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. Transportation
13. Weapons of Mass Destruction
14. Recently Published

FEATURE ARTICLE:
Sports for Peace and Development

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK

1. World

Warning that North Korea may be preparing for a missile test, South Korea and the US emphasized the urgency to overcome the impasse in discussions over the North's nuclear program and the need for their allies to help put pressure on North Korea to resume talks. China reportedly is working to resume working talks in November. The UN has called for international pressure on North Korea on another urgent measure - the need for unrestricted humanitarian access to deal with the critical food shortage.

UN Secretary General Annan said that the global demand for peacekeeping forces reached a ten-year high, including the operations in Burundi, Haiti, Ivory Coast, Liberia, and others planned. There are 50,000 troops deployed and at least 30,000 more needed. Most have come from poorer countries. Bangladesh and Pakistan have deployed nearly 17,000 while the US has provided 430. Bangladesh peacekeepers are in twelve countries on three continents and believe their role has both strengthened their standing in the world and stopped the army from domestic political interference.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3763640.stm

2. Africa

Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda have agreed to create a commission that will meet every two months to ensure proper implementation of peace and security agreements.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=12363&Cr=democratic&Cr1=congo

Algeria marked the 50th anniversary of the war of independence from France. On this occasion, President Bouteflika pardoned or reduced the sentences of nearly 4,000 prisoners convicted of less serious crimes.

Botswana's opposition parties were given media access a few days before general elections on Saturday that the governing Democratic Party is expected to easily win.

In Burundi, UN investigators report they have been unable to establish who is responsible for the Gatumba massacre in which 160 Congolese Tutsi refugees were killed, and suggested that the government and International Criminal Court should continue investigations.

Cameroon's Supreme Court confirmed President Paul Biya's re-election to another seven-year term (in addition to the 22 he has already served). He received more than 70 percent of the votes and turnout over 80 percent. Most observers said the election was well run and transparent but the opposition and the Federation of Human Rights Leagues alleged irregularities.

In Central African Republic, the UN Mission has been extended to continue support for the constitutional referendum in November and elections in January. Voter registration has been completed, although there have been a number of problems including the loss of more than 8,000 registration cards.

Democratic Republic of Congo rebel leader Alain Ilunga Mukalyi who led the assault on the town of Kilwa, died of wounds sustained in the counteroffensive. Investigations into the nature of the armed group are under way. Violence against at least 40,000 women - more victims than previously reported in a war - is the subject of a new Amnesty International investigation:
http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/engafr620182004.

Guinea-Bissau named new interim military commanders all chosen by army mutineers who had shot dead the previous military head on October 6 in a dispute over salary arrears. The UN has provided funding to pay the soldiers. They will serve until a new president is elected (March) and takes office (May) next year.

Ivory Coast rebels have declared a state of emergency and warned of renewed war following reports the government is massing arms and troops.

Liberia's capital, Monrovia, was the scene of heavy fighting between Christians and Muslims. The rioting destroyed five churches and a mosque and before UN peacekeepers began to restore calm. The extent of the violence and the number of casualties is unclear at this time. President Bryant imposed a curfew. The UN has appealed to traditional leaders to help restore calm.

The Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force, an ethnic militia group that had threatened to kill foreign oil workers, has begun handing in weapons in exchange for cash payments. In the northern state of Kano, a crowd hacked to death five narcotics agents after a man they had arrested falsely accused them of being armed robbers.

Sierra Leone's Truth and Reconciliation Commission has issued its final report. They say that reparations should be paid to amputees and other victims of the 11-year civil war.
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2004/ecosoc6140.doc.htm

Somalia's breakaway regions of Somaliland and Puntland fought near a disputed border town. The heavy fighting was the second time in a month, possibly triggered by the election of a new president.

In Sudan the African Union has begun providing more troops to monitor a ceasefire amid the bloodshed. Much of the recent violence has been blamed on two rebel groups, the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM).

Tunisian president Zine el-Abidine ben Ali has been reelected with nearly 95 percent of the vote. Already in power for 17 years, this gives him another five.

In the Western Sahara, the UN mission has been extended through April 30 1005 following reports that progress over the proposed peace plan has been stalled. Algerian President Bouteflika has suggested Nigeria, Senegal and South Africa could be mediators in negotiations over the territory.

3. Americas

Chile is using a 20-year old anti-terrorism law developed under Pinochet's military dictatorship to put down the land rights movement of the indigenous Mapuche people. In a new report from human Rights Watch, they describe violations of due process rights and other procedures in which a criminal act like setting fire to a truck has been treated under a law intended to deal with acts of extreme political violence.
http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2004/10/26/chile9566.htm

Colombian President Uribe has offered to negotiate an exchange of Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) prisoners for the release of hostages.

In Haiti, new contingents of peacekeepers are arriving. They enter a volatile situation rife with gang and militia violence. Rebel leader Winter Etienne has warned of a possible revolt in the absence of urgently needed reconstruction and humanitarian support.

Panamanians in Almirante demonstrated violently over the lack of water services. Three police were held hostage and their weapons seized. The demonstrations took place over several days last week.

Peru's Counter-Terrorism Directorate issued a report, "Where Is Shining Path Headed?" that finds the group has been moving from armed conflict to political action.
http://www.ds-osac.org/view.cfm?key=7E4350444A51&type=2B170C1E0A3A0F162820

The US is in final preparation for general elections on November 2. In addition to facing early charges of voter fraud, a new tape from Osama bin Laden warned people in the US that government policies were to blame for their actions and that only by stopping the injustices against his people would their efforts stop. He also said that the inspiration to attack towers in the US came after seeing the 1982 Israeli bombardment of all tall buildings in Lebanon.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released their latest findings in the ongoing building and fire safety investigation of the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster. Among their findings, they report that the second tower fell in a much shorter time than the first because of asymmetrical structural damage and faster progression of fire and that the towers would have remained standing indefinitely if not for the subsequent fires.
http://wtc.nist.gov.

4. Asia Pacific

Australian state of New South Wales plans to introduce a special ""AA" prison classification reserved for suspected terrorists.
http://smh.com.au/articles/2004/10/29/1099028210991.html

China called US Secretary of State Powell's comments in two interviews that suggested support for reunification with Taiwan were a positive step, but Taiwan rejected the suggestion that it was not a sovereign, independent power.

Chinese police held a large-scale counterterrorism exercise at the Three Gorges Dam. The US had suggested the massive hydroelectric project could be an attractive target, for example, if Taiwan retaliated against a Chinese action.

In Tahiti, French Polynesia, mass protests with more than 15,000 people demanded the dissolution of parliament and new elections after pro-independence President Temaru, elected n May, was ousted by a censure vote. After several delays, a French ally, Gaston Flosse, was elected. Temaru and about two dozen supporters are on hunger strike to protest his ouster. He was elected over Flosse, who had served for years, and was the first elected pro-independence leader.

Indonesian president Yudhoyono said in an interview with Time magazine that he was looking for proof that Jemaah Islamiah exists in Indonesia before outlawing the group.

Nauru, facing bankruptcy and corruption problems, has re-elected reformist Ludwig Scotty as president.

The Philippines put troops on alert in the face of a perceived increase in threats from Communist and Islamist militant groups. The separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is in peace discussions and the first representatives of an international monitoring team is being deployed to oversee a ceasefire agreement.

Thailand is in an uproar over the deaths of 78 Muslims held in military custody. They were among more than 1,300 people arrested during a demonstration and reportedly suffocated or were crushed to death when crowded into trucks and held for hours. The deaths were not announced for 24 hours. An independent commission will be set up to investigate the case. Of those detained, 900 have been released and 300 are being questioned. Neighboring countries have expressed concern at the deaths and warned it could escalate the violence in southern Thailand or spark a revolt. The Pattani United Liberation Organization (PULO) posted a statement on its web site calling for revenge and pledging to burn Bangkok as the Pattani capital has been burned. Two bombs in the southern province where the incident occurred killed two and injured 21.

5. Europe

Belarus' October 17 referendum approved lifting a ban on a third term for President Lukashenko. International observers reported the elections and referendum were significantly short of international standards, including serious challenges to freedom of assembly, freedom of expression and other democratic freedoms. The election commission has recognized the elections as valid and said complaints had not been backed up by facts and the finding was supported by the Russian Duma. The EU and US are considering sanctions.

Irish and British governments have received the second report from the Independent Monitoring Commission regarding paramilitary activities. It is expected to show a decline in IRA activities, but details have not yet been publicly released.

In Kosovo Assembly elections were held. Although many Serbs boycotted the vote and there was a low turnout, they were peaceful and well organized. Following complaints filed with the Election Complaints and Appeals Commission, the Central Election Commission has requested a review of the ballots to address any inaccuracies or discrepancies. Official results confirm President Rugova's pro-independence party has won the most votes, though not a majority. The poll highlighted deep divisions and both NATO and the UN administration has said that addressing ethnic relations must be a post-election priority.

Spanish authorities have arrested 13 more suspects believed members of "Martyrs for Morocco" that is believed connected to an alleged plot to bomb Madrid's High Court. Last week 17 were arrested (ten already in prison for other offenses) in connection with the same plot. National Court Judge Garzon, after filing the charges, warned that Spanish prisons are breeding grounds for Islamic militants.

6. Middle East

Egypt's interior ministry has discounted suggestions that al Qaeda was involved in the October 7 Sinai attacks and instead suggested that a Palestinian, Ayad Said Saleh, motivated by deterioration in Gaza, had carried them out and accidentally killed himself. Other reports suggest that, even is he was involved, outside help would have been necessary.
In Gaza, a 9-year-old Palestinian girl was killed by Israeli army mortar shells on her way to school. An operation in the same area killed 16, including an 11-year-old boy, and injured dozens of Palestinians as well as two Israeli soldiers.
Iraqi interim Prime Minister Allawi has spoken of great negligence among some coalition forces following the massacre of 49 unarmed army recruits last weekend. Lax support is also seen in other areas of security and in election preparations. The UN still has only a token staff in place. The US Bush administration plans to ask for additional funding of at least $70 billion on top of the $25 billion already provided. In addition, 340 tons of high explosives previously under UN monitoring disappeared since the invasion, raising fears that they have fallen into the hands of insurgents, terrorists, or others. Just one pound of such explosives downed Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie. The whereabouts of some 250,000 tons of other explosives previously stored in Iraq are also unknown.

The first scientific study into Iraqi deaths has been published in the highly respected, peer-reviewed journal, The Lancet. Their findings are summarized as follows:

The Israel/Jordan peace treaty was signed on October 26, 1994. Yitzhak Rabin, who signed the peace treaty, was assassinated on November 4, 1995. Some 60,000 Israelis attended a remembrance rally to mark Rabin's murder.

Lebanese Prime Minister designate Omar Karameh has formed a new pro-Syrian cabinet.

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has gone to France for urgent medical treatment. A diagnosis will not be completed before next week but his absence has raised new concerns over the succession process for the 75-year-old .

In the West Bank, three Palestinians were killed in separate incidents, including two Hamas militants and an armed man. At the end of the week, Israeli forces shot dead a 12-year-old boy as they responded with force to stone throwers while they searched for wanted militants. In another clash, an unarmed 18-year-old Palestinian died after settlers at an illegal outpost refused to let an ambulance pass through. They also clashed with police and troops.

7. South Asia

Afghan gunmen calling themselves the Army of Muslims have taken kidnapped three foreign election workers, launching a manhunt while negotiations for their release are underway. Apparently borrowing from the Iraqi experience, they have released a video of the hostages.

Bangladeshi and Indian border guards have fired at each other following a dispute over a group of Bangladeshi's alleged to be attempting to cross illegally.

Kashmir, divided between India and Pakistan, has voiced mixed reactions following radical proposals to resolve the long-running dispute. He suggested demilitarization and discussions of a change in status that could include independence, joint Indian-Pakistan control, or UN control. India's response was to ask Pakistan to discuss Kashmir only through official channels.

Nepal's 9-day truce between the government and Maoist rebels has ended.

8. Cyberterrorism and Information Warfare

The International Test Conference held last week included reports that any chip that uses scan design and any system built around it could be vulnerable to hackers and others.
http://www.itctestweek.org/
http://www.eet.com/issue/fp/showArticle.jhtml?articleId=51200146

The AOL/NCSA online safety study finds that 67 percent of computers lack current anti-virus software and 1 in 5 are infected with a virus; 80 percent of home computers infected with spyware/adware; 88 percent didn't know they were infected; and 49 percent of broadband users lack any firewall protection.
http://media.aoltimewarner.com/media/newmedia/cb_press_view.cfm?release_num=55254239

Information Week reports on a 5-year high in losses from viruses.
http://www.informationweek.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=51000347

A new Bagle variant of medium risk has begun to spread rapidly.
http://vil.nai.com/vil/content/alert.htm

9. Finance

Transparency International offers a scathing indictment of UK financial regulations, saying that although offshore jurisdictions had been required to introduce money laundering regulations, the UK itself has not yet done so.
http://www.transparency.org/working_papers/thematic/Money_Laundering_PRP_003_18_Oct_04.pdf

New reports from Global Witness and Partnership Africa Canada highlights the need to tighten controls in the diamond sector that still contributes to financing conflict.
http://www.partnershipafricacanada.org
http://www.gloalwitness.org

The Sudanese embassy in the US has been unable to find a replacement for Riggs Bank after its money laundering violations. Sudan's Foreign Minister, Mustafa Osman Ismail, has now said that unless a bank is found for its mission in the US by the end of the month, the US embassy in Sudan will be closed.

The US Treasury identified the electronic money transfer business, SERCUBA, as a national of Cubs and therefore prohibited from US trade.
http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/js2057.htm

10. Human Rights

Two harsh condemnations of the Bush campaign's use of torture in their "war on terrorism" were published last week. Amnesty International's "Human dignity denied: Torture and accountability in the 'war on terror'" cited violation of basic rights in the name of security. The UN official responsible for monitoring compliance with international prohibitions against torture issues his annual report. He emphasized that legal arguments argued to defend torture are never justified and mentioned that some countries are trying to water down the definition of torture to allow some practices to become permissible but that international law is unambiguous in this regard.
http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGAMR511452004 http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=A/59/324

Reporters Without Borders have released their third annual worldwide index of press freedom. They list the ten worst countries as:

And the ten best, dominated by northern Europe, as:

http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=11715

The UN has launched the "Action 2" initiative to bolster support for human rights with a system-wide approach to ensure the rights of individuals are respected and protected both for the benefit of individuals and as a foundation for peace and development.

11. Law and Legal Issues

Andres Mantovani and 18 other individuals have been indicted in an conspiracy to set up and manage www.shadowcrew.com as a center for trafficking in stolen information, documents, and credit and debit card numbers used for identity theft and other frauds.
http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2004/October/04_crm_726.htm

Adolfo Toledo Medina, alleged member of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) has been indicted on eight counts connected to a November 2003 grenade attack. He joins Arturo Montano Torres as the second defendant accused of involvement in the attack.
http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2004/October/04_crm_724.htm

Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic's court-appointed lawyers, Steven Kay and Gillian Higgins, have asked to be removed from his war crimes trial since his refusal to cooperate with them makes it impossible to do their job or meet the tribunal's own code of conduct.

Rogelio Gonzalez Pizana has been arrested in Mexico on suspicion he is the leader of the Osiel Cardenas drug cartel's assassination group.

Shafiq Rasul, Asif Iqbal, Rhuhel Ahmed and Jamal al-Harith, detained at Guantanamo Bay without charge for nearly three years, have filed suit against the US government, alleging torture and other violations of human rights.

Amar Saifi, ("Abderrezak El Para"), leader of The Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) was detained in Libya and before being taken into custody by Algeria.

12. Transportation

The US Office of Homeland Security's Inspector General finds that airport screeners still lack adequate training. Among the findings are lack of access to practice equipment, no training in physical screening of weapons or when to physically check a passenger, and are no testing on passenger rights.
http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/interweb/assetlibrary/OIG_04-45.pdf

The US Container Security Initiative (CSI) is operational in 31 ports with the addition of the Port of Gioia Tauro.
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/press_releases/10282004.xml

Russia will deploy two naval vessels as part of NATO's counterterrorism patrols in the Mediterranean and Straits of Gibraltar.

13. Weapons of Mass Destruction

Amitai Etzioni of the Foreign Policy Center wrote "Pre-empting Nuclear Terrorism in a New Global Order" in which he argues for a shift in international counter-terrorism resources from programs pursued by Iran and North Korea to curbing access to nuclear arms and related materials by focusing on failed states.
http://fpc.org.uk/fsblob/314.pdf

Talks between the EU and Iran have reached an impasse but will resume on November 5.

The World Health Organization warns that healthy ducks could become infected with the deadly H5N1 strain of avian influenza but spread the virus much longer than other poultry before showing signs of illness. They warned residents of Asian countries not to keep ducks as pets, let them inside, or drink from ponds they use.
http://www.who.int/csr/don/2004_10_29/en/

The US military has been ordered to suspend compulsory anthrax vaccination for troops by a federal judge who ruled that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did not seek enough public comment before approving the experimental drug.
http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/2004/nr20041027-1447.html
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Oct2004/d20041027anthrax.pdf
http://www.anthrax.osd.mil/

PACE International Union conducted a survey that finds "Facilities that have been identified as potentially attractive targets for a terrorist attack due to the presence of large volumes of hazardous materials have not done an adequate job of preventing and preparing for such an event".
http://www.pacehealthandsafety.org

14. Recently Published

Eric H. H. Cline, "Jerusalem Besieged: From Ancient Canaan to Modern Israel" University of Michigan

Max Hastings, "Armageddon: The Battle for Germany 1944-45" Macmillan

Derrick Jensen and George Draffan, "Strangely Like War: The Global Assault on Forests" Chelsea Green

Henry McDonald and Jim Cusack, "UDA: Inside the Heart of Loyalist Terror" Penguin Ireland

Richard Gid Powers, "Broken" Free Press

Geoffrey Stone, "Perilous Times: Free Speech in Wartime from the Sedition Act of 1798 to the War on Terrorism" WW Norton

Kenneth Timmerman, "Preachers of Hate: Islam and the War on America" Crown Forum

Martin van Creveld, "Defending Israel: A Study of Her Borders and a Plan Toward Peace" St Martin's/Dunne

FEATURE ARTICLE: Sports for Peace and Development

The International Olympics Committee explains that " The tradition of the 'Truce' or 'Ekecheiria' was established in ancient Greece in the 9th century BC by the signature of a treaty between three kings. During the Truce period, the athletes, artists and their families, as well as ordinary pilgrims, could travel in total safety to participate in or attend the Olympic Games and return afterwards to their respective countries. As the opening of the Games approached, the sacred truce was proclaimed and announced by citizens of Elis who travelled throughout Greece to pass on the message".

Today, sports have become an integral tool to support development, education and peace.

At the first International Conference on Sport and Development, Adolf Ogi, the former President of Switzerland, cited some of his experiences:

In Athens this year Mr. Ogi spoke at a roundtable on "Harnessing the Power of Sport for Development and Peace" where he cited additional examples:

He concluded that, "The power of sport can be used both, as a tool for preventing conflict, and as an element for building sustainable peace. When applied effectively, sport programmes promote social integration and generate dialogue. The popularity of sport and its convening power contribute to sport being a powerful voice for communicating messages of peace".

Recognizing the power of sport, the EU declared 2004 the European Year of Education through Sport. In the European Constitution adopted this week, sport is given equal status as education and youth matters.

Sport has also been formally adopted as a development tool that will help to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The February 2003 Magglingen Declaration is "a first step in our commitment to create a better world through sport". It declares:

Another step in meeting this commitment was made by the United Nations Inter-Agency Task Force on Sport for Development and Peace that issued its report at the end of March 2003. It provides a detailed analysis of how sport can contribute to MDGs, current programs and what has been learned from those experiences. Based on this it recommends that sport should be:

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