This is a roundup of news articles, reports, and other materials focusing on (in)security issues and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of Security in Context. The goal is to shed light on knowledge production on security-related issues of public interest from critical perspectives and from global south readings by highlighting media from four particular regions: Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East, and developing Asia. Entries may include academic journal articles, think tank reports, non-governmental organizations releases, official documents or government-commissioned research, and regular news items. The material included covers SiC's key security issues: Climate Change, Security and International Relations, Migration and Displacement, Covid-19 and Capitalism, Technologies of Surveillance, Gender, Race, Ethnicity and Sexuality, Arms and the Military-industrial Complex, and Censorship.
You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each roundup to submissions@securityincontext.org
Latin America and the Caribbean
Schools in St Lucia closed following upsurge in deadly gun violence
March 10, 2023
Following the shooting and killing of 3 people, as well as the injury of a 9 year old boy, due to escalating gun violence, the St. Lucia government decided to close the schools in the southern town of Vieux Fort.
5.9 magnitude earthquake shook Colombia at dawn; people ran out in pajamas
March 10, 2023
In the early hours of Friday morning an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.9 shook a large part of Colombia with authorities yet to report any damage or victims.
Venezuelans Struggling to Afford Food — Even With Access to Dollars
March 7, 2023
Resurgent inflation is leaving the Venezuelan people hungry and struggling to buy food and medicine, even those with access to U.S. dollars.
International activists urge Jamaica to nix anti-gay laws
March 3, 2023
After neglecting a regional rights panel recommendation for 2 years, international activists are demanding Jamaica to repeal a law that criminalizes gay sex.
Chile reinforces military presence near Peru, Bolivia border
February 27, 2023
The Chilean president, Gabriel Boric Font, has increased the Chilean military presence in areas bordering Peru and Bolivia as a means to tackle illegal immigration.
Africa
Kenyan launches LGBTQ crackdown in schools
March 10, 2023
The Ministry of Education in Kenya has begun a campaign to alter LGBTQ teaching in schools, which raised concerns that misinformation about LGTBQ people might be presented in classrooms.
March 9, 2023
At least 11 people have succumbed to Hashimoto’s disease in the South Omo zone of Ethiopia due to severe drought. There are at least 135 people with confirmed cases of Hasdhimoto’s disease in the region because of hunger and thirst.
Ministry of Agriculture distributes more than 700 tons of wheat seeds
March 7, 2023
Angola’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has distributed over 700 tons of wheat seeds throughout the country in 2023, hoping to increase the production of cereal to match consumption projections in the nation.
DRC: M23-controlled roads reopened and closed
March 3, 2023
A series of roads in the Democratic Republic of Congo controlled by the M23 were reopened for the transport of goods, but were closed off again less than 24 hours later following claims that a driver was killed by M23 rebels.
How violence robs Nigerians of their votes
March 2, 2023
This report highlights how Nigerian political parties utilize violent groups of people to raid polling stations to scare would-be voters away and ensure that the politicians they work for are able to keep their political power by winning elections.
Roads and power lines put primates in danger: South African data adds to the real picture
March 2, 2023
Plans for roads, power lines, and railways set to be built in South Africa through 2050 could threaten the biodiversity of the country, especially habitats where primates thrive.
Middle East
Tunisia to restore diplomatic ties with Syria
March 11, 2023
Kais Saied, President of Tunisia, looks to restore diplomatic ties with Syria since Tunisia expelled the Syrian ambassador following the Syrian civil war of 2012. This decision comes after Tunisia’s president met with its Foreign Minister Nabil Ammar.
Distraction offerings: What’s behind Egypt’s ambitious plan to sell shares in state companies
March 9, 2023
The Egyptian government is partially privatizing several state run companies across 18 different sectors of the company in order to increase foreign investment. This is an attempt to alleviate the severe economic struggles the country has suffered.
Reports: Suspected drone strike in Syria kills at least 3
March 8, 2023
There was an explosion in Eastern Syria that killed several. The specifics of the strike have not been confirmed as several institutions have reported different details. However, it is suspected that the explosion came from a drone strike from the U.S or Israel targeting Iranian supported infrastructure.
Needs and shortcomings: Quake’s first response in northwestern Syria
March 8, 2023
The humanitarian response to the earthquake in Syria and Turkey has been a complicated one with an uneven distribution of aid and avoidable shortcomings because of the political unrest.
Israeli troops kill six Palestinians in Jenin as West Bank violence escalates
March 7, 2023
Six Palestinians were killed in a targeted IDF raid in Jenin. The operation targeted a Palestinian who killed two Israeli settlers on February 26. While 6 died, several were also detained by Israeli military forces.
Residents of Qalyubiya agricultural area face eviction to make way for state housing project
March 2, 2023
Land owned by the Agricultural Research Center in Egypt is being expropriated and put in the hands of the military. This has led to the eviction of many agricultural employees.
Developing Asia
BMA makes progress in converting unused spaces into 'pocket parks'
February 26, 2023
The amount of green space in Bangkok, a megacity with 10 million people, amounts to 6.9 square meters per person, which falls short of the 9 square meters per person recommended by the World Health Organization. To solve this problem, the city has announced a “15-minute pocket parks” project aimed at ensuring that every resident lives within a 15-minute walk of a park.
Military junta in Myanmar seeks new recruits from ‘struggling families’ of active troops
March 1, 2023
The military junta in Myanmar has begun recruiting unemployed and undereducated youth-- some younger than 16-- to serve in its armies in exchange for food, uniform, and a daily wage of 10,000 kyat ($4.77). Once recruited, the youth are indoctrinated in government propaganda, trained as soldiers, and usually employed as security guards. The military has struggled to maintain its strength as many soldiers desert in order to join the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), fighting against the junta.
Japan and South Korea reach a deal over compensation for victims of forced labor
March 5, 2023
Japan and South Korea have reached a settlement over a decades-long dispute over the compensation of South Korean laborers forced to work for Japanese companies during WWII, when Japan occupied the Korean Peninsula. Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was eager for such a settlement so that the two countries could begin to strengthen defense ties in order to put a check on North Korea. Japan had previously refused to recognize a 2018 ruling by South Korea’s Supreme Court which held Japan liable for damages.
March 5, 2023
Pakistan-- particularly the Balochistan and Sindh provinces-- has abundant natural gas resources. However, the people living near the villages don’t reap the benefits. Instead, even some communities within 5 km of the gas wells aren’t supplied with gas. Many residents of these communities also suffer serious health problems due to air and water contamination resulting from the oil and gas operations. Additionally, residents face widespread unemployment, with the oil and gas companies employing some villagers as temporary workers, paying them less than minimum wage.
Jamaat demands the govt declared Ahmadiyyas 'non-Muslim'
March 6, 2023
Bangladesh’s Jamaat-e-Islami issued a statement March 5 demanding that the government declared Ahmadiyyas as “non-Muslims”. The announcement follows an attack last Friday in which 20 houses in the Ahmadiyya community of Ahmadnagar were looted in protest of an Ahmadiyya religious procession.
Hanoi's agricultural sector moves toward green production
March 7, 2023
The share of high-tech agricultural products in Hanoi reached 40% of the total value of agricultural production in 2022, and the city aims to increase this share to 70% by 2025 as part of an effort to develop environmentally friendly and green agriculture.
Why is Japan flushing Fukushima wastewater into the Pacific?
March 8, 2023
Japan is expected to begin flushing 1.25 million tons of wastewater from the Fukushima power plant into the Pacific Ocean this year. The water still contains tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen, raising concerns of possible harm to marine wildlife and local residents. The initiative was approved by the Japanese cabinet in 2021 and is expected to take 30 years.
March 8, 2023
Two young protesters in Thailand were hospitalized as they entered the 50th day of their hunger strike in protest of the monarchy’s lese-majeste law. Under the law, anyone who “defames, insults, or threatens” the king or his immediate family can receive a prison sentence of up to 15 years. However, politicians are reluctant to discuss the laws in the run-up to the elections.
Key Issues
This section includes the latest and most pressing news regarding SiC's key security issues.
China Slams US Illegal Occupation of Syria
March 11, 2023
Mao Ning, China’s spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry condemned U.S. intervention in Syria as the American congress just voted to prolong its presence in Syria. Mao warned that this intervention would only worsen the humanitarian crisis in Syria.
Saudi Arabia: Nuclear Program Price for Normalizing Ties with Apartheid “Israel”
March 10, 2023
Saudi Arabia looks to normalize relations with Israel but seeks permission to pursue a civilian nuclear program as a condition of the agreement.
N. Korea fires short-range ballistic missile toward Yellow Sea: S. Korean military
March 9, 2023
South Korea reports that North Korea has fired a ballistic missile toward the Yellow Sea, just before a military exercise between South Korea and the US set for the following week.
China: Ties with Russia will ‘grow from strength to strength’
March 7, 2023
Foreign minister Qin Gang defended the friendship between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying that diplomacy between the nations is important for setting global relations standards.
Earthquakes corner Syrian refugees in Turkey between a rock and a hard place
March 4, 2023
Increasingly difficult conditions in Turkey are making it harder for Syrian refugees in the nation to survive, or even to return to Syria in the aftermath of the earthquakes.
Analysis: will Germany become the U.S.’s European spearhead against Russia?
February 26, 2023
While on the surface it seems like U.S. military investment in Ukraine is to protect the freedom and autonomy of the war torn Nation, it is actually an attempt to extinguish Russia’s influence on the world stage. However, in order to do this, the U.S. must lean on its allies in Europe to help combat Russia’s presence.
