The forgotten genocide against the Circassian nation
Tribute to the Circassians | Follow-up of election observation in Türkiye | Bashar al-Assad is back | And more...
Law Not War #5, the super summary:
Tribute to Circassians
Follow-up of election observation in Türkiye
Where we talk again about Austrian neutrality (to better criticize it)
Judge Mugambe appointed judge at the International Mechanism
Bashar al-Assad is back
And more….
Hello everyone,
I had never heard of the Circassians before. And yet.
And yet, I have been to Circassia before.
Unbeknownst to me, my travels before the 2018 World Cup in Sochi took place in Circassia. Historically, the region occupied the northern Caucasus, along the Black Sea coast.
I heard about the Circassians this week, on the occasion of the Circassian Day of Mourning on May 21st.
“On May 21 of 1864, the century-long Russian-Circassian war culminated with the defeat of Circassian nation in present-day Sochi. This event scattered the defeated tribes and left them as landless migrants in Ottoman Turkey,” writes the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization.
“In the following three years, the forced resettlement programme saw over 400,000 Circassians (along with 200,000 Abkhazians and Ajars) deported to Ottoman Empire. These turbulent years are believed to have resulted in the death or deportation of around 1,5 million Circassians.”
It's a part of history that seems to be little known and studied. However, here are a few links if you want to learn more:
Beyond the Pale of Civilization: The Legacy of the Circassian Genocide (The American Spectator)
Circassians and the Politics of Genocide Recognition (Europe-Asia Studies)
Avoir une pensée pour les Circassiens, ce peuple exclu de l’Histoire (Le Devoir)
Le premier génocide contemporain a-t-il eu lieu à Sotchi, avec le massacre des Circassiens le 21 mai 1864 ? (Slate.fr)
Let's not forget them.
Maxence
P.S.: The most adventurous readers will discover, at the end of the newsletter, a link to contemporary Circassian music.
Saved from the World-Wide Web those past few days
🇹🇷 Erdogan arrested and expelled international officials observing Turkish election (The Intercept)
Just a quick one. Last week’s issue of Law Not War included a link to the OSCE’s website, concluding that elections in Turkey were marked by an unlevel playing field yet were still competitive.
I thought it would be interesting to note that Spanish observers (“of the left-leaning Podemos party; EH Bildu, a Basque nationalist coalition; and a senator from Esquerra Republicana, a Catalonian leftist party”) were arrested. They had been invited by “the HDP, the leading Kurdish party”.
🇺🇦🇦🇹 Ukraine and the problem of Austrian neutrality: the paradoxes of a non-debate (Le Grand Continent)
While the article from the Responsible Statecraft relayed last week wanted to see in Austrian neutrality an inspiration for Ukraine, it seems to be quite another for Le Grand Continent and Hanna Corsini.
The article discusses the paradoxical situation of Austrian neutrality, which is increasingly losing its importance but remains extremely popular among Austrians who associate it with their national identity. As the concept of neutrality loses its meaning, Austrian political parties avoid debating the issue so as not to upset public sentiment.
Key points :
A lack of political debate: Austrian political parties avoid discussing the issue of neutrality in order, it seems, to accommodate the preferences of voters. They prefer to align themselves with public opinion rather than participate in a constructive debate on the usefulness of neutrality.
Insufficiency of neutrality in times of conflict: Austria's neutrality could be seen as a way of hiding its face given the country's proximity to potentially intense conflicts. The adoption of neutrality prevents Austria from having a strong voice within the European Union and limits its ability to influence decisions made in Brussels.
Austria stands out from other Western countries by funding only humanitarian aid to Ukraine and not the purchase of lethal weapons. However, this position is seen as a choice of the Austrian government rather than an obligation linked to neutrality. According to the article, Austria could theoretically vote in favor of using the "European Peace Facility" to finance war material for Ukraine. However, for internal political reasons and to avoid resistance from public opinion, the Austrian government prefers to use constructive abstention so as not to obstruct the decisions of the European Union's Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP).
🇺🇬 Justice Mugambe appointed International Criminal Tribunal judge (New Vision)
Justice Lydia Mugambe's recent appointment as a judge of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) by the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is a significant development for the international justice system. Here are the key takeaways:
Diversity in International Justice: Mugambe's appointment enhances the diversity of the IRMCT and signifies a notable contribution from Uganda to international criminal justice.
Continuity of International Tribunals: Mugambe will aid in maintaining the legacies of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), embodying best practices in international criminal justice.
Valuable Legal Experience: Mugambe's previous judicial experience and her landmark rulings on human rights underline the importance of legal expertise for international tribunal judges.
Advocate for Women’s Rights: Mugambe's commitment to women's rights, as seen in her past rulings, may influence the tribunal's approach to similar issues.
🇸🇾 Syria’s dictator is winning back friends in the Middle East. Now Congress has a plan to stop him (Semafor) / Bashar al-Assad at the Arab summit: a killer among his own (Libération)
Bashar al-Assad's efforts to normalize relations with Arab nations have been successful, despite his regime's notorious reputation for human rights abuses. U.S. lawmakers, however, are attempting to halt his reintegration with a bipartisan bill, the Assad Anti-Normalization Act. This aims to prevent U.S. recognition of Assad's government and reinforce sanctions, potentially impacting financial dealings with Syria from entities in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. Meanwhile, countries like the UAE argue for engagement with Assad as a necessary step towards peace and support for Syrian refugees. Despite moral reservations, European countries also appear to be wavering in their opposition to normalizing relations with Assad's regime.
🇺🇦 Assessing the controversial meeting of a U.N. official and Russian official wanted for arrest in the Hague (Just Security)
The article discusses a controversial meeting between a United Nations (UN) official, Virginia Gamba, and Maria Lvova-Belov,a who is wanted for arrest by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.
Key takeaways:
UN-ICC Cooperation and Guidelines: Since 2004, there has been a formal cooperation agreement between the UN and the ICC. In line with this, the UN Secretary-General issued a 'contacts policy' in 2013. This policy advises against meetings between UN officials and individuals subject to ICC arrest warrants, with exceptions for essential UN activities. The UN is also required to refrain from any actions undermining the ICC's authority.
Controversy and Reactions: The meeting between Gamba and Lvova-Belova has sparked controversy. Various human rights groups, international criminal law scholars, and officials have criticized the meeting, arguing that it violates the guidelines that govern UN-ICC interactions. The UN spokesperson has asserted that all procedures were followed, but critics argue that a clear explanation of how the meeting complied with the guidelines has not been given.
🧰Tool of the week
Map of war crimes trials in Ukraine (Justice Info)
Justice Info has compiled a map displaying the war crimes trials that have been concluded thus far in 20 different cities, involving 122 military personnel. The majority of these individuals are being tried in their absence. Up to this point, Ukraine has successfully prosecuted and sentenced 11 Russian soldiers who were physically present during their trial. However, it is important to note that this map does not encompass the numerous trials related to offences against national security.
Also rescued from the World-Wide Web
CPI: les plaidoiries dans le procès de l’ex-commissaire de la police islamique de Tombouctou (RFI)
ICC prosecutors: Mali rebel ‘enthusiastic’ war crimes perpetrator (Al Jazeera)
Congo files new complaint to ICC against Rwanda's military and M23 rebels (Reuters)
Putin’s Wicked Jester Betrays the Kremlin’s Game (CEPA)
Pashinian Says Armenia Is Ready To Recognize Nagorno-Karabakh As Part Of Azerbaijan Under Certain Conditions (RFE/RL)
How a front-line city became Ukraine’s romantic capital (The Economist)
Côte d'Ivoire : lancement de Meleagbo, le premier magazine LGBT+ d'Afrique de l'ouest (France 24)
NATO reaches back to Cold War past with first major defense plans (Reuters)
Don't open "Pandora's box" of WWII reparations, German ambassador warns Poland (Notes from Poland)
If you’re still reading this, 👏 (and thanks). This is the end of this edition, thank you for stopping by :)
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See you next time!
Maxence
Currently listening to: Circassian Songs of XX Century
P.S.: Prefer to read in French? Lucky you: this is a bilingual publication.