Egypt: ANHRI and EOHC Condemn Fatwa Issued Against ElBaradei
December 20th, 2010 by Jason
The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHC) has released a statement (Arabic) condemning a fatwa issued against Mohamed ElBaradei. According to a report in Al Masry Al Youm, the group calls on “intellectuals to challenge such calls, which historically authorized the assassinations of former President Anwar Sadat and the intellectual Farag Fouda, and the attempted assassination of novelist Naguib Mahfouz.” The fatwa was issued by Mahmoud Amer, head of the al-Sunna al-Mohamadiya religious group, and says that “ElBaradei incites civil unrest […] For this, the temporal rulers, represented by the government and President Hosni Mubarak, have the right to kill him if he does not desist.” The executive director of the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI), Gamal Eid, called the fatwa “reminiscent of the Fatwas that spread in the nineties of the past century […] We cannot live that atmosphere of terror again , the government has to take a clear stance from these Fatwas to kill opponents as the classic governmental indifference in such situations would imply approval and a license to kill.”
Posted in Egypt, Human Rights | Comment »
Egypt: Economic and Political Decline
December 20th, 2010 by Evan
Lahcen Achy, resident scholar at the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut, has a piece at Babylon and Beyond outlining “immediate threats” to stability in Egypt. Inflation, a failed tax system, youth unemployment, rising poverty rates, and widespread corruption all challenge the Mubarak regime’s narrative that Egypt’s economy has improved recently. Achy adds that reform will not be possible without “a fairly elected parliament and a government that people can trust.” Further attempts to fix Egypt’s economy under the current political system will likely accomplish little and may “lead to more troubled times ahead.”
Reuter’s Alistair Lyon has a new report documenting Egypt’s declining influence in the Arab world. In recent years, Egypt has remained static, Lyon writes, while other countries in the region—most notably Turkey, Iran, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates—have taken steps forward economically and politically. Egypt’s stagnation is largely a result of domestic issues. Lyon reports that “political challenges sucks up much energy, while corruption and an inert bureaucracy have hollowed out institutions and undercut economic reform efforts.”
Posted in Egypt, Reform | Comment »
Iran: Subsidy Cuts Begin, Jundallah Members Executed
December 20th, 2010 by Jason
The Iranian government slashed subsidies for gasoline yesterday according to a report in The New York Times. “After midnight on Sunday, the price of subsidized gasoline jumped to about $1.44 a gallon from about 38 cents a gallon.” The report also states that there was an increase in the presence of security forces in anticipation of any unrest. Tehran Bureau provides reactions from Iranians in Tehran. Muhammad Sahimi explains that the rise in prices affects more than just fuel: “The price of electricity has tripled from 0.75 cents/KWh to 2.2 cents/KWh. The price of water has similarly increased by a factor of three. The price of natural gas for home heating and cooking has increased by a factor of four, and for vehicle fuel by a factor of ten. The price of flour has increased by a factor of 40.”
Also, eleven members of the Jundallah terrorist group have been executed in Iran. The group has recently claimed responsibility for the bombing of a mosque in the southeastern Iranian city of Chabahar on December 15. According to an Iranian official, the men were executed for “‘carrying out terrorist attacks in the province (Sistan-Baluchestan) during the recent months, fighting with police, and martyring several innocent people.’”
Posted in Iran, Oil, sanctions | Comment »
Kuwait: Government Arrests Constitutional Scholar
December 20th, 2010 by Evan
Prominent Kuwaiti legal scholar Obaid al-Wasmi was detained last week after he gave a speech at an opposition gathering that was disrupted by security forces. The prosecutor’s office is reportedly holding al-Wasmi on charges that he had spread “false news abroad” and was actively working to undermine the emir. The detention is the latest development in a government crackdown on opposition groups and media in Kuwait.
Posted in Freedom, Human Rights, Judiciary, Kuwait | Comment »
U.S. Urges Egypt to Makes Promised Reforms
December 20th, 2010 by Evan
Michael Posner, Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, authored an op-ed in Saturday’s Washington Post urging the Egyptian government to fulfill its commitments to pursue political reform. Citing low turnout and widespread reports of government interference, Posner wrote that while the recent parliamentary elections were not credible in the eyes of most Egyptians, the 2011 presidential elections present another opportunity for Egyptian authorities to enhance citizens’ confidence in government. Posner specifically called for an end to the decades-long state of emergency, the enactment of promised counterterrorism legislation that would help protect the rights of Egyptians, and less restriction on the media and NGOs.
Posted in Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Egypt, Elections | Comment »
Iraq: Government Formation Delayed, Sadrists Make Gains
December 20th, 2010 by Jason
After initial reports that Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki would announce his cabinet today, speaker of the parliament Osama al-Nujaifi told reporters that the parliament would not meet to discuss cabinet appointments. There have also been reports that the prime minister would announce half of his cabinet posts today, with the rest to be announced later. Maliki has until December 25 to unveil his government which will then be subject to parliamentary approval. An editorial in Saturday’s The Wall Street Journal warned that “the deal could fall apart,” while an editorial in today’s The Daily Star argues “if Iraq’s lawmakers cannot take into account the needs of their populace - irrespective of race or creed - regression will surely follow.”
Meanwhile, Jack Healy writes in The New York Times that the Sadrist Movement, led by Muqtada al-Sadr, is “tracing a path mapped out by militant groups like Hezbollah or Hamas, which built popular support by augmenting their armed wings with social and political groups that ran schools and hospitals and handed out jobs.” Healy also reports that the group is vying for the governorship of Maysan province.
Update: P.M. Maliki appeared with Speaker Nujaifi at a press conference Monday evening in Baghdad to announce his list of cabinet officials according to the Associated Press. However, “nearly one-third of the nominees were only acting ministers, an attempt to buy time to work out disagreements with a key part of al-Maliki’s coalition — the hardline Shiite faction loyal to anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.”
Posted in Iraq, Islamist movements, Political Parties, Sectarianism | Comment »
Egypt: Mubarak Responds to Criticism, Coptic Tension
December 20th, 2010 by Evan
During a speech opening the new Egyptian parliament, President Hosni Mubarak rejected international and domestic criticism while attempting to calm Muslim-Coptic tensions. In a veiled response to U.S. calls for international electoral monitoring, Mubarak said “We never give up our sovereignty and free will. We reject dictations and imposed conditions. We are always heedful to the security of Egypt and its citizens.” Mubarak also mocked opposition attempts to form a shadow parliament saying “let them have fun.”
In response to recent protests by members of Egypt’s Coptic community, Mubarak accused unnamed groups of exacerbating the conflict. “These endeavors sometimes target Muslim-Coptic unity, and, at other times, aim to play us against our Nile Basin brothers,” Mubarak said. Members of the Coptic community, both in Egypt and the U.S., criticized the president and said his speech did little to address the Copt’s demands for equality and greater religious freedom.
Posted in Egypt, Islam and Democracy | Comment »
Reactions to QDDR, Continued
December 17th, 2010 by Evan
The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES)
released a statement praising the State Department’s Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR) for making democracy and governance programming “a primary focus area.” IFES specifically commended the State Department for creating a Senior Advisor position on Civil Society and Emerging Democracies, establishing an Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, and the launching of a Center of Excellence on Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance at USAID. The Council on Foreign Relations also
published analysis of the report from four of its scholars,
Laurie Garrett,
Yanzhong Huang,
Isobel Coleman, and
Paul Stares.
Posted in Diplomacy, Foreign Aid | Comment »
Iran: A Divided Nation
December 17th, 2010 by Jason
In two new pieces, Mehdi Khalaji and Abbas Milani explore cultural and political divisions in Iran. Khalaji focuses on the growing split between President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameini. “Tension between the president and the Supreme Leader is built into the Islamic Republic’s core,” Khalaji writes, because the Supreme Leader is chosen, while the President “emerges from an electoral process.” This natural tension has caused conflict between Khameini and the two previous presidents, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and Mohammad Khatami. Khalaji concludes that “[t]he history of the Islamic Republic indicates that the power struggle between the Supreme Leader and the president never abates. It also suggests that the Supreme Leader will prove to be stronger.”
Milani takes a sociohistorical view of the divided Iranian identity. Looking back over the country’s history, Milani sees “a bifurcated, tormented, even schizoid cultural identity: pre-Islamic, Persian-Zoroastrian elements battling with forces and values of an Arab Islamic culture.” Milani goes on to detail the the struggle between the two identities, which conflict through art, film, language, and the meaning of modernity. Post-1979 Iran can be seen through this lens of bifurcation. Ayatollah Khomeini advocated for a Shi’ism that rejected modernity (i.e. the Shah and his insistence on a Persian national identity) and established a strong state that clashes with calls for greater democratization from many citizens. “[A] critical look at the past shows the bleak future of Khamenei and other champions of despotism. Violence can only delay but not destroy the rights of man in a nation that has embraced the cultural ethos of modernity.”
Posted in Civil Society, Iran, Islam and Democracy, Islamist movements, Political Islam | Comment »
Iran: Taking Stock of Human Rights Abuses
December 17th, 2010 by Jason
As the end of the year approaches, observers of Iran are speaking out about the human rights abuses witnessed in 2010. Hadi Ghaemi writes at Tehran Bureau that “Iran launched a sweeping crackdown on human rights and civil society in 2010, following political unrest after the disputed June 2009 presidential election.” The “most notable trend” in the regimes human rights abuses is the “broadening (of) the definition of Moharabeh (or “enmity against god”), a capital offense,” to include common criminals. Ghaemi also suggests that the regime is increasing “secret group executions.” Saeed Kamali Dehghan, writing at Comment is Free, relates some of the history of the now notorious Evin prison, and lists some of those who are still imprisoned by the regime. “Iran’s nuclear programme might remain as the most important concern for the international community next year, but what is clear to me is that the important story for Iranians is not the nuclear programme…but the fate of the prisoners and those whose human rights are violated.”
Posted in Freedom, Human Rights, Iran | Comment »
State Launches Foreign Aid Information Site
December 17th, 2010 by Evan
The State Department launched the first incarnation of the
Foreign Assistance Dashboard Thursday. The new website provides visual representations of the U.S. foreign assistance budget and gives users access to raw data. The site currently has data available for the State Department and USAID, but will be expanded to include figures from the Departments of Labor, Defense, Treasury, and Agriculture, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, Export-Import Bank of the U.S., and Peace Corp.
Posted in Foreign Aid | Comment »
Iran: A History of “Underground Media”
December 16th, 2010 by Jason
In a three part series at Tehran Bureau, Dr. Afshin Marashi explores the complex relationship between the rulers of Iran and the press going back to the early 19th century. The establishment of newspapers by the expatriate communities in places like Baku and London helped spread discontent with the Qajar Dynasty (1794-1925), eventually leading to the Constitutional Revolution (1905-1911). In the early years of the Pahlavi Dynasty (1935-1979) the number of media outlets began to shrink as a result of the centralization enforced by Reza Shah Pahlavi. Under Reza’s son, Muhammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, newspapers again flourished until the overthrow of Mosaddegh in 1953 and the re-establishment of state controls. Prior to the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran saw an explosion of “underground media,” perhaps best exemplified by spread of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini’s sermons on tape. Since the Revolution, tensions between Conservatives and Reformists have maintained a vacillating balance between state controlled media and underground media. Most recently, blogs and YouTube videos have taken the place of tape cassettes and pamphlets. Marashi writes that “the current phase of state control of the Iranian media should be seen in the broader context of the country’s modern history. […] As in earlier stages of Iran’s history, today’s democratic opposition has made extensive use of the latest technologies to circulate news, opinions, and calls for reform.”
Posted in Civil Society, Freedom, Iran, Journalism, Technology | Comment »
Iran: A Quiet Ashura
December 16th, 2010 by Evan
Writing on the Shi’ite holiday of Ashura, Scott Peterson notes the absence of protests in Iran. Last year, thousands of Iranians took to the streets, invoking the memory of Imam Hussein to protest the repressive Ahmadinejad regime. “Now forced underground and facing severe restrictions, where is the Green Movement today?” Peterson asks. Nader Hashemi, Professor of Middle East and Islamic Politics at the University of Denver, responds that the Iranian opposition is likely engaging “in a process of reflection, social networking, and organization to raise critical consciousness, and to basically just try and keep the movement alive, waiting for another opportunity where they manifest their presence and push forward their pro-democracy agenda.”
Posted in Human Rights, Iran, Islam and Democracy | Comment »
Saudi Arabia: Reforms Fall Short
December 16th, 2010 by Evan
In a new piece for The Wall Street Journal Christoph Wilcke, Senior Researcher in Human Right Watch’s Middle East and North Africa Division, examines King Abdullah al-Saud’s record. While the King did take steps toward promised reforms in 2009, over the past year the country has experienced a series of setbacks. Journalists and professors have been arrested for writing about domestic political issues, Wilcke notes, adding that “Punishment for voicing ideas goes directly against the grain of the tolerance that King Abdullah has touted since he took the throne in 2005.” Moreover, in contrast to King Abdullah’s promotion of religious tolerance abroad, “public observance of any faith other than Islam remains prohibited” in Saudi Arabia. The two areas where the country has taken steps forward are women’s rights and judicial reform, but even in these areas the results of reform efforts have been underwhelming, Wilcke concludes.
Posted in Freedom, Human Rights, Islam and Democracy, Saudi Arabia | Comment »
Reactions to the QDDR
December 16th, 2010 by Jason
The release of the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR) has so far been received with cautious optimism. Josh Rogin writes that several development NGOs have “praised” the QDDR, while also expressing skepticism: “Paul O’Brien, vice president of policy and advocacy campaigns for Oxfam America, noted that while the QDDR clearly puts ambassadors and chiefs of missions at the head of country teams as the so-call ‘CEOs’ of American diplomacy, it doesn’t tackle how the inevitable conflicts between short-term foreign policy objectives and longer-term development goals are resolved.”
Connie Veillette, writing at the Rethinking U.S. Foreign Assistance blog, says that there are “many things to like,” including a “focus on improving hiring, staffing, and filling the mid-level gap through more flexible mechanisms.” However, she does list several points of “unfinished business,” including “how will State and USAID grapple with managing more than two dozen government agencies engaged in some type of foreign assistance program?” Siddartha Mahanta sounds a pessimistic note: “the United States diplomatic corps might get a major boost in power and personnel. Realistically? They probably won’t.” He goes on to describe the political roadblocks facing the reforms, and how Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), who has advocated for cuts in the State Department budget and is set to become the chairperson of the House Foreign Services Committee, may prove to be uncooperative.
Posted in Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Foreign Aid, NGOs, US foreign policy, US politics | Comment »
State Department Releases QDDR
December 16th, 2010 by Evan
The State Department released its first Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR) December 15 (full text here, executive summary here). The report, titled “Leading Through Civilian Power,” is divided into four sections: “Diplomacy for the 21st Century,” which addresses how the U.S. will adapt its diplomacy to face new threats and opportunities; “Transforming Development to Deliver Results,” which lays out efforts to reform USAID; “Preventing and Responding to Conflict and Crisis,” which explains how the U.S. plans to prevent conflicts before they occur; and “Working Smarter,” which describes how the State Department plans to improve its planning procurement and personnel procedures. Among other reforms, the QDDR empowers Chiefs of Mission to be the “CEOs” of interagency work at their posts, creates an Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights to replace the existing Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs, and emphasizes the importance of engaging a broad range of non-state actors, from NGOs to religious groups to the private sector.
In her remarks at a recent townhall meeting on the QDDR, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton described the report as “a sweeping effort that asks a simple question: How can we do better? How can we adapt to a world of rising powers, changing global architecture, evolving threats, and new opportunities? How can we look ahead, prepare for, and help shape the world of tomorrow?” Moving forward, the QDDR will serve as a “blueprint for how we can make the State Department and USAID more nimble, more effective, and more accountable.” Also, Secretary Clinton advocated for the principles outlined in the QDDR in an article in the November/December issue of Foreign Affairs.
Posted in Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Foreign Aid | Comment »
Egypt: Opposition Woes
December 16th, 2010 by Jason
In a letter written shortly after the parliamentary elections, Issandr El Amrani analyzes how the outcome will effect Egypt’s opposition, saying that the Muslim Brotherhood was “reeling,” the Wafd Party may be preparing to “fold back and regroup, preparing for the post-Hosni moment,” and Taggamu is in the middle of a “leadership crisis.” Opposition groups “have little choice but to retreat and wait out succession, and work on their grassroots.” Amrani argues in the letter that the possibility of an opposition “grand coalition” is unlikely due to a lack of leadership. He does say that members of the opposition that advocated for a boycott were “vindicated” by the results, and that this might increase the influence of Mohamed ElBaradei, especially if ElBaradei “show[s] a greater willingness to lead the opposition.”
Posted in Civil Society, Egypt, Elections, Muslim Brotherhood, Political Parties | Comment »
Bahrain: Blogger Imprisoned for His “Free Pen”
December 16th, 2010 by Evan
The BBC recently released video of an interview with Jenan Al Oraibi, the wife of imprisoned Bahraini blogger Ali Abdulemam. Al Oraibi bluntly refutes the terrorism charges against her husband: “Ali has a free pen. That is exactly his crime. He has a free pen. […] The 23 detainees are all victims. They are all good people who have good jobs in this society. They are all innocent.” Authorities have limited family visits and the Shi’ite activists report that they were abused while in pre-trial detention. Their next hearing is scheduled for December 23.
Posted in Bahrain, Human Rights, Journalism | Comment »
POMED Notes: “Iran Primer I: Domestic Politics”
December 15th, 2010 by Evan
On Wednesday, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars hosted presentations by three of the authors of the United States Institute of Peace’s (USIP) Iran Primer. Shaul Bakhash, Clarence J. Robinson Professor of History at George Mason University, Geneive Abdo, Director of the Iran Program at The Century Foundation, and Robin Wright, joint Senior Fellow at USIP and the Wilson Center all delivered presentations on Iran’s domestic political scene. Director of the Middle East Program at Wilson Center Haleh Esfandiari moderated the event.
(To read the full notes, continue below or click here for a pdf.)
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in DC Event Notes, Iran | Comment »
IFES Releases First Paper in Series on Electoral Fraud
December 15th, 2010 by Jason
The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) has released the first (pdf) in a series of three white papers on electoral fraud. From the introduction: “IFES is producing this white paper series to address the rising concern throughout the democracy and governance (D&G) community about the effects of electoral fraud on developing nations. […] Through this paper series, IFES seeks to…provide the D&G community with the necessary tools to combat electoral fraud.” The first paper focuses on “fraud in new democracies, provides a definition for fraud (as opposed to corruption or malpractice), and assesses how international democratic standards intersect with the prevention of electoral fraud.”
Posted in Civil Society, Corruption, Democracy Promotion, Elections, Reform | Comment »
