“ D i s c o v e r i n g I n t e r n a t i o n a l R e l a t i o n s a n d C o n t e m p o r a r y G l o b a l I s s u e s ” Cultural Relations Policy News and Background February 2015 ICRP Monthly Review Series 2015 About CRP News & Background Cultural Relations Policy News & Background is a part of ICRP Monthly Review Series and an initiative of Institute for Cultural Relations Policy Budapest. Launched in 2012, its mission is to provide information and analysis on key international political events. Each issue covers up-to-date events and analysis of current concerns of international relations on a monthly basis. As an initiative of ICRP, the content of this magazine is written and edited by student authors. The project, as part of the Institute’s Internship Programme provides the opportunity to strengthen professional skills. Editorial Team Series Editor | Eszter Balogh Authors – February 2015 | Ágnes Adél Németh, Ekaterina Zinchenko, Anna Mester-Csiki, Gian Marco Moisé, Fanni Szalontai, Ellen Maene Executive Publisher | Csilla Morauszki © Institute for Cultural Relations Policy ICRP Geopolitika Kft 45 Gyongyosi utca, Budapest 1031 – Hungary ISSN 2063-8205 Contents 01 Magna Carta originals together for 800th anniversary 03 Breakthrough ceasefire deal in Minsk 04 Copenhagen synagogue shooting 05 Human Rights in Egypt 07 Kidnappings and more videos from ISIS 11 Increasing unrest in Yemen 13 Boko Haram militants attack Chad for first time 15 Kokang rebel offensive attacks Myanmar army 17 News in Brief 01 ICRP Monthly Review Series | February 2015 Preserved Magna Carta originals together for 800th anniversary manuscript. This influential historical document formed the basis of legal rights in the world. Chairman of the Magna Carta 800th Committee sir Robert Worcester even defined Magna Carta as “England’s greatest export”. The manifest established a new relationship between the king and his subjects. The document is unique as it first recorded how the absolute power of the king will be limited to taxation, feudal rights and justice. Furthermore it promised the protection of church rights, protection for the barons from illegal imprisonment and access to rapid justice. It established the king was subject to the law and Magna Carta has been used as a defence against unfair rulers. The charter was agreed by King John of England at Runnymede, near Winston. When Magna Carta was created in June 1215, England had endured 16 years of John’s kingship, a leadership largely based on extortion, blackmail and violence. The King started a war against France, which he lost. English barons – in King John of England signing Magna Carta on June 15, 1215, at Runnymede. Picture: Britannica.com want of decreasing the power of the king – For the first time in history the four forced him to agree to their demands. remaining original copies of the famous Magna Carta is Latin for “the Great English Magna Carta are reunited in Charter” and still has a huge symbolic occasion of the 800th birthday of the value for justice and liberty around the 02 ICRP Monthly Review Series | February 2015 world . It is considered to be the first step legislation. Only three of the 63 original towards the creation of modern clauses remain part of English law. One part democracy . The Magna Carta also had defends the liberties and rights of the an effect across the borders of England as English Church, another established the it influenced the content of the American liberties of London and other towns, Bill of Rights of 1791. It created an however the third clause is the most famous enormous impact on many other one. It offers all free men the right to justice constitutional documents in the world as and a fair trial. Nevertheless only a small well . In the 20th century Magna Carta was proportion of the population in medieval the source of inspiration for the content of England were considered as “free men”. the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Since 2009 the manuscript is officially of 1950. For a long time the importance of UNESCO world heritage. The four original this manuscript has been underplayed as copies of Magna Carta are displayed in Britain did not make much effort to the British Library in London, however only celebrate previous anniversaries. 1,215 people had the opportunity to see Nowadays the Magna Carta is still one of the most famous documents in considered an important constitutional England. To celebrate this anniversary, a document in England, despite the fact series of events will take place in England, most of the clauses of the Charter are including exhibitions, conferences and eliminated or replaced by a more recent debates. Copy of Magna Carta. Photo: British Library's Online Gallery 03 ICRP Monthly Review Series | February 2015 Breakthrough ceasefire deal in Minsk After aborted talks between Ukrainian and diplomatic solution fail and should the rebel leaders, now it seems they will agree United States provide weapons to Ukraine and carry out a ceasefire in the war-torn (a step which Merkel extremely strongly country. The ceasefire agreement contains disagrees with, saying she could not elements that have been present in "imagine any situation in which improved previous talks as well, such as a equipment for the Ukrainian army leads to demilitarised zone. Its goal was to revive a President Putin being so impressed that he deal signed in Minsk, Belarus in September believes he will lose militarily"), the reaction 2014, but it is challenging to reach such from Russia is likely to be even more hostile goals since the rebels have seized more than before. territories since then. Albeit German The agreement should come into effect on Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed her 18 January 2015 and the withdrawal would uncertainty about the success of this occur during the following two weeks, said project, it is hoped to stop the crisis from Russian President Vladimir Putin. He still further escalation. The agreement was born denies the direct involvement of Russia on talks longer than 16 hours and is despite what is now considered described by French President Francois overwhelming evidence, such as very Hollande as “one of the last chances” to advanced military weapons that “can only end the conflict – diplomatically at least. come from Russia” according to NATO According to certain analysts, should a Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov shot dead Former Deputy Prime Minister Boris Nemtsov has been shot dead in Moscow by an unidentified attacker. The assault happened not much after he appealed for a march against the war in Ukraine. President Putin spoke out against the murder. His death was paid tribute in various countries in the world; as he has been described as a “bridge” between Ukraine and Russia, many see his death as a step back from achieving peace. 04 ICRP Monthly Review Series | February 2015 Copenhagen synagogue shooting On 14 and 15 February 2015, the capital of his – now known – identity, it is certain. His Denmark has seen three shootings after motivations are unknown, it is yet to be one another. The assault resulted in the seen whether he had support from a global death two victims and the suspected radical Islamist organisation. perpetrator. The Nordic country is now on Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning- high alert, and claims that the attack was Schmidt spoke out against the act and heavily politicised since the first shooting affirmed that the Jewish community is “not occurred when a debate was scheduled alone” in Denmark: “when the Jewish to discuss Charlie Hebdo with Lars Vilks – a community is attacked, the whole of controversial cartoonist who has received Denmark is attacked”. At the same time death threats before due to his drawings she called for reconciliation as she on Prophet Muhammad – and one of the emphasised that the fight is not between victims, a security guard, was of Jewish Muslims and non-Muslims as well. origin. The first event took place at the cultural centre named Krudttønden where one civilian, a film director, was shot; hours later, after midnight, the Great Synagogue of Copenhagen was attacked where a man attending to a bat mitzvah was shot in the head and later died from his injuries. That morning at the Nørrebro station when the police hoped to stop a man, he began firing at them again, causing the police to eventually shot him to death. He was identified as Omar Abdel Hamid el-Hussein and is suspected to be behind both of the earlier attacks. First it was not clear that the two shootings were linked, but due to Flowers in front of the synagogue after the shootings. Photo: Wikimedia Commons 05 ICRP Monthly Review Series | February 2015 Human Rights in Egypt Peter Geste was released after 400 days in prison Since the removal of the elected president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 thousands have been imprisoned. In December 2013 Peter Greste an ex-BBC correspondent of Australian nationality was put under arrest along with his two colleagues Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed in Egypt. The charges were among others spreading false news and helping the banned Muslim Brotherhood. The three men refused their accusation and they claimed that they were only reporting the news. Following a long procedure and 400 days in jail Peter Greste was finally freed and extradited on February 1. The Egyptian Interior Ministry confirmed the court’s decision by a statement. The statement contains that it had been “decided to extradite Australian journalist Peter Greste..