The Official Blog of the

Archive for the ‘Current Events’ Category

BOOK REVIEW: Helen Lackner, “Yemen in Crisis: Devastating Conflict, Fragile Hope”

In Being a World Citizen, Book Review, Conflict Resolution, Current Events, Human Rights, Humanitarian Law, Middle East & North Africa, NGOs, Peacebuilding, Solidarity, The Search for Peace, Track II, United Nations, War Crimes, World Law on August 30, 2025 at 6:00 PM

By René Wadlow

Helen Lackner, Yemen in Crisis: Devastating Conflict, Fragile Hope.

London, Saqi Books, 2023, 413pp.

In this incisive analysis, Helen Lackner highlights the ongoing armed conflict which threatens the survival of the Yemeni people. An internationalized civil war which started in 2015 has caused chaos, poverty, and in many areas extreme hunger. The external intervention led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in an operation called “Desert Storm” worsened the instability and fragmentation. Efforts by the United Nations to mediate the conflict, especially by meetings in Geneva, have been frustrated by the obduracy of the warring parties.

The Association of World Citizens (AWC) has been concerned with constitutional developments in Yemen since the 2011 change of government. While the constitutional form of the state structure depends on the will of the people of Yemen (provided that they can express themselves freely), the AWC has proposed consideration of con-federal forms of government which maintain cooperation within a decentralized framework. In 2014, a committee appointed by the then President, Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi, had proposed a six-region federation as the political structure for Yemen.

Until 1990, Yemen was two separate states: the People’s Democratic Yemen in the south with Aden as the capital, and the Yemen Arab Republic in the north with Sana’a as the capital. In 1990, the two united to become the Republic of Yemen.

However, the union of the two states did not create a working unity. Fairly quickly there was a fracturing of Yemen into different spheres of influence. There were struggles for power and the creation of rival militias. Although tribes remain a fundamental aspect of Yemeni society, there developed new social forces with a greater role of youth and a growth of urban life as people moved from the countryside into cities. A small educated group, often including women, started to play a larger role.

With the 2015 outbreak of armed violence, the divisions have grown. Fundamentalist Islamic groups have been created. There has been a vast destruction of infrastructure as schools, medical facilities, and shops, and small industry has been targeted for destruction. Today, the Ansar Allah Movement, often called the Houthis, controls the capital Sana’a and the port city of Hudaydah. Much of the rest of the country is under the control of microgroups. There is a large displacement of people. The rivalry for regional power between Saudi Arabia and Iran colors the situation. As Helen Lackner writes, hope for peace is fragile. There are human rights violations on a massive scale by all the parties. The 27 million Yemenis live under a dark sky.

Prof. René Wadlow is President of the Association of World Citizens.

Helsinki Process: Need for Renewal

In Being a World Citizen, Conflict Resolution, Current Events, Europe, Human Rights, NGOs, OSCE, Peacebuilding, Solidarity, The former Soviet Union, The Search for Peace, Track II, UKRAINE, World Law on August 28, 2025 at 6:00 PM

By René Wadlow

The difficulties to begin negotiations on an end to the Russia-Ukraine armed conflict has highlighted the need for a renewal of the Helsinki process of Pan-European dialogue and action. The Helsinki process which began in 1973 led over time to the creation of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

Government leaders met in Helsinki in July 1973, sensing a need for some form of permanent discussion on European security issues beyond the ad hoc meetings among some states, which was then the current pattern. From September 1973 to July 1975, the discussion on structures and efforts to be undertaken moved to Geneva and was carried out by diplomats stationed there. Although the representatives of Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs) were not asked to participate, many of us who were NGO representatives to the United Nations in Geneva knew the European diplomats involved and were able to make suggestions as to the priorities – human rights and arms control.

The foreign ministers taking part in the CSCE conference in Helsinki in 1973 (C) Pentti Koskinen

In August 1975, the Geneva discussions terminated, the government leaders met again in Helsinki and signed the Helsinki Agreement. Relatively quickly, a series of meetings on crucial topics was organized, often in Geneva. NGO representatives were invited to participate and played an important role in developing confidence-building measures.

Although there were tensions among OSCE states in the past such as the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan in 1979 and the martial law crackdown in Poland, the divisions were never as strong as they are today, linked to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The OSCE has been weakened, and some see a death sentence in a near future. Thus, there is a need for a renewal of the OSCE and a revival of the Helsinki spirit. Non-governmental organizations may have to take a lead, given the current governmental divisions.

Members of the OSCE’s Special Monitoring Mission deployed in eastern Ukraine (C) OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine

In the 1980s, NGOs had played an important role in “détente from below” in creating opportunities for discussions among activists from Eastern and Western Europe. Today we must find avenues of action to meet the current complex and dangerous situation. Representatives of the Association of World Citizens have participated in meetings of the OSCE and will be active in this renewal process.

Prof. René Wadlow is President of the Association of World Citizens.

Gaza: Famine Spreads

In Being a World Citizen, Conflict Resolution, Current Events, Human Rights, Humanitarian Law, International Justice, Middle East & North Africa, NGOs, Peacebuilding, Solidarity, The Search for Peace, Track II, United Nations, War Crimes, World Law on August 24, 2025 at 12:30 PM

By René Wadlow

On August 22, 2025, the United Nations (UN)-related Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) highlighted that famine conditions were taking place in Gaza City and that famine is expected to spread to other parts of the Gaza Strip in the coming weeks if improvements in food supply are not made.

The IPC Report stresses that for over 90% of the children under two years old, the lack of healthy food hinders the children’s immunity and development. The scarcity also impacts pregnant and breastfeeding women, compromising the health of both mother and child. Many healthcare facilities in the Gaza Strip have been destroyed, making care for children difficult and often impossible.

(C) IPC

The IPC report comes just as the Israeli military prepares for a full-scale takeover of Gaza City, the epicenter of the famine. When the takeover begins, it will be even harder for civilians to access the food they need to survive. Many people will be forced to move, which many persons in Gaza have already done several times.

Famine in Gaza is the result of deliberate obstruction of food and life-saving aid. There are ample food supplies at the Gaza Strip frontier ready to enter. However, the Israeli authorities have not permitted sufficient aid to enter the Gaza Strip. The basic humanitarian needs of those living in the Gaza Strip are not being met.

The Association of World Citizens is among the many Nongovernmental Organizations and aid groups which have called for a radical modification of Israeli policy so that basic needs can be met. Such radical modifications will require negotiations in good faith. The IPC report is a strong addition to these calls for positive action.

Prof. René Wadlow is President of the Association of World Citizens.

BOOK REVIEW: Jerome M. Segal, “Creating the Palestinian State: A Strategy for Peace”

In Conflict Resolution, Cultural Bridges, Current Events, Middle East & North Africa, Peacebuilding, Solidarity, The Search for Peace, United Nations on August 17, 2025 at 1:10 PM

By René Wadlow

Jerome M. Segal, Creating The Palestinian State: A Strategy for Peace.

Chicago,IL: Laurence Hill Books, 1989, 177pp.

At this time when clashes among Israelis and Palestinians have been growing in intensity with an impact on neighboring countries, new attitudes and approaches are needed. Several Western European countries have announced that they will recognize a Palestinian state during the 2025 United Nations General Assembly in New York. Thus, it is useful to review an early presentation of the need for a Palestinian state.

Jerome Segal was a research scholar at the Institute for Philosophy and Public Policy at the University of Maryland in the USA. He writes, “My efforts have been directed towards the creation of a Palestinian state, not primarily as an end in itself, but as a component part of the two-state solution. The two-state solution is, in my estimation, the only basis for a stable peace in the Middle East… It cannot be done by the Palestinians alone… It can only occur if there is broad support from all who seek peace along the lines of the two-state solution.”

For Segal, a Palestinian state would be a state without an army, on the model of Costa Rica. A Palestinian state would work effectively to prevent terrorism and attacks against Israeli structures. It would declare that the State of Palestine offers peace to all its neighboring states and looks forward to mutual cooperation for the common good of all.

The Association of World Citizens (AWC) has been concerned with the development of appropriate constitutional structures as a vital aspect of peacebuilding. The AWC emphasis has been placed on the possibilities of con-federalism, autonomy within a decentralized state, and trans-frontier cooperation. We will continue to follow Israeli-Palestinian events closely.

Prof. René Wadlow is President of the Association of World Citizens.

Opposing the Death Penalty: The Fight Goes On

In Current Events, Democracy, Human Rights, International Justice, Middle East & North Africa, NGOs, Religious Freedom, Solidarity, United Nations, World Law on July 29, 2025 at 7:45 PM

By René Wadlow

In a July 28, 2025 statement, the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, called for a moratorium on capital punishment in Iran where at least 48 persons are currently on death row. According to information gathered by the UN Human Rights Office in Geneva, at least 612 persons were reportedly executed in the first half of 2025. Minorities continue to be disproportionately affected by executions.

Religious minorities in Iran include Sunni Muslims, Christians, Baha’is, Zoroastrians, Jews, and the Gonabali Sufi community. Religious and ethnic identities in Iran often overlap.

(C) Amnesty International

Türk added, “Information received by my Office also indicates that judicial proceedings in a number of cases, often held behind closed doors, have consistently failed to meet due process and fair trial guarantees…The death penalty is incompatible with the right to life and irreconcilable with human dignity. Instead of accelerating executions, I urge Iran join the worldwide movement abolishing capital punishment starting with a moratorium on all executions.”

The Association of World Citizens has repeatedly called upon governments for a moratorium on executions with a view of abolishing the death penalty – a penalty that extensive research has shown has little or no impact on the level of crime and too often opens doors to judicial errors and injustices.

Prof. René Wadlow is President of the Association of World Citizens.

Thailand-Cambodia: Good Faith Negotiations Needed

In Asia, Being a World Citizen, Conflict Resolution, Current Events, NGOs, Nonviolence, Peacebuilding, Solidarity, The Search for Peace, Track II, United Nations, World Law on July 26, 2025 at 9:50 AM

THAILAND-CAMBODIA: GOOD FAITH NEGOTIATIONS NEEDED

The Association of World Citizens (AWC) expresses deep concern over the rising political tensions and military clashes between Thailand and Cambodia which has led to a large displacement of civilians from the border areas.

On July 24, 2025, Cambodian forces launched artillery attacks on civilian targets in Thai territory, and Thailand responded with airstrikes on Cambodia. Landmines have been set in the contested border areas. The AWC has long been active against the use of landmines. This escalation of Thai-Cambodian tensions risks a destabilization of both governments and societies.

Therefore, the AWC calls for an immediate ceasefire and the start of negotiations in good faith.

Prof. René Wadlow, President of the Association of World Citizens

South Sudan: Continued Disintegration

In Africa, Being a World Citizen, Conflict Resolution, Current Events, Humanitarian Law, NGOs, Solidarity, The Search for Peace, Track II, United Nations, World Law on June 5, 2025 at 11:00 AM

By René Wadlow

On May 23, 2025, the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, gave a stark warning about the rapidly deteriorating human rights situation in the state of South Sudan. He stated that, “The escalating hostilities in South Sudan portend a real risk of further exacerbating the already dire human rights and humanitarian situation.” It is estimated that some 125,000 persons have been displaced within the country between March and mid-April 2025. In addition, there are refugees present fleeing the armed conflict in the state of Sudan. South Sudan is filled with arms from the long years of civil war: 1956-1972 and 1982-2005 between the north – largely Muslim and Arabized and the south which followed traditional tribal religions with southern leaders largely Christian. In 2011, there was a referendum in which southern Sudan voted to become the independent state of South Sudan. The Association of World Citizens was among the Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs) observing the independence referendum.

Since independence, political life has been structured by the tensions between the President, Salva Kiir, and the Vice-president, Rick Machar. There was an armed conflict between the two from December 2013 and August 2015 in which many persons were killed. There were multiple violations of international humanitarian law and human rights abuses. In addition to the forces under the control of the two political leaders, there are a host of armed militias usually based on ethnic-clanic structures.

In July 2016, internally displaced persons in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, relocating to a cleaner, drier location across town, under the protection of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
(C) Isaac Billy/UN Photo

The UN and the African Union have made efforts to reach peace agreements among the parties, but the provisions of the peace agreements have not been put into practice. There is a lack of trust on all sides. It is difficult to see how progress can be made given the intensity of the resentments. There is no doubt a need for new leadership, but there are no signs of any leaders leaving the scene. Elections are not in the style of the country. South Sudan is a situation which merits observation and reconciliation efforts when possible.

Prof. René Wadlow is President of the Association of World Citizens.

India-Pakistan Ceasefire: Negotiations Now Needed

In Asia, Being a World Citizen, Conflict Resolution, Current Events, NGOs, Nonviolence, Nuclear weapons, Peacebuilding, Solidarity, The Search for Peace, Track II, United Nations, World Law on May 13, 2025 at 7:30 AM

By René Wadlow

After the April 22 attack and death of 26 Indian tourists at Pahalgam in the Indian-administered area of Kashmir, tensions between India and Pakistan grew quickly. Pakistan was accused by India of backing the terrorists who had carried out the attack – a charge which Pakistan denied. Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave the Indian military “complete operational freedom”. A combination of bellicose rhetoric, domestic pressures, and political agitation led to daily exchanges of armed fire, and the shooting down of Indian jet fighters. The frontiers between the two countries were closed and diplomats withdrawn. The dangers of escalation between the two nuclear-armed countries were obvious to many.

Fortunately, outside voices called for an immediate ceasefire: U.S. President Donald Trump and his Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), and some member governments of the UN Security Council which met in closed session, as well as a good number of Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs) involved in conflict resolution efforts such as the International Peace Bureau and the Association of World Citizens (AWC). One must now strive so that the ceasefire will hold.

(C) CNN

The next step is to facilitate negotiations between the Indian and Pakistani governments. A first step is to create a number of confidence-building measures so that the ceasefire holds. Then there is a need to develop longer-range negotiations. There are a good number of outstanding issues, such as Kashmir, which go back to the founding of the two countries.

It may be that the current steps back from the nuclear brink will drive home the need for serious negotiations. NGOs in both India and Pakistan may help to see on what issues progress may be made. Those of us on the outside must do all we can to facilitate creative dialogue between Indians and Pakistanis.

Prof. René Wadlow is President of the Association of World Citizens.

The Power of Conscience

In Being a World Citizen, Conflict Resolution, Current Events, Human Rights, Humanitarian Law, Middle East & North Africa, NGOs, Solidarity, The Search for Peace, War Crimes, World Law on May 4, 2025 at 12:00 PM

By René Wadlow

On May 2, 2025, a ship carrying food and medical supplies for the Gaza Strip organized by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition was attacked by drones in international waters near Malta. The ship was badly damaged and its cargo lost. The ship was appropriately called The Conscience.

Conscience is that inner voice which helps each person to know right from wrong. Every thought and deed has an ethical significance and consequence – what is called in Indian thought Karma. Conscience, this perception of choice between right and wrong, is within each person as a clear guide. A sensitive conscience speaks with a voice of authority so that one can act positively and with justice.

Conscience under attack (C) The Malta Independent

Nonviolent action to protect civilians and to call attention to crucial situations is being increasingly used. There are real dangers involved. In 2010, a similar humanitarian aid ship of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition was attacked by Israeli forces in international waters. Ten persons were killed and many wounded.

Today, many of us have called for the end to the Israeli blockade of supplies to the Gaza Strip, a blockade which began again after the end of a ceasefire on March 18, 2025. Families are struggling to meet their most basic needs of food and medicine. We need to develop creative and positive avenues of action.

(C) Seven Sisters Collective/Instagram

Prof. René Wadlow is President of the Association of World Citizens.

Kashmir Attack Creates Increased India-Pakistan Tensions: Track Two Measures Needed

In Asia, Being a World Citizen, Conflict Resolution, Current Events, NGOs, Nonviolence, Peacebuilding, Solidarity, The Search for Peace, Track II, United Nations, World Law on April 29, 2025 at 7:00 AM

By René Wadlow

On April 22, 2025, four gunmen killed 26 people and injured others in the Kashmir tourist center of Pahalgam, Kashmir, India. The Resistance Front claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack, but the group is little known. Indian officials have blamed Pakistan as being behind the attackers saying that Pakistan has a fundamentally criminal disposition in its deep state membership. Pakistan is host to Islamic militants that carry out terrorist raids in India but does not necessarily control them.

As a result of the Pahalgam attack, India has closed its border crossings into Pakistan and suspended India’s 1960 Water Treaty with Pakistan. Anti-Pakistan protests have erupted in India’s capital New Delhi and in several other cities raising fears that anti-Muslim sentiment will grow in India. Pakistan responded by closing its border crossings with India and closed its air space to Indian aircraft.

In 2019, India modified the special self-governing status of Jammu and Kashmir, and security measures have been very tight since. Nevertheless, Kashmir is an important location for tourism within India. Within 48 hours, 90 percent of the tourists in Kashmir left – a blow to farmers who sold their food to tourists and to handicraft makers. The image of a young bride sitting beside her husband’s lifeless body has been viewed multiple times and is fixed into the Indian national consciousness as the symbol of the drama.

As tensions within Jammu and Kashmir have led to armed conflicts between India and Pakistan in the past, the governments of Russia, China, Saudi Arabia and Iran have offered their good offices as mediators. On April 25, Abbas Araghchi, the Iranian Foreign Minister, said that both India and Pakistan are “brother nations” and that Iran was prepared to play a mediation role.

A ‘Beating of Retreat’ ceremony in Wagha, Pakistan, just next to India, on December 5, 2010. (C) Koshy Koshy

It may be that the governments of Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, and Iran are all too involved with advancing their own political interests in world politics to be taken as neutral mediators. Nevertheless, the India-Pakistan tensions are very dangerous and may easily grow worse if steps to reduce tensions are not taken very soon.

As Citizens of the World, we are particularly called to help create a climate for negotiations in good faith and to reduce tensions. Therefore, we need to use our worldwide links in a creative way to reduce tensions. We devote ourselves to the safeguard, restoration, and construction of peace through dialogue, cooperation and reconciliation.

One approach in which World Citizens participate is called Track Two. Track One is official government-to-government diplomacy among instructed representatives of the State although there can be “back channels” and informal contacts among the representatives of governments. Track Two consists of discussions held among non-officials of conflicting parties in an effort to clarify outstanding disputes and to explore the options for resolving them in settings that are less sensitive and often less structured and with less media attention than those associated with official negotiations. Those involved in Track Two talks usually include scholars, senior journalists, former government officials and businesspeople. Depending on the aims and styles of these meetings, the profile of Track Two participants will differ.

The specific purposes of Track Two talks vary, but they are all related to reducing tensions. By informing their respective publics, participants, may indirectly contribute to the formation of new priorities and policies.

Track Two is not the end of the story for insights gained must be incorporated into the positions of government negotiators. There is a little verse by the Quaker economist Kenneth Boulding who participated in many Track Two efforts,

When Track One will not do,
We have to travel on Track Two.
But for results to be abiding,
The Tracks must meet upon some siding.

Today, discussions among Nongovernmental Organizations with avenues of communication to Indian and Pakistani officials should begin now. Time may be in short supply.

Prof. René Wadlow is President of the Association of World Citizens.