By Darrin Simmons
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has made an unscheduled statement on Thursday to address the necessity of participation in next week’s peace talks.  The U.S. has accused the Syrian government of “revisionism” by characterizing the peace talks as tackling terrorism instead of the departure of President Bashar al-Assad.

Kerry’s intervention follows a letter sent by Syria’s foreign minister that questions the initial agenda which is aimed at ending the three-year civil war.  He is expected to arrive on the eve of a crucial meeting by the Syrian Opposition Coalition on Friday which is still deciding whether to attend the peace talks.

Walid al-Muallem, Syria’s foreign minister, stated in a letter to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, “It should be noted that we do not agree with certain points mentioned in the letter of invitation, simply for the reason that they are in conflict with the legal and political position of the State of Syria

Kerry noted that the letter appears to have prompted anger in Washington where diplomats are anxious to see that the talks are not disrupted or that further rebel groups choose not to attend.

Kerry further stated that the talks were expected to establish “a process essential to the formation of a transition government body-a governing body with full executive powers established by mutual consent.”

“That sole purpose could not have been more clear at the time it was announced and it could not be more clear today,” added Kerry.  “It has been reiterated in international statement after international statement that the parties have signed up to and venue after venue, in resolution after resolution.”

U.S. State department spokeswoman Jen Psaki stated that Syria’s letter to the UN was a “good example” of what Kerry has been referring to.

The odds of three peace talks causing a breakthrough in the long and bloody civil war are slowly dwindling.  Growing concern in Europe and the U.S. about the role of Islamic extremists in the rebellion is starting to prove that the peace talks won’t be as effective as needed.

However, Kerry has insisted that selecting new mutually agreed upon leaders in the conflict was the only way of to ensure that Syria did not continue to attract more extremists.  “We too are deeply concerned about the rise of extremism,” he said.

Ali Haider, the national reconciliation minister, “The solution has begun, and will continue through the military triumph of the state … and through the staying power and resilience of the state and all its institutions, in the face of its enemies who were betting on its collapse.”

For more information, please see the following: 

Al Jazeera-Kerry urges all sides to attend Syria talks-17 January 2014

BBC-John Kerry urges Syria opposition to attend talks-17 January 2014

Guardian-John Kerry urges Syrian rebel groups to attend upcoming peace talks in Geneva-17 January 2014

Reuters-U.S. urges Syria rebels to attend peace talks, slams government-17 January 2014

By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch, Middle East

Cairo, Egypt – Egyptian State media has reported that after the second day of voting polls across Egypt have officially closed after the second day of voting on a draft Constitution drafted after the overthrow of democratically elected President Mohamed Morsi. If the vote leads the adoption of the new constipation the next step in the road map to democratization set up by the military backed government will be Parliamentary and presidential elections, expected sometime this year.

About 200,000 security forces and 160,000 military personnel were deployed across the country to stifle any interruption of the voting process across the country. Demonstrators rallied in several cities including the capital Cairo, Al-Sharqiyah, Fayoum and Delga. Shadi Hamid; research director at Brookings Doha Centre said “Any sense of stability is an illusion. That’s what people think General Sisi might offer.” He added that “if we look at the last six months, Egypt has seen one of the worst spills of violence in its modern history.”

While Tuesday’s voting took place in relative peace on Wednesday at least 11 people were killed on Tuesday, the first day of voting across the country. Egyptian police arrested dozens of supporters of President Morsi protesting the referendum, believing the vote is an attempt to grant legitimacy to a coup against a democratically elected government.

Following the Egyptian states crackdown on supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood, which has been designated as a terrorist organization by the interim government, and other Morsi supporters the new constipation was expected to pass easily, though official results have yet to be reported.

Egyptian Newspapers, the majority of which are supporters of the military government, claimed that there was a “heavy” turnout on Tuesday and that the cote symbolized a “defeat” of the Morsi regime and the Muslim Brotherhood.

The Muslim Brotherhood called for a boycott of the vote. The organization accused the pro-military government media in Egypt of falsifying its reports about the turnout. In a statement from the Brotherhood-led Anti-Coup and Pro-Democracy Alliance the organization said “They are trying to cover-up their early defeat, “they claimed that only 15% of eligible to vote in Southern Egypt turned up to vote. Potential monitors suspected of ties to the Muslim Brotherhood were not granted permission to oversee the vote.

The last constitution referendum was held in December 2012 while Morsi was still in power. However, this constitution was suspended after the military coup that removed Morsi from power in July 2013.

Some claim that the draft constitution proposed in this referendum vote would improve human rights and freedom of expression, stating explicitly that men and women are equal and have the right to hold public office and judicial posts. However, critics of the draft constitution claim the document grants too much power to the military without civilian oversight, which many fear could lead to a return to the pro-military statuesque that existed under President Mubarak and his “state of emergency,” a government that lead to the 2011 uprisings across the country.

For more information please see:

Al Jazeera – Egypt Referendum Polls Close – 15 January 2014

CNN International – Egypt Votes on New Constitution, Tests Legitimacy of Military-Backed Government – 15 January 2014

CNN International – Violence Erupts as Egyptians Vote on New Constitution – 14 January 2014

Al Jazeera – Comparing Egypt’s 2012 and 2013 Constitutions – 14 January 2014

By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch, Middle East

TEHRAN, Iran – According to the White House said Sunday that the Iranian government has pledged to begin eliminating some of its uranium stockpile on January 20, marking the official start of the six-month interim deal with Iran that was announced in November of last year. That date was also confirmed by Iranian State media.

United States Secretary of State John Kerry said in a statement that “As of that day, for the first time in almost a decade, Iran’s nuclear program will not be able to advance, and parts of it will be rolled back, while we start negotiating a comprehensive agreement to address the international community’s concerns about Iran’s program.”

As part of the agreement Iran has agreed to start eliminating its stockpile of higher levels of enriched uranium, used in the production of nuclear weapons, and to dismantle some of the infrastructure that is used in the enrich higher-level uranium enrichment possible. Iran has also agreed not to construct new centrifuges. This will be done in exchange for the easing of some sanctions. The deal could result in the easing of sanctions totalling about $7 billion — $4.2 billion of which, US officials say.

“The $4.2 billion in restricted Iranian assets that Iran will gain access to as part of the agreement will be released in regular instalments throughout the six months,” John Kerry said. “The final instalment will not be available to Iran until the very last day.”

Shortly after the deal goes into effect Iran will likely enter into talks with world powers in February to negotiate the future of its nuclear program. the next round of talks is being led by European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, the actors involved in the talks will have to address the challenge of defining an accepted scope of Iranian nuclear activity that will adequately addressed the concerns of members of the international community that Iran’s nuclear ambitions could lead the state to develop an atomic weapon.

A diplomatic sources told Reuters that the next phase of diplomacy between Iran, the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany will include Ashton and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. The source said that while the talks will begin soon, they will not “happen in January, because of the Chinese New Year, but it is very, very, very likely in February.”

United States President Barack Obama said over the weekend that he has “no illusions” about how hard it will be to secure a comprehensive agreement with Iran.

On Monday the Obama Administration voiced concerns about reports that Iran and the Russian Federation will enter into an ‘oil-for-goods’ agreement  to exchange worth $1.5 billion a month. Under this agreement Russia receive up to 500,000 barrels or Iranian oil per day and in exchange Iran will receive Russian equipment and goods. The White House said this deal could potentially trigger U.S. sanctions.

For more information please see:

Al Jazeera – US Concerned About Iran-Russia Oil Deal – 14 January 2014

The Jerusalem Post – Iran Using Opening with West To Improve Its Relations Worldwide – 14 January 2014

CNN International – Iran to Start Scaling Back Nuclear Program January 20, White House Says – 13 January 2014

Reuters – World Powers, Iran Eye February Start To Nuclear Settlement Talks – 13 January 2014

By Darrin Simmons
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

SANA’A, Yemen-Reports have indicated that at least four Yemeni soldiers were killed by local tribesmen in an attack on the army commission assigned to guard oil installations.  The tribesmen warned the army to stop its operations in the area.

One witnesses recalled that gunmen and troops traded fire after the attack, adding that the army reinforcements had arrived in the area.

Government troops and facilities in southeaster Hadramawt province have been targeted by armed tribesmen since as early as December.  Tensions arose between the army and tribesmen when a local tribal leader was killed at an army checkpoint upon refusal to hand over his weapons.

The death of tribal leader Bin Habrish has sparked protests and attacks on government facilities.  Most recently, several people were killed in  a brief seizure of the Yemeni oil ministry offices in Hadramawt.

Tribesmen have demanded that Habrish’s killers be handed over, as well as demanding withdrawal of the army from Hadramawt and creation of more jobs for the local people in the area.

The attack occurred one day after a tribal alliance formed in the area, warning that all operations should be suspended starting on this past Saturday.  The operations are run by Norwegian DNO International,  an oil and gas exploration company, which had no immediate comment.

On Saturday, members of the tribal alliance killed two soldiers and wounded one other in another attack on oil installations operated by Norwegian DNO in Hadramout.

Ever growing hostility in Yemen has due to their strategic position next to the major oil exporter Saudi Arabia and useful shipping lanes have caused international concern.  Mass protests and political turmoil since the forced resignation of long-serving President Ali Abdullah Saleh in 2011have worsened matters.  He was succed by deputy Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

Further, Yemen is one of the poorest countries in the Arab world experience.  Yemen relies on crude exports to finance up to 70 percent of its spending budget.  Yemen also faces increasing attacks by al-Qaida as sectarian tensions increase in the north and the occurrence of a secessionist movement in the south.

Hadramawt was once part of the formerly independent South Yemen, which was unified with the north in 1990.  A secession attempt four years later caused a brief but bloody civil war that ended with northern forces taking over the south.

For more information, please see the following: 

Al Jazeera-Tribesmen kill soldiers in southern Yemen-12 January 2014

Global Post-Yemen tribes kill 4 soldiers in fresh anti-army attack-12 January 2014

Gulf News-Yemen tribesmen kill soldiers in oil field attack-12 January 2014

Voice of America-Yemen Tribes Kill 2 Soldiers, Tell Norway DNO to End Oil Work-12 January 2014

By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt – Ahmed Shafik, Hosni Mubarak’s last prime minister before his 2011 ouster announced Thursday that he plans to run for the Egyptian presidency if the military does not contest elections.

“I believe now I will run for the presidency,” Shafik told the press adding that he will add his name to the ring if army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi stayed out of election, which is expected to be held later this way after a referendum vote is held for the state’s new constitution in January.

Sisi has not yet announced whether he will enter the race. He is widely supported by supporters of the military coup that took Morsi’s out of power but is reviled by the former president’s supporters.

Sisi’s candidacy would deepen divisions between supporters of the military role in the Egyptian government who believe force is to secure the state and those who believe such a government would further encourage the military to crack down on the basic rights of the Egyptian people

A security official told the press that Sisi “most likely going to announce that he will run for the presidency”, adding: “The army in a recent meeting expressed its support for him to run.”

Shafik left the country last year after being defeated by Mohamed Morsi, who was removed from power last July, in the country’s first democratic presidential elections. Shafik has a strong history with the Egyptian military, he served as a former air force commander. He called former President Mubarak a “role model” and was charged with corruption after leaving Egypt.

Last month Shafik was acquitted by an Egyptian court for a corruption case. However, another corruption charge has been shelved by the courts.

Shafik’s return to Egypt would signify the dramatic shift in power in Egyptian that has occurred since the ouster of Morsi, to many it would symbolize a return to the Egypt that existed under Mubarak.

Shafik called for maximum force to be used against former President Morsi’s political party, the Muslim Brotherhood. Shafik called the organization a “terrorist” group last December. Egypt’s interim military government has cracked down on the organization and other Islamist groups in the country, drawing criticism from human rights activist around the world.

Islamist militant groups have responded by increasing bombing and shooting attacks on Egyptian security forces since Morsi’s overthrow, raising fears of prolonged instability in the country.

While speaking in the United Arab Emirates Shafik stated that he may return to Egypt to vote in the Constitutional referendum. The Constitutional referendum is set for January 14 and 15.

Dates for this year’s presidential and parliamentary elections have yet to be set.

For more information please see:

Daily News and Analysis – Hosni Mubarak’s last PM interested in running for Egyptian presidency – 10 January 2014

Al Jazeera – Mubarak PM considers bid for Egypt presidency – 9 January 2014

Reuters – Mubarak’s last PM interested in running for Egyptian presidency – 9 January 2014

Reuters – Egypt’s army chief Sisi seen edging closer to presidential bid – 6 January 2014