Europe

Fighting Continues in Ukraine Despite Cease-Fire

By Kyle Herda

Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

KIEV, Ukraine – The already shaky truce between Kiev and the pro-Russians in Eastern Ukraine has been faltering lately. Fighting has intensified in Donetsk and the death count is beginning to climb yet again.

 

A still image from a Youtube video depicts Nestor Shufrich, a former deputy to the former and toppled President Viktor Yanukovich’s Party of Regions, as he is beaten by a crowd outside of a conference pertaining to an upcoming parliamentary election. (Photo courtesy of RT)

Fighting has particularly focused on a strategic airport in Donetsk, where it appears that pro-Russian rebels may be close to capturing it. Capturing this airport would allow easy access for bringing in supplies to the rebels’ territory. While Col. Andriy Lysenko, a military spokesman speaking for Kiev, has claimed in a briefing that Kiev holds control over the airport, the rebels dispute this claim. The rebel leader, Alexander Zakharchenko, claims that the rebels controlled 90 percent of the airport, and that “[i]n two or three days, we will take control of the Donetsk airport.”

Fighting near the airport has taken the lives of at least 9 soldiers in the Ukrainian army and wounded 27 more, all in just one day of fighting.

Six civilians were killed near the airport as shelling hit a minibus. A school near the airport was also hit by shelling over 200 people were believed to be at the school when it came under shelling that left at least 10 dead. This was the first day that students in rebel-held land returned to school, as heavy fighting in Eastern Ukraine over the past month or more has made it too dangerous.

Amid all of this renewed fighting in the East is the news that on October 26 will be national parliamentary elections that could either heal or hurt the country. While new officials may aid in bringing everybody together to come to peace, the players in the election appear to be separating to their respective corners. The pro-Russians have taken their stance against Kiev and the West, while the pro-Western side has seen a split between mere pro-Westerners and more extreme Ukrainian nationalists.

Two former members of the former President Viktor Yanukovich’s Party of the Regions were attacked this month by protestors. First, Vitaly Zhuravsky, known for his bills against anti-government protesting, was thrown into a dumpster by an angry mob.

Now, Nestor Shufrich, also a former member under the former President’s Party of the Regions and a defender of the pro-Russian rebels, was attacked by a mob in the Black Sea port of Odessa. While out campaigning against pro-Western and Ukrainian nationalist parties, angry protestors mobbed Shufrich and beat him until he was hurried into a van to be taken away.

While both parties maintain that the cease-fire continues to hold, it appears more and more by the day to be only in name.

For more information, please see:

The Washington Post – Fighting intensifies in Ukraine as pro-Russian rebels move on Donetsk airport – 1 October 2014

DW – Shells hit school in Donetsk – 1 October 2014

The New York Times – Ukraine: Politician Is Attacked While Campaigning – 30 September 2014

Vice News – Ukraine Clashes Kill 12 as Donetsk Airport Battles Threaten Fragile Ceasefire – 29 September 2014

CNN – 9 Ukrainian soldiers killed in Donetsk fighting – 29 September 2014

NBC – Angry Mob Tosses Ukrainian Politician Into the Trash – 16 September 2014

 

French Tourist Beheaded in Algeria by Group Linked to Islamic State

By Kyle Herda

Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

PARIS, France – A French tourist to Algeria was killed in a beheading by an Algerian jihadist group linked to the Islamic State. The group, Jund al-Khilafah, kidnapped Hervé Gourdel on Sunday, the day after he arrived in Algeria, and after putting out a video threatening Gourdel’s life if France does not stop aiding the US coalition in the Middle East, the group followed up with a video showing his alleged murder.

Hervé Gourdel with his captors before being executed. (Photo courtesy of NY Daily News)

Facing the threat of Gourdel’s death should the bombings not cease, France insisted that it would not back down from the attacks. Following the new video depicting the beheading, French President Francois Hollande condemned the group’s actions as “cruel and cowardly.” Hollande went on to declare that “France will never give in to blackmail, to pressure, to barbaric acts… Quite to the contrary… The fight against terrorism will be pursued and accelerated as much as necessary with the respect for law.”

While it is unclear exactly what the link is between this group and ISIS, the video is a very similar style to the previous three videos released by ISIS depicting the beheadings of two Americans and one British citizen. While at least 40 nations have promised to support the move against ISIS, France has gained extra attention from the terrorist group. France was the first nation to join the United States in conducting bombings on ISIS targets in Iraq.

While past Western victims of the brutal beheading videos have been either journalists or humanitarian workers, Gourdel was merely in Algeria to hike and explore caves. While traveling through Algeria, armed militants grabbed Gourdel and took him captive. This was likely in response to the expanded airstrikes against the Islamic State in Syria, as over 200 missiles have already hit targets across Syria. Even though Algeria is about 2,000 miles away from Syria, Algeria is not the only country with an ISIS presence within, as Libya has also been a worry to the French.

The Islamic State has already threatened to behead yet another British aid worker, Alan Henning. This recent video signals that ISIS and their allies are not going to stop simply because other countries have decided to begin fighting back.

For more information, please see:

USA Today – Jihadist video claims beheading of French hostage – 24 September 2014

ABC – ISIS Supporters Appear to Behead French Captive – 24 September 2014

Daily News – Algerian terrorists behead kidnapped French mountain guide – 24 September 2014

New York Post – Algerian ISIS group threatens to behead French captive – 23 September 2014

Another Russian Abduction in the Baltics as NATO Increases Activity in Eastern Russia

By Kyle Herda

Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

VILNIUS, Lithuania – Russia has made yet another aggressive move towards Eastern Europe, this time targeting Lithuania. A fishing boat off the coast of Lithuania was seized yesterday by Russia while in international waters. Russia’s Federal Security Service says that border guards were correct by seizing the boat, claiming that it contained an illegal 15-ton haul of crab and strayed into Russian waters. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius states that the vessel’s satellite system proves that it was in international waters.

This Russian AN-72 military transport plane was photographed by Finland’s air force while flying in Finnish airspace. (Photo courtesy of Vox)

Sweden also claims further aggression by Russia took place this week when two Russian warplanes entered into Swedish airspace. Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt called this a “grave violation”, prompting him to lodge a formal protest with the Russian ambassador in Stockholm. In addition to this incident, Russian warplanes also entered into Finland last month, and were intercepted close to Canada and also the United States. Part of the concern for Finland and Sweden is that they are not currently NATO members, which has prompted both nations this month to upgrade their level of cooperation with NATO members.

There are three actions NATO members will be taking part in this week that may be prompting further Russian aggression. First, NATO is conducting exercises in the Black Sea, likely in response to Russia’s first Varshavyanka-class submarine entering into Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. NATO’s exercises will include Romania, Bulgaria, the United States, the UK, Germany, Greece, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Canada, and Turkey.

Second, NATO’s new rapid reaction force, created earlier this month in direct response to Russia’s involvement in the Ukrainian conflict, is going to be discussed this weekend in Vilnius. This new force is meant to provide a fast response to any possible Russian military action in the Baltics against NATO members. The meeting this weekend is for the purpose of going over details of the force.

Third, Ukraine, Poland, and Lithuania have agreed to create a joint military force this year. The force will be headquartered in the Polish city of Lublin, near the border of Ukraine. Interfax-Ukraine news has reported that this joint force will contain 545 Ukrainian troops, 3,000-3,800 Polish servicemen, and 150-350 soldiers from Lithuania. While this idea was first tossed about in 2007 but never agreed on, Russian aggression this year has made the necessity for such a force all the more apparent.

As militarization on both the east and west continues to grow, signs of successful diplomacy to settle tensions seems to be growing weaker. However, fighting in Ukraine appears less severe than two weeks ago, partly due to two negotiations between the parties involved. Fighting has yet to altogether seize, but it seems that diplomacy may still be a realistic option.

For more information, please see:

DW – US fighter planes intercept Russian combat jets off Alaska, Sweden protests ‘violation’ – 20 September 2014

Bloomberg – Lithuania Says Russia Seized Ship as Baltic Tensions Grow – 19 September 2014

RT – Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania to form joint military force – 19 September 2014

The Wall Street Journal – Sweden Complains to Russia Over Airspace Violation – 19 September 2014

The Guardian – Baltic states wary as Russia takes more strident tone with neighbours – 18 September 2014

RT – NATO stages Black Sea naval drills – 17 September 2014

 

Despite Ukraine-Russia Truce Holding, Tension Between Russia and Baltic States Remains High

By Kyle Herda

Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

VILNIUS, Lithuania – In Russia’s most recent move against the Baltic states of Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania, Moscow has sought to reopen criminal investigations into Lithuanian residents who refused to serve in the Soviet army after Lithuania declared dependence in 1990. An estimated 1500 young people refused the orders nearly 25 years ago, and now Russia wants them to pay.

NATO jets fly over Lithuania as part of Operation Reassurance. (Photo courtesy of Ottawa Citizen)

While Russia has already made this same request once prior, roughly ten years ago, the surrounding context now makes the situation more dire. The recent abduction of the Estonian border guard, coupled with Russia’s current attempt to prosecute him for allegedly spying, has forced the Lithuanian State Security Department to advise Lithuanians who withdrew from the Soviet army in 1990 to refrain from traveling outside of Lithuania, or at least outside of any European Union or NATO countries.

Lithuanian President, Dalia Grybauskaite, has taken the additional step to establish certain strategic sectors of the Lithuanian economy as those that should have major investments first vetted to the government. This comes as a matter of national security after a Russian-led company leased two large plots of land next to Siauliai airport, where NATO planes patrol the Baltic skies. NATO currently has Operation Reassurance based in Siauliai, and the aims of this operation are to preserve NATO European airspace and safeguard NATO nations from air attacks, specifically in response to Russia’s recent aggressions in eastern Europe.

Russia has also flown jets close to Baltic borders over 140 times this year, and recently successfully tested its new Bulava Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (“ICBM”) with a range of 8,000 kilometers. Russia has recently spoken out about securing the rights and interests of ethnic Russians. Russia’s Foreign Ministry chief monitor of human rights overseas, Konstantin Dolgov, in a speech in Latvia’s capital, Riga, said, “It has to be stated with sadness that a huge number of our compatriots abroad, whole segments of the Russian world, continue to face serious problems in securing their rights and lawful interests.”

As long as the military remains involved on both sides of the border, there will remain worry and uneasy feelings for all parties involved. On the one hand, worries in the Baltics are completely justified, as the situation in Ukraine prior to both Russia’s annexation of Crimea and the subsequent invasion by Russia of eastern Ukraine draws many parallels to what we are seeing now in Russia’s behavior towards the Baltic States. On the other hand, the situation in the Baltics differs from Ukraine in that NATO has already stated that a military response would come for the Baltic States in the event of a Russian invasion, citing Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty as justification of such an event.

So while concerns that this may be Crimea all over again carry heavy weight, they may not be entirely justified. While the situation began very similarly, the implications here if events continue down the same path would result in a very different, and potentially much bloodier, outcome. Perhaps this will deter either side from pushing too far, or perhaps this will allow for a much greater escalation in events.

For more information, please see:

Ottawa Citizen – Photos: CF-18 and F-16 Falcons over Lithuania – 17 September 2014

Reuters – Lithuania to vet more investments for national security risks – 17 September 2014

Baltic Review – Lithuanians Strongly Advised to Refrain from Traveling to Countries Outside the EU or NATO – 17 September 2014

The Baltic Times – More Russian jets near Baltic borders cause for concern, says army chief – 17 September 2014

The Moscow Times – Russia Sees Need to Protect Russian Speakers in NATO Baltic States – 16 September 2014

Canada National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces – Operation REASSURANCE – 12 September 2014

The Moscow Times – Russia Proves Nuclear Muscle With Ballistic Missile Launch – 10 September 2014

 

Scottish Nationalism: A House of Cards for Europe and the World

By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch Managing Editor

EDINBURGH, Scotland – On September 18 the Scottish People will go to the polls to determine the future of their country. The Scottish people will close whether to maintain their more than 300 year political union with England or to dissolve the political bands that have bound them to the United Kingdom and enter the international community as an independent state. The United Kingdom’s Tory Prime Minister David Cameron spent part of the day on Monday in Aberdeen, the heart of the Scottish Oil industry, which if Scotland become independent would control the largest known reserves in Europe, trying to urge voters to maintain the union. While the vote remains too close to call, what is clear is that, no matter the outcome, the Scottish independence referendum will have far reaching consequences for nationalist and independence movements within the United Kingdom and the European community as a whole. European governments fear that with a single vote the Scottish people could bring down old empires and fragile unions like a house of cards.

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Edinburgh Castle, one of the Scottish capitals most iconic landmarks, dominates the city’s skyline, its home on Castle rock has been inhabited since the Iron Age nearly 2,000 years ago. Castle rock and its castle fortress has ben involved in several conflicts including the Scottish wars for Independence in the 14th Century. (Photo: Kathryn Maureen Ryan, 2013)

The Scottish Nationalist Party has campaigned promising that an independent Scotland will maintain a closer relationship with the European Union than Westminster, which has historically opposed further European integration, fiercely fighting open immigration policies  as well as integration into the Eurozone. Ironically an Independent Scotland could face difficult in building a stronger relationship with Europe because it will likely face strong opposition from EU members that fear that a successful, peaceful secession of Scotland from the United Kingdom could renew calls for independence from separatists and nationalists movements within their own countries.

Spain has promised it stand against an application for EU membership from an independent Scotland likely out of fears that a successful, peaceful, Scottish independence movement could awaken calls for independence from the Catalan and Basque separatists’ movements in Spain. Several other EU member states face nationalist campaigns of their own, France likely fears that an independent Scotland could encourage supporters of an independent Brittney to call for their own referendum, while Belgium leaders likely fear calls for independence could tear apart the fragile union between the Walloons and Flemish populations of Belgium. The vote may also become a symbol of nationalism outside of Europe, where independence movements from the Tibetan and Uyghurs in China to the Quebec independence movement in Canada as well as the dozens of ethnic nationalism movements throughout Africa, Latin America and Oceania, which may call for their own chance for a democratic referendum after the Scottish people make their historic vote.

The vote will also have implications elsewhere in the United Kingdom, especially in Northern Ireland where Unionists and Irish Republicans alike are watching the elections in Scotland closely, knowing that the outcome could affect the ultimate outcomes of their own movements. Northern Ireland has lived under a fragile peace since the Good Friday Agreement, brokered by then Prime Minister Tony Blair and U.S. President Bill Clinton, was signed in 1998 establishing a power sharing government for Northern Ireland. While the power-sharing government brought great changes to the region, helping Northern Ireland move beyond the darkest and bloodiest days of the troubles tensions can still be felt between catholic and protestant communities in some areas throughout the country, especially in Belfast where the Peace Walls, now the world’s oldest actively maintained apartheid walls, still divide working class catholic and protestant neighborhoods and where several schools remain segregated on the basis of religion.

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The Belfast Peace Walls, plastered in propaganda from both Catholic and Protestant political activist, class for peace and understanding in the community and covered in the signatures of visitors from around the world, are today considered the oldest apartheid walls in the world, active longer than the Berlin Wall. While the walls are a symbol of a fragile peace many believe they divide the society more than unite it, serving as a constant reminder of perceived differences in the community (Photo: Kathryn Maureen Ryan, 2013)

The Republic of Irelands former European Affairs Minister Lucinda Creighton believes that if Scotland votes to secede from the United Kingdom new demands for a referendum on a united Ireland will be ‘inevitable. “I think it would inevitably lead to demand for such a referendum (in Northern Ireland). I don’t know what the outcome of such a referendum would be. We are all committed now to the principle of consent in Northern Ireland, respective of both communities and that’s something I would feel very strongly about,” she said. “That would be a pretty unbelievable move that I don’t think anybody could have contemplated 10 years ago. It will have major political consequences for Ireland if it is carried.”

Northern Ireland’s  Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, a former commander in the Irish Republican Army and member of the Sinn Fein party which ultimately supports union with The Republic of Ireland, has said he is “staying out” of the independence debate, which he believes is a “matter for the people of Scotland,” however he added that he believes the independence movement will have a far reaching effect on the politics and future of Northern Ireland. “If Scotland gets, in the context of there being a No vote, power over social welfare and the ability to decide their own social welfare payment rates then that has big implications for us and I think that I would hope that we can benefit from the outcome of that,” he added “Whatever way it goes I think it will have a profound impact on the situation in Ireland, and specifically in the North of Ireland, particularly in relation to the battle that we’re having with the British Government at this time over the swingeing cuts that they have brought in.”

The Scottish Independence movement was not born overnight, nor was it born out of the Devolution process which led to the creation of the Scottish Parliament under the Blair premiership. In many ways the Scottish independence movement is older than the United Kingdom itself. In 1320 the Declaration of Arbroath, often cited as the most important document in Scottish history, was signed issuing a declaration of the independence of the Scottish people, promising that “as long as but a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any conditions be brought under English rule. It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom – for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself.” No matter the outcome of Thursday’s vote it is clear that the centuries old flame of Scottish nationalism has never dimed and with a single vote it may ignite a flame of nationalism that will spread across Europe and the World.

For more information please see:

Aberdeen Evening Express – Cameron Flies into Aberdeen to Deliver Final Better Together Pledge – 15 September 2014

Al Jazeera America – Scotland to Hold Referendum on Independence from the UK – 15 September 2014

Irish Independent – Martin Mcguinness: Scottish Independence Referendum Would Have a ‘Profound Impact’ On Northern Ireland – 11 September 2014

Reuters UK – Why Scottish Independence Matters For Europe – 9 September 2014

Irish Independent – Referendum Moves In North ‘Inevitable’ If Scots Secede – 8 September 2014

BBC History – The Declaration of Arbroath, 1320