Democracy & Civics

The Gospel of Intolerance

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Whether it’s Jews against Christian, Christians against Muslims, or Iraqi sects against each other, religious intolerance is thriving, sometimes with deadly results. The Yedizi community, an ancient minority Kurdish ethnic- religious group in Iraq, faces near-annihilation following a coordinated carpet bombing attack carried out by al-Qaeda operatives last week in the Sinjar district west of Mosul. The Yedizis, who were heavily persecuted under the regime of Saddam Hussein, have endured other attacks in recent months. Yedizi leaders are now contemplating bringing disparate Yedizi settlement together under Kurdish tribal lands for safety. Dutch Minister Geert Wilders made headlines last week when he wrote an editorial calling for a ban on the Koran, which he called a “fascist” text that exhorts violence.

World

The Atrocity Illustrations

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An advocacy group called Waging Peace wants to submit “evidence” of crimes against humanity witnessed by Sudanese children who say Arabic Janjaweed militants, backed by government troops, killed their families and torched their villages in Darfur. A group of child refugees drew pictures when asked to describe the atrocities their witnessed. Arguing that children’s memories are more reliable than evidence provided by the Sudanese government, the group now wants to submit 500 drawings to the International Criminal Court as it prosecutes Sudanese war criminals. Lawyers for the ICC say using the drawings could present problems, especially if questions come up regarding the activists’ influence over the children. They also expressed concern about forcing the children and their surviving relatives to undergo harsh cross-examination on the stand.

World

Ten Chapters to Jihad

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A military manual put together by Taliban militants and clerics shows how organized the group really is, and underlines its geographic power base along the southern Pakistani border. The 10-chapter “Military Teachings for the Preparation of Mujahedeen” is a how-to manual that details everything from constructing explosives and how to target heavy vehicles to techniques for blowing up bridges and power lines. It also encourages students to join the Taliban without the consent of their parents. The Telegraph reports that the manual has already been delivered to Taliban militants in Pakistan. Experts say it has the potential to fall into the hands of pro-Taliban ethnic Pashtun tribes along the border who also oppose the occupation.

World

Iraq's Oil Fields Open for Business (Soon)

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Iraq is cautiously opening its oil fields to foreign and domestic investment, but is trying to do it on their own terms.
In September, Iraq’s parliament is expected to ratify a law allowing Western countries to invest in Iraqi oil fields. The country is believed to have oil reserves of 115 million barrels, half of them unexplored. From now on, all previous oil contracts will be reviewed with an eye toward spreading the country’s oil wealth evenly among Shiites, Sunnis, Kurds and other groups, according to proposed legislation. Iraq’s national oil company will be given first access to the country’s enormous West Qurna field and decide which foreign companies to work with. Russian giant Lukoil is hoping an agreement they had under Saddam Hussein to drill there still holds.

Economy

Domestic Workers Abused Worldwide

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Hundreds of domestic workers commit suicide in Bahrain every year rather than return to their families in debt, according to rights groups and Western observers. The workers, mostly women from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, take out huge loans to pay their way to Bahrain, lured by the promise of good jobs and decent wage, according to Gulf News. But the jobs turn out to be lower quality, and the pay a fraction of what they expected. Broke and often abused by their employers, they cannot return home and often choose to end their lives. A report by Human Rights Watch titled “Swept Under the Rug: Abuses Against Domestic Workers Around the World” includes testimonials from hundreds of women from Asia to Africa.

Democracy & Civics

Security State's Brave New Tech

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The U.S. and Britain have been developing elaborate new tools to identify and subdue would-be terrorists at home and abroad. The Department of Homeland Security is developing a non-lethal weapon that emits a dazzling beam of light to incapacitate any suspect for a period of time. According to USA Today, the device has been dubbed the “puke-ray” for its tendency to induce nausea and vomiting. Rights groups worry it will be used not on terrorists but on Mexican immigrants crossing the border at night. Others worry that the instruments could enter the black market, forcing law enforcement to defend themselves against the weapon they developed.