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CONTENTS:

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK:

1. World
2. Africa
3. Americas
4. Asia Pacific
5. Europe
6. Middle East
7. South Asia
8. Cyberterrorism and Information Warfare
9. Finance
10 Human Rights
11. Law and Legal Issues
12. Narco-terrorism
13. Transportation
14. Weapons of Mass Destruction
15. Recently Published

FEATURE ARTICLE:
Fifty Years of Middle East Peace Plans

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK

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1. World

The European Union (EU) has agreed to a groundbreaking reform of the common Agricultural Policy (CAP).The reform separates payments from production, thus encouraging productions to meet market demand and reduce agricultural overproduction. This excess has been dumped on third world countries, undercutting their domestic production. Subsidies in the US will now be under increased pressure in world trade talks to also reform. For "Key points of the reform package and a brief history of the CAP" go to http://www.ft.com/cap

A group of developing countries in association with Doctors without Borders has launched the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative to fund research in diseases that kill millions of poor people but are neglected by western drug companies. In other health news, a report by UNAIDS (http://www.unaids.org) finds that only half of the necessary funding to address the pandemic is in place. Hong Kong and Beijing, the last two areas on the World Health Organization's list of SARS-affected areas, have been removed from the list.

The United Nations Monitoring Group on Al-Qaida has released its first draft report, finding that the group "still poses a significant threat to international peace and security including possible use of weapons of mass destruction".
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=7539&Cr=qaida&Cr1=

The situation in Iraq shows worrying signs it is possibly deteriorating into a guerilla war. There have been increasing numbers of attacks against the occupying troops and incidents of sabotage and the incidents have spread further around the country. There have been reports that this type of resistance was planned before the war began. The US administrator, Paul Bremer, has said that the failure to capture or kill Saddam Hussein was contributing to the unrest and promised he will be found. Meanwhile, the government in the UK has gone on the offensive regarding questions of the intelligence used to justify the war. The inquiry has taken an aggressive turn that may influence a similar, though more limited undertaking under way in the US Congress.

There has been no change in the situation in North Korea.

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2. Africa

East Africa's Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has approved a counter-terrorism plan to improve border controls, monitoring of finances and trade, shared intelligence, and improved extradition rules.

Angolan rebel movement UNITA, now in transition to a political party, has elected Isias Samakuva by a large margin to replace Jonas Savimbi, killed last year.

Fighting in Burundi between government forces and rebels of the Conseuil National pour la Defense e la Democratie - Force pour la Defense de la Democratie (CNDD-FDD) killed an unknown number of rebels and forced some 65,000 civilians to flee.

A small UN peacekeeping force deployed in Democratic Republic of Congo has taken steps to secure the area around Bunia, where recent fighting has been most severe and sporadic clashes continue to occur. The two UN observers kidnapped last week have been released.

Guinea Bissau if featured in a special report in the Financial Times, June 25 http://www.ft.com/guineabissau2003, in a report that includes a review of political obstacles in the way of aid and investment.

In Ivory Coast, peacekeeping troops have helped return order and people have begun to return to their villages, encountering a new threat from water contaminated by decomposing corpses.

Kenya's government published a new anti-terrorism bill that proposed life imprisonment for terrorist acts and ten years in jail for anyone possessing a weapon of mass destruction. UK flights to Kenya have resumed. The US has reopened its embassy.

Clashes in northwest Kenya between local people and Sudanese refugees broke out over an incident of cattle theft, killing seven.

Liberia's fragile ceasefire is under threat from continued violations and a looming humanitarian emergency. Rebels continued their advance to Monrovia, only pulling back at the end of the week. Tens of thousands of civilians have fled. Hundreds of civilians have been killed and at least a thousand injured. The UN has asked for a multinational peacekeeping force. The US has strong historic ties to Liberia but has said it has no plans to offer troops.

In Malawi Muslim mobs angry over the deportation to the US of five suspected al Qaeda members, despite a court injunction blocking the move. The rioters attacked government offices and vandalized churches. President Bakili Muluzi responded to two days of rioting with police, teargas, and the demand to arrest anyone suspected of being involved in religious violence.

When a leaking oil pipeline in Nigeria exploded, over 120 villagers were killed. This is another disaster to engulf one of the largest oil producing nations, and illustrates the lack of investment of the oil wealth in the country's infrastructure. Unidentified gunmen have kidnapped three Shell oil contractors.

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3. Americas

Argentine President Nestor Kirchner has begun his anti-corruption campaign. The head of the Supreme Court, considered corrupt, has been forced to resign. This follows a recent purge of the security forces.

Bolivian miners have established roadblocks to demand reinvestment in the industry. In clashes with soldiers, one miner has died.

Brazilian inmates mutinied in jail. Thirteen have been killed as police moved in to put down the rebellion.

Thirteen Colombian soldiers were killed and eight wounded in an ambush by guerillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

The editor of an independent newspaper in Guatemala and his family were attacked by an armed gang. The government is under pressure to investigate the violent attack.

Haiti's reformer police chief, Jean-Robert Faveur, has gone into self-imposed exile just two weeks after assuming the post because of threats against his life and interference in his short-lived efforts to reform the security service.

In Peru, the entire cabinet resigned en masse. This opened the way for the appointment of the first woman Prime Minister, Beatriz Merino. President Alejandro Toledo has lifted the state of emergency in most parts of the country.

The US and EU have agreed to increase legal cooperation against terrorists. In the UK, extradition would take place on request, without review of evidence in court, but there is no reciprocal provision.

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation has arrested 11 men charged with conspiracy to participate in holy war in Kashmir and on firearms charges. Eight of these are alleged to have ties with Lashkar-e-Toiba, a militant separatist group in Kashmir.

The US Justice Department's own Inspector General has continued to criticize treatment of foreigners detained after the September 11 terrorist attacks. DOJ has defended its practices, but the criticism is likely to influence the Justice department's requests for increased powers in a subsequent version of the USA PATRIOT Act.

The US administration has declared Saleh Kahlah al-Marri, (a Qatari student suspected of selling false identification cards to two September 11 hijackers), an enemy combatant and removed him from the legal system. The decision to make this declaration less than a month before trial has troubled legal experts and civil rights groups, who are seeking to reverse the decision.

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4. Asia Pacific

The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) has earned of sanctions against Burma if the government does not free opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

The Australian Security and Intelligence Organization (ASIO) will be given aggressive new powers to detain suspects without charge and other draconian counter-terrorism measures.

Australia and New Zealand will contribute troops to an international force being sent to the Solomon Islands to restore order in the face of ethnic conflict and economic collapse.

China and India, the two largest countries in the world, have met and agreed to a number of measures to tighten links, including increasing trade between them. They have also reached a landmark agreement in which India has formally recognized the Tibetan autonomous region as part of China. In a tacit acceptance of India's control over Sikkim, China has agreed to start border trade in that formerly disputed northeastern state. These moved mark significant progress in resolving long-running border disputes.

Indonesian authorities, still conducting an offensive against separatist rebels in Aceh, have imposed further restrictions against the media and aid workers. Aid will now b distributed by the military.
Al Qaeda lit the Bali fuse"

Malaysia is increasing its police force by nearly a third following an increase in violent crimes, including murder and gang rape.

North and South Korea are profiled in the Smithsonian magazine, July 2003, "Fifty Years Later: Korea: Tensions in a Divided Land"/

South Koreas railways are on strike. Tension between the government and labor unions has been increasing for some time. The government has begun using force against the labor unions. Some 1,400 unionists were arrested last week.

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5. Europe

The EU has rejected US calls for a ban on the political wing of Hamas. Although the military wing is banned, the EU will not act against the largest welfare organization in the Middle East.

The EU has agreed tighter controls on weapons of mass destruction and easier extradition.

Belgium, under pressure from the US, will further restrict their war crimes legislation by reducing universal jurisdiction.

French President Chirac has called for Corsicans to vote "yes" to autonomy in Corsica, to end separatist violence.

French police have arrested 17 suspected members of the Peopls's Mojahedin, a violent Iranian opposition group formerly based in northern Iraq. They are considered a terrorist group.

Greek authorities seized an explosives-laden ship allegedly headed for Sudan. See Transportation, below, for details.

Italian police launched a raid against a suspected Islamic terrorist group, the Algerian Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC). Six were arrested and a seventh is wanted, in connection with providing operational aid for terrorist activities. One of those arrested is a local imam.

Italy called on Libya to interdict illegal immigrants, but Libyan authorities have denied cooperation in such a venture.

Russian soldiers and alleged Chechen rebels clashed killing 9 Russian security forces and two rebels.

Turkey has drafted a bill to grant a partial amnesty to members of the outlawed Kurdish Workers party (KADEK, formerly PKK).

Inquiries in the UK are underway following a second security breach at Windsor Castle in the space of a week. There is a similar inquiry into security at Wimbledon.

Britain's national DNA database has loaded its two-millionth profile.

The government in the UK has gone on the offensive regarding questions of the intelligence used to justify the war in Iraq. The inquiry has taken an aggressive turn that may influence a similar, though more limited undertaking under way in the US Congress.

The BBC's Panorama program has broadcast a fascinating investigation on the loyalist feud in Northern Ireland. It was released on June 22. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/panorama/2963866.stm

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6. Middle East

Militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad announced a 3-month ceasefire. The ceasefire is subject to an end to targeted assassinations and incursions on the part of Israel. Fatah has agreed to a 6-month ceasefire. The military wing of Fatah, the al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, has not joined the ceasefire. Israeli authorities have expressed lack of confidence in this measure, suggesting it would be used to rebuild their forces.

Israel is likely to begin withdrawing from portions of the Gaza Strip. Earlier in the week, four Palestinian militants were killed in an explosion. Israeli helicopters fired missiles into a car killing two and injuring fifteen. In another Israeli army operation, a soldier, three militants and a Palestinian civilian were killed.

Iran has not agreed to increased nuclear inspections but has identified all suspected al Qaeda members, though it refuses to release their names. They will be repatriated. In the anti-government protests earlier this month, about 4,000 people were arrested, more than half still in prison.

In Iraq increasing numbers of attacks against the occupying troops and incidents of sabotage show early signs of possible deterioration into a guerilla war. The incidents have spread further around the country amid reports that this type of resistance was planned before the war began. The US administrator, Paul Bremer, has said that the failure to capture or kill Saddam Hussein was contributing to the unrest and promised he will be found.

The Israeli/Syrian disengagement force of the UN, established in 1974 to monitor the Golan Heights, has been extended by six months.

Saudi Arabia has suspended 1,000 Islamic preachers on charges of promoting religious extremism.

Syrian troops were attacked by US forces that were operating over the Iraqi border in their hunt for Saddam Hussein. Four injured men will be returned to Syria, that has strongly protested the military strike.

In the occupied West Bank, Israeli forces arrested more than 130 Palestinians allegedly connected with Hamas.

Yemeni troops attacked suspected militants in the southern mountains, killing ten.

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7. South Asia

A military base and government buildings bombed, troops ambushed, journalists arrested for blasphemy, women told to stay at home.... In short, security in Afghanistan is still falling short.

India and China, the two largest countries in the world, have met and agreed to a number of measures to tighten links, including increasing trade between them. They have also reached a landmark agreement in which India has formally recognized the Tibetan autonomous region as part of China. In a tacit acceptance of India's control over Sikkim, China has agreed to start border trade in that formerly disputed northeastern state. These moved mark significant progress in resolving long-running border disputes.

In the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, four Maoist rebels of the People's War Group (PWG) were killed in a clash with police. In a second fight, two members of the Communist Party of India, Marxist Leninist (CPIML) were also killed fighting security forces. A report by Omer Farooq gives interesting information about the PWG. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3006994.stm

In Gujarat state, 21 Hindus accused of burning alive twelve Muslims who took refuge in a bakery in Marcy last year, were acquitted for lack of evidence.

Kashmir is featured in an interesting photo essay by Ami Vitale, text by Suketu Mahta, "Too Beautiful for Death: Vital to two nuclear powers, Kashmir is the epicenter of the world's most dangerous conflict" in Mother Jones, July/August 2003.

Violence in Indian-administered Kashmir continued throughout the week. Two civilians were killed and 36 injured in a grenade attack by suspected Islamic militants. Gun battles claimed the lives of soldiers, rebels and civilians throughout the week. In a raid, 12 Indian soldiers and two separatist rebels were killed.

India and Pakistan are improving relations. Talks to resume air links are planned. However, the prospect of a "roadmap" proposed by Pakistan was rejected in favor of solely bilateral talks.

In Nepal, the ceasefire was breached in fighting between security forces and rebels in which one Maoist rebel was killed.

Pakistan has arrested five suspected members of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi. A ban on kite-flying is in place in Lahore after at least a dozen people had their throats cut by metal or abrasive strings.

Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels have been blamed for shooting a police officer. Discussions are in progress to attempt to revive the stalled peace process.

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8. Cyberterrorism and Information Warfare

Security experts are tracking unusually large data packets on the internet on suspicion they may form a new scanning technique. Internet Security Systems calls this the "'Stumbler' Distributed Stealth Scanning Network" http://www.iss.net/issEn/delivery/xforce/alertdetail.jsp?oid-22441

There are press reports in Turkey that terrorist organizations are planning a cyber attack.

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9. Finance

The UN has added 17 individuals to the list of persons subject to sanctions against al Qaeda.

Chinese police have shut down the largest credit card counterfeiting ring in the world and detained 20 suspects in connection with the raid.

Switzerland has ordered that any bank accounts held by Liberian President Charles Taylor be blocked. This follows a request by the Special Court for Sierra Leone that indicted Taylor for war crimes earlier this month.

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10. Human Rights

Belgium, under pressure from the US, will further restrict their war crimes legislation by reducing universal jurisdiction. On another front, universal jurisdiction was given credence by the extradition of Argentine naval officer Ricardo Cavallo from Mexico to Spain.

The US Supreme Court this week ruled on a number of issues with favorable results for human rights. These include finding a right to privacy for private sexual conduct and including diversity as a factor in university admissions.

June 26 marked the International Day in Support of the Victims of Torture. The UN called for all countries to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment that was adopted last December.

The US Department of State has released "Supporting Human Rights and Democracy: The U.S. Record from 2002-2003" http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/shrd/

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11. Law and Legal Issues

Shadi Moh'd Mustafa Abdallah is on trial in Jordan on charges of assisting al Qaeda, membership in the German al Tawhid terrorist group, helping organize terrorist attacks in Germany. He is suspected of being one of bin Laden's bodyguards.

Pre-trial arguments in the treason case of 22 alleged members of the radical white-supremacist group Boeremag will begin in South African court on Monday. The actual trial is scheduled to begin in August.

Ricardo Cavallo, former Argentine naval officer charged with genocide and terrorism in connection with the "Dirty War" of the 1970s, has been extradited from Mexico to Spain, where his case will be heard by Baltasar Garzon.

Ali Abd al-Rahman al-Faqasi al-Ghamdi has been arrested in Saudi Arabia on charges connected with the May bombings in Riyadh. He is suspected to be a leading al Qaeda member.

Samir Hakim, accused Abu Sayyaf rebel, has been arrested in the Philippines on kidnapping charges.

Mohammad Kubwa, Mohammad Kubwa Seif, Aboud Rogo Mohammad and Said Saggar Ahmed have been charged with murder in Kenyan court in connection with the November 2002 bomb attack against the Paradise hotel in Mombasa.

The trial of Michael McKevitt, alleged leader of the Real IRA, is underway in Dublin. Last week featured testimony from an FBI/MI5 undercover intelligence agent.

Saleh Kahlah al-Marri, a Qatari student suspected of selling false identification cards to two September 11 hijackers, has been declared an enemy combatant by the US administration and removed him from the legal system less than a month before he was due to go to trial. The decision is being appealed.

Guillermo Suarez Mason, former general serving in Argentina's military dictatorship, has been found guilty of racial discrimination and sentenced to 3.5 years in jail. He is wanted in Italy and Germany on charges of murder and is also accused of human rights abuses.

Zacarias Moussaoui's request to interview captured al Qaeda suspects as part of his defense in the "20th hijacker" case has been upheld in federal appeals court, at least for the time being. This is a setback for the US Justice Department. DoJ plans to address the procedural and jurisdictional issues raised in the decision then proceed with further judicial review.

Joseph Nata and Ratu Timoci Silatolu have been sentenced to life in prison for treason after assisting in a coup in Fiji in May 2000.

Biljana Plavsic, former Bosnian Serb President, will serve 11 years in prison in Sweden for war crimes.

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12. Narco-terrorism

June 26 marked the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. To mark the day, the UN published the 2003 Global Illicit Drug Trends Report http://www.unis.unvienna.org/en/news/2003/jun.shtml.

A regional court in Colombia has ordered a halt to the aerial spraying of coca crops until the effect of the chemicals on public health and the environment has been understood. The government plans to continue spraying as they appeal the ruling.

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13. Transportation

A ship traveling without legal registration under a false flag carrying papers from a non-existent company has been seized in Greece by special forces troops. It was carrying 680 metric tons of explosives and 8,000 detonators, apparently destined for Sudan from its point of loading in Tunisia. Rather than sailing direct to its destination, the ship sailed around the Mediterranean for six weeks. The crew of seven has been detained for further investigation.

The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA), still with most employee background checks incomplete, found two TSA employees charged with theft of checked baggage last week. This problem has increased since passengers have been advised to leave their bags unlocked to facilitate security checks. Congress and industry groups have raised concerns regarding other holes in airport security particularly after staff reductions. The US House has passed a measure requiring screening of freight carried on commercial airliners.

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14. Weapons of Mass Destruction

The US General Accounting Office released a report criticizing lapses at the National Nuclear Security

Administration that have led to security lapses ranging from lost equipment to missing nuclear materials.
The US and EU have agreed on policy steps to stop proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

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15. Recently Published

Aniruddha Bahal "Bunker 13" (novel) Farrar, Straus and Giroux

David E. Kaplan and Alec Dubro "Yakuza: Japan's Criminal Underworld" University of California Press, Robert Hale

Bertil Lintner "Blood Brothers: The Criminal Underworld of Asia" Palgrave Macmillan

John A Lynn "Battle: A History of Combat and Culture" Westview

John Nichol and Tony Rennell "The Last Escape: The Untold Story of Allied Prisoners of War in Europe 1944-1945" Viking

Dale Peterson "Eating Apes" University of California Press

Jonathan Wilson "A Palestine Affair" (novel) Pantheon

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FEATURE ARTICLE: The Peace Process in the Sudan

Sudan's independence from the Turkish-Egyptian administration was achieved in 1956 through diplomatic and parliamentary means rather than military measures. The unity achieved in the common goal of independence faced strains even before the ink on the new constitution was dry. The unresolved issues at the time of independence have contributed to the unrest that has continued, with little pause, ever since. This article looksat 1) the issues to be resolved, 2) the peace process underway, and 3) the current status of this process.

1) Issues:

There are four major issues at stake in this conflict. First is the issue of self-determination. At the time of independence, British administrators were replaced by officials who came predominantly from the north.

Northern Sudan is majority Arabic and Muslim. The south is predominantly Christian and animist. Administration by the north was at odds with southern desires for its own representation. The civil war has been fought largely with a view towards full independence. The south desires, at a minimum, local administration and some level of regional autonomy.

Second is religion. In 1972 the Addis Ababa Agreement that had led to an eleven-year lull in the conflict under a program of limited autonomy and secular law for the south. The issue of religion arose in when, in 1983, President Numayri imposed Islamic Sharia law. Sharia law is unacceptable to the south.

Third is the definition of the regions. Separating the northern and southern regions of Sudan is contentious as delineation based on physical, economic, religious, political or administrative characteristics do not align. This is particularly true of the Nuba Mountains region, the southern Blue Nile and the Abyei located where a border would be drawn.

Finally there is the issue of natural resources. Oil was discovered in the south in 1978. Control of this valuable resource and, more broadly, equitable distribution of wealth, have fueled the conflict.

2) Peace Process:

There were several domestic efforts to bring peace but the government was largely focused on military, not political, means to resolve the conflict. Neighboring countries got involved during the 1990s to help limit the destabilizing impact of the war, eventually with the help of mediators. Regional talks continued off and on under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) until October 2000.

Although more than 14,500 slaves were freed in the second half of 2001, there was no further progress on peace talks until 2002. Efforts re-engaged largely because of increased interest in the Sudan on the part of the US. The US became involved because of security concerns regarding Sudan's record on terrorism and human rights and through to the interests and lobbying efforts of Christian groups in the Congressional Black Caucus. In addition to the US, the UK, Norway, Italy, IGAD and neighboring countries all came together to encourage progress.

In January 2002, the government of Sudan and the southern rebel group, the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) signed a ceasefire agreement for the Nuba Mountains region, one of the centers of rebel activities. On July 20, the Machakos Protocol was signed. This protocol gave a real breakthrough in the government's commitment to hold a referendum on self-determination for the south, while the SPLM/A accepted a religious administration in the north, rather than an entirely secular state.

3) Status:

There have been a number of ceasefire violations and other complaints, but the international mediators have been persistent in the face of the challenges and continue to move the discussions forward. In November 2002, the ceasefire was extended to March 2003 then again to June 2003. A Memorandum of Understanding on "Aspects of Government" was signed in November 2002.

At the beginning of 2003, the UN negotiated bilateral agreements to allow humanitarian aid re resume in the southern Blue Nile region. Humanitarian aid had been used as an instrument of war and led to widespread civilian suffering, so this was an important breakthrough. An agreement to open a Nile River corridor for improved humanitarian assistance was agreed in April. In May, agreement for the terms of a six-month transitional period was reached, beginning to make progress towards to goal of holding a referendum in six years.

International and regional observers were surprised at the speed by which the first Machakos Protocol was signed, and emphasize the need for special efforts to continue making progress. They point to the need for ensuring stability and consolidating the peace efforts across a broad spectrum, with engagement of the public at the grass-roots level using the "Integrated Planning for Peace (PFP)" framework.

Up to now the peace talks have been bilateral. It is important that this framework begin to encompass all groups. The border areas of the Nuba Mountains region, the southern Blue Nile and the Abyei have already been mentioned. In addition to these long-running conflict areas, a new armed-struggle has broken out in Darfur, in the west. Conflict over the strategic oil reserves regularly recurs.

To continue the peace process the other regional and ethnic groups that need to be included and the international community must continue its crucial roles of mediation and humanitarian support.

Peace in Sudan would put an end to the violence and bloodshed that has involved Uganda, Libya, Egypt and others; led to a dramatic fall in living standards; allowed a proliferation of government-supported militia groups in addition to rebel groups; and allowed gross human rights abuses including human trafficking and slavery.

Additional resources:
Intergovernmental Authority on Development http://www.igad.org/
International Crisis Group http://www.crisisweb.org/projects/showreport.cfm?reportid=1020
IRIN Webspecial http://www.irinnews.org/webspecials/sudan/default.asp
TC Newsletter August 4, 2002 "Opportunities in Africa, Part I: The Sudan https://terrorismcentral.com/Newsletters/2002/080402.html
TC Country coverage https://terrorismcentral.com/Library/Geography/SudanList.html
UN Sudan Transition and Recovery Database ("Starbase") http://www.unsudanig.org

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