Welcome to IRIN's weekly top picks of must-read research, podcasts, reports, blogs and in-depth articles to help you keep on top of global crises.
Five to read:
Amid the torrent of tweets, videos, and interviews issued by the communications department of the UN’s refugee agency over the last two weeks, you would have been hard-pressed to miss the fact that this year’s Olympics includes, for the first time, a team of 10 refugees. Kelsey Montzka-Boettiger takes issue with UNHCR’s promotion of Team Refugees as evidence that refugees can triumph over adversity when the majority remain trapped in situations they have no agency to change. She also challenges the “feel-good message” that Team Refugees is helping to raise awareness about the plight of refugees around the world and argues instead that it is “a well-timed opportunity to deflect criticism from UNHCR’s handling of the refugee crisis”. Her message is clear: by all means cheer on Team Refugees, but if you really want to help, take more concrete actions to support refugees.
Congo: The perilous election battle
The Democratic Republic of Congo is on the edge of a deep political crisis. The government in Kinshasa has created multiple artificial delays, making it impossible to respect the constitution and hold free and fair elections before the end of the year. What’s more, the Constitutional Court has issued a controversial interpretation of the constitution, authorising President Joseph Kabila, who is meant to step down at the end of the year, to stay in power until his successor is elected.
The region does not need another Burundi, but the stage is looking increasingly set for confrontation, says the respected Congo Research Group. “Both sides [the government and opposition] hope that further delays could play in their favour. Some opposition leaders think that a constitutional crisis could delegitimise power and facilitate mobilisation, while the government seeks to buy time in the hope of ultimately changing the political situation in its favour.”
Kabila’s rule has not been all bad. But that legacy is now at risk. The CRG makes a string of recommendations to the government, the opposition, and the international community to find a way out of the crisis, starting with seeking an assurance from Kabila that he will not be a presidential candidate whenever elections are finally held.
Islamist extremism in East Africa
The growth of Salafist ideology in East Africa is challenging long established norms of tolerance and interfaith cooperation in the region, says a new report by the Africa Centre for Strategic Studies. Rooted within “a particular Arab cultural identity”, it has fostered more exclusive and polarising religious relations in the region, which has contributed to an increase in violent attacks.
“These tensions have been amplified by socioeconomic differences and often heavy-handed government responses that are perceived to punish entire communities for the actions of a few,” the report notes. “Redressing these challenges will require sustained strategies to rebuild tolerance and solidarity domestically as well as curb the external influence of extremist ideology and actors.”
The report makes four broad recommendations: Counter external influences and emphasise domestic traditions of tolerance; improve the political inclusion of Muslim communities; invest in citizens economically and institutionally; and practise due process, putting an end to extra-judicial killings by the police and focusing instead on improving law enforcement procedures, evidence collection, and building prosecutorial capacity.
Afghanistan’s political crisis and American military might
The worsening war in Afghanistan has foiled US President Barack Obama’s plans to withdraw American troops. After a decade and a half of American training and support, Afghanistan’s military was meant to be able to take over the country’s security, but Afghan troops are struggling. And, as this report from New York University’s Center on International Cooperation points out, the continued US presence has thus far been key to staving off threats to the Afghan government from both without and within. For example, the country was in danger of falling into civil conflict along ethnic lines after disputed elections in 2014. Secretary of State John Kerry flew in to broker an agreement to form the National Unity Government – a deal that might have been impossible without leverage provided by the heavy US presence. Now a new crisis is looming: the NUG’s mandate is meant to expire, with new elections scheduled for October, and the constitution is supposed to be reformed. None of that is likely to happen on time, and political stability may once more depend on American military might. “If the NUG comes under political pressure starting in the fall of 2016, that leverage may be needed again,” say the authors.
This week there was more horrific news from Baghdad – a fire that killed at least 12 premature babies, blamed on an electrical fault. For the generation of Iraqis who grew up post-Saddam Hussein, this incident is likely to bring up already simmering suspicions of state corruption and mismanagement. And as the International Crisis Group explains in this comprehensive report on what it calls "Generation 2000", they wouldn’t necessarily be wrong. The political system relies on patronage networks and seems to be hoping Iraqis will consider it legitimate once so-called Islamic State is vanquished, without providing much in the way of services. Many young people have grown up in a sectarian environment with few job opportunities – men are effectively pushed into joining one of the mostly-Shiite militias fighting IS, supporting IS, taking to the streets in protest, or emigrating if they've got the money. The reasons that an entire generation has been left adrift are laid out here in all their complexity, but one thing is simple: the Iraqi government must prioritise its young people, or what could be the country’s greatest resource will become its gravest security threat.
One to listen to:
Can Colombia reintegrate the FARC?
This week, IRIN looked at the challenges that lie ahead for Colombia in the wake of an imminent peace deal that will see thousands of FARC combatants lay down their weapons and begin the long process of adjusting to civilian life. We asked whether lessons will be learned from previous rounds of demobilisations and talked to ex-fighters who say that Colombia’s reintegration programme needs an overhaul. The BBC World Service programme, The Inquiry, takes the question “Can Colombia reintegrate the FARC?” and breaks it down into the various stages from disarmament to reintegration and reconciliation. Through interviews with experts, a former-FARC guerrilla, and even victims of the FARC’s violent resistance, we learn a lot about what could go wrong but there are also some early indications that reintegration is possible.
One from IRIN:
Does Countering Violent Extremism work?
If you missed this provocative dive into the world of CVE by IRIN Africa Editor Obi Anyadike, don’t miss it now. Countering Violent Extremism has become a popular fad in aid programming, but there is very little evidence that it actually works. Anyadike delves into CVE’s roots and evolution and finds a mess of muddled definitions, weak analysis, and wishful thinking. It turns out we don’t really know what CVE is, what it can do, or, most importantly, if it is the right way to go. For aid policymakers in particular, this is essential and fascinating reading.
Coming up:
Global Disaster Relief Summit
7-8 September in Washington DC
The Aid and International Development Forum gathers hundreds of disaster relief specialists in Washington early next month for two days of summitry. With panel discussions, keynote speeches, and roundtables on everything from data strategy and logistics to financing, procurement, cash-based programming, and the Zika virus, there will be something for most tastes. At this year’s 8th annual Global Disaster Relief Summit, there is even a virtual disaster simulation session in which participants are invited to use smartphones or tablets to play the role of supplier, government, or NGO working in a crisis scenario. If this sounds too much like your day job, just go along and tell them what they’re doing wrong. To find out more or to register, click here.
(TOP PHOTO: Scazon/Flickr)
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