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New Sanctions Imposed on North Korea

On 5 August, the United Nations Security Council unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea that could slash by a third the country’s US $3 billion annual export revenue. The move comes over North Korea’s two intercontinental ballistic missile tests, which were carried out last month.

The US-drafted resolution bans North Korean exports of coal, iron, iron ore, lead, lead ore and seafood. It also prohibits countries from increasing the current numbers of North Korean labourers working abroad, bans new joint ventures with North Korea and any new investment in current joint ventures. Speaking to the Council, US Ambassador to the United States Nikki Haley disclosed, “we should not fool ourselves into thinking we have solved the problem. Not even close. The North Korean threat has not left us, it is rapidly growing more dangerous,” adding “further action is required. The United States is taking and will continue to take prudent defensive measures to protect ourselves and our allies.” She further noted that Washington would continue annual joint military exercises with South Korea.

North Korea has denounced the sanctions. According to the North’s official news agency, the sanctions infringed on its sovereignty and vowed to take “righteous action.” The government statement reported by KCNA disclosed that Pyongyang would never place its nuclear programme on the negotiating table as long as the US maintained a hostile policy against the North.

North Korea has accused the US and South Korea of escalating tensions by conducting military drills. China and Russia have also slammed US deployment of the THAAD anti-missile defense system in South Korea, with China’s UN Ambassador Liu Jieyi calling for a halt to the deployment and for any equipment in place to be dismantled. Liu further urged North Korea to “cease taking actions that might further escalate tensions.”

Meanwhile on Monday, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and his US counterpart, President Donald Trump, agreed to apply maximum pressure and sanctions on North Korea in a telephone call, while China expressed hope that North and South Korea could resume contact soon.

While the UN Security Council has been divided on how to deal with other international crises, such as Syria, the 15-member body has remained relatively united on North Korea. However it must be noted that negotiating new measures typically takes months, not weeks. North Korea has been under UN sanctions since 2006 over its ballistic missile and nuclear programmes. The new measures came in response to five nuclear weapons tests and four long-range missile launches.

South African Hostage Freed After Six Years in Captivity

Reports emerged this month that a South African hostage, who was held by al-Qaeda in Mali since 2011, has been released.

Stephen McGowan was kidnapped from a hotel in Timbuktu along with two other foreign nationals. He last appeared in a video in December 2015, along with another hostage, Swedish national Johan Gustafsson, who was freed in June. On Thursday 3 August, authorities confirmed that he was released after efforts by the two countries’ governments and NGO Gift of the Givers. Sources have indicated that he was freed on 29 July and is now home with his family. While it remains unclear why news of the release was delayed, it is believed that this was a security precaution. The South African government has disclosed that no ransom was paid for Mr McGowan’s release.

Rising Social Tensions in Lebanon

The rising social tensions in Lebanon started on 30 June, after the Lebanese army raid on Arsal, a town near the Syrian border. Looking for terrorists in Syrian refugee camps, soldiers were met by five suicide bombers. The army arrested around 350 people, four of whom died in detention. More recently, the appearance of Hezbollah fighters involved in skirmishes around Arsal against militants from both IS and Jabhat Fatah al-Sham (formerly al-Nusra Front), and the introduction of the national army, who have set up defensive positions around Arsal, has led to rising tensions among Lebanese citizens. Allegations of torture and mistreatment have since been made, crystallising tensions in Lebanon, which is struggling to cope with an estimated one million Syrian refugees and the threat of IS incursions across the border.

On 16 July, interior minister Nouhad Machnouk banned all protests. This decision was prompted by calls from the left-wing political group Socialist Forum, alongside other human rights and activist groups, to hold a peaceful protest on 18 July in support of Syrian refugees and detainees they believe are being mistreated by the Lebanese army. In response to the ban, the Socialist Forum issued a statement asking for accountability for the death of the four Syrians.

“We just wanted to highlight abuses and demand an independent investigation,” Farah Kobeissi, a member of the Socialist Forum said. “The violence against Syrian refugees is becoming more frequent and is normalised under the appellation of ‘war against terror.’ But even if the army is responsible, there needs to be accountability.”

An autopsy report of the bodies of the four Syrian detainees requested by military prosecutor Judge Saqr Saqr concluded that the deaths resulted from “health complications.” One was said to have died from a sudden heart attack, a second from pneumonia, a third of climate shock and substance abuse, and a fourth of emphysema. The report, however, was not made public. An independent medical analysis ordered by a Zahle judge, Antoine Abi Zeid, almost went through, until the lawyer representing the victim’s families was coerced into handing over forensic samples, intended for the hospital, to military intelligence officers in plain clothes. The same lawyer had previously stated that the detainees were in good health before their bodies were returned with clear signs of torture.

Pictures widely shared on social media and by Human Rights Watch (HRW) show deep gashes around the men’s wrists, as well as burns, bruises, and in one case, congealed blood around the man’s ear. A physician stated to HRW, “it would be reasonable to conclude that the death of these men is the result of in-custody violence.”

Allegations of torture are not new in Lebanon. In 2014, a UN report stated that ‘torture in Lebanon is a pervasive practice that is routinely used by armed forces and law enforcement agencies.’

An increase in discrimination is also causing tension between Lebanese and Syrian refugees. Farah Salkha, the executive director of the Anti-Racism Movement, racism is reaching “peaks of levels of violence and hatred towards refugees.” Salkha said, “Refugees have slowly and gradually turned into the ‘black sheep’ of this place and they are supposed to be silent, invisible, obedient, do as instructed or risk their lives, get killed and be blamed for it.”

Venezuela Election Update: Turmoil Continues

The company that provided the voting system in Venezuela alleged on 2 August that turnout numbers for the Sunday 30 July vote in the country have been “tampered with.”

The announcement comes after Venezuela’s electoral authorities announced that more than eight million people voted in the elections for a new constituent assembly. CEO of Smartmatic, Antonio Mugica, has disputed this figure, stating that the actual turnout differed by at least one million. The opposition has also stated that the figures were inflated.

Speaking during a news conference in London, Mr Mugica disclosed “it is with the deepest regret that we have to report that the turnout numbers on Sunday 30^th July for the Constituent Assembly in Venezuela wer tampered with,” adding that although the company’s system had recorded the true number of voters, a full audit would have to take place before he could give the precise figure. Asked why he had not contacted the Venezuelan authorities, Mr Mugica replied stating that he though they “would not be sympathetic to what we’d say.” Smartmatic had provided the country with about 24,000 machines for Venezuelans to cast their votes electronically. According to the company, their system supplied correct voting statistics however altered results were announced in their place.

During the vote, Venezuelans were asked to select more than 500 representatives to make up a constituent assembly. The new body has the power to rewrite the constitution, effectively side-lining the opposition-led Congress. President Nicolas Maduro argued that the constituent assembly would promote “reconciliation and peace” after months of crisis,” however the opposition, which boycotted the vote, has seen it as a power grab by the president. Turnout is seen as crucial in the vote as given that the opposition refused to field candidates, the figure gives an indication of support for the government.

In the wake of Sunday’s vote, the country remains in political and economic turmoil. Tumbling oil prices have hit social programmes hard and scores of people have been killed while protesting against the government. Despite the unrest, the government retains the crucial support of the armed forces.

US Chief States that IS Leader is ‘Alive’

This month, United States Defense Secretary General James Mattis disclosed that he believes the leader of the so-called Islamic State (IS) group hasn’t been killed, despite recent reports.

Last month, Russia’s military claimed to have killed Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in an airstrike in May, after targeting a meeting of top IS commanders in Raqqa, Syria. The Russian claim could not be confirmed by the US at the time, with America’s military leading international efforts to defeat IS in Syria and Iraq. Earlier this month, just days after the liberation of Mosul, the group’s de facto capital in Iraq, a monitoring group disclosed that it had “confirmed information” al-Baghdadi was dead. The US again could not confirm the announcement by UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. However on Friday 21 July, US Defense Secretary General Mattis stated “I think Baghdadi’s alive…and I’ll believe otherwise when we know we’ve killed him,” adding “we are going after him but we assume he is alive.” His belief has been supported by Nicholas Rasmussen, the director of the US National Counter Terrorism Centre, who has stated, “I’ve seen nothing that would lead me to believe that the leader of ISIS (Islamic State) has been removed from the battlefield…We know a good bit. We just don’t have information that would confirm his death and demise.”

The US army’s General Raymond Thomas, who is the head of special operations, has admitted that the country’s military has come “particularly close” to getting al-Baghdadi in the past, but that he had slipped away. He blamed a media leak for ruining at least one promising lead.

Having lost control of Mosul, where al-Baghdadi declared the so-called IS caliphate in 2014, the group are also under increasing pressure in Raqqa, following the entrance of Western-backed forces into the city. The US government is offering up to US $25 million for information leading to al-Baghdadi’s location, arrest or conviction.