OSCE) in Security Sector Governance and Reform

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

OSCE) in Security Sector Governance and Reform MAPPING STUDY The Role of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Security Sector Governance and Reform FINAL REPORT Geneva, 20 December 2013 Prepared by the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) at the request of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and with the support of the OSCE Secretary General About This Report This report summarizes the key findings of a project entitled “The Role of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Security Sector Governance and Reform”, mandated by the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs with the support of the OSCE Secretary General. It consists of a mapping and comprehensive review of the OSCE’s role in supporting security sector governance and reform (SSG/R) at both normative and operational levels, and uses desk-based research complemented by interviews with over 170 interlocutors, including representatives of the OSCE Secretariat, institutions and field operations, national counterparts and members of the international community in four selected field contexts: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kyrgyzstan, Serbia and Tajikistan. Acknowledgements DCAF extends its gratitude to all those who have contributed to the project – in particular, the OSCE officials, experts, national counterparts and representatives of the international community who agreed to be interviewed for this study (please see the full list of interviewees in Annex 3). Also, DCAF is most grateful to the following officials of the OSCE Secretariat, external experts and representatives of the Swiss delegation to the OSCE who provided comments and/or participated in a workshop to review the draft report in December 2012: John Crosby, Fabian Grass, Thomas Greminger, Hans Georg Lüber, Lars-Erik Lundin, Alexey Lyzhenkov, Claus Neukirch, Marcel Pesko, Pierre von Arx and Wolfgang Zellner. DCAF is also grateful to those who provided comments and/or participated in the workshop to review the final draft study in October 2013: Snjezana Bokulic, Aimee Louise Comrie, Simon Deignan, Thomas Greminger, Claus Neukirch, Lukas Schifferle, Fred Tanner, Friederike Wuenschmann, Yurdakul Yigitguden and Wolfgang Zellner. The views expressed in this report do not in any way represent the views of either the institutions or their representatives involved in this project. DCAF Project Team Project supervision: Heiner Hänggi ([email protected]) Project management/lead author: Vincenza Scherrer ([email protected]) Research assistance: Isaline Thorens, Stephan Nunner (phase I), Christian Wägli (phase II) Field research: Vincenza Scherrer (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kyrgyzstan, Serbia, Tajikistan); Eden Cole (Kyrgyzstan); Isaline Thorens (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia); Christian Wägli (Tajikistan). Copyright © 2013 by the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces CONTENTS I INTRODUCTION 1 II CONCEPTS AND METHODS 4 III MAPPING OVERVIEW 9 Normative Roles of the OSCE in SSG/R 9 Operational Roles of the OSCE in SSG/R 13 Secretariat 13 Institutions 16 Field Operations 19 IV COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW 23 The OSCE’s de Facto Approach to SSG/R Support 23 Strategic Level 23 Thematic Level 27 Programmatic Level 36 Lessons Identified from OSCE Experience in SSG/R Support 40 1. Develop an Overarching Framework for SSG/R Support 41 2. Adopt a Cross-Dimensional Approach to SSG/R Support 42 3. Identify and Build on the OSCE’s Comparative Advantages 44 4. Enhance a Sustainable Approach to SSG/R Support 48 5. Increase Cross-Dimensional Engagement with Civil Society 49 6. Delineate Roles and Responsibilities in SSG/R Support 51 7. Enhance Effective Coordination in SSG/R Support 54 8. Adapt SSG/R Support to Available Human Resources 55 9. Adapt SSG/R Support to Available Financial Resources 57 10. Strengthen Monitoring and Evaluation of SSG/R Support 58 V CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 60 Conclusion 60 Recommendations 63 General Recommendations for the OSCE 64 Strategic-Level Recommendations on SSG/R 65 Operational-Level Recommendations on SSG/R 67 ANNEXES 71 A.1 Mapping Overview Tables 71 A.2 Comprehensive Review Tables 74 A.3 List of Interviewees 79 ACRONYMS ATU Action against Terrorism Unit BiH Bosnia and Herzegovina BMSC Border Management Staff College CPC Conflict Prevention Centre CSCE Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe CSO Civil Society Organization DCAF Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces DD Democratization Department DDR Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid EU European Union FSC Forum for Security Co-operation HCNM High Commissioner on National Minorities HRD Human Rights Department ICT Information and Communication Technology LGBT Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender M&E Monitoring and Evaluation MC Ministerial Council MoU Memorandum of Understanding MP Member of Parliament NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization NSP National Security Policy OCEEA Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities ODIHR Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights OECD DAC Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Development Assistance Committee OSCE Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe OSG Office of the Secretary General OSR/CTHB (SRC/THB) Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings P2P Peer to Peer PA Parliamentary Assembly PC Permanent Council PESU Programming and Evaluation Support Unit POLIS OSCE's Online Information System on Law Enforcement Activities within the OSCE Area SALW Small Arms and Light Weapons SPMU Strategic Police Matters Unit SSG Security Sector Governance SSG/R Security Sector Governance and Reform SSR Security Sector Reform TND Tolerance and Non-Discrimination Department TNT Transnational Threats Department ToR Terms of Reference UN United Nations UNODC UN Office on Drugs and Crime UNSC United Nations Security Council VERLT Violent Extremism and Radicalization that Lead to Terrorism PART I: INTRODUCTION Security sector governance (SSG) and security sector reform (SSR)1 are increasingly recognized by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and its participating States as playing an essential role in peacebuilding, conflict prevention, early warning and crisis management.2 It has been noted that the OSCE’s comprehensive and multidimensional approach to security can add value to efforts in the area of SSG.3 At the normative level, security sector governance and reform (SSG/R) concerns are reflected in many of the principles and concepts developed by the OSCE.4 At the operational level, the OSCE is actively engaged in supporting SSG/R activities through its Secretariat, institutions and field operations. The 2007 OSCE Spanish Chairmanship’s perception paper on this subject notes that the OSCE has over 30 years of “extensive practical involvement in security sector reform/governance, in particular in relation to activities such as democratic control of armed forces, confidence- and security-building measures, border security and management, counter-terrorism, combating trafficking, police training and reform, anti-corruption, electoral legislation and judiciary reform and the rule of law”.5 Moreover, in terms of its operational support, it has been noted that “the OSCE’s added value to international operations is its work in the areas of security sector reform and its role in the stabilisation and democratic processes in transition countries”.6 While the OSCE has a wealth of experience in this domain, activities are not implemented as part of a common and coordinated approach to SSG/R. Concerns have been raised that the lack of a coherent approach has limited the effectiveness of its assistance “in both scope and impact”.7 Strong calls have emerged from the OSCE Secretariat, institutions and field levels to develop such an approach. For example, the annual reports of the Secretary General on police-related activities have twice called for coherence in the OSCE approach to SSG/R, notably to “link together the operational elements of the Organization in order to guide the formulation of OSCE mission mandates, present a clear statement of purpose in association with existing ones and distinguish between the activities of the OSCE and its international 1 The concepts of SSG and SSR are defined in Part II of this report. 2 OSCE-MC, “Chairmanship’s Perception Paper on OSCE Basic Norms and Principles in the Field of Security Sector Governance/Reform”, OSCE Ministerial Council, Madrid, 30 November 2007, MC.GAL/9/07, www.osce.org/mc/29386. 3 See for example OSCE-MC, “Statement by H.E. Mr. Petras Vaitiekünas, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, at the 14th OSCE Ministerial Council”, OSCE, Brussels, 4–5 December 2006. 4 For example, among others: CSCE-FSC, “Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security”, 3 December 1994, DOC.FSC/1/95; CSCE Conference on the Human Dimension, “Document of the Copenhagen Meeting of the Conference on the Human Dimension of the CSCE”, 29 June 1990, www.osce.org/odihr/elections/14304; OSCE-MC, “Border Security and Management Concept”, 6 December 2005, MC.DOC/2/05. 5 OSCE-MC, note 2 above. 6 OSCE Mission to Serbia and Montenegro, “Police Reform in Serbia. Towards the Creation of a Modern and Accountable Police Service”, OSCE Mission to Serbia and Montenegro Law Enforcement Department, Belgrade, January 2004, p. 35, www.osce.org/serbia/18310. 7 Victor-Yves Ghebali, “The OSCE’s SSG/R Operational Activities: A Piecemeal Approach
Recommended publications
  • Strengthening Capacity to Prevent Violent Extremism in the Kyrgyz Republic
    Strengthening Capacity to Prevent Violent Extremism in the Kyrgyz Republic Strengthening Capacity to Prevent Violent Extremism in the Kyrgyz Republic 1 Search for Common Ground | Kyrgyzstan | 74, Erkindik Blvd, Bishkek Strengthening Capacity to Prevent Violent Extremism in the Kyrgyz Republic Table of Contents Models of State-Islam Relations in Russia, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Norway, and Israel: Lessons to be Learned ................................................................. 3 The Muftiyat as an Institute of the Muslim Community and its Potential for Building Interfaith Dialogue in Kyrgyzstan ................................. Error! Bookmark not defined. Interaction Mechanisms of State Structures and Islamic Organizations in Preventing Extremism in the Kyrgyz Republic.............................................................................. 36 Teaching Pluralism in Conflict Resolution through Central Asian Religious Traditions ................................................................................................................................... 49 Assessing the Possibility of Building a Kyrgyz Theological School ............................ 62 The Role of Imams in Conflict Prevention .................................................................. 71 Assessing the Role of Imams in Conflict Resolution .................................................. 82 Problems within the Intraction between Law-Enforcement Authorities and Religious Organizations in Countering Religious Extremism: National and
    [Show full text]
  • Bir Duino Kyrgyzstan on the Kyrgyz Republic's Compliance with The
    ADC “Memorial” Bir Duino Kyrgyzstan On the Kyrgyz Republic’s Compliance with the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination Alternative Report of ADC “Memorial” and the Human Rights Movement: Bir Duino Kyrgyzstan for the 95th Session of UN CERD April 24 – May 11, 2018 Mugat children in Kyrgyzstan. Photo by ADC Memorial 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS Summary………………………………………………………………………………………………….3 1. An Ethnic Map of Kyrgyzstan: A Patchwork of Ethnicities in the North and Large Communities in the South………………………………………………………………………………………………..5 The Situation of the Mugat (Lyuli, Central Asian Roma)………………………………………….7 The Situation of Uzbeks in the South of Kyrgyzstan and the Problem of Overcoming the Ethnic Conflict of 2010…………………………………………………………………………………………..10 Biased Treatment of Uzbeks…………………………………………………………………….10 Difficulties Learning and Using the Uzbek Language…………………………………………11 Low Level of Representation in State Agencies, Difficulties Running Businesses……………13 Radicalization as a Result of Irrelevance in Social Life………………………………………..13 Inept Response from the Government to Hate Speech in the Media…………………………...15 The Problem of Justice in Respect of Uzbeks……………………………………………………15 The Case of Azimjan Askarov…………………………………………………………...17 The Failure to Restore Justice in Cases Concerning the Seizure of Businesses and Property: The Case of Gafurjan Dadajanov…………………………………………………….19 2. Implementation of Programs to Strengthen National Unity and Improve Ethnic Relations.……..20 Creating a “Common Civic Identity” Instead
    [Show full text]
  • M a R C H 2008 -.:: GEOCITIES.Ws
    M A R C H 2008 Middle East & Asia Religious and Security Intelligence Briefing Index The following reports are colour-coded: based on travel advice from Western governments, the countries are graded as follows: Red: travellers are advised not to travel to the country in question (or specific regions in that country) Amber: travellers should exercise caution Green: no reported concerns Afghanistan . .1 Armenia . .1 Azerbaijan . .2 Bahrain . .2 Bangladesh . .3 Bhutan . .3 Brunei . .4 Cambodia . .4 China . .5 Georgia . .6 India . .6 Oman . .19 Indonesia . .7 Pakistan . .20 Iran . .8 Palestinian Authority . .20 Iraq . .9 Philippines . .21 Israel . .10 Qatar . .22 Japan . .11 Saudi Arabia . .22 Jordan . .11 Singapore . .23 Kazakhstan . .12 Sri Lanka . .24 Korea (North) . .13 Syria . .24 Korea (South) . .13 Taiwan . .25 Kuwait . .14 Tajikistan . .25 Kyrzygystan . .14 Thailand . .26 Laos . .15 Timor-Leste . .26 Lebanon . .16 Turkey . .26 Malaysia . .16 Turkmenistan . .27 Maldives . .17 UAE . .28 Mongolia . .18 Uzbekistan . .28 Myanmar . .18 Vietnam . .29 Nepal . .19 Yemen . .30 Afghanistan Sarkisian, won the presidential elections ahead of his rival Levon Ter- Petrosian, a former president, who claims that elections were rigged. A TOP US military commander has expressed his confidence that the Street battles erupted and opposition activists set up barricades Taliban will not launch a spring offensive this year. in the city centre in Yerevan. The government responded with force, The prediction came from Admiral William Fallon as he was announcing a state of emergency as police fought pitched battles addressing the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee. with the protestors. He said that, instead of a Taliban surge, the momentum was now The Council of Europe sent former UK Deputy Prime Minister to going in the direction of the coalition forces.
    [Show full text]
  • Number of Prisoners Charged with Extremism and Terrorism in Kyrgyzstan Triples in Five Years
    Number of Prisoners Charged with Extremism and Terrorism in Kyrgyzstan Triples in Five Years According to experts, new approaches are needed for deradicalisation of such prisoners, but we have neither money nor specialists for that. Follow us on Facebook Penal colony No. 27 in the village of Moldovanovka, Chui region. Photo: CABAR.asia After release from the maximum security penal colony next year, 28-year-old Azamat (not his real name) is dreaming of getting married and make leather souvenirs. He mastered the new trade for three and a half years in the penal colony No. 27 in the village of Moldovanovka, Chui region. In 2014, as soon as he was in the militant training camp in Syria, he received a gunshot wound. He was arrested at one of the hospitals in Turkey. After 10 months spent in a local prison, he was extradited to Kyrgyzstan. So, the resident of Vorontsovka village near Bishkek never had an opportunity to take part in battle actions. Number of Prisoners Charged with Extremism and Terrorism in Kyrgyzstan Triples in Five Years In Kyrgyzstan, he was convicted of “Mercenarism” for 5 years in prison. “I happened to be in Syria due to my lack of religious knowledge. I was working on the building site with a guy who convinced me to fight to my faith as a Muslim with deadly force. He bought me an airline ticket to Turkey and gave me 300 dollars,” Azamat said. An imam of one of Bishkek mosques he knew learned he was in Syria and explained him what Islam was for and what jihad was and brought him books to read.
    [Show full text]
  • Fighting for Someone Else's Cause: What Families of Kirgiz Militants in Isis Say
    FIGHTING FOR SOMEONE ELSE'S CAUSE: WHAT FAMILIES OF KIRGIZ MILITANTS IN ISIS SAY. AN EMPIRICAL VIEW Tatyana DRONZINA Professor, Political Science Department St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia [email protected] Abstract This article is about a survey of the opinions of families of Kirgiz militants in ISIS concerning the motivations of their relatives who joined Daesh1 directly or through Islamic Movement of Kazakhstan, (which pledged allegiance to Islamic State and fought for Taliban and Al Qaeda in Afghanistan). It is based on the results of a field work done by the author in January 2015 and also relies on open national and international sources. The main hypothesis is that there is no universal motive concerning the decision of these young people, rather certain empirical factors are identified that impacted the individual decisions of the militants and migrants. Special attention is devoted to the participation of women. Among females, on an individual level, some additional motives could be found such as: sentimental relations, the wish to have a home and family, and the quest for realization of their own Muslim identity as they see and understand it. Key words: ISIS, Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyz militants in Islamic State, women Radicalization and terrorism in Kyrgyzstan On the afternoon of Saturday July 25, 2015, the Islamic state published a “Message to the people of Kyrgyzstan” on YouTube. It lasted nearly nine minutes, during which time an unidentified man spoke in Kirgiz with subtitles in Russian. In the left angle of the screen, the logo of Furat media, a Daesh TV channel aimed at a Russian speaking audience, was seen.
    [Show full text]
  • Central Asia and India's Security
    Central Asia and India’s Security P. Stobdan Abstract The paper attempts to analyse the issues in Central Asia in the context of India’s security. The paper poses a question as to what the region of Central Asia means for India today. The author argues that international attention is being focused on redefining the importance of Central Asian in the changing regional and international context. Since its reappearance, many suitors have been seeking affinity, proximity and legitimacy with the region on political, strategic, cultural and economic grounds. The paper notes that Central Asia still holds importance to those around it and beyond — compelling everyone to think in a zero-sum game of who will control the region next, following Makinder’s thesis of “he who controls the heartland controls the world”. The paper says that there are already signs of geopolitical actions being applied in this direction, though the stage is not yet getting set for a clash of major power interests. But owing to the persisting rhetoric, probably intended, perhaps its inevitability cannot be just wished away. In this context, the paper deals with the current debate on Central Asia, which involves complex issues and the answers are ambiguous, often linked to events in Russia and elsewhere. The dynamisms evolving in the region would inevitably have implications far beyond what one might have imagined a decade ago. The author emphasises that Central Asia, in its reordered geopolitical form, has emerged as a field of continuing interest and concern in India, particularly in the context of its strategic relevance to India’s security.
    [Show full text]
  • OPIATE FLOWS THROUGH NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN and CENTRAL ASIA a Threat Assessment
    OPIATE FLOWS THROUGH NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN AND CENTRAL ASIA A Threat Assessment May 2012 OPIATE FLOWS THROUGH NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN AND CENTRAL ASIA: A THREAT ASSESSMENT Acknowledgements This report was prepared by the UNODC Afghan Opiate Trade Project of the Studies and Threat Analysis Section (STAS), Division for Policy Analysis and Public Affairs (DPA), in the framework of UNODC Trends Monitoring and Analysis Programme, with the collaboration of the UNODC Country Office in Afghanistan and the UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia. UNODC is grateful to the national and international institutions which shared their knowledge and data with the report team including, in particular, the Afghan Border Police, the Counter Narcotics Police of Afghanistan, the Ministry of Counter Narcotics of Afghanistan, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre, the Customs Service of Tajikistan, the Drug Control Agency of Tajikistan and the State Service on Drug Control of Kyrgyzstan. Acknowledgements also go to the staff of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and the United Nations Department of Safety and Security in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Report Team Research and report preparation: Hakan Demirbüken (Programme management officer, Afghan Opiate Trade Project, STAS) Hayder Mili (Research expert, Afghan Opiate Trade Project, STAS) Yekaterina Spassova (National research officer, Afghan Opiate Trade Project) Hamid Azizi (National research officer, Afghan Opiate Trade Project) Sayed Jalal Pashtoon (National research officer, Afghan Opiate Trade Project) Mapping support: Deniz Mermerci (STAS) Odil Kurbanov (National strategic analyst, UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia) Desktop publishing and mapping support: Suzanne Kunnen (STAS) Kristina Kuttnig (STAS) Supervision: Thibault Le Pichon (Chief, STAS), Sandeep Chawla (Director, DPA) The preparation of this report benefited from the financial contributions of the United States of America, Germany and Turkey.
    [Show full text]
  • Beginnings to AD 2000: a Comprehensive Chronology of Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Iran
    The Beginnings Beginnings to AD 2000: A Comprehensive Chronology of Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Iran by Iraj Bashiri copyright 2001 The Beginnings Ancient beliefs in the region divide humanity's passage on earth into three cosmic, myhtic, and historical periods. Of the three, of course, only the third or the historical period is real. The other two have cosmological and mytheological values that enhance our understanding of the present-day peoples of the region. One day elemnets of the mythic period might prove to be real but for that we need more solid documentation than is available at the present. For the purposes of this comprehensive chronology of the region, the cosmic and mythic periods are presented in the sequential order preserved in ancient chronologies. No attempt is made at correlating those eras in any form with historical or real time. The Cosmic and Mythic Eras The initial 3000-year battle between the forces of Ahura Mazda (Good) and Angra Mainyu (Evil) leads to the defeat of the latter. The second cycle of 3000 years begins with Ahura Mazda's creation of the cosmic world, i.e., the creation of the sky, water, earth, plants, the sacred white bull, and the cosmic man (Gayomart). Truth, symbolized as fire, permeates Ahura Mazda's kingdom. file:///Volumes/BASHIRISCOM/CHRON/CosMyth.html (1 of 6)10/2/08 1:00 PM The Beginnings Creation continues with Ahura Mazda's creation of the Amesha Spentas or Holy Immortals. As Vice-Regents, the immortals serve as "governors" or administrators of the various realms of Ahura Mazda's Kingdom.
    [Show full text]
  • Building Open Societies
    Building Open Societies SOROS FOUNDATIONS NETWORK | 2002 REPORT Building Open Societies SOROS FOUNDATIONS NETWORK 2002 REPORT OPEN SOCIETY INSTITUTE 400 West 59th Street, New York, NY 10019 USA www.soros.org Building Open Societies: Soros Foundations Network 2002 Report © 2003 by the Open Society Institute 400 West 59th Street, New York, NY 10019 USA All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form. Contents Introduction 6 Expanding the Open Society Network President’s Message 12 Global Expansion, Advocacy, and a New Movement Regions 18 CENTRAL EURASIA 21 Central Eurasia Project 22 Open Society Institute Assistance Foundation–Armenia 23 Open Society Institute Assistance Foundation–Azerbaijan 25 Open Society Georgia Foundation 26 Soros Foundation–Kazakhstan 27 Soros Foundation–Kyrgyzstan 28 Mongolian Foundation for Open Society 29 Open Society Institute Assistance Foundation–Tajikistan 30 Open Society Institute Assistance Foundation–Turkey 31 Open Society Institute Assistance Foundation–Uzbekistan 34 SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE 37 Open Society Foundation for Albania 38 Open Society Fund–Bosnia and Herzegovina 39 Open Society Institute–Croatia 40 Kosova Foundation for Open Society 41 Foundation Open Society Institute–Macedonia 42 Serbia: photographed by George Georgiou 44 Soros Foundation–Moldova 45 Foundation Open Society Institute–Representative Office Montenegro 47 Fund for an Open Society–Serbia 48 CENTRAL EUROPE: EU ACCESSION COUNTRIES 51 EU Accession Monitoring Program 52 Open Society Foundation–Sofia
    [Show full text]
  • EUROPE and CENTRAL ASIA in Uzbekistan, the Parents of Shukrat Parpiev, Age Thirty-One, Display the Sheets in Which Their Son’S Body Was Returned to Them in May 2000
    HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH WORLD REPORT 2002 EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA In Uzbekistan, the parents of Shukrat Parpiev, age thirty-one, display the sheets in which their son’s body was returned to them in May 2000. Parpiev died in prison, allegedly from torture. © 2000 ALEX FRANGOS / HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA OVERVIEW ugust 2001 marked ten years since the failed 1991 coup that presaged the A end of the Soviet Union, and the anniversary provoked impatience at the uneven progress on human rights in the region. After the September 11 attacks one month later, impatience turned to regret at the lost opportunities for a more thoroughgoing transition during the interlude between the Cold War and the Anti- terror War. Many countries in the region had made significant strides since 1991, but abu- sive authoritarian rule persisted in several, and others still struggled to overcome the ethnic conflict that had engulfed large parts of the disintegrating Soviet Union and Yugoslavia. Looking westward toward eventual integration into the European Union, central and eastern European countries had undertaken important reform, while western Europe had turned inward and become increasingly intolerant of immigration and ethnic diversity. As the year drew to a close, it was not entirely clear what the new post-September 11 era would hold for human rights, but in much the same way the Cold War once distorted the human rights agenda, the prospects for tackling the region’s persistent and newly emerging human rights problems seemed suddenly to dim in light of the competing and overriding anti- terrorism imperative.
    [Show full text]
  • Foreign Military Studies Office OEWATCH Foreign News & Perspectives of the Operational Environment
    FMSO.LEAVENWORTH.ARMY.MIL/OEWATCH Vol. 5 Issue #09 September 2015 Foreign Military Studies Office OEWATCH FOREIGN NEWS & PERSPECTIVES OF THE OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENT SPECIAL FOCUS: Islamic State TURKEY LATIN AMERICA CENTRAL ASIA 3 The Turkish Military’s New Leadership 27 More Anti-Rousseff Protests in Brazil 46 The Islamic State in Kyrgyzstan? 4 Is the Peace Process Over? 28 Venezuelan Health Care Perhaps in Crisis 47 Gauging the Threat of the Islamic 5 Patriot Missiles to Leave Turkey; Aegis to Support 29 Colombian Peace Process Confusion State to Kyrgyzstan Turkey’s Defense 30 “War Taxes” Imposed by Street Gangs Debilitate 48 Kazakhstan’s Interest in a Peacekeeping Force Small Businesses in Honduras 49 The Public Relations Value of Counterterrorism MIDDLE EAST 31 Narcos Steal an Average of Six Weapons a Day from Exercises in Kazakhstan 6 “Buffer Zone” Along Jordan’s Border Linked To Police in Mexico Syrian Shelling 32 Forced Deportation of Colombian Nationals from RUSSIA, UKRAINE 7 Jordan’s Role in the Yemen Conflict Venezuela Causes Refugee Problem 50 The Multipurpose ‘Supercam 300M’ UAV 8 The Economics of Terror: Sustainable Funding For 33 The Fragile Miracle that is Ciudad Juarez 51 New Combined Arms, Tank, Air Force & Air Defense The Islamic State Through International Trade Armies to be Formed 9 Iran: Supreme Leader Ally Warns of Foreign INDO-PACIFIC ASIA 52 Russia’s View of the Definition and Origins of Investment 34 Thailand Continues to Build up its UAV Capability “Hybrid War” 10 Iran: IRGC Warns on Western Investment 34 Former
    [Show full text]
  • Central Asia: Regional Developments and Implications for U.S. Interests
    Order Code IB93108 CRS Issue Brief for Congress Received through the CRS Web Central Asia: Regional Developments and Implications for U.S. Interests Updated June 20, 2005 Jim Nichol Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress CONTENTS SUMMARY MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS Historical Background Overview of U.S. Policy Concerns Post-September 11 and Afghanistan Support for Operation Iraqi Freedom Fostering Pro-Western Orientations Russia’s Role Obstacles to Peace and Independence Regional Tensions and Conflicts Democratization and Human Rights Democracy Pledges Security and Arms Control Weapons of Mass Destruction Trade and Investment Energy Resources Aid Overview IB93108 06-20-05 Central Asia: Regional Developments and Implications for U.S. Interests SUMMARY After the collapse of the Soviet Union in weapons materials and facilities. In 1991, the United States recognized the inde- Tajikistan, U.S. aid focuses on economic pendence of all the former Central Asian reconstruction. U.S. energy firms have in- republics, supported their admission into vested in oil and natural gas development in Western organizations, and elicited Turkish Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. support in countering Iranian influence in the region. Congress was at the forefront in Some observers call for different empha- urging the formation of coherent U.S. policies ses or levels of U.S. involvement in Central for aiding these and other Eurasian states of Asia. Some have called for strengthening the former Soviet Union. conditions linking aid to progress in improv- ing human rights or in making adequate prog- Soon after the terrorist attacks on Amer- ress in democratization and the creation of ica on September 11, 2001, all the Central free markets.
    [Show full text]