Global Beat: Uighurs Under Threat, EU Populism, and More
Uighurs
September 14, 2018
Global Beat is your weekly stop for news from around the world. Join us every Friday morning for important stories you should know about.
This week, China detains 2 million Uighurs in re-education camps; populism continues to rise in Europe; Sudan’s president dissolves his country’s government; and more.
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Americas
Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro lashed out against his government after it was revealed that a series of clandestine meetings have been going on since Fall 2017 between U.S. officials and discontented Venezuelan military officials who have reached out to discuss a possible coup d’état against their president. While the White House has neither confirmed nor denied the clandestine events, it was reported that American officials have decided not to provide assistance to the rebels, but instead to only attend meetings and listen to the "daily concerns" of Venezuelans "be they members of the ruling party, the security services, elements of civil society or from among the millions of citizens forced by the regime to flee abroad," as National Security Council spokesman Garrett Marquis stated.
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Central & South Asia
Millions of people celebrated a gay rights victory in India after the Indian Supreme Court overturned the "irrational, arbitrary, and incomprehensible" Section 733 of the Indian Penal code that criminalized homosexuality. Established during the colonial era, the ban has long constituted a burden for the LGBTQ community in India, condemning their sexuality with a 10-year jail punishment and exposing them to discrimination in the work place. Although the landmark decision marks the beginning of a constitutional acceptance of homosexuality, the government said that "it will oppose any attempts by activists to push for further rights," including gay marriage, adoption, and inheritance rights. Nevertheless, the historic victory has spurred the LGBTQ community to continue to fight for equality.
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- United States: No cooperation with International Criminal Court probe of alleged Afghan war crimes – Voice of America
China & East Asia
The United States is considering placing economic penalties on China as a result of its violation of human rights following the detention of over 2 million Uighurs in "re-education camps in western Xinjiang, where they were forced to pledge loyalty to the Communist Party." The Uighurs are among several other Muslim ethnic minority groups that are being targeted by Chinese officials. If approved by the U.S. secretaries of state and treasury, the sanctions will function under the Global Magnitsky Act which puts economic pressure on countries violating human rights, and will affect both Chinese officials and companies.
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- In diplomatic dance at Russian economic forum, Japan pulls closer into orbit of China and Russia – Straits Times
Europe & Russia
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker warned against the rise of populism and far-right political parties throughout the European Union this week. They also expressed concern at waning cohesion in the EU. In Sweden’s general election on Sunday, the anti-immigrant populist party Sweden Democrats came in third with 18 percent of the vote. The result showed that populism continues to rise, even in historically progressive countries such as Sweden.
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Middle East & North Africa
Just a few days after a UN-supported ceasefire, Libya’s capital Tripoli is facing turmoil following a series of deadly clashes from rival armed groups seeking control over the oil-rich country. Attacks began in the headquarters of Libya’s National Oil Company in Tripoli, where masked men broke into the building with random shooting and explosions and took hostages. The battle resulted in the death of at least two of the company’s staff and two gunmen. Another attack shook the capital when multiple rockets hit the Mitiga International Airport, causing no casualties. While no terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the attacks so far, the Libyan government believes that attackers are affiliated with ISIL.
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- Trump administration announces closure of the Palestinian Liberation Organization office in Washington – Al Jazeera
Southeast Asia & Oceania
Following a probe into illegal transfers from the 1Malaysia Development Berhad fund that was led by former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, a court in Singapore ordered the return of $15.3 million to Malaysia as the "the first phase of the ongoing efforts to recover funds that were unlawfully misappropriated from the 1MDB." Ongoing financial investigations will reveal the total sum of unlawful transfers that will be granted back from Singapore, in addition to five other countries that have been involved in the money laundering operation. The scandal has forced Malaysia to reconsider its infrastructure investments as it recently ended its plans with China to build oil and gas pipelines and postponed its high-speed rail project with Singapore for two years.
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- China poised to win major victory in sea dispute with help of Philippine resources deal – The Wall Street Journal
Sub-Saharan Africa
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has dissolved his country’s government and appointed a new prime minister who is charged with forming a new cabinet with fewer ministers to reduce governmental financial spending. With 65 percent inflation, shortages of oil and imports of basic needs, and a threatening drop in Sudan’s pound on the black market, Bashir’s decision came as a result of an economic crisis that has been escalating since South Sudan’s independence in 2011, despite U.S. efforts to remove a 20-year-old trade embargo.
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