picture of the new passport “Made in France”.
Public budget or home production ?
The Government explained that the bid of Gemalto was more interesting than the other British company bids. The Government will economize 137 million of euros compared to the previous contract with De La Rue, 400 million. Moreover, among the 600 employees working for De la Rue, already 200 are working on this passport and more than 70 jobs were created. Brexit has forced the UK to solve a complex equation : public budget or home production?
Almost everyone has ever heard about the Art of War written by Sun-Tzu. In this article we’ll figure out how this book can be used in contemporary politics. This is a famous book and YoungDiplomats recommends it to you. We’ll focus mainly on this work but you have to keep in mind that we also worked on different less-known projects.
The context
This period in Chinese history is paramount in terms of tactical teachings.
We miss information on this point, but you have to keep in mind that Sun-Tzu wrote his book around 400 before Christ Era. At that time, China was split into several kingdoms. In China, this era is known as the Warring States period. So Sun-Tzu likely was an adviser of one king. Consequently, he wrote this treaty to help a political leader conquering other territories.
What you should retain from this text
Let us be honest. The work of Sun-Tzu is outdated. He dedicates several chapters for the use of fire or rivers crossing. But as political analysts, we have to keep in mind some famous sentences and the global lesson of his work. What is this teaching ? Sun-Tzu points out the role of non-violence. According to him, the best way to defeat an enemy is to prepare the invasion a long time before thanks to propaganda and spy works. Finally, the army gets into the country only to confirm a moral ascendance. Sun-Tzu deems war as expansive and he is in favor of trickery, lie and everything which could shorten war. According to him, political leader has to be wise and rational. Emotions have to be banned from war and strategy. War is based on knowledge and how much you know you’re enemy and yourself. If you don’t, victory is unreachable.
Famous quotes
“The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.”
“To know your Enemy, you must become your Enemy.”
“Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak.”
Ever wondered where are the most secure locations on Earth ? This Top is just for You!
Whether they’re supposedly concealing the existence of aliens at Area 51, protecting the President at the White House or setting up a fail-safe in case of a global catastrophe at the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, there are many locations that can be considered the safest places in the world.
Let’s see it!
Cheyenne Mountain Complex, Colorado, USA
The complex has housed a number of government organisations over the years and it was previously the home of the US-Canadian Aerospace Protection Project. The complex is built underneath 2,000 feet of solid granite.
The Cheyenne Mountain Complex was, at one point, the command center for the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD has since moved its operations to another location) and U.S. Space Command missions. The complex is so well guarded that its tunnel is protected by solid granite and reinforced. It is interesting to note that the Cheyenne Mountain Complex was also the home of the fictional Stargate Command on the popular TV show Stargate SG-1.
Bold Lane Car Park, Derby, UK
The car park was built in the 1970s and had developed a reputation for crime and drug abuse by the 1990s. It was in response to this that local security agencies decided to rebrand Bold Lane as a state of the art car park. It is now one of the safest places in the world. You can’t get in unless you have a ticket indicating your exact parking spot. And once your car is parked, it is protected by motion detectors and other alarms that will go off if someone messes with your car. If the alarm does go off, the whole place goes into lockdown mode.
Granite Mountain Records Vault
The Mormon Church’s Secret Vaults, « The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saint »
The Mormon Church’s secret vaults contain genealogical and historical records that are not only heavily guarded, This is all house hundreds of feet inside Granite Mountain in Utah. The atmosphere is climate controlled to preserve the paper documents and micro film inside. There are as well as motion and heat sensors.
Tumen River
This serves as a gateway between China, North Korea and Russia. The reason for heightened security along the river is due to many North Koreans have been caught attempting to enter China through the river’s shallow waters.
Svalbard Global Seed Vault, Norway
Have you ever wondered whether or not there is a fail-safe set in place should a worldwide famine or humanitarian disaster occur? If so, then thank your lucky stars for this vault. The purpose is to preserve spare samples of seeds for the purpose of growing food should the need arise.
Federal Reserve Bank of New York
There are 12 Federal Reserve banks found in the United States, all of which feature some of the most heightened levels of security. Robotics are used in the New York’s Reserve’s vaults while the outside security force is expertly trained in hand-to-hand combat as well as sharp shooting.
Vatican Secret Archives, Italy
The storage facility houses a wealth of forms, official documents and ledgers from the Catholic Church. These archives are set apart from the Vatican Library and ownership is passed down from Pope to Pope.
The White House, USA
The President’s home remains one of the most heavily guarded buildings in the world. An iron fence surrounds the property which is fitted with bullet proof windows and a secret service detail devoted to protecting the First Family at all costs.
Fort Knox, USA
The building houses the bullion reserve of the United States and is one of the most closely guarded places on Earth. Fort Knox is heavily protected at all times by armed guards making it impossible to enter the area unless you were invited of course.
Area 51, Nevada, USA
This subsection of Edward’s Airforce base in Nevada has special use air space and possesses an air of mystery that has captivated people around the world. Motion-triggered sensors surround the perimeter, patrols of armed guards are constantly surveying the grounds and protecting it from outsiders. Located in Nevada, this top secret air force base is so well guarded that no one can get in, even flying over it is forbidden. Area 51 is covered in motion sensors and is heavily patrolled by all sorts of vehicles. It is the home of anything pertaining to UFOs and alien conspiracies.
The United States is doubtlessly the greatest power on earth. This fact is not an opinion but a fact. YoungDiplomats tries to understand on what the U.S power relies from a economical and juridical point of view ! We’ve figured out three ways the U.S has to dominate the world and to impose its view on almost everywhere. Of course, this country has plenty other tools to maintain its influence worldwide, but we’ve decided to analyze the three more important tools !
The weapon of extraterritoriality
The domination of the United States over the rest of the world is due to the fact that certain American laws apply to natural or legal persons from third countries because of sometimes tenuous links with the United States (a payment in dollars for example). It is the United States’ unstoppable weapon for punishing non-American individuals and companies. The laws apply in particular to all companies operating on regulated financial markets in the United States. These laws essentially concern three areas: international sanctions, including unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States; the bribery of public officials abroad; and, finally, the application of US personal taxation to non-resident US citizens. For Donald Trump, the application of an aggressive extraterritorial policy is apparently his doctrine.
The CFIUS weapon
The CFIUS is under the responsibility of the Department of the Treasury.
The United States was already one of the countries where foreign buyers had to show no interest in buying an American company with sensitive technologies. Not enough for Donald Trump. The US administration decided to take further steps to lock down its foreign investment industry. The new rules, linked to the reform of the Foreign Investment Committee (CFIUS) adopted this summer, will require foreign investors to submit to the authorities any acquisition of an interest – and no longer just a takeover – in a US company in one of the 27 key designated sectors, including aeronautics, telecommunications, IT, semi-conductors and batteries. This reform is the first update of CFIUS rules in more than 10 years. However, the Trump administration would prepare further regulations for the fields of artificial intelligence and infrastructure.
These new rules will take effect on November 10 before final implementation in 15 months. They now provide that any foreign investment in one of the key industries should be reviewed and possibly blocked if it represents a “threat of erosion of technological superiority”, according to a senior Treasury official. Three criteria will thus motivate the CFIUS inspection: if there is foreign participation, from wherever it comes, even a minority one; if there is an allocation to a foreigner of a seat on the board of directors of the American company in question, and if the foreign investor can influence decision-making within this technology company.
No foreign country was specifically targeted, but in the past, the CFIUS, an intergovernmental body whose guardian is the Treasury, has blocked takeovers by Chinese investors. Huawei has already had to abandon the acquisition of the American IT companies 3 Leaf in 2012 and 3 Com in 2008. By 2016, according to the latest figures, CFIUS had reviewed 172 transactions, which were at the time of the takeovers, and launched 79 investigations with a single negative decision.
The ITAR weapon
This organization helps the US checking weapons produced and sold by its allies.
Four letters are of concern to defence industrialists: ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations). Why? If a weapons system contains at least one American component under the US ITAR regime, the United States has the power to prohibit its export sale to a third country. However, many French and European companies integrate American components, particularly electronic components, into many equipment, particularly in the aeronautics and space sectors. In front of the French national assembly, Antoine Bouvier the CEO of a big corporation acknowledged “Our dependence on components subject to ITAR rules is a critical point,”
Washington recently vetoed the French arms industry by banning the export of MBDA’s Scalp cruise missile to Egypt and Qatar. As a result, this decision hinders the sale of additional Rafale in Cairo. This is clearly an attack on France’s sovereignty. This is not the first time that the United States has played with France’s nerves. Thus, they had long hesitated to apply the ITAR regulations to a French case in India. They finally didn’t do it. In 2013, they had already refused a request to re-export to the United Arab Emirates components “made in USA” needed to manufacture two French spy satellites (Airbus and Thales). François Hollande’s visit to the United States in February 2014 made it possible to settle this matter positively.
Arguably the U.S has dominated the world power politics for more than twenty five years. Increasingly, now the US is facing more contested world which is unfolding in Middle East and South China Sea. violent opposition between the US and China has que
The non violent opposition between the US and China has questioned geopolitics in that region.
The U.S, being the winner of the cold war one, emerged as a sole super power in the globe, now facing the challenges of emerging China and resurgent Russia. In cold war one, Soviet Union was only enemy of the U.S in the military comparison while China has already gone passed the U.S in GDP and it is the second largest economy of the world. Advancement of China in military field has shunned the US. The trade war between two countries is the manifestation of the cold war which is likely to escalate in future. Let analyse the foreign policies of the Us against China through the lens of realism.
Being the global power, the US seeks to consolidate his position and her formulation and implementation of foreign policy is best guided by the ‘offensive’ realism of John Mearsheimer – to ensure survival, it is best to become the most powerful state of the region/globe .The US policies will remain offensive toward China to further her national interest in the world. Being only competitor of the US in the world, China opts to save her stake in the region first. The US’s hegemony can only be maintained if the US gets successful in engaging China in her continent/region to save stakes. The foreign policy of China against the US is guided by ‘Defensive Realism’ of Kenneth Waltz – State must seek power enough for its security. China opts to defend her stake in the region against the US to become the continental power. In pursuit of maintaining ‘balance of power’ against the US, China has acquired advance technology and signed defence treaties with Russia.
India has recently launched its first nuclear submarine. A game changer.
To maintain ‘balance of power’ against the US, China has raised suspicion in New Delhi. China has acquired advanced technology in defence which has aroused many questions in New Delhi’s mind. China being power of Asia, aspires to save her interest in the region against powers. There is zero sum game for china against the India in the region. For instance, to consolidate her position in the region against global power the US, China acquired Nuclear weapons and ‘balance the power’. This balancing of power by China, certainly, disturb balance of power with India. In order to save her interest in the region Indian foreign policy against China is defence realism. It was imperative for India to acquire Nuclear weapons in order to balance the equation of power. In 1974, India acquired Nuclear weapons and acquired minimum ability to defend herself against China. Now India has acquired minimum defence against China so that China cannot dictate her in the region.
Meanwhile, acquiring of Nuclear weapons by India has disturbed the balance of equation between Pakistan and India. India aspires to become a regional power in the south Asia and her foreign policy toward Pakistan is offensive realism. In order to save her interest against India, Pakistan sees India through the lens of defensive realism. It was indispensable for Pakistan to acquire Nuclear weapons to protect her interest in the region. China also sees Pakistan as a competitor to India. China supports Pakistan against India so that India cannot challenge her hegemony in the region. Similarly, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Israel are competing against each other in the region on the same pattern.
France is an old country. Many observers from all around the world are aware of the French revolution (1789) but tend to forget its past. This article will try to explain the current institutions of France and how tightly they are with history.
How can we describe French institutions ?
Charles De Gaulle is the founder of the current republic in France. He is a military hero as well as a political legend.
The point of our article is not to pick up articles from the French Constitution. We’d like to figure out the spirit of this system which is very specific. The executive power is shared by the Prime Minister (currently Edouard Philippe) and the President of the Republic (Emmanuel Macron). This pair really handles the country. But the President really lies at the core of this system. He is the chief of the armies and decides when the French army intervenes. The President has the ability to dissolve the assembly. Besides he decides who composes the government and who is the Prime Minister. The President is elected by the people thanks to the direct universal suffrage which provides him with legitimacy. The president has an aura which allows him to do almost whatever he wants. Following a major shift which occurred in 2000, the French national assembly is elected 2 months after the presidential elections. Consequently, the assembly is unlikely a counter-power.
This system and the French history
The French history has always been marked by the State and the power of the State. France has been built by the State. Total monarchy was born in France and the monarch would holds his power from God. Consequently, he can do almost everything he wants. Around the monarch, there are noble men and women helping him to lead. But this category has plenty of advantageous and privileges. The most important part of the people wasn’t recognized and had no power on French politics. This was before 1789. After the French revolution noblemen no longer had privileges. The French nation could exist after this event. For one century after the revolution, France knew an important political turmoil. In 1875, France lived through the third republic, a parliamentary system. But this system didn’t fit with the traditional role of the monarch and the image of the providential person the monarch used to have. The fifth republic is the perfect gathering between the role of the nation who elects the president and the missions of this last who really is the one leading France.
How much is it important from a geopolitical perspective ?
The French army has been quickly used in Mali.
It is paramount because the President is supposed not to share its sovereignty with anyone else. The president is like the monarch and he has to do everything in order to be admired by its people. Theoretically, the President manages both the outside and the inside while the Prime Minister focuses more on the inside. Consequently the President always has to think about the image he has within its country. Moreover, the fact that he can uses the army whenever he wants, without the parliament, is particularly interesting. It means that he can act quickly and surprise many people.
Is Bolsonaro a fascist ? Like many people, I resist throwing the word “fascist” around too often. Logically, if anyone is a “fascist,” then nobody is – which ends up being extremely disrespectful to victims of real fascism and banalizing what should never be banal. One could go to the other extreme, saying that no-one today is really a “fascist,” as fascism was something limited to a certain period of history. OK, but that would mean ignoring that historical fascism continues to inspire many people – explicitly or not.
If you try to seek a textbook definition for the term, you’ll find they vary a lot. However, they all converge to an essential element, which may or may not be associated with others. Fascism is defined by the belief that social organization (politics) is built through physical violence against the “other,” whether this other be “Jews,” “communists,” “incapable people,” “degenerates,” “gays”… Order doesn’t come from communication, but rather from the murder, torture, or beating of the “other.” Society organizes itself around the promise, expectation, or practice of such violence.
