Group items tagged

This is a report published on November 6, 2014 by the International Crisis Group about the current peace talks between Turkey's President Ergodan and leaders of the PKK. It discusses how after decades of conflict which cost tens of thousands of people their lives, neither Turkey nor the PKK believe that military victory is possible, and are meeting to discuss a peaceful resolution. However, the events in Syria has reignited ever-present tensions between the two groups, and a fruitful compromise between them is seeming less likely. In this report, the International Crisis Group details the parameters of a possible peace deal, and states that differences need to be put aside so that basic issues like "transitional justice, disarmament and decentralization" can be resolved.

This is another cartoon from Oum Cartoon of a cartoon illustrating the current issue of censorship in Egypt. The cartoon is a reaction of how the media is now supporting the government and how it will not demean them.  

This article is partly a news report and partly a discussion of gender equality in the PKK. On October 27, rumors began to spread on social media that a Kurdish female fighter known by the pseudonym Rehana may have been beheaded by Islamic State militants in Kobani. Rehana became the face of the PKK's female fighters after a picture of her making the victory sign was retweeted hundreds of times on Twitter. An image of a beheaded woman whom IS fighters claim to be Rehana was posted on pro-IS social media sites on the 27th, but it is impossible to verify whether the photo is genuine. The author goes on to discuss the complicated history of gender equality in the PKK. Currently, the group has the largest female militia in the world, and has a history of feminism rooted in it's founder Abdullah Ocalan's ideology. However, the author cites claims made by Berfu Kiziltan about how while the PKK has historically recruited women as well as men, in its early days, recruitment was sometimes by force. The author also mentions the PKK's history of female suicide bombers, as well as a recent suicide bombing in Kobani carried out by a female PKK soldier.

This article focuses on the economic weakness that Saudi Arabia faces with its current and future workforce. Mainly focusing on the youth and future workforce of the country. "If you talk to young people now, most of them want to be entrepreneurs." Said Muhammad al-Jasser at the opening ceremony of the Euromoney Conference in Riyadh

Although the youth of Tunisia are currently in the employment field, they are neglected in politics. They have to be in the labor force but do not get a say in what happens in the government.

This link is a biography of President Bashar al-Assad. Towards the end of the biography Assad's role in human rights and use of chemical weaponry is mentioned. Additionally, the link provides his early life and life in presidency which is crucial to understanding the current situation that exists in Syria.

While it is still unclear as to who will win the Syrian conflict, there are people who are already looking towards the future and a better Syria. Plans are being made but, of course, these plans will entirely depend on who wins the war. 

The following link is a blog entitled Saudi Women Driving. The blog posts about issues regarding the law against women driving in Saudi Arabia. The first blog post currently on the page is about a television interview with a man with extreme views on this law. He went as far as to say that not allowing women to drive is to protect them from the possibility of being raped if their car ever broke down.

This link is to a Twitter account. The account focuses on women's rights in general throughout the Arab nations. It posts new information and discusses current events in women's rights.

This news report in International Business Times covers quite a bit of information, as a lot has happened during the past week in regards the conflict with ISIS. The US has declared support for the PKK and other Kurdish forces, because they are fighting against ISIS. Meanwhile, Turkey's President Ergodan, has condemned the US for supporting the PKK, as the US and Turkey are long-standing allies, and the PKK and Turkey have been embroiled in a decades-long conflict. Kurdish fighters are currently battling ISIS forces in the Syrian town of Kobani, and Turkey is opposing giving the fighters any weapons, and equating them with the PKK.

An extremely detailed article about the current state of Oil and Saudi's decisions direct effects.

This article provides a brief background and history of the Libyan revolution. This background is helpful in understanding the current situation in Libya.

This article provides more background information concerning the history and current situation of Libyan government.

In this AL Monitor article, the growing dissatisfaction between Hamas and Fatah is outlined in detail. A short time after the agreement to work together was made, current accusations of treason by each side have the organizations on shaky ground.

Iran's return in the oil market leads to new consequences for current producers, and consumers of oil. Including Saudi Arabia

This article talks about the economic structure and effects of the current oil production issues between United States and the Middle East

Human trafficking is an often occurrence in Algeria where men and women are illegally smuggled in and through the country. Men are typically subjected to force labor or prostitution while women are more commonly forced into prostitution. Algeria is currently rated a Tier 3 which means they are making no significant changes to end the human trafficking.

Here is an interesting currently updated timeline of events in Tunisia. I find it interesting that last week protesters demand jobs.

The events from my previous post have led to growing doubts pertaining to the current peace talks as the government presses for control of Aleppo.

An attack claimed by the Islamic State killed dozens of people in Syria's capital of Damascus. This attack was aimed in disrupting the peace talks between the Syrian government and opposition groups that are currently beginning.