Peace & Justice

Suddenly Awake. About 'Cancel' And 'Woke' Culture

Viewpoint by Jan Servaes

BRUSSELS (IDN) — Several years ago, when I provoked a discussion about the word "ho" during my hitherto popular "Hip hop for social change" course at the University of Massachusetts, nearly half of the enrolled students immediately cancelled me. They didn't show up again the following week. “How could I, a straight white male, have dared to use the 'slang' word for 'whore/bitch'?” I was told, as it appeared in the conversations of both 'white' and 'black' students (they/them/their) all the time and was central to most hip-hop and rap music.

: Opinion Editor; OPINION; 02 June 2022

Photo: The Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi in a private audience with Pope Francis. Credit: Kazinform.

The Pope Calls Kazakhstan ‘A Reliable Partner’ In Central Asia

By Kudrenok Tatyana

This article was issued by Kazinform and is being republished with their permission.

NUR-SULTAN | VATICAN (IDN) — Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Mukhtar Tileuberdi, was honored with a private audience with Pope Francis during his official visit to Vatican, Kazinform has learned from the press service of the Kazakh Foreign Affairs Ministry.

: Asia Editor; THE WORLD; Central Asia; 01 June 2022

Photo: National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger and Premier Zhou Enlai ahead of President Richard Nixon's 1972 journey to China. Source: USC US-China Institute

War Monger Henry Kissinger Has Become A Peacenik

Viewpoint by Jonathan Power

LUND, Sweden (IDN) — Henry Kissinger used to be a totally different kettle of fish than he is these days. It was Kissinger who helped engineer a coup d'état in democratic Chile that led to a great deal of torture and suffering. Second, turn to the war in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, America's biggest war since World War 2, that ended in an ignominious US retreat and defeat. Its people were ravaged beyond description. It was President Richard Nixon and his national security advisor, Kissinger, who had decided “to bomb the hell out of the North Vietnamese”.

: Jonathan Power; OPINION; 01 June 2022

Mali's Withdrawal from Sahel-5 Joint Force Undermines Africa's Unity

By Kester Kenn Klomegah*

MOSCOW | BAMAKO (IDN) — The Malian Transitional Military Government's abrupt and unexpected decision to withdraw from the G5-Sahel group and its Joint Force is "unfortunate" and "regrettable", a senior United Nations official told the Security Council as she urged countries in the region to redouble efforts to protect human rights, amid protracted political and security crises.

: Kester Kenn Klomegah; THE WORLD; Africa; 01 June 2022

Ukraine War: Germany Stops Appeasing Russia

Viewpoint by Franz Baumann

This article was issued by Meer and is being republished with the author's permission.

NEW YORK (IDN) — The “special military operation,” launched on 24th February by the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, did not go as planned. It also had unexpected consequences.

For instance, Ukraine defended itself fiercely, indeed heroically, against the unprovoked, brutal attack. It inflicted gigantic losses in life and equipment on the Russian invaders.

: Franz Baumann; OPINION; 31 May 2022

Achieving SDGs by 2030 in Peril

By Kalinga Seneviratne

SYDNEY (IDN) — After two issues focusing mainly on the impact of the Ukraine-Russia war on the achievement of SDGs, this month we wanted to shift the focus, but it was not as easy as reflected in the articles published here.

The United Nations has revised its global growth estimates due to the war, and the Security Council holds an emergency session on food security, while Southern Africa feels the pinch of the war because of its widespread economic relations with Russia and food imports from Ukraine. Meanwhile, global leaders keep on talking about the loss of lives and livelihood but are impotent to do anything about it.

: Kalinga Seneviratne; SUSTAINABILITY; Food security, nutrition & sustainable agriculture; 30 May 2022

Photo: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (left) together with Senegal President and African Union chairf Macky Sall. (Source: Bundesregierung/Kugler)

African Union Delegation Plans to Visit Russia and Ukraine

By Kester Kenn Klomegah*

MOSCOW I DAKAR (IDN) — The African Union (AU), a 54-member continental organisation, is planning to wade into the crisis between Russia and Ukraine with a view to finding a lasting solution and averting the looming food shortage that may hit the continent.

On February 24, 2022, Russia invaded its neighbour, Ukraine, and this action has sent prices of food, especially cereals and fuel higher in the markets, and the worst is the cause of the current global instability.

: Kester Kenn Klomegah; THE WORLD; Africa; 27 May 2022

Photo: Representatives at the opening of the 2022 First BRICS Sherpas' Meeting held via video conference in Beijing, China, January 18-19, 2022. Credit: CGTN

Talk of Expanding BRICS Ahead of the June Summit

By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh

MOSCOW | SHANGHAI (IDN) — Under the rotating chairmanship of China, BRICS—an informal intergovernmental union comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa—has held a series of high-level virtual meetings on existing significant regional and international issues, one of which focuses on the organization's expansion proposed by China.

: Kester Kenn Klomegah; SUSTAINABILITY; Peace & Justice; 26 May 2022

Photo: Gambians protesting. Source: Global Information Network.

Calls For Prosecution of Gambian Strongman in Exile

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network

NEW YORK | BANJUL (IDN) — Civil society organizations in The Gambia are turning up the heat on current Gambian president Adama Barrow to prosecute heinous crimes linked to ousted dictator Yahya Jammeh, outlined in a report.

The report on human rights crimes was compiled by the Gambia Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission and was delivered to President Barrow last November. It calls for the prosecution of those who committed a host of serious crimes during the previous administration and is widely believed to specifically name Jammeh and 69 others.

: Global Information Network; THE WORLD; Africa; 25 May 2022

Image Credit: Diana Ejaita | Zam Magazine

Leading Economies Unequipped to Go After Russian Kleptocrats

By Rita Joshi

BERLIN (IDN) — Despite strong early pledges to sanction and track the illicit wealth of Russian elites following the invasion of Ukraine, the G7 and other leading economies’ rhetoric does not match reality, according to an analysis of Transparency International analysis released on May 24.