aljazeera--2019-04-03--Ashraf Ghanis grand plan for sustainable peace in Afghanistan

Ashraf Ghani's grand plan for sustainable peace in Afghanistan

Peace, once seen as an impossible prospect, has now become part of the national discourse in Afghanistan. Last month, for example, around 3,500 women from all ethnic and linguistic groups in the country issued a joint communique calling for a peace in which Afghan women would not be subjected to the horrors of the Taliban era once again.  The Afghan government is also committed to peace, but just like the women of Afghanistan, it is not ready to settle for any "peace deal". It wants a peace that would reinforce the values of the republic and the fundamental rights and liberties of the Afghan people, not one that would inevitably lead to the collapse of the state and reversal of the gains of the past 18 years.  Today, as a result of increased US pressure on Pakistan and the Taliban, as well as the Afghan government's relentless efforts to solve the country's deep-rooted problems, there is renewed hope for a peaceful, sustainable settlement to Afghanistan's decades-old conflict.  Undoubtedly, this moment has not come without a cost. Thousands of Afghans (and their international partners) sacrificed their lives and resources to get us here. But even these immense sacrifices have not been enough to bring sustainable peace to a country that has been torn apart by conflict for over four decades. Afghanistan now needs a well-rounded strategy and pragmatic leadership to tackle the last few hurdles on its long and treacherous path to peace.  Thankfully, Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani devised a comprehensive and practical four-phase strategy to achieve sustainable peace in the country:  First, the president insists, Pakistan should be convinced to end hostilities towards Afghanistan. The Taliban and their affiliates who engage in violence in Afghanistan have been doing so with the blessing and encouragement of Islamabad. A peace settlement can only be agreed on if and when Pakistan learns to respect the sovereignty of Afghanistan and gives up its ambition to forcefully bring its neighbour under its sphere of influence.  Pakistan most recently made its opposition to a sovereign, united and fully independent Afghanistan apparent when Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan called the Kabul government a "hurdle to peace talks" and suggested setting up an interim government in the country. An interim government means going back to square one, scrapping the constitution and reversing the gains of the past 18 years. The people of Afghanistan, who fought long and hard for their independence, have no intention of agreeing to any peace process that would deprive the country of its sovereignty. Ghani is aware of this and believes the peace process can only move forward after consensus is reached between the neighbours.  Second, Ghani asserts, Afghanistan should work towards gaining the trust of the international community and demonstrating that it is ready to tackle the challenges of the post-conflict era independently. The president believes sustainable peace can only be achieved by ending Afghanistan's reliance on foreign aid. Alongside his efforts to achieve economic self-sufficiency, Ghani is also embarking on diplomatic engagements to restore the international community's trust in the Afghan government. So far, his engagement with the US resulted in the Trump administration's Afghanistan-focused South Asia strategy and put increased pressure on Pakistan to end its support for the Taliban. Meanwhile, his engagement with Islamic nations resulted in the endorsement of his peace efforts by Saudi Arabia and the Indonesian Ulema Council. Moreover, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation officially described the Afghan war as a conflict "contrary to the principles and formal teachings of Islam". This statement stripped the war of its religious justifications, bringing Afghanistan one step closer to peace.  Third, the president believes a successful peace process should involve all segments of Afghan society. Past experiences in 1992 and 2001 clearly demonstrate that peace efforts which focus on reconciliation with one group while undermining others result in renewed conflicts. President Ghani is aware of this, and he has already met and engaged in intensive discussions with thousands of citizens including women's rights activists, civil society representatives and a diverse selection of political leaders and religious scholars. He has given every stratum a stake at peacemaking. To make the process even more inclusive, the government is convening a Consultative Loya Jirga on April 28 where the representatives of all demographics will come together to define the government’s direction on peace. Ghani believes what Afghanistan needs is a people-centred peace, not an elite-led one, and he is working hard to deliver this.  Fourth, Ghani believes the peace process should be owned and led by the people and government of Afghanistan. In 1989, the United Nations brokered a peace deal between the Pakistan-based Afghan mujahideen and the government of Mohammad Najibullah. However, this peace deal failed, leading to renewed conflict and more bloodshed. The failure of the deal was mainly caused by the exclusion of Afghans from the process and the lack of mechanisms for accountability. Today, Ghani insists on an Afghan-led peace process because he does not want to repeat past mistakes or agree to a process that could leave the country in the middle of yet another bloody conflict in the near future.  As the peace process intensifies and some elements both within and outside Afghanistan advocate for an interim government, hundreds of civil society activists gathered in Kabul and issued a communique on the kind of peace they want. One of their main demands was for the Afghan constitution and the core values of the republic to be upheld. The Afghan Constitution assigns the power to declare war and peace to the president.  In short, Ghani’s vision for sustainable peace is based on the elimination of hostile outside influences, long-term economic planning, diplomatic engagements and, most importantly, inclusivity. He is guarding our constitutional values to ensure succession of power continues through elections - one of the main tenets of Afghan constitution. He has a plan that will lead the country not to a "negative peace" in which merely violence is absent, but to a positive one, which would guarantee the presence of justice, equality and development in addition to absence of violence.  Ghani's efforts played an important role in making peace in Afghanistan a real prospect. Now that we are at the point where direct talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban could begin any moment, the president's vision for peace and well-thought-out plans for the post-conflict era is guaranteed to lead Afghanistan to a prosperous future.  The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera's editorial stance.


aljazeera--2019-04-05--Wikileaks founder Assange to be expelled from Ecuador embassy

Wikileaks founder Assange 'to be expelled' from Ecuador embassy

Ecuador is preparing to expel WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange from its embassy in London within "hours to days", according to a Wikileaks Tweet.  According to the tweet sent out on Thursday, the "#INAPapers offshore scandal" was being as a pretext to expel Assange.  "A high level source within the Ecuadorian state has told WikiLeaks that Julian Assange will be expelled within 'hours to days' using the INAPapers offshore scandal as a pretext - and that it already has an agreement with the UK for his arrest," the tweet read.  The INA papers are a collection of documents leaked to an Ecuadorian lawmaker and which have implicated President Lenin Moreno in a corruption scandal.  The WikiLeaks statement comes two days after Moreno accused Assange of repeatedly violating the terms of his asylum and said the government was seeking an arrangement with Britain to allow Assange to leave the embassy.  In an interview broadcast by several Ecuadoran radio stations, President Moreno said: "Assange has too often repeatedly violated the agreement we have with him and his legal team", without saying whether Ecuador would withdraw asylum.  "It is not that he cannot speak freely, it is not that he cannot express himself freely, but he cannot lie, let alone hack into accounts or intercept private telephone calls" under the terms of his asylum agreement, said Moreno.  Ecuador also suspects that WikiLeaks is responsible for sharing private photographs of Moreno on social media recently.  Assange has been holed up in the embassy since 2012 to avoid arrest and extradition to Sweden on allegations of rape.  The Swedish judiciary has since dropped its investigation, but British authorities have said they will still arrest the Australian when he leaves the embassy because he violated his bail conditions by fleeing.  Assange says he fears being extradited to the United States where he could face charges relating to the publication of hacked government documents on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.  In October, Assange sued Ecuador for violating his "fundamental rights" by limiting his access to the outside world after his internet and mobile phone access were blocked back in March.  Quito accused him of breaking "a written commitment" not to interfere in Ecuador's foreign policies.


aljazeera--2019-05-30--Turkeys Erdogan reveals new judicial reforms amid bid to join EU

Turkey's Erdogan reveals new judicial reforms amid bid to join EU

Ankara, Turkey - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday unveiled a package of judicial reforms after years of criticism over a crackdown on dissidents and the jailing of thousands said to be linked to a 2016 coup attempt.  Speaking from his palace in Ankara, the president took aim at the European Union, which a day earlier released a damning report on Turkey's bid to join the union.  In its annual progress review, the European Commission, the executive branch of the EU, accused Ankara of "serious backsliding in the areas of the rule of law and fundamental rights".  Erdogan, who oversaw the start of accession talks in 2005, reaffirmed his commitment to EU membership while striking a note of reproach. "We implement the reforms not because the EU wants them but because our nation needs them," he said in the televised address.  Since the failed coup, Turkey has jailed more than 77,000 people on suspicion of links to the group it says organised the attempt. About 150,000 civil servants, teachers, journalists, police officers, military personnel and others have been sacked or suspended from their jobs over alleged support for Fethullah Gulen, a US-based scholar, who Erdogan says orchestrated the putsch.  Gulen denies any involvement in the coup attempt, which led to at least 250 deaths, while critics of the government say the crackdown has been used to stifle all forms of dissent.  The judicial reform package, which was designed after consultation with legal experts and human rights groups, aimed to "strengthen our nation's sense of justice", Erdogan said.  While going into some detail on issues such as the training of lawyers and prosecutors, he gave little insight into how Turkey - ranked 109th out of 126 countries in the World Justice Project's 2019 Rule of Law Index - would address criticism on issues such as the jailing of critical journalists, or the conviction of hundreds for insulting the president.  Ozturk Turkdogan, chair of the Turkish Human Rights Association, one of the groups consulted over the reforms, reacted with caution to Erdogan's speech.  While welcoming the "positive step" he added: "We have to wait for the relevant concrete draft laws to be tabled at the parliament in order to make a detailed evaluation and assessment of the strategy and roadmap."  Turkdogan, who was himself arrested in 2017 while taking part in a protest, also called for a "new and democratic constitution based on the principle of separation of powers founded on the rule of law".  Erdogan, who has been accused of concentrating power over the judiciary in his own hands, said the reforms had been drafted "within the framework of enhancing the independence and impartiality of justice" and to "effectively protect the right to a fair trial".  Among those imprisoned or who lost their jobs have been more than 4,460 judges and prosecutors, according to the Turkey Purge website, which collates figures from government announcements.  Selim Sazak, a researcher at Brown University's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs in the US, said the judiciary urgently needed an overhaul to face the heavy workload created by the rate of arrests, as well as increasing numbers of bankruptcy cases as Turkey's economic crisis takes hold.  "In this current system, they have created political loyalty as not one of the main factors in judicial appointments, it's the only factor," he said. "Now, they need the system to work. They broke the system and don't know how to fix it so they're pushing every button."  Sazak added while some practical measures were likely to be implemented in the short term, there was a "massive dissonance" between Erdogan's rhetoric on fundamental rights and the recent record on jailing opponents.  Following the attempted coup, Turkey introduced emergency powers for two years that curbed many freedoms and, according to the rights groups, breached international obligations.  Although the emergency regime was lifted last year, new decrees allowed for the dismissal of judges and other officials if they are suspected of ties to groups such as the Gulen movement, which is listed as the Fethullahist Terrorist Organisation (FETO) under Turkish law.  In recent weeks, the cancellation of opposition candidate Ekrem Imamoglu's win in the Istanbul mayoral race has further highlighted concerns for justice after the Supreme Election Council sided with the complaints of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party).  A second poll is to be held on June 23 that will again see Imamoglu, who is standing for the Republican People's Party (CHP), pitted against the AK Party's Binali Yildirim, a former prime minister.  According to polling company Konda, 72 percent of Turks see justice as a key issue for the country.  "It's obvious that the ruling bloc has caused an erosion in the sense of justice and conscience on the issue of the cancellation of polls," Konda General Manager Bekir Agirdir said in an interview with the leftist BirGun newspaper.  Few in Turkey doubt the justice system had been infiltrated by Gulenists, who were allied with the AK Party until a corruption case led by Gulenist prosecutors and police officers targeted Erdogan's close circle in late 2013.  "The July 2016 failed coup attempt by FETO led to a massive purge of FETO-related judicial personnel but they were, this time, substituted by judges and prosecutors loyal to the government," said Serkan Demirtas, a columnist for the Hurriyet daily.


aljazeera--2019-06-18--Mohamed Morsis death World reaction

Mohamed Morsi's death: World reaction

The United Nations has called for an "independent inquiry" into the death of former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, who died aged 67 after collapsing in a Cairo court on Monday, according to state media.  Morsi, who was buried on Tuesday, was a top figure in the Muslim Brotherhood and the first democratically elected president in Egypt's modern history.  He had been in jail since he was toppled by the military in 2013 after mass protests against his rule.  His death has been mourned by many people around the world, including in Turkey where mosques held special prayers on Tuesday, while leaders in Malaysia and Qatar offered tributes.  However, the reaction has been largely muted in many capitals.  Here are some of the statements on the sudden death of Morsi:  The United Nations human rights office has called for a "prompt, impartial, thorough and transparent investigation" into Morsi's death.  "Concerns have been raised regarding the conditions of Mr. Morsi's detention, including access to adequate medical care, as well as sufficient access to his lawyers and family, during his nearly six years in custody," Rupert Colville, spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said on Monday.  The Tunisian Ennahda political party said it received the news with great sadness and shock and extended condolences to Morsi's family and the Egyptian people.  The movement expressed hope that "the painful incident would be a reason to put an end to the suffering of thousands of political prisoners in Egypt" and for starting dialogue for a new democratic political life in Egypt.  Jordan's Muslim Brotherhood held "the coup authorities in Egypt responsible for Morsi's death after his detention for seven years in solitary imprisonment".  The group also held the international community responsible for "the crimes of the coup" in Egypt.  Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani offered his condolences to Morsi's family and Egyptian people.  "We received with great sorrow the news of the sudden death of former president Dr Mohamed Morsi. I offer my deepest condolences to his family and Egyptian people. We belong to God and to him we shall return," Sheikh Tamim said in a Twitter post.  Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the president of Turkey, on Monday blamed Egypt's "tyrants" for the death of Morsi.  "History will never forget those tyrants who led to his death by putting him in jail and threatening him with execution," Erdogan, a close ally of Morsi, said in a televised speech in Istanbul.  The Turkish leader called the former Egyptian president a "martyr," Turkey had been among Morsi's biggest supporters.  "May Allah rest our Morsi brother, our martyr's soul in peace," said Erdogan, who had forged close ties with the former president.  Thousands in Istanbul joined in prayer on Tuesday for Morsi on Tuesday. The prayer was called by Turkey's religious authority Diyanet and took place in the city's Fatih mosque.  Erdogan is expected to attend an absentee funeral for Morsi in Istanbul on Tuesday.  Sarah Leah Whitson, executive director of Human Rights Watch's Middle East and North Africa division, called Morsi's death "terrible but entirely predictable", given the government's failure to allow him adequate medical care.  "What we have been documenting for the past several years is the fact that he has been in the worst conditions. Every time he appeared before the judge, he requested private medical care and medical treatment," Whitson told Al Jazeera.  "He was been deprived of adequate food and medicine. The Egyptian government had known very clearly about his declining medical state. He had lost a great deal of weight and had also fainted in court a number of times.  "He was kept in the solitary confinement with no access to television, email or any communication with friends and family," Whitson said, arguing that there would not be a credible independent investigation on Morsi's death "because their [Egyptian government] job and role is to absolve themselves of wrongdoing ever".  In a Facebook post, Morsi's son, Ahmed, confirmed the death of his father.  "In front of Allah, my father and we shall unite," he wrote.  Mohammed Sudan, a leading member of the Muslim Brotherhood in London, described Morsi's death as "premeditated murder", saying that the former president was banned from receiving medicine or visits and there was little information about his health condition.  "He has been placed behind [a] glass cage [during trials]. No one can hear him or know what is happening to him. He hasn't received any visits for months or nearly a year. He complained before that he doesn't get his medicine. This is premeditated murder. This is slow death."  The Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice political party said in a statement that Egyptian authorities is responsible for Morsi's "deliberate slow death".  "[The Egyptian authorities] put him in solitary confinement... they withheld medication and gave him disgusting food... they did not give him the most basic human rights," the political party said in a statement published on its website.  The Brotherhood also called for crowds to gather outside Egyptian embassies around the world.  In a joint statement, Amr Darrag, a senior member of the Muslim Brotherhood and a minister of planning and international cooperation under Morsi, and Yehia Hamed, a former Egyptian investment minister under Morsi, said an international independent investigation into the death of Morsi should be made public.  "The Egyptian regime knew that the continued denial of access to medical treatment would lead to his premature death. To that effect, the death of President Morsi is tantamount to state sponsored murder," they said in the statement.  "The first democratically elected President has died through a concerted and active campaign by the Egyptian regime. This is a gross violation of international law. It must not be allowed to stand."  In a statement released after Morsi's death, Crispin Blunt, chairman of the UK's Independent Detention Review Panel, said his death in custody was representative of Egypt's inability to treat prisoners in accordance with both Egyptian and international law.  "The Egyptian government has a duty to explain his unfortunate death and there must be proper accountability for his treatment in custody. We found culpability for torture rests not only with direct perpetrators but those who are responsible for or acquiesce in it," he said in a statement.  "The only step now is a reputable independent international investigation."  Last year, a report by three UK MPs, under the panel, warned that the lack of medical treatment could result in Morsi's "premature death".  Amnesty International urged Egyptian authorities to investigate the death of Morsi.  "We call on Egyptian authorities to conduct an impartial, thorough and transparent investigation into the circumstances of Mursi's death, including his solitary confinement and isolation from the outside world," the London-based rights group said in a twitter post.  It also called for an investigation into the medical care Morsi was receiving, and for anyone found responsible for mistreatment to be held accountable.  Hamas issued a statement paying tribute to Morsi, who had been a close ally of the Palestinian movement administering the besieged Gaza Strip.  It praised Morsi's "long struggle spent in the service of Egypt and its people, and primarily the Palestinian cause".  At the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem, funeral prayers were performed by Palestinians on Monday night.  Pakistan's religious-political group, Jamaat-e-Islami, said the "Muslim world has lost a true hero".  "Morsi stood tall in the face of all pressures aimed at forcing him to withdraw his struggle for fundamental rights of the people of Egypt and his support to Palestine," the group's chief Senator Siraj-ul- Haq said in a statement on Twitter.  He announced that the party on Tuesday would hold funeral prayers in absentia for Morsi across Pakistan.  Malaysia's foreign ministry said it was "shocked and saddened by the sudden death" of Morsi.  "During his tenure as president, Mr Morsi showed courage and moral fortitude in his attempt to lead Egypt away from decades of authoritarian rule and establish true democracy there," Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah said in a statement.  "I would like to extend my deepest condolences to the bereaved family of Mr Morsi and the people of Egypt."


aljazeera--2019-06-24--India rejects critical US religious freedom report

A previous version of this story wrongly linked to a United States Commission on International Religious Freedom report. The story has been updated with the link to the US State Department report.  India has hit out at a report by the United States saying religious intolerance was growing under its right-wing government, setting off a new spat ahead of a visit by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.  An annual report on international religious freedom released by Pompeo on Friday said Hindu groups had used "violence, intimidation, and harassment" against Muslims and low-caste Dalits in 2017 to force a religion-based national identity.  But Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government insisted that no foreign country had the right to criticise its record.  Pompeo is set to arrive in New Delhi on Tuesday for a trip intended to strengthen ties, but already complicated by spats over trade tariffs, data protection rules, US visas for Indians and buying arms from Russia.  The US religious freedom report said groups claiming to protect cows - considered sacred by Hindus - have attacked Muslims and Dalits. Christians have also been targeted for proselytising since Modi came to power in 2014.  "Despite Indian government statistics indicating that communal violence has increased sharply over the past two years, the Modi administration has not addressed the problem," the report said.  The report, which examined attacks on religious minorities during 2018, said some senior officials from Modi's ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made "inflammatory speeches" mainly against Muslims, who make up 14 percent of India's 1.3 billion people.  "Mob attacks by violent extremist Hindu groups against minority communities, especially Muslims, continued throughout the year amid rumours that victims had traded or killed cows for beef," the report said.  It also noted reports by non-governmental organisations that the government sometimes failed to act on mob attacks on religious minorities, marginalised communities, and critics of the government.  The Indian foreign ministry rejected the report, saying there was no right "for a foreign entity/government to pronounce on the state of our citizens' constitutionally protected rights".  "India is proud of its secular credentials, its status as the largest democracy and a pluralistic society with a long-standing commitment to tolerance and inclusion," spokesman Raveesh Kumar said in a statement.  "The Indian Constitution guarantees fundamental rights to all its citizens, including its minority communities."  The United States has sought to boost ties with India as a counterweight to China, and both US President Donald Trump and Modi have highlighted their good relationship.  However, India last week imposed higher import tariffs on 28 US items in retaliation to Washington's recent withdrawal of trade privileges for New Delhi.  Pompeo wants to use his New Delhi trip to lay the ground for a Trump-Modi meeting at the G20 Summit in Osaka this month. It will be their first since Modi's new landslide election win last month.


aljazeera--2019-07-05--Daughter of Islamic scholar al-Qaradawi remanded in Egypt again

The daughter of prominent Islamic scholar Yusuf al-Qaradawi has begun a hunger strike after Egyptian prosecutors hit her with new charges, according to her lawyer.  Ola al-Qaradawi, who has been held for more than two years, was taken into custody on Thursday only a few hours after her release in a previous case.  Her lawyer, Ahmed Magdi, told reporters she had been remanded by Egyptian prosecutors for 15 days pending further investigation into new charges of "joining a terrorist group".  Qaradawi's fresh charges mean she could be held in pre-trial conditions for another two years, according to Egyptian law.  Magdi said his client had begun a hunger strike to protest against the decision.  Al-Qaradawi's daughter, Aayah, told Middle East Eye on Thursday her mother has "reached the point where she is not able to take it any more".  "She's been in solitary confinement for the past two years; she's not even in contact with other prisoners," she said.  Al-Qaradawi, a Qatari citizen of Egyptian origin, and her husband, Hosam Khalaf, an Egyptian national, were both arrested by Egyptian security forces in 2017. They were later accused of having links to the Muslim Brotherhood, a group outlawed in Egypt.  Ola's father, Yusuf al-Qaradawi, is revered by supporters as the spiritual leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, and lives in exile in Qatar.  Last year, Jared Gesner, the couple's US-based lawyer, told Al Jazeera that both al-Qaradawi and Khalaf "vigorously deny" belonging or supporting the Muslim Brotherhood; al-Qaradawi is not political, while Khalaf previously belonged to a rival Islamic party called Al Wasat, which is legally registered in Egypt.  The couple has been never presented with the evidence against them or given a chance to stand trial, and the family has brought the case to the United Nations working group on arbitrary detention.  Their arrests came shortly after Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain broke all ties with Qatar, accusing it of supporting "terrorism" - an accusation Doha vehemently rejected.  The couple's supporters insist that the accusations are politicised and linked to the diplomatic impasse between Cairo and Doha - not to any actual criminal offence.  Since her initial arrest, al-Qaradawi has been held in solitary confinement in the al-Qanater Women Prison in Qalyubia governorate, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW). Her cell is about 160 centimetres by 180 centimetres in size, and does not have a bed, toilet and sufficient ventilation and lighting. She is only allowed to use an external toilet for five minutes every morning. Khalaf is being held in similar conditions in a different prison, according to media reports.  Al-Qaradawi's lawyer and relatives say she has been subjected to inhumane conditions and abuse by prison staff, and her health has deteriorated in detention.  Various rights groups have condemned the couple's arrest, with HRW saying they are being denied their fundamental rights.  Last year, Amnesty International and the UN human rights office said al-Qaradawi's prolonged solitary confinement could also amount to torture, cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment.


aljazeera--2019-07-25--Tunisian president Beji Caid Essebsi dies at 92

Tunisia's President Beji Caid Essebsi, the North African country's first democratically elected leader, has died at the age of 92, according to the presidency.  One of the world's oldest leaders, Essebsi died at the Tunis military hospital on Thursday morning, the presidency said in a statement.  He was hospitalised with a severe illness in late June, but returned to intensive care on Thursday, his son said. Earlier, Hafedh Caid Essebsi told AFP news agency that "things are not going well".  Drafted in as prime minister in 2011 after longtime ruler Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was toppled, Essebsi was elected president three years later, becoming the country's first directly elected head of state after its Arab Spring uprising.  As prime minister, he helped draft a new democratic constitution guaranteeing fundamental rights such as freedom of speech, and preparing Tunisia for free elections.  He also cobrokered an historic power-sharing deal between his Nidaa Tounes movement and Islamist party Ennahda that helped to steady the country, as other parts of the region such as Syria, Yemen or Libya struggled with upheaval and violence.  In recognition of their role, Tunisian civil society groups won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2015.  Though Tunisia remained a democratic exception in a troubled region, critics accused Essebsi of attempting a dynastic handover to his son, rowing back on some post-revolution freedoms, and failing to support a truth commission seeking justice for the victims of authoritarian rule.  Essebsi recently announced he would not run in an election scheduled for November, saying a younger person should lead the country.  Concerns had been growing about a potential power vacuum in Tunisia ahead of the November elections after the president was hospitalised three times in recent weeks.  Tunisia's constitution, adopted in 2014, provides two measures in such a case.  The prime minister can take over the president's responsibilities for a period of no more than 60 days. If the vacancy is longer, the speaker of parliament is tasked with the role for up to 90 days.  In both cases, the decision must be taken by a constitutional court after it validates the president's incapacity. But eight years after the Arab Spring, Tunisia has yet to set up a constitutional court.  Youssef Cherif, deputy director at Columbia Global Centers, said the parliament speaker, Mohamed Ennaceur, who is 85 years old, was likely to take over the country.  "The president has been unwell for almost a month now, so for the last few weeks there was a lot of discussion inside the corridors of the presidency, the parliament, the prime minister's office to find a way without having a constitutional court," Cherif said from Tunis.  "Constitutional experts say the parliament speaker will be the interim president for about two months, and then either elections will happen after two months, or elections that were anyway scheduled to take place between October and December will take place."  Parliamentary elections are scheduled to take place on October 6, followed by a presidential election on November 17. They will be the third set of polls in which Tunisians have been able to vote freely following the 2011 revolution.  Commenting on Essebsi's legacy, Sami Hamdi, editor-in-chief of the United Kingdom-based International Interest magazine said: "Tunisia is still faring far better than Libya, Syria and the like in the sense that it has avoided war. However, this is not to deny that Tunisia is going through a very bad economic crisis. There is still incredible class divides and poverty."  Unemployment in Tunisia stands at about 15 percent, up from 12 percent in 2010, due to weak growth and low investment.  Tunisia has been spared much of the violence seen elsewhere in the Middle East since 2011, although it has been the target of fighters from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS) over the years.  "We have seen the return of lobby groups, business interests and foreign intervention," Hamdi said. "Nevertheless there is still a belief that in 2019 all hope is not lost, that there is still some sort of democratic process."  Nobody can deny that Tunisia is suffering from despair, he added.  "However in comparison to other countries, there is still hope that we can fix the path and go towards a more prosperous Tunisia," he said.  "There is an admission that the people still have power."


aljazeera--2019-07-31--One year on What has changed for Zimbabwe post Mugabe

One year on: What has changed for Zimbabwe post Mugabe?

Harare, Zimbabwe - A year ago, with Zimbabwe's longtime ruler Robert Mugabe out of the picture, the troubled African country seemed to have taken a turn for the better.  Mugabe's successor and the incumbent, Emmerson Mnangagwa, was speaking a new language.  Politically, he was breaking away from his predecessor's ruinous and often autocratic past and presenting himself as a new man, re-engaging with the international community after years of diplomatic ostracisation.  Economically, the 76 year old was pursuing new policies such as opening up the country for business under the "open for business" mantra. He was also looking to abandon controversial policies such as indigenisation - a law that compelled foreign investors with businesses with a net asset value of $1 to cede 51 percent equity stakes to indigenous Zimbabweans to right historical wealth imbalances.  Aided by various public relations gimmicks that won him admiration, Mnangagwa was set to succeed.  On one occasion, he stopped his presidential motorcade at a popular fast food outlet for a chicken meal. He is said to have waited in the queue like everyone else.  Fast forward a year, the hope for a new Zimbabwe has vanished. Mnangagwa has lost support and confirmed everyone's worst fear: there is someone who can run the country worse than Mugabe.  Innocent Zhakata, a book vendor on Harare's streets, told Al Jazeera things have gotten tougher since Mnangagwa took over.  "Life is getting tough. Prices are going up. There is no money in the economy. During Mugabe's time, life was better. People are now realising they made a mistake [supporting the military coup that catapulted Mnangagwa to power]," Zhakata told Al Jazeera.  "In the few months we have been with these guys, things have gotten worse. Things were better. We could buy property, furniture and other things. Now, we can't even buy clothes."  Munyaradzi Mufambi, a 22-year-old beverage merchandiser in the capital, said the last year had been disillusioning for him.  "I am not sure about the future of our generation in light of the problems we face as a country. I wonder if I will ever be able to raise a family and provide for them adequately," said Mufambi.  "In all fairness, I don't know if the president has plans to fix the problems. Maybe he just hasn't communicated these plans to the nation."  Mufambi, like Zhakata, said the standards of living were much better under Mugabe.  "Given a choice between Mugabe and Mnangagwa, I would choose Mugabe," said Mufambi.  "School fees was $20 in my time. A quart of beer was $2. I have to forego beer now, save money and buy essential things. I now buy second-hand clothing."  Ibbo Mandaza, a respected academic and director of a local think-tank Sapes Trust, said Mnangagwa's first year as president had been a total failure.  "Ever since that coup in November 2017, things have actually been getting worse. It's been worse than we expected. We are now faced with a far worse political and economic crisis characterised by power shortages, rising prices, currency crisis and fuel shortages," Mandaza told Al Jazeera.  "What is more worrying is that whilst we are in this crisis, there is virtual absence of government intervention. One can be forgiven for thinking there is now government. At this rate, I don't see this government getting to 2023.  "Under Mugabe, things were getting bad. It's the same group of people essentially. It's them and it appears it ends with them. This can't go on forever. I am concerned with the apparent lack of an alternative political solution in this crisis to step in and help end the crisis."  In the run-up to the elections last year, Mnangagwa promised millions of jobs, a better life, and a better Zimbabwe.  A year later, none of the promises has been delivered.  "He lied. We thought industries were going to open and new jobs created. He lied. None of the things he promised have been delivered," Zhakata, who was laid off from one of the country's largest bakery, Lobels, pointed out.  Not many citizens will vent their anger in public.  Some said Mnangagwa is far more brutal than Mugabe and an even worse dictator.  In January, five months after being sworn in as the country's third president, more than 17 unarmed people were shot and killed by the military for protesting against high fuel prices.  Scores were wounded or arrested. Mugabe had generally been seen as a dictator, but he had never unleashed soldiers on protesters.  The US imposed sanctions as a result, saying they would only be removed if Harare showed commitment and political will to return to democracy through fostering the rule of law and holding credible elections, among other key reforms.  Just this week, Defence and War Veterans deputy minister Victor Matemadanda told a Zimbabwe National Liberation War Collaborators conference in Gweru the army would crush any protests.  "The law says police must use minimum force when dealing with riotous people during demonstrations," he said.  "I do not know the level of the said minimum force. But if they fail to handle the demonstrations, the constitution says they must invite the military," Matemadanda added.  Opposition MDC National Youth Assembly spokesperson Steven Chuma said Mnangagwa's short reign has been a disaster.  "It's crystal clear that Mnangagwa has failed. Never in the history of Africa has any president failed in one year as he has failed."  Mnangagwa's pledge to break with his predecessor's past autocratic policies and tactics, and introduce far-reaching reforms in the realms of business and safeguarding fundamental rights, has so far been a pipe dream for many Zimbabweans.  Since the beginning of the year, there has been a clampdown on activists and opposition figures.  In the past few months, the government has seemingly targeted civil society activists and workers.  State security agents arrested seven activists between May 20 and 27 at Harare's Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport on their return from a workshop in the Maldives.  Job Sikhala, deputy chair for the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), was arrested last month on charges of attempting to subvert Mnangagwa's government.  The basis of Sikhala's arrest was a video that circulated on social media in which he appears to be telling supporters at a rally: "We are going to take the fight to the doorsteps of Emmerson Mnangagwa. We are going to overthrow him before 2023 - that is not a joke."  Mnangagwa has also not instituted reforms to laws seen to be unconstitutional such as the repressive Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Public Order and Security Act.  The two laws were seen as an attack on fundamental rights such as freedom of expression and association.  Analysts say apart from his heavy-handedness and autocratic tactics, his short rule is one fraught with numerous failures.  The economy is on its knees. Inflation is ravaging. General hardships are the order of the day.  Power shortages have hit industry hard. Currency confidence is at its lowest.  A spokesman for the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF), Simon Khaya Moyo, said Mnangagwa fared pretty fairly given the myriad of challenges he faced, such as the drought and the impact it was having on the economy.  Moyo added that the government had instituted fiscal reforms that are bearing fruit as evidenced by the fiscal discipline within all government departments as well as the budget surplus.  He added that the drought affected power generation in the country.  "The water level at Kariba dam is at 24 percent of required capacity. This has affected power generation. That is not something we have control over. But we are working to resolve this issue," said Moyo.  "It's been difficult for the people because of inflation. We want our people to have a good life as enunciated in our election manifesto. All the people of Zimbabwe should be well taken care of without bias and favour. It's every citizen's right. That is what we want for our people."


aljazeera--2019-09-03--Discontent swells in Zimbabwe amid crackdown economic woes

Discontent swells in Zimbabwe amid crackdown, economic woes

Whereas Robert Mugabe, who ruled Zimbabwe for 37 years, would contravene the West diplomatically, President Mnangagwa wanted to engage. And contrary to Mugabe's strategy of barring investors, Mnangagwa said he was open for business.  At home, when he was officially sworn into office last year following a coup to remove Mugabe, he was welcomed as the leader Zimbabwe needed, and on the diplomatic front, he was the darling of Western diplomats - a pragmatic and progressive reformer.  But almost two years on from the removal of Mugabe, the landscape from both fronts is viewed differently amid an apparent crackdown on dissent and an economy that remains weak.  On August 16 this year, anti-riot police crushed a demonstration, injuring several protesters.  Earlier, in January, more than 16 people were killed when soldiers opened fire on protesters in the aftermath of a 150 percent fuel price increase.  Several others were injured.  Last year in August, soldiers shot and killed six other opposition-supporting protesters.  With inflation at 200 percent in June, high living costs, stagnant salaries and 90 percent unemployment, discontent against Mnangagwa's government is rising.  "I am very unhappy with the state of affairs in the country. Life is very hard now. We want the problems solved," said Priscah Katema, a Harare resident who does odd jobs to supplement her husband's income.  Some observers have described Mnangagwa as being "worse" than his former mentor Mugabe, but Ibbo Mandaza, a political science academic and former government adviser, said this perspective was limited.  "The argument that Mnangagwa is worse than Mugabe is purely academic," he told Al Jazeera. "This is because there should not be any distinction between the two. Mnangagwa was always at the centre of the security apparatus that enabled Mugabe to do all the things he did."  After the recent anti-government protests, the European Union, which earlier threw its support behind Mnangagwa's reforms, sent a warning.  In a joint statement, the heads of mission for France, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Romania, Sweden, UK, Australia, Canada and the United States, said the "intimidation, harassment and physical attacks on human rights defenders, trade union and civil society representatives and opposition politicians - prior to, during and following the demonstration in Harare on August 16 - are cause for great concern."  In defiance reminiscent of the Mugabe era, Nick Mangwana, information secretary and presidential spokesperson, said the EU statement undermined civilian authority and promoted anarchy.  "The government is taken aback by the intrusive and judgmental tone of the statement. The statement fails to acknowledge that the Zimbabwean High Court spoke on the issue, which rendered any action taken contrary to that judgment illegal," he said in a statement.  Meanwhile, rights groups including Amnesty International have called on Zimbabwe to protect its citizens, describing a "systematic and brutal crackdown".  "What we have witnessed in Zimbabwe since President Emmerson Mnangagwa took power is a ruthless attack on human rights, with the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association increasingly restricted and criminalised," said Muleya Mwananyanda, Amnesty International's deputy director for Southern Africa.  Stephen Chuma, spokesman of the Opposition MDC Alliance Youth Assembly National, said the government's actions make Zimbabwe look like a military state.  "Blocking the people's constitutional right to demonstrate can only aid in further exposing this regime and also buttressing our position that Emmerson Mnangagwa has turned the country into a fully-fledged military state that does not respect people's fundamental rights," said Chuma.  By the time of publishing, Mnangagwa had not responded to Al Jazeera's request for comment.  Unperturbed by the diplomatic attacks, the 76-year-old president has accelerated a clampdown on opposition leaders and perceived enemies of the state.  Opposition activists Blessing Kanotunga, MDC Youth chairperson, and Citizens Manifesto's Tatenda Mombeyarara were abducted and assaulted last month in advance of protests, before being dumped back on the streets of Harare.  In the same period, MDC Youth Assembly National Vice Chairperson Cecilia Chimbiri was called in by the CID while Pride Mkono, a pro-democracy campaigner, was also detained and charged with attempting to subvert a constitutional government.  MDC national organising secretary Amos Chibaya was detained for failing to comply with a ban on demonstrations, and Leopold Munhende, a journalist with an online publication, was recently arrested in Harare.  Human rights lawyer Doug Coltart was also held and assaulted for filming the arrest of trade unionists, and spent a night in jail.  Even comedians have not been spared.  Armed and masked men forcefully entered the house of popular comic Samantha Kureya, known by her stage name "Gonyeti", and abducted her.  She was reportedly driven to an unknown area and assaulted for her satirical jokes that poke fun at authorities.  But despite the threats, the opposition has refused to stop protesting, Chuma said.  "By closing the democratic space, the government is creating its own enemy," he said.  Mnangagwa's term comes to an end in 2023.  Mandaza, the political science academic, believes it is unlikely he will stand in power until then.  "The killings of the August 1, 2018, the stolen elections, the January killings this year, assaults on protesters, and abductions are indicative of regimes that have become very vulnerable and fragile," he said. "They now rely on sheer force after they lost the social and political base."