UN peacebuilding official voices hope for stability in Guinea-Bissau

A window of opportunity exists to consolidate peace in Guinea-Bissau, a senior official reported to the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission (PBC).

Drug consumption should be made illegal, Colombia tells General Assembly

The consumption of drugs should be made illegal to break the increasingly close links with production, trafficking and organized crime, Colombia’s President told the General Assembly today as he warned about the dangers posed by the illicit drug industry.

Time running out to reform global governance, French leader warns at UN

French President Nicolas Sarkozy issued a warning at the General Assembly today that time is running out to reform global governance for politics, economics and the environment to address crises on multiple fronts.

DR Congo: UN helps reintegrate former rebels into national army, police

The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Tuesday began transferring detained former rebels who will be joining the Government army under a recent amnesty programme.

Financing vital for poor nations to combat climate change, European Union tells UN

Developed countries have a responsibility to help poorer nations in their fight against climate change, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt told the General Assembly’s high-level debate in New York today, underscoring the need for heightened action against global warming.

Syria - confusing reports and regime stability

Syrian security forces in action

There are some confusing - and surprising - reports emanating from Syria that raise questions. According to an opposition web site, 30 senior members of the Iraqi jaysh al-mahdi (JAM) residing in Damascus were killed by unknown gunmen. The JAM is a Shi’a militia led by radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

Interestingly, there appears to be no coverage of the alleged incident in the Syrian press, Arabic or English. This is not surprising since all the media in Syria is government controlled and/or regulated. This is not the type of story that the regime of Bashar al-Asad would want made public.

Syria prides itself on excellent internal security. I lived there for almost three years, and they do have excellent internal security. There is little crime and the only public disturbances are either orchestrated by the regime or punished severely. As in Saudi Arabia, the low crime rate comes at a price - all you have to do is forgo freedom of speech, religion, assembly, etc.

Back to this incident. Why are members of the Iraqi Shi’a JAM living in Damascus? Syria is one of Iran’s only allies, and its only Arab ally. The JAM is funded, equipped and trained by the Iranians. Senior members of the JAM seeking refuge in Syria is not surprising.

What is surprising is the murder of 30 of their number in Damascus. Given the relationship between Iran and Syria, it is highly unlikely that the Syrian security or intelligence services were involved. This immediately focuses suspicion in the illegal Muslim Brotherhood or affiliated fundamentalist Sunni groups who have mounted opposition to the secular Ba’th government for decades.

When I was in Damascus, there were incidents involving the Brotherhood. None were of this magnitude - there was just too much security and pervasive surveillance for this large of an operation. Normally the incidents involved a small group - eight to 10 men, who inalmost all cases had to be killed since they would not give up.

If the Brotherhood or some other anti-government group mounted this operation, it may indicate that the government is not the fearsome entity it once was. This also cannot help Iraqi-Syrian relations, already strained since Syria recently refused to hand over Iraqis suspected of funneling lethal aid to the remnants of al-Qa’idah in Iraq and the Saddamist Ba’th Party.

In any case, the coordinated murder of 30 people in Damascus raises a lot of questions, not the least of which is - who is in charge?

African States need to move faster on development, Uganda tells UN debate

The countries of sub-Saharan Africa have spent too long “wandering in the desert of under-development” and need to take faster steps towards building infrastructure and modernizing their economies, the President of Uganda told the opening of the General Assembly’s high-level debate today.

Not a joke - In Iran, mannequins must wear hijab

Display of bow ties and neckties, and the sale of women’s underwear by men are also banned, the police said.

 

The move is part of a crackdown on Western influences and enforcement of dress codes in recent years.

 

“Un-Islamic behaviour” has been targeted since President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s first election in 2005.

 

“Using unusual mannequins exposing body curves and with heads without hijabs [Muslim veils] are prohibited to be used in the shops,” police said in a statement carried by Irna.

 

Correspondents say that in the past such campaigns usually only lasted throughout the summer, but last year’s crackdown, including on tight trousers for women, was still continuing in the winter.

 

Iranians who violate dress codes for the first time are generally cautioned, but repeat offenders can face court action and “guidance classes”.

Urgent resources needed to feed Ethiopians stricken by drought, warns UN

A lack of resources for emergency relief efforts in Ethiopia threatens to cut off food aid delivery to the most vulnerable people in the coming days, the United Nations humanitarian arm warned today.

Orwellian camera network to be made smarter

A UK research centre hopes to make CCTV cameras able to recognise trouble