Issue 2 TEMP

WASHINGTON D.C. MONDAY OCTOBER 28, 2014 VOLUME I ISSUE 2

FOUR MORE FOR DILMA

Dilma Rousseff secures re-election in a close runoff against Neves

By Shirley Zhan

The votes are in, and Brazil has made a decision. After no candidate manageed to win a majority of the votes during the first round of general elections on October 5th, 2014, Brazil took to the polls again this past Sunday as a runoff took place between the two candidates with the highest number of votes. In one of the tightest presidential races in Brazil’s election history, Dilma Rousseff of the Workers Party (PT) won re-election with 51.6 percent of the votes in the second round runoff, defeating her opponent, Minas Gerais Senator Aécio Neves of the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB), who fell short with 49.4 percent of the votes.

Marina Silva of the Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB) finished a distant third in the first round of elections, putting her out of the race for the presidency. Polls conducted before the firstround vote suggested that 60 to 70 percent of Silva’s supporters would choose to back Neves in a runoff with

East Asia & Oceania China and Vietnam Resolve Differences, Temporary Peace or Permanent Change?

On October 17th, 2014, China and Vietnam were apparently able to reach an agreement on developing bilateral military relations, especially in regard to their maritime disputes.

In a meeting between the Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan and the Vietnamese Defense Minister Phung Quang Thanh in Beijing, both sides agreed to increase cooperation and military exchanges between the two countries.

Both ministers advocated for the development of peace and stability in disputed maritime regions, in addition to enhancing political trust. This development signifies a temporary victory for China in regard to its strategic interests.

South & Southeast Asia

Malala- For Better or for Worse?

In June 2013, militants blew up a bus carrying female university students in Quetta, the capital of Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province. A nation where violence, repression, and gender inequity is uncommon, Pakistan is ranked by the World Economic Forum as the least gender equitable nation in Asia and the Pacific region.

Women, not only live with discrimination, but are also occasionally “attacked and killed on account of asserting their rights to education, work and generally for choosing to have a say in key decisions in their lives”. A young girl who was brutally shot in the head by the Taliban for her advocacy for girl’s education has taken an international spotlight for Pakistan’s gender inequality issues.

Eastern Europe & Central Asia

Rousseff. Neves received a crucial boost in Brazil’s presidential election when Silva publically announced her support for Neves two weeks before the runoff. Silva’s announcement did not come as much of a surprise given the pro-market economic platform she shared with Neves. In return for her support, Silva demanded policy commitments including land reform measures and better protections for indigenous communities. She also requested for Neves to drop plans to reduce the age at which minors can be tried as adults for serious crime.

Neves showed flexibility on land and indigenous issues but refused to balk on the anti-crime measure that had been backed by conservatives.

The economy was a key issue throughout these presidential elections, and Neves—a centrist economist—ran a campaign promising to restore growth in a slowing economy.

The economic coordinator for the Neves campaign, Arminio Fraga, pro-

Middle East & North Africa

Survey Says: Russians See US as Greater Threat than IS

As Unrest Spreads, Some Speculate A Looming Intifada

In a recent poll in Russia concerning possible terrorist threats to the country, carried out by the All-Russia Public Opinion Center, Russians answered that the United States was most likely to be the source of a terrorist threat to Russia; coming above Islamists insurgents in the North Caucasus or Islamic State.

Orwa Hammad, a 14-year-old Palestinian-American, was buried Sunday in the West Bank village of Silwad, northeast of Ramallah. The New Orleans-native was killed during clashes between protesters and Israeli forces on Friday in which 12 others were reportedly injured.

A year ago, before the annexation of Crimea and the ensuing rebellion, Russians viewed Islamic terrorists as the most plausible terrorist threat to the country. Several events have led to this stark change in Russian public opinion, most notably the development of the Ukrainian crisis, which has seen Russo-American relations dip to their lowest point

Israeli officials assert that the military opened fire on someone hurling Molotov cocktails, while witnesses claim Hammad had only been throwing stones. The incident was the second fatal shooting of a Palestinian minor in eight days, following the death of 13-year-old Bahaa Sameer Mousa Bader, who was killed in the West Bank village of Beit Liqya on Oct. 16.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Western Europe

Sudanese President of 25 Years to Seek Re-election

Unidentified Underwater Object Hijacks Swedish Headlines

Democracies have a myriad of essential characteristics. Among these are public elections, open access to information, decent probability that the incumbent party could get voted out, smooth transition in leadership, and the ability of elected officials to actually serve out their times in office. Traditionally speaking, in democratic political systems like that in the United States, incumbents are more than twice as likely to win an election.”

On October 17th, Swedish civilians reported multiple sightings of a mysterious vessel sailing throughout the archipelago approximately 25 miles east of the Swedish capital of Stockholm.

Thus, it is easy to imagine the advantage that president Omar Hassan al-Bashir now possesses in his reelection campaign after 25 years in office. Given the nature of his largely

Pictures of this unidentified vessel surfaced throughout local newspapers, and the Swedish military was promptly alerted to its existence. After an extensive search, the Swedish navy claimed on October 20th that it had intercepted a Russian distress call from the vessel. The Navy also claimed to have seen air bubbles rising from the surface of the water in close proximity to the vessel’s suspected location:

OCTOBER 21ST - OCTOBER 28TH

WATER AS A SOFT COMMODITY

By Nicole Carolin

Later this month, the second piece of China’s South-North Water Diversion project is due to open. The new route will push 13 billion cubic meters of water more than 750 miles from the Danjiangkou dam in south of China to the capital, Beijing. The project aims to address water shortages in the north, which despite its size – compromises two-thirds of China’s farmland – has little fresh water yet.

The south, contrary, holds about 80% of the country’s water resources. In recent years the disparity between the north and south has been exacerbated due to rapid urban growth and pollution of existing water supplies in the north. The severity of the issue prompted the Chinese government to launch the South-North Water Diversion project in 2002 despite the estimated $62 billion cost.

China does not face water scarcity alone; the issue impacts countries on every continent. The earth has sufficient freshwater for its 7 billion inhabitants. However, natural uneven distribution combined with affects of pollution and human wastefulness aggravates the issue. Around one-fifth of the world population faces water scarcity, and that number stands to increase because the rate of water use has exceeded the rate of population increase in the past century.

Climate change has also played a role

in the water crisis. Last year the Potsdam Institute for Climate Change Research announced that climate change is likely to put 40% more people at risk of absolute water scarcity. In January of this year, new data from a pair of Nasa satellites showed that countries at northern latitudes and in the tropics are getting wetter, while countries at mid-latitude are becoming drier. In other words, wet regions are becoming wetter as dry regions become drier, effectively exasperating the existing issue of uneven distribution. The regions most at risk of increasing water shortages include the Middle East, north Africa and south Asia.

The growing prevalence of water scarcity has earned it a place as a global security concern. The 2014 National Intelligence Strategy of the United States released last month identified competition for natural resources, including water, as one of its national security priorities. Water scarcity translates into a security issue because of its potential to destabilize and increase regional tensions.

The idea of water scarcity leading to violent competition is far from

water. Tensions over water scarcity are likely to rise further due to Prime Minister Narenda Modi’s plan to construct more dams as part of a long-term project to connect 30 rivers.

fantasy; the relationship between India and Pakistan has the potential to become such a scenario. Pakistan’s agriculture-intensive economy relies on the Indus river system, over who’s upstream India has primary control.

In 1960, the governments signed the Indus Water Treaty, which fixed and delimited the rights and obligations of each state concerning the use of waters. However, tensions have arisen in recent years as India began constructing new dams to address domestic water shortages and increase its hydroelectric power. Pakistan objected to the construction the Baglihar Dam in 2005 and the Kishanganga Dam in 2011 as violations of the Indus Water Treaty. In the end, both judgments favored India, although Pakistan gained limited rights to preserve its access to

Earlier this month, fighting broke out in the disputed region of Kashmir. The violence resulted in nine Pakistani and eight Indian deaths, violating a border truce that has largely held since 2003. The existing hostile climate, in combination with rising water resource tensions, could prompt an escalation of violence between the already antagonistic nations.

In Eastern Africa, “water wars” are not an issue of the future. In Ethiopia and Kenya, temperatures have risen about 2 °F since 1960, causing dry seasons grow longer. Tribes living in the area, particularly in the Omo-Turkana basin in northern Kenya and southern Ethiopia, depend heavily on the land to raise crops and nourish their livestock. Water scarcity has pushed communities to expand their range to search for water and arable land. As a result, competing tribes have resorted to killing,

raiding livestock, and torching huts.

Besides local competition, tribes also face the imminent construction of two hydroelectric dams on the upper Omo River. The Ethiopian government plans to use the dams to meet its increasing energy demands. The dam will prevent the Omo River’s annual flood cycles, which supports an estimated 800,000 Ethiopian and Kenyan tribesmen. However, the Ethiopian government has denied claims that the dams will impact these communities. The situation threatens to increase refugee flows in the region, leading to tensions between Kenya, South Sudan and Ethiopia. In addition, the issue comes at a precarious time of oil field and pipeline development in East Africa. Therefore, tribal violence concerning water scarcity has implications for the future of stability between East African nations.

Water scarcity has become an issue worthy of international attention that necessitates regional cooperation and sharing of resources. Beyond widespread cooperation, experts support pricing and payment mechanisms that allow markets to improve management and reduce waste of water.

Large-scale infrastructure projects may only provide temporary fixes, as in China, or threaten other’s access to water, as in Eastern Africa.

A Second Look at Western Altruism

By Tarik Endale

In a world of instant communication, instant gratification, and speedy travel, activism and altruism has found new life and a new buzzword: awareness. But awareness and goodwill alone are not enough.

The Kony 2012 campaign is a recent and high profile example of this. The Invisible Children brainchild attempted to raise awareness and funds with the goal of stopping Joseph Kony, the leader of Ugandan militant group The Lords Resistance Army. The video campaign went viral and Invisible Children raised almost $20 million dollars through donations and “awareness products” such as t-shirts and bracelets and brought attention to the atrocities committed in Uganda by Joseph Kony and the LRA. On the surface, the campaign seems like a success. But as novelist and Georgetown professor Dinaw Mengistew wrote, “Change has never come with a click, or a tweet; lives are not saved by bracelets.” The fundamental flaw of Kony 2012, and many other campaigns or organizations, is one of simplification. The campaign took the complex situation in Uganda, boiled it down to one man, then asserted that the solution was a click of a button or a small purchase. The only reason Joseph Kony had not been arrested and a 20 year conflict has not been resolved was supposedly due to a lack of awareness in the West, mainly the United States.

Even the name of the organization has similar connotations to the colonist’s attitude towards “the new world”: if we don’t know about it, it doesn’t exist. However, to the families whose children were being kidnapped and the organizations already trying to help in Northern Uganda, these children were never invisible.

The infantilization of Africa, its many dynamics and its complex issues is what allows a campaign like this to be so financially successful while simultaneously ignoring the years of UN, Ugandan, and Sudanese efforts to ameliorate the situation. Willful ignorance is just as pervasive in another altruism based industry: voluntourism.

Every year, well-off westerners decide to combine volunteer work with a trip to an exotic locale, paying orga-

nizations to give them the opportunity to work on projects such as building houses, working in schools or taking care of orphans. It’s a rapidly growing industry; over 1.6 million tourists spend about $2billion every year.

As noble as it sounds, there are quite a few pitfalls. Many of the organizations that facilitate these trips are focused on the experience of the volunteer, not on the actual communities involved.

For the organization, accommodations and staffing required for these trips often come with high overhead costs, resulting in an increased effort to please the tourists for the additional revenue. In situations where the organization works with schools or orphanages, staff is often pulled away from caring for those who need them most to take care of the volunteers’

needs. The trips are mostly short term and consist of unsustainable, low skill or quality work. They often drive out local workers who could get trained and paid for the service being provided by outside volunteers, and rarely asks or considers what the local population wants or needs.

Here’s another example. An American church partnered with a church in Haiti and decided to build houses for local residents. The volunteers paid their fees, arrived, built the houses and promptly left. The Haitian families moved in, but very soon returned to begging for money and food. The underlying issue for this community was poverty, and building houses did nothing to alleviate the lack of jobs, education or professional skills endemic there.

In South Africa, a particularly popular travel option is volunteering as a short-term caregiver to AIDS orphans. A report by the Human Sciences Research Council outlined a lot of the issues surrounding the growing niche market. Due to the large unemployment and poverty in the area, there is a large number of local youth that would be grateful for the opportunity to receive training and regular meals and would provide a consistent and long term source of care.

Instead, tourists are paying to take those spots for short periods of time.

This is potentially harmful to the children, having already lost their parents and are now constantly making new intimate bonds that are then terminated as soon as the volunteer leaves.

Of course, there are organizations that get it right, donations that do in fact make a difference and true merit in building awareness around important issues. But due diligence is key to making the right choice in organizations and causes to support and dispelling what has been referred to as the “white-savior industrial complex”.

The organizations that truly make a difference work with the communities that they want to help. They work through existing local infrastructure, avoid quick projects with little long term impact, and focus on finding and addressing the local needs in cooperation with the community.

Rise of the Right: India and France

By Nicole Carolin

Both in France and India support for nationalist parties has risen in the past election. In France, Front National (FN) had an incredibly successful election turn out with almost 25% in the French elections for the European Parliament; in India, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) represents the largest party in the national parliament.

Both parties share religious overtones added to their nationalist sentiments.

George Le Pen, founder of the FN, held overtly racist views. Today, his daughter Marine, while not overtly racist, maintains an anti-immigration policy to respond to what she views as the Islamization of France. The Muslim population of France has been growing since the post-World War II era; as of now, it accounts for approximately 10% of the population.

Marine Le Pen skirts the issue of racism and maintains a secular platform by not targeting Muslims or Islam directly. Instead, she argues the crux of the issue is that Muslims impose their value system on the French.

Historically, the BJP has also been hostile towards the Muslim community, although today pockets of Muslims now turn to the BJP as a result of political disillusionment.

The BJP shares ideological ties with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh

slowing economy and high inflation, in addition to high-profile corruption scandals. Indians have become tired of the Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty, and the Congress Party has failed to revive itself with any new leaders.

Instead, it has looked to the fourth generation to take up the mantle.

Rahul Gandhi, vice-president of the Congress Party, led the 2014 general election. In contrast to the charismatic Modi, Gandhi gives the impression that he is less eager for the spotlight.

Thus, the Congress Party experienced a crushing defeat in the general elections this May, obtaining only 44 seats, less than 8% of the total. The BJP won a majority and thus formed the first non-Congress-party non-coalition government in Indian history.

In addition, the BJP delivered another blow to the Congress Party last Sunday with state election victories in both Maharashtra and Haryana. The Congress Party had led Maharashtra and Haryana governments for the past 15 and 10 years, respectively.

Both the Front National and the BJP have gained momentum as potential saviors of failing economies; however, their leaders starkly contrast over economic policy. The Front National is hostile towards globalization and the European Union. It favors protectionist economic policies and abandoning the Euro as France’s currency. On the other hand, Modi’s prescription for India’s stagflation includes embracing the world economy.

Modi has used the Sanskrit phrase vasudaiva kutumbakam, “the world is a family”, and promoted India as prospective manufacturing center during his recent U.S. visit. Voters have high

(RSS), a controversial national volunteer program 40 million strong which espouses a nationalist and religious vision of India. Modi joined a RSS youth group as a child, and remained involved in the organization through university life and then as an activist. Modi’s victory has prompted fears that the RSS will gain too much clout and generate tension between Hindu and Muslim communities.

In addition, Modi’s past is marred by the Gujurat incident in February 2002, when Muslims in a Gujarati town set fire to a train carrying Hindu pilgrims, killing fifty nine people.

Following the incident, Hindu groups retaliated by attacking Muslims; over 1,000 died and about 200,000 Muslims were displaced. However, Modi, who held the position of chief minister of Gujarat at the time, failed

expectations for Modi, who is credited for Gujarat’s economic success.

The future success of the Front National and the BJP is far from certain. The Front National, although gaining momentum, has little chance of victory in the upcoming 2017 presidential election. The Socialist party and the UMP have indicated that they would form a coalition in the event that Marine Le Pen advances to the final round of voting.

The BJP’s future success will likely depend on economic performance, in addition to Modi’s ability to lead a diverse country. India comprises many minority groups including the Muslim community; to govern effectively, the BJP must to be careful not to aggravate factional tensions.

to respond to the riots. As a result, the United States revoked his visa in 2005. Nevertheless, Modi was never found guilty of a crime nor admitted to any wrongdoing. While the United States has since restored his visa, the shadow of Modi’s past remains. This year, only seven of 482 BJP candidates were Muslim, none of whom won, resulting in a Parliament with fewer Muslims than any since 1952.

In addition, Modi has articulated anti-immigration rhetoric similar to that of Marine Le Pen. During a rally in Feburary, Modi called for Hindu migrants from Bangladesh to move back to India and for non-Hindus to be sent back to their home nations.

The appeal of the Front National and the BJP has grown exponentially as voters become disillusioned with political parties whose promises of change have borne little fruit.

In France, both the UMP and the Socialist Party have faltered. According to the French Institute of Public Opinion, President François Hollande’s popularity fell to a record low in September: only 13% of French people express satisfaction with his performance. President Hollande’s approval rating reflects the dissatisfaction with his economic policy, which focuses on cutting state expenditures and tax breaks for companies. His desire to simul-

to revive the UMP and address the threat of the Front National. However, his return was met with a lukewarm welcome; polls suggest about half of the French are unhappy with his return. This is partly due to the fact that some associate Sarkozy with elitists who support the increasingly unpopular European Union. The failures of the ruling Socialist party and the chaos of the UMP provide an ideal growing ground for the Front National.

taneously continue his reform while stimulating growth prompted an internal crisis in August when Economy Minister Arnaud Montebourg publically called for a major overhaul of economic policy. Hollande has since formed a new government. However, the French remain frustrated with a stubbornly high unemployment rate, which reached 10.2% in Q2 of 2014.

The central rival to Hollande’s Socialist Party, the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP), has not been reinvigorated despite the failures of its competition. In May, the UMP was accused of illegal funding of Nicolas Sarkozy’s 2012 election campaign.

The scandal reignited internal strife over UMP leadership and cast doubt on Sarkozy’s chances in the 2017 presidential election. Nicholas Sarkozy recently returned to political life

Aside from the failures of the Socialist Party and the UMP, the Front National has gained prominence due to its platform. Francois Hollande connected the rise of the FN to “the fear of decline” and “relations with Islam”. The anti-European Union and anti-immigration policies of the FN appeal to voters concerned by these issues. While the platform may have appeal, many still hold back because of the stigma attached to the Front National’s extremist and racist history. Marine Le Pen has attempted to counter this stigma through a policy of dédiabolisation (de-demonization) and has threatened to sue anyone who calls the FN a far-right party.

Indians, too, have shifted to the right as an alternative to the shortcomings of other parties, particularly the Congress Party. The Congress Party has fallen out of favor largely due to a

E. ASIA & OCEANIA EAST ASIA & OCEANIA OCTOBER 21 - OCTOBER 28

Editor’s Column JJ Phang and Tomoyuki Shikata

East Asia and Oceania remains the world’s growth engine despite a challenging external environment.

The vital region embodies explosive economic growth, vibrant societies, modernizing militaries, rich cultural traditions amid globalization, and strategic competition among major powers. As a result, there is rising media coverage of the region recently. Countries in the region range from China, the world’s second largest economy, to the Pacific Island countries, some of the world’s smallest and most remote. This section of The Caravel will strive to not only report the major political and economic news, but also introduce the readers to the rich cultural palette of the region.

Tomo is a rising junior in School of Foreign Service, majoring in International Political Economy. Born and raised in Tokyo, he has also lived in Paris and Mexico City. On campus, Tomo is also involved in the Japan Network and Hoya Break Squad. With its rich and complex histories, and the distinctive traditional and modern cultures of each country, East Asia continues to fascinate him everyday.

JJ is a senior in the School of Foreign Service, pursuing a major in International Politics with a concentration in Foreign Policy and Policy Processes and a certificate in Asian Studies.

Born and raised in Singapore, he has a keen academic interest in East Asia and strong affinity with the region – the food, music, languages, culture, history, politics – you name it!

The Caravel is a weekly international newspaper that engages the undergraduate student body in the entire production process, from research and writing to editing and administration. Our project strives, first, to bring under-reported news into the limelight of international affairs.

Second, to enhance cross-cultural understanding through a unique emphasis on regional perspective and contextual analysis.

Finally, to nurture regional specialists by providing a platform for undergraduate students to write and accumulate knowledge on specific regions.

CHINA AND VIETNAM AGREEMENTS move can be read in two ways. First, the Obama administration has not abandoned its much-vaunted “pivot” to Asia policy. Second, the lifting of weapon sales shows that the U.S. wants to continue to exert its influence among Asian countries, and buffer other states to balance against China.

By Kevin Chen

Maritime disputes between China and Vietnam have been going over on for centuries. Since the Qing Dynasty, both countries have laid claim to the Paracel Islands, a chain of archipelago islands located in the South China Sea. In the past, control over the islands was largely of symbolic importance, and had little practical consequence. But, now in an increasingly energy scarce world, whoever controls the islands will have access to important natural resources. Recent Chinese expeditions have discovered vast maritime oil reserves near these disputed islands, thus raising the stakes of ownership.

In the past several months, tensions have steadily increased between China and Vietnam regarding the South China Sea and the territories that China claimed. Though obviously both countries have had a longstanding disagreement over sovereignty, recent tensions can largely be traced back to the location of a Chinese oil rig. This past summer, China installed an oil rig near the Paracel Islands, in waters that were also claimed by Vietnam.

Afterwards, a Vietnamese fishing boat collided with a Chinese vessel. When the video of the incident was released, the ensuing political backlash sparked vicious riots in Vietnam, targeting mostly Chinese nationals. Although China has since dismantled the oil rig and relocated it farther away, there is still significant anti-Chinese senti-

ment among the Vietnamese people.

Furthermore, these protests severely damaged the relationship between these two countries. In the aftermath, both countries blamed each other for being responsible for the wrongdoing.

The recent China-Vietnam agreement appears to have closed this chapter and put this crisis to rest. Significantly, China has also appeared to resolve this problem without interference from the United States. It is noteworthy that China has been able to prevent Vietnam from bringing the U.S. into its affairs, by utilizing bilateral instead of multilateral talks.

More importantly, this move affords China more flexibility in dealing with its neighboring countries and

LEaDing the Way to Energy Efficient Light Sources

This year, three Japanese names were added to the list of Nobel Prize laureates, Isamu Akasaki, Hiroshi Amano, and Shuji Nakamura awarded the Nobel Prize of Physics. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, which selects the Nobel laureates every year in the fields of Physics and Chemistry, awarded the prize to the three for the invention of blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs), an energy-saving method of lighting.

By Andrea Moneton

The invention of blue LED’s was crucial to the development of LED lighting in general. The basic concept of an LED lamp is that it emits extremely narrow waves of different colored lights, which mix together in order to create white light. The principle is similar to that of spinning a wheel painted in all three primary colors: if you spin it fast enough, it will appear to become white. LEDs take this a step further and turn these colors of light into white light. However, the creation of blue LED had remained a challenge for three decades and hindered the development of LED technology; the issue was described as the “biggest hurdle in the field” and “impossible” because it did not respond to the same chemical that red and green lights required. This is where the three Japanese physicists and now Nobel Prize Laureates made a breakthrough.

In 1989, Isamu Akasaki was a professor at Nagoya University and had been doing research with one of his graduate students, Hiroshi Amano since the early 1970’s. Together, the two discovered the chemical that was needed to create blue LED lights, and paved the way for the practical application of the technology. This last step was finally accomplished in 1993 by the third laureate, Shuji Nakamu-

prevents the U.S. from asserting its own influence in the region. While the exact terms of the agreement have not been released, one can presume that China was able to cut a deal that was amenable to both parties. From China’s perspective, this is a double victory – it has kept the U.S. out of its sphere of influence, and illustrated its ability to peacefully resolve crises.

However, this victory may only be a temporary one. In an unprecedented move, the U.S. recently lifted its forty-year arms embargo on Vietnam.

Though weapons may only be given to Vietnam if they have implications for maritime security, it is unlikely that this is a coincidence, given the timing of the oil rig incident. This

This recent move by the U.S. does not bode well for China, who will undoubtedly view this renewed military trade as another move in geopolitical encirclement. Already, Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines have significant military ties with the U.S. The inclusion of Vietnam in that agreement will mean that much of China’s territorial disputes will be with American-backed or allied countries.

As a result, China may have moved to resolve its dispute with Vietnam in order to prevent further American actions. By cutting a deal, China could prevent the sale of additional military weapons to Vietnam, which would help in securing China’s claims in its maritime disputes and bolstering its negotiating position. Of course, nobody knows what concessions or side payments China may have been forced to make in order to secure such an agreement. In any case, it is clear that the lifting of the U.S. arms embargo on Vietnam has had a clear impact on accelerating China’s move to a peaceful resolution and dampening its bellicosity.There is hope, then, for small countries to hold out against the behemoth that is rising China.

ra, who now teaches at University of California, Santa Barbara.

The invention, however, was welcomed with controversy.

At the time, Nakamura worked for Nichia Corp, and because the patent for his discovery was registered under his company’s name and not his, he received a bonus of only 20,000 Japanese Yen – a frightening 180 dollars.

Later, Nakamura sued the company and demanded proper compensation for his work; he finally settled on a payment of 844 million Yen, which was still inadequate to compensate for what he brought about.

recognize the intellectual property of its citizens instead of awarding that property to corporations.

Such occurrences, unfortunately, are common in the field of science and technology in Japan because of the nature of a law elaborated by the Japanese government called the Patent Law. This law stipulates that companies are to be awarded patents for inventions by their employees, and can then decide on the reward to offer the individual inventors. However, the implications of the Patent Law go beyond financial rewards. This law creates an entrepreneurial climate hostile to researchers, in which individuals can be scared that they will not receive proper credit for their inventions. Nakamura has heavily criticized the Japanese government for its stance on the issue, and rightly so; the origins of patent laws go back to the 17th century, so a highly developed country like Japan should

Because of this law, Japan has experienced a brain drain in recent years with highly educated individuals countries more welcoming of entrepreneurship and research like the United States. Indeed, not only does Nakamura now teach at the University of California, Santa Barbara but he is also a naturalized American citizen, citing in an interview how much easier it is to receive funding for research in the United States compared to Japan as one of the motivations behind his departure. However, no matter how bitter he may be about the state of Japan’s research climate, Nakamura remains committed to the results of his discovery; in the same interview, he emphasized that he wanted to focus on the good that his invention has brought about, a noble intention after a tough path to the Nobel Prize.

EAST ASIA & OCEANIA OCTOBER 21 - OCTOBER 28

US-CHINA CYBER SECURITY DISPUTE

By Eun-Sun Cho

Since the disclosure by Edward Snowden of the National Security Agency’s online surveillance on Americans citizens and foreign nationals, cyber security emerged as the center of attention in international relations. Amidst this global trend, cyber security continues to be a key contention point between China and the US. Recently, Apple’s iCloud storage of users in China was attacked. The familiar pattern of suspicion towards Beijing for backing the attack and the strong denial of the Chinese government shows that the two superpowers are having a hard time in establishing their authenticity in the fields of cyber security.

Cyber attack is nothing new in the US-China relationship. US has already suffered numerous attacks from Chinese hackers, some of whom were suspected to have been backed by the Chinese government. Major incidents include Titan Rain, a series of attacks by Chinese hackers since 2003 that successfully shut down and gained access to the British and the US government networks. So far, china has been the greatest suspect of attempts to steal US industrial secrets.

In 2013, a report that Chinese hackers gained access to new US weapon designs had generated another serious confrontation. China flatly rejected the accusation and argued that it had information about US cyber attacks

against China. This exchange of accusations pushed cyber security to a key agenda of the US-China Summit in 2013. At the summit, Obama expressed concerns that Chinese cyber attacks will have negative effects on the two countries’ economic relation. Xi seemed to have agreed on the importance of cyber security and expressed commitment for future cooperation, but the issue did not die away. In May 2014, Washington accused five Chinese military officers of stealing commercial secrets from US firms. China answered that any behavior of undermining cyber security is strictly forbidden under Chinese laws, and criticized the US as “[fabricating] stories and deliberate mudslinging toward China.”

In October, the Chinese government announced that it will suspend the cyber security talks with the US due to “mistaken US practices.”

It seems that the past misbehaviors of the two countries pose a big obstacle in the bilateral cooperation. Washington’s engagement of cyber operations against foreign nationals and networks is providing the base for Chinese criticism that attacks the US as being hypocritical. For any cyber attacks launched by Chinese nationals or using Chinese proxy servers, suspecting Chinese government’s support has almost become natural for the US. Due to this lack of mutual trust, the future of the two countries’ cooperation remains unclear.

Premier Li’s Focus on Building Eurasia China’s Premier Li Keqiang landed in Beijing on Oct.18th, concluding his nine-day trip to Europe after visiting Germany, Russia, Italy, and attending the tenth annual Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM). It was Li’s second European trip this year and fourth since he officially became Premier, signaling China’s increasing interest in building partnerships with European countries.

Amid global concerns of economic slowdown, Li’s visit “injected new vitality into China-Europe relations”, according to People’s Daily, China’s state-run media outlet. During his first stop, Germany, Li co-chaired the third round of China-German Governmental Consultations with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and the two heads of state agreed to lift the two countries’ strategic partnership to a higher level. Both leaders vowed to maintain global competitiveness through the promotion of innovation, joint research initiatives, and mutual understanding of each country’s unique system. “With similar focus on real economy and manufacturing, China could benefit a lot by learning from Germany”, said Yang Cheng, Vice Director of Russian Studies at East China Normal University. Intensive talks accompanied the statements, with the two countries striking over $18 billion in deals to strengthen trade investment and technological cooperation.

Episodes from this trip also demonstrated closer relationships between

the Chancellor and the Premier on a personal level. Earlier in March, when Chairman Xi and his wife visited the country, Merkel hosted the couple at her residence with a well-crafted, but traditional German meal. During Li’s visit, Chancellor Merkel also played host, only this time with the addition of German roast duck, a nod to the popular Chinese dish, Peking Roast Duck. After the Consultations, the Chancellor also heeded Li’s request to visit a local supermarket. Merkel chose to take Li to a market she had been frequenting for over twenty years, purchasing multiple gifts out of her own pocket for Li and his wife.

In an interview with Chinese media, Germany’s Ambassador to China Mr. Michael Clauss claimed that Li’s successful trip represented a new historical height of Sino-German relations.

After Germany, the Premier continued on to visit Moscow where he emphasized the importance of enhancing mutual cooperation in the current volatile global environment.

Transportation and energy stood at the heart of the talks. Aiming to build a Eurasian economic network, Li stated that China was ready to advance a rail corridor that would connect Beijing with Moscow, beginning with the current high-speed railway project to join Moscow and Kazan, the Russian capital of the Republic of Tatarstan.

Affirmation of this ambitious pilot project signals China’s desire to reconstruct a modern Silk Road that would extend across the largest conti-

By Harry Xu

nent in the world. Seeking new supply of energy for domestic consumption, the Premier also stated that China will increase its cooperation with Russia in nuclear energy in an integrated manner that covers upstream, midstream and downstream industries.

While talking with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Li also pointed out that China would like to further improve its relationship with Russia in industries including mining, chemicals, agriculture, and infrastructure construction. The leaders signed 40 agreements, including a $24.4 billion currency swap to facilitate Sino-Russian trade. Li’s visit to Moscow directly after spending time in Berlin signals the Premier’s willingness to work with both sides amid EU-Russian tensions over Ukraine.

“Li’s visit to Russia directly after a Western European country like Germany is unprecedented.” Yang commented, “It reflects the strategic considerations in China’s foreign policy to integrate the Eurasian continent”.

In Rome, the Premier met with a Chinese-Italian committee of entrepreneurs to discuss future bilateral relations within the business community regarding, investment, technology and financial cooperation.

Making reference to Marco Polo, the Italian traveler who visited China from Italy eight centuries ago, Li encouraged the local Italian business owners to join forces with China in the competitive global environment today. As the highlight of the trip,

Another challenge in addressing cyber security issue lies in accountability. The complex technology used by hackers makes it very difficult to identify the perpetrator and to assess the extent of the damage. While governments may be involved in cyber crimes, attacks may also be launched by “patriotic hackers,” ordinary citizens hacking governments or firms in “enemies” of their countries. This is why the perpetrators of cyber attacks, including the recent iCloud attack and major attacks such as Titan Rain, have not been identified. Such unclarity gives enough room for governments to reject accusations against them. Due to this elusive nature, cyber security issues is even more likely to generate long-lasting distrust.

While governments cannot completely prevent cyber crimes, it is possible to take strong domestic measures to discourage cyber attacks. On top of publicly advocating cyber security, establishing and enforcing strict domestic laws would be a way to show commitment against cyber crimes.

Fortunately, both the US and China have assured that civilians and systems directly linked to civilian lives—such as energy system—are not targeted by cyber attacks. Even though the low level of trust may not be easily restored, such step-by-step approach to expand safety zones from cyber attacks would be another way to help cooperation between them.

Chinese and Italian companies signed deals worth more than $10 billion.

To conclude his trip, the Chinese Premiere spoke at ASEM and addressed his vision for a more connected Eurasian community and eventually a common market. In his speech, Li traced the shared heritage between Asia and Europe back to the First and Second World Wars and urged nations to preserve the peace through mutual respect and cooperation in the fields of international security, trade and cultural exchange. “This is Li’s first time to attend ASEM since becoming Premiere.” Commented Cui Hongjian, director of the Department for European Studies of the China Institute of International Studies, “The summit has offered a good opportunity to bring the Silk Road Economic Zone and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road conceptions into Asia-Europe cooperation”.

The Eurasian region currently account for 55% of world’s total GDP and 60% of gross global trade volume. However, trade between EU and non-European countries only makes up 44% of Europe’s total imports and 30% of total exports, leaving space for potential trade increase with Asian countries. “There is still room for further integration within the region,” said Cui, “and that’s why Premier Li’s address at ASEM is meaningful. It pointed out the common interest between Europe and Asia and directions for future cooperation.”

NEWS THIS WEEK China, India - Oct 21

Senior diplomatic and military officials from China and India met on Thursday and Friday to discuss border issues. China and India have both taken steps in recent years to diffuse border tension. With this latest meeting, officials agreed to establish regular meetings between military officials as well as a telephone hotline. Diffusing border tension is imperative to peace and stability in the region as well as improving cooperation and bilateral relations.

China - Oct 21

China is currently undergoing its Fourth Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and on Monday began a meeting focused on advancing the rule of law so that China can progress further in developing into a prosperous well rounded society.

The CCP hopes to transform China truly into a state under the law, in which the party’s role is to set legislation, enforce legislation, and set an example by also abiding by the law.

Japan - Oct 19

The Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe introduced the reinterpretation of the Article 9 of pacifist Constitution on Tuesday, Oct.21, in which he allowed Self Defense Forces to play an assertive role especially over the two important seas. Despite the concerns with growing tensions between Japan and China, Abe explains the reinterpretation as part of normalizing Japan to match its role as a major economic power.

Hong Kong - Oct 18

After almost a month of protests, the Hong Kong government has finally agreed to meet with student leaders on political reform next Tuesday. The talks will be broadcast live. The government has emphasized that the talks will be an honest dialogue, though has stressed that it must proceed under the framework of the Basic Law, Hong Kong’s constitution, and the agreement of the National People’s Congress on Aug. 31 that has disappointed the 30-year old pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong.

Vietnam, China - Oct 17

China and Vietnam were apparently able to reach an agreement on developing bilateral military relations, especially in regards to their maritime disputes. In a meeting between the Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan and the Vietnamese Defense Minister Phung Quang Thanh in Beijing, they agreed to increase cooperation and military exchanges between the two countries. Both sides advocated for the development of peace and stability in disputed maritime regions in addition to enhancing political trust.

E. EUROPE & C. ASIA EASTERN EUROPE

& CENTRAL ASIA

OCTOBER 21 - OCTOBER 28

Editor’s Column Morgan Forde

Eastern Europe and Central Asia is comprised of four major sub-regions: Eastern Europe, Russia, Central Asia and the Caucasus. While this massive geographical space encompasses many complex political, cultural, economic and social themes, there are elements of a shared history between these nations that makes it unique from any other region in the world. Despite this, news from this part of the globe is severely underreported. What coverage does exist focuses almost entirely on the American perspective of post-Cold War US-Russia relations, eclipsing important trends in the wider area.

Morgan is a junior in the School of Foreign Service, majoring in International Politics with a concentration in International Security. Originally from Seattle, she developed an interest in the region during high school and is continuing to study its politics and history while at Georgetown. As an editor, she is excited to bring news from this complex and often overlooked region to light.

The Caravel is a weekly international newspaper that engages the undergraduate student body in the entire production process, from research and writing to editing and administration. Our project strives, first, to bring under-reported news into the limelight of international affairs.

Second, to enhance cross-cultural understanding through a unique emphasis on regional perspective and contextual analysis.

Finally, to nurture regional specialists by providing a platform for undergraduate students to write and accumulate knowledge on specific regions.

Russians See US as Greater Threat than IS

By Luis Joy

ever since the Cold War. Credibly, it is hard to see the United States as a sponsor of terrorism, but this is indicative of an overarching trend in which Russia and the United States become more adversarial and begin to have increasingly irreconcilable misperceptions of one another.

One year ago, in the same poll, 4% of Russians viewed the United States as the biggest terrorist threat to their national security, while 20% regarded Islamist extremists as the largest threat. This year, Islamists received 13% of the vote, and the United States climbed up to 22%; Ukraine received seven percent. The drop in the threat level vis-a-vis Islamic terrorism is also due to a rise in the confidence in the government’s ability to mitigate the insurgents. This month, 60% of the respondents indicated that they trusted the government to protect them from terrorist threats, opposed to only twenty-three, after the January Volgograd bombings. A former security official hypothesized that this was in part due to the successful Sochi Olympic Games. On the other hand, this could also be indicative of a reassessment of priorities for a plurality of Russians. The Russian portrayal of the Ukrainian crisis has revolved mainly around tying the government in Kiev and the West with ultranationalist fascists seeking to destroy Russians in the country.

Since the United States has backed the Ukrainian government since the fall of Yanukovych and been at odds with Russia over the future of the country, their relations have chilled, anti-Americanism has increased in Russia considerably. Ramzan Kadyrov, the Governor of Chechnya, accused the United States of sponsoring “IS devils” and claiming that the militants’ leader is a CIA employee.

By presenting the United States as the underlying problem with Islamist insurgency in the Middle East, and its spread into the youth of the North Cauca-

sus, the Russian people’s perceptions of the United States continues to widen the gap between the two countries.

Although an overwhelming majority of Russians did not identify the United States as the largest threat to their security, the striking rise in that opinion might lead Russia as a whole to continue to move in that direction.

This poll is a demonstration of the continuing deterioration in East-West relations. A decade ago, Russo-American collaboration against Islamic extremists was commonplace – Russia being one of the main parts of the American military distribution net-

Putin’s New World Order

As the sun finally sets on the Ukrainian Civil War, the new dawn is rising – revealing the uncomfortable realities of a new world order that has formed in the wake of the conflict. Stretching back to the first protests in November of 2013, the Ukrainian Civil War served as both backdrop to and catalyst for a series of political clashes between Russia and the West, including Russia’s annexation of Crimea, Western imposition of extensive economic sanctions, and waging of a cutthroat information war on both sides. It is clear that these experiences have served to radically alter the existing political order – there can be no return to “business as usual” or simple reversal to normalized relations between Russia and

by April Gordon

the West. However much we might wish it, there is no “reset button” to save us this time.

The first aspect of this new world order that must be reckoned with is the soaring domestic political popularity of President Vladimir Putin. Recent polls show that Putin’s popularity rating currently stands at a whopping 84%, up a full twenty percentage points from a poll taken just weeks before the outbreak of the Ukrainian crisis back in October. This boost in popularity is reflected at all levels of Russian society – including among the youth and urban populations, which have traditionally been most skeptical of the President’s politics. The recent, nationwide celebrations of Putin’s 62nd birthday have revealed telltale signs that the development of a cult of personality is underway, as fanfare for the president ranged from mass rallies in Chechnya to extravagant art shows and exhibitions which glorified the President’s life and achievements. One such exhibition included artistic portrayals of Putin clothed in Herculean garb as he single-handedly fought off a multi-headed, monstrous viper that represented the US, EU and Canada.

The reasons for this upturn in popularity are not hard to unriddle. While the immediate importance of the annexation of Crimea and the alleged “humanitarian” intervention of Russia in Ukraine in winning over Russians to the Putinist cause is hard to understate, it is clear that other long-term factors are also at work. Putin’s strong and dignified opposition to the West strikes a powerful chord in a nation that endured the bitter defeat of the Cold War and the subsequent fall from a position of great power status. In the present day, a growing number of Russians pine for a return of the perceived glories of Soviet days, when their society commanded

EASTERN EUROPE

OCTOBER 21 - OCTOBER 28

Turkish Domestic Reform Package?

By Ana Rosic

Speaking at a meeting of Turkey’s Justice and Development Party on October 21, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu explained the details of a domestic security reform package meant to enhance the civilian and democratic identity of the state and demonstrate the government’s confidence in the people.

One of the bill package’s goals is to create a more practical and efficient civil system for Turkish citizens, increasing the ease with which they interact with the state. The reform plans to give more power to law enforcement agencies, and it involves a restructuring of both the Turkish police department and the Interior Ministry. It gives authority over the personnel and records of the Turkish Gendarmerie and Coast Guard to the Interior Ministry, additionally outlining new guidelines for appointments and uniforms of the group members.

work in Afghanistan – and it would serve both of the countries interests to collaborate once more against Islamic extremism in the form of Islamic State. However, the wedge between the two countries fundamental visions of the world has been growing for years now, and since February, it has exploded. A separate poll in Russia asked who Russians thought was their country’s biggest enemy, and 73% answered the United States – opposed to 25% in 2008. In parallel, the American public views in record numbers Russia “unfavorably”. The standoff between the two countries has embittered their publics against one anoth-

er, and while the United States is not credibly expected to engage in a terrorist struggle in Russia in any point in time, the fact that a considerable size of the Russian population does is a testament to the damage Russo-American relations have suffered in 2014. Unfortunately, at the heart of this divergence is the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, in which Russia and the United States are seemingly worlds apart – and will probably continue to be so in the foreseeable future.

respect and influence in the international community. Himself a product of this typical Russian psychology, Putin has worked for years to build up his reputation as the “dignified father of the homeland” who is capable of reclaiming that respect from the international community. In a further move to bolster his image at home, Putin has striven actively to paint the West as a morally corrupt adversary whose meddling threatens the purity of the Russian nation.

All of these factors reached a catalyst during the Ukrainian conflict, when Putin was finally given a crisis under which he could fully embrace his carefully prepared role of protector. In this case, Western sanctions were the last nail in the coffin, cementing the solidarity of Russian interests in a patriotic frenzy against the antagonistic “other.”

Whatever their origin, the consequences of Putin’s domestic popularity for the new world order are very real, and very dangerous. Buoyed by his high ratings and unfettered by any meaningful domestic legal opposition, the President has effectively been given a green light to follow his own ambitious political vision for the future of Russia.

The most recent pet project of Putin – a law aimed at restricting internet freedoms – was pushed through the Duma with almost no opposition whatsoever, demonstrating the limitlessness of the President’s newfound lease of power. Through their own ineffectual use of sanctions, the international community has similarly sent the message of their unwillingness to take steps that could check Russia’s actions in a meaningful way.

its own benefit and imposes its double standards on the world community of nations. In a declaration of unveiled anti-Americanism, Putin was bold in his criticism of US hegemony in the post-Cold War order, describing how failed US leadership has led to a situation of increasingly widespread “global anarchy.” And, it seems, Putin has no qualms about manipulating this worldwide anarchy to his country’s benefit. The Russian Bear, he states, “will not even bother to ask permission” of the international community to act in the taiga – a region in which it is master. While Putin holds that Russia has no aggressive or expansive intentions, he makes it clear that Russia has no plans to compromise in areas where it has perceived interests and will not hesitate to reclaim the respect that it feels it deserves. “We have no need of getting involved in things, of ordering others around, but we want others to stay out of our affairs and to stop pretending they rule the world. That is all.”

Faced with overwhelming support at home and weak resistance abroad, Putin has decided to move forward in the final stage of his consolidation of power. In a recent speech at the Valdai Conference in Sochi, Putin effectively declared war on the international system – decrying it as a “unipolar dictatorship” that manipulates international law for

As political punches continue to fly back and forth between Russia and the West, it is unclear as to how this all will end. The rules of the political chess game have fundamentally changed, but the players are still only setting up their boards. What comes next is anyone’s guess, but we can be sure that there is no going back to the pre-Maidan world order. In this new game, both sides are in it to win.

& CENTRAL ASIA

The bill specifically addresses protest practices in detail. According to Davutoğlu, the new law will prevent attacks against peaceful demonstrations, but it will also treat demonstrations that become violent as crimes.

Protesters covering their faces will be seen as potential criminals and will be removed from demonstrations, as the act constitutes a “declaration that the person will commit a crime by hiding his identity,” according to Davutoğlu. The bill outlaws the possession of Molotov cocktails,

which were previously legal, calling them “instrument[s] of assault”, and points to the heavy penalties associated with having them in the Unites States and United Kingdom.

The reform package has sparked outrage from the opposition, which claims that it threatens citizens’ right to protest and that it will turn Turkey into a police state. Davutoğlu warned foreign media outlets against characterizing the reform as authoritarian while the same types of measures exist in their countries, telling them “to engage in self-criticism first.”

The segment of the reform package concerning demonstrations is a direct response to the protests earlier this month that took place in cities across Turkey. The protesters were angry at the state’s lack of support for the Syrian border town of Kobane, which was and still is under attack from Islamic State (IS) jihadists. Some

worry that this crisis is rekindling the flames of civil war in the region, once more creating tension between Turkey and the Kurds living there.

The protests were led by the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), a group that has fought a decades-long insurgency for self-determination in southeastern Turkey and that has been labeled by the Turkish government and the European Union as a terrorist organization. At least 34 people were killed and 360 wounded during the demonstration, while schools and libraries were attacked and ambulances were burnt down. The Turkish police received widespread criticism for their response, which included the use of tear gas and water cannons.

A week before the protests, Turkey had promised to prevent Kobane from being taken by IS, and the Turkish Parliament had even authorized military operations against militants in

Tajikistan and Azerbaijan Brought Closer by Common Stance on Nagorno-Karabakh and consists the major point of contention between the two countries. Sporadic clashes have occurred since the ceasefire of 1994 which ended a sixyear war responsi-

As part of a three-day official visit to Dushanbe (Tajikistan), Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Aliyev signed a Joint Declaration with Tajikistan’s president Emomali Rahmon. A formal welcoming ceremony was held at the Palace of Nations in the Tajik capital, with a guard of honor arranged for the head of state. The declaration emphasized the “inadmissibility of changing internationally recognized borders” as a way to counter potential threats to their territorial integrity, a hint to the difficult relations Azerbaijan has with its southwestern neighbor, Armenia. They also stressed “an urgent necessity to peacefully settle the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh,” a disputed territory located in Azerbaijan but mainly populated by Armenians.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is a frozen war between Azerbaijan and Armenia over a territory the size of Delaware located in Azerbaijan but mainly populated by Armenians

ble for 30,000 deaths. However, in August of this year, fifteen soldiers were killed, twelve of which Azeri, raising the prospect of further destabilization in the Caucasus. NATO has reaffirmed its support for the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. Armenia also has a portion of its territory, the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, mainly populated by Azeris.

Support was also given to the development of mutual economic, trade, transportation, and military cooperation. The two countries already cooperate in the fields of law enforcement, counterterrorism as well as drug and weapon trafficking. Initiatives in the transport sector include the opening of a new international sea port in Azerbaijan as well as the construction of the railway Baku-Tbilisi-Kars to be completed in 2015. They also expressed the willingness to resume direct flights between Dushanbe and Baku. In addition, the two countries signed an agreement on cooper-

By David Attia

ation in the field of healthcare, as well as an agreement on scientific cooperation between the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences and the Tajik Academy of Sciences.

Tajikistan hopes for increased Azeri investments in the construction of hydropower facilities and in the natural resources industry of Tajikistan.

Azerbaijan and Tajikistan, both former Soviet republics, established diplomatic relations on 29 May 1992. They are both members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) formed in 1991 but are not part to the related free trade agreement (CISFTA) of 2011. Currently, the Tajik-Azeri legal base consists of more than thirty agreements and treaties, where the Agreement on Friendship and Cooperation of March 2007 is most fundamental. The trade between Azerbaijan and Tajikistan equaled $11 million in the first half of 2014, with Tajikistan purchasing aluminum oxide, coke and other raw materials. In 2012, Azerbaijan’s Azeraluminium and Tajikistan’s TALCO signed a cooperation agreement. Both countries are interested in the revival of the Great Silk Way within the TRACECA (Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia) project. TRACECA is an international transport programme, established in 1993, involving the European Union and 14 States of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia. The

Syria and Iraq. However, the Turkish border police had stopped groups of Kurds reportedly crossing the Turkish border so that they may go to Kobane and fight. Some protesters went so far as accusing the Turkish government of being in cohorts with IS, but it is more likely that Turkey feared aiding the Kurds in Syria would fuel Kurd nationalism and self-determination in Turkey. It wasn’t until last week that Turkey, under heavy US pressure, announced that it would allow the Iraqi Peshmerga, armed Kurdish fighters, to cross its territory and join the fight in Kobane.

Davutoğlu’s legislation attempts to cover a lot of ground, but it’s mainly concerned with human rights issues in an obvious attempt to cater to the European Union during Turkey’s continued accession campaign.

Davutoğlu explicitly stated that all of the proposed reforms must first be approved by the European Union Harmonization Committee, a body established in 2003 that makes certain new Turkish legislation is in sync with that of the EU. The outgoing head of the European Union Delegation to Turkey, EU Ambassador Stefano Manservisi, has remarked that the restructuring of the Gendarmerie is a “positive step” towards demilitarization, but Turkey still has a long way to go before the EU considers changing its opinion on Turkey’s accession.

Permanent Secretariat of Intergovernmental Commission of TRACECA is located in Baku, Azerbaijan.

This Joint Declaration in October comes at a point when Tajikistan is stepping up its partnerships with different regional actors: it signed ten agreements with Iran in September as well as a defense agreement with Kazakhstan, a cooperation agreement with Kyrgyzstan and seventeen agreements with China in that same month, a cooperation agreement with Russia in October. Less active than Tajikistan, Azerbaijan has been reaching out to actors outside of Central Asia in the last few months, a research agreement with Argentina as well as a cooperation agreement in the energy field with Malaysia in September and two security cooperation agreements signed with Qatar in October.

The two countries have appealed to powers in the region in order to defend their position. While Azerbaijan has turned to Georgia, Turkey, Israel and the US, Armenia registered the support of Iran and Russia.

The conflict was also a key element in designing the routes of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum (BTE) gas pipeline, both circumventing Armenia in bringing Caspian energy resources to Europe. On its end, Tajikistan has boundary disputes with two of its neighbors, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. The development of strong ties with Tajikistan is another step taken by Azerbaijan in its long-standing opposition to Armenia.

NEWS THIS WEEK Poland - Oct 24

The CIA’s Extraordinary Rendition program is the current target of a European Court of Human Right’s case.

The Court has ruled that the Polish government transferred suspected Arab terrorists to a CIA “black site” where the two individuals were subjected to torture. Poland is accused of not cooperating with the court while the government insists that the issue is a matter of national security.

Armenia - Oct 24

The Armenian Law of Wildlife, passed on April 12th of this year, allows citizens to own wild animals, including endangered species. While the law states that constant supervision is required and that animals may not be imported from the wild, many instances of wild animals injuring citizens and the import of endangered species from zoos are prevalent in the country. Armenia’s wealthiest and most powerful political players allegedly keep wild lions and tigers, making it difficult for the government to prevent these imports.

Ukraine - Oct 16

It’s no secret that with winter approaching and Russian gas supplies cut off to Ukraine that Kiev is beginning to become desperate for a solution. A number of negotiations have been held with EU countries with multiple instances of backflow and Norway’s Statoil promising energy supply. While better than nothing, Ukraine is still in massive debt to Russia and worse, still needs gas supply from the nation in order to ensure energy stability.

Talks are expected between Putin and Poroshenko in Milan this week with the Ukrainian president claiming the two are “close” to a deal.

Turkmenistan - Oct 16

With the approaching decrease in U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan from 41,000 to 15,000, Turkmenistan is preparing for worst, hoping for the best. While the Central Asian country has had neutral relations with their tulmultous neighbor, the fear of the spread of radical Islam is present. While it doesn’t seem that the Taliban sees Turkmenistan as a possible location for expansion, defensive structures are being put in place at Turkmen borders.

Russia - Oct 16

At a time of major economic contraction in Russia with low oil prices, inflation and sanctions, the nation has increased its defense budget by twenty billion dollars just this year. This increase in defense spending is expected to continue over the next several years, with 4.2% of the 2015 budget being dedicated to the sector ($81 billion in total). While most countries’ defense spending is below 3% and the United States at 3.8%, the Russian Federation proves to be taking its military prowess to the highest level.

LATIN AMERICA

L AT I N A M E R I C A & T H E C A R R I B E A N OCTOBER 21 - OCTOBER 28

L AT I N A M E R I C A & T H E C A R R I B E A N OCTOBER 21 - OCTOBER 28

NEWS THIS WEEK Panama - Oct 30

Panama considers it premature to adhere to an international agreement to exchange financial information and cooperation to combat tax evasion, which would take effect in 2017. The Panamanian government said, however, that it is re-evaluating its policies in this area to meet international requirements, but without affecting their interests.

Haiti - Oct 28

Haitians marched in Port-au-Prince over the goverment’s decision to delay legislative and municipial elections, which were due in 2012. The country has struggled to hold regular elections since the 2010 earthquake. The elections, which were scheduled for Sunday, were ostensibly delayed due to a stalemate between the government and opposition senators, but the opposition claims that President Michel Martelly plans to delay the elections long enough to rule by decree.

Peru - Oct 28

For several days, a group of indigenous activists has occupied an airport near Andoas. They complain that the oil company working on their land has not included them in dialogue.

Nicaragua - Oct 22

Small-scale farmers from communities in Nicaragua’s southern Caribbean zone protested Tuesday against planed land expropriations orchestrated by the government of Daniel Ortega and the Chinese company HKND in order to build a massive interoceanic canal.

Mexico - Oct 22

The masacre of Tlatlaya, in which 22 alleged drug traffickers were killed by the army, is now under deep scrutiny after the CNDH concluded that in the morning of June 30 eight officers killed 15 civilians who had surrendered after an armed clash that had left seven others dead. Once killed, the militants manipulated the crime scene to make it seem that they had all died during the crossfire.

Mexican Military Human Rights Violations

serve as effective bulwarks against the cartels’ violence and influence.

by Brendan Keenan

Last Tuesday, the Human Rights Commission released a report summarizing the results of its investigation on a June 2014 shoot out between the Mexican Army and gang suspects in Tlatlaya in the State of Mexico that left twenty-two people dead. The Commission’s report indicated that between twelve and fifteen of the deaths were carried out by six soldiers following the firefight. The shooting began following an assault on a military patrol on the morning of June 30th while investigating a guarded warehouse.

The assault left twenty-two gang suspects dead and one soldier injured, making it one of the bloodiest military-gang battles in recent history. The event itself, however, did not warrant significant attention given Tlatlaya’s proximity to Guerrero, a Mexican state with high violence rates and cartel activity. The event only received media coverage once the Human Rights Commission began an independent investigation on federal involvement following accusations from the mother of one of the battle’s victims.

The investigation uncovered evidence suggesting that the military took measures to cover up its involvement in what the commission calls “extrajudicial killings of alleged gang members”. The resulting report claimed that the majority of the bodies were moved into more aggressive positions, and weapons were laid next to all the corpses. It further claims that one of the captured gang member’s neck was twisted beyond its breaking point, four members were severely beaten with blunt instruments, and three had been shot execution style in

the back of the head while unarmed.

Further outrage occurred when the Commission determined that the civilian prosecutors for the State of Mexico responsible for investigating the killings waited months before beginning the investigation and used substandard evidence in compiling their report. The Human Rights Commission also determined that three of the women who had survived the assault were physically assaulted and intimidated while in state custody.

The extent of the brutality and authoritative mismanagement lead Human Rights Commission president Raúl Plascensia to denounce the killings as one of the most serious human rights violations that can be committed.

This is not the first instance of the Mexican military incurring international ire for the mistreatment of civilians and unarmed prisoners.

FOUR MORE FOR DILMA posed tightening the budget and lowering the government’s inflation target in order to restore foreign investors’ trust in Brazil’s economic policymaking. Neves and Fraga also wanted to give the Central Bank more political independence to practice sound, unbiased monetary policcy. Their critics claimed that this would make the Central Bank more willing to sacrifice employment, poverty reduction and industrial policy to the interests of the financial sector in pursuing a lower inflation rate. In addition, Neves promised to cut government bureaucracy, make Congress more accountable, and reform Brazil’s tax system.

Branded as a pro-growth, market-friendly candidate Neves had won over many investors and business leaders, attracting large amounts of campaign contributions from the industries that were unhappy over what they perceived as Rousseff’s heavy-handed policies. Ethanol producers, for example, have protested for years for being unable to compete against gasoline at the pump because Rousseff’s government has

By Shirley Zhan

kept official fuel prices artificially low and scrapped a traditional gas tax to control inflation. In fact, on October 22nd, business barons and financiers took to the streets to support Neves, participating in what had been dubbed the “cashmere revolution”.

As for Rousseff, much of her campaign was centered on reminding the Brazilian people of the Workers Party’s successes in poverty reduction and promising to continue social programs that have achieved real results. She also cited several of her presidency’s contributions to Brazil’s poor, such the expansion of the Bolsa Família program from 16.2 million to 57.8 million people, a real increase in the minimum wage, and near-record low unemployment rate. In effect, Rousseff won widespread support among the poor, who make up the majority of the population in Brazil.

Wealthy Brazilians, on the other hand, were against Rousseff’s interventionist economic policies such as petrol price controls and high taxes. In all the debates, Neves accused Rousseff of leading the country into recession,

After a decade in Michoacán, the soldiers have proven ineffective at thwarting the cartels, allowing them to become more entrenched and numerous. The army’s lack of effectiveness in combating the cartels such as Knights Templar, encouraged civilians throughout Michoacán to take up arms against organized crime. The self-defense militias have enjoyed a surprising rate of success in pushing cartel forces out of rural towns and farms and have begun coordinating with government soldiers in the state.

The Felipe Calderon presidency justified the deaths of nearly three thousand civilian deaths by claiming they occurred during “attacks against military personnel”. These attacks, however, only accounted for the deaths of less than two hundred soldiers. Since Enrique Peña Nieto assumed the presidency in 2012, over six-hundred cases of civilian deaths have been attributed to military personnel.

These high levels of violence placed on the military are symptoms of the larger crisis Mexico faces from relying on its military for police actions. In 2006, then president Felipe Calderón sent thousands of soldiers from the Mexican army into Michoacán, a state in southwestern Mexico, to root out drug cartels that had became entrenched in the state. The use of soldiers in domestic territory began the practice of the sending military personal to combat cartels in places where the police where either unequipped or too corrupted to as annual growth in GDP has plunged from 7.5 percent to near zero. Inflation became a dangerous distraction and industrial production didn’t grow as much as it should have. Rousseff defended her position by noting that Brazil had been one of the few countries that still managed to create jobs and lift people out of poverty despite adverse international conditions. Few efforts, however, have been made to tackle Brazil’s structural problems, including its poor infrastructure, high costs, punitive tax system, and a rigid labor code.

In addition, a corruption scandal at Brazilian oil company Petrobras had further tainted Rousseff’s image.

If the mass protests at the FIFA World Cup this past summer were of any indication, it is that there is an appetite for change among the Brazilian people with the government’s policies.

While Rousseff’s victory in these elections reflects the Worker Party’s success in advancing its social agenda, it is uncertain whether Rousseff will be able to achieve the structural reforms necessary to put Brazil on a sustainable growth path in the coming years. In addition to facing a troubled economy and financial market,

Unfortunately, the rise of the citizen militia has done little to stem the high civilian casualty rate in the Mexican war on drugs, which is estimated to have exceeded 60,000 people.

Public trust in the Mexican military continues to erode as it charged for a growing number of human rights violations. A strong parallel can be drawn with public trust in the police forces, which recently suffered a significant drop following accusations that cartel-paid police officers kidnapped over forty students in the state of Guerrero.

As public faith in the Mexican military and police forces drops, more citizens could be incentivized to join the self-defense militias that have become increasingly common in rural areas. Should the militias’ numbers swell, or should public faith in Mexico’s public forces fall any further, Mexico could find itself primed for large scale civil unrest.

Uribe for Re-election? Santos says “No”.

By Peter Tran

Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos’ administration platform has focused on bringing about institutional reform. He led an effort for government to formally acknowledge the victims of Colombia’s internal conflict, and two years ago he started peace negotiations with FARC, Colombia’s infamous guerilla movement, in Havana, Cuba. These past weeks, Santos has concentrated on reforming reelection law in an effort to revoke changes in legislation performed by his predecessor, once closest ally, and now greatest critic, Álvaro Uribe.

Uribe made a large impact in Colombian politics when he passed a law that allowed him to present himself for re-election, a measure previously prohibited by the Colombian Constitution. Although he was expected to encounter some resistance, Uribe was able to pass the law because of his public personality, thanks to increased measures against FARC and an economic boom. Uribe even tried to present himself for a third term in 2010, but the legal reform required for yet another reelection was deemed unconstitutional and was therefore rejected. As such, the Uribe era of Colombia lasted from 2002 to 2010.

Uribe’s successor, Juan Manuel Santos, originally enjoyed warm relations with the previous president, having appointed him as Minister of Defense and backing his election campaign

in 2010. However, tensions between the two political heads rose shortly after Santos’ election in 2010, and by 2012 the two had a public fallout. This was the result of Santos taking measures that Uribe did not agree upon, such as discussing offering judicial leniency to FARC in exchange for their disarmament, or warming up relations with Venezuela’s then president Hugo Chavez. In the years that followed, Uribe started spiritedly criticizing his successor.

Santos was once again elected president in June of this year, beating Uribe’s choice candidate, Oscar Ivan Zuluaga. Santos proved on September that he is intent in separating himself from Uribe when he presented a bill that would eliminate the possibility of re-elections. During this year’s campaign, Santos suggested that he would extend the length of public office to five or six years, howev-

er he has since backed off from the idea. The bill also proposes changes to government oversight mechanisms and provincial representation in congress. The bill was to be debated in eight sessions in Congress, between Santos and Uribe’s respective parties, as well as with the leftist party Polo Democratico.

After just two of the eight planned sessions, Senate approved of the bill’s article that eliminates the possibility of re-election. Despite Uribe’s participation and influence in senate, the bill has been processed smoothly and has received little opposition.

Congress also closed the door to the possibility of calling for re-elections, making it only possible through a referendum or through Constituent Assembly. The bill’s remaining points on government oversight and provincial representation will still be debated in Congress for six more sessions.

Santos’ latest move will have a great impact in Colombian politics. Santos’ successor will have less time to create lasting policies, if they even desire to do so. It can be expected that there will be a greater clash between the ruling party trying to keep their policies and opposing parties trying to change it. Whether this will have an impact on the Colombian economy is unclear, however it is doubtful that anyone would try to fix what is not broken. Regardless, Santos has proven that he has completely separated himself from Uribe, and retains his dominant role in Colombian politics.

disclose information on tax jurisdiction to the Colombian government is a red flag that signals it as a potential tax haven. Given the Colombia and Panama’s historically positive relations, this crisis is a clear alert for Panama to change its financial legislation.

In further efforts to raise revenue from tax evasion, Colombia has also signed tax information agreements with Barbados, the UAE and Monaco, officially taking them off its tax haven list, as well. Future double taxation treaties with these countries, especially with Panama, are also in discussion.

Panama: Tax Haven for a Week

Rousseff will also have to deal with the scandal at Petrobras, which has eroded confidence in the Worker’s Party in a country all too familiar with corruption scandals. In terms of both population and economy, Brazil is the largest nation in Latin America, and Rousseff’s policies in her upcoming term will have an impact for the region as a whole. With Brazil looking at another four years under the leadership of Rousseff, only time will tell whether or not the nation will be able to move forward with both its economic and social agenda.

Re-elections are currently a hot topic all over Latin America. Recently, Bolivia’s Evo Morales was re-elected president for the third time. Similarly to Santos, Morales changed the country’s constitution to achieve realection. However, unlike Santos, Morales was successful in remaining in power, his logic being that since he changed the country’s constitution during his first term, the next elections would fall under the new constitution, which allows for two consecutive presidencies. Cristina Fernández de Kirchner from Argentina also attempted to change the country’s constitution to allow for her re-election, however her party’s diminished presence in Congress made such change a dream, which means that Mrs. Kirchner will have to look for a successor of her policies. Finally, Brazil’s Dilma Rousseff is having trouble being re-elected.

Last week, Colombia’s recent issues with Panama have been temporarily resolved after Colombia took Panama off its list of tax havens, leading both countries to agree on an information-sharing agreement. When Panama failed to meet the deadline for the original agreement two weeks ago, Colombia placed Panama on its tax haven list, causing Panama to raise retaliatory threats. The sudden crisis in the countries’ economic relations was caused by the Colombian government’s recent efforts to raise more revenue by monitoring tax evaders with bank accounts in Panama. This new information-sharing agreement is valid until September 2015, and is

by Sylvia Cesar

the base for a future double taxation treaty which will conform to OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) standards.

The Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos—known for his efforts in improving diplomatic relations with Venezuela and Ecuador, and for advancing the peace processes with FARC—has been called out for this sudden crisis in Colombo-Panamanian relations. However, his government’s efforts to obtain revenue from tax evaders are not unfounded. Last year alone, Colombian investments in Panama added

up to $3.2 billion and represented 42% of all Colombian foreign investment. Conversely, taxing foreign evaders could raise $10 billion, a little under half of what the recent tax reform bill seeks to raise in the next four years of Santos’ administration.

This is not the first time Panama has been accused of poor transparency, and it has only recently been considered a more cooperative tax haven, under OECD and FATF (Financial Action Task Force) standards. For years, the Latin American press has denounced Panama as a money laundering and tax evasion destination.

Furthermore, Panama’s reluctance to

Editor’s Column Daniel Sandoval

While Latin America is a highly dynamic region with much to look forward to, it currently faces several concerning issues: drug trade, guerrilla groups, urban violence, and economic stagnation, just to name a few.

Certain countries in the region are also experimenting with several innovative economic and political models, which will surely produce exciting outcomes over the course of the next few years. This section hopes to monitor how such a promising region develops, how it deals with its problems and how it exploits its great potential.

Daniel is a junior in the School of Foreign Service. He is an International Economics major with a concentration in International Finance and Commerce. From Bogotá, Colombia, he grew up traveling around South America. Although inclined to focus on the economics in the region, he is also interested in several of the region’s security and social issues.

The Caravel is a weekly international newspaper that engages the undergraduate student body in the entire production process, from research and writing to editing and administration. Our project strives, first, to bring under-reported news into the limelight of international affairs.

Second, to enhance cross-cultural understanding through a unique emphasis on regional perspective and contextual analysis.

Finally, to nurture regional specialists by providing a platform for undergraduate students to write and accumulate knowledge on specific regions.

AUGUST 11TH - AUGUST 17TH

AUGUST 11TH - AUGUST 17TH

MIDDLE EAST & N. AFRICA M I D D L E E A S T & N O RT H A F R I C A OCTOBER 21 - OCTOBER 28

Editor’s Column Connor Swank Shaiesha Moore

In accordance with The Caravel’s stated mission of publishing under-reported news, the MENA section will draw on both English- and foreign-language sources to highlight little-known trends in the Middle East and North Africa region. While there is no consensus on the sub-regional makeup of the Middle East, The Caravel will divide the region into four sections—North Africa, the Levant, the Gulf, and Iran—for ease of analysis. This section will report on such important trends as sectarianism, the interplay between religion and politics, and the international rivalries between regional powers. We at the MENA section will endeavor to use all the resources at our disposal to report on developments both well known and obscure in an intelligent, timely, and interesting manner.

Connor is a junior in the School of Foreign Service, majoring in Regional and Comparative Studies. A Virginia native, he now identifies as a Washingtonian. Connor is primarily interested in the interplay between rival sects and political actors in the MENA region. He has studied abroad in Morocco and hopes to travel to the Gulf region in the future.

Shaiesha is a senior in the School of Foreign Service. She is a Middle East Regional Studies major with a concentration in democratic transitions and economic development.

She is a Pickering Fellow and will enter the Foreign Service in 2017.

Her interest in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) stems from her travels to Jordan, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, and Morocco.

The Caravel is a weekly international newspaper that engages the undergraduate student body in the entire production process, from research and writing to editing and administration.

Unrest is Spreading: A Looming Intifada?

by Amin Gharad

Orwa’s funeral was delayed until Sunday to allow Hammad’s father, a Louisiana resident, and his mother, who had been visiting relatives in Jordan, to arrive in Silwad.

While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that Israel would not seek to change the status quo with respect to policies governing the al-Aqsa Mosque, right-wing legislators from his party are said to be intent on introducing legislation permitting Jewish prayer in, and visitation to, the Temple Mount compound. Tensions have been further exacerbated by visits by far-right Israelis, accompanied by Israeli police to the al-Aqsa grounds.

State Department spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, stated that the United States “expresses its deepest condolences” to the Hammad family, and called for a “speedy and transparent investigation” into his death. Psaki also urged all parties to “restore calm and avoid escalating tensions.”

The death comes amid a number of similar events in recent days. On Wednesday, a car plowed into a crowd standing at the Ammunition Hill light rail station in Jerusalem, killing three month-old Chaya Zissel Braun—she and her parents, also injured in the incident, are U.S. citizens. The driver, a 20-year-old Palestinian man from the East Jerusalem village of Silwan, Abdel-Rehman al-Shaloudi, was shot by police as he attempted to flee the scene on foot. He died a few hours later from his wounds.

Eight others were injured at the scene, and one, a 22-year-old Ecuadorean tourist, has since died. Israeli officials allege that the driver had ties to Hamas, and had spent time in Israeli custody for security offenses.

Al-Shaludi’s family expressed certainty, however, that the incident was accidental, and that Abdel-Rahman suffered from worsening psychological issues since having been released from Israeli custody—even visiting

a physician the day of the incident.

The light rail incident comes just days after the death of a five-year-old Palestinian girl, Inas Dar Khalil, who was struck by an Israeli settler on Oct. 20 after she and a schoolmate had gotten off a school bus and were making their way across the street to their mothers.

The second girl, Nilin Asfour, sustained severe injuries and remains in critical condition. The driver fled the scene, claiming he feared for his life, and reported the incident to the police who ruled the hit-and-run an accident.

Palestinian Ambassador to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, lodged a complaint with the UN Security Council in a letter that, among other grievances, cited similar hit-and-run incidents in recent weeks. Mansour referenced an Aug. 7 incident when an Israeli settler struck and injured an eight-year-old Palestinian girl, Aug.

14 when a Palestinian man was hit by a settler’s car, the death of another Palestinian man who was struck on Aug. 17, and the injury of a 10-year-old girl in Silwan at the end of September.

Turmoil Upon Temple Mount Since the brokering of an Aug. 26 agreement to indefinitely cease hostilities after 50 days of fighting, tension and violence in the region appears to have reached a fever pitch.

Since this summer’s hostilities, the area around the al-Aqsa mosque has witnessed a sustained pattern of unrest, with clashes and protests becoming especially frequent over the last few weeks. Despite Israeli forces having conducted mass arrests in an attempt to contain demonstrations, unrest persists in the city, due in large part to perceived threats to the integrity of the al-Aqsa Mosque and East Jerusalem at large.

Deconstructing the Rise of ISIS

by Rohan Advani

Although ISIS and its recent developments are at the centre of attention throughout the mainstream media, by and large, they have failed to analytically assess the rise of ISIS within the Iraqi context.

Funding It is a known secret that, in its nascent stages, ISIS was heavily dependent upon support from ‘wealthy individuals in the Arab Gulf States of Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia’. Although the Saudi government formally outlawed

private donations to ISIS in March, it is noteworthy that one of Saudi Arabia’s most astute counter-terrorism tactics is its ability to monitor the formal financial sector to block suspect donations – implying tacit support of support to ISIS-like groups in Syria and Iraq. In fact, relative instability in the region (Libya, Syria, Iraq) actually benefits the oil producing Gulf states, as evidenced by the spike in oil prices as Brent oil reached $114.02 a barrel whilst they ‘remain committed to meeting oil market demand’.

Moreover, as the Gulf’s geopolitical competitors – Syria, Iraq and Iran – are weakened by conflict and sanctions, the Gulf (and Gulf capital) is able to retain its regional economic and political supremacy. However, Gulf states are not throwing their full weight behind a volatile group such as ISIS for various reasons: long-term security, U.S. pressure and Gulf capital’s need to expand into areas that implement stable, neoliberal policies (eg. Saudi Arabia’s support for Sisi).

In light of recent events, private donations to ISIS have clearly diminished in importance as their revenue is generated by activities such as the smuggling of oil and weapons, extortion, and loot from conquest – $420 million from Mosul’s central bank.

Aside from the ideological and religious rhetoric, ISIS is focussing on reinforcing their independent revenue stream, evidenced by its determination to capture the Baiji refinery (Iraq’s biggest refinery), the Haditha refinery, the Qaiyarah and Hamrah oilfields, and the Turkey-Iraq Pipeline.

ISIS within the Iraqi context Although material support was and remains crucial to the rise of ISIS, we must look beyond this, towards the structural forces at play within Iraq that allowed this group to ‘flourish’.

After the US invasion of 2003, Iraq’s economy was completely restructured along neoliberal lines: foreign investors were given equal rights with Iraqis in the domestic market, a flat tax system was imposed alongside cuts in food and fuel subsidies, and arguably most importantly, the removal of the Iraqi people’s collective ownership of Iraq’s oil. The new oil laws were based on the constitution, which reinforces sectarian lines by permitting provinces to form “autonomous regions”. Unemployment rose to 60% and more than 5 million people were living in poverty. Naturally, there was a movement away from the state and towards religious communities for welfare and protection. As Al-Maliki’s government systematically normalized sectarianism into Iraqi politics to deflect economic

Ongoing Israeli settlement expansion into regions of the West Bank and East Jerusalem are also blamed for setting off unrest in a number of flashpoints in the region. Expanding settlements in the area are perceived as provocative and being intended to strengthen and realize Israel’s claim to the entirety of Jerusalem as its “eternal and indivisible” capital.

The Second and most recent Intifida, or Palestinian uprising, was preceded by failed peace talks in 2000, followed by a visit to the Temple Mount by then-opposition candidate, Ariel Sharon, sparking explosive demonstrations and setting into motion the second widespread uprising. Examining this precedent, it is not difficult to imagine why many— from disgruntled Palestinian teenagers in the streets of Ramallah to Israeli and Palestinian officials—are increasingly worried that current unrest could very quickly devolve into more widespread violence, or even a Third Intifada. and social tensions, he marginalized Sunnis as Shiites dominated government jobs, he refused to share vast oil revenues with Sunni constituents, and the largely Shiite military often humiliated Sunnis by putting up Shia insignia and frisking them at checkpoints.

In essence, many Sunnis felt they were living under Shiite occupation.

Hence, ISIS, in the midst of all this turmoil were able to capitalize on this discontent, and not – according to mainstream media – appear out of nowhere. In fact, from 2012–2014, Iraq experienced large-scale mass protests from mostly Sunni groups demanding social justice against corruption and discrimination. However, Al-Maliki’s government brutally cracked down on these largely peaceful protests, which naturally led the marginalized to turn to more radical, violent, and ultimately, sectarian tactics. That being said, ISIS does not have popular support (the overwhelming majority of Sunnis support inclusive secular politics), and were only able to capture certain cities with the aid of Sunni tribes, and ironically, ex-Baathists. In some instances, local Sunni groups have actually helped the Iraqi army reassert itself and celebrated the departure of ISIS. Despite the media frenzy surrounding ISIS, we must resist the temptation to focus on the static Sunni-Shiite sectarian dichotomy and emphasis on

M I D D L E E A S T & N O RT H A F R I C A OCTOBER 21 - OCTOBER 28

TUNISIA PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS

by Rohan Advani

pledging to protect marginalized residents and improve the country’s human rights record, it is not expected to gain many seats in this election.

On Sunday morning, Tunisians began voting in parliamentary elections to elect a five-year legislative assembly.

This vote will elect the first parliament in Tunisia since the ouster of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in 2011, who ruled the country for almost 24 years.

Many polling stations recorded a high turnout, with estimates at approximately 60% of the 5.2 million registered voters. To put that into perspective, voter turnout at the 2012 U.S. elections were 57.5%.

The historic importance of this election was emphasized by Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa, stating that, “the spotlight is on us and the success of this vote is a guarantee for the future”. Even President Barack Obama described the election as an “important milestone in the country’s historic political transition”.

Tunisia has been considered one of the few, if only, success stories of the Arab Spring, undergoing a liberalization of the political landscape, participation of new political forces, a rise in the level of civil and political rights, and the adoption of a new constitution. Moreover, independent actors at the social level, such as the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT), have been playing a crucial role in shaping political developments and engaging in national dialogue.

However, the situation in Tunisia is

not as promising as many commentators paint it out to be. The political landscape is largely polarized between the main Islamist party, Ennahda, and the secularist party Nidaa Tounes, which has many elements tied to the Ben Ali regime. Although the secular-political Islam divide is clear between the two parties, their economic policies are largely similar – with both parties debating over who can implement such policies more effectively.

Unlike the first election in 2011, where the role of Islam dominated political discourse, the state of the economy is at the forefront of this election. Investment is heavily concentrated in urban centres at the expense of the development of rural areas, and the unemployment rate averages 15% nationally bur reaches as high as 30% in non-coastal regions.

Access to water is 97% in the capital, Tunis, but drops to 40% in rural areas in the north-west of the country. On a

more general level, the Tunisian government signed a deal with the IMF last year to obtain a two-year $1.78 billion loan program with certain conditions. The government cut fuel subsidies in July, imposed new taxes, and devalued the currency, leading to an increase in the price of imports – disproportionately hitting the poor.

The importance of the economy is so prominent that according to a research conducted by the Pew Research Center, 73% of Tunisians think that a strong economy is the most important thing for a country, whereas only 25% believe that it is a democratic government.

With both parties pursuing similar policies, many Tunisians do not see any viable economic alternative.

While the left-wing Popular Front coalition presents itself as an alternative to the political polarization,

In addition to concerns about the economy, in recent years, security concerns have captured the political arena. The coordinator of the Popular Front coalition, Chokri Belaid, was assassinated by Islamist militants in February 2013, followed by his successor Mohamed Brahmi the following July. This caused a national outrage, with many blaming the ruling Ennahda party for either tacit involvement in or incompetence for ensuring security of political figureheads. Moreover, there have been arbitrary arrests of political opponents, which raises questions concerns about the state of human rights in Tunisia, and its similarities to the Ben Ali days. In conjunction with political assassinations by hardline Islamist groups, radical Islamism and jihadism is on the rise to a certain extent within the country. Groups such as Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and Ansar al-Sharia have gained traction in the region, and the instability in Libya threatens to seep into Tunisia.

With the deteriorating situation regarding the economy and general security, this election could not come at a more important time in Tunisia’s history. However, given such a polarized political atmosphere, Tunisia’s status as a ‘success story’ of the Arab Spring may yet be called into question.

UK Recognition of Palestine Highlights Statehood Debate

by Matt Gregory

The United Kingdom House of Commons passed a motion on October 14 to recognize the territories of Gaza and the West Bank as a Palestinian state, a move that came amidst worldwide criticism of Israel following its summer military offensive in Gaza. The bill, which passed the House of Commons by a vote of 274 to 12, expressed the British government’s desire to “recognise the state of Palestine alongside the state of Israel, as a contribution to securing a negotiated two state solution.”

The British legislature’s decision comes after recent declarations of support by Swedish and French leaders, with Sweden’s Prime Minister Stefan Lofven announcing its recognition of Palestine on October 3 and French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius acknowledging the necessity of Palestinian autonomy in an effort to implement a two-state solution on October 14.

And while other major European countries, including Germany, are hesitating to take this step prior to the implementation of a comprehensive peace agreement, Israeli leaders worry that this trend will continue as pro-Palestinian sentiment grows in Europe. “There are clear signs among many European Union countries,” said a senior Israeli official. “Their goal is to pressure Israel, even though they are ignoring the reality — that Mahmoud Abbas is the one who is always refusing.”

The recent UK vote elicited approval from Palestinian leadership, with key officials applauding the step. According to Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) Secretary-General Yasser Abed Rabbo, Britain was “obliged more than any other country to vote in favor of a Palestinian state because of its responsibility for the continued suffering of the Palestinian people since the notorious Balfour Declaration.” Moreover, Fatah representative Azzam al-Ahmed expressed hope that Britain’s decision would spur other nations to consider similar action, characterizing the vote as the “beginning of the awakening of the British and international conscience.”

While drawing Palestinian appreciation, however, the Swedish British announcements provoked a markedly different response from Israel and the United States. “We believe international recognition of a Palestinian state is premature,” State Department Spokeswoman Jen Psaki said following Sweden’s announcement. “We certainly support Palestinian statehood, but it can only come through a negotiated outcome, a resolution of final status issues, and mutual recognition by both parties.”

Israel was more vocal in its condemnation of the recent decisions.

“Premature international recognition sends a troubling message to the Palestinian leadership that they can evade the tough choices that both sides have to make, and actually undermines the chances to reach a real peace,” said the Israeli Embassy in London of the British motion.

Yet while the vote itself was non-binding and likely will not alter British policy towards Israel significantly, if at all, it does highlight the controversial issue of Palestine’s international status and its role in the United Nations. PLO President Mahmoud Abbas applied for UN membership in 2011, but withdrew the claim after US President Barack Obama declared his intent to veto this endeavor in the UN Security Council. Palestine did gain non-member observer status through a General Assembly vote in 2012, with Israel and the United States in opposing the new designation and 138 other states voting in favor.

While US veto power renders the possibility of Palestine gaining official UN recognition for statehood in the

near future unlikely, the institution has been critical of recent Israeli policies.

On October 16, UN Secretary General Ban ki-Moon condemned Israel for the civilian casualties and mass destruction that resulted from Operation Protective Edge, its fifty-day military offensive in Gaza. “I fully understand the security threat from rockets above and tunnels below,” Ban said. “At the same time, the scale of the destruction in Gaza has left deep questions about proportionality.”

Although international pro-recognition sentiment has thus far had a limited effect on policy, the PLO is continuing to push for recognition at a higher level. According to PLO Secretary-General Rabbo, the PLO is urging the UN Security Council to pass a resolution ending the Israeli occupation of its territories.

“Do the Americans have a realistic alternative to Israeli intransigence and settlements?” Rabbo asked. “We will continue our political battle and won’t be deterred by Israeli statements.”

While the text of the proposed PLO resolution is currently unknown, it would likely establish a three-month deadline for Israel to declare borders based on the pre-1967 lines, and subsequently set a standard for the creation of a Palestinian state based upon these borders. The resolution is slated to be revealed in early November.

NEWS THIS WEEK Bahrain - Oct 28

A court in Bahrain has suspended leading Shia opposition group al-Wefaq’s activities for three months. Parliamentary elections are next month.

The group, founded in 2002, had planned to boycott the November 22 elections because they claimed the results would be controlled by the ruling authority. Protestors have been demanding an end to the discrimination of the Shia majority by the Sunny royal family. Thousands have been arrested and dozens killed since protests began in 2011.

Egypt - Oct 28

Egyptian authorities have cleared residents along its eastern border with Gaza and plans to make a 500 m wide buffer zone to combat militant activity. The most recent attack, which killed at least 31 soldiers, prompted a state of emergency and the indefinite closing of the Gaza crossing, the only non-Israeli passage for the Gaza Strip. The Egyptian army has waged a broad offensive in the Northern Sinai against Islamic militants, many of whom travel to and from Gaza using tunnels. The closure of the Strip will add additional hardship to members of the Gazan enclave, still recovering from the 50-day summer conflict with Israel.

Iran - Oct 28

A rise in executions have led to increasing condemnations of the human rights situation within Iran. At least 852 individuals were reportedly executed between July 2013 and June 2014, representing an alarming increase above the already frequent use of capital punishment for offenses varying from adultery, drug and alcohol use, illicit political and economic activity, and more. A recent execution of a woman who was hanged for killing a man she had accused of sexually abusing her particularly shocked the international community and the U.N. which raised the issue with the Iranian government but received no response.

Lebanon - Oct 28

Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri said on Tuesday that Lebanon should disengage from the current Syrian civil war and that, “the itinerant incidents” occurring throughout Lebanon are spillover from the war in Syria. He stated that a Sunni revolution is far removed from the aspirations and goals of the sect and encouraged a monopoly of force on behalf of the Lebanese army for protecting the border with Syria to prevent Hezbollah from gaining, “a new pretext to intervene in the Syrian war and to expand its security and military action in Lebanon”.

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA OCTOBER 21 - OCTOBER 28

NEWS THIS WEEK Nigeria - Oct 24

Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, plans to roll out student agribusiness clubs in secondary schools to promote agriculture and reduce unemployment for the future. Minister Shekarau says that students who can’t gain admission to higher education institutions become a “nuisance” because they don’t have the skills to pursue an alternative. Additionally, the minister said “I appreciate the various aspects of the agribusiness as it will build a sense of enterprise, nation-building and patriotism in children.” This initiative has the potential to make positive gains in the arenas of community and youth development in Nigeria.

Mozambique - Oct 24

After the results of the recent election, the leader of the opposition party and former rebel group, RENAMO, has called for the negotiation of a unity government. Afonso Dhaklama, the leader of RENAMO, has made this call after the disputed election victory of FRELIMO, the ruling party since the end of the civil war. Dhaklama has stated that the election results are not valid and other nations with diplomatic relations with Mozambique must not accept them. This election is a test for peace in the country, and if Mozambique can avoid violence through a coalition government, other African states may use coalition governments as a means of preventing violence after disputed elections.

South Africa - Oct 24

In accordance with a team from the South African Development Community sent to deal with the political crisis in Lesotho, three top Basotho security chiefs have stepped down.

Lieutenant General Tlali Kamoli and Police Commissioner Khothatso Tsooana are both taking a leave of absence in order to discourage hostilities or confrontations between the government and the military. South African deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa, who also negotiated South Africa’s transition to democracy, has been the SADC’s chief negotiator on the matter. South Africa is taking proactive steps in ensuring the security of Lesotho, a state which it surrounds completely. A successful transition of power back to PM Thabane could be a victory for the effectiveness of the SADC as a regional organization.

South Sudan - Oct 24

Activists in South Sudan are urging women to deny sex to their husbands in an effort to force the men of the country to seek an end to the violence that has been plaguing the country since December. A group of more than 90 women activists, including several MPs, in Juba put this idea together, influenced by a similar sex strike in Liberia in 2003.

Sudanese 25-Year President Seeks Reelection

by Airton Kamdem

move to justify President Bashir’s decision to run for reelection. Additionally, in the midst of a potential arrest by the International Criminal Court, some believe that Bashir’s reelection campaign could also be an attempt to maintain his freedom.

autocratic style of governance, and the amount of assets, resources and connections that he has amassed in office, his announcement to run for reelection can practically be seen as his own inauguration for a sixth term in office, rendering these elections and really, any other attempt at a democratic process, a façade. Given that the average Sudanese citizen has a good idea of what the outcome of these elections will be, should the international community and the Sudanese people in particular be outraged by the prospect of another term with al-Bashir?

Three years ago, in a New York Times article published on February 21, 2011, President Bashir put out a statement through spokesman Rabie Abdel Attie, that he would not seek out reelection at the end of his fifth term. According to Mr. Abdel Attie, the president believed that “the chance should be given to the next generation” and that “he will work to establish a real democratic system in the country,” perhaps realizing that the system of governance that he had led was largely undemocratic. Although it caught many by surprise, members of opposing parties in Sudan in no way saw this as an opportunity to celebrate,” but (correctly) as a political move instead. Contextually, it is important to understand that when this message was put out in 2011, President Bashir

was under serious investigation by the International Criminal Court for charges of genocide and other crimes against humanity. The country was also in the midst of huge protests and rebellions, leading students like 22-year-old Mouysar Hassan to see this statement as nothing more than “an attempt to anesthetize the streets.”

Today, as his presidential term comes to an end, it is interesting to see the new set of reasons for which President Bashir and his confidants feel that his reelection would be the most beneficial outcome for the country.

For example, Minister of Culture and Information Ahmed Bilal Osman believes that “his [Bashir’s] re-

election next year would make all parties feel at ease to participate in the national debate that Bashir has promoted,” especially since Sudan is now in a place where national dialogue is crucial towards solving the nation’s divisive issues. Bilal believes that given his experience and connections, all will feel satisfied in this unifying effort and they will all “be on one note.”

However, politicians like Mariam al-Sadig al-Mahdi, the first female vice president of the opposition Uma Party are unconvinced. She believes that in a repressive regime, everyone, including President Bashir himself, understand that this is once again just another political

In the wake of this election, one issue that has become particularly salient once again is the vastly undemocratic regime that Bashir has implemented in his time in office. Given the low possibility that Bashir will lose, parties like the Popular Congress Party have already chosen to not participate in the 2015 elections simply because they believe that the elections will not be fair. Yet, regardless of whether or not this will be the case, Bashir and his party bring up a good point: that Bashir has been in office for over two decades, and that having experienced the division and strife that his country has endured, he is perhaps the most knowledgeable, most experienced, and most connected person to lead peace talks, stability, and progress in the Sudan. However, when it comes to modes of governance, especially in a hybrid regime like Sudan’s, some questions remain: Is there such a thing as too much political experience? And, will stability in leadership truly lead to progress for a nation with age-old struggles?

China’s Role in the Fight Against Ebola

by Nicolas Alonso

opportunity to play a role in finding a cure for Ebola because it will improve its image in the eyes of the international community, particularly African nations. In short, China’s role in fighting Ebola can be seen as another strategy of soft power geared towards increasing its presence and influence in the region and realizing larger profits and international political capital.

On October 24, China announced that it would donate $82 million to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea to contribute to the fight against Ebola. This will be China’s fourth round of aid and its largest donation so far, to the fight against the virus. Additionally, over the past months, China has supplied aid workers and doctors to the affected regions. Although China’s unprecedented generosity may be founded in economic and political interests, its efforts should not be downplayed.

Since mid-August, China has stepped up its contribution to fight Ebola by sending aid and medical teams to the most affected region in West Africa.

While the European powers and the US and Japanese governments began evacuating their own health personnel at the beginning of the outbreak, China sent three teams of infectious disease experts and five million dollars of medical supply. Since then, China has kept its upscale commitment to the Ebola issue and currently has 115 medical staff on the ground.

Last week, it sent a laboratory team of 59 to Sierra Leone. Between medical and monetary aid, China has provided a total of $120 million to the affected countries. The WHO has applauded Chinese efforts and de-

scribed their commitment as a “huge boost morally and operationally”.

does not have the capacity to do basic research on the Ebola virus either.

China’s contributions, however, have not been without controversy. Some scholars have questioned the degree to which China can contribute to a disease such as this one. China has failed to analyze, control and correctly monitor widespread diseases within its own borders – the avian influenza virus stands as a perfect example of this. China still has not finished constructing facilities dedicated to the research and study of these diseases, and according to Chinese scientists, China

In addition, it is well known that China has great economic and political interests in its involvement in fighting Ebola. China has large investments in the West African region that it wants to keep protected, and is also concerned for the lives of the 10,000 chinese nationals that live in this part of Africa. It is in their best economic interest to resolve this disease so that the region becomes stable and more economic ties can be developed in the future. Moreover, China is seizing the

The Chinese role in assisting African countries to fight Ebola should not be undermined. On one hand, China’s goals might not be the most transparent in the views of many international commentators; on the other, its capability to offer technical analysis and control capacities for the disease might not be the best either. Nevertheless, it cannot be disputed that the aid Beijing has contributed to the fight against Ebola has had a positive impact and has been recognized by national governments and the WHO.

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA OCTOBER 21 - OCTOBER 28

SOUTH AFRICA’S NUCLEAR FUTURE

during President François Hollande’s visit last year, which resulted in the signing of critical energy deals to build solar and thermal plants. The country’s wide variety of negotiations illustrate its newfound ambitions for expansion of its nuclear power capacity.

by Anirudha Vaddadi

South Africa’s nuclear energy program took a great leap forward this past week, as the country’s government came to a USD 50 billion agreement with the French stateowned firm, Areva, to build eight new nuclear reactors. This comes on the heels of a major deal with the Russian government back in September that also promised eight reactors. On top of this, South Africa is reportedly expected to sign another accord with China, and has also been pursuing a nuclear deal with Japan.

These negotiations will prove to be fruitful for Africa’s most industrialized nation, which currently has the continent’s only nuclear power plant. Heavy dependence on coal and stressed power grids have compelled South Africa to aggressively pursue alternative forms of energy in recent years. This is a drastic turn of events for a country that gave up its nuclear weapons program just 25 years ago.

South Africa’s nuclear program can be traced back to the 1950s, when the government began to experiment with nuclear material for peaceful purposes. Tapping into its vast uranium reserves, the government began to develop alternative ways to satisfy the country’s electricity demands. A nuclear plant was built in Koeberg, near Cape Town, and the first reactor was commissioned in 1984. Around the same time, however, the nation also established a path towards nuclear

weapon proliferation. In 1974, Prime Minister John Vorster approved the development of nuclear explosives for peaceful applications, and the first device was completed five years later.

But in 1979, the apartheid government made a critical decision to focus its nuclear program for military purposes. This was due to its rapidly declining international standing: its participation in the UN General Assembly was suspended and the UN Security Council declared a mandatory oil and weapons arms embargo. Furthermore, the white-minority regime feared encirclement from the black-dominated governments in neighboring countries such as Angola and Zimbabwe. As a result, during the 1980s, South Africa utilized a nuclear deterrence strategy to develop six devices in total.

By the end of the decade, however, the government found that this plan was only an obstacle to reintegration into global politics. F.W. de Klerk, who was elected Prime Minister in 1989, put South Africa on a path back to normalization of internation-

al relations. De Klerk approved the termination of the nuclear weapons program and oversaw the disassembly of all weapons, making South Africa the only nation to ever fully retract from nuclear proliferation.

Since then, South Africa’s nuclear capacity has remained limited, as the two reactors in the Koeberg plant have continued to be the country’s only source of nuclear power (just five percent of all electricity production). In the 2010 Integrated Electricity Resource Plan, the government made nuclear energy a high priority for future energy supply.

Since then, it has focused on efforts to diversify from coal in order to keep up with growing electricity demand.

Today, France seems like a natural nuclear trade partner for South Africa. In fact, Areva was responsible for building the first two reactors 30 years ago. The two nations have a strong economic relationship – France is the ninth-biggest supplier to South Africa and 16th-biggest consumer of its goods. Relations also strengthened

Moreover, South Africa is not alone in the region in this pursuit of nuclear power. Africa’s recent growth and rising electricity demand has motivated several governments to explore the nuclear option in the near future–a telling sign of the potential market for nuclear energy on the continent. The traditional forms of energy supply, coal and hydropower, may not be enough to satisfy skyrocketing electricity demands in many of Africa’s expanding economies. Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda have all expressed serious interest in developing their nuclear programs.

Finally, while nuclear power does have a great amount of benefits, it is not without costs: high infrastructure support, proper regulatory oversight, and of course, the price. For Africa, which currently only has sufficient electricity supply for 10 percent of its population, one of the most pressing obstacles for supporting sustainable growth will be developing an electricity network that is available for a greater amount of people. South Africa’s recent and continuous success in soliciting contracts and maintaining a peaceful nuclear program ought to offer hope to other ambitious African governments that are looking to bring their countries into the 21st century.

With Global Pressure, Nigerian Government Acts Quickly to Free Foreign Hostages

by Airton Kamdem

One of the often unintended side effects of an increasingly globalized world is that, even as local cultures and ideologies become globalized, they are accompanied inherently by their respective problems. Since 2009, but particularly in the past eight months, Boko Haram has become notorious for their continuing attacks in Nigeria and Northern Cameroon, starting with the famous kidnapping of over 270 schoolgirls from Chibok on April 14, 2014. On July 27, Boko Haram struck again, this time kidnapping 27 hostages, ten of which were Chinese, from the village of Kolofata, and killing several others.

Many are surprised at the expediency with which both the Cameroonian and Nigerian governments recovered these hostages, as opposed to the 200 plus school girls who still remain captive more than six months later.

What could have motivated the Nigerian and Cameroonian governments to mobilize sufficient military and diplomatic resources to make the recovery of these hostages so quickly, while so many others remain unaccounted for months later?

This could be due to varying forms of domestic, or perhaps more importantly, international pressures.

Boko Haram’s choice to kidnap ten Chinese hostages is a strong indication of China’s increasing presence in

sub-Saharan Africa. China’s influence in the region over the past ten years has been increasing steadily along with its investment in it. The bulk of Chinese aid and investments in West Africa has been allocated towards energy generation, communications, and transportation; it therefore came as no surprise that ten of the 27 hostages captured in this raid happened to be Chinese road construction workers. This incident prompted the immediate response of numerous Chinese foreign officials, including Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei, who specifically requested that the relevant country’s government earnestly ensure the safety of Chinese personnel in the area, and protect Chinese investments in the region.

China’s direct involvement with local issues and politics is inevitable.

Due to Boko Haram’s threatening activities, the Chinese are steadily being encouraged to act, not just as foreign investors in the region but also in the interest of their citizens.

Furthermore, the different nationalities represented within this group of hostages proves the way in which Boko Haram’s actions have begun to, and will likely continue to, affect more than just the local Nigerians.

The fight against Boko Haram has also been a daily reality for most Northern Cameroonians since early

2010, when Boko Haram’s insurgent activities began taking place in Northern Cameroon. This caused local governments to dispatch hundreds of troops to secure the Nigerian border.

What seemed to be one of the swiftest hostage-recovery military operations in this area so far, followed, the kidnapping of Françoise Agnes Moukouri, wife of the Vice Prime Minister of Cameroon, Amadou Ali. After being released by Boko Haram, Seini Boukar, a Muslim cleric, mayor, and traditional ruler of the Cameroonian town of Kolofata, argued that such an experience can be psychologically paralyzing for the victims, their families and friends. This rings true particularly when community leaders like himself are involved: “In African Culture, when a leader is kidnapped, so is the whole community.” This is because, beyond controlling access to resources necessary for significant military and political action, community leaders (especially traditional ones like Seini Boukar) are also placed at the center of a community’s culture. This perhaps motivated Cameroonian and Nigerian officials to recover Boukar much quicker.

Presently, not much has been said about the irony that Nigerian and Cameroonian governments located and recovered 27 hostages within four

months, but are still unable to communicate a concrete plan to recover the school girls who remain hostage more than six months later. The recovered hostages, as opposed to the many unrecovered girls captured on the night of April 14, just happened to include people who were privileged to have close ties with either local politicians or powerful foreign investors; this distinction between the two groups, perhaps, has created the discrepancy in the outcomes of the recovery efforts separately geared towards them.

Editor’s Column Alexandra Ma Naa Adjeley Kome-Mensah

Sub-Saharan Africa is a region that is increasingly dominating conversations in the international arena. The United States, the EU and major Asian countries such as China have been becoming more and more involved in Sub-Saharan African affairs, such as politics, economics, and human rights.

Here are a few questions, among many others, that the Sub-Saharan Africa team aims to address: What are the larger themes that dominate Sub-Saharan African news and conversations? Are certain themes or currents more prominent in certain sub-regions than others, and why?

Alex is a senior in the School of Foreign Service, majoring in International History. She comes from Hong Kong and went to high school in the UK before coming to Georgetown for university. She is interested in a career in journalism and is excited to write and explore more about the Sub-Saharan Africa, a region that is becoming more and more important in the international arena.

Naa Adjeley is a junior in the School of Foreign Service majoring in Science, Technology and International Affairs with a concentration in Business, Growth and International Development. Born and raised in Accra, Ghana and having travelled widely around Sub-Saharan Africa, she has a burning passion for Africa – its culture, people and potential – and has grown increasingly concerned about the age-old issues that plague Africa, while trying to figure out what role she can play to solve its many problems. This mixture of passion and curiosity has contributed to her decision to join the Caravel as Associate Editor for the Sub-Saharan Africa section.

The Caravel is a weekly international newspaper that engages the undergraduate student body in the entire production process, from research and writing to editing and administration.

SOUTH & S.E. ASIA SOUTH & SOUTHEAST ASIA OCTOBER 21 - OCTOBER 28

Editor’s Column

MALALA - FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE?

by Yuzana Khine Zaw

Geeva Gopalkrishnan

Southeast Asia hardly hits the international news if not for its embroilment in territorial disputes or being affected by natural disasters.

Reporting only incidents deemed “significant” sometimes results in a news perspective that parallels a “deficit narrative.” Bhutan is more than just Gross National Happiness; Bangladesh is more than just sweatshops; Singapore is more than just an illiberal democracy. Stereotypes harm dignity. Let’s challenge perspectives.

The South Asian and Southeast Asian regions boast myriad cultures and this section of The Caravel seeks to present the various facets of Asian societies – going beyond just economic and political coverage to present societal and even cultural news.

Geeva is a junior in the School of Foreign Service, pursuing a major in International Political Economy with a certificate in International Development. An ethnic Indian hailing from Singapore, Geeva is impassioned about politics in ASEAN as well as military and economic security issues pertaining to South Asia.

The Caravel is a weekly international newspaper that engages the undergraduate student body in the entire production process, from research and writing to editing and administration. Our project strives, first, to bring under-reported news into the limelight of international affairs.

Second, to enhance cross-cultural understanding through a unique emphasis on regional perspective and contextual analysis.

Finally, to nurture regional specialists by providing a platform for undergraduate students to write and accumulate knowledge on specific regions.

Malala is currently the youngest Nobel Prize laureate.

A Young Girl Dreams On 10 October 2014, Malala received the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize for her struggle for the right of education for all children.

At the age of 14, she received a death threat from one of the world’s most extremist fundamental groups – the Taliban. At age 15, a bullet entered her skull and she faced the brink of death. Malala Yousafzai began her activism in 2008 after the Taliban’s attacks on girls’ schools in Swat. She gave a speech titled “How dare the Taliban take away my basic right to education?” and began blogging for BBC in 2009. She was nominated for the International Children’s Peace Prize and was awarded the Pakistan’s National youth Peace Prize in 2011.

On October 9, 2012, Malala was returning home on her school bus when a man boarded the bus, demanded to know which girl Malala was, and fired at her. Malala was hit in the left side of her head. The bullet travelled down her neck leaving her in a critical condition. Two other girls were also injured in the attack. She had multiple surgeries, including repair of a facial nerve, to fix the paralyzed side of her face that received the bullet. Fortunately, Malala suffered no major brain damage and has now fully recovered.

A Rising Beacon of Hope – for better or for worse?

For many, Malala is a rising beacon of hope for changes and equality in nations like Pakistan. She is the light for those who have been suppressed by fundamentalism, extremism, and terrorism. She gives hope to other girls like herself who faced difficulties trying to obtain an education.

She brought international attention onto the issue and instigated many to speak up against suppression and the right to basic education.

The incident, however, captured the international community’s attention.

The global community convened to support Malala’s cause. Petitions of over one million names were submitted to the United Nations in nearly 100 countries on every continent asking for the basic right to education in Pakistan. Mass media was also centered on Malala’s cause, broadcasting for worldwide access to education. Celebrities ranging from Justin Bieber to Usher spoke up for Malala in social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and other blogs.

After the Taliban’s brutal assassination attempt on Malala, parents were at first afraid to send their children to school — education in Pakistan for young girls remained on a tightrope. The anxiety kept many primary schools empty for a month.

However, with Malala’s recovery and the global support she received, many have been inspired to reach out and demand for their educational rights.

“Before Malala was shot we didn’t think we should go to school,” says 10-year old Tasleem. “My Mum saw what happened on TV. That made her think. After this she decided her girls should also be in school

A Vestige from the Past Resurrected: Sri Lankan Northern Railway After thirty years of inactivity, the Northern Railway line will resume carrying traffic between Colombo and Jaffna, resurrected by aid and financial assistance from India. The Northern Railway was a key link between Northern and Southern Sri Lanka, a island nation that had been torn by terrorist separatist, the Tamil Tigers, in the last thirty years.

The Northern Railway was a target for the Tamil Tigers, who wish to establish a separate, Tamil ethnic country in Northern Sri Lanka. The Rail-

With Aid workers and teachers beginning to fight back and lobbying parents about the need to educate their daughters, enrollment has begun to steadily rise. Pakistan has the second highest number of children out of school in the world, mainly girls.

Educating the women of Pakistan would bring more qualified individuals into the society who could work towards the nation’s development.

However, Malala also receives much hate from extremists and conservative Pakistanis, mainly from the nation’s middle classes. Some are against bringing in international attention onto Pakistan’s issues in fear of damaging the nation’s image. There are also others who see Malala as a Western conspiracy, staged for the purpose of decrying Islam and promoting Western ideals. The hatred towards Malala stems mainly from conservatives who are against female empowerment, some being women themselves. Some women are even seen posting photos of Pakistani girls going to school to counter Malala’s “lies”.

Many fear change and uncertainty. A nation having lived amidst violence and oppression for decades, struggles to strive for changes with the fear of diving into a worsening state.

OCTOBER 21 - OCTOBER 28

The Curious Case of Afghan Poppies

by Madeline Sposato

Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) John Sopko admitted that despite over $7.6 billion spent by the United States on counter-narcotics efforts in Afghanistan, poppy cultivation reached an all time high in 2013.

An all time high of over 209,000 hectacres (about 806 miles) of newly arable land has been used to grow poppies, resulting in a 36% increase in Afghanistan’s poppy cultivation by the end of 2013. This news undermines US counterterrorism efforts in Afghanistan. Poppy yields are directly sold to insurgents, who use the poppy products like opium to finance their missions. Although the United Nations first reported these figures in a 2013 Summary Report, the report from the Special Inspector General marked official recognition of the growing problem.

Why Poppies?

Poppies, specifically poppy products including opium, morphine, and heroin, have had a long and complicated history in foreign affairs.

Opium was a staple of Sino-British trade in the early 17th century, over which both nations fought the Opium Wars. US merchants, including John Jacob Astor, were also involved in the smuggling of opium. The majority of production in “the Golden Triangle” of Southeast Asia addictions maintained markets, both legal and illegal. By the 20th Century opium, heroin, and morphine were all regulated or banned in the Unit-

estimated 1.6 million people. Few international donors have committed to treatment of addiction in Afghanistan.

ed States and the United Kingdom.

Trade for poppy products, however, did not subside. The Afghan market first produced opium in 1932. During the Vietnam War, US military and intelligence made alliances with local opium lords in order to gain allies against the communist threat. After losing the war, US markets turned to other sources. Since 1978, Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan, have been the primary centers of opium trade. Today, Afghanistan produces more than 80% of the world’s opium.

Previous Measures in Afghanistan Previous efforts to stem the poppy’s popularity in Afghanistan have been futile. US aid programs awarded grants to farmers who switched to wheat, but wheat yields are consistently lower than poppy yields, which made the switch less profitable. In 2001, when the Taliban was in power, poppy cultivation reached an all time low with 99% eradication, as the practice was banned because drugs were seen as violating Islam.

With US deposition of the Taliban, poppy growth blossomed largely due to the power vacuum. Growth of poppies, the UN noted in their report, remained largest in unstable regions like Helmand and Kandahar.

Similarly, international attempts to quash the poppy trade have been marked by discord. In 2008, the New York Times wrote that intra-NATO squabbling rendered counter-narcotics operations ineffective due to limit-

ed ground enforcement of commands.

Some NATO allies told their soldiers that national policies prohibited them from engaging in counter-narcotics efforts abroad. Similarly, NATO has been careful to avoid undermining the income of Afghan farmers. In 2010, Russia asked for the Afghan poppies to be sprayed in order to combat rising addiction at home, only to have its proposal rejected by NATO. Market for Afghan Poppies Poppies sell for around $130 per kilo and cultivation is a highly profitable industry for both farmers of poppies and organized insurgents.

Poppy production makes up 4% of Afghanistan’s GDP. With growth largest in the Southern and Western provinces, Afghanistan’s poppy cultivation has been valued at around $3 billion. Addiction to poppy products is a growing problem, and in 2010 the United Nations reported that 60% of all heroin demand came from Afghanistan and its neighboring countries, with the exclusion of China. Afghanistan’s addicts comprise nearly 5.3% of its total population, an

US stake in the poppy industry In Afghanistan, poppy growth is observed to correlate with instability.

With respect to counterterrorism measures, fighting poppy production in Afghanistan has been key to stemming nearly $155 million in funds to insurgents, including the Taliban. Despite the signature of the most recent deal to extend US-troop presence, poppy production could increase if farmers are left without support or protection.

The failure of US funds to counter drug trafficking come as the NATO turns over control of the country to Afghan forces. To spray the fields would undermine the livelihoods of Afghan farmers, but without eradication of poppy production, funds will continue to support insurgent groups.

While the promotion of alternative crops could be a viable alternative, the lack of infrastructure, stability, and the failure of US programs to address the issue with Afghanistan-focused solutions are key hindrances.

Lack of government support from Afghanistan, according to the SIGAR report, is largely to blame for failure of US programs, although Afghanistan’s new leadership under President Ashraf Ghani could change this.

Regardless, US acknowledgement of failure is a key first step, and the future of its counterterrorism programs depend on whether or not its second steps are adequate.

Brunei to Launch Second Phase of Educational Improvements

by Belinda Lei

by Mitchell Tu

way first suffered decades ago when the Tamil Tigers tore apart the farthest most northern stretch of the railway and used the rail tracks to build underground bunkers. The Railway was finally shutdown three decades ago due to a bombing by the Tigers in Kokavil on January 18th, 1985, killing 34 people and essentially destroying all north-south rail transport.

viously Sri Lanka had lacked a clear land rail between Jaffna, the largest city in the North, and Colombo. With modes of transportation and connection between the previously separatist north and the rest of Sri Lanka reviving, one can expect business and travel between these two formerly disparate regions of the country to become closer politically and socially.

With the ending of the civil war in May 2009, the railway has slowly began inching northward and has finally resurrected fully to provide services between Jaffna and Colombo. The Railway’s resurrection is only possible due to substantial investment by the India Railway Construction International Ltd. (IRCON), which provided aid from India.

India’s continuing aid in developing and uniting Sri Lanka is indicative of the role India has played in Sri Lanka for centuries, ever since its introduction of Buddhism into Sri Lanka in the third century. Today, a significant amount of development aid and investment into Sri Lanka comes from Indian firms or the Indian government. India also played a substantial role in the Sri Lankan Civil War.

The Railway serves as a powerful symbol of the unity of the country, as rail is the most common mode of land transport in the country, and pre-

and should get a good education.”

SOUTH & SOUTHEAST ASIA

Sri Lanka’s Northern Tamil majority area has the same ethnic group, the Tamils, as India’s populous Tamil

Nadu province. Accusations during the 1970’s and 80’s have been floated that the state governments in India’s south had provided substantial aid to the Tamil Tigers and other Tamil separatist groups. India, in efforts to curb growing unrest in its own Tamil population at the violence and the flood of refugees, in 1987 intervened in the Sri Lankan Civil War, setting in motion continuing Indian involvement to stop the violence of the war. Eventually, the Tamil separatist groups were cowed and settled a peace agreement with the aid and troops of the Indian government.

India has become, with the settlement of the Sri Lankan Civil War, among the largest trade partners with Sri Lanka, especially with the passage of free trade agreements between the two companies. With the Indian government and companies planning to establish hospitals, railways, and other essential infrastructure in recent years, one can only expect ties and business between the two countries to strengthen in years to come. In addition, the continuing ties between northern and southern Sri Lanka and the establishment of the Northern Railway are signs of stability to come.

The Northern Railway represents a return to normalcy and peace after thirty years of ethnic civil war.

During the launching ceremony of the Second Phase of the Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metric (SEA-PLM) on October 21st, 2014, Brunei announced that it will be increasing the productivity of early child education by designing educational tutorials to aid teachers in creating quality learning experiences.

The launching ceremony was held in collaboration with the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund Regional Office East Asia and the Pacific (UNICEF EAPRO). Over 450 policy-makers, academics, and stakeholders from Southeast Asia were in attendance.

Dr. Witaya Jeradechakul, Director of SEAMEO Secretariat stated during the opening ceremony that the SEAPLM will monitor student achievements ranging from numeracy, literacy, and 21st century global citizenship skills. Brunei will be furthering this goal through the execution of the e-Hiraj Whole School Approach to ICT Development (WISD) project.

According to the Minister of Education, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Hj Awg Abu Bakar Hj Apong, “the WISD project was designed to develop teachers’ capacity to engage in dif-

ferent approaches to teaching which includes knowledge transfer, knowledge sharing, and developing knowledge communities.” In addition, a strong ICT skill set is crucial to identifying a teacher’s capacity to teach and transfer knowledge to students.

ICT is an index published by the United Nations International Telecommunication Union that measures information and technology indicators.

Brunei has been using the ICT index to measure and compare the technical and digital skills of the country’s students. If the program is successful, the tools will be shared amongst SEAMO members, increasing the transfer of information and learning skills in the South East Asian region.

Under the new metric system of the WISD project, Brunei hopes to more accurately measure a student’s educational progress and to encourage teachers to become “designers of learning.” Innovative teaching strategies, the development of ICT skills and critical thinking, and collaboration in particular will be highlighted in the system.

Brunei selected 20 schools in the fall of last year to participate in the WISD project. The schools were chosen based upon rigorous reviews by experienced education officers. Their readiness for change was included

as an important part of qualifying WISD criteria. Since the selection process, the chosen schools, ranging from sports, technical, and vocational schools, have implemented a wide range of tools to expose their students to ICT skills. One such example is of students performing collaborative research in smaller sized classes. Schools are expected to combine the successes of traditional approaches with that of the digital age and 21st century pedagogies.

SEA-PLM, an initiative established in early 2013, is aimed at supporting the educational development of SEAMEO member countries. Based on shared Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) values, the initiative improves the quality of education through system level monitoring while applying culturally appropriate metrics. Brunei’s focus on regional educational monitoring will strengthen the technical collaboration amongst ASEAN member states.

The first phase of the SEA-PLM, which consisted of research reviews to assess the educational system of South East Asia, was presented at the 37th SEAMEO High Officials Meeting in February 2014. In this meeting, SEAMEO participating countries, including Brunei, Thailand, and Malaysia, were identified to participate in the second phase. The goal of the

second phase is to develop a working plan for implementing educational frameworks throughout the South East Asian region. Brunei’s creation of teacher tutorials is under the framework of SEA-PLM’s second phase.

In addition, the creation of a strong Steering Committee will be crucial to the success of SEA-PLM Phase 2. “ To make this successful, we have to ensure that the participating countries have strong leadership to involve in this programme,” said YB Pehin Dato (Dr) Hj Awg Abu Bakar. The Steering Committee will include members from Ministry of Education officials from SEAMEO Member countries.

After Phase 2 of SEA-PLM has been completed, draft protocols and tools will be translated into national languages to be distributed amongst member countries in Phase 3. The completion of Phase 3 will make SEA-PLM the first learning metric to be normed and referenced with Southeast Asian children, marking a huge milestone in South East Asian collaborative capabilities.

NEWS THIS WEEK Thailand - Oct 21

Koh Tau murder suspects from Myanmar have officially retracted their murder confessions, on the basis of having been coerced through assault by their translator during questioning.

Their interpreter had also wrongly stated their religions in his interpretation. The two suspects have signed a statement committing their innocence, and their lawyer has filed a petition seeking a just and fair decision.

Indonesia - Oct 21

As of October 20th, Indonesia has a new president. Joko Widodo Jokowi, formerly a furniture maker, mayor, and governor, is widely popular in Indonesia and his inauguration, the seventh in Indonesia’s history, was well attended by foreign dignitaries and opposition leaders alike. During his first speech as president, he announced an emphasis on national unity and Indonesia’s potential as a maritime power.

India - Oct 21

New estimates show that only 1% of marital rape and 6% of extramarital rapes are reported to the police in India. Severe physical violence is also equally under-reported. Nevertheless, states associated with gener equality (the North-Eastern States, Tamil Nadua, and Karnataka) show lower levels of actual incidence of violence and higher levels of reporting, though the extent of reporting is still single digit percentage. The National Family Health Survey (NFHS) remains the only victimization study of the country.

Nepal - Oct 21

While Nepal’s legislative branch argues over a new constitution, Rajendra Kishorr Chhetri, energy secretary, recently signed a bilateral energy agreement. Since 2008, Nepal has suffered severeload shedding and electricity leakage, and last winter some regions only received eight hours of power a day. The new agreement will increase India’s energy exports to Nepal and includes the construction of a new transmission line in order to ameliorate Nepal’s power crisis.

Cambodia - Oct 21

Nearly 100 protesters asking for better representation in land deals and contracts marched in Phnom Penh to present petitions to the Prime Minister. Security guards and protesters clashed with each other and 18 protesters were reported injured. This is the most recent protest in Phnom Penh after over 200 individuals protested against the possible loss of their land due to rail construction.

WESTERN EUROPE WESTERN EUROPE OCTOBER 21 - OCTOBER 28

NEWS THIS WEEK

Unidentified Underwater Object in Sweden

Italy - Oct 24

due to “unfounded” prosecution..

Instead, the latter suggested that the vessel was a Dutch submarine conducting military exercises in the water, but the Netherlands was quick to deny these allegations. For over a week, over 200 naval troops and helicopters scoured Swedish waters in Ingaro Bay, but ultimately the search was called off on October 24th after the Swedish navy failed to uncover any substantive information about the nature or origins of the vessel.

Italy’s supreme court has cleared Dolce & Gabbana founders, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, of charges of tax evasion. Originally convicted in June 2013, an appeals court upheld the original guilty verdict for failing to declare €200 million in tax through the use of a shell company based in Luxembourg during 2004 and 2005. The Italian court annulled the original conviction for a jail sentence of up to two years

EU - Oct 24

Chief of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi, issued a warning to Eurozone leaders about the risk of “relapse into recession.” Member state leaders were cautioned to not rely solely on the ECB, but to take initiative through implementing reforms and boosting investment.

Draghi alluded to Germany, commenting on the need for countries to boost internal demand to help out the rest of Europe, while at the same time emphasized the need for further steps towards shared sovereignty.

UK - Oct 24

The EU demands an extra $2.7 billion from the UK by December 1, following a change in the EU’s accounting system to include underground economy. EU officials stated that as the recalculated data demonstrates that British economy performed better than expectations, the UK has to pay more into the EU budget. UK’s David Cameron, in the midst of an electoral battle against the Populist Party, rejected the demand as ‘totally unacceptable’, calling it a punishment for UK’s relative economic prosperity compared to its neighbors. If re-elected, Cameron promises to negotiate and hold a referendum in 2017 to decide whether the UK will remain in the EU. Among those also requested to pay surcharges include The Netherlands and Italy, while France and Germany will be entitled to rebates for worse-than-expected economic performance.

EU - Oct 24

After a summit in Brussels, EU leaders have agreed to cut greenhouse gas emissions to 40% of 1990 level by the year 2030. Many countries hoped for even more ambitious goals, as scientists claim that worldwide emissions will need to be cut by up to 80% by the year 2050. However, heavily coal-reliant countries were reluctant to agree to a higher target.

defense budget represents just 1.2% of national GDP, and its maritime military technology has undoubtedly been neglected. General Sverker Goransson of Sweden described this situation as “very serious,” and asked for a change in Swedish military policy. Fortunately, Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven did announce his intention to increase defense spending, specifically in maritime technology, to counter any future threats against Sweden.

by Brandon Greenblatt

These two pieces of evidence suggested the presence of a Russian submarine, but Russia promptly denied such accusations.

This entire encounter between the Russian and Swedish militaries- one in which tensions flared and quickly subsided- is particularly confusing due to the overwhelming lack of factual information on all sides of the situation.

First, the initial civilian reports of the vessel were extraordinarily unclear.

Pictures taken by those who claimed having seen anything were often grainy and distorted. They failed to provide any substantial information that could aid Swedish authorities in locating the allegedly Russian marauders. Furthermore, the number of reported sightings was absolutely staggering. Philip Simon, head of the Swedish Armed Forces, stated that over 250 tips and observations were submitted to the military for

review – making it extremely difficult to provide individual analysis.

Second, Swedish military officials were often unclear about the situation themselves. At the beginning of the search, Rear Admiral Anders Grenstad of the Royal Swedish Navy posited a variety of theories about the unidentified vessel, describing how it could be a diver, submarine, or perhaps even a moped-like vehicle. Even when Sweden theorized that a Russian oil tanker sailing in the region could be waiting to aid the Russian submarine, Russia immediately denied such accusations, calling them “baseless.” In light of such resistance, Swedish military officials were often left without strong

footing on which to conduct their search. They often struggled to offer theories about the vessel that would not be immediately negated by those accused or distorted by the public.

Still, the most fundamental factor that hindered Sweden’s search was their surprisingly limited maritime military technology. Despite being the world’s third largest exporter of arms per capita, Sweden has minimal anti-submarine warfare technology. During the Cold War, Sweden manufactured an abundance of equipment to counter constant threats from Russia and other Nordic states, yet such research and development has definitely waned since the 1990s. Today, Sweden’s

Pick and Choose: The UK’s Relationship with the European Union

by Brandon Greenblatt

Debate in the United Kingdom intensified this week as government officials and citizens considered one of the greatest questions of contemporary British politics: Should the United Kingdom reconsider being in the European Union? Leading the charge on this matter on the pro-secessionist side were Prime Minister David Cameron and his majority party, the Conservatives. The “Tories,” as the latter are known, made their case on the basis of two key issues which they claim are under fire by European technocratic legislation: human rights laws and immigration regulation.

The protection of human rights in the United Kingdom is a complicated issue, since they abide by both European Union law and British legislation. In 1949, the United Kingdom joined the European Union Court of Human Rights, a judicial element of the Council of Europe that is tasked with enforcing the European Convention on Human Rights. 47 nations are members of this agreement which outlines basic principles of human liberty such as prohibitions on torture, the death penalty, slavery, and terrorism.

At times, many of these international laws come into conflict with those outlined by the British Parliament,

and such discrepancies have prompted the Conservative Party to consider withdrawing from the Court. Prime Minister Cameron had initially proposed that such action be voted upon in a 2017 referendum, but Secretary of State for Justice Chris Grayling set it ablaze this Friday, October 3rd when he called for an ultimatum to be delivered to the European Union Court of Human Rights requesting that the United Kingdom be allowed to disregard some of the Court’s judgments when desired, or else risk the former’s withdrawal from the legal jurisdiction of Brussels. Grayling cited how the Court has extended its reach to legal realms beyond its original goal outlined in 1950: that of combatting totalitarian rule. Tories view the 65,900 cases which have been filed against the Court in 2013 as indicative of this overstep. They are especially displeased with recent rulings on homeland security, primarily those laws which restrict the United Kingdom’s ability to extradite terrorists.

As previously mentioned, the second issue prompting the United Kingdom to consider withdrawal from the European Union is the question of immigration regulation, specifically in regards to the control of excessive migration into the Queen’s

borders. Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith has recently described how increasing migration into the United Kingdom causes tensions between ethnic communities, leading to greater “civil unrest” and “resentment.” Moreover, Smith noted that immigrants tend to come from much poorer European countries. The resulting influx of workers offers minimal economic advantage to the United Kingdom and thus potentially jeopardizes economic growth and recovery, he argued.

The most recent economic reports by the Office for National Statistics show that 2nd quarter growth in the United Kingdom was 0.9%, for an annual growth rate of 3.7%.

Such growth was primarily due to booms in the business investment, construction, and service sectors of the economy, yet recovery from the 2008 financial crisis is still not complete. Conservatives recognize that consumer price growth has exceeded wage growth, and an influx of poor immigrants, they believe, only perpetuates this cycle. Since immigrants can be paid at a lower wage, they often edge British nationals out of jobs and substantiate wage limitations nationally. As a result, Smith concludes, control over immigration throughout Europe “needs to be in the hands of individual nations.”

When the search for the unidentified vessel was called off on October 24th, Rear Admiral Anders Grenstad calmly stated that those who violated Sweden’s territorial waters’ sovereignty had left. Unfortunately, the situation’s aftermath evokes anything but calmness. Sweden’s failure to identify the vessel reveals a critical point about its precarious position in national security. As a nation which is generally predisposed towards peaceful discourse, Sweden appears remarkably unprepared for acts of international aggression. Not only does it lack the military capabilities to engage in combat against advanced foreign adversaries, but it also lacks the necessary infrastructure to accurately determine the nature of such threats.

Hopefully, with greater investment in its defense sector and a heightened realization of vulnerability to foreign aggression, Sweden will be poised to adequately deal with much-needed reforms in the near future.

It is with these two issues in mind, immigration reform and human rights law, that certain political players in the United Kingdom are considering withdrawing from their commitment to pan-European legislation. It is crucial to highlight that states’ adherence to the European Convention on Human is a central tenet required for membership admittance into the United Nations, and more locally, the European Union itself. However, regardless of the issue’s rhetoric, would the United Kingdom’s exit from the ECHR even be considered as legal?

Secretary Grayling, a supporter of the move, adamantly stated that the United Kingdom has a “treaty right” to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights. Others disagree, as Kings College London lawyer Matt Qvortrup notes that “Leaving an international convention is pretty much impossible.” Indeed, Qvortrup may be correct, as a United Kingdom exit from the Convention would violate the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. This treaty, concerning peace in the once tumultuous Northern Ireland, was created with the promise of protecting human rights via the ECHR. Therefore, if the United Kingdom were to neglect the convention and withdraw from the European Union Court of Human Rights, it would be doing so illegally by being violation of the agreement.

WESTERN EUROPE

WHOSE UNION?

by Jonathan Thrall

The results of the European parliamentary elections held on May 25th resounded in France with a bang, as Marine Le Pen’s National Front achieved its most substantial political victory in years. Gaining a quarter of the vote, the far-right party secured 24 of the country’s 74 seats in Strasbourg. On May 26th, words like “Carnage,” “Earthquake,” and “The Big Bang” flooded the French press’ vocabulary while commentators and politicians alike decried the downfall of the republic. Despite the event’s significance, the growth of Europhobic sentiment responsible for Le Pen’s success can be largely attributed to the actions of France’s establishment parties.

The unprecedented nature of the event can be explained by understanding the role the National Front has traditionally occupied in the French political sphere. The Front National is a conservative, economically protectionist political formation characterized by a strong nationalist and anti-immigration sentiment. Derided as a fringe group, the party gained political relevance in 2002, when founder and then-leader Jean-Marie Le Pen unexpectedly came in second in the presidential election.

In spite of the high voter abstention rate, “le 21 avril” spurred much of the same shock that was experienced this past May and left its mark on France’s political conscience.

Notorious for making offhanded, xenophobic comments and for his public spurts of fury, Jean-Marie effectively kept the party from gaining

the support of the common voter.

However, since Le Pen’s daughter, Marine, succeeded him as party president in 2011, the Front has undergone a process of “dédiabolisation” (or de-demonization) which has sought to shake off its infamous reputation and enter the world of mainstream politics. The outcome of this year’s European elections has thus proved the success of this initiative, and also presents a rather worrisome reality to those who perceive the looming triumph of nationalism over democratic values in France.

The French election results reflect a larger continental trend of distrust of technocratic Brussels, commonly referred as to as “Euroscepticism”. Le Pen capitalized on this feeling and has collected the votes to show it. A survey conducted two weeks prior to the election by French polling agency CSA showed that only 20% of French

OCTOBER 21 - OCTOBER 28 electorate expressed confidence at the thought of continued political growth of the European Union versus 48% who were worried about it.

By contrast, the entirety of the mainstream French political establishment campaigned on a pro-European platform, offering very limited appeal to quell Eurosceptic concerns.

The National Front, however, is opposed to the very existence of the EU. Le Pen put much effort into a campaign to convince voters of its threat to French interests and of the benefits of its termination (with particular emphasis on the burden of the euro to France’s economy).

The foremost expression of Euroscepticism, however, is indifference.

French voters, like their counterparts in other EU member-states, have increasingly shown little interest in European elections. Although 2014 was the first year that saw a decline in voter abstention rates for European Parliament, at 56% it still remains considerably higher than what it is in most national elections (around 20% of voters abstained from the 2012 French presidential election).

However, when they do cast their ballots, voters typically do so less out of concern for the future of European politics, but rather to send a message to the sitting government.

Such was the case of the 2005 referendum on the adoption of a European constitution, in which a resounding ‘No’ vote was largely cast to express discontent about the national economic and social situation and prompted then-president Jacques Chirac to reshuffle his government. In fact, another survey conducted by CSA following the May 2014 election showed that even amongst Le Pen’s partisans, 69%

Irish Tax Shelter Comes Under Fire from European Commission

that “Corporate taxes in Ireland have

by Ty Greenberg increased more than 10 times since the

The luck of the Irish may be running out in light of the European Commission’s pending investigation into Apple Inc.’s allegedly preferential tax deals. In an incriminating 21-page report released last Tuesday, the Commission revealed that tax discrepancies were found in government contracts made with foreign companies. Special deals like this are a violation of European Union tax policies and other European Union member countries worry that they give Ireland an unfair advantage in attracting foreign business.

Ireland boasts one of the lowest corporate tax rates in Europe at 12.5 percent.

According to Irish officials, the low rate was necessary for Ireland to attract industry and boost the economy in the aftermath of the recent financial crisis.

As every country in the E.U. has the right to set its own tax rates, Ireland’s low [nominal] tax rate does not infringe upon European Union regulations. However, at less than 2%, Apple’s tax rate appears suspect of abnormally generous aid from the state—which could constitute a serious transgression under existing European Union mandates.

According to the New York Times, even Apple acknowledged that there was “no scientific basis” for the figures.

Rather, Apple’s tax bill was essentially “reverse-engineered” during the negotiation process with Irish officials (in 1991 and 2007 respectively) to match

the size of the profit that company representatives wanted. If foul play is proven, then Apple will potentially owe billions in back taxes to the European Union. That being said, the case is expected to take many years to unfold, and even the largest estimates of Apple’s financial obligation (approximately $6 billion if derived from Ireland’s full statutory rate) are relatively insignificant compared to Apple’s recent profits.

It is currently unclear how Ireland has benefited from Apple’s presence. The European Commission report details that “Apple enjoyed a 400 percent increase in sales revenue from 2009 to 2012.” Yet, “the operating costs used to calculate taxable income in Ireland reportedly grew only [by] 10 to 20 percent.” This discrepancy is what initially attracted suspicion from Brussels, and indicates that the amount of money Ireland received from Apple was negligible. This raises questions as to why Ireland would agree to such taxing leniency in the first place.

In response to these allegations, Apple has denied any involvement in socalled “sweetheart deals.” Apple CEO Tim Cook claims the company did not rely on tax gimmicks, and has paid every dollar it owed—both in the U.S. (where the Senate is also investigating Apple subsidiaries) and abroad. This defensive sentiment was also echoed by an Apple finance chief, stating recently

introduction of the iPhone in 2007.”

Regardless of determining culpability, it is important to note that Apple is not the only company under investigation within the European Union. The Commission is also looking into suspicious tax deals made between Fiat and Luxembourg along with Starbucks and the Netherlands. These investigations represent a larger international effort by governments to curb businesses’ attempts to evade tax payments. The G20 has been calling for years to force big multinationals to pay their fair share, and the European Commission’s recent flurry of activity may be part of a larger movement to harmonize corporate tax regimes across the E.U. In the past, taxation regulation has been met with staunch resistance from national governments that sought to maintain as much autonomy as possible. However, with the expansion of authority in Brussels, governments are increasingly being forcefully subjected to implementing and enacting more uniform tax policies (or at least they are deterred from offering similar “bargain-basement” tax breaks).

Many E.U. nations rely on their tax code to make them internationally competitive and thus incentivize companies to take residence inside their borders despite high costs for

of those who voted did so to express disapproval of president Hollande.

If French voters feel increasingly detached from Brussels, it is in large part thanks to the ruling political class.

Although the political establishment has always held a pro-EU stance, European parliamentary campaigns have received minimal effort and platforms have been invariably vague and given little account for work accomplished by incumbent MEPs. In parallel, the French media also allocates far less coverage to the European elections than to other national ballots. It is to be expected then that French people have scant understanding of European institutions and their impact on daily life. Perceived by the French as a well-guarded secret, the actions of the European Commission, and therefore its implications on the European Union, will perhaps never attract their attention unless it affects them directly. Since France and the Eurozone were hit by the 2008 financial crisis, the establishment has however made it a habit of using Brussels as a scapegoat for its own shortcomings, but then it also takes credit for the former’s accomplishments. It is unsurprising then that a sustained pro-EU stance appeared as questionable and contradictory to voters.

French politicians of the right and left may be correct in fearing Le Pen’s ascension, but the Eurosceptic wave that she rode to victory was ultimately a product of their own creation. Until the French political class can successfully make the famed “projet européen” more relatable to French voters, the latter will continue to care more about their national conscience over the tale of a shared European identity. labor and physical capital. While this strategy has achieved some success, critics have described it as conducive towards a “race to the bottom”—a form of trade warfare—in which governments, infatuated by the possibility of attracting foreign investment, engage in counterproductive practices that might do more harm than good to the national economy.

At least in the short term, Ireland seems to have suffered from its tax policies. The meager growth in jobs resulting from the presence of foreign multinationals, although beneficial to local communities, has not justified all the hardship Ireland has encountered because of them.

Editor’s Column Juan Daniel Gonçalves

Western Europe has always been at the forefront of international news and breakthroughs ever since it emerged ahead from what Samuel Huntington coined as “The Great Divergence.”

Today, the region is dabbling in the greatest project of geopolitical integration known in our history, but the European Union is also coming closer to its end with the rise of nationalistic and autonomist currents which seek to break away from regulations imposed by technocrats in Brussels. Jean Monnet, recognized as the father of European integration, once said: “People only accept change when they are faced with necessity, and only recognize necessity when a crisis is upon them.” This section will aim to explore whether the necessity for European integration is no longer present or whether, in fact, Europeans need stronger bonds now more than ever.

Juan Daniel is a rising senior studying International Political Economy in the School of Foreign Service. He hails from Caracas, Venezuela but was born into a family of Portuguese origin. This unique bi-cultural dynamic, in addition to his experience living in the United States, has allowed him to develop an understanding and interest for the many regions of the world.

The Caravel is a weekly international newspaper that engages the undergraduate student body in the entire production process, from research and writing to editing and administration. Our project strives, first, to bring under-reported news into the limelight of international affairs.

Second, to enhance cross-cultural understanding through a unique emphasis on regional perspective and contextual analysis.

Finally, to nurture regional specialists by providing a platform for undergraduate students to write and accumulate knowledge on specific regions.

Additional Contributions Jihadists Rout Kurds in North

lets of water and meals-ready-to-eat were dropped into the mountains were the Yazidis, an ethnically Kurdish religious minority, were taking refuge. Pentagon officials watched video the airdrops, conducted by both C-17 and C-130 cargo planes, recorded from an overhead surveillance plane.

Mr. Obama, acknowledging the war wary public, said the U.S. won’t deploy any American ground troops or be drawn into another Iraq war.

A U.S. official said roughly 70 pallets of water and meals-ready-to-eat were dropped into the mountains were the Yazidis, an ethnically Kurdish religious minority, were taking refuge. Pentagon officials watched video the airdrops, conducted by both C-17 and C-130 cargo planes, recorded from an overhead sur-

Jihadists Rout Kurds in North

ish religious minority, were taking refuge. Pentagon officials watched video the airdrops, conducted by both C-17 and C-130 cargo planes, recorded from an overhead surveillance plane.

Mr. Obama, acknowledging the war wary public, said the U.S. won’t deploy any American ground troops or be drawn into another Iraq war.

A U.S. official said roughly 70 pallets of water and meals-ready-to-eat were dropped into the mountains were the Yazidis, an ethnically Kurdish religious minority, were taking refuge.

Pentagon officials watched video the airdrops, conducted by both C-17 and C-130 cargo planes, recorded from an overhead surveillance plane. The cargo planes were escorted by American fighter jets.

Mr. Obama, acknowledging the war wary public, said the U.S. won’t deploy any American ground troops or be drawn into another Iraq war.

A U.S. official said roughly 70 pallets of water and meals-ready-to-eat were dropped into the mountains were the Yazidis, an ethnically Kurdish religious minority, were taking refuge. Pentagon officials watched video the airdrops, conducted by both C-17 and C-130 cargo planes, recorded from an overhead surveillance plane. The cargo planes were escorted by American fighter jets.

Mr. Obama, acknowledging the war wary public, said the U.S. won’t deploy any American ground troops or be drawn into another Iraq war.

A U.S. official said roughly 70 pallets of water and meals-ready-to-eat were dropped into the mountains were the Yazidis, an ethnically Kurdish religious minority, were taking refuge. Pentagon officials watched video the airdrops, conducted by both C-17 and C-130 cargo planes, recorded from an overhead surveillance plane.

Mr. Obama, acknowledging the war wary public, said the U.S. won’t deploy any American ground troops or be drawn into another Iraq war.

A U.S. official said roughly 70 pal-

Mr. Obama, acknowledging the war wary public, said the U.S. won’t deploy any American ground troops or be drawn into another Iraq war.

A U.S. official said roughly 70 pallets of water and meals-ready-to-eat were dropped into the mountains were the Yazidis, an ethnically Kurdish religious minority, were taking refuge. Pentagon officials watched video the airdrops, conducted by both C-17 and C-130 cargo planes, recorded from an overhead surveillance plane.

Mr. Obama, acknowledging the war wary public, said the U.S. won’t deploy any American ground troops or be drawn into another Iraq war.

A U.S. official said roughly 70 pallets of water and meals-ready-to-eat were dropped into the mountains were the Yazidis, an ethnically Kurdish religious minority, were taking refuge. Pentagon officials watched video the airdrops, conducted by both C-17 and C-130 cargo planes, recorded from an overhead surveillance plane.

Mr. Obama, acknowledging the war wary public, said the U.S. won’t deploy any American ground troops or be drawn into another Iraq war.

A U.S. official said roughly 70 pallets of water and meals-ready-to-eat were dropped into the mountains were the Yazidis, an ethnically Kurd-

Jihadists Rout Kurds in North

Mr. Obama, acknowledging the war wary public, said the U.S. won’t deploy any American ground troops or be drawn into another Iraq war.

A U.S. official said roughly 70 pallets of water and meals-ready-to-eat were dropped into the mountains were the Yazidis, an ethnically Kurdish religious minority, were taking refuge. Pentagon officials watched video the airdrops, conducted by both C-17 and C-130 cargo planes, recorded from an overhead surveillance plane.

Mr. Obama, acknowledging the war wary public, said the U.S. won’t deploy any American ground troops or be drawn into another Iraq war.

A U.S. official said roughly 70 pallets of water and meals-ready-to-eat were dropped into the mountains were the Yazidis, an ethnically Kurdish religious minority, were taking refuge. Pentagon officials watched video the airdrops, conducted by both C-17 and C-130 cargo planes, recorded from an overhead surveillance plane.

Mr. Obama, acknowledging the war wary public, said the U.S. won’t deploy any American ground troops or be drawn into another Iraq war.

A U.S. official said roughly 70 pallets of water and meals-ready-to-eat were dropped into the mountains were the Yazidis, an ethnically Kurd-

Jihadists Rout Kurds in North

Mr. Obama, acknowledging the war wary public, said the U.S. won’t deploy any American ground troops or be drawn into another Iraq war.

A U.S. official said roughly 70 pallets of water and meals-ready-to-eat were dropped into the mountains were the Yazidis, an ethnically Kurdish religious minority, were taking refuge. Pentagon officials watched video the airdrops, conducted by both C-17 and C-130 cargo planes, recorded from an overhead surveillance plane.

Mr. Obama, acknowledging the war wary public, said the U.S. won’t deploy any American ground troops or be drawn into another Iraq war.

A U.S. official said roughly 70 pallets of water and meals-ready-to-eat

were dropped into the mountains were the Yazidis, an ethnically Kurdish religious minority, were taking refuge. Pentagon officials watched video the airdrops, conducted by both C-17 and C-130 cargo planes, recorded from an overhead surveillance plane.

Mr. Obama, acknowledging the war wary public, said the U.S. won’t deploy any American ground troops or be drawn into another Iraq war.

A U.S. official said roughly 70 pallets of water and meals-ready-to-eat were dropped into the mountains were the Yazidis, an ethnically Kurdish religious minority, were taking refuge. Pentagon officials watched video the airdrops, conducted by both C-17 and C-130 cargo planes, recorded from an overhead surveillance plane.