Latest news with #CivilSociety
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Eswatini opposition attacks US deal as ‘human trafficking disguised as deportation'
Civil society and opposition groups in Eswatini have expressed outrage after the US deported five men to the country, with the largest opposition party calling it 'human trafficking disguised as a deportation deal'. The men, from Vietnam, Jamaica, Laos, Yemen and Cuba, were flown to the small southern African country, an absolute monarchy, last week as the US stepped up deportations to 'third countries' after the supreme court cleared them last month. Eswatini, formerly Swaziland, is landlocked by South Africa and Mozambique and has a population of about 1.2 million. It is Africa's last absolute monarchy and has been ruled by King Mswati III since 1986. The government estimated the five men would be held for about 12 months, a spokesperson, Thabile Mdluli, said, adding: 'It could be slightly less or slightly more.' She said Eswatini was ready to receive more deportees, depending on the availability of facilities and negotiations with the US, which has also deported eight people to South Sudan after holding them for weeks in a shipping container in Djibouti, and more than 200 Venezuelans to El Salvador. Officials have said the men, who were put in solitary confinement, were safely imprisoned in Eswatini. However, they have refused to disclose the terms of the deal, other than to say the US was footing the costs of keeping the men locked up and that they would work with international organisations to deport them to their home countries. Many civil society organisations and politicians were not convinced. 'This action, carried out without public consultation, adequate preparation, or community engagement, raises urgent questions about legality, transparency, and the safety of both the deported individuals and the people of Eswatini, especially women and girls,' said a coalition of seven women's groups. The organisations delivered a petition to the US embassy on Monday calling for the US to take back the deportees, for the deportees' human rights to be respected, and for Eswatini not to become a 'dumping ground for unresolved problems from elsewhere'. The groups' leaders held a protest outside the US embassy on Friday, where they sang, danced and held up signs with messages including: 'Whose taxpayers?', 'Eswatini is not a prison for US rejects' and 'Take the five criminals back to the US!!' Eswatini's largest opposition party, the People's United Democratic Movement (Pudemo), said in a statement: 'Pudemo vehemently condemns the treacherous and reckless decision by King Mswati III's regime to allow the United States of America to dump its most dangerous criminals on Swazi soil. 'This is not diplomacy but human trafficking disguised as a deportation deal. It is an insult to all Emaswati who value peace, security, and the sanctity of our homeland.' The coordinating assembly of NGOs, an umbrella group, said the situation was 'deeply alarming' and condemned the 'stigmatising and dehumanising language used by US officials'. It called for the Eswatini-US agreement to be made public and to be suspended pending 'genuine public consultation and transparent national dialogue'. Tricia McLaughlin, the assistant secretary at the US Department of Homeland Security, said in a post on X on 16 July that the men, who she said had been convicted of crimes including child rape, murder and burglary, were 'so uniquely barbaric that their home countries refused to take them back'. She added: 'These depraved monsters have been terrorising American communities but … they are off of American soil.' Eswatini's prime minister, Russell Dlamini, told local media on Friday that the government was confident it would safely manage the prisoners. 'Eswatini is currently holding inmates who have committed more dangerous crimes than those attributed to the five deportees,' he said. A prison service spokesperson, Baphelele Kunene, said the country's citizens should not be afraid. 'We can confirm that the five inmates in question have been admitted to one of our high-security centres where they are responding very well to the new environment,' he said. 'Even though they come from the US, there is no preferential treatment for them as they are guided by the same prison regulations, eat the same food as others and are also expected to exhibit the same and equal amount of respect for prison protocols.' The US state department's most recent human rights report on Eswatini, in 2023, said there were 'credible reports of: arbitrary or unlawful killings, including extrajudicial killings; torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment by the government; serious problems with the independence of the judiciary; [and] political prisoners or detainees'. Political parties are banned from taking part in elections, which the system's advocates argue makes MPs more representative of their constituents. In September, Pudemo's leader, Mlungisi Makhanya, was allegedly poisoned in South Africa. The party said it was an assassination attempt, which Eswatini's government has denied. The Department of Homeland Security has been contacted for comment.
Zawya
4 days ago
- Politics
- Zawya
Africa: Advancing gender responsive land governance and women's land tenure security
The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) is convening a high-level regional workshop to advance gender-responsive land governance across the continent. As part of the multi-country initiative on Gender-Responsive Land Governance in Africa, the July 22-23 workshop reflects a deepened commitment to transforming land governance systems to ensure that African women are empowered with secure and equitable land rights. Land remains one of Africa's most vital yet contested natural resources, central to food security, livelihoods, inclusive growth, and community resilience. For women, land serves not only as an economic asset but also as a foundation for agency, decision-making power, and social protection. Despite their indispensable role in rural economies, women continue to face structural barriers to accessing, owning, and controlling land, rooted in discriminatory norms, legal pluralism, and unequal power relations. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these disparities, underscoring the importance of secure land tenure in strengthening resilience against economic and climate shocks. In response, ECA and its partners initiated a project across the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Guinea, Malawi, and Tanzania, assisting Member States in developing and applying inclusive, gender-sensitive land policies and legal reforms. The regional workshop will provide a participatory platform for stakeholders—including government actors, civil society, traditional leaders, and development partners—to validate policy outputs, share experiences, and co-create strategies to secure women's land rights. Participants will engage in hands-on training sessions grounded in AU policy frameworks, such as the Framework and Guidelines on Land Policy in Africa, and apply analytical tools to drive reform within their national contexts. Expected outcomes of the workshop include strengthened stakeholder capacities, validated national action plans, improved monitoring and evaluation tools, and reinforced political commitment to gender equality in land governance. This workshop marks a critical step toward realizing the ambitions of Agenda 2063, the Maputo Protocol, and the Sustainable Development Goals, and ensuring that land governance systems work for all Africans, especially women. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).
Arab News
5 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Support for Palestinian statehood gathers momentum
In many European countries, official recognition of a Palestinian state is an excruciatingly slow process, more so than it should be. Despite mounting pressure from parliamentarians, civil society organizations and the wider public, many governments remain cautious, including British and the French authorities who have already expressed support for such a move. Their caution, even fear, before taking such a crucial decision is harming their own national interests, violates natural justice, and ignores the fact that the promise of the advancement of a peace based on a two-state solution outstrips, by far, any political risks that come with taking the plunge and recognizing Palestine as a state. Therefore, it was refreshing to hear French President Emmanuel Macron, during his visit to London this month for an Anglo-French summit, tell British parliamentarians: 'With Gaza in ruins and the West Bank being attacked on a daily basis, the perspective of a Palestinian state has never been put at risk as it is (now), and this is why this solution of the two states and the recognition of the state of Palestine is … the only way to build peace and stability for all in the whole region.' This is a somewhat late realization of something that, had it been done years ago, might have prevented the events of the past two, horrific years. Still, Macron deserves credit for advancing this agenda now and resisting Israeli claims that in the aftermath of Oct. 7, such recognition would be a reward for Hamas and terrorism. Israel is deliberately advancing this spurious theory that recognition of Palestinian statehood is effectively caving in to terrorism, when in fact the aim of such recognition is to break the impasse in resolving the long-running Israeli-Palestinian conflict peacefully, and actually sideline extremism. If nothing else, recognition would be a step toward redressing the power imbalance between Israel and Palestine, which has become a hindrance to efforts at reaching a peace agreement based on a two-state solution. Macron's remarks in London created some momentum for Palestinian statehood; immediately after his departure, perhaps inspired and encouraged by his statements, 59 MPs from Britain's governing Labour Party signed a letter addressed to Foreign Secretary David Lammy, calling on him to recognize, 'with great urgency,' the State of Palestine. Certainly, many of those who signed the letter have for a long time been outspoken proponents of such recognition. But others were new recruits to the idea, who see it not only as an end in itself but also a response to the shocking news coming out of Gaza every day, and to the constant stream of 'novel ideas' that originate from the Israeli government and inflict even more misery on the Palestinian people. Recognition would be a step toward redressing the power imbalance between Israel and Palestine. Yossi Mekelberg Deplorable suggestions from both Washington and senior Israeli officials have also served as a catalyst for the letter from MPs, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's proposal of a 'voluntary migration' of Palestinians from Gaza, and the announcement by Defense Minister Israel Katz of his plan to forcibly transfer hundreds of thousands of Palestinian civilians, if not the entire population of the territory, to a camp in the almost completely destroyed city of Rafah. The MPs called for action to prevent Katz's sinister plan becoming reality before it is too late. Israel's former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert this week described it as tantamount to the construction of a 'concentration camp.' It is designed to make the lives of those forcibly placed there impossible, while preventing them from leaving unless their destination is outside of Mandatory Palestine. The British politicians who signed the letter to Lammy consider recognition of Palestinian statehood a priority, but in the meantime they also demanded the removal from the agenda of Katz's draconian proposal to concentrate masses of Palestinians in such a camp, which seems to be more of a transitional facility serving as a precursor to expulsion. In addition, they urged Lammy to continue to support the work of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in providing aid to the people of Gaza, while also pressing for the 'full and unhindered resumption of the humanitarian aid,' and efforts to secure the release of all hostages. This is an opportunity for the British government to adopt these recommendations — some would call them demands — and in doing so become an important player in efforts to resolve one of the most intractable conflicts in modern history. In an ideal world, recognition of the State of Palestine by European nations would come from the EU as a whole and not happen in piecemeal fashion, as has been the case so far with the much-welcomed recognition in May last year by Spain, Ireland, Slovenia, and Norway (the last of which is not a member of the EU). Nevertheless, the need for unanimity in passing such a resolution within the EU makes it almost impossible to achieve, as long as countries such as Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, and Hungary oppose it. Therefore, if Paris and London were to announce recognition of Palestinian statehood in tandem — either before or during the upcoming summit of world leaders on the two-state solution, which was postponed by the outbreak of the war between Israel and Iran in June and is now scheduled to convene at the UN headquarters in New York in September — it would send a strong message from two major powers, which are also permanent members of the UN Security Council, in support of what is already the policy of 147 other members of the UN. The message should be clear: This is not an anti-Israeli act, and most definitely not a reward for terrorism, but instead a positive move toward the peaceful resolution of one of the longest-running disputes in contemporary international politics, stretching all the way back to the beginning of the 20th century. It reaffirms the partition plan of 1947 and many subsequent international resolutions, and follows in the footsteps of diplomatic efforts that began with the Oslo Accords in 1993 and have been negotiated in different rounds of peace talks since then. It could be a game-changer, allowing the Palestinians to negotiate with the Israelis as equals. As long as this does not happen, the asymmetry in the balance of power between the two protagonists remains a major obstacle, and it is one Israel is unfairly using during negotiations to demand concessions their Palestinian interlocutors cannot deliver, or to cause crises in the discussions. This effectively allows Israel to postpone indefinitely any agreement based on a two-state solution, while also creating a situation on the ground that is prohibitive to the establishment of a territorially contiguous independent Palestinian state. Recognition of a Palestinian state would send a clear message from the international community to those who are hell-bent on annexation of the occupied West Bank and the building of Israeli settlements there. Whatever the setbacks along the way, the only viable and long-term sustainable solution to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians remains a two-state solution. The letter from British MPs is, therefore, a welcome contribution to the efforts to advance this cause, and the British government must heed its recommendations. • Yossi Mekelberg is a professor of international relations and an associate fellow of the MENA Program at Chatham House. X: @YMekelberg
Jordan News
16-07-2025
- Business
- Jordan News
Jordan's gov't continues modernization path with 'greater reso...
اضافة اعلان Minister of State for Public Sector Development, Dr. Khair Abu Sa'ilik, noted joint endeavors to develop Jordan's public administration and redefine its role and mission aim to place citizens the nexus of public policies and minister added that this policy makes government institutions "responsive" to citizens' needs and respects their aspirations, noting the government is continuing its modernization path with "greater resolve."The minister's remarks came during his inauguration of the national conference, themed: "Towards a Strategic Partnership with Civil Society in Developing Public Administration in Jordan (2026-2029)".This event is part of the project: "Integrity: European Union Support for Social Accountability and Empowering Civil Society to Achieve Good Governance."The project is funded by the European Union and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), and implemented by the Hayat Center - RASED for Civil Society Development and the Rasheed Transparency International - at the opening session, Abu Sa'ilik added that the concept of public service "has radically changed amid accelerating global transformations and the growing demands of citizens."Government, he noted, is measured by its capability to achieve an integrated system of smart and flexible services, based on justice and efficiency, which is directly felt by minister stated the Kingdom's public sector modernization roadmap was launched as a comprehensive national project, led by His Majesty King Abdullah II, with a strategic vision that integrates with political and economic modernization paths and is currently implemented in full partnership among all state minister indicated that this roadmap serves as an operational framework that is now implemented through clear and tangible qualitative steps."Establishing a culture of public service is not merely an organizational endeavor or a training program, but rather a profound shift in the values and concepts that govern the relationship of public employees and their jobs, their roles, and their responsibilities to citizens and the state," he pointed out."This culture is not achieved through slogans, but rather through an integrated institutional process that begins with qualifying administrative workers, developing their functional and leadership skills and instilling ethical and professional values," he minister called for promoting this culture in the workplace as an integral part of the state's human resources management its significance, he stated this culture is represents the cornerstone of every serious administrative reform aimed at reshaping the relationship with citizens on new foundations of trust and competence, achieving a tangible and real impact on people's minister noted the government is continuing its modernization process with "greater resolve," without geopolitical events constituting any obstacle to turn, Spanish Ambassador, Miguel de Lucas, highlighted the importance of empowering civil society institutions and their role in achieving goals and overcoming public sector the European Union Ambassador to Jordan, Pierre-Christophe Chatzisavas, commended the progress made in Jordan's administrative modernization, noting the importance of civil society engagement in demonstrating the conference's sessions, a number of officials, economists, public sector modernization program directors, and civil society organizations engaged in the dialogues.
BBC News
10-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Maharashtra: Row over language turns violent in India's richest state
For weeks, a battle over language and identity has been raging in India's richest state, row began in April after the Maharashtra government made it compulsory for state-run primary schools to teach Hindi as a third language, apart from English and Marathi (the state's dominant language). This, it said, was in line with a federal policy which mandates that children be taught three languages in National Education Policy (NEP), introduced in 1968, aims to promote and regulate education in India and the government updates it occasionally. The latest iteration of the policy, introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government five years ago, is being implemented in stages and has run into controversy earlier. The Maharashtra government's decision met fierce opposition from civil society groups, language activists and opposition leaders who accused it of trying to impose Hindi - predominantly spoken in northern and central Indian states - in the is a sensitive issue in India where many states, including Maharashtra, were formed on linguistic lines after independence. The local language is often intrinsically linked to regional pride and identity, and any change to the status quo can be perceived as a threat. For instance, last year, Kannada-language activists in Bengaluru, often called India's Silicon Valley, held protests demanding that billboards be written in the local language and not just the uneasiness is especially high when it comes to Hindi, the most-spoken language in India. Over the years, steps by various federal governments to promote Hindi have fuelled fears within non-Hindi speaking states that the local culture will be diluted. These worries have been exacerbated by high migration from less-developed Hindi-speaking states to other parts of India, especially the south, in search of Deshpande, a political analyst, says that these anxieties have increased after the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in 2014. Top leaders of the BJP - the party is stronger in Hindi-speaking states - have often courted controversy by making remarks about privileging tensions rose in Maharashtra, the state government - ruled by a BJP-led coalition - revoked its decision and appointed a committee to re-examine the three-language policy. But the controversy refuses to die row comes months ahead of the long-overdue municipal polls which are set to be held in the state, including in Mumbai city, home to India's richest municipal corporation. It has sparked a political slugfest between the ruling coalition and opposition parties, with each side accusing the other of playing political games. There have also been reports of violence against non-Marathi speakers in the April, two women in Thane district were allegedly assaulted in their residential complex after they said "excuse me" to a man who insisted they speak to him in same month, a security guard in Mumbai was allegedly beaten up by workers from the opposition Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) - a nativist party known for its aggressive brand of politics - after he said that he did not know May, a couple in Mumbai reportedly refused to pay a delivery agent after he declined to speak in Marathi. Last week, a shocking video showing a shop owner being assaulted, allegedly by MNS workers, for not speaking Marathi went viral on social media, sparking v Tamil: India's language battle heats upBengaluru: Why English is dividing people in India's Silicon ValleyWhile the issue seems to have increased societal divisions, it has also brought together two political rivals almost two decades after they parted week, Uddhav Thackeray, chief of the local opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) party and Raj Thackeray, leader of the MNS - the son and nephew, respectively, of Bal Thackeray, patriarch of the erstwhile Shiv Sena, a Hindu nationalist party that gained popularity in Maharashtra in the 1960s with its nativist politics - held a joint rally to oppose alleged Hindi the strength of the truce remains to be seen, experts say that the optics of the cousins putting aside differences to "protect Marathi pride" could help their prospects in the upcoming municipal elections."The issue of Marathi language and culture is close to peoples' hearts," says Prashant Dixit, a former political journalist who has reported on the state for over two decades. "It is an emotive issue, especially for people living in Mumbai, and it has been so since the 1960s," he adds. In the 1960s and 1970s, the erstwhile Shiv Sena, under the leadership of Bal Thackeray, conducted aggressive campaigns against people who had migrated to Mumbai from southern states, accusing them of taking up jobs that should have gone to the decades after that, migration patterns changed and the party turned its ire towards people from northern states who were migrating to the city in search of economic opportunities. The party blamed migrants from states such as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for taking away jobs. These tensions look set to continue. According to data from India's last census, there was a 40% increase in Mumbai city's Hindi-speaking population between 2001 and Marathi-centric agitations have earlier resonated with voters, especially in Mumbai, and some believe that it could help the Thackeray cousins in the municipal elections as well. However, many have criticised this editorial in the Indian Express newspaper titled 'Slap In Mumbai's Face' argued that politics centred around linguistic identity was "deeply troubling" and that its parochialism lent itself to violence, something that "should have no place in India's most industrialised state". Mr Dixit agrees - he thinks that any support garnered by aggressive language agitations is likely to be short-lived. "People want their leaders to deliver on their promises and focus on real progress, in the form of better jobs and policies, so that life is better for everyone," he says.
