International issues

Radio journalist Alfredo Villatoro, kidnapped on his way to work last week, was found dead yesterday on the outskirts of Tegucigalpa six days after his abduction.

The declarations of ‘no fishing’ in the seas around the disputed rocks off the coast of the Philippines by first China, then the Philippines, has wider ramifications and the David and Goliath scenario needs careful judgement, especially by ‘David’! The big picture includes the USA’s strategic encirclement of China. Beware Philippines.

It is extremely rare to have a direct peephole into events on the ground in Syria. The hard-fought battle over narratives often leaves truth in the dust. But among the cache of recently leaked emails (exclusive to Al Akhbar) from Syrian National Council (SNC) President Burhan Ghalioun’s inbox, comes this gem… (read on)

1) Cautious, incremental movement toward political reconciliation and reform spearheaded by the Syrian government and closely monitored by Kofi Annan’s UN mission, Moscow, Tehran and Beijing.

2) Dangerous escalation of violence and militarization that will increasingly include foreign jihadists and is likely spill over into the broader Middle East.

While Japan is to nationalize Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco), the Indian central government is paying off Tamil Nadu State big-wigs for co-operation to reopen Kudankulam nuclear plant. In Europe the 15M movement is gathering forces while the Greek citizenry rethink the bailout. Such undercurrents indicate a groundswell of hitherto unrecognised forces at work – the human factor!

The possession and potential use of nuclear weapons by others is what currently justifies nuclear arsenals. Mahatma Gandhi counselled non-violent resistance to nuclear bombardment Tarak Barkawi wrote this article for Al Jazeera and we took permission to reproduce the first three paragraphs then link back to main article…

Reaching Critical Will, a branch of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, report daily from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty prepcom. In this report, the last one of the first week, the issues of progress and taking responsibility are tackled. “The most important thing is that non-nuclear weapon states actively take the reins.”

Joint Statement Humanitarian Dimensions of Nuclear Disarmament, 16 Countries – First Session of Preparatory Committee for 2015 Review Conference of the Parties to Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons: Austria, Chile, Costa Rica, Denmark, Holy See, Egypt, Indonesia, Ireland, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Philippines, South Africa, Switzerland.

The Green Path of Hope is the name of the movement inspired by Iran’s Mir Hossein Mousavi that took effect after the heavy-handed crackdown organised by the Ahmadinejad government against the Iranian people after the disputed 2009 presidential election. The Coordinating Council of the Green Path of Hope issued the following statement: [Pressenza emphasis of final paragraph]

International humanist organisation World without Wars and Violence will be present at the upcoming NPT Preparatory Committee that will take place from 30 April to 11 May 2012 in Vienna, Austria. The PrepCom and related civil society events will be attended by members of World without Wars and Violence from the Czech Republic.