Violence against Afghan women continues after 10 years of 'liberation'

The public murder of a woman in Afghanistan has again highlighted the brutality and primitivism of sectors of that country, but especially the limit of the progress made ​​by the Western occupation since the eviction of the Taliban in 2001. Video broadcast has become even more poignant to match the Tokyo Donor Conference in the U.S. and its allies have linked the future development aid to Kabul improved governance , justice and the rights of women. The shooting occurred in a village in Parwan, barely a hundred kilometers from Kabul. A provincial government spokesman identified the woman as Najiba, 22 and attributed his murder to the Taliban. However, this militia, raised arms against the government in Kabul, has denied any involvement and attributed the incident to a tribal showdown. The only certainty is that whoever is paying the price of ignorance, poverty and power struggles are Afghan women, which in this case, as in many others, is accused of adultery to imbue it with alleged legality. Afghan President Hamid Karzai, described the crime as "heinous and unforgivable" and ordered the immediate search and capture of those responsible, a nice gesture unlikely to yield results. As much as the laws have changed, the Government has neither the capacity nor, according to some observers, the will to implement them. Despite his good words, Karzai continues to rely on former warlords + + and other extremists to maintain power. Hence, human rights organizations and feminists have denounced his intention to make peace with the Taliban, fearful of going back. The parricide committed in Parwan is not an isolated incident, but another of the so-called honor crimes punishable with any sexual transgression by women. Although the authorities have condemned, the problem is that society understands and  accepts that criminalize sex outside marriage ( zina ) or rebellious girls fleeing forced marriages and violence. As revealed a report by Human Rights Watch in March, 400 women and girls were imprisoned for "crimes against morality." After the overthrow of the Taliban regime, the new Afghan Constitution established equality of "all citizens before the law", without differentiating between men and women.Consequently, Afghan women can vote in elections as candidates and serve in any official capacity. The new authorities also abolished the requirement that had to be covered with the burqa (a sort of tent with only a few holes at eye level) to go out. NGOs and human rights activists Since then recognize that there are new laws and amended others to end discrimination. Also set quotas for the participation of Afghan institutions (they have reserved 25% of the seats in Parliament), has improved access to health and education, and has established a Ministry of Women Affairs to projects that help promote their development. However, these advances on the role just been transferred to society in the cities . Many families, especially in rural areas, still limit the freedom and participation in public life of their mothers, wives, daughters and sisters. There are frequent forced marriages (between 60% and 80%, according to the UN), with girls under 16 years (57%), and in some regions are denied basic education to girls, either, considering inappropriate or fear of extremist attacks against girls' schools. The absence of the state in large parts of the country makes it impossible to impose such duties or extend the system of justice, leaving local people thanks to the Taliban or other armed groups. This uncertainty also prevents the access of NGOs working to promote the empowerment of women through health and work. "Human rights are increasingly being undermined by insecurity and lack of respect for the rule of law, a booming drug trade, an ineffective justice system, poor governance, endemic corruption and entrenched poverty," he complained on the eve of the Horia Tokyo Mosadiq appointment, a researcher at Amnesty International. The situation is particularly poignant in the case of women, whose starting point is far below the national average in all indicators (87% are illiterate compared to 57% of men, and their life expectancy does not exceed 51 years). But the worst is violence. In a country that has chained war for four decades, is a scourge institutionalized. According to Oxfam, 87% of Afghan women report having suffered physical, sexual or psychological, or be victims of forced marriage. 

Egypt's new president Mursi challenges the almighty military

Who is ultimately prevail will decide on Tuesday at twelve noon: Then Egypt's parliament will meet in special session - even though their meeting was a month ago declared unconstitutional and dissolved. Whether it will succeed to the Member to pave the police and soldiers to pass their way into the parliament building in the heart of Cairo, will say a lot about the balance of power on the Nile. Come by the deputies, has the newly elected President Mohammed Mursi prevailed in the showdown with the military and won their first political victory. If the representatives of the people pushed, this is a further indication that the omnipotence of the ruling Military Council of Egypt, who must submit to the President. The dispute over the Egyptian Parliament began last winter with an initially positive message. With great enthusiasm, the Egyptians then chose the first free and secret their elected representatives. The turnout was about 60 percent high, the result is unique: With about 47 percent of the vote was for decades banned the Muslim Brotherhood clear winner of the election. The period since the overthrow of President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and a half years before ruling military council SCAF saw the victory of the Islamists from the outset with skepticism. The reasons are manifold, say analysts: First, the pious to the generals dared not hope to lead the country. On the other hand they feared - now that their opponents had been legitimized by the people, political - in order to influence their own political and economic country. Up to 40 percent of Egypt's gross national product is estimated to be in possession of the military operations generates, what makes the Army's largest contractor in the country.

Dispute over the seats of independent candidates

In early June became apparent then that could win with Mohammed Mursi, a Muslim brother and presidential elections and the brothers could secure the supremacy of the Nile. Just two days before the runoff election, the Mursi would actually win, the Egyptian Constitutional Court of the electoral law for parliamentary elections in many parts declared to be illegal, because party members in large numbers to have reserved seats for independent candidates to be elected. Critics of the SCAF immediately sensed betrayal: the military would have influence on the decision taken by the Court and thus secured with a "soft coup" to power on the Nile. The Constitutional Court, whose judges are all from the era of the old regime and are appointed by Mubarak himself is, many Egyptians as being partisan rather than independent. Two days after the court decision said the military council dissolved the parliament, dominated by Islamists, actually, and took over control of the legislature. Egypt's first democratically elected National Assembly seemed History -. Up to this Sunday By the dissolved parliament by decree reinstated, President Mursi was surprising on a collision course with the powerful military council. The Constitutional Court summoned on Monday afternoon, all decisions of the Court are binding. Because the judgments and rulings of the Constitutional Court's "final" and that they could not be challenged, they are also for all public authorities "binding," it said in support. One third of the seats had been distributed illegally, because there is nothing to shake.

How does the army?

But despite this decision by the Court of Mursi could still emerge as the winner of the showdown with the generals. For it is questionable whether the military council ever had the right to dissolve Parliament: An administrative court will clarify this on Tuesday. If it comes to the conclusion that the resolution is void, it would be a stage win for Mursi. When Parliament was dissolved legally never need it again, he can not use - this would be the decision of the Constitutional Court annulled. The parliamentarians have the right to assemble, until it is clear how the allegedly illegally occupied seats are redistributed. To make these complex legal issues their followers to understand, it captured a spokesman for the Muslim Brotherhood on Monday once again in simple words. Mursi respect the Constitutional Court's decision and was quite sure that the Parliament would re-elected, said Sameh al-Essawi. Mursi decree apply solely to the SCAF, not against the judge's decision. Crucial will be how the Army will act in the event of a showdown in front of parliament on Tuesday: whether it will prevent the deputies from entering the building by force or not. On Monday it seemed as if the generals might be willing to yield. They moved army units from outside Parliament and some members allowed entry to the House of Commons. Even on state television indicated that the SCAF could potentially compromise: Field Marshal Mohammed Hussein Tantawi, Chief of the Military Council, was there, ostensibly on the side Mursi. At a graduation ceremony at a military academy, the two men even joked with each other. Perhaps Mursi has found, after only ten days in the presidency a way to break the all-powerful military.

Sudan: The birthday after all, not a war

With such well-wishers can not come up every birthday child: The South African Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu was also came as Kenya's President Mwai Kibaki. A lot of prominence for the first birthday of the honored Southern Sudan, the recent state of Africa and the world, who had split a year ago from the Sudan. The economic and social situation, however, is not much reason to celebrate, but it was about to leave the government does not spoil the cheer: As early as 2011 when the big Independence Day celebration has spruced up the capital of Juba, has to organize musical and sporting events. "Despite the many problems it still retains a sense of excitement," says Friedbert Ottacher who travels for the charity "Light of the World" is currently in South Sudan and witnessed the celebration: "The people are not more upbeat, but still optimistic - and proud of its independence. " An independence that was fought for more than hard: Since the early 60s there was always fighting between the Khartoum government and southern Sudanese rebels given. Just since 1983, two million people become victims of the civil war, until the so-called "comprehensive peace agreement" prepared to die end of 2005. That the southern Sudanese were granted, to decide on secession from the then-largest country in Africa.

99 percent for the spin-off

What the people decide in the referendum in January 2011 would, it was clear from the outset. Would open was just how closely the result of 100 percent. It will then become 99, the separation was on 9 July 2011 occurred. Comprehensive Peace Agreement that was only on paper, and it led to a real peace not: Too many open issues remained to this day, about the exact boundary line. This new dispute came to a pre-programmed the passage of the Southern Sudanese richly bubbling oil to the Sudanese port of Port Sudan. The South was in the spin-off that is about three-quarters of the oil reserves of the state as a whole. The north were the pipelines, of which the South was dependent. So the fees in Khartoum screwed up, which brought the government in Juba to in January 2012 to close the oil tap. Much has since been puzzling over this economic suicide because of the Southern Sudan lost a beat 98 percent of its revenue. Government programs to establish a health system or at least basal infrastructure had to be radically cut. For Jan Pospisil, East expert at the Austrian Institute for International Affairs in Vienna, however, it is not certain that the decision to the south at the end hurts, "I understand that out as a long-term strategy, the assessment that there is no agreement with the . give the North will "Instead Juba trying with all his strength to implement an alternative pipeline to Kenya." The more oil is pumped through the north, the more reduced the profitability of this project, "Juba have internationally demonstrates self-confidence, high short-term a Price. Give yet there is great willingness of people to pay them, believes Friedbert Ottacher: "Many people say: We have survived more than 20 years of war, now we survive das." The time of the Civil War, with its privations, was still very present. Therefore, the present situation was often seen as not so bad.

No interest in open war

Talked with already in April of a new war, was once South Sudanese soldiers had occupied the Heglig oil field, the most important the north remaining deposit.After international protests Juba moved his troops back. However, it was "a success for the South" was, says expert Pospisil, because the action had consequential economic loss for the North. "Currently, both countries have massive economic problems and therefore difficult to finance a war," says Pospisil. Both armies were in reasonably good shape, a war would be long and bloody ". It is for both sides no chance of lasting success" Assuming rational act on both sides, it could at least be enough to avoid an open war.