Conference in Amersfort

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Conference in Amersfort

The most devastating war in the history of mankind – the Second World War, moved to the territory of the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941, and was named the Great Patriotic War.  This war brought unprecedented economic, military and human losses to the countries of the former Soviet Union, in particular to a number of countries such as Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and Belarus.  Millions of Soviet soldiers were captured and sent to various concentration camps established in Europe in the first months as a result of the Wehrmacht’s lightning-fast war operations.

Between the cities of Leusden and Amersfoort in the Netherlands, a concentration camp, now called the Place of Sorrow, was established.  The name of the concentration camp was due to the fact that the prisoners were kept in deplorable conditions, treated with extreme brutality and eventually executed.

The fate of the Central Asian prisoners of war, especially the one hundred and one prisoners from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, is a cause of great interest not only among Turkic peoples, but also among Europeans.  In particular, journalist-researcher Remko Reyding is studying the history of the appearance of 101 POWs so far from the front line.

According to this information, a third of the Central Asian prisoners did not survive the winter of 1941-1942.  Some of them were victims of medical experiments.  The remaining 77 prisoners were shot in the forest of Amersfoort on the morning of April 9, 1942, because the “propaganda” of fascism was not carried out, and their bodies were destroyed using special chemical means to hide the traces of the crime.  At this place, where Uzbek, Kazakh and Turkmen soldiers were executed, the Monument Koedriest has been erected.  On the eve of the liberation of Holland, the Nazis also destroyed prisoners of war and their personal documents, making it difficult to carry out effective investigations.

Currently, regular events are held to remember the victims of war.  In particular, a conference dedicated to the memory of the victims buried in Amersfoort was organized on April 29 of this year.  It was attended by 25 representatives of Uzbek, Kazakh, Azerbaijani and other Turkic-speaking nationalities living in the Netherlands, including official representatives of the embassies of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan in the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

During the event, the places where the victims were buried were visited and the Koran was read for their souls.  Then an excursion was organized in the memorial complex “Soviet Field of Glory” and the museum part of the former concentration camp of the city of Amersfoort.

In addition, in the activists’ hall of the Eemland library of Amersfoort city, a lecture was given by R. Reiding about 101 Turkish victims, the processes and difficulties of clarifying their identity, and by journalist and translator Sharifjon Ahmad on the topic “Uzbekistan during the Second World War”.  Mr. Ahmad noted in his speech about the contribution of Uzbekistan to the victory during the war years, the bravery of the Uzbeks, the military and food products that the Uzbek people sent to the war fronts.

Tunisian Gastronomic Days

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Tunisian Gastronomic Days

Hurry up, there are only a few tables left

Once again, the Tunisian embassy presents the best of its gastronomy in a continuation of the successful program that every year manages to enchant the public with the flavors and colors of Tunisia. The Ambassador of Tunisia, His Excellency Slim Ghariani, has taken care of every detail to make this event a major brand of presentation of its gastronomy.  

The Embassy of Tunisia in the Hague is co-organizing with the Tunisian National Tourist Office (ONTT), the 2023 edition of the ‘’Tunisian Gastronomic Days’’.

The Event will take place on 12 and 13 May 2023, at Leonardo Royal Hotel Amsterdam, starting from 06.30PM.

“The Tunisian Gastronomic Days will take you on a journey to savor the rich culinary art of Tunisia and to discover the Tunisian classic music. It aims to promote Tunisia as an important tourist and cultural destination. It will be attended by Dutch officials, Head of Diplomatic Missions, Businessman, Tour Operators, bloggers, journalists as well as the large public” explained Ambassador Ghariani.

“During the event, internationally renowned Tunisian Chefs Wafik Belaid, Haykel Ben Zayda, and Mohamed Ali Ben Abouda, will prepare a special menu full of authentic flavors arraying from savory specialties to delicacies as well as terroir products.” said the ambassador. 

The three Chefs are members of the Tunisian Association of Culinary Arts Professionals. They have participated in several international culinary competitions. They also run famous cooking TV shows in Tunisia.

Four artists from the musical troupe “TARAB” will perform classic pieces from the Tunisian heritage. Their orchestra is well known for its traditional and contemporary music and has performed shows in Europe on several occasions.

In addition, a Tombola will be held, where people participating can win valuable prizes.

Reservations via:

Amsterdam

Price : 45 euros

NB: To create a reservation, they just need to click on “Book a table”, and it will show the Food Festival immediately.

Food – Our Common Good: Sovereignty, Safety and Security

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Food – Our Common Good: Sovereignty, Safety and Security

By Yagmur Ceylan Korkut Hassan

Following successes of the similar programs in Europe (Vienna and Geneva notably), the Istanbul-based International Organization along with its European (think-tank, academia, cultural diplomacy, and media) partners decided to launch the special executive program for the future leaders on its own.

Hence, by the Program’s launch – February this year, this format gathered participants of diverse professional backgrounds and varied geographies, including Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East – largely the emerging leaders from the government, international organizations, or industry. The Future Leaders Executive Program’s concept is rather simple: Participants are spending a whole day with top-level speakers – mainly the world leaders that shaped events of the past decades (two per month, last Friday-Saturday in month) in an open, Chatham House rules-based atmosphere, all situated within the historic premises of the city on two continents.

On the 29th of April 2023, Dr. Franz Fischler, former senior Minister (of the EU accession government of Austria) and the subsequent EU Commissioner (of the two consecutive terms) in the context of the 3rd monthly round of the above-mentioned program, entertained its participants on various issues, ranging from the European Union, rural development to the global food (production, distribution and sovereignty) crisis, and all the consequences its entails (including the ongoing war in Ukraine).  

Excellency Fischler will be remembered by the very bold Agricultural reform during his time in Brussels, serving both Prodi and Barroso EU Commission. By many independent account, Fischler’ reform is considered as the most successful agricultural reform in Europe of all times.

Commissioner Fischler left a lasting impression on the audience by combining logical political and business strategies, outlining important socio-developmental issues in detail, and leaving enough room for debate from a range of viewpoints. The political choices and plans Dr. Fischler have made throughout his tenure (in the government, Commission and Alpbach Forum) are based on well-known traits of Austria, the state of its economy at the time, history, and his personal capacity to vision global events.

Following his presentation, topics covered included managing a world that is changing quickly; demography and rural development; fishery, agriculture; ethical and safety implication of the GMO usage; as well as geopolitical changes, globalization, international political economy, and democracy, etc.

Elaborating on the current global crisis and food issues, Dr. Fischler gave the following outline:

  • Hunger and famine are mainly caused by 3 key drivers: military conflicts and terrorism, economic shocks and weather disasters.
  • Since 2020 the number of hungry people is rising and the aim to achieve zero hunger by 2030 is very likely out of reach.
  • There is an enormous geographic imbalance and an uneven-distribution of food within the global society.
  • The most vulnerable are women and children.
  • Most experts share the view that the world could nourish up to 10 Bio. people.
  • Fighting hunger means providing access to food and a fair distribution of food between all countries.
  • The Ukrainian war worsened food security internally and also globally by adding another 13 Mio to the food insecure people and to provide enough wheat for the World Food Programme.
  • The free access to the Black Sea ports is of utmost importance to be able to bring enough food to the Middle East and to North Africa.

Addressing the governance crisis in Europe and beyond, Excellency Commissioner expressed the pressing need for a new leadership style, visionary and bold politicians of new generation. 

As the session was moving toward its end, Dr. Fischler gave his insights on the role of EU in the cooperation on continental and global level as well as within the World Trade Organization (WTO). Brief reference on the Alpbach Forum – as one of the most prestigious and eldest heavy-weights exchange formats, was made, too.    

In closing the session, he took advantage of a question asked on his opinion of youth participation in politics and expressed his faith in the capacity of the emerging leaders of the next generation to work for the betterment of the world.

As the event draw to a close, Dr. Franz Fischler and President of ICYF, Taha AYHAN (as a principal host to the event) jointly expressed what all participants had already concluded throughout the day: that the Future Leaders Executive Program offers a unique setting. Excellency Commissioner and President Taha both agreed that this particular format – in which an established experience meets the new passions and drives through cross generational leaders’ talks – represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for emerging leaders from verities of environments: the state, intergovernmental, and corporate sectors of all meridians.

The day-long talks with Excellency Fischler was an enlightening, farsighted and engaging experience for all who participated. It gave a lasting impression on the attendees and inked a top standard stamp for the Program’s forthcoming rounds.

The mesmerising ship of insights and wisdom gets a full swing sail once again. Its next fascinating port of call awaits before too long, with a former Prime Minister of Norway, Bondevik, and former Presidetn of Slovenia and top positioned UN official, Danilo Türk (on 26th and 27th May).  


Author:

Yagmur Ceylan Korkut Hassan

Yagmur Ceylan Korkut Hassan author is Madinah Group Istanbul Turkey Office Managing Partner and Chief Executive Officer. She was attached to the office of European Union Youth and Education Turkey.

Blasphemy legislation in Pakistan: Which response should be given by the EU?”

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Blasphemy legislation in Pakistan: Which response should be given by the EU?”

By José Luis Bazan, Legal Adviser for International Religious Freedom, Migration and Asylum, COMECE Secretariat, Brussels

On 8 May, HRWF organized a conference titled “EU-Pakistan: Human rights, religious freedom and the GSP+”, at the Press Club in Brussels. MEP Peter van Dalen who has for years been a staunch defender of human rights in Pakistan could not be present but he sent us a video (Minute 14’32”) with a strong message on the issue.

NGO representatives in Belgium, Pakistan, Italy and the US participated in the event addressing a series of serious issues. HRWF has the pleasure to present you parts of José Luis Bazan’s contribution to the debate:

“What is the GSP+?

The Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) is an EU scheme which grants privileged access (reduced or zero duties) to the EU market to products from certain less developed countries. When the eligible country gets GSP+ status, its products across approximately 66% of all EU tariff lines enter the EU market with 0% duties.

To become a beneficiary of the GSP+ status, the beneficiary country must demonstrate a tangible progress on the implementation of 27 international treaties regarding labour rights, good governance, climate and environment, and human rights (including freedom of religion and other rights pertaining to religious minorities and their members).

Why Pakistan?

The European Single Market, with over 440 million consumers, is Pakistan’s most important destination. Pakistan exports worth EUR 5.4 billion, namely garments, bedlinen, terry towels, hosiery, leather, sports and surgical goods. Pakistani exports to the EU are dominated by textiles and clothing, accounting for 75.2% of Pakistan’s total exports to the EU in 2020.

The GSP+ has been very beneficial for Pakistani business, increasing their exports to the EU market by 65% since the country joined GSP+ in 2014. As a result of the GSP+, more than 76% of Pakistan’s exports enter the EU duty and quota free. This represents almost 20% of Pakistan’s exports globally.

Pakistan is a country of high concern for its systematic and serious religious freedom and other human rights’ violations.

On 29 April 2021, the European Parliament called on the Commission and the European External Action Service to immediately review Pakistan’s eligibility for GSP+ status in the light of recent human rights abuses, as “the government systematically enforced blasphemy laws and failed to protect religious minorities from abuses by non-state actors, with a sharp rise in targeted killings, blasphemy cases, forced conversions, and hate speech against religious minorities (…); whereas abduction, forced conversion to Islam, rape and forced marriage remained an imminent threat for religious minority women and children in 2020, particularly those from the Hindu and Christian faiths”.

On 16 January 2023, six UN Special Rapporteurs expressed alarm at the reported rise in abductions, forced marriages and conversions of underage girls and young women from religious minorities in Pakistan and called for immediate efforts to curtail these practices and ensure justice for victims.

We must also pay attention to the violation of the educational freedom of students and parents of religious minorities in the education system:

o  The new Single National Curriculum (SNC) violates the right not to receive religious instruction against the religious beliefs of parents and those of the child: it imposes Muslim instruction in non-religious mandatory subjects (History, Mathematics…).

o  The evaluation system that empowers the knowledge of Islam giving extra points to them, discriminating non-Muslim students.

o  Authorised schoolbooks promote Islam among non-Muslim students in public schools.

On Jan. 17, 2023, the Pakistan’s National Assembly unanimously voted to expand the country’s laws on blasphemy extending the punishment to those deemed to have insulted the Muhammad ‘s wives, family and companions, with 10 years in prison or life imprisonment. The Supreme Court of Pakistan has asked the Government, through its police, to deal more carefully with blasphemy cases and avoid the misuse of blasphemy laws,[1] in a process in August 2022.

The extreme social and legal vulnerability of members of religious minorities in Pakistan, most of them belonging to the poorest sections of society, make them easy targets of abuse, with no real possibility of claiming their human rights in a due process, often denied in law or in fact, in a context where the police and judicial authorities (particularly those of the lower courts) show little or no interest in prosecuting the crimes of which they are victims and in protecting their fundamental rights.

Why now?

The European Commission proposed on 22 September 2021 a new GSP Regulation, as the current one in force expires on 31 December 2023. New international conventions will be added to the list of obligations that GSP countries should respect.

An EEAS/European Commission report which will be adopted by the College of Commissioners and addressed to the Council and Parliament should have been published at the beginning of 2023.

The proposed GSP regulation requires the approval of the Parliament and the Council through the ordinary legislative procedure. This increases the political nature of the GSP+ which will be more than a mere trade agreement. Unlike the European Parliament, the EU Council wishes to maintain the Commission proposal to make GSP aid to beneficiary countries conditional on the readmission of their nationals who are illegally present in the EU. This issue was the subject of a debate characterised by particularly strong German opposition. A comprehensive EU-Pakistan dialogue on migration was launched in November 2022, with Commissioner Johansson visiting Pakistan.

Once adopted, the new EU GSP Regulation will apply from 1 January 2024 for 10 years.

The European Commission extended Pakistan’s GSP+ status  but it will have to re-apply for get the GSP+ status before the end of 2015. Meanwhile, the current preferences continue to be applied.

Conclusions and proposals

This situation calls for a reassessment by the European Commission in its future discussions with the Pakistani authorities on the preservation of the country’s status as a beneficiary of GSP+ status, as it is clear that Pakistan shows little respect for the above-mentioned international obligations, in particular in relation to the country’s religious minorities. In addition, some report about how the ruling elite in Pakistan had used this instrument for their personal gains.[2]

Clear and precise demand for due legislation and practice should be made to Pakistani authorities in relation to religious freedom and minorities, as a condition to the GSP+ renewal, including:

Specific measures, such as:

1.   Transfer of all blasphemy law cases to courts in the capital to avoid social pressure against first instance magistrates on the ground.

2.   Immediate police protection of accused of blasphemy, and possible transfer to a safe place along with his family.

3.   Criminal prosecution of false denouncers of blasphemy cases and severe punishment imposed upon them.

4.   Disciplinary measures to members of the police and law enforcement bodies that don’t protect the accused of blasphemy or mishandle the case.

General measures, such as:

5.   Reform of the National Single Curriculum and school textbooks with an appropriate portrayal of indigenous religious minorities, including their historical presence in the land, and their contribution to the country.

6.   Due investigation, prosecution and condemnation of perpetrators of crimes against members of religious minorities.

7.   Special Prosecutor/Court to protect minors belonging to religious minorities, including e.g., young girls against forced marriage, and an enforced ban of child marriage, making their consent non-valid in cases where the girl belongs to a religious minority.”

Published by Human Rights Without Frontiers

See the full conference on YouTube:

Healthcare Week showcases Hong Kong’s medtech strengths

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Healthcare Week showcases Hong Kong’s medtech strengths

ASGH and Hong Kong International Medical and Healthcare Fair help set new levels of collaboration for global healthcare industry.

The second International Healthcare Week (IHW), organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and supported by a wide range of healthcare sector partners, runs from 16 to 31 May in Hong Kong, leveraging the city’s strategic role as an innovation and investment healthcare hub in Asia. 

The two flagship events of IHW are the third Asia Summit on Global Health (ASGH), co-organised by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the HKTDC, and the 14th edition of the HKTDC Hong Kong International Medical and Healthcare Fair (Medical Fair), organised by the HKTDC. 

Medical Fair exhibitors will include Hopebotics Limited which combines advanced intelligent wearable robot technology with neural engineering technology to help stroke survivors with their rehabilitation

Ms Margaret Fong, Executive Director of the HKTDC (main picture, centre), said: “As an international financial centre, world-class research hub and important connector within the Guangdong-Hong-Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), Hong Kong offers an ideal platform for global healthcare development, with the city playing a pivotal role in the rapidly developing industry in Asia.” 

Ms Fong was speaking at a news conference previewing the event yesterday. She was joined by Dr Donald Li, Chairman of the Elderly Commission (main picture, left) and Dr Lydia Leung, Chairman of the Hong Kong Medical and Healthcare Device Industries Association (right).

Ms Fong was pleased local and global healthcare industry players rapidly reconnecting after travel links returned to normal.  “The second IHW provides the perfect opportunity to bring together the world’s elite in the medical, research and financial fields in Hong Kong,” she added. Ms Fong also welcomed and thanked healthcare sector partners for joining IHW. “Our partnerships make this event very meaningful and highlights the importance of collaboration to drive forward the healthcare industry. We hope to collaborate with more groups next year.” 

IHW will also feature 10 other events.

  • Hospital Authority Convention 2023
  • HKMHDIA Medical Fair Forum – Hong Kong as the International MedTech Hub
  • CUHK ENT Conference 2023
  • Seminar on Embracing the Era of Genomic Medicine: Research, Training and Clinical Applications
  • Seminar on Let’s Talk about Eczema
  • 35th Anniversary Prostate Health Check and Exhibition
  • Scientific Seminar – 2023 AIRP Course in Hong Kong
  • Seminar on Prevention of Sarcopenia and Frailty
  • CU Allergy Week 2023
  • HKVCA 22nd China Private Equity Summit 2023 – Panel Discussion on Healthcare and Biotechnology industries

All-round healthcare platform 

Exhibitor Syngular Technology Limited focuses on developing AR-based surgical assistance software solutions

ASGH will run on 17 and 18 May, with the first day held in-person at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) and the second day taking place virtually. 

Themed Reimagining the Future of Healthcare, the Summit will feature more than 80 speakers, including healthcare officials and organisations from around the world, international science and medical experts, university academics and researchers, investors, business leaders and financial specialists. They will discuss developments in public health, medical technology and healthcare investment and explore the future of the healthcare ecosystem and opportunities within it. 

Mr John Lee, Chief Executive of the HKSAR, will deliver opening remarks on the first day, with Ms Yu Yanhong, Member of the Leading Party Members’ Group of the National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China and Secretary of the Leading Party Members’ Group and Deputy Director of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, addressing the summit as a guest speaker. 

Plenary sessions will feature diverse healthcare leaders and industry experts highlighting the evolution of healthcare and the importance of closer cross-sector collaboration. These are complemented by thematic sessions that deep dive into various aspects of healthcare, including biotech and medtech, climate change and health, wellness and much more.

Deal-sourcing and deal-making sessions at the events will help enterprises, start-ups, investors and buyers build connections and expand business. 

Bonejoy Limited has developed biomimicking photocrosslinkable nanocomposite (BPN) bone grafts, which mimic the natural bone structure

ASGH Deal-Making on day one of the Summit will connect project owners with potential investors and business partners worldwide. The projects will cover pharmaceuticals, medical devices and diagnostics, AI and digital health, community health and wellness, and more. To facilitate business matchmaking and provide exposure for projects in need of fundraising, live project pitching by more than 30 start-ups will take place in the ASGH exhibition area. 

Also on day one, the InnoHealth Showcase and exhibition area at the HKCEC will feature more than 140 healthcare start-ups. The Business of Healthcare Advisory Zone will feature biotechnology and healthcare start-ups. Investors and industry experts will be on hand to offer a range of consulting services for start-ups, including fundraising, R&D cooperation, market access and more.

Medtech trends

The Medical Fair, organised by the HKTDC and co-organised by the Hong Kong Medical and Healthcare Device Industries Association (HKMHDIA), is themed Unleash the Power of Smart Health. 

This year’s event has attracted more than 300 exhibitors from Hong Kong, Canada, Mainland China, Japan, Taiwan and the United States. Highlighted zones include Biotechnology, Hospital Equipment, Rehabilitation and Elderly Care, World of Health & Wellness, Medical Supplies and Disposables and Laboratory Equipment & Manufacturing Solutions, along with pavilions from the HKMHDIA and Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks (HKSTP). Zones will feature the latest medical technologies and equipment along with medical, healthcare and related services, enabling industry participants to source the latest products and services.

Pro-Med Technology Limited showcases a robotic exoskeleton that helps patients relearn how to walk following spinal cord injuries, a stroke or other brain traumas

Universities have become major medtech R&D hubs and six Hong Kong universities will showcase their accomplishments at the Medical Fair. The HKSTP pavilion will showcase cutting-edge technological developments from 30 corporations including start-ups it nurtured.

The Medical Fair will highlight a wide range of medical equipment, such as a robotic exoskeleton that helps patients relearn how to walk following spinal cord injuries, stroke or other brain traumas. 

Also on display will be a 5G hearing aid that successfully cuts noise 90% and helps users hear in noisy places, and a breath ketone analyser that measures breath ketones to help users monitor diabetes and weight management.

Medical Fair events include the HKMHDIA Medical Fair Forum organised by the HKMHDIA in partnership with the HKTDC on the first day (16 May). The Hong Kong as the International MedTech Hub session will cover the needs of medical technology enterprises in Hong Kong and other GBA cities and unpack the medtech ecosystems in both places, covering everything from regulations and intellectual property issues to product design, manufacturing and cybersecurity. 

The EXHIBITION+ hybrid model at the fair will let exhibitors and buyers from around the world continue conducting business online via the Click2Match smart business matching platform until 25 May. 

Liquidating the SOVA Center: the official end of religious freedom in Russia

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Liquidating the SOVA Center: the official end of religious freedom in Russia

By destroying the leading organization monitoring religious liberty violations, the Putin regime can no longer pretend that relics of freedom of religion remain in Russia.

By Massimo Introvigne


Bitter Winter (04.05.2023) – The Moscow City Court decision of April 27 “liquidating” the SOVA Center for Information and Analysis, a leading Russian NGO monitoring violations of freedom of religion or belief, is one of the saddest news coming from Russia in recent times. We are all indebted to SOVA, not only for information not available anywhere else, but also for in-depth analyses explaining why the Putin regime behaves as it does in its assault against religious liberty. SOVA has announced that it will appeal, but it seems unlikely that a politically motivated decision may be overturned. 

On the other hand, paradoxically the Moscow City Court decision makes the situation of religion in Russia clearer than it was before. To be honest, I was surprised that even after the war of aggression against Ukraine was started, SOVA was still allowed to continue its precious work. I was even more surprised that, as we reported in Bitter Winter, on September 28, 2022, SOVA’s Olga Sibireva was allowed to travel to Warsaw and speak during the OSCE Human Dimension Meeting in Warsaw at a side event organized by the NGO CAP-LC, and supported by our magazine, on “Anti-Cult Ideology and FECRIS [the anti-cult European Federation whose Russian branch supports the invasion of Ukraine]: Dangers for Religious Freedom.” I was a speaker in that event too, and found Sibireva’ speech moderate, balanced, and well-informed. However, it comes out that her participation at the Warsaw event is precisely one of the “crimes” and the “gross and irreparable violations of the law” for which SOVA has been liquidated.

Photo: SOVA’s Olga Sibireva. From Twitter.

I had repeatedly asked myself why SOVA, and a few other “normal” voices, had not yet been suffocated in Russia. A tentative answer was that the Putin regime still wanted to pretend that different views on religion coexisted in Russia, from the lunatic ramblings of the Russian FECRIS and its leaders Alexander Dvorkin and Alexander Novopashin to SOVA’s moderate attitude. There was no freedom of religion in Russia, but at least some limited spaces were left where one could not change the dire situation of religious liberty but could at least talk about it.

The most important of these spaces is now being closed. Russia is serving notice to the world that not only the practice of religious liberty, but even the possibility of discussing about freedom of religion or belief have been abrogated in the country. The Putin regime is now officially one of the pariah states, together with China and North Korea, where the repression of religious freedom is not even hidden.

Friends of freedom of religion throughout the world should mobilize for SOVA. They will probably not save it—but at least they should ask democratic states and international religious organizations to note the official declaration of end of any relic of freedom of religion in Russia. There is something that can and should be done, and talking is not enough.

Magnitsky-type sanctions should hit the main architects of the repression of religious liberty in Russia, including Dvorkin and Novopashin. Interreligious and ecumenical dialogue, and invitation to international conferences, should cease for these religious leaders—bishops, starting from Patriarch Kirill, muftis, and Buddhist leaders—who aid and abet Putin’s regime and its bloody religious repression (they also support the war of aggression against Ukraine).

Business as usual with Russia can no longer continue in the religious field either.

About the author:

Massimo Introvigne (born June 14, 1955 in Rome) is an Italian sociologist of religions. He is the founder and managing director of the Center for Studies on New Religions (CESNUR), an international network of scholars who study new religious movements. Introvigne is the author of some 70 books and more than 100 articles in the field of sociology of religion. He was the main author of the Enciclopedia delle religioni in Italia (Encyclopedia of Religions in Italy). He is a member of the editorial board for the Interdisciplinary Journal of Research on Religion and of the executive board of University of California Press’ Nova Religio. From January 5 to December 31, 2011, he has served as the “Representative on combating racism, xenophobia and discrimination, with a special focus on discrimination against Christians and members of other religions” of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). From 2012 to 2015 he served as chairperson of the Observatory of Religious Liberty, instituted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to monitor problems of religious liberty on a worldwide scale.

Published by Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF) 

Documenting of the border violations in the United Nations

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Documenting of the border violations in the United Nations

By Dr. Ali Hilal, Minister Plenipotentiary/ Charge d’affaires Embassy of Iraq in the Netherlands

The settled rule in both international and domestic laws is the obligation to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other states by neighboring or non-neighboring states and not to commit aggression against them. This is obvious in international treaties, Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, and International Court of Justice decisions, based on respect for the provisions contained in the United Nations Charter.

At the domestic level, most constitutions have stipulated the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other states, and one of the most prominent examples of applying this constitutional article is respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other states. That means refraining from any act that may constitute a violation or breach (materially or morally) of the sovereignty of other states. What concerns us here is the material violation of state sovereignty, i.e., physical aggression by carrying out an act that international law defines as an attack or material breach of the sovereignty of a neighboring state by a state that has assigned the act of violation to one of its national authorities.

When such border violations occur, the aggrieved state is supposed to file a complaint with the aggressor state. Documenting the violation (bilateral) is the weakest type of documentation due to the difficulty of proving it in case the other party denies receiving the complaint. Such documentation is usually done through several means that the government of the aggrieved state may use individually or collectively, depending on the severity of the breach, the strength of the bilateral relations between the two states, and the number of times such a breach is repeated. The following are some of the most prominent of these methods:

– Call the foreign ministry of the aggrieving state to the accredited head of the mission of the aggressor state and informing them of its objection to the violation with a brief overview of it and its results.

-Sending a NOTE VERBALE that includes the objection against the act attributed to the aggressor state through diplomatic channels or delivering it to the head of the mission of the aggressor state upon summons.

The report should include the date of the breach (year, month, day, hour, minute) and the duration of the breach. It should also provide a detailed description of the breach location and the incident location to document the border points where the attacking aircraft entered and the sites that were targeted. Additionally, the report should document the casualties (deaths and injuries) and categorize them by gender and civilian or military status. The report should also document the material losses resulting from the breach based on reports from the relevant civil defense directorates.

-The above methods may be used when the violation is significant, according to the assessment of the relevant national authorities.

Firstly: The purpose of documenting the violation:

As we mentioned above, bilateral documentation mechanisms are not sufficient to protest when there is a desire to go further due to the violation not stopping or the attack state is not responding to demands. Therefore, some states go for documenting violations internationally, especially if they are repeated, in order to achieve one or more of the following purposes:

1.International documentation of violations allows the attacked state to easily refer to and rely on them when claiming the right to self-defense or compensation resulting from such violations.

2.International documentation serves as a moral (artificial) deterrent with an international character, based on the United Nations’ notification by the attacked state of the violations against it and the disclosure of these border breaches to the international community.

Secondly: The ability to report border violations to the United Nations:

1.According to the United Nations Charter, any state has the right to document and report violations to the United Nations, depending on the issue at hand. In such cases, the government of the attacked state may send identical litters to the President of the Security Council and the Secretary-General of the United Nations regarding the border violations.

2.The mechanism of reporting and documentation is linked to specific requests from the attacked state, which vary depending on the issue at hand. These requests range from (notification) to a request for a Security Council resolution (depending on the attacked state’s ability to convince the Security Council of the seriousness of the incident).

3.The notification or reporting of violations may be for the sole purpose of international documentation, and the responding party may either respond to these claims or remain silent. In such cases, and according to the rules of international law, the lack of response from the other party cannot be considered as a legal admission of the occurrence of the violation for several reasons, including the fact that the notification in such cases is of a political nature and not judicial. In all the aforementioned cases, this notification (complaint) cannot be considered as independent evidence sufficient alone to issue a judgment in a specific legal case in accordance with the rules of international law. Rather, it is a corroborating indication that can be used to support any future claim by the attacked state for compensation, or to exercise the right of self-defense, or to refer the matter to peaceful settlement mechanisms as stipulated in the United Nations Charter.

Thirdly: Types of documentation at the United Nations

1.Send a letter of protest from the Minister of Foreign Affairs documenting all the details related to those violations, this letter attached usually with a Note Verbal issued by the attacked state’s permanent mission to the United Nations in New York, addressed to both the President of the Security Council and the Secretary-General of the United Nations. As we mentioned, one of the most important issues to be mentioned in the letter is the coordinates of the breach (date, time, location, duration of the breach, number of air or ground strikes, casualties, etc.) and the sender usually requests the adoption of this letter as an official document of the United Nations.

2.Sending a Note Verbal or letter from the permanent mission of the attacked state in New York to the President of the Security Council and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, stating the violations and the impact of these violations on the destabilization of international peace and security, and calling for the international community to take immediate action to stop or condemn these violations, as well as  to activate the Security Council’s mandate under the United Nations Charter and requesting the Security Council to take action on the matter, and the powers of the Security Council in this case are as follows:

A – Security Council Resolution: The Security Council may issue a resolution regarding border violations that includes both operative and preamble paragraphs, this type of resolution requires affirmative vote of nine members of the Security Council, including the concurring votes of the permanent members, and this procedure requires international support from the attacked state. B – Presidential Statement: This is a less severe action than its predecessor and is issued by the Security Council on an issue that member states agree to issue a statement on without rising to the level of a resolution.

C– Press Statement: This is another action taken by the Security Council by issuing an official press statement after the session dedicated to discussing a particular topic has ended, which requires issuing a statement on the position of the member states in the Council on the matter.

Fourthly: The consequences of reporting violations to the United Nations

1.Positive consequences: A. Reporting this violation as a first step to gain international support to prevent or criminalize the violation and compensate for the damages caused. B. Diverting the issue from a bilateral relationship between the aggressor and the attacked state to the international arena by presenting the issue to one of the United Nations bodies, generating international momentum and more pressure on the aggressor government. C. This action is an obligation and duty on the government of the attacked state imposed by its constitutional duties to preserve the rights of the state, ensure its sovereignty, and enforce its authority over its territory in accordance with international law. D. Finding a moral deterrent that governs the relationship between the parties, contributing to prompting the aggressor government to reconsider its border violations in the future.

2.Negative effects: they are divided into two main groups: The first group: negative effects in the bilateral relationship with the aggressor state: A. There is a high possibility of tension in the bilateral relations between the two parties and the use of specific pressure means by the affected state towards the government of the aggressor state, economically, politically, or any other escalatory steps that can be avoided bilaterally. B. Resorting to documenting border violations to the United Nations may not ultimately lead to tangible results, in return, it will definitely lead to the loss of part of the political pressure that the affected state can exert on the aggressor state through bilateral diplomatic channels (the Joint High Committee, Foreign Ministers, embassies of both countries, meetings of security experts, etc.).

The Second group: Negative effects on the position of the state that has been internationally violated: Internationalizing such border violations often leads to a desire to find urgent regional or international solutions and interventions to resolve the conflict or stop the violations through peaceful means. This may open the door for regional intervention in a bilateral issue, especially if the issue of the violation or its location is linked to certain sensitive issues, such as the presence of ethnic, religious, or national minorities in more than one neighboring state of the violated state.

In conclusion, it must be said that resorting to such a measure should be preceded by a wide-ranging international media campaign that sheds light on these border violations and mobilizes possible regional and popular support for such a step to be a supportive factor in increasing international mobilization against these violations. It should not be the first choice for deterrence against aggression, considering that such violations may be repeated and ongoing. Therefore, there must be documented (bilateral) and (regional) mechanisms that are accountable and coordinated first for these violations before moving to the level of the United Nations, as there may be negative aspects if all positive and negative aspects of this escalation are not taken into account.

From a shared history to a shared memory

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From a shared history to a shared memory

By Jan van Zanen, Mayor of The Hague

In March of this year it was decided to place a monument on Lange Voorhout in commemoration of the trans-Atlantic slave trade and Caribbean slavery. The creation of this monument forms part of a wider programme to make The Hague’s colonial and slavery past part of its collective memory. The municipal council had previously asked the Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies (KITLV) to conduct an academic study on its behalf to examine The Hague’s colonial and slavery history. When the research report was presented I, as Mayor, on behalf of the municipal executive, offered my apologies for the way in which past public administrators of The Hague supported and profited from the system of colonialism and slavery.

Anyone who cares to look will find numerous accounts related to the period of colonialism and slavery in The Hague and signs of it too. What comes to mind here in this context are the many people living in our city, roughly 20 per cent of The Hague’s population, whose roots lie in the former colonies, some of whom are also descendants of people who were enslaved. Traces of that history can also be seen in the city’s architecture (the Mauritshuis being the best known example), as well as in art collections, the Royal Library and the National Archive.

Our colonial past is not a closed chapter in our history. Its consequences are clearly visible, even today. That the emotions are still there among all the different points of view, was something I felt for myself during my visits to the six islands of the Dutch Caribbean, as well as Suriname, Indonesia and India. The Hague elected to have a study carried out to look at both its history of slavery and its entire colonial past. Not least, because slavery was an integral part of the colonial system. But that does not mean that we are not aware of the wide differences between the victims. The Hague fully recognises the unique position of the victims of the trans-Atlantic slave trade and Caribbean slavery. Just as we also want to do justice to all the other victims of slavery and colonialism.

The Hague’s colonial and slavery history differs from that of other cities in the Netherlands. The Hague was not a trading city and had no ‘official’ city rights until the start of the 19th century. As the seat of government and the residence of first the stadholders and later the successive monarchs and queens, however, The Hague was also the place where all national decisions about colonial policy and thus slavery and contract labour were taken. We are reminded of that by buildings such as the former Ministry of the Colonies. In the archives we find the names of people living in The Hague who invested in the United East India Company (VOC) and the West India Company (WIC), or directly in plantations where enslaved people were forced to work. Many of those investors could be found among the highest echelons of government, with positions at both local and national level.

The study by the KITLV showed that The Hague municipal council of the day was keen to gain influence within the VOC and WIC. Wealthy residents had no qualms about investing in matters directly related to slavery. As did the Sociëteit van ’s-Gravenhage, The Hague’s tax authority. The Sociëteit invested in British government bonds in 1774. And thus, via the international capital markets, sought to gain a slice of the pie from the colonial activities of its rival, Britain, which also included the slave trade. The Sociëteit clearly had no ethical awareness when it came to how profits were made. It was only ever about the money, and not the African people.

This was still the case in 1863 when slavery was abolished in the Caribbean: change only came about when a compensation scheme was set up. A compensation scheme that was instituted not for the victims of slavery, but for the slave owners. And partly funded by the culture system in the Dutch East Indies which forced Javanese peasants to produce products for export to the Netherlands. Once again, people were reduced to a commodity and exploited. The same fate befell those enslaved in Asia. More attention has been devoted in recent times to the Dutch trans-Atlantic slave trade and plantations in the Caribbean. But we should not forget that from the first half of the 17th century, the VOC also engaged in large-scale slave trading in Asia.

When slavery was abolished there were at least 40 Caribbean plantation owners living in The Hague. Remarkably enough, none of them were merchants, but rather members of the nobility, military, public officials and a few politicians. It is known that 564 citizens of The Hague served on the municipal council between 1795-1940. It has been established that 89 of these people had a direct or indirect link with the colonial administration. This could mean that their family had interests in slavery or that they themselves once worked in colonial administration. A direct consequence of the abolition of slavery was the arrival of contract workers in Suriname. Most of them came from India and Java. Under very harsh conditions they had to create a new life for themselves in Suriname.

The municipal executive fully realises the extent to which our predecessors, as members of the governing elite of the time, were involved in the system of colonialism and slavery. An apology cannot undo the untold suffering inflicted upon the ancestors of so many citizens of The Hague. I also want to stress that no one currently living in The Hague is to blame for the deeds of those who lived in The Hague at that time or were responsible for its public administration. Although we are well aware that the suffering of the past continues to the present day. That it causes sorrow. And anger. Not least because the system of colonialism and slavery was based on racism and notions of white supremacy. Phenomena still faced today by the descendants of the victims of colonialism and slavery.

Racism is still a toxic force, even in our society. And that is precisely why it is so important to acknowledge the suffering caused by the system of colonialism and slavery. We can only truly address today’s racism when – by recognising its origins and consequences – we make colonialism and slavery part of our collective memory.  Something which has not yet happened. The picture of our history is still incomplete. It was the decades-long failure to acknowledge the historical role of slavery, in particular, that caused so much pain and anger.

The academic study of The Hague’s colonial and slavery history carried out at the request of the municipal executive, marks a beginning. The start of a wider programme to give colonialism and slavery a permanent place in The Hague’s commemorative culture. In addition, a Colonial and Slavery History Advisory Committee will shortly be set up to provide The Hague city council with welcome advice. We are proud to be the first in the country with such a standing committee drawn from broad sections of the community. The topic will be covered in schools and, of course, 2023 will be an important year of commemoration. Slavery was abolished 160 years ago (although enslaved people were still required to work for another 10 years) and it is 150 years since the first contract workers arrived in Suriname.

This is how we will proceed, step by step and together, to ensure that the memory of the suffering caused by colonialism and slavery is firmly embedded in the collective memory of The Hague. With the aim of doing justice to all the victims and their descendants. In the hope that eventually, by remembering together it can become a shared memory. And that we, here in The Hague, on the basis of that jointly acknowledged past, can build an even better common future.

Hong Kong is ready for business

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Hong Kong is ready for business

Hong Kong Trade Development Council is committed to connecting businesses with opportunities via Hong Kong

By Silas Chu, Regional Director, Europe, Central Asia & Israel

Hong Kong is back, with lines of travellers at the city’s international airport, West Kowloon high-speed railway station and for shuttle bus services across the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. Between 5 and 10 April, the end of Easter break, the first long holiday since travel restrictions were lifted, more than 4 million people have entered or left Hong Kong.

Last December, Hong Kong began gradually to relax social distancing measures. In February, borders with the Chinese mainland reopened and in March, the compulsory wearing of face masks, the very last restriction ended. The number of travellers has risen quickly.  In February Hong Kong airport welcomed 2,146,000 passengers, an increase of over 2,392 percent compared with February last year.

Many large-scale international events have returned to Hong Kong.

Early March, the 39th HKTDC Hong Kong International Jewellery Show and the 9th HKTDC Hong Kong International Diamond, Gem & Pearl Show gathered over 2,500 exhibitors and attracted over 60,000 buyers from 130 countries and regions.

Late March, thousands flocked to Art Basel Hong Kong, one of Asia’s leading art fairs, to view works from 177 top galleries from 32 countries and regions. The Hong Kong Sevens rugby tournament, held from March 31 to April 2, attracted about 75,000 spectators.

The return of visitors and businessmen serves as a prelude to the resilience of the city as an international business hub and its new offerings in art, culture, and innovation give new impetus to its economic growth and driver seat of the regional integration with the GBA cities and RCEP economies.

Recently, the HKSAR Chief Executive announced in his Policy Address a wide array of incentives and measures to attract international strategic enterprises and investments to Hong Kong, particularly in areas such as life sciences, health technology, artificial intelligence and data science, financial technology, advanced manufacturing, and new energy technology.

As a two-way platform between China and the world and one of the world’s top financial centres, Hong Kong has been supporting businesses and investors worldwide to tap into the vast China and Asia markets and has been playing a major role in the global financial system.

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong’s trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China. It is committed to connecting businesses with opportunities via Hong Kong, promoting the city’s advantages to the global business community and strengthening its role as a world-class business hub, and a two-way investment and trade platform for GBA, ASEAN and RCEP.

We enrich our deal-making work through major conferences, including Asian Financial Forum, Belt and Road Summit and other events, to facilitate tripartite cooperation between service providers, investors, and project owners. We promote key opportunities in tech and innovation, medical and healthcare, and sustainability in our industry events.

This year, besides the year-round sourcing with HKTDC’s Exhibition+ model and Click2Match digital service, the HKTDC has launched a new Business of Innovation and Technology Week with a new InnoEx fair in April and an International Healthcare Week, integrating the Asia Summit on Global Health and Hong Kong International Medical and Healthcare Fair in May.

Our anchor event for the year as to relaunch Hong Kong after three long years of pandemic is our signature promotion Think Business, Think Hong Kong.

“Think Business, Think Hong Kong” is a global programme promoting bilateral trade and investment between Hong Kong and key international partners. Since 2011, the programme has fortified Hong Kong’s business ties with countries like Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Among all mature markets and to reflect the importance and optimism we attach to Europe and France in particular; this year’s edition will be held in Paris on 19 September.

Joined by a large Hong Kong business delegation comprising CEOs, investors, innovators, start-ups and professional service providers, the group will meet with over 1,000 French and European companies with an interest in doing business in Asia and share their perspectives about the market potential and areas of collaboration with Hong Kong.

For further information

https://www.hktdc.com, www.thinkbusinessthinkhk.com

Your Shipwreck is my Time-capsule

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Your Shipwreck is my Time-capsule

By Prof. Richard T. Griffiths

The Silk Road Virtual Museum (SRVM) has two routes – overland and by sea. For the maritime routes, in addition to the land-based cultural artefacts, I want to feature shipwrecks, especially those with intact cargoes. Unlike the scattered pieces in museums and private collections, a ship’s cargo gives an accurate time-shot of the volumes and nature of traded goods. Moreover, unlike land sites that are reused and reinvented over time, a wreck captures the essence of life and culture of a community the moment of its loss. Researching for the SRVM Beijing (1271-1368) site, which will be the third site added to the museum, I came across the Shinan shipwreck. Its story will explain why I want to feature it in the Museum.

In 1323CE a Chinese trading vessel left the port of what is now the port of Ningbo on the Yangtze River, destined for the port of Hakata, now Fukuoka, in Japan. It never arrived. It was caught in a storm off the south western coast of Korea and sank without trace. For over 600 years the wreck lay undiscovered, twenty metres below the waves. In 1975 a fisherman and his son found six pieces of pottery caught in their nets which turned out to be ancient Caledon vases, characterised by their blue-green glaze. So began the rescue of one of the most complete, intact consignments of trade goods from the 14th century.

For the next nine years a team of archaeologists worked on the wreck to salvage what they could of the vessel and its cargo. They could only work in the summer, and could only dive for an hour a day just as the tide was turning.

The archaeologists knew when it sailed because they could decipher eight wooden tags found in the vessel, with the words “Zhizhi Sannian” – The third year of Zhizhi Period – in other words 1323, written on them, which indicated the date of loading for shipment. There were more than three hundred other tags indicating the owners or consignees of the various cargoes. All the goods were destined for Japan.

They knew that the ship was Chinese because of its construction and the origin of the ship’s timbers. It was 32 metres long and 10 metres wide and had a cargo capacity of some 140 tons. The hull was divided into eight holds for carrying the cargo, with the bulkheads also offering the vessel much needed structural stability. It was from this information that scientists were able to construct a scale model of the ship.

At the middle of the ship, at the bottom, the archaeologists recovered 28 tons of silver coins packed into 470 boxes. Some of the coins dated back to the first century CE. These had been obviously placed there to increase the vessel’s stability but old Chinese coins also found a ready demand in Japan where they could be smelted into other objects.

Those were not the only coins. The archaeologists also found one or two coins in most of the jars and packing cases. It was a traditional practice to bring good-luck. They also found some peppercorns in many of the artifacts, placed there for the same reason.

Above the coins, and between the boxes, they found over 1,000 pieces of red sandal wood, each between one and two metres long. The wood served as dunnage, preventing the shifting of the cargo. However, the wood was expensive and it had originated in South East Asia or even as far away as India. It had been loaded onto the ship in China, along with the other cargo (otherwise it could not be underneath) as was probably intended to be used in high quality furniture or to be carved into Buddhist statues.

The rest of the cargo, which comprised over 20,000 pieces of ceramics and more than 700 metal objects was placed on top, much of it in wooden chests. This was the earliest evidence of the use of packing cases in Asian trade. Most of the chests had disintegrated but some had survived. An analysis of the wood from which they were made suggested that the majority originated in Japan rather than China. Tree-ring dating showed that the youngest wood dated from 1316. The lid on one of the boxes had squares drawn upon it, for playing the game of wéi qí, better known in English as ‘Go’.

Covering all the cargo, was a deck which would protect the cargo and to allow people to walk freely. And protect the cargo it did since, when the ship sank, the decking kept to cargo on board for long enough to allow it to become waterlogged and not to float away. This is why so much remained intact and this is what (some of) it looked like:

This leaves one last question. What sort or trade have we been looking at? The wooden tags make clear that the pieces were ordered by Japanese customers. They show that it took some 40 days for Chinese merchants to prepare and package ordered items before sailing. Between 30-40 sailors were on board during the voyage. At the time, private trade was discouraged in Japan but there was one exception. In order to pay for their upkeep and repair, temples were allowed to trade. So, this was probably a form of temple trade – with a Chinese ship, possibly manned largely by Chinese sailors, collecting a cargo of goods pre ordered by and for Japanese customers.

I would love to include the Shinan wreck in the Silk Road Virtual Museum. Ideally, I would have visitors take an underwater guided dive tour over a 3D reconstruction of the wreck and then allow them to walk around a photogramed 3D version of the ship itself. I would photogram a dozen of the artefacts, to reinforce the ‘illusion’ of the 2D representations of the rest. I would have a theatre where the archaeologists could retell the story of the wreck’s recovery, the building of the model and the preservation of the finds.

I would link it to the SRVM sites in China and Japan to capture the cultural context, as well as to other contemporaneous underwater sites to reinforce the idea of the existence of a complex international trading network And I would link it to the real-world site of the wreck.

Part of the artefacts from the wreck are ii the National Museum in Seoul but the wreck itself and much of the collection is here:

National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage

Jeollanam-do, Mokpo-si, 용해동 8. South Korea

http://www.seamuse.go.kr/

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