Vol. 26 No. 448  October 2007

viewing the world

Some attention was aimed at the United Nations which started its 62^nd annual session in September and gave heads of state a platform to address critical issues, such as climate change (Global warming was also discussed the Sydney summit meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum). The presence of the Iranian president and his address at a US university raised interest but more over his past controversial statements than what he had to say. Taiwan’s request for membership was blocked again but on 13 September the General Assembly finally adopted a Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Regrettably Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States of America voted against it. In the immediate future, there will be hardly any change for native peoples where they are fighting discrimination and repression but the international statement will equip them with a new tool to challenge national and local intolerance.

Concern with claims on Arctic territory grew and led Denmark to invite claimants to a regional conference next year.

Iraq and Turkey reached a temporary agreement on military operations at their border against Turkish Kurds who are seeking ethnic recognition and improved rights in Turkey, alas through the use of guerrilla attacks and bombings. There is little doubt that the widening Kurdish conflict may undermine Iraq’s most stable region.

In Italy, the current government is sliding from one tight vote of confidence to another, sapping political strength for needed reforms. No wonder, former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is gloating, especially since the appeals court upheld his acquittal of bribery charges.

The mid-month change of the prime minister in Russia immediately led to speculation that the new man was going to be Vladimir Putin’s understudy for president. Later, it became clearer that the new government was probably put in place to tackle domestic problems with more vigor before the president’s term ends  next year.

Corruption remains rampant in nearly half the world’s nations

Readiness to pay bribes remains rampant in about 80 of 180 countries of the world, reported the watchdog group, Transparency International (TI), last month. Not surprisingly, countries torn by conflict or with widespread poverty are perceived by those surveyed as having the highest level of corruption: Congo (DR), Afghanistan, Sudan, Chad, Uzbekistan, Tonga, Haiti, Iraq, Somalia, and Burma (at the bottom). Included among countries where buying off for favors and services is still common are China, India, Russia, Turkey, and Taiwan although some improvements have been noted. The 10 countries where businesses are least likely vulnerable to corruption—the same as last year, except for Canada which traded places with Australia, are in descending order New Zealand, Denmark, Finland, Singapore, Sweden, Iceland, Netherlands, Switzerland, Norway, and Australia. Last year, TI criticized that numerous governments have criminalized bribery and publicly deplore the practice while companies from those countries continue to make payments. In this year’s survey, attention is also focused on recovery of stolen assets but notes that “criticism by rich countries of corruption in poor ones has little credibility while their financial institutions sit on wealth stolen from the world’s poor people.”

updates

significant events

September

United Nations: 62^nd annual session of the General Assembly opened with a 160-item agenda (18). Taiwan’s request for membership was again blocked (19).

Arctic: Denmark invited claimants to a May 2008 meeting (14).

Asia: Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Summit was held in Sydney and discussed global warming and free trade (07-08).

Bangladesh: New corruption charges were leveled against former prime ministers (02).

Burma: Constitutional talks ended (03). Government banned demonstrations (25).

France: President announced plans to trim the government work force by 20,000 (19).

Iraq: Government demanded than Iran stop shelling of Kurdish areas in the northern border region (03). Prime minister rejected plan to form separate federal regions (27).

Kyrgyzstan: President called for a constitutional referendum (19).

Nepal: Nepali Congress (NC) party leaders supported abolishing the monarchy (26).

Poland: Parliament voted to dissolve (07).

Russia: Election campaign for State Duma opened (15). Natural resources ministry declared that Lomonosov Ridge and Mendeleyev Rise are part of the continental edge of eastern Siberia (20).

Syria: Israeli aircraft bombed a suspected nuclear facility on the Euphrates River in the east (06).

Taiwan: Vice president and two members of governing party were charged with corruption (21).

Turkey: Agreement was reached with Iraq on crossing border for small-scale operations against Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) (27).

Turkmenistan: President promised democratization and economic reforms (25).

Zimbabwe: Currency was devalued from Z$250 to Z$30,000 against the US dollar (06).

elections

Ecuador—Constituent Assembly: Governing Proud and Sovereign Fatherland (PAIS) Alliance, 72 of 130 seats, on 30 September.

Greece—Hellenic Parliament: Governing New Democracy (ND), 152 of 300 seats, on 16 September.

Guatemala—Congress of the Republic: Opposition National Union for Hope (UNE), 48 of 58 seats, on 9 September.

Jamaica—House of Representatives: Opposition Jamaica Labor Party (JLP), 33 of 60 seats, on 3 September.

Madagascar—National Assembly: Presidential I Love Madagascar (TIM) party, 106 of 127 elected seats, on 23 September.

Morocco—House of Representatives: Conservative nationalist Independence Party (Istiqlal), 52 of 325, followed by the opposition Party of Justice and Development (PJD) with 46 seats, on 7 September.

Ukraine—Supreme Council: Party of the Regions (PR), 175 of 450 seats; followed by Bloc Yulia Timoshenko (BYuT) 156 seats, on 30 September.

new government leaders

Jamaica: Bruce Golding (JLP),  Prime Minister, assumed office on 11 September.

Japan: Yasuo Fukuda (LDP), Prime Minister, assumed office on 25 September.

Mali: Modibo Sidibé, Prime Minister, assumed office on 28 September.

Morocco: Abbas El Fassi (Istiqlal), Prime Minister, assumed office on 19 September.

Russia: Viktor Alekseyevich Zubkov, Prime Minister, assumed office on 14 September.

Saint Lucia: Dr. Stephenson King (UWP), Prime Minister, assumed office on 9 September.

Sierra Leone: Ernest Bai Koroma, President, assumed the office of President on 17 September.

bio briefs

info/literature

(Issue contains 36 pages.)