Groups in Spain and Morocco push for border deaths inquiry

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Written by northsouth

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Published: 25 June 2022

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By ASHIFA KASSAM and TARIK EL-BARAKAH

MADRID — Human rights organizations in Spain and Morocco have called on both countries to investigate the deaths of at least 18 Africans and injuries suffered by dozens more who attempted to scale the border fence that surrounds Melilla, a Spanish enclave in North Africa.

Moroccan authorities said the casualties occurred when a “stampede” of people tried to climb the iron fence that separates Melilla and Morocco. In a statement released Friday, Morocco’s Interior Ministry said 76 civilians were injured along with 140 Moroccan security officers.

Local authorities cited by Morocco’s official MAP news agency said the death toll increased to 18 after several migrants died in the hospital. The Moroccan Human Rights Association reported 27 dead, but the figure could not immediately be confirmed.

The association also shared videos on social media that appeared to show dozens of migrants lying on the ground, many of them motionless and a few bleeding, as Moroccan security forces stood over them.

“They were left there without help for hours, which increased the number of deaths,” the human rights group said on Twitter. It called for a “comprehensive” investigation.

In another of the association’s videos, a Moroccan security officer appeared to use a baton to strike a person lying on the ground.

In a statement released late Friday, Amnesty International expressed its “deep concern” over the events at the border.

“Although the migrants may have acted violently in their attempt to enter Melilla, when it comes to border control, not everything goes,” Esteban Beltrán, the director of Amnesty International Spain, said. “The human rights of migrants and refugees must be respected and situations like that seen cannot happen again.”

APDHA, a human rights group based in the southern Spanish region of Andalusia, and a joint statement released by five rights organizations in Morocco also called for inquiries.

A spokesperson for the Spanish government’s office in Melilla said that around 2,000 people had attempted to make it across the border fence but were stopped by Spanish Civil Guard Police and Moroccan forces on either side of the border fence. A total 133 migrants made it across the border.

Joint Communique by Ministers of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS

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Published: 12 May 2022

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MARRAKECH, MOROCCO - The following statement was released by the Foreign Ministers of the Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh/ISIS following today's meeting in Marrakesh, Morocco.

Begin text:

The Ministers of the Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh/ISIS reconvened in Marrakesh, Morocco, today at the invitation of Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken.

The Ministers welcomed the first Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh/ISIS meeting to be convened in Africa and reaffirmed their shared determination to continue the fight against Daesh/ISIS through both military and civilian-led efforts contributing to the enduring defeat of the terrorist group. Together the Ministers emphasized the protection of civilians as a priority and affirmed that international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law, as well as relevant UN Security Council resolutions, must be upheld under all circumstances.

The Ministers affirmed that ensuring the enduring defeat of Daesh/ISIS in Iraq and Syria remains the number one priority for the Defeat Daesh/ISIS Coalition. They stressed that despite significant setbacks suffered by Daesh/ISIS' leadership over the recent past, the terrorist group continues to conduct attacks in Iraq and Syria and represents an ongoing threat, as shown by the large-scale attack against the Al-Sinaa detention facility in northeast Syria in January 2022.

The Ministers reiterated the importance of allocating adequate resources to sustain Coalition and legitimate partner forces' efforts. Civilian-led efforts, including prevention, stabilization, countering terrorist financing, counter narratives and foreign terrorist fighter prosecution, rehabilitation and reintegration are increasingly necessary to achieve the lasting defeat of Daesh/ISIS. The Ministers emphasized the need to enhance civilian-led counterterrorism capabilities in Iraq. They also stressed the need to ensure sustainable long-term solutions for Daesh/ISIS fighters and family members in northeast Syria, including appropriate legal procedures to ensure those guilty of crimes are held accountable.

In Syria, the Coalition stands with the Syrian people in support of a lasting political settlement in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2254. The Coalition continues to support inclusive local recovery and stabilization in areas liberated from Daesh/ISIS and reconciliation and reintegration efforts to foster conditions conducive to a Syria-wide political resolution to the conflict under the parameters of UN Security Council Resolution 2254.

The Ministers also recognized the need to meet the evolving threat of Daesh/ISIS in Africa and welcomed the first three Africa Focus Group meetings, which took place in Brussels, Rome, and Marrakesh. Under the auspices of the Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh/ISIS, the Africa Focus Group will bolster the civilian-led counterterrorism capabilities of African members of the Defeat Daesh/ISIS Coalition by drawing upon the Coalition's experiences in Iraq and Syria, and leveraging lessons learned, as appropriate, from the Defeat Daesh/ISIS campaign there to the African continent. This effort includes sharing assessments on the threat of Daesh/ISIS and other terrorist organizations on the African continent and coordinating and collaborating on the most effective and efficient methods to address these issues, including through proactive information sharing and border management, as well as stabilization, prevention and deradicalization projects. The Ministers stressed the need for the Africa Focus Group to foster synergies with other existing international, sub-regional and regional counterterrorism efforts and initiatives on the African continent.

The Ministers stressed the importance of addressing underlying causes to insecurity in Africa, while reiterating that any lasting solution to halting the spread of Daesh/ISIS on the continent will rely primarily on national authorities, as well as sub-regional and regional efforts and initiatives that acknowledge and address the political and economic drivers of conflict. The Ministers noted with concern the proliferation of non-State actors, including separatist movements, and the deployment in Africa of private military companies that generate destabilization and further vulnerability of African states and that ultimately favors Daesh/ISIS and other terrorist and violent extremist organizations. The Ministers also recalled that the Defeat Daesh/ISIS Coalition will continue to be a civilian-driven effort by, with, and through our African members, in line with the principles of national ownership, and in accord with the specific needs of African member states. The Ministers saluted the entry of Benin into the Defeat Daesh/ISIS Coalition, bringing the total number of members up to eighty-five. The Coalition's efforts constitute an integral part of the global counterterrorism structure.

The Ministers confirmed the common view that ISIS-Khorasan is a growing threat to the South and Central Asian region. They strongly condemned the horrific ISIS-Khorasan attacks during Ramadan and the Eid holiday in Afghanistan aimed at civilians, especially minority groups. The Ministers are mindful of the need to remain resolute in countering the ISIS-Khorasan threat in Afghanistan, through Coalition working groups and individual member initiatives, in order to ensure the lasting defeat of Daesh/ISIS in South and Central Asia, and elsewhere in the globe.

The Ministers emphasized the need to address the global Daesh/ISIS threat through holistic and comprehensive coordination of efforts, which are a hallmark of the Defeat Daesh/ISIS Coalition. Such efforts include the initiatives forwarded by the Defeat Daesh/ISIS Coalition Working Groups, including Communications, Counter ISIS Finance, Foreign Terrorist Fighters, and Stabilization.

The Ministers also recognized the importance of finding sustainable solutions to the root causes of terrorism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism and underlined the importance of ensuring the meaningful inclusion and participation of women, youth and other marginalized populations in these efforts - noting the important role of civil society, including women's organizations and youth-led organizations in preventing and combating terrorism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism.

The Ministers also reiterated their global commitment to the survivors and families of victims of Daesh/ISIS crimes, including by holding the Daesh/ISIS leaders and perpetrators accountable. Recognizing that the atrocities carried out by Daesh/ISIS, including sexual and gender-based violence, constitute some of the most serious international crimes. The Ministers remain united in the determination to prevent future generations from enduring the suffering perpetrated by Daesh/ISIS. They therefore express their resolve to remain absolutely vigilant, in the framework of the Defeat Daesh/ISIS Coalition and beyond against the threat of terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations.

Finland's and Sweden's path to NATO membership

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Written by northsouth

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Published: 03 May 2022

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By Anne Kauranen and Johan Ahlander

HELSINKI/STOCKHOLM - Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Finland and Sweden have been considering applying for membership of the NATO military alliance, which would mark a major policy shift for the Nordic region.

Here is the latest about the process and the key points under discussion:

WHAT ARE THE KEY STEPS AHEAD?

The coming days are crucial. On May 12, Finland will decide to apply for NATO membership, newspaper Iltalehti reported on Sunday, citing anonymous Finnish government sources.

It would come in two steps, Iltalehti reported. President Sauli Niinisto would first announce his approval for Finland to join, followed by parliamentary groups giving their approval for the application.

There would be no plenary vote in parliament but parliamentary group leaders expressing their groups' decisions.

Reuters was not immediately available to confirm the report.

In Sweden, parliament is conducting a security policy review, including the pros and cons of joining the alliance, with the results due on May 13. There is already a majority in parliament in support of NATO membership.

In parallel, the ruling Social Democrats, the biggest party in every election for the last 100 years, will have an internal debate on May 9-12 on whether to drop long-standing opposition to NATO membership, with the party leadership to take a decision by May 24 at the latest.

If Finland applies, Sweden is likely to do the same, as it would not want to be the sole Nordic outsider. Other Nordic countries - Norway, Denmark and Iceland - have joined the pact as founding members. Several recent polls suggest a majority of Swedes are in favour - something never seen before Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Finland and Sweden would like to have some guarantees that NATO member nations would defend them during any transition period, when they would be applicants to the alliance, but not yet in.

Ratification can take a year, NATO diplomats say, as parliaments of all 30 NATO countries need to approve new members.

NATO-Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has said the countries could join "quickly" and that he was sure arrangements could be found for the interim period.

The United States and Britain have promised Sweden "increased military presence, more in-depth military exercises and 'strong political' support from NATO countries" during a possible NATO application process, Swedish daily Aftonbladet reported.

Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto acknowledged filing a membership application by itself would not bring the two Nordic countries under the umbrella of NATO's Article 5, which guarantees that an attack on one ally is an attack on all.

"But at the same time NATO member countries have an interest in that no security breaches would take place during the application period," Haavisto said, adding that Finland could, for instance, hold enhanced military exercises with NATO members during that time.

Moscow has repeatedly warned of "serious consequences" if Finland and Sweden join NATO, saying it would have to strengthen its land, naval and air forces in the Baltic Sea, and raised the possibility of deploying nuclear weapons in the area.

Russia and Finland share a 1,300-km (810-mile) border; the Kola Peninsula is a "strategic bastion" Moscow considers key for Russia's national security; it is also the home of the Russian Northern Fleet; and Russia's second-biggest city, St. Petersburg, lies some 170 km from the border with Finland.