Is Cyberwar Really War?
Is cyberwar inevitable? Is it even war? What about cyberpeace? This article reviews the ongoing cyber debate among security analysts.
India as Superpower?
India’s quest for security appears to be expanding beyond her own borders on a global scale. Can it be regarded as a welcome prospective trend? India’s upcoming military base in Central Asia may as well be an exercise in sharing United States security concerns around the world. Beginning is apparently being made at oil rich Tajikistan. Is India looking forward to be a superpower in another decade’s time? Is India changing her policy of peaceful co-existence? All these are pointers worth considering. India is already playing a predominant role in the South Asian context. Where will this new road to security end for India?
Discourse on the violence of eating meat
Non-violence and vegetarianism have a long history together — perhaps best articulated by Leo Tolstoy’s observation that “As long as there are slaughterhouses there will be battlefields”. In this essay, David Chalmers argues that food politics are directly related to issues of human security, through land use policies and greenhouse gas emissions, above and beyond the inherent violence of raising animals for slaughter. For these reasons, Chalmers argues, reducing the amount of meat in our diets should be a natural point of agreement in the peace movement.
Learning from the Past and Looking Towards the Future: The Situation of Child Soldiers in Colombia
In light of the current peace negotiations between the FARC and Colombian government there is the potential for thousands of children to be demobilized in the upcoming year(s). While this is promising, children have not been adequately included in the peace process so far. This is ominously reminiscent of the 2003 demobilization of the AUC, which led to only a few hundred of potentially thousands of children being formally demobilized, many of whom are believed to have been re-recruited by neo-paramilitary groups and organized criminal gangs. This paper will explore the current situation of children associated with illegal armed groups in Colombia, the challenges facing their reintegration, and the lessons learnt from the failure of the previous demobilization, all with a view towards improving the potential demobilization of child soldiers following a successful peace process between the FARC and Colombian government.
Syrian Refugee Crisis: A Call to Action
Tags: Canada, Syria, Hungary, Refugee crisis, human Rights
Prospects of Amalgamating the SADC and SACU
At its inception, the principal mandate of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Treaty was to enhance regional integration within the SADC region. The initial goal of the SADC Treaty was the development of a common market, common monetary union and a common currency that would facilitate trade within the region. Equally important was the desire to form a bulwark against stronger economies from other regional groupings. On the other hand, the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) also harboured the desire to facilitate the establishment and operationalisation of a customs union, a common currency, common market and a monetary union at different times of its existence. Because of their success, the SADC and SACU are modelled after existing regional groupings such as the East African Community, taking cognisance of the meteoric economic rise of Kenya and economic reforms in Rwanda. This paper examines the possibility of collapsing SACU into the SADC bloc and the attendant duplication and overlapping of tasks by the two institutions. The paper also explores the motivating factors that have contributed to Africa’s regional integration as well as the nature of the integration process. The emphatic part of the paper is on the current challenges of SADC and SACU, notably duplication of functions and overlap within the two groupings. The paper recommends an amalgamation of the two groupings and the harmonisation of their operations and the attendant regulatory framework governing the two RECs.
Promoting Gender Equality in Postconflict Liberia: Challenges and Prospects
Horace Nagbe analyzes post-conflict Liberia through a gender lens. By analyzing the post-conflict recovery and development in the country, Nagbe reveals the vast inequalities between men and women. Further, Nagbe discusses the importance of women in the Liberian economy and their efforts in post-conflict reconstruction. Finally, the author presents various suggestions for empowering the women of Liberia and improving the state of the country as a whole.
Obstacles Likely to Remain in Voting Rights for Saudi Women
Journalist Rob L. Wagner examines the feminist movement’s gains in Saudi Arabia and whether King Abdullah’s royal decree granting women voting rights can remain intact without alterations in 2015. Granting women the right to vote, run for local elections, and take seats in Saudi Arabia’s quasi-legislative Shoura Council came at a time when Saudi voter interest has declined due to the ineffective role municipal councils plays in shaping the future of local government.
Warring factions in Libya show little regard for civilian life, says UN, reporting ‘gross’ rights abuses
New report by the UN Support Mission in Libya and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights documents widespread human rights abuses and other violations of international law.
UN’s Choice: Millennium Development Goals vs. Financial Crisis!
Key words: UN, millennium development goals (MDGs), financial crisis, poverty, economic turbulance, collective security, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.