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MOLDOVA: After the Violence

US STATE DEPT: The United States is concerned about the situation in Moldova following the violence on April 7. Although order has been restored and subsequent demonstrations have been peaceful, we have received reports from civil society and international observers of mistreatment of those detained by Moldovan authorities. We are also troubled by reports that students and journalists have been intimidated by government officials. President Voronin’s announcement of an amnesty for many of those detained is an encouraging step toward reconciliation.

'Danger...Dire humanitarian situation created by the fighting in the Mullaittivu area of Sri Lanka

State Dept: The United States Government is deeply concerned about the current danger to civilian lives and a dire humanitarian situation created by the fighting in the Mullaittivu area of Sri Lanka. We call upon the government and military of Sri Lanka and the Tamil Tigers to immediately stop hostilities until the more than 140,000 civilians in the conflict are safely out. Both sides must immediately return to a humanitarian pause and both must respect the right of free movement of those civilian men, women, and children trapped by the fighting.

The United States calls on the Government of Sri Lanka to assist its Tamil citizens by halting shelling of the safe zone, permitting international monitors to ensure the safe exit of the civilians. The Government of Sri Lanka should also enforce international humanitarian standards in IDP camps, grant visas to international aid groups, and permit entry into Sri Lanka of international monitors and media access to those camps.

Clinton Announced 4-point Counter-Piracy Strategy

I’d like to take a moment to discuss an issue that affects us all, and that is the scourge of piracy. The attempted capture of the Maersk Alabama and the attack yesterday on the Liberty Sun off the coast of Somalia are just the most recent reminders that we have to act swiftly and decisively to combat this threat. These pirates are criminals. They are armed gangs on the sea. And those plotting attacks must be stopped, and those who have carried them out must be brought to justice.

Last weekend, we were all inspired by the courage and heroism of Captain Phillips and his crew, and by the bravery and skill of the U.S. Navy. These men are examples of the best that America has to offer. And I salute and thank them. But now it falls to us to ensure that others are not put into a similar situation. As I said last week, we may be dealing with a 17th century crime, but we need to bring 21st century solutions to bear.

Obama on Piracy | Rescue

FROM THE WHITE HOUSE: STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT ON THE RESCUE OF CAPTAIN PHILLIPS -- I am very pleased that Captain Phillips has been rescued and is safely on board the USS Boxer.  His safety has been our principal concern, and I know this is a welcome relief to his family and his crew.

I am also very proud of the efforts of the U.S. military and many other departments and agencies who worked tirelessly to secure Captain Phillips’s safe recovery.

We remain resolved to halt the rise of piracy in this region. To achieve that goal, we must continue to work with our partners to prevent future attacks, be prepared to interdict acts of piracy and ensure that those who commit acts of piracy are held accountable for their crimes. 

I share the country’s admiration for the bravery of Captain Phillips and his selfless concern for his crew.  His courage is a model for all Americans.

US Special Envoy to head back to Middle East...work on 2-state solution

Special Envoy for Middle East Peace George Mitchell Travel
Special Envoy Mitchell will travel to the Middle East beginning April 13 to advance the goal of the two-state solution and comprehensive peace in the region. He is scheduled to meet with key officials in Israel and the Palestinian territories, Egypt, the Gulf, and North Africa. Special Envoy Mitchell's aim for this trip is to discuss next steps in moving the parties toward a lasting peace that will benefit all the people of the region.

Statement from US State Dept. April 6, 2009

Focus on extremists on both sides of the Afghan - Pakistani border

US Afghan policy also takes a hard look at extremists in Pakistan. Here are some of the references to 'extremists' in a US Interagency Policy Report.

The United States has a vital national security interest in addressing the current and potential security threats posed by extremists in Afghanistan and Pakistan. In Pakistan, al Qaeda and other groups of jihadist terrorists are planning new terror attacks. Their targets remain the U.S. homeland, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Europe, Australia, our allies in the Middle East, and other targets of opportunity. The growing size of the space in which they are operating is a direct result of the terrorist/insurgent activities of the Taliban and related organizations. At the same time, this group seeks to reestablish their old sanctuaries in Afghanistan.
Therefore, the core goal of the U.S. must be to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al Qaeda and its safe havens in Pakistan, and to prevent their return to Pakistan or Afghanistan...
The ability of extremists in Pakistan to undermine Afghanistan is proven, while insurgency in Afghanistan feeds instability in Pakistan. The threat that al Qaeda poses to the United States and our allies in Pakistan - including the possibility of extremists obtaining fissile material - is all too real. Without more effective action against these groups in Pakistan, Afghanistan will face continuing instability...
Increased assistance to Pakistan will be limited without a greater willingness to cooperate with us to eliminate the sanctuary enjoyed by al Qaeda and other extremist groups, as well as a greater commitment to economic reforms that will raise the living standard of ordinary Pakistanis, including in the border regions of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, the North West Frontier Province, and Baluchistan...
Successfully shutting down the Pakistani safe haven for extremists will also require consistent and intensive strategic engagement with Pakistani leadership in both the civilian and military spheres. The engagement must be conducted in a way that respects, and indeed enhances, democratic civilian authority...
Assisting Pakistan's capability to fight extremists: It is vital to strengthen our efforts to both develop and operationally enable Pakistani security forces so they are capable of succeeding in sustained counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations. In part this will include increased U.S. military assistance for helicopters to provide air mobility, night vision equipment, and training and equipment specifically for Pakistani Special Operation Forces and their Frontier Corps...
Asking for assistance from allies for Afghanistan and Pakistan: Our efforts are a struggle against forces that pose a direct threat to the entire international community. While reaching out to allies and partners for their political support, we should also ask them to provide the necessary resources to accomplish our shared objectives. They have the same interest in denying terrorists and extremists sanctuaries in Pakistan and Afghanistan that we do. In approaching allies we should emphasize that our new approach is integrated between civilian and military elements and in looking at Afghanistan and Pakistan as one theater for diplomacy...
This new strategy of focusing on our core goal - to disrupt, dismantle, and eventually destroy extremists and their safe havens within both nations, although with different tactics - will require immediate action, sustained commitment, and substantial resources.

From the White House release of: 'White Paper of the Interagency Policy Group's Report on
U.S. Policy toward Afghanistan and Pakistan'

9 countries agree: Block arms shipments to Gaza --> Support durable cease-fire

Agreement on Gaza Weapons Smuggling

The Department of State welcomes the March 13 agreement in London by representatives of nine countries (Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States) on a program of action in response to concerns over continued smuggling of weapons into Gaza. This initiative will strengthen the international community’s ability to support a durable cease-fire. The Program of Action provides a comprehensive platform for enhanced cooperation and coordination in the areas of information and intelligence sharing; diplomatic engagement; and military and law enforcement activities.
The initiative should be seen in the context of relevant UN Security Council resolutions as well as counterterrorism and non-proliferation regimes. Countries will meet on a regular basis to review common efforts.
Working with our partners, the United States is committed to move forward quickly with the new mechanism to seek to block arms shipments to Gaza, which constitute a threat to regional peace and security and put innocent lives of Israelis and Palestinians at risk.

US: 'Pakistan back from the brink'.

Secy. Clinton was on the phone with Pakistani leaders over the weekend. Here are some comments about that process and the easing of tensions in Pakistan, from State Dept. Spokesman Robert Wood:

“Secretary wanted to make sure that Pakistani officials understood what our views were on the current situation and the importance of there not being any violence and the need for political dialogue. And that was the purpose of her phone calls. Frankly, what brought Pakistan back from the brink was, basically, decisions made by the Pakistani leadership. So this was basically decisions made by Pakistanis for Pakistanis. And they deserve all the credit…This was not something that the U.S. helped bring about...

...in terms of brink, I’m talking about from – potential of any political violence. And I know there was some over the weekend but it certainly could have been a lot worse were it not for the leadership of the Pakistani Government and the willingness of its people to, you know, take the steps necessary to back down from this crisis. And so, you know, it was a very difficult weekend. It was very politically charged. We’re all aware of that. But the important thing is that these steps were taken. The justices were reinstated. And the important thing now is to move forward, bringing about further reconciliation amongst Pakistanis and getting back to a real substantive political dialogue.

Secy. Clinton meets with Irish F.M. -- speaks out on Northern Ireland

'commitment to peace that touched my heart'

Remarks from Secy. of State Clinton, after meeting with Irish Foreign Minister Michael Martin:
"...in recent days, a handful of rejectionists have tried to drag the people of Northern Ireland back into a full cycle of violence and retaliation. The recent attacks which killed two British soldiers and a police officer are an affront to the values of every community, every ethnicity, every religion, and every nation that seeks peace. I want to commend the entire leadership of Northern Ireland as well as the Irish and British governments for their constructive statements and their strong resolve in the face of this attack...
... The United States stand with the people of Northern Ireland. We will not let criminals destroy the gains that have been achieved through great courage and sacrifice...
...I think like all people who value peace and who know what it’s like to feel secure sending your, you know, son to the store or waiting for your husband to come home from work, those days were thankfully behind us. And so when these criminal elements, these rejectionists, determined to kill and try to set the communities against one another in Northern Ireland again, to relive the troubles and the bad days that everyone worked so hard to resolve, it was distressing...
...But I was immediately heartened by the response across Northern Ireland, indeed, the island of Ireland with people speaking out against the murders and the violence and the provocation that these actions represented. I particularly appreciated the very strong statements of Northern Ireland’s leaders from both communities. ....
Now that doesn’t mean all of the problems are over and all of the difficulties that people live with day-to-day – the minister and I talked about some of the economic issues that we wanted to help address in Northern Ireland. But it did, in a resounding way, demonstrate a commitment to peace that touched my heart and was incredibly moving to me.

US: MADAGASCAR -- very troubling situation

Comment during daily press briefing from the US State Dept on the situation in Madagascar:
The 'State Dept. Spokesman, Robert Wood, acknowledged that after more than a week of:  "calling on all of the actors to exercise restraint, to commit to nonviolence, and to resolve differences through dialogue. It’s a very troubling situation on the ground...

...the important thing here is trying to get all the parties back to some type of dialogue. We speak about dialogue over and over again, but it really is critical here. It’s the only thing that’s going to prevent the country from, you know, going down the path to further violence, and none of us wants to see that happen. But in essence, the leadership – the leaders, the opposition – need to sit down and have a dialogue.

Madagascar - Explosions, Gunfire reported in capital

Agence France and Reuters have reported explosions in the capital of Madagascar, Monday.
There were also reports of gunfire and soldiers were seen positioned around the Presidential palace.
2 tanks were also seen near the palace.

Reportedly, the President, Marc Ravalomanana, is hiding out away from the palace.

This escalation, as the African Union meets in an emergency session to discuss the situation in Madagascar.

Crisis continues - No love of the 'I Love Magagascar' President

Where is the love? ... In Sept. 2007 the I Love Madagascar, or TIM, Party of the President, Marc Ravalomanana won a majority of seats. Today, he facing political and popular forces calling for him to leave office.

The large island nations, just southeast of mainland Africa, continues to be in a political and (potential) military jam. The situation started to brew after an opposition radio station was blocked and then heated up with months of protests, resulting and over 100 deaths.

According to VOA reports:  'Madagascar's opposition leader has rejected the president's offer to hold a referendum to decide who will be the country's leader.  Andry Rajoelina said Monday he is not interested in facing down President Marc Ravalomanana at the polls. Rajoelina told national television "the resignation of Ravalomanana is the solution" to the country's political deadlock. President Ravalomanana had said he would submit to a referendum in order to settle the country's deadly political crisis. '

The opposition leader accuses the president of turning into a dictator, and has repeatedly called for his resignation.  The opposition leader has claimed that he is in control of the armed forces,  but break-away military factions have said that they are loyal to neither side.


Info Brief of Madagascar Political Structure: There is one dominant political party, and several smaller ones. In the September 2007 National Assembly elections, the I Love Madagascar (TIM) Party of President Marc Ravalomanana won a majority of seats (82%), and as of April 2008 TIM held all of the 22 elected Senate seats.
In March 1998, Malagasy voters approved a revised constitution. The principal institutions of the Republic of Madagascar are a presidency, a parliament, a prime ministry and cabinet, and an independent judiciary. The president is elected by direct universal suffrage for a 5-year term, renewable twice. The last presidential election was held on December 3, 2006. In Madagascar, the parliament has two chambers; the National Assembly and the Senate. The last National Assembly election was held on September 23, 2007, and marked a significant reform to the parliament.
The prime minister and members of parliament initiate legislation, and the government executes it. The president can dissolve the National Assembly. For its part, the National Assembly can pass a motion of censure and require the prime minister and council of ministers to step down. The Constitutional Court approves the constitutionality of new laws.  Compiled from US State Dept. Info