Peace & Justice

Photo: (left) Collage of images of rural residents discussing a new territorial development plan at a meeting in Ovejas, in the Montes de María region in the north of Colombia, December 2017 and (right) map of the Montes de María region. Credit: Hobeth Martínez Carrillo.

Colombia's Conflict Victims Await 16 ‘Seats for Peace’ in Congress

Viewpoint by Hobeth Martinez Carrillo*

LONDON (IDN) – Four years after the UN-monitored peace agreement that was intended to end more than five decades of civil war in Colombia, the communities that suffered most during the armed conflict may finally be gaining places at the political table.

The members of the UN Security Council welcomed in a press statement on Colombia (SC/14081) continued progress by the three components of the Integral System for Truth, Justice, Reparation, and Non-repetition, with the participation of victims. They reaffirmed their full support for the critical role of these components in the peace process and stressed the need for them to be able to work independently and autonomously.

: Opinion Editor; OPINION; 22 March 2020

Photo: Vladimir Putin gave an interview to TASS Russian News Agency on civil society and foreign agents on March 3, 2020. Credit: TASS

Russian Govt Prohibits 'Only Illegal' NGO Activities

By Kester Kenn Klomegah

MOSCOW (IDN) – President Vladimir Putin maintains that Russia does not prohibit the activities of civil society and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as long as these abide by the country's laws, refrain from meddling in internal politics and inciting extremism and civil disobedience in the country.

He told Russia's state-owned TASS News Agency in an interview for the project titled "20 Questions with Vladimir Putin" that any non-governmental organizations operating on Russian territory, including religious ones, must necessarily respect and comply with the Russian law.

: Kester Kenn Klomegah; THE WORLD; Russia; 15 March 2020

Photo: Leymah Gbowee, Nobel Peace laureate, Gloria Steinem, author activist and Carol Jenkins, CEO of the ERA Coalition at the War No More conference Feb 28, 2020 UN and an overview of the conference. Credit: CTAUN/Don Carlson

Committee on Teaching About the UN Demands 'War No More'

By Narin B. Stassis

The writer currently serves as the Vice Chair of the Committee on Teaching About the UN. She is a former Director of Curriculum and Instruction, a lifelong Educator, and holds a Master's degree in International Education from Lesley University.

NEW YORK (IDN) – The United Nations was created with a determination "to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war". As the world body celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, the Committee on Teaching About the United Nations (CTAUN), convened a conference, "War No More", co-sponsored by the Permanent Mission of Korea to the United Nations.

: UN Bureau; ARMAMENTS; Nuclear Weapons; 12 March 2020

Amnesty Accuses Facebook, Google of Harming Human Rights

By J W Jackie

RENO, Nevada, USA (IDN) – Facebook and Google play an important role in the lives of people across the globe – too big a role, according to Amnesty International. The pro-human rights organization recently published a report entitled, Surveillance Giants, which critiques the "insidious" surveillance exercised by these two digital giants.

: Europe Editor; SUSTAINABILITY; Peace & Justice; 11 March 2020

Photo: First unrest in Guyana after announcement of electoral results. Credit: Guyana Standard.

Former ACP Secretary General Appeals for Calm in World's Newest Oil State Guyana

By Reinhard Jacobsen

BRUSSELS | PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (IDN) – Former secretary general of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group, Dr. Patrick I. Gomes whose five-year tenure concluded end of February, has called on "all political leaders to let the rule of law prevail and the country remain calm".

He told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC): "Guyana has always been held in high regard for good governance and respected by the 79-member countries of the ACP family of nations, so it is expected that this will continue in the interest of the good of all, Guyana and the Caribbean."

: Reinhard Jacobsen; THE WORLD; Latin America & the Caribbean; 08 March 2020

Collage of four leading Chinese news organizations.

US Penalizes Chinese Media While Beijing Expels American Correspondents

By Shanta Roy

NEW YORK (IDN) – The Trump administration's ongoing war of words with China – involving tariffs, naval supremacy in the South China sea, allegations of espionage and support for pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong – have been further escalated by a decision to designate five Chinese state-run media organizations as "foreign missions".

: Shanta Roy; THE WORLD; USA and Canada; 02 March 2020

Graphic: Collage of COVID-19 affected countries from World Health Organisation (left) and NPT partner countries from Wikimedia Commons

Relentless Spread of Coronavirus Obliges Postponing the 2020 NPT Review to 2021

Viewpoint by Tariq Rauf *

VIENNA (IDN) — As Spring is in the offing, the days are drawing near when representatives of up to 191 countries will convene at a review conference at the United Nations in New York, from 27 April to 22 May, to celebrate 50 years of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) being in force. Coincidentally, this also will be the tenth in a series of quinquennial NPT review conferences. Nonetheless, as at present the COVID-19 virus continues to spread globally, the wise and prudent course would be to postpone the NPT review conference to next year and not risk the health of the participants or contribute to the further propagation of the disease and further strain already stressed health care systems not only in the developed world but especially in developing areas.

: Opinion Editor; UN INSIDER; 02 March 2020

Photo: Community leaders in Afghanistan strategize human rights. Credit: UNAMA

The Civil Society Prepared for Intra-Afghan Peace

By Bernhard Schell

DOHA | KABUL (IDN) — Women, youth as well as community and religious leaders in Afghanistan have been craving for peace and earnestly preparing for it long before the United States signed a landmark agreement with the Taliban on February 29.

The deal sets the stage to end America's longest war stretching over more than 18 years and allow President Donald Trump to begin the promised withdrawal of American troops. U.S. forces and their allies have been present in Afghanistan since 2001.

: Bernhard Schell; SUSTAINABILITY; Peace & Justice; 01 March 2020

Photo: Screenshot from UN WebTV with Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, briefing the UN Security Council on 28 February on the critical situation in Syria.

UN Urges Russia and Turkey to Secure 'Fresh Ceasefire' in Syria

By J Nastranis

NEW YORK (IDN) — The UN has in an emergency session of the Security Council on Syria strongly urged Russia and Turkey "to build on previous agreements to secure a fresh ceasefire" across the war-torn northwest. The meeting was convened on February 28 following the death on the battlefield of dozens of Turkish troops.

According to UN News, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres built on his impassioned call earlier in the day for Syrian Government forces backed by Russia, who are attempting to drive the last opposition forces out of Idlib, backed by Turkish forces, to all "step back from the edge of further escalation".

: J Nastranis; UN INSIDER; 28 February 2020

Photo courtesy of UNITAR Hiroshima Office.

Uncertainty Haunts the Future of Non-Proliferation Treaty and Disarmament

Viewpoint by Tariq Rauf *

HIROSHIMA (IDN) —August 6 and August 9 will mark the 75th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. No sentient human being who has met or seen the hibakusha (survivors), or visited the hypocentres in the two cities, or seen the photographic evidence of the destruction of these two Japanese cities, can avoid being shocked and horrified by the devastation that nuclear weapons inflicted.