Page 2 | NATIONAL Will Germany Be Bombing Afghanistan with Israeli Drones? Page 3 | ECONOMY All We Want Is Within some weeks, the German parliament will be voting on whether Pakistan to Justice for Victims, to arm Heron TP unmanned aerial vehicles made in Israel, which ... Reopen Routes for Says the I.C.C. Afghan Exports Page 2 | NATIONAL

Kabul Herat Nangarhar Balkh 28 / 13 31 / 14 35 / 22 29 / 17

Your Gateway to Afghanistan & the Region Sunday, June 21, 2020 Issue No. 793 www.heartofasia.af 10 afs Intra-Afghan Talks to be Scheduled After Prisoners Swap U.S. vows to National Security and Defense Forces work with Afghan (ANDSF) and the Taliban outfits in various regions across the nation. government In a latest sign of escalating violence, overcome challenges two commanders in the Afghan security forces were killed in a Taliban U.S. Foreign Secretary Mike Pompeo attack on Friday night in Helmand in a congratulatory message to Acting province in the south of Afghanistan Foreign Minister Hanif Atmar pledged amid an unannounced truce between to work with Afghan government to the two sides and while peace efforts overcome challenges of terrorism and by the Afghan government and its global pandemic. allies are underway. In a series of tweets the Ministry of Reports say that 9 Taliban fighters Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said: “Acting have also been killed during the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad firefights with ANDSF in Helmand and Haneef Atmar, received a congratulatory Logar provinces. note from the Honorable Micheal R. In another incident, three Afghan Pompeo, U.S. Secretary of State. In a security force members were killed as message delivered to Minister Atmar by a result of a roadside mine in Kohsan Mr Ross Wilson, Chargé d’Affaires of the district of Herat on Friday night. U.S. Embassy in Kabul.” The Secretary On Friday, Afghan forces displayed conveyed his congratulations and dozens of weapons and motorcycles stated: “Afghanistan will benefit greatly they seized from the Taliban in Paktia from your extensive experience as it province after the Taliban launched a faces the challenges of moving quickly coordinated attack on Afghan forces to advance the peace process, combat The venue and time of the start of intra-Afghan talks,” said Najia Anwari, of Afghanistan and (the Talban) and in Sari-roza district of the province. the global pandemic, and address the intra-Afghan talks will be finalized a spokeswoman for the State Ministry this has resulted in the suspension of “Our brave police defused five land continued threat of terrorism. ... P3 after the completion of the on Peace Affairs. intra-Afghan talks during the current mines. They also seized suicide prisoners swap between the Afghan But, a former senior Taliban leader week,” said Jalaluddin Shinwari, vests used by the suicide attackers, government and the Taliban, the in Kabul, Jalaluddin Shinwari, has attorney general during the Taliban but the attackers had fled the area State Ministry on Peace Affairs said said that the intra-Afghan talks have regime. and left their suicide vests behind, on Saturday. been delayed due to the emergence While a reduction in violence by the we exploded those vests,” said “With the completion of the prisoners of mistrust between the Afghan Taliban is considered a precursor Nisar Ahmad Abdul Rahimzai, the swap between the two sides and a government and the Taliban. of a swift start of the intra-Afghan commander of Paktika police. halt in the violence, arrangements will “There has been mistrust between the talks, there are widespread reports On Friday night, Afghan forces also Thousands be made for the venue and date of government of the Islamic Republic of deadly battles between the Afghan engaged in armed confrontation ... P3 displaced by war in Atmar-led Afghan Afghan Mothers Appeal to MSF to Afghanistan: UN delegation to visit

Thousands of people have left their Iran Today Continue Maternity Program homes this year due to conflict in Acting Foreign Minister Mohammad Afghan mothers in the Dasht-e- Afghanistan, while many remained Hanif Atmar will be heading a powerful delegation to Iran on Sunday, the Barchi area of Kabul on Saturday displaced across the country, the UN Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said appealed to Médecins Sans says. Saturday. Frontières (MSF) to resume its health Conflict and poverty prevent them Representatives of seven ministries, activities in the vicinity, days after (the displaced people) from returning five independent departments, legal the MSF in a statement announced to their areas of origin, a statement advisory board from Presidential that it had decided to end activities form United Nations Office for the Palace and office of the National and withdraw from Dasht-e-Barchi Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Security Council are part of the maternity hospital following the (OCHA) said. delegation, the statement said. attack on the hospital on May 12. The women said that pregnant Almost 86,000 people have been The visit, aimed at addressing recent women will lose their lives before displaced from their homes due adverse events, search ways to stop a reaching other hospitals in the to fighting. Around 111,000 of the repeat of such incidents, strengthen and expand co-operation, and facilitate city due to certain problems such 245,000 individuals displaced in the comprehensive negotiations between as poverty and the hardship of maternity wing on May 12, in which babies at risk,” said Habiba Hussaini, country’s West in 2018/19 mainly traveling long distances. 16 mothers were systematically shot an Afghan mother in Kabul. the two countries. ... P3 because of drought are still living in MSF said that the decision was made dead. An MSF midwife, two children “Doctors of Médecins Sans Frontières displacement sites -- often unable to after the attack on the maternity aged 7 and 8, and six other people should resume their work so that the return home because of conflict. ward on May 12, in which 24 were present at the time of the attack children are not deprived of their Nearly 298,000 people have returned killed and 16 others were wounded. were also killed,” said MSF. rights,” said Muzhda, a resident in from neighbouring countries to “Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) “They (mothers) can’t go to private Kabul. Afghanistan so far during the current has announced our decision to end hospitals, they are not able to reach “I came here to the hospital to activities and withdraw from Dasht- government hospitals because of request that the MSF doctors resume year. They include 296,000 from Iran e-Barchi in Kabul, Afghanistan, traffic and rush, these issues put their work,” said Setayash, a resident and 1,700 from Pakistan. ... P3 following the brutal attack on our their lives and the lives of their in Kabul. ... P3 June 21, 2020 Heart of Asia NATIONAL SUNDAY 2 [email protected] fb/heart of asia twitter/@heartofasiapost World now... By Chile Eboe-Osuji It also shows that 80% of the world’s displaced people are in countries or territories affected by acute food insecurity and All We Want Is Justice for malnutrition – many of those countries facing climate and other disaster risks. Victims, Says the I.C.C. More than three-quarters of the world’s refugees (77%) are caught up in long-term In the United States and the wider its consent. And the I.C.C. does not try displacement situations world, seismic discussions are raging countries. – such as the situation in about the need to see justice done when I must emphasize that the I.C.C. is Afghanistan is now in its fundamental human rights are violated. only a court of last resort. It is only fifth decade. This is no time for any government to when questions of accountability for Further, more than eight exert coercion against an international international crimes have remained of every 10 refugees (85%) court that was created to do justice unaddressed that international law are in developing countries, when there is nowhere else to turn for it. allows the I.C.C. to intervene and ask generally a country But last week, in the latest of an those questions for the sake of victims. neighboring the one they escalating series of attacks against the And in the case of Afghanistan, the I.C.C. fled. International Criminal Court, President has no specific desire to prosecute Five countries account Trump’s administration announced new Americans. Instead, its concern is that for two-thirds of people acts of economic pressure against the there are allegations of gross human displaced across borders: court. Why? Simply for doing its work by rights violations in Afghanistan that Syria, Venezuela, seeking to investigate allegations of war victims complain have waited far Afghanistan, South Sudan, crimes committed in Afghanistan. Allies too long without investigation or and Myanmar. of America, human rights organizations prosecution. UNHCR said that the Global and bar associations — notably the So now the I.C.C. is insisting that justice Trends Report counts European Union, France, Germany and based on evidence must be pursued all significant displaced the American Bar Association — have by somebody, somewhere — if not and refugee populations, expressed deep concern. in the United States or Afghanistan, Vizier of Morocco ‘‘that in spite of my to support the new international court including the 5.6 million The bullying tactic has been defended then at the I.C.C. Such justice will have most diligent efforts, there would while ensuring that it would not be used Palestine refugees who fall as an effort to prevent American to be based on concrete evidence, if unquestionably be some raping, and as “a court that frivolously prosecutes under the care of the United soldiers from being “hauled” up before discovered, rather than merely lingering that I should like to have the details as Americans or which acts with politics, Nations Relief and Works the I.C.C., arguing that America is able suspicions and allegations. That is the early as possible so that the offenders not justice, as its motivating force.” Agency for Palestine. to prosecute its own military and very purpose of investigations. could be properly hanged.” In 2014, she led a Senate inquiry into “People cannot be expected intelligence personnel if they commit No one disputes that the American American jurisprudence also accepts some of the allegations of violations to live in a state of upheaval crimes abroad. justice system is among the strongest that American soldiers who commit committed in Afghanistan. for years on end, without These acts of coercion and their in the world. But it needs to be put to crimes overseas may be tried in foreign Senator Feinstein’s concern, it must be a chance of going home, premises are wrong. The I.C.C. is not use in the quest for justice for victims of courts. In United States v. Howard in said, has not come to pass. In a recent nor a hope of building a intent on “hauling” Americans up to alleged violations in Afghanistan. 1993, an appellate circuit judge, Bruce letter to Congress, the New York City future where they are,” said trial before it. The real issue is whether It is not impressive that the American M. Selya, observed that “the United Bar Association correctly observed Grandi. investigations — and any resulting leadership insists that these questions States has no monopoly on evenhanded that there is quite simply no evidence prosecution — may be conducted of justice dare not be asked, if justice.” The Supreme Court said even to support the fear that the I.C.C. Turkey rejects... to examine allegations of violations they might implicate Americans in more than that nearly a century earlier would engage in frivolous or political reportedly been sent to committed mostly in Afghanistan by the allegations of wrongdoing abroad. It is in Neely v. Henkel in 1901. prosecutions against anyone — let Libya via Turkey in recent Taliban, Afghan security personnel and, enough that senior American officials, At a hearing in a Senate subcommittee alone against Americans. months. yes, United States security personnel well attuned to the old-fashioned in 1998 concerning the newly adopted It is even possible to eliminate that “We are concerned that while stationed in Afghanistan. American sense of justice, readily Rome Statute, Senator Dianne Feinstein, concern altogether. All it takes is these children come from an These investigations will focus only on accept that not even American soldiers Democrat of California, observed that for American authorities to submit events in the territory of a member state are immune from accountability when extremely vulnerable social “to many in the world, whether we like individuals suspected of violations that has joined the I.C.C. treaty, the they are suspected of committing and economic situation and it or not, this country sometimes acts in Afghanistan to America’s own very Rome Statute. Unlike Afghanistan, the crimes in foreign countries. are being exploited for the wrongly and we think we are always effective system of justice. Doing so United States has not become a member While in North Africa during World purpose of recruitment as right, and I share that belief.” She was should effectively address the Afghan state — so no I.C.C. investigation will War II, Gen. George S. Patton Jr. wrote expressing her eminently reasonable victims’ demand for justice. The I.C.C. mercenaries,” Kwaja said. be conducted on American soil without in a diary that he had told the Grand anxiety about wanting the United States would fully welcome that. By Jonathan Hampel We can win Asia Cup, claims Will Germany Be Bombing Afghanistan with Israeli Drones? Asghar Afghan Within some weeks, the since the early 2000s, there risk that civilians could be German parliament will be have been many significant harmed. voting on whether to arm arms deals with Germany, Much has been said about Heron TP unmanned aerial including the export of 3,000 the problems in using attack vehicles made in Israel, which Spike antiaircraft missiles drones and the risks they pose the German military uses in and 20 fighter-jet navigation to civilians. We can recall the Afghanistan and Mali. The systems made by Rafael. This killing of the four boys in Gaza Israeli drones were supplied information comes from the in 2014, or the three young to the German army in a 1 Stockholm International Peace men killed at the Asma school billion euro deal signed in Research Institute. in 2009 to understand the 2018 despite enormous public Israel’s drone deals with inherent dangers. protest in Germany. The deal Germany began in 2009, In 2009, Human Rights Watch was approved because the when it first leased drones to determined that attacks by drones were not armed, and the German army for use in Israeli drones during Operation thus could not be used for Afghanistan. Seven years later Cast Lead and the numerous attacks. German soldiers there was a similar transaction, deaths among Gaza civilians are being trained in Israel to this time to operate the were violations of international Afghanistan have the capacity to win the The squad had focused more on T20 players operate the new drones. drones in Mali. At that point law. The Eitan was used by the Asia Cup if players improve their batting and in preparations for the Asia Cup, T20 World Security and military deals the German military decided Israeli air force in 2009 during fielding, the national tam’s skipper claims. Cup and bilateral series against Zimbabwe, with Germany are familiar it was interested in Israel’s the operation. “(We are) considering the Asia Cup or the T20 the captain said. to us primarily through newest drone technology, the What will the Israeli attack- World Cup is going to be held. For this very “I hope that we will be fully prepared in the acquisition of German Heron TP, known in Hebrew as drone do in Afghanistan? reason, we have put on this training camp the camp for the upcoming competitions,’’ submarines and the alleged the Eitan. This is an especially The German army has been to be better prepared,” Asghar Afghan said. Afghan told a website called Cricbuzz. violations that have been large drone that can attack in Afghanistan since 2001 as In an interview, he lauded the Afghan Afghan commended the coaching staff for associated with them (Case from the air and carry a load part of the American activity spinners as world class, and said they would working tirelessly to ensure that players 3000). These transactions of several tons. The deal was there. According to a report were widely criticized in delayed for some five years by the group International focus on playing better cricket in the Asia were fully ready when they were required Israel and Germany, but very due to political and public Physicians for the Prevention Cup. to deliver. little has been said or written opposition in Germany, where of Nuclear War, more than “That is why we need to work more on our Because of the coronavirus outbreak, only 5 about Israeli arms exports to there is still opposition to using 100,000 noncombatants have fielding and batting for the Asia Cup and we players are allowed to train at a time at the Germany beyond that. Yet attack drones because of the been killed in ... P3 can hope to reach final or even win the cup,” ongoing camp in Kabul. Head coach Lance he remarked. Klusener is yet to join the team. June 21, 2020 Heart of Asia ECONOMY SUNDAY 3 [email protected] fb/heart of asia twitter/@heartofasiapost Pakistan to Reopen Routes for Exchange Rates 77.15 77.25 Afghan Exports 84.4 84.5 Pakistan is expected to reopen its safety measures to avoid the further 93.5 93.6 routes for Afghan exports in two days, spread of COVID-19. the Afghan Chamber of Commerce and “With the persistent efforts made 463 464 Investment (ACCI) said on Saturday. by the Ministry of Commerce and Pakistan has said that routes will be Industries we managed to reach a opened on condition that healthy conclusion with Pakistan to reopen 20.1 20.20 safety measures are prioritized. its routes for our exports. These routes ACCI has said that in the past Pakistan will be opened,” said Jawad Dabeer, 970 980 has hindered the entry of Afghan goods the head of the media department under false pretenses. of the Ministry of Commerce and The Afghan Ministry of Commerce and Industries. Industries said that Pakistani routes Economic experts have said that Afghan will allow only 100 trucks a day, which the one-sided implementation of the Contact Numbers for Afghan exports will be opened six government should raise the issue of is less than in the past, and these goods Afghanistan-Pakistan Trade and Transit days a week. trade and transit with Pakistan and will be transferred in Pakistani vehicles Agreement (APTTA) is the main cause “Pakistan sets conditions for exports help the Afghan business community that are first bringing goods from of problems blocking Afghanistan’s Kabul Police -119 of our products and makes illogical conduct their exports easily. Pakistan to Afghanistan. According to exports into the Pakistani markets. Kabul Ambulance - 112 excuses to exploit the exports for its “The Afghan government needs to the ministry, at least 500 trucks entered The business community called on benefits,” said Zaman Hashemi, the settle the trade and transit issues with Pakistan from Afghanistan on a daily Pakistan to abide by its commitment Wazir Akbar Khan Hospital head of ACCI. Pakistan permanently, we have been basis before the lockdown. regarding APTTA. 0202301360 Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior in a facing this issue for a long time, but we Pakistan closed the crossing points for Business people also accused the notification letter has said that the only make complaints--we never took Afghan goods three months ago. But Afghan Ministry of Commerce and Ata Turk Hospital entry points at Torkham and Spin practical action,” said Najibullah Zaki, the Pakistani exports to Afghanistan Industries for failing to persuade 0202500312 Boldak will remain open six days a a university lecturer. continued normally during this period. Pakistan to act upon its commitments week under particularly strict health Pakistani officials recently said they Last week business people said that with APTTA. Corona call center - 166

Intra-Afghan Talks... Afghan Mothers... disappointed, because our now only, 60 government doctors with the Taliban fighters in Logar province. Over the past few weeks, local friends at MSF have decided to are serving at the hospital. Under the US-Taliban peace agreement that was signed elders in Dahst-e-Barchi held halt activities,,” said Sakhidad “20 major hospitals are in Kabul, between the sides in Doha on February 29, the Taliban several meetings with MSF to Bashardost, a local elder in none exist here (Dasht-e-Barchi). demanded the release of 5,000 of its detainees in the Afghan try and convince the body to Dasht-e-Barchi. This hospital provided the best government jails as part of efforts for the intra-Afghan talks. continue its operation in the According to doctors, when the health services in the past six This comes after last week Ghani said that the venue and area. MSF program was operating years. If health activities are timeline of intra-Afghan talks will be clarified soon. “We discussed our there were 50 births taking halted here, there is a possibility This comes a day after the Pakistani Special Representative recommendations and the place at the hospital daily and that we will lose 25 mothers for Afghanistan Reconciliation Mohammad Sadiq met the problems of the people 300 doctors and health workers daily,” said Abdul Ahmad Taliban senior leaders in Doha where they discussed Afghan with them, but we are very were serving the patients. But Malikyar, the PD13 chief. peace. “Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Sadiq, visited Doha, Qatar on June 16-17, 2020 where he met Will Germany... Taliban. The use of attack drones, civilians by the German forces Taliban leaders including Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and Afghanistan since then. There which has already been proven was Germany’s responsibility discussed peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan,” is no estimate of how many to increase civilian casualties, alone, but if this plan comes Pakistani Foreign Ministry said on Friday. of them were killed by the would do tremendous damage to fruition, it will also be our “The SR underlined that Pakistan will continue to play its German military, although in in a country like Afghanistan. responsibility as Israelis. That’s role as facilitator for peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan, 2009 more than 120 people The year 2020 will be a year why we must object to this “ and referred to the “highly productive visit of the Chief of were killed by German shelling of German decisions that will move now, and make it clear Army Staff to Kabul recently, which had imparted a new in the city of Kondoz. That directly impact on Afghan that as Israelis who care about impetus to Pakistan’s efforts.. event was widely reported and citizens. In March, the German human rights, we demand that resonated in Germany. Ten government extended its military the German parliament prevent years later, according to the presence in Afghanistan for this predictable disaster and not Atmar-led Afghan... German newspaper Die Welt, another year. Now it is seeking allow the drones to be armed. A video clip recently circulated in social media shows a there were more civilians killed approval to arm the Israeli drones Jonathan Hampel is a researcher vehicle that belonged to an Afghan migrant is burning and in Afghanistan by foreign armies, that will be flown there. Until for an international human rights one injured Afghan man is asking Iranian security personnel including Germany’s, than by the now, the harm done to Afghan group. for water but nobody paid heed. According to reports, 15 days earlier, a vehicle carrying 13 Afghans caught fire in the Yazd province of Iran, in which three persons were killed and Judge rejects... he said. a second term. five others injured and some people went missing. pointed out Bolton had initially Bolton is a foreign policy hawk The government supported agreed to the government who left the administration last its argument with filings from review process in writing the September after 17 months as several senior intelligence Thousands displaced... book but that he grew impatient NSA. officials who said publishing Some 6,000 people have also been deported from and walked away from the He accused Trump in the memoir would damage national security. Turkey in 2020, while a small number also came back review. of exhibiting “fundamentally Simon & Schuster, the publishers from Europe. “The judge implied that if the unacceptable behavior” that of Bolton’s memoir welcomed The 2020 Humanitarian Needs Overview estimates Justice Deparment had brought eroded the legitimacy of the the ruling on Saturday. an injunction at that particular presidency, and being driven by “We are grateful that the Court that close to a million people on the move will need his own political interests. has vindicated the strong First humanitarian assistance by the end of the year. point, when Botlon walked away from the review of the book and Bolton said Trump, who is Amendment protections against before contents of the book had seeking re-election on November censorship and prior restraint been made public, the outcome 3, once explicitly sought Chinese of publication,” they said in a may well have been different,” President Xi Jinping’s help to win statement.

Chief Editor : M. Hamid Hamdard UK demonstrators... Winston Churchill in London, and London, which had been boarded Reporters: Safiullah Nasary, Shafiq Amirzay, across Britain since the death of demonstrators in Bristol toppled up for protection. George Floyd in Minneapolis on a statue of slave trader Edward Johnson has announced he Jawad Temori & Hameedullah Hamidi May 25, urging the UK to confront Colston, counter-protesters is setting up a commission to Graphic & Design: Arman its own history of imperialism rallied last week with the stated look at what more can be done and racial inequality. aim of protecting monuments. to eliminate racial injustice, Phone: +93-202502100 - +93-777989696 After some protesters scuffled Hundreds of far-right activists but opponents accuse the clashed on June 13 with police Conservative government of Website: www.heartofasia.af with police and defaced a statue of wartime Prime Minister near the Churchill statue in opting for talk rather than action. Email: [email protected] Address: Behind Rahman Baba High School U.S. vows to... close cooperation will be vital to within the region and to reinforce - Opposite to 3rd District, “We look forward to working achieving success in these and the ties between the American closely on these challenges with many other areas.” &Afghan peoples. Again, we Kabul - Afghanistan the Ministry of Foreign Affairs “We also welcome opportunities extend our congratulations, & Print: Waygal Printing .Co - +93 - 202512626 and all our partners across the to work with you to strengthen wish you every success on the Afghan Government. Continued Afghanistan’s relationships road ahead.” June 21, 2020 WORLD SUNDAY Heart of Asia 4 [email protected] fb/heart of asia twitter/@heartofasiapost Judge rejects White House bid to block publication of Bolton book A federal judge has ruled that former national Lamberth said in his ruling. security adviser John Bolton can move forward The administration had sought a temporary in publishing his tell-all book despite efforts by restraining order and preliminary injunction the Trump administration to block the release against the publication of ther book, The Room because of concerns that classified information Where It Happened: A White House Memoir, could be exposed. saying it contained classified information The decision from US District Judge Royce and threatened national security. The book, Lamberth on Saturday is a victory for Bolton in scheduled to hit store shelves on Tuesday, is a court case that involved core First Amendment already in the hands of media organisations. and national security concerns. “Defendant Bolton has gambled with the national The ruling means a broader election-year security of the United States. He has exposed readership and distribution of a memoir that his country to harm and himself to civil (and paints an unflattering portrait of President potentially criminal) liability,” the judge wrote. Donald Trump’s foreign policy decision-making But he said an injunction would be too late to during the turbulent year-and-a-half that Bolton stem the harm. “With hundreds of thousands of spent in the White House. copies around the globe - many in newsrooms - price for this, as others have before him,” Trump alleged improprieties far more extensive than “While Bolton’s unilateral conduct raises grave the damage is done,” Lamberth said. said. “This should never to happen again!!!” the accusations underlying the president’s national security concerns, the government In a tweet shortly after the decision was released, Several excerpts have already been released impeachment trial in February. has not established that an injunction is an Trump charged again that Bolton was releasing from the book, which has drawn attention for Reporting from Washington, DC, Al Jazeera’s Mike appropriate remedy,” US District Judge Royce classified information. “He must pay a very big its withering portrayal of Trump, including Hanna said that the judge in his ruling ... P3 A look at the world UK demonstrators hold World now has nearly Turkey rejects UN fourth weekend of 80 million refugees: UN group’s claims on anti-racism protests activities in Libya Anti-racism demonstrators are holding a Turkey has rejected “unfounded” allegations fourth weekend of protests across the United by the UN Human Rights Special Procedures. Kingdom, despite a ban on large gatherings “We reject the unfounded and unfortunate because of the coronavirus pandemic. allegations in the press release of the UN Demonstrations were taking place on Saturday Human Rights Special Procedures,” Foreign in cities including London, Manchester, Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said in a Edinburgh and Glasgow. statement. Hundreds assembled for a socially distanced Aksoy said Turkey, extending its support Say No to Racism rally in Glasgow’s George to the internationally recognized Libyan Square, where earlier this week members The UN Refugee Agency on Thursday said government upon its request and pursuant of the far right attacked a refugee-rights an unprecedented 79.5 million people were to UN resolutions, emphasized from the very gathering. displaced as of the end of 2019, with Turkey beginning that there was no military solution In Edinburgh, protesters including hosting the highest number of people forced to the conflict in Libya. Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh called for to leave their homes. “In this context, Turkey spares no effort to the removal of a statue of Henry Dundas from “UNHCR has not seen a higher total,” Filippo ensure a lasting and sustainable ceasefire and its column in the city’s St Andrew Square. Grandi, UN high commissioner for refugees, to reinvigorate the political solution process The late 18th-century Scottish politician was said at a news conference in Geneva while under the auspices of the UN.” announcing the agency’s Global Trends report. “This is the highest figure that UNHCR has recorded since these statistics have been systematically collected and is a reason for great concern. “This is, by the way, approximately 1% of the world population. We’ve never reached this very significant percentage,” said Grandi. Turkey hosted the highest number of people displaced across borders, 3.9 million, most of responsible for delaying Britain’s abolition of whom were Syrian refugees (92%). Colombia “We have serious reservations about the aim the slave trade by 15 years until 1807. During followed, hosting nearly 1.8 million displaced of this statement made without consulting that time, more than half a million enslaved Venezuelans. with Turkey and based on some accusations Africans were trafficked across the Atlantic. Germany hosted the third largest number, whose accuracy, objectivity and source are Metropolitan Police Commander Alex Murray almost 1.5 million, with Syrian refugees and questionable,” he said. urged activists in London to comply with asylum-seekers constituting the largest groups “The UN Human Rights Special Procedures is Britain’s coronavirus social distancing rules, (42%). supposed to conduct its studies transparently which limit groups to a maximum of six people. Pakistan and Uganda hosted the 4th and 5th and by considering the views of all parties “We remain in a health pandemic,” Murray largest number. instead of making biased and misleading said. “We value democracy and the right for The report released two days before World public statements,” Aksoy added. people to have a voice, but would ask people Refugee Day also noted diminishing prospects He asserted that “at this period when serious to do so in another way, and not come to for refugees when it comes to hopes of a quick war crimes against innocent civilians,” London to demonstrate.” end to their plight. and discoveries of mass graves in Tarhuna Murray said the police had “been working hard Displacement almost doubled province after it was recently liberated with community leaders” to prevent violence, In the 1990s, on average, 1.5 million refugees from Haftar’s militias, it would be “more after officers arrested dozens of anti-racism were able to return home each year, said appropriate if the UN Human Rights Special protesters and right-wing counter-protesters UNHCR. Rapporteurs investigate primarily the crimes last weekend. Over the past decade, that number has fallen against humanity committed by militia and The metropolitan police said on Saturday 24 to around 385,000. mercenaries loyal to putschist and pirate people were charged with offences including “We are witnessing a changed reality in that assault, criminal damage and breaching social forced displacement nowadays is not only Khalifa Haftar instead of making speculative distancing rules during the recent protests. vastly more widespread but is simply no longer allegations.” Black Lives Matter London rejected calls by the a short-term and temporary phenomenon,” The report alleged that Turkey has engaged in police and Prime Minister Boris Johnson to end said Grandi. large-scale recruitment efforts and the transfer the largely peaceful protests, which Johnson The figures highlight that at least 100 million of Syrian fighters to take part in hostilities in claimed had been “hijacked by extremists people were forced to flee their homes in the support of the government. intent on violence”. past decade, seeking refuge either both in or “These fighters were recruited through armed “The UK is far from innocent [in racism], and outside their countries. That is more people factions affiliated with the Syrian National therefore we must persist by reminding this fleeing than the entire population of Egypt, the Army that have been accused of serious country and government that Black Lives world’s 14th most populous country. human rights abuses in Syria,” alleged Chris Matter,” the group said on Saturday. The report noted that forced displacement has Kwaja, who chairs the UN Working Group. Hundreds of thousands of people have held almost doubled since 2010 (41 million then It also claimed that thousands of Syrian men, mostly peaceful anti-racism protests ... P3 against 79.5 million now). ... P2 including boys under 18 years, have ... P2