Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader committed to defeating Israel

His understanding of the everyday hardships and brutal realities in Gaza was well-received by Gazans and made people feel at ease.

Reuters Published October 17, 2024

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar remained unambiguous about the October 7 attacks a year ago, people in contact with him said, despite it triggering a devastating Israeli invasion that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, laid waste to Gaza and rained destruction on ally Hezbollah.


On Thursday, the Israeli military claimed that it had killed Sinwar, 62, architect of the Hamas cross-border raids that became the deadliest day in Israel’s history.

For Sinwar, armed struggle remained the only way to force the creation of a Palestinian nation, four Palestinian officials and two sources from governments in the Middle East said, speaking in weeks leading up to the Oct 7 anniversary.

The Oct 7 attacks killed 1,200 people, mainly civilians, and captured 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies, in the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust.

Israel responded by launching a massive devastating offensive, killing 42,400 people and displacing 1.9 million, according to Palestinian health authorities and UN figures.

Now the conflict has spread to Lebanon, with Israel heavily degrading Iranian-backed Hezbollah, including killing most of its leadership. Hamas patron Tehran is at risk of being pulled into open war with Israel.

Sinwar drew Iran and its entire “Axis of Resistance” — comprising Hezbollah, Yemen’s Houthis and Iraqi militias — into conflict with Israel, said Hassan Hassan, an author and researcher.

“We’re seeing now the ripple effects of Oct 7. Sinwar’s gamble didn’t work,” Hassan said, suggesting that the Axis of Resistance may never recover.

“What Israel did to Hezbollah in two weeks is almost equal to a whole year of degrading Hamas in Gaza. With Hezbollah, three layers of leadership have been eliminated, its military command has been decimated, and its important leader Hassan Nasrallah has been assassinated,” Hassan added.

Sinwar’s grip on Hamas remained unwavering, despite some signs of dissent among Gazans.

He was chosen as the movement’s overall leader after his predecessor Ismail Haniyeh was killed in July by a suspected Israeli strike during a visit to Tehran. Israel has not confirmed its involvement in the strike.

Operating from the shadows of a network of labyrinthine tunnels under Gaza, two Israeli sources said Sinwar and his brother, also a top commander, had appeared to have survived Israeli airstrikes, which have reportedly killed his deputy Mohammed Deif and other senior leaders.

Dubbed “The Face of Evil” by Israel, Sinwar operated in secrecy, moving constantly and using trusted messengers for non-digital communication, according to three Hamas officials and one regional official. He was not seen in public since Oct 7, 2023.

Over months of failed ceasefire talks, led by Qatar and Egypt, that focused on swapping prisoners for hostages, Sinwar was the sole decision-maker, three Hamas sources said. Negotiators would wait for days for responses filtered through a secretive chain of messengers.

Hamas and Israel did not respond to requests for comment. Sinwar’s high tolerance for bearing hardship, both for himself and for the Palestinian people, in the name of a cause, was apparent when he helped negotiate the 2011 exchange of 1,027 prisoners, himself included, for one kidnapped Israeli soldier held in Gaza. The kidnapping by Hamas had led to an Israeli assault on the coastal enclave and thousands of Palestinian deaths.

Half a dozen people who knew Sinwar told Reuters that his resolve was shaped by an impoverished childhood in Gaza’s refugee camps and a brutal 22 years in Israeli custody, including a period in Ashkelon, the town his parents called home before fleeing after the 1948 Arab-Israeli war.

The question of hostages and prisoner swaps was deeply personal for Sinwar, said all the sources, who requested anonymity to speak freely about sensitive matters. He had vowed to free all Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.

Sinwar became a member of Hamas soon after its founding in the 1980s, adopting the group’s ideology, which seeks to establish an Islamic state in historic Palestine and opposes Israel’s existence.

The ideology views Israel not only as a political rival but as an occupying force on Muslim land. Seen in this light, hardships and suffering were often interpreted by him and his followers as part of a larger belief in sacrifice, experts on Islamist movements say.

“What lies behind his resolve is tenacity of ideology, tenacity of goal. He’s ascetic and satisfied with little,” said one senior Hamas official who requested anonymity.
From sackcloth to leader

Before the conflict, Sinwar would sometimes tell of his early life in Gaza during decades of Israeli occupation, once saying his mother made clothes from empty UN food-aid sacks, according to Gaza resident Wissam Ibrahim, who has met him.

In a semi-autobiographical novel written in prison, Sinwar described scenes of troops bulldozing Palestinian houses, “like a monster crushing its prey’s bones”, before Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005.

An enforcer tasked with punishing Palestinians suspected of informing Israel, Sinwar then made his name as a prison leader, emerging as a street hero from a 22-year Israeli sentence for allegedly masterminding the abduction and killing of two Israeli soldiers and four Palestinians. He then quickly rose to the top of the Hamas ranks.

His understanding of the everyday hardships and brutal realities in Gaza was well-received by Gazans and made people feel at ease, four journalists and three Hamas officials said, despite his fearsome reputation and explosive anger.

Sinwar was regarded by Arab and Palestinian officials as the architect of Hamas’ strategy and military capabilities, bolstered by his strong ties with Iran, which he visited in 2012.

Before orchestrating the Oct 7 raids, Sinwar made no secret of his desire to strike his enemy hard.

In a speech the year before, he vowed to send a flood of fighters and rockets to Israel, hinting at a war that would either unite the world to establish a Palestinian state on land Israel occupied in 1967 or leave the Jewish nation isolated on the global stage.

By the time of the speech, Sinwar and Deif had already hatched secret plans for the assault. They were even running training drills in public that simulated such an attack.

His goals have not been fulfilled. While the issue is once again at the top of the global agenda, the prospect of a Palestinian nation is as distant as ever. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has categorically rejected a post-conflict plan for Gaza that would include a firm timeline for the establishment of a Palestinian state.
‘Head harder than a rock’

Sinwar was arrested in 1988 and sentenced to four life sentences, accused of orchestrating the abduction and murder of two Israeli soldiers and four suspected Palestinian informants.

Nabih Awadah, a former Lebanese Communist militant who was imprisoned with Sinwar in Ashkelon between 1991-95, said the Hamas leader viewed the 1993 Oslo peace accords between Israel and the Palestinian Authority as “disastrous” and a ruse by Israel, which he said would only relinquish Palestinian land “by force, not by negotiations”.

Calling him “willful and dogmatic”, Awadah said Sinwar would light up with joy whenever he heard of attacks against Israelis by Hamas or Lebanon’s Hezbollah group. For him, military confrontation was the only path “to liberating Palestine” from Israeli occupation.

Awadah said Sinwar was an “influential model to all prisoners, even those who were not Islamists or religious”. Michael Koubi, a former official with Israel’s Shin Bet security agency who interrogated Sinwar for 180 hours in prison, said Sinwar clearly stood out for his ability to intimidate and command.

Koubi once asked him, then aged 28 or 29, why he was not already married. “He told me Hamas is my wife, Hamas is my child. Hamas for me is everything.” Sinwar married after his release from prison in 2011 and has three children.

In jail, he continued to pursue Palestinian spies, Awadah said, echoing reports from Shin Bet interrogators.

His sharp instincts and caution allowed him to identify and expose Shin Bet informants infiltrating the prison, Awadah said.

He said Sinwar’s leadership was pivotal during a hunger strike in 1992, in which he led over 1,000 prisoners to survive solely on water and salt. Sinwar negotiated with prison authorities and refused to settle for partial concessions. He also used his time in prison to learn fluent Hebrew.

Awadah said Sinwar frequently recalled that Ashkelon, where they were imprisoned together, was his family’s ancestral hometown.

When playing table tennis in the courtyard of Ashkelon jail, in present-day Israel, Sinwar would often play barefoot, saying he wanted his feet to touch the land of Palestine.

“Sinwar often told us: ‘I’m not in prison; I’m on my land. I am free here, in my country.’”

Header image: Head of the political wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip Yahya Sinwar attends a rally in support of Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa mosque in Gaza City on October 1, 2022. — AFP

Pakistan’s climate victory: A seat at the table, but is the funding enough?

Developing countries like Pakistan must grasp the finance architecture for operationalising loss and damage, as it will be key at the upcoming COP.

Ali Tauqeer Sheikh

Published October 18, 2024

DAWN


The announcement of the Loss and Damage Fund (LDF) at the 2022 UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Egypt was a significant diplomatic victory for Pakistan, as was its formalisation at COP28 last year in the United Arab Emirates.

In the last two years, Loss and Damage (L&D) — referring to irreversible costs of climate change beyond ecosystems’ adaptive capacities — has emerged as a central focus of L&D finance, even if it has yet to become operational. Regrettably, the allocated funds remain woefully inadequate, amounting to approximately $700 million against an estimated need of $290-580 billion by 2030.

To fully leverage the potential of L&D, countries like Pakistan have to understand the two foundational mechanisms that preceded the LDF: the Warsaw International Mechanism (WIM) and the Santiago Network. Together, these three mechanisms form the core architecture for enabling developing countries to respond to Loss and Damage.
Out of sync

WIM and the Santiago Network are not financing entities. WIM is a coordinating platform that provides technical support and guidance on approaches to address L&D. The Santiago Network, on the other hand, is an L&D capacity-building initiative. Their interconnectedness and respective mandates will be pivotal in the discussions at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

WIM, established in 2013, offers an overarching framework from which both the Santiago Network and the Loss and Damage Fund were developed. Mandated as the conceptual umbrella, it has spearheaded technical studies across five key L&D areas: 1) slow-onset climate events, 2) non-economic losses, 3) comprehensive risk management, 4) displacement and 5) action and support. These studies have fostered the development of several methodologies and guidelines that enable the testing and piloting of community-led projects in diverse ecosystems.

At the same time, these studies have enhanced the technical capacities of participating countries, as they help in distinguishing L&D from adaptation, demonstrating how the latest climate science can inform policymaking relevant to averting, minimising and addressing L&D. This body of literature has also sparked a process of distinguishing L&D from adaptation in order to facilitate a distinct financing stream under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Regrettably, Pakistan’s weak technical capacity and lack of coordination between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which represents Pakistan in the WIM Executive Committee, and the Ministry of Climate Change (MOCC), which represents Pakistan in the Santiago Network, have hindered its effective engagement.

As a result, our climate and other sectoral policies, including the Nationally Determined Contributions and National Adaptation Plan, are not informed by these five crucial areas of L&D action. Pakistan’s absence from technical groups has been a missed opportunity in augmenting national capacity.

Established under the WIM in 2019, the Santiago Network is a vital initiative aimed at providing technical assistance to particularly vulnerable countries like Pakistan. Its mandate is to facilitate technical assistance, connecting nations with relevant organisations, networks and experts. At present, it is still trying to scale up its activities since its operationalisation in 2022.

Despite its limitations, including limited staffing and financing, the network remains critical in supporting vulnerable nations in their efforts to cope with adverse climate effects through targeted technical assistance, knowledge sharing and capacity-building. The network’s efforts will assume a greater importance in helping countries develop the capacity to effectively access and utilise financial support from the LDF.

This will extend the network’s role beyond mere technical assistance. The review of the WIM has been a contentious issue since COP24, with ongoing debates over COP/CMA governance. This lack of agreement has stalled meaningful progress on WIM’s long-term vision.

Last year’s climate summit, COP28, in Dubai, marked a critical juncture for these climate finance mechanisms. For the Santiago Network, the discussions also touched on how to integrate it more closely with the LDF to ensure seamless support from technical assistance to financial support.

Pakistan successfully secured a seat on the governance structures of both the LDF and the Santiago Network, represented by this author at the LDF and by the climate ministry secretary at the Santiago Network. Frequent posting and transfers of officers at MOCC has further hampered Pakistan’s participation in the Santiago Network.

While the WIM serves as the overarching framework, the Santiago Network focuses on technical assistance, and the LDF represents the financial backbone required to implement robust climate action. This tripartite structure reflects a holistic approach to tackling climate vulnerabilities.

The existence of these three mechanisms encourages policy coherence at national and international levels, enabling countries to align their climate strategies and leverage support across all three areas. As these mechanisms evolve and mature, they have the potential to bridge the gap between those most affected by climate change and the resources they desperately need.

At COP29 in Baku, the interplay between these three mechanisms is expected to resurface. Key discussions will likely involve establishing clear criteria for accessing support and ensuring transparency in decision-making processes. There will likely be a strong push for greater integration among the three mechanisms, focusing on strengthening the WIM’s capacity to provide strategic guidance to the other two mechanisms, ensuring coherence and maximising their collective impact.

This could involve creating streamlined processes for countries to access technical support through the Santiago Network in tandem with financial aid from the LDF. Developing robust methodologies for measuring the impact of interventions, in such areas as non-economic loss and damage (NELD), supported by these mechanisms will be vital for demonstrating their value and securing ongoing support.

Additionally, expanding the network of partners involved in the Santiago Network and diversifying funding sources for the LDF are likely to be on the agenda. There may be increased attention on how these mechanisms can better address non-economic losses and damages, such as the loss of culture and biodiversity.

Another key aspect is ensuring that LD finance is integrated into the New Collective Quantified Goals (NCQGs). However, developed countries have so far resisted including any specific L&D financing targets within the NCQG framework.

As climate impacts intensify, the global community’s ability to operationalise and harmonise these mechanisms will be critical. The discussions at COP29 in Baku will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of climate finance for L&D. The effectiveness of these mechanisms in delivering timely, efficient and comprehensive support to those on the frontlines of climate change will serve as a litmus test for global solidarity.

Header Image: Climate and human rights activists in a rally organised by the Asia Peoples’ Movement on Debt and Development at Karachi Press Club, Pakistan in September, 2024 (Credit: Pakistan Press International/Alamy)

This article was originally published in Dialogue Earth and has been reproduced here with permission.

Pakistan

Rights review

Rabiya Javeri Agha

Published October 17, 2024 

DAWN

LIKE any country in the world, Pakistan is host to multifaceted and complex human rights issues. The country’s marginalised groups, women, minorities, and children frequently face systemic rights violations that are rooted in entrenched power structures.

Perpetrators enjoy impunity, with little rehabilitative support offered to victims. It is thus of little surprise that Pakistan’s performance on international indexes is faltering. Pakistan ranked 164 out of 193 countries under the latest Human Development Index, placing it firmly in the “low human development” category in terms of education, health and income levels.

The situation on the ground is worrying, especially when one considers the Government of Pakistan’s international commitments under the seven core United Nations human rights treaties it has ratified. These treaties are more than just paper. They create concrete obligations for the government to respect and fulfil key civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of all those in its territory. On Oct 17, 2024, the Government of Pakistan’s performance pertaining to civil and political rights, as enshrined under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), will come under review before the UN Human Rights Committee. The committee will engage in a constructive dialogue with the government, at the end of which a list of recommendations will be issued.

While Pakistan has ratified the core UN human rights treaties, its commitment to upholding the rights within remains fragile. The upcoming review underscores the importance of reform. The National Commission for Human Rights (NHCR) plays a pivotal role in this process. In its capacity as an official, independent rights watchdog under the NCHR Act of 2012, it has resolved over 7,900 cases and played a key role in advocating for human rights at home and abroad. Through its research and advocacy, the NCHR has successfully challenged discriminatory practices, secured the release of prisoners, and worked to maintain our operational independence despite challenges. However, these efforts alone are not enough to reverse the systemic issues that hold Pakistan back. Our report to the UN committee outlines Pakistan’s legislative and administrative strides, but also highlights persistent challenges in enforcement.


Pakistan’s commitment to upholding human rights remains fragile.

An area of grave concern is violence against women. Despite constitutional and legal protections, 23 per cent of married women in Pakistan report physical abuse, while 26pc face emotional abuse. These alarming statistics point to systemic flaws in law enforcement and the judiciary, where patriarchal norms limit justice for victims. With only 18pc of reported rape cases reaching court, the path to justice is fraught with challenges. The economic cost of this violence, estimated at $189.7 million annually, is a further burden Pakistan can ill afford. Strengthening legal frameworks, providing better protection, and empowering women must become national priorities.

Religious minorities in Pakistan also face escalating violence and discrimination. The misuse of blasphemy laws led to 705 people being jailed by mid-2024, and continues to cause concern, while forced conversions — especially of Hindu girls — underline the vulnerabilities of marginalised communities. While legislative measures exist, enforcement is weak, leaving minority groups exposed to socioeconomic and religious persecution. The NCHR has worked diligently to address these issues but recognises that more comprehensive reforms are urg­e­ntly needed, particularly in tackling extremism and reforming re­­ligious education.

Torture and ill-treatment by law enforcement rem­ain troubling rea­lities. Despite the passage of the Tor­-ture and Custo­d­ial Death (Prevention and Punishment) Act in 2022, implementation has been slow. Torture is not only a violation of human dignity, but a symptom of larger institutional flaws. Inhumane prison conditions, exacerbated by overcrowding and inadequate medical care, add to the suffering, with pre-trial detainees making up a significant portion of the prison population.

Pakistan’s international human rights obligations are not just boxes to be ticked — they represent the rights and dignity of its people. As we approach the next ICCPR review, the NCHR will continue to advocate for reforms that bring us closer to fulfilling these commitments. The government must act decisively to improve conditions for women, minorities, and the incarcerated, ensuring that no one in Pakistan is left behind. The future of human rights in Pakistan depends on meaningful action. It’s time to turn rhetoric into reality.

The writer is the chairperson of the National Commission for Human Rights.

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2024

PAKISTAN

Bracing for impact

Editorial 

Published October 18, 2024 

DAWN

CLIMATE change is here to stay. As Pakistan confronts serious structural imbalances, recurring natural calamities — from massive floods and prolonged droughts to intense heat stress and food insecurity — are posing an existential threat to the country’s economic future. That the IMF has advised the authorities to spend at least 1pc of GDP annually on climate-resilient infrastructure highlights the expanding gap between what is being done and what needs to be done to combat this growing threat across Pakistan. Rising water shortages, desertification, rapid glacial melt, and unseasonal and intense monsoons accompanied by frequent large-scale flooding are all signs that it is necessary to take quick action. The need to improve climate resilience and adaptation in order to cope with and “prepare for recurring extreme weather events, and sustain economic growth, and reverse inequalities” has never been more urgent.

It has often been pointed out that Pakistan is among the top 10 nations in the world most affected by the changing climate. As such, it faces a significantly higher rate of warming than the global average, and increasing and greater climate variability. In emphasising the need for “proactive investment in climate-adaptive infrastructure”, as it could help “reduce the negative growth impact of a natural disaster shock by one-third while ensuring a quicker return of Pakistan to its previous GDP level by increasing its climate resilience and buffering climate shocks”, the new IMF policy note, in fact, paints a grim picture of the difficult task ahead. The reality is that an ever-widening resource crunch and regular economic crises have constrained the ability of the country to invest in climate resilience and adaptation. The world is not helping either. For example, only a fraction of what was committed to aiding Pakistan in the task of rebuilding infrastructure destroyed by the floods of 2022 and rehabilitating millions of affected people, has materialised. Nonetheless, it would be unfair to lay the entire blame for our poor climate-related investments at the door of others. Our own policymakers have failed to grasp the situation and plan accordingly. Take the country’s energy policy. Rather than encouraging investments in cleaner renewable solar and wind power, we remain focused on dirty coal, without realising its future costs to the environment, human health and livelihoods. Investments alone will not work without correcting our development policy course.

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2024

AGRICULTURE: LOSING THE LUSCIOUS LYCHEE

Muhammad Sadaqat 

Published October 13, 2024
DAWN

A lychee tree in an orchard in Khanpur | Photo by the writer

Malik Fiaz, now 70, has been involved in lychee farming in the Panjkatha area of Khanpur in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Haripur district for decades. It started with his father, and now his children and grandchildren are also working as pre-harvest fruit contractors.

But with the onset of unusual climatic events, particularly over the last few years, there has been a steady decline in produce and food size, resulting in shrinking profits. “Not too long ago, the Khanpuri lychee used to fetch a handsome amount of foreign exchange every season, with high demand in the Gulf states,” Fiaz tells Eos. “But now, we often worry about breaking even,” he adds.

Khanpur’s Panjkatha [Five Watercourses] is a conglomeration of over a dozen small and large countryside localities. The majority of its dwellers resettled there following displacement by the Khanpur Dam project in the 1970s. With fertile soil and abundant water, the area is known as the fruit basket of the district, with lychee among its most sought-after produce.

A recent survey, conducted by Dr Waseem Ahmed, an adjunct professor in the horticulture department at the University of Haripur (UoH), found that around 5,000 farmers across Haripur were growing lychee over roughly 1,500 hectares of land. The fruit is harvested between June and July, with an estimated yield of 15,000-20,000 metric tonnes, and an appraised yearly worth of Rs1.5-2 billion (USD 10-15 million), says Dr Ahmed.



Until a few years ago, lychee farmers in KP’s Haripur district were earning Pakistan hefty foreign exchange from export of their much sought-after fruit. But climate change and environmental deterioration have meant they are now scrambling to meet even domestic demand

It also provides employment opportunities to hundreds of unskilled and skilled workers, with Dr Ahmed telling Eos that the flowering to ripening duration of the fruit lasts between 120-150 days, with processes such as pruning, fertilisation, pest/disease management and irrigation involving 150-200 people per hectare.

ORIGINS OF LYCHEE

The lychee is a native to Southeast Asia and has been a favourite fruit of the Cantonese since ancient times, according to the Encyclopaedia Britannica. China is the main producer of lychees, followed by India, with production also occurring in other countries in Southeast Asia.

According to the records of the provincial agriculture department, the Nursery Fruit Farm, locally known as Sarkari Bagh and spread over 128 kanals (one kanal is approximately 500 sq metres), was established during British rule in 1913. It included a lychee farm of around 180 trees, spread over 22 kanals.

Octogenarian Haider Khan, a retired teacher, relying on oral history, says his grandfather told him that lychee was first cultivated in Haripur during the early days of Sikh rule. “The Sarkari Bagh was established by General Hari Singh Nalwa in 1822, and its original name is Hari ka Bagh or Garden of Hari Singh Nalwa,” Khan tells Eos.

A 2008 paper, published in Acta Horticulturae, contends that lychee was first introduced in Pakistan in the 1930s by Sardar Faqir Singh from Dheradun in India, and remained an exotic plant until the 1960s, when commercial production started from few orchards located near Lahore. Owing to its good fruit quality and profitability, large scale plantations expanded to Haripur, Hazara and, later, to parts of Sindh.

CLIMATIC CHANGES

In the last few years, farmers tell Eos, the fruit size and harvest quantity of lychee has decreased drastically, due to climatic events. These include changes in temperature and precipitation levels, unpredictable rainfall and increased frequency of extreme weather events, such as flash floods and droughts,

The rise in temperature causes lychee flowers to bloom earlier, making them more vulnerable to frost damage. The warmer temperatures are causing the lychee growing season to shift, potentially leading to missed flowering and fruiting stages.

Changes in precipitation patterns and increased evaporation due to warmer temperatures are also affecting irrigation water accessibility, impacting lychee yields.

Fiaz Malik says that recent wildfires in the surrounding hilly areas have added to the increase in temperature — going as high as 45 degrees Celsius — and there is a shortage of irrigation water from Khanpur Dam, causing the fruit’s skin to crack, also known as ‘lychee browning.’

“These two key factors have reduced the yield by 60 percent,” he tells Eos. “We used to export lychee, but now we are unable to meet the local market’s needs.”

Moreover, the orchards’ proximity to the Hattar Economic Zone, home to over 600 industries, is also cited as a reason for the decline in output. Ahsan Khan, a development practitioner from the area, tells Eos that these industries are major emitters of greenhouse gases. “They also contribute water and soil pollutants in the area, due to non-compliance of National Environmental Quality Standards [NEQs], as a result of legal and administrative shortcomings,” he adds.

UNRELIABLE DATA SETS

According to data from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) Directorate of Crop Reporting Services, Haripur had 10,456 hectares of irrigated land in 2017-2018, out of a total cropped area of 84,324 hectares. In that year, the province-wide production of kharif [monsoon] fruits, such as guava, apple, apricot, banana, plum (including lychee, which was placed in the ‘others’ column of the report) was reported to be 343,081 tonnes, which was 3.2 percent less than the previous year. The report said the kharif fruit crops were spread over 36,637 hectares. It added that, in Haripur, 565 hectares were used for kharif fruit crops, and total production in the district was 5,088 tonnes, with lychee not mentioned as a separate fruit despite its significance.

Interestingly, statistics for 2022, from the local crop reporting service of Haripur — which reports to the provincial department — show that 88 hectares of land was under kharif fruit crops, including lychee, with gross production at 4,943 tonnes. This would mean a nearly 85 percent decrease in coverage area and a 2.8 percent decrease in production.

When this disparity was highlighted to the directorate in Peshawar, its officials said that the local record was reliable as the data was based on information collected by the revenue department. The department said the reduction in coverage area and orchards was due to the unplanned growth of residential societies and commercialisation.

One local fruit contractor tells Eos that the Panjkatha area has around 125 acres (around 50 hectares) of lychee orchards left. “Around 50 acres of orchards were cut down due to water shortage and unchecked growth of residential societies during the last four years,” says Muhammad Murtaza.

IN SEARCH OF Solutions

Experts agree that farmers growing the lychee crop need to take adaptive measures, such as selecting resilient lychee varieties, adjusting planting schedules, implementing water management strategies, and adopting climate-smart agricultural practices to mitigate the effects of climate change.

This includes, according to Dr Ahmed, using known approaches to counter lychee browning. “One approach to control it involves using abscisic acid to reduce polyphenol oxides and peroxides activity, effectively controlling peel browning,” he tells Eos.

Another method includes treating lychee fruit with a melatonin solution before harvesting, followed by cleaning with acidic electrolysed water and storing the fruit in modified-atmosphere packaging with polythene film bags, resulting in reduced disease occurrence and peel browning, Dr Ahmed continues.

Dr Abdul Qayum, a climate change expert at the agronomy department of the University of Haripur recommends the development of climate-resilient lychee varieties, and the implementation of efficient irrigation systems and management practices to reduce water stress and optimise water use.

Meanwhile, the agriculture department has planted different fruit species over an area of 250 hectares in Haripur as part of a World Bank-funded project to achieve climatic resilience through horticulture. “We are also educating farmers to adopt and adapt climate-resilient agriculture practices,” says Mumtaz Khan, the department’s district director in Haripur.

Ahsan Khan, the local development practitioner, says there is a need to bring under control the hazardous industrial emissions and chemical-laden sewers from the industries in Hattar in order to protect the ecosystem, especially fruit orchards.

The writer is a freelance journalist and human rights defender based in KP.

 X: @MSadqat

Published in Dawn, EOS, October 13th, 2024

AI enhances flood warnings, but cannot erase risk of disaster

Reuters 

Published October 16, 2024 

LONDON: When floods ripped through parts of Europe last month, the scale of the destruction took people by surprise. The intense rains should not have come as a surprise because those had been predicted by sophisticated forecasting systems enhanced with artificial intelligence.

But forewarned did not mean forearmed. Though the rains were accurately predicted, the effects in the deluged areas were not — a fact that highlights the difficulties of dealing with ever more common extreme weather.

Artificial intelligence has supercharged weather forecasting, using a range of statistical tools to analyse years of historical data and predict patterns, and at a lower cost than traditional numerical weather predictions.

For example, Google-funded GraphCast, a machine learning-based method trained dir­e­ctly from reanalysis data, was found to outperform traditional models. Reanalysis data relies on past forecasts rerun with modern forecasting models to provide the most complete picture of past weather and climate.

Experts stress need for better climate risk preparedness

But there are still gaps in knowledge, in how the information in used and in investment to strengthen data gathering models, experts say.

“In some cases and for some variables, AI models can beat physics-based models, but in other cases vice versa,” said Andrew Charlton-Perez, professor of meteorology at the University of Reading, in Britain.

One issue is that the effectiveness of an AI model is only as good as the information it is fed. If there is little input data, or extreme events happen more frequently at different times of the year or in different regions, weather disasters become more challenging to predict.

Communication is key

Since January, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), an independent organisation that provides predictions four times per day to European countries, has been using the Artificial Intelligence-Integrated Fore­casting System (AIFS).

This data-driven forecasting model makes multiple predictions rapidly and delivers long-term forecasts of weather events like cyclones and heat waves.

The ECMWF readings before last month’s floods were accurate, experts say.

Thomas Wostal, press officer for meteorological observatory GeoSphere Austria, told Context-the Thomson Reuters Foundation that their numerical models, including the ECMWF’s predictions, foresaw 300-400 millimetres (11.8-15.7 inches) of rain locally, which came to pass.

But even with accurate forecasts, scientists say communication is the key, especially in an era when climate change means extreme weather is becoming more frequent.

“I think what happened with (the recent floods) … is that it’s so rare — a one in 150 to 200 a year event — that even if the weather models capture it, there’s a reasonable degree of uncertainty,” said Shruti Nath, a post-doctoral research assistant in predicting weather and climate at Oxford University.

Europe behind the curve?

Europe faces urgent climate risks that are outpacing policies and adaptation actions, a report from the European Environment Agency (EEA) has warned.

Extreme heat, drought, wildfires and flooding will worsen in Europe even under optimistic global warming scenarios and affect living conditions throughout the continent, the EEA says.

Some tech entrepreneurs say Europe is not ready.

Jonas Torland, a co-founder of Norway-based 7Analytics, which develops models for predicting floods and landslides, said governments and businesses in the United States had risk managers who were more accustomed to assessing environmental hazards, while in Europe, authorities lacked readiness.

“While AI is a crucial component of these models, unfortunately, governments are not investing in or purchasing these advanced AI solutions,” he said, adding that he believed governments “stick to their old data providers and consultants”.

Data processing is also a challenge because these complex AI models need to run updates every hour as forecasts change.

High computing power also means huge amounts of energy and water are needed, which makes AI models part of the problem because they are adding to the planet-heating emissions driving the climate emergency.

Some big technology companies, like Microsoft and Google, are exploring the use of nuclear power to run their huge data storage centres.

Other scientists stress that beyond refining their forecasting abilities, authorities need to invest in physical solutions, like developing areas where floodwater can safely be stored, and early warning systems.

They also need to minimise development in flood-prone areas, given the likelihood of more intense climate change-driven floods, and meet their commitments to limit emissions.

“It’s not a question of data or technology or knowledge. It’s a question of implementation, political will,” Friederike Otto, a senior lecturer at Imperial College in London, said in an email response to questions.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2024
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Amid global decline in internet freedom, Pakistan classified as ‘not free’

Zaki Abbas 

Published October 18, 2024 

DAWN

Source: Freedom On The Net 2024


ISLAMABAD: As global internet freedom declined for the 14th consecutive year, Pakistan has joined the ranks of almost two dozen countries that have been declared ‘not free’ for doling out harsh punishments and imposing curbs on the internet.

In its report Freedom on the Net 2024, Freedom House — a Washington DC-based organisation that tracks democracy and threats to freedom around the world — has assessed internet freedom in 72 countries.


The report uses a “standard methodology to determine each country’s internet freedom score on a 100-point scale” to document how governments censor and control the digital sphere. Pakistan scored 27 out of 100 (not free) along with 21 countries, including China, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Iran. India, with a score of 50, was declared ‘partly free’ along with 31 other countries. Nineteen countries were ranked ‘free’ by the report.

The criteria used to determine this score were spread across eight categories — internet connectivity deliberately disrupted; social media platforms blocked; websites hosting political, social, or religious content blocked; internet user arrested or imprisoned for online activities; internet user physically attacked or killed for online activities; pro-government commentators manipulating online discussion; new law or directive increasing surveillance or restricting anonymity passed; and new law or directive increasing censorship or punishment passed.

Of these eight, Pakistan checked seven boxes, barring the passage of a ‘new law or directive increasing surveillance or restricting anonymity’.

Freedom House said protections for human rights online diminished in 27 of the 72 countries, with 18 states earning improvements. In at least 56 of the 72 countries covered by the report, internet users were arrested due to their political, social, or religious expression. In at least 43 countries, people were physically attacked or killed in retaliation for their online activities.

According to the 2024 report, over 5 billion people have access to the internet and 79 per cent live in countries where individuals were arrested or imprisoned for posting content on political, social, or religious issues. For the first time in 10 years, China shared its designation as the world’s worst environment for internet freedom with Myanmar, where the military regime imposed a new censorship system that ratcheted up restrictions.

Elections, disinformation

The report also sheds light on the use of the digital sphere by governments to manipulate information in addition to censoring information, particularly during elections.

In 25 of the 41 countries surveyed, that had held or prepared for nationwide elections, governments blo­cked websites, restric­ted access to social media platforms, or cut off internet connectivity altogether, it added.

The report said blocking websites was the most common form of poll-rela­ted censorship whereas the internet shutdowns were the least common poll-related censorship tactic.

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2024

Pak-American committee endorses Trump, citing ‘legislative coup’ against Imran during Biden term

Dawn.com Published October 18, 2024 

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump clenches his fist as he leaves after speaking at a campaign rally at Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada.—AFP

The Pakistani-American Public Affairs Committee (PAKPAC USA) endorsed Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump for the November 5 US elections on Friday, citing an alleged “legislative coup” by the Pakistani government under the Biden administration that led to the ousting of jailed PTI founder Imran Khan.

In the US, a PAC refers to an organisation that pools campaign contributions from members and donates those funds to support or oppose candidates, ballot initiatives, or legislation.

PAKPAC USA, which promotes Pakistan’s interests in the US Congress, claims it aims to strengthen democracy in Pakistan and does not support or oppose any political party or group.

Imran was removed from office in 2022 after the opposition, according to to Article 95 of the Constitution, moved a successful no-confidence motion against him.

The former premier has repeatedly claimed that his government was sent packing and PM Shehbaz’s regime was subsequently “imposed” on the country as part of a “conspiracy” hatched by the US against his insistence on having an independent foreign policy.

According to a statement issued by PAKPAC on the X platform, the committee was “proud to endorse former president Donald Trump” for the US elections next month.

“We believe the former president is the candidate who will improve US-Pakistan relations, secure the release of all wrongfully imprisoned political prisoners in Pakistan, and work towards reversal of Pakistan’s dangerous democratic backsliding,” the statement said.

It added that the former US president had met with the ex-premier Imran during his visit to the US, fostering dialogue between the two nations.

During Trump’s presidency, it continued, administration officials travelled to Pakistan, engaging in direct talks with Pakistani ministers, alleging that such efforts were seen under the Biden/Harris administration.

It alleged that, under US President Biden, “the Pakistani government was pushed into a legislative coup against the popular and democratically elected” premier Imran.

“And the administration has done nothing since to secure the release of the former prime minister and other political prisoners,” it said, adding that international observers and state department officials have acknowledged election irregularities.

“After tireless discussions with the Harris campaign, we fear these policies would persist under a Harris presidency, further straining relations between our two nations,” it said.

“We believe that Trump’s leadership will promote stronger diplomatic and economic ties, and ensure that Pakistani-American interests are represented at the highest levels of government,” it added.

In 2022, the US State Department denied Imran’s claim that Washington was behind an alleged conspiracy to overthrow his government. According to Khan, Donald Lu, the Assistant Secretary at the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs in the Department of State, had allegedly threatened a regime change in Pakistan.

In response to the allegations, US’s Deputy State Department Spokesperson Jalina Porter said, “Let me just say very bluntly there is absolutely no truth to these allegations.”

Later, the US State Department called Imran’s arrest in the Toshakhana case “Pakistan’s internal matter” and a spokesperson from the department stated, “We call for the respect of democratic principles and the rule of law in Pakistan, as we do around the world.”

Earlier this year, US Senator Chuck Schumer warned regarding Imran Khan’s safety when speaking to Pakistani Ambassador Masood Khan, according to The Intercept. He had previously said that the former PM’s anti-American statements worsened tensions between the two countries stating, “Your former prime minister did not talk positive about the US,” Geo News reported.

PM Shehbaz urges US President Biden to pardon Dr Aafia Siddiqui on humanitarian grounds

Tahir Naseer

Published October 18, 2024

DAWN

A combination photo featuring Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Dr Aafa Siddiqui and US President Joe Biden. — Dawn/File

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has requested that US President Joe Biden pardon and release jailed Pakistani Dr Aafia Siddiqui, who was awarded an 86-year sentence for allegedly attacking US personnel in Afghanistan, it emerged on Friday.

In a letter dated October 13, which has been seen by Dawn.com, the PM expressed his concerns about Dr Siddiqui’s “fragile mental and frail physical health” while in prison. “Now 52 years old, she has served 16 years behind bars in the US.

“Numerous Pakistani officials have paid consular visits to Dr Siddiqui … all of them have raised their serious concerns about the treatment she has received,” the letter reads. “In fact, they fear she may take her own life.”

The prime minister wrote that it was his “solemn duty” to ensure the wellbeing of his citizens, appealing to Biden to fulfil the same role as a head of state. “I am well aware of how passionately you have fought for the rights of your citizens, particularly those stranded or held captive abroad,” the PM wrote.

“You would, therefore, fully understand that as prime minister, it is my solemn duty to intervene when it becomes absolutely necessary to ensure a citizen’s wellbeing, particularly when the circumstances are as dire as they are in this case.”

PM Shehbaz urged Biden to release Dr Siddiqui on humanitarian grounds, writing, “I have always known you to be a committed friend of Pakistan who has demonstrated warmth and genuine friendship for our people.

“I request you, Mr president, to kindly exercise your constitutional authority and accept Dr Siddiqui’s clemency petition and order her release, strictly on humanitarian grounds.”
‘We welcome the progress in this case’: Dr Siddiqui’s lawyer

On Friday, Dr Siddiqui’s lawyer Imran Shafiq announced that the court granted their demands for a formal request to release the doctor. “The PM has requested that the US release Dr Siddiqui on humanitarian grounds,” he told reporters outside the Islamabad High Court

“There has been significant progress in the case after two years of efforts,” he added. “When nearing the end of his term, the president deals with clemency petitions. According to our demands, the prime minister wrote a letter to the US president.”

Shafiq said that he has filed an application by Clive Stafford Smith “with all the data”, adding that the court directed the government of Pakistan to provide full support in attaining Dr Siddiqui’s release.

“The court ordered that a high-level delegation needs to go to the US, as the clemency petition alone is not enough to secure Dr Siddiqui’s release,” Shafiq stated. “This is the next step and the court has already suggested names.” However, Shafiq did not identify anyone who might be part of the delegation.

The court mandated that a senator, a military official and a high-ranking medical official need to be part of the delegation, according to Shafiq.

“Another hearing on this issue is scheduled for next week where the government will present their names.”

According to US court papers, Dr Siddiqui was allegedly carrying two kilogrammes of sodium cyanide hidden in moisturiser bottles in 2008 when she was taken into the custody of US forces in Afghanistan who began questioning her.

During her interrogation, she allegedly grabbed a rifle and opened fire, according to witnesses, at US agents while screaming “Death to America” and “I want to kill Americans”. The soldiers were unharmed, though she was injured.

She was sentenced to 86 years imprisonment by a US federal court in Manhattan in 2010, after she was convicted of firing at US troops in Afghanistan while in their custody and six other charges brought against her.

On October 9, a US judge granted Dr Siddiqui’s legal team access to new and confidential evidence that could potentially strengthen a clemency request.

Smith, one of the lawyers actively advocating for Dr Siddiqui’s release, filed a 56,600-word clemency petition, aiming to highlight the complexities and injustices surrounding her case.

COP16 — From forests to oceans, nature in a dire state

UN estimates spending on nature needs to increase to $542bn annually by 2030, to halt nature loss, meet climate goals.

Reuters Published October 18, 2024

Global destruction of nature has reached unprecedented extremes.

As the United Nations two-week COP16 biodiversity summit kicks off on Monday in Cali, Colombia, here is what you need to know about nature’s rapid decline — and its importance to the global economy.
Animals and plants

Plants and animals play significant parts in keeping nature humming, from cycling nutrients throughout an ecosystem to aerating soils and engineering rivers.

Without plants and animals, the world would not be habitable for humans.

However, more than a quarter of the world’s known species, or a total of about 45,300 species, are now threatened with extinction, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN).

Animals on the verge of extinction include Mexico’s vaquita porpoise, northern white rhinoceros in Africa, and the red wolf in the United States.

Monitored populations of wild animals had shrunk by 73 per cent globally by 2020 compared with 1970 figures, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

Najin (front) and her daughter Patu, the last two northern white rhino females, graze in their enclosure at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia National Park, Kenya on March 20, 2018. — Reuters/Baz Ratner/File Photo


Forests

Because forests are home to the most plant and animal species in any ecosystem, including 68pc of mammal species, scientists consider deforestation levels to be a good proxy for nature destruction.

In 2021, more than 100 countries pledged to halt deforestation and woodland degradation by 2030.

As of 2023, the amount of land deforested was 45pc higher than where it should be in order to meet the 2030 goal, according to the Forest Declaration Assessment, an annual analysis released by a coalition of research and civil society organisations.

An aerial view shows a deforested area during an operation to combat deforestation near Uruara, Para State, Brazil on Jan 21, 2023. — Reuters/Ueslei Marcelino/File



While the rate of deforestation has declined in Brazil’s Amazon, it has gone up in Bolivia, Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, the analysis shows.

Scientists also worry about woodland degradation, with fires, logging and other destructive forces damaging forests but not completely destroying them. The assessment showed that the goal of ending degradation is 20pc off track.
Fishing and oceans

Fishing is the leading cause of marine wildlife destruction, according to the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), the top global science authority on nature.

More than 40 countries, with a combined population of 3.2 billion people, rely on seafood for at least 20pc of their nutritional protein, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

Roughly 38pc of fish stocks are being overfished, compared with about 10% in the mid-1970s, according to the FAO.

WWF says overfishing is also destabilising coral reef ecosystems, which provide shelter, food and nursing grounds to a quarter of the world’s marine life.

This year has seen the world’s fourth mass bleaching of corals, with more than half of the reef areas globally bleaching from high sea temperatures.

Lalita Putchim, a marine biologist of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) dives to survey in an area of bleached corals in a reef in Koh Mak, Trat province, Thailand, on May 8, 2024. — Reuters/Napat Wesshasartar/File photo


Farming

Agriculture drives some 90pc of tropical deforestation, according to WWF, as jungles make way to soy farms, cattle ranches, palm oil plantations and other mass production of commodities.

Governments pay at least $635bn annually in subsidies for agriculture that are harmful to the environment, and likely several trillion dollars more in indirect subsidies, according to the World Bank.

A farm labourer holds rice sapling as he prepares to plant them in a field on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, India on July 22, 2024. — Reuters/Amit Dave/File Photo


Countries agreed at COP15 in 2022 to identify harmful subsidies by 2025 and to slash them by at least $500 million a year starting in 2030.

Environmentalists have also urged banks to stop offering credit to commodities sectors linked to deforestation.

Between January 2023 and June 2024, banks offered a total of about $77bn in credit to these firms, according to the Forest & Finance Coalition of research and advocacy groups.
Economic impacts

Whether it is insects pollinating crops, plants filtering fresh water supplies, or forests providing timber for construction, nature and its critters deliver a wealth of materials and services to the global economy for free.

About $44tr of the world’s annual economic output — or roughly half the total — relies on these natural resources and services, according to the World Economic Forum. That includes $2.1tr in the United States, $2.4tr in the European Union and $2.7tr in China.

The World Bank estimates that the collapse of certain ecosystem services, such as fisheries or native forests, could cost the world economy $2.7tr annually by 2030, about 2.3pc of global output.

The UN Environmental Programme estimates spending on nature needs to increase to $542bn annually by 2030, up from $200bn as of 2022, to halt nature loss and meet climate goals.

Header image: Penguins are seen on an iceberg as scientists investigate the impact of climate change on Antarctica’s penguin colonies, on the northern side of the Antarctic peninsula, Antarctica on Jan 15, 2022. 

— Reuters/File

Ecocide in Gaza

Imaan Ali Sheikh | Ali Tauqeer Sheikh 

Published October 17, 2024

DAWN

THE ongoing war on Gaza, recently recognised as a genocide by the International Court of Justice, has garnered global attention for its devastating humanitarian impact.

However, beneath the immediate human tragedy lies a less visible, but equally alarming crisis: the systematic destruction of Gaza’s physical environment and its ecosystem. This environmental catastrophe, which some experts are terming ‘ecocide’, threatens to have long-lasting consequences that extend far beyond the current conflict, affecting the region’s ecology, public health, and future habitability. Moreover, this environmental destruction fundamentally undermines the human dignity of Gaza’s residents, depriving them of their basic rights to a clean and healthy environment.

The conflict’s impact on Gaza’s ecosystem extends beyond the immediate destruction of flora and fauna. The region’s biodiversity is under severe threat as habitats are destroyed and food chains disrupted. The loss of vegetation, particularly trees, has far-reaching consequences for local wildlife. Birds and small mammals that relied on these trees for shelter and sustenance may have been forced to migrate or face potential extinction. Moreover, the destruction of coastal areas and marine habitats due to military operations and pollution run-off threatens Gaza’s marine ecosystem, thus impacting biodiversity and jeopardising livelihoods.

The alteration of the landscape through widespread destruction and the potential for future urban development plans could lead to irreversible changes in the local ecosystem. The contamination of soil and water resources may persist for years, hampering future agricultural productivity and access to safe drinking water. The loss of arable land due to pollution, erosion, and potential salinisation could have severe implications for food security in a region already grappling with resource scarcity.

Deforestation presents another critical environmental challenge. The destruction of trees, including Gaza’s iconic olive groves, is occurring through multiple mechanisms. Direct damage from bombings and fires has obliterated vast swathes of vegetation. This deforestation not only disrupts local ecosystems but also exacerbates issues of soil erosion and desertification, potentially rendering large areas unsuitable for future habitation or agriculture.

The environmental crisis in Gaza is closely linked to a growing public health emergency.

The environmental degradation in Gaza is multifaceted, encompassing issues ranging from water contamination to deforestation. One of the most pressing concerns is the contamination of water sources. The intensive bombardment has damaged water infrastructure, leading to the mixing of sewage and potable water supplies. This contamination renders much of the available water unfit for human consumption, cooking, and basic hygiene practices. The situation is made worse by the collapse of waste management systems, resulting in the accumulation of various types of waste, including hazardous medical waste.

The scarcity of clean water has far-reaching implications. According to media reports, the displaced populations lack access to basic sanitation facilities, leading to an increase in open defecation and further contributing to the spread of waterborne diseases. The contamination of water sources also poses a significant threat to agriculture. Polluted water used for irrigation can introduce harmful substances into the food chain, potentially causing long-term health issues for the population.

The environmental crisis in Gaza is closely linked to a growing public health emergency. The lack of proper burial facilities for the high number of casualties has led to unconventional and often unsanitary disposal of human remains. Bodies left exposed in the rubble, or hastily buried in mass graves, pose significant health risks. The decomposition process releases bacteria and other pathogens which contaminate soil, groundwater, food, and water resources.

The breakdown of sanitation infrastructure has resulted in a proliferation of disease vectors. Accumulated waste attracts vermin and insects, spreading pathogens throughout the population. The overcrowded living conditions in temporary shelters, combined with limited access to clean water, sanitation facilities and hygiene products, have resulted in rapid spread of skin and other infectious diseases.

Pollutants released from destroyed infrastructure, including potentially toxic substances from damaged industrial facilities, can have lasting impacts on human health. Children, in particular, are vulnerable to the effects of environmental toxins, which can impair cognitive development and lead to chronic health issues.

The environmental crisis also has significant social and economic implications. The degradation of natural resources can exacerbate poverty and social inequality, as communities lose access to traditional livelihoods based on agriculture and fishing. The potential for displacement due to uninhabitable conditions could lead to further social upheaval and strain on resources in neighbouring areas.

The scale and nature of the environmental destruction in Gaza have led some experts to classify these actions as ‘ecocide’. This term, while not yet formally recognised in international law, refers to severe and widespread damage to the environment. The Rome Statute and the Geneva Conventions include provisions that address environmental damage during armed conflict, particularly when such damage is excessive in relation to the concrete and direct anticipated military advantage.

The situation in Gaza underscores the need for a comprehensive approach to environmental protection. It highlights the interconnectedness of environmental, climate, humanitarian, and human rights issues and the need for incorporating them into the charge-sheet against the aggressors.

The concept of ecocide raises important legal and ethical questions about accountability for environmental damage. It challenges the international community to consider the long-term ecological consequences of military actions and the responsibility to protect not just human life but also make the aggressor pay for restoration of ecological services and rehabilitation of human settlements.

The Nuremberg Trials were an important response to the persecution of Jews in Germany, as they addressed crimes committed during the Holocaust and other atrocities perpetrated by the Nazis. These trials were the first instances where high-ranking civil and military officials were held accountable for their actions on an international stage.

The persecution of the Jewish community in Germany has come full circle. The time probably has arrived for the proposed OIC meeting to seek UN General Assembly and Security Council resolutions to begin prosecution for this ecocide against the Israeli leadership.

Imaan Ali Sheikh is a law graduate from the University of London.

Ali Tauqeer Sheikh is a climate change and sustainable development expert.

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2024

 We will never stop fighting for workers' rights

LabourStart has been around for more than 26 years now, which is extraordinary.   When we went live in the spring of 1998, Google, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok didn't yet exist.   Most unions didn't even have websites. We were seen as pioneers, and we helped lead many unions forward into a new age of instant global communications. And despite all that has changed, one thing remains the same: Without unions, workers are vulnerable to exploitation and violations of their rights.   The fight to ensure that every worker in the world has the right to join or form a union -- that fight goes on every day.   And LabourStart is there to help. That's why we're running seven live campaigns now, helping workers in Eswatini, Serbia, Czechia, India, Taiwan, Poland and Georgia.   Two weeks ago I visited the striking workers at Evolution Gaming in Tbilisi, Georgia.  Our campaign is showing them that they are not alone -- that they have the support of thousands of individual trade union members, like yourself.  And our messages to the company are sending a clear message, saying that we demand and expect them to respect workers' rights, and to negotiate with the union. When workers and their unions reach out to LabourStart for help, we always say yes. And we charge them nothing.  It's a free service.  It's why we exist. Your donations, large and small, make all the difference.  They allow us to continue working day in and day out on behalf of workers who sometimes feel isolated, weak and vulnerable.  We show them that their voices are being heard, and by working with fellow union members around the world, that we can win. In the last few weeks, we've begun experiencing an extremely difficult financial situation at LabourStart.   We're reaching out to our union partners for help, and we're hopeful that we will get through this.  We've kept our expenses to a minimum and we've even cut back.  Because of this, we need your donations more than ever before. If you can donate, please click here to do so. Together, we're going to get through this difficult period -- and we're going to continue to fight side by side with the workers in every country where help is needed. Thank you - and solidarity forever! Eric Lee LabourStart

Serbian protestors rally to oppose Rio Tinto’s lithium mine project

Reuters | October 16, 2024 |

Widespread protests in Serbia cost Rio Tinto in 2022 its Jadar lithium project. (Screenshot from: Sharjah24 News | YouTube.)

Hundreds of protesters in the western Serbian town of Loznica rallied on Wednesday to oppose Rio Tinto’s planned lithium project in the region, saying its development will damage the environment.


The protest comes after the ruling coalition led by the Serbian Progressive Party, which holds an overwhelming majority, rejected an opposition draft law stipulating a ban on mining and exploration for lithium and borates.

Protesters waved Serbian flags and banners reading “You Shall Not Dig” and “Back Away From Jadar”, while loudspeakers blared patriotic songs and folk music.

They demanded an end to the project and announced one-hour blockades of two regional roads on Saturday.

“We are preparing warning road blockades in several locations across the country this weekend,” Zlatko Kokanovic, a protest leader, told Reuters.

“We will see how we proceed from there.”

Lithium, regarded as a critical material by the EU and the US, is used in batteries for electric vehicles and mobile devices.

In 2022, the Serbian government revoked licenses for Rio Tinto’s $2.4 billion Jadar lithium project near Loznica following mass protests by environmental groups.

If implemented, Rio Tinto’s Jadar project could meet 90% of Europe’s current lithium needs, positioning the company as one of the world’s leading lithium producers.

The environmentalists and a majority of opposition parties argue that the mine could pollute land and water in the area, impacting farming, a major source of income for many in the region.

“There’s no retreat or surrender. They will not ravage nature and our lives,” said Branka Petrovic, 47, an activist from Belgrade.

Serbian officials argue that the mine will boost the country’s economy. In June, Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic said mining could start as early as 2028.

In July, Rio Tinto said the project would adhere to stringent environmental requirements, including legal and permitting procedures, as well as public consultations before implementation.

(By Aleksandar Vasovic)

Barrick fights to dismiss Tanzanian abuse allegations from Canadian court

Colin McClelland - The Northern Miner | October 16, 2024

The North Mara gold mine in Tanzania. (Image courtesy of Twiga Minerals | Instagram.)

Barrick Gold (TSX: ABX; NYSE: GOLD) is arguing in an Ontario court that allegations of human rights abuses in Tanzania should be decided in that country instead, with local police and a subsidiary of the Toronto-based major as defendants.


“The plaintiffs are engaging in a classic case of forum-shopping: deliberately seeking to implicate Barrick in a case in Ontario,” a spokesperson for Barrick at New York public relations firm Gladstone Place Partners told The Northern Miner on Tuesday by email. “The right forum to consider the claims of the plaintiffs is Tanzania.”

Barrick, the second-biggest gold miner by market value, could face a civil trial seeking unspecified damages for 32 Tanzanians living near North Mara in the East African country. They’re backed by Toronto law firm Waddell Phillips, Vancouver’s CFM Lawyers and anti-mining groups such as the Ottawa-based MiningWatch Canada. North Mara, which Barrick took over in 2019, produced about 63,000 oz. in this year’s second quarter.

Killings alleged

“Barrick’s security strategy for the North Mara mine effectively converts the Tanzanian police assigned to operate in and around the mine into a private and heavily armed security force for the mine,” the plaintiffs said in their November 2023 statement of claim.

“This security strategy ‘has led directly to extensive human rights abuses’ and ‘acts of extreme violence committed by the Mine Police’ resulting in deaths, shootings, beatings and torture of local villagers,” MiningWatch said in a release on Tuesday citing the statement of claim.

Barrick has settled two previous cases brought by locals near the mine to court in the United Kingdom since 2013. The most recent settlement, which had confidential terms for 14 villagers, was in March. The current case started in late 2022 with 21 plaintiffs before 11 more joined in February this year.

Tanzanian court

The Ontario Superior Court in Toronto is hearing Barrick’s arguments this week to permanently stay or dismiss the case. Part of the miner’s stance is that Tanzania, like Canada, has a legal system based on UK law. The case also has witnesses who speak Swahili or other local languages but not English.

Barrick faces serious allegations of complicity in human rights violations and should be able to defend itself locally, PR firm Gladstone said.

“Everything related to this case took place in Tanzania,” the spokesperson for Barrick said. “Plaintiffs’ attempts to dismiss the independence, sophistication or ability of the Tanzanian courts to adjudicate fairly and properly over the matters at issue are without merit.”

However, Barrick’s legal team could encounter some precedents from lawsuits against Hudbay Minerals (TSX: HBM; NYSE: HBM). The same Ontario court in 2013 allowed cases brought by indigenous Guatemalans to proceed. They sought damages from the Canadian mining company for alleged human rights abuses including a killing. One of the cases predated Hudbay’s takeover of the Fenix nickel mine in 2008. The were all finally settled this month for undisclosed terms.

Barrick holds 84% of North Mara Gold Mine Ltd. and the Tanzanian government owns the remaining 16%. The subsidiary’s agreements with the Tanzania police are governed by the country’s laws, Gladstone said.

Overseas accountability

Company watchdogs, including the Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability and the Justice and Corporate Accountability Project, want Canada to pass tougher due diligence legislation that might prevent violence and target actions abroad by Canadian operations.

“This lawsuit is a critical step toward properly adjudicating the claims of the Kuria people, Professor Sara Ghebremusse of the Justice and Corporate Accountability Project, said in the MiningWatch release. “We hope this case will significantly advance the law governing access to judicial remedy for communities affected by Canadian mining operations abroad.”

Last week, Barrick reported the Tanzanian Commission on Human Rights and Good Governance had found no evidence of forced evictions around the mine and that fair compensation was paid for land.

“We trust that this independent investigation by the [commission], and their findings into the allegations irresponsibly reported publicly, brings this matter to a close,” Barrick CEO Mark Bristow said in an Oct. 7 release.

“Barrick is focused, as it has been since taking over operations of North Mara Gold mine, on developing strong relationships with our local partners while making significant contributions to the region and Tanzania as a whole.”

Intercargo Objects to RightShip Safety Inspections on Younger Bulkers

Younger vessels like this 2012-built bulker will be up for a RightShip inspection next year (Farid Mernissi / CC BY SA 4.0)

Published Oct 16, 2024 9:12 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

 

Vessel quality platform RightShip has decided to start requiring physical inspections of bulkers much sooner in a vessel's lifespan if owners wish to qualify for the firm's benchmark rating. The company cited the rising average age of the bulker fleet, "clear evidence of risks with aging vessels," and continued safety issues in the sector - but bulker owners' association Intercargo strongly disagrees with the decision. 

RightShip sees a wide gap in safety metrics between the bulker fleet and other vessel classes. Bulkers have the highest recorded incident ratio of any vessel type, and "fatalities are significantly more prevalent" in dry bulk, according to RightShip. Bulkers are also four times more likely than tankers to be detained for port state control deficiencies, and the risk goes up with age, particularly for the largest vessels. 

Beginning next year, RightShip's "age trigger" for a required inspection will drop from 14 years to 12 years for bulkers and general cargo ships, then to 10 years in 2026. The requirement will also be extended to cover smaller vessels under 8,000 DWT, which have been exempt until recently. In a statement, the firm said that the change had been discussed extensively with industry for the past year.

“Our decision to lower the inspection age from 14 to 10 years, in a phased approach, reflects the desire from stakeholders for more physical inspections of vessels to counter challenges the dry sector faces in achieving operational excellence. This change reflects our commitment to raising safety standards globally and comes at a critical time as the global dry bulk fleet now averages 14.7 years in age and will continue to rise,” explained Christopher Saunders, Chief Maritime Officer at RightShip.  

Intercargo, the association of bulker owners, said Wednesday that its members have "deep concerns" about RightShip's decision to begin inspecting their vessels at a younger age. 

"This decision was made without prior consultation with the owners and managers of bulk carriers, the very stakeholders who will be impacted by such changes," Intercargo said. "We believe that significant operational decisions, such as this, should involve input from all relevant stakeholders."

The association said that shipowners and seafarers need time to adapt to changes, particularly to any increase in onboard workload, and it asked for an "inclusive approach" and a longer timeline.

"A delay in applying the new age limit would allow ship operators and seafarers sufficient time to adjust to the evolving requirements, while upholding the high standards of safety and efficiency that are essential to our industry," Intercargo said in a statement. 

Top image: Farid Mernissi / CC BY SA 4.0