Ashraf Ghani Named as the President of Afghanistan
By Hojin Choi
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia
KABUL, Afghanistan – Afghanistan’s Election Commission finally announced Ashraf Ghani as the president-elect. The announcement was made Sunday after Ghani and the runner up, Abdullah Abdullah, signed a power-sharing deal. Ghani’s presidential inauguration will be held on September 29.
The Commission Chief, Ahmad Yousuf Nuristani, stated that “[t]he Independent Election Commission of Afghanistan declared Dr. Asraf Ghani . . . as the president of Afghanistan.” This announcement will end the political chaos following the presidential runoff on June 14. While experiencing nationwide terrorists’ attacks on the day of election, Candidate Abdullah insisted election fraud and vote rigging, and his supporters denied the election result. At the time, millions of ballots were suspected of fraud, and Abdullah’s supporters warned to establish “parallel governments.”
The Election Commission went on to review polling stations and ballot papers under a U.N. audit, but the result was unsuccessful.
“Although the audit was comprehensive . . . [we] could not detect or throw out fraud completely,” said Commission Chief Nuristani. The commission withheld the final election numbers. Nuristani said the commission will announce it later, but did not specify when. He did not take further questions from reporters.
The details of the power-sharing deal were not disclosed to the public. Reportedly, Abdullah will be in a position named “Chief Executive” that is similar to prime minister. They will also share powers over controlling the nation’s institutes and government agencies, including the military forces. The incumbent president, Karzai, made clear that the former government and administration will not be responsible for the deal and that Ghani and Abdullah will have to work on fulfilling the commitment.
The public reaction varied. The Afghan public seems happy for the end of months of political unrest, but some worried with the possible effects of the deal. Afghan resident Sharifullah told Voice of America that he was disappointed because the hardship people suffered through to vote while under the violence of terrorists was wasted. He added the political deal would harm the principle of democracy in Afghanistan.
The U.N. and the U.S. both welcomed the agreement and described it as an important step toward achieving social stability in Afghanistan. TIME reported that the deal is a “victory for U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry,” as he is the one who first got the candidates to agree in principle to the power-sharing arrangement when he visited Afghanistan in July. TIME also said he revisited to seal the deal in August. John Kerry stated that Ghani and Abdullah have “put the people of Afghanistan first, and they have ensured that the first peaceful democratic transition in the history of their country begins with national unity.”
For more information, please see:
TIME – Afghanistan Finally Has a New President – 21 September 2014
BBC – Afghan presidential contenders sign unity deal – 21 September 2014
Voice of America – Ashraf Ghani Named President-elect in Afghanistan – 21 September 2014
Mine Spill in Mexico Shuts Down Water Supply
By Lyndsey Kelly
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America
MEXICO CITY, Mexico – On 21 September, Mexican authorities issued an alert concerning a toxic spill into a river due to a copper mine run by the company Grupo Mexico. Grupo Mexico operates a $1 billon a year Buenavista mine in Cananea, Sonora, which produces nearly 200,000 tons of copper.
The chemical, which is used to dissolve copper from ore, turned a 60km stretch of Sonora River the color orange. The spillage caused the authorities to shut down the municipal water supply to seven towns, affecting more than 20,000 people. Officials in the northern state of Sonora also asked that citizens to not use any water from the Bacanuchi River.
Carlos Arias, the civil protection director for the border state of Sonora, stated that his department is taking measures to ensure people and livestock do not come in contact with the water until it can be tested. The Sonora state civil protection agency said it would end its relationship with Grupo Mexico, due to the company’s continuing discharge of toxic substances into the water supply. The recent spill comes jut weeks after a spill of 40,000 cubic meters.
On 6 August, two rivers were contaminated by a spill due to the mining giant, causing thousand of residents to be left without clean water. The spill was recorded as the worst environmental disaster in Mexican history by a mining industry. The contamination forced authorities to shut down hundreds of water wells and distribute millions of liters of water in trucks. At least five individuals sought medical attention after coming into contact with the polluted water.
More than a quarter of Mexico’s mining activity is located in the north-western region. Thus making it Mexico’s top producer of gold, copper and graphite. Grupo Mexico reached an agreement with the Mexican Government, in which Grupo would create a trust to pay for all environmental damage caused by toxic spills. The company has since set up a $150 million trust.
For more information, please see the following:
ABC NEWS – Western Mexico State Reports New Mine Spill -21 Sept. 2014
BBC – Mexico’s Sonora State Reports New Mine Spill – 21 Sept. 2014.
BLOOMBERG – Grupo Mexico Spill Sparks Scrutiny of $150 Million Cleanup – 17 Sept. 2014.
WALL STREET JOURNAL – Grupo Mexico To Set Aside $150 Million for Mine Spill Cleanup – 11 Sept. 2014.
Fiji Election Results are in: Military Coup Leader Remains in Power
By Max Bartels
Impunity Watch Reporter
Suva, Fiji
Fiji has completed their first democratic election in eight years, after a bloodless military coup seized power in 2006. The coup was lead by then Rear Admiral Frank Bainimarama, who has now been voted into office as Prime Minister to continue to lead Fiji. The final polls show that Bainimarama and his “Fiji First Party” won 59% of the vote and the opposition, the “Social Democratic Liberal Party” came in a distant second with 28% of the vote. Over the years Fiji and the military government headed by Bainimarama have been accused of many human rights violations by Amnesty International and other human rights groups but the majority of the Fijian people have continued to support Bainimarama despite these accusations.
In 2006 Bainimarama claimed the coup was to cure rampant corruption and protect the ethnic Indian population of Fiji from racial discrimination. Bainimarama also emphasized the improvement of Fiji’s infrastructure during his time in power, which is one of the major reasons for his support amongst the Fijian people. The international community reacted to the coup by enacting sanctions and travel bans on Fiji. In the run up to the elections the sanctions and the travel bans were lifted as Fiji committed to a return to democracy.
An international observation group was sent to Fiji to monitor the election process and evaluate its validity for corruption and foul play. As the votes were being counted opposition groups to the “Fiji First Party” claimed foul play occurred in the election. The opposition groups claimed their own observers reported missing ballot boxes, boxes that seem to be opened and more votes at polls than registered voters. However, the observers of the international group claim that the results can be relied on to “broadly represent the will of the Fijian voters.” The opposition is reported to be considering filing a complaint about the results of the election. Bainimarama has since claimed victory in the election and addressed the people in Fiji’s capital, Suva, stating he is honored the people chose him to lead the new government and the Fijian people. While most of the sanctions and travel bans have been lifted there are still many nations that have yet to re-enter into diplomatic relations with Fiji.
For more information, please see:
The Wall Street Journal — Bainimarama Claims Victory in Fiji Elections — 21 September 2014
The Wall Street Journal — Fiji Election Hit With Fraud Accusations — 18 September 2014
Al Jazeera — Fiji Coup Leader Declares Poll Victory — 21 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.
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