Kazakhstan’s “Bloody January” and its aftermath

Saudi-Thai Normalization

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Hussein Bicar: Philosopher of Plastic Arts

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Boris Johnson: The Conservative PM’s Future is at Stake

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Kazakhstan’s “Bloody January” and its aftermath

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Editorial This month Majalla celebrates its 42nd anniversary as an established Arab publication providing follow-up coverage, in-depth analysis, and further readings of top events and developments in the Middle East region and beyond.

In this week’s cover story, Maia Otarashvili addresses the aftermath of Kazakhstan’s “bloody January” which witnessed protests over the government’s decision to liberalize fuel prices. The writer points out to the worrying precedent of Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) mission’s response to a request by President Tokayev by deploying forces to the city of Almaty, in an indication to Moscow’s narrative of Russia being the “security guarantor” in the region. Another important outcome of the events was freeing Kazakhstan from exPresident Nazabayev’s control, where he was removed from the security council and Tokayev is assuming true power for the first time since 2019.

Saudi Arabia and Thailand restored their diplomatic ties last week after a three-decade feud had cost both countries the loss of multi-billion investments, absence of Thailand from Saudi touristic destination list, and Thai laborers not able to join Saudi markets. Motasem Al Felou writes about the mediation of late Bahraini Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman who managed to hold a meeting between officials of both countries for the first time. Since then talks between the two countries continued and led to a historic visit of the Thai Prime Minister in the end of January. Al Felou also pinpoints the impact the resolved crisis will have on tourism and labor.

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In another article, Jassim Mohamad writes about the security void in West Africa which has given space for activities of terrorist groups, while the future presence of multinational forces remains in question.

Jiwan Soz covers the trial of a Syrian doctor in Germany over charges of committing crimes against humanity by torturing inmates at Assad prisons.

Read these articles and more on our website eng.majalla. com. As always, we welcome and value our readers’ feedback and we invite you to take the opportunity to leave your comments on our website.

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A Weekly Political News Magazine

60 Is Tunisia better off with President Kais Saied ?

Issue 1890- February- 04/02/2022

28 Syrian Doctor’s Germany Trial, A Message to Intl Community

Threats Posed by Extremist Groups in West

22 Africa, Future of Multinational Forces

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The Supply Chain Crisis and the Future of Globalization

56 Foods that Fight Inflammation

44 What Did Ancient Egyptians Wear in Winter?

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40 Memories from Syria

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People take part in a military exercise in Ukraine People take part in a military exercise for civilians conducted by veterans of the Ukrainian National Guard Azov battalion, amid threat of Russian invasion, in Kyiv, Ukraine January 30, 2022 )Reuters Photos(

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Lunar New Year celebrations in Bali A group of dancers performs the Chinese traditional Lion Dance during Lunar New Year celebrations at a temple in Kuta, Bali, Indonesia, 31 January 2022. The Lunar New Year, also known as Spring Festival in China, will fall on 01 February 2022, marking the beginning of the Year of the Tiger )EPA Photos(

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SAU

LEBANON Lebanon’s foreign minister headed to Kuwait Saturday to deliver answers to a list of policy suggestions made to the country by Persian Gulf nations in an attempt to end an impasse between both sides.

Ahead of his departure, Foreign Minister Abdallah Bouhabib made it clear that Lebanon will not disarm the Iran-funded Hezbollah group, one of 10 confidence-building measures requested from Beirut.

Relations between impoverished Lebanon and the wealthy Gulf states are at their lowest levels in decades, a crisis triggered late last year when a Lebanese politician spoke critically of the Saudi-led war against Iran-backed rebels in Yemen.

EGYPT South Korea on Tuesday said it signed a $1.6 billion arms deal with Egypt a week after President Joe Biden’s administration approved another massive arms sale to the Middle Eastern nation.

The office of President Moon Jae-in in Seoul said the deal to provide K9 self-propelled howitzers to Egypt is the country’s biggest export contract for the weapon. It is manufactured by Hanwha Defense.

Moon’s office did not provide further details on the deal, including how many of the howitzers Egypt will acquire. There was no immediate comment from Egypt.

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Saudi Arab be required to be able t media repo The kingdo present a n Saudi Arab temporarily seven Afric the newly d omicron.

UDI ARABIA

bia said on Thursday that citizens will d to take the COVID-19 booster shot to travel abroad starting Feb. 9, state orted. om is also requiring visitors to negative PCR result before entry. bia announced on Sunday it was y suspending flights to and from can countries due to the outbreak of discovered coronavirus strain,

UAE The United Arab Emirates intercepted several drones fired at the country Wednesday, the UAE military said, the fourth such attack on the federation in recent weeks.

A little-known group that previously claimed a January 2021 attack targeting a palace in Saudi Arabia said it was responsible, an assault that authorities believe came from Iraq. That raises the possibility the Emirates now is being targeted from its north and south after three recent attacks launched by Yemen’s Iran-backed rebels.

QATAR Qatar has reached an agreement with the Taliban to resume chartered evacuations out of Kabul airport, the Axios news website reported on Tuesday citing an interview with Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.

The agreement was for two flights per week, chartered by Qatar Airways, and would allow the United States and other countries to evacuate thousands more of their citizens and at-risk Afghans, Axios said.

IRAN French President Emmanuel Macron called for the “immediate release” of a French-Iranian researcher imprisoned in Iran, officials said Sunday.

Macron made the plea in a “long” phone call on Saturday with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, according to a statement from the French presidency.

Fariba Adelkhah, a 62-year-old anthropologist, has been detained in Iran since June 2019. She had been under house arrest since October 2020, but was sent back to prison earlier this month.

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A WEEK ACROS ETHIOPIA.

U.S. A major winter storm with millions of Americans in its path brought a mix of rain, freezing rain and snow to the middle section of the United States on Wednesday as airlines canceled hundreds of flights, governors urged residents to stay off roads and schools closed campuses.

The blast of frigid weather, which began arriving Tuesday night, put a long stretch of states from New Mexico and Colorado to Maine under winter storm warnings and watches. On Wednesday morning, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan saw freezing rain, sleet and snow.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has traveled to the United Arab Emirates on a state visit amid his country’s ongoing war against Tigray rebels.

Ahmed arrived Saturday and was greeted planeside by Abu Dhabi’s powerful crown prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. They later attended an honor guard ceremony and held meetings, according to the Emirates’ state-run WAM news agency.

The Tigray war has been raging since November 2020. The war has shifted in recent weeks, with the Tigray forces retreating into their region after attempting to advance on the capital, Addis Ababa, and Ethiopia’s military saying it would not pursue them further.

That opened the way for fresh mediation efforts by the United States and the African Union, with humanitarian access a key goal.

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,

LIBYA.

The European Union hopes to deli more vessels to the Libyan coast guard before the summer when irregular sea crossings are expecte increase, an EU official whose work focuses on relations with Libya and migration said on Wednesday.

Henrike Trautmann, an official at th European Commission’s directorat for neighborhood and enlargemen policies said Europe would be delivering three new search-and-rescue vessels and two refurbished patrol boats to Libya starting in the first half of 2022.

SS THE WORLD

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TURKEY. CHINA.

Turkey's tourism revenues doubled to almost $25 billion last year and the country's trade deficit narrowed, according to data on Monday reflecting a recovery from the initial wave of COVID-19 pandemic measures in 2020.

President Tayyip Erdogan has presented a shift to a current account surplus as a centrepiece of his government's sweeping new economic policy, which is focused on low interest rates and stronger exports and credit - despite soaring inflation.

INDIA. India plans to buy 1 million tonnes of potash from Belarus in the first such bilateral deal between the two countries after sanctions crippled Minsk's ability to sell the crop nutrient, two Indian officials involved in the discussions told Reuters.

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American and European officials may be staying away from the Beijing Winter Olympics because of human rights concerns, but Russian President Vladimir Putin will be on hand even as tensions soar over his buildup of troops along his country’s border with Ukraine.

Putin’s talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday will mark their first in-person meeting since 2019 and are intended to help strengthen Moscow’s ties with China and coordinate their policies in the face of Western pressure.

After, the two will attend the Games’ opening ceremony.

In an article published Thursday by the Chinese news agency Xinhua, Putin wrote that Moscow and Beijing play an “important stabilizing role” in global affairs and help make international affairs “more equitable and inclusive.”

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Kazakhstan’s “Bloody January” and its aftermath Government Gets Russian Help to Restore Security, Protesters Subdued for Now 14

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By Maia Otarashvili

Kazakhstan has just weathered a major crisis sparked by skyrocketing fuel prices.

Dissent is rare in Kazakhstan as a result of the fact that it is one of the least free countries in Central Asia run by a regime dominated by a kleptocratic elite. But with 9% inflation and over a million people living below the poverty line, an overnight increase in the road fuel prices brought the public sentiments to a simmering point.

A handout photo made available by the Russian Defence Ministry press service shows Russian peacekeepers attending a welcome ceremony upon returning from a mission in Kazakhstan on the military base in Ivanovo, Russia, 15 January 2022. RUSSIAN FEDERATION (EPA Photos)

Butane and propane fuel the overwhelming majority of Kazakhstan’s vehicles as they are much cheaper than gasoline and diesel. But the country has often faced liquefied petroleum gas shortages as energy companies choose to over-export, leading the government to introduce an energy sector reform. The reform removed the previous state-imposed domestic price caps for butane and propane, hoping that supplies to the domestic market would increase and end the constant shortages.

However, the price liberalization quite tragically backfired as the prices of butane and propane, the “road fuels for the poor,” doubled overnight. This led to the outbreak of anti-government mass protests on January 5th.

The protest movement quickly expanded. People started rioting, with much of the anger directed towards the country’s former president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, who ruled for three decades and retained the title of “Elbasy” or “leader of the nation” after his resignation in 2019. Much of Kazakhstan’s wealth is concentrated in the Nazarbayev family’s hands. The former president himself still maintained a

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The fact that Tokayev requested Russian troops in his country is already troublesome, but CSTO choice to respond to the request by deploying forces to Almaty for the first time sets a worrying precedent. lot of power as the head of the country’s Security Council.

On January 6th the government turned off the internet and introduced strict curfews hoping to end the protests. The current president, Kasym Zhomart Tokayev, quickly introduced new fuel price caps and even announced a government reshuffle. In an unexpected decision, he removed Nazarbayev from the Security Council and removed three other Nazarbayev family members from prominent posts. Tokayev’s cabinet also resigned. But this did not do the trick – the protests continued, and the demonstrators even took over the airport.

In his next televised speech Tokayev announced that the country had been taken over by 20,000 terrorists who were “foreign-trained.” He put the country on red alert and called on the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), to send in troops to help the Kazakh forces fight off the “terrorists.” Tokayev ordered his security forces to “shoot to kill without a warning.” This led to bloodshed and mass-arrests, marking the event as “bloody January” for Kazakhstan.

Although the exact death toll is not clear, sources say that 227 people died during the unrest, including 149 civilians and 11 members of law enforcement bodies just in Almaty. More than 10,000 were detained during the unrest and many remain in custody. Moreover, 2,500 CSTO

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troops, mostly from Russia, were deployed to Kazakhstan. They remained until January 13th, guarding important government buildings and strategic facilities, including the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, which Russia uses for space launches.

Although Kazakhstan is a member of CSTO along with Russia, Armenia, Be-

Although Tokayev came into power in 2019, it seems that the dismissal of Nazarbayev marked his true arrival in power – no longer under the shadow of Nazarbayev, and with Moscow’s full endorsement.

larus, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, the organization has not deployed troops in 30 years. Just recently, in November 2021, the president of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, asked Moscow to deploy a CSTO mission to assist Armenia in its clashes with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh.

His request was turned down. The fact that Tokayev requested Russian troops in his country is already troublesome, but the fact that CSTO chose to respond to the request by deploying forces to Almaty for the first time in this century sets a worrying precedent. This event also continues the narrative Moscow has been crafting over the recent couple of decades, presenting Russia as a “security guarantor” in the region.

Although no CSTO troops were deployed to assist Armenia, Moscow did broker the ceasefire agreement when the dormant Nagorno-Karabakh conflict first re-ignited in the fall of 2020. Since then, Russia has deployed its permanent peacekeeping military forces to the region, acting as the main peace broker between Armenia and

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Kazakh President KassymJomart Tokayev takes part in a parliamentary session via videoconference during which lawmakers have installed a new prime minister after days of riots. (Photo: Kazakh Presidency /dpa)

A portrait of former Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev is seen at the city hall building after clashes in the central square blocked by Kazakhstan troops and police in Almaty, Kazakhstan, Monday, Jan. 2022 ,10. (AP Photo/Vasily Krestyaninov)

Azerbaijan. To date, Russia calls its military occupation of Georgia’s breakaway territories in Azerbaijan and South Ossetia, as “peacekeeping missions.” Russia has also portrayed its role in Donbas, Ukraine, and Transnistria, Moldova, as one of “peacekeeper” striving to achieve conflict resolution.

Another important outcome of January’s events in Kazakhstan is the fact that for the first time since its post-Soviet independence, the country seems to be free of the Nazarbayev family’s control. Soon after he was removed from the Security Council, the 81 year-old Nursultan Nazarbayev issued a video statement absolving himself from any role in the controversial events, saying he is merely a pensioner now. Moreover, President Tokayev announced that he has created a special fund to which the Nazarbayev family and others who benefitted from corruption in Kazakhstan can contribute funds, as a way to return the money they stole. However, it does not seem like Tokayev has any other plans to punish the Nazarbayevs.

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This event continues the narrative Moscow has been crafting over the recent couple of decades, presenting Russia as a “security guarantor” in the region.

As Bruce Pannier explained it in his recent RFE/RL article, “Although members of Nazarbayev’s family seem to be taking a financial hit in the wake of Tokayev’s victory in the intra-elite fighting, there is no indication they will be investigated or held responsible for their years of avarice.

In fact, constitutional amendments from some 20 years ago prohibit the investigation of Nazarbayev or his immediate family members. … While the turn of events is undoubtedly a huge blow to Nazarbayev’s ego, there is no hint that ‘Elbasy’ will

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People attend a rally to protest against LPG cost rise following the Kazakh authorities› decision to lift price caps on liquefied petroleum gas in Almaty, Kazakhstan January 2022 ,5. (REUTERS/Pavel Mikheyev/File Photo)

be facing any punishment for the money he is alleged to have moved into foreign bank accounts and holdings, or more serious crimes in which he is alleged to have been involved.”

Now that the dust has settled, it may look to some observers that Kazakhstan is ushering in a new era. Although Tokayev came into

An important outcome of January’s events in Kazakhstan is the fact that for the first time since its post-Soviet independence, the country seems to be free of the Nazarbayev family’s control.

power in 2019, it seems that the dismissal of Nazarbayev marked his true arrival in power – no longer under the shadow of Nazarbayev, and with Moscow’s full endorsement. But what’s most important is to see whether he will be able to regain respect and credibility at home – he is, after all, responsible for the tragic bloodshed.

He may have silenced the dissent with violence, barely hiding under the translucent cloak of “anti-terrorism” efforts, showing he’s not afraid to take extreme measures to hold on to power, but his efforts may not be enough to keep 19 million people from demanding freedom and progress.

Maia Otarashvili is a Research Fellow and Deputy Director of the Eurasia Program.

Maia also serves as the Deputy Director of Research at FPRI. Her research interests include geopolitics and security of the Black Sea-Caucasus region, Russian foreign policy, and the post-Soviet “frozen” conflicts.

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A view shows a burning police car during a protest against LPG cost rise following the Kazakh authorities’ decision to lift price caps on liquefied petroleum gas in Almaty, Kazakhstan January 5, 2022. (REUTERS/Pavel Mikheyev/File Photo) Riot police walk to block demonstrators during a protest in Almaty, Kazakhstan, Jan. 5, 2022. (Vladimir Tretyakov/ NUR.KZ via AP, File)

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Saudi-Thai Normalization Two Kingdoms Turn a New Page after Three Decades of Strain

By Motasem Al Felou – Jeddah In 2016, Bahraini former Prime Minister late Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman led mediation efforts to mend the broken ties between Saudi Arabia and Thailand since 1990. He managed to hold an official meeting between the then-Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al Jubair and Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, the first of its kind in three decades. Since then, talks between the two countries continued and led to a historic visit of the Thai Prime Minister in the end of January.

Sheikh Khalifa (1935-2020) used to have good relationships with both Saudi Arabia and Thailand. Unfortunately, he passed away before he witnessed the

full restoration of diplomatic ties between the two kingdoms after Prime Minister Chan-o-cha led the first visit of a high-ranking Thai official since the eruption of the so-called “Blue Diamond Crisis”.

The crisis cost the downgrading of diplomatic relationships, the loss of multi-billion investments and the absence of Thailand from Saudi touristic destination list as the Saudi authorities prevented Saudis from traveling to Thailand with very few exceptions. Saudi Arabia used to be one of the biggest markets for Thai labor before the crisis.

We shed the light on the Blue Diamond Crisis and what happened in 1989 and 1990, and how Chan-ocha’s visit to the Kingdom can boost the bilateral relations on different levels.

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BLUE DIAMOND CRISIS

Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha (left) meets with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman at the Royal Court, Al Yamamah Palace, in Riyadh, Jan. 2022 ,25. (Thai Prime Minister’s Office)

In 1989, Kriangkrai Techamong, a Thai gardener at late Prince Faisal bin Fahad’s royal palace, stole around 30 kg of jewels and sent the loot by regular mail to his homeland before fleeing Saudi Arabia. The rarest and most precious jewel was a blue diamond.

Following the discovery of the theft and Thai attempts to manipulate the investigations due to suspicion of official involvement in the case, four Saudi diplomats, including Saleh Al Malki, Consul General, Abdullah Al Basri, Charge d’Affaires, and attaches Ahmad Al Saif and Fahad Al Bahili, were assassinated. Thai authorities returned the stolen jewelry, but it was discovered that the items were fake. Saudi businessman, Mohammed Al Ruweili was sent from Saudi Arabia to assess the jewels, but he was killed. Saudi authorities believed Thai police officers were involved. In 2014, a Thai court cleared five officers, who were charged in the killing of Al Ruweili, due to lack of evidence.

The consequences of the series of assassinations impacted Saudi-Thai relations in a negative way. The number of Thai expats has decreased from around 300,000 to less than 10,000 currently. Direct flights were halted between the two countries. Diplomatic ties were downgraded to charge d’affaire level.

TRADE EXCHANGE AND EASING RESTRICTIONS Despite the diplomatic strain between the two countries since 1990, the trade exchange continued. It is interesting to know that Thailand was among the top 15 destinations of Saudi exports and imports between 2010 and 2019 according to the figures and numbers of the Saudi General Authority of Statistics.

Abdul Aziz Ali, a Saudi businessman, told Majalla, “In the past, I had to justify my business trips to Thailand to the Saudi Authorities not to be banned from traveling at all. I had to show my commercial register and other commercial documents. Visiting Thailand used to be punishable by Saudi laws. Now, things much better and I can go for business or leisure freely”.

The normalization will provide investment opportunities for Saudi companies in Thailand, which is expected to be among the top 10 destinations for Saudi trade exchange according to business experts.

It is good to note that after 1990, Saudi authorities banned citizens from traveling to Thailand except for commercial or medical purposes only. Saudi travel-

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Bahrain’s late PM Sheikh Khalifa led mediation efforts to mend the broken ties between Saudi Arabia and Thailand since 1990. Talks between both countries continued and led to a historic visit of the Thai Prime Minister in the end of January. ers had to show evidence on the purpose of traveling.

However, restrictions were eased in the past few years.

But Saudis preferred other destinations in Southeast Asia like Malaysia or Indonesia.

TOURISM AND LABOR Saudi tourists are among the biggest spenders in the world. That’s why more countries are applying visafree or visa on arrival systems to Saudis. The travel ban is completely lifted and Saudi tourists can flock to Thailand freely.

“I used to visit Thailand in the 1970’s and 1980’s with my parents. It is a beautiful, green country with a smile on people’s faces. I am excited to visit Thailand again with my family after three decades”, said Ahmed Abdu, a Saudi retired employee.

Thailand is famous for medical tourism. This will give more options for Saudis to get medical services at competitive prices.

Thai labor will be allowed to the Kingdom after the normalization between the two countries. Saudi Arabia is expected to issue tens of thousands of work visas for Thai skilled workers, a matter that enriches the Saudi labor market with more options.

Starting next May, Saudi Arabian Airlines, a government-owned airline company, is going to launch its flights to Thailand. Thai Airways, the biggest Thai airline company, is expected to do the same.

“Merchants and patients used travel through the airports of neighboring GCC airports. Travelers from Saudi Arabia can now travel directly to Thailand and vice versa. Travel lovers are delighted with the new destination”, concluded Abdu.

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W. African Extremist Groups Pose Threat to Multinational Forces

Will Russia Step in to Fill the Void?

By Jassim Mohamad – Bonn There are numerous al-Qaeda and ISIS factions active in the Lake Chad and Sahel region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Mo-

zambique and other West African countries. The threats posed by these terrorist groups have international and local impacts.

In the early 2000s, the pro-ISIS Boko Haram group was the first radical Islamist group to be-

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come a dominant force for change through large-scale extremism and the implementation of a sustainable terrorist agenda.

Violent radicalism continues to spread in Africa, and armed actors involved in violent extremism there are primarily associated with extremist groups and organizations.

These groups are seriously expanding in the Sahel, the Lake Chad Basin and the Horn of Africa to the coastal West African countries and central South Africa.

The presence of ISIS militants in particular and the complex relationships between jihadist organizations cause growing concern among observers and governments. The causes of violence and insurgence in African countries vary greatly since the continent is vast and known for its great cultural and linguistic differences.

The capacity-building approach adopted by the European Union Mission in Mali showed modest results in the absence of political reform.

Meanwhile, the implementation of the peace agreement or other forms of political change remained unattainable. to conclude a deal with the Islamist rebels the French forces have been fighting.

In the North, Spain withdrew from the US-led multinational African Lion training exercise due to its dispute with Morocco. The Sahel region is considered a major transit route for migrants from North Africa attempting to reach Europe, and for jihadists and drug and Most governments of Western and North Af- arms trafficking. rican countries have failed to provide security for their people. The military forces in the In mid-June 2021, France began withdrawSahel countries are often poorly trained and ing its forces from north Mali in line with a plan to carry out a major “transformation” equipped. and drawdown of its military presence in the Corruption has also led troops to rebel or flee, Sahel, where soldiers operate under its Opas in Nigeria. Soldiers are often weak and eration Barkhane. In north Mali, the Kidal, rarely fight against other nations, and they are Tessal, and Timbuktu bases were closed and handed over to the army, but the air support instead deployed to protect the ruler. will remain.

However, some factors play a role in the Sahel region. Countries such as Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso had successive weak governments tarnished by public perceptions of corruption, impunity, and chaos.

French Barkhane force soldiers who wrapped up a four-month tour of duty in the Sahel leave their base in Gao, Mali, June ,9 2021. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay,File)

MULTINATIONAL FORCES

Multinational efforts to fight extremist groups in the Sahel region have been facing many serious challenges. The military in Mali, where about 400 British forces are deployed, staged a second coup in only nine months, sparking wide condemnation by the region’s leaders. As a result, French President Emmanuel Macron threatened to withdraw all the 5,100 troops deployed in the West African country as the junta carried out its proposal

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France launched the Malian mission in 2013 to help support local governments and their poorly equipped forces fight an ever-growing Islamist insurgency that has left thousands dead. Barkhane operation’s political objectives remained unclear, and perhaps its forces aimed to contain the military threat posed by extremist groups and create appropriate conditions for political progress under the financial peace agreement and security solutions.

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However, the capacity-building approach adopted by the European Union Mission in Mali showed modest results in the absence of political reform. Meanwhile, the implementation of the peace agreement or other forms of political change remained unattainable.

TAKUBA SPECIAL FORCES

Force Takuba, was first revealed on January 13, 2020, during a meeting in France’s southern Pau city. The heads of state for the G5 Sahel (Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad and Mauritania) expressed then their will to fight jihadist terror groups in the region and agreed to focus on the tri-border area under the joint command of Operation Barkhane.

Participants stressed that ISIS in the Greater The European special forces, known as Task Sahara has become the primary enemy of France and European countries in the Sahel region and therefore announced the formation of an international coalition to confront it.

Violent radicalism continues to spread in Africa, and armed actors involved in violent extremism there are primarily associated with extremist groups and organizations.

On January 26, France launched consultations with its European partners in the Takuba Task Force in Mali. Meanwhile, the ruling Malian transitional government, or the coup generals, have reiterated that Denmark is not welcome in Mali, prompting the European country to pull its troops out of the country.

EU countries are responding to France’s call for an increased deployment of troops in the region, in light of the spread of a “jihadist” insurgency across the Sahel. The contribut-

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French general Jacques Langlade de Montgros, the commander of EUTM (European union training mission) from July 2021 to January 2022, is seen at a handover ceremony in Abngui on February 2022 ,3. (Photo by Carol VALADE / AFP)

French soldiers secure the evacuation of foreigners during exchanges of fire with jihadists Feb. 2013 ,10 in Gao, northern Mali. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay, file)

ing elements are elite special forces units from every European country working with the regular French forces that have been deployed since 2013 as part of Operation Barkhane. Germany, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Greece, Italy and other countries sent additional special forces to Mali.

After nearly seven years, France announced the end of Operation Barkhane and the launch of an international coalition to fight terrorism in the region.

The French-led Takuba is a European special forces mission, whose name is originated from the takuba sword that is used across the western Sahel.

Three major factors explain France’s decision to reduce its military presence in the Sahel region: - The staging of two military coups in Mali in less than a year, both led by Colonel Assimi Goita, who was declared president on May 28, 2021. In addition was the death of Chad’s President Idriss Déby in April 2021, who was

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The Kremlin has alarmed Western policymakers in recent years by filling political voids and taking advantage of the “failures” or troop withdrawals of the United States and European countries. succeeded by his son soon after.

- Holding demonstrations in Bamako in January 2021 to protest against the French military presence in the country.

- Launching the 2022 French presidential election campaign in early 2017, during the last presidential campaign.

RUSSIAN INFLUENCE IN WEST AFRICA The Kremlin has alarmed Western policymakers in recent years by filling political voids and taking advantage of the “failures”

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or troop withdrawals of the United States and European countries.

Moscow is keen to address the fears and ambitions of local regimes, and trying to enrich itself along the way. While the Russian activity is part of a broader campaign to establish substantial power, most of its policies are characterized by seeking opportunities rather than being based on a greater strategy.

Russia’s influence is considered significant in various aspects in the war-torn African countries. Moscow deployed military forces and engaged with actors beyond the reach of Westerners, making itself a major power broker.

The US partial forbearance from supporting African countries has prompted other major world powers to replace it, especially Russia, which has been seeking to return to its top position during the Soviet Union era.

Russia’s aspiration to consolidate a new foothold appeared at the first ever Russia-Africa Summit, which was held in the Russian city of Sochi on October 23, 2019. The event touched on bolstering Russian-African ties in

Eliminating extremism and terrorism requires understanding the ethnic, social, religious, political and economic contexts in which radical groups operate.

They benefit from social grievances and take advantage of the political and security vacuum.

various strategic, political and African fields.

In 2019, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed deals with Mozambique that included resources in which Russian companies could invest, but instability in the north of the country halted progress.

In order to fill the security vacuum, a Russian-backed special military group known as the Wagner Group provided a variety of services to countries that lost economic and military support from the US, Europe and other countries.

According to Wagner and Russia, Mali is generally considered another major source of the growing strategic tensions with the West.

CONCLUSION Radical groups are likely to take advantage of the economic and political marginalization in areas not controlled by local governments to recruit militants and establish new safe havens.

The expansion of extremist organizations in West Africa led to the displacement of hundreds of people, which will likely increase in the future. These extremist groups seek to control new territories in West Africa and use them for supplies.

Partners of the West African countries and the Sahel region need to re-evaluate their deployment mission and play a greater role in conflict areas, in light of the increased insecurity in new areas. Russia seems to be using Wagner to invade and fill the void since 2019.

The group most likely operates in the Mozambique’s natural gas-rich Cabo Delgado region in order to search for natural resource contracts for Russian companies.

The US and EU ineffective efforts in the African Sahel region were aimed at providing military training to counter terrorism. The

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FILE - A French soldier mans a machine gun in the door of a NH Caiman military 90 helicopter during Operation Barkhane over ,29 Ndaki, Mali, July Picture taken July .2019 REUTERS/( .2019 ,29 )Benoit Tessier/File Photo

western-trained military forces were behind the successive coups in Mali and have left a power vacuum in various areas which extremist groups were keen to fill.

Eliminating extremism and terrorism requires understanding the ethnic, social, religious, political and economic contexts in which radical groups operate. They benefit from social grievances and take advantage of the political and security vacuum.

In order for the counterterrorism efforts to succeed in the long term, including prevention programs, the means and methods of radicalization and recruitment must be acknowl-

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edged. International and regional actors must shift their primary focus from defeating the terrorist group militarily to addressing government mismanagement and helping countries develop. This way they can achieve stability in countries affected by terrorism. They should provide political and economic solutions, in line with the military actions.

Jassim Mohamad is a researcher who focuses on international security & counter-terrorism; his work covers Europe, Middle East (Iraq, Syria, Libya, Iran and Yemen), and African Sahel. He is the Head of the European Centre for Counterterrorism and Intelligence Studies ECCI.

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olitics

Syrian Doctor’s Germany Trial, A Message to Intl Community More Victims Tortured by Assad Regime Ask for Justice in European Courts *Warning: This article contains graphic descriptions of violence and torture.

By Jiwan Soz German authorities are prosecuting a Syrian doctor

accused of committing crimes against humanity during his internship in a number of Syria’s military hospitals in Damascus and Homs between 2012-2011. His internship was just after the eruption of popular protests in mid-March 2011, during which the Assad regime’s security forces arrested tens of thousands of people who

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A number of Syrians gather in front of a Frankfurt Court where the trial of Syrian doctor Alaa M. over torture charges is being held.

(Supplied)

demanded the toppling of the incumbent President Assad.

The doctor on trial, named Alaa Moussa (36 years old) has been living in Germany since 2015, and practiced as a doctor there. German authorities arrested him in June 2020 ,19 and he had been left in jail until now. His trial began at a Frankfurt court in late January 2022, in the second public prosecution after the trial of a former Syrian officer.

Moussa, known in the German media as “Alaa M.” was arrested after Al-Jazeera and the German Der Spiegel published a report about his atrocities. A number of witnesses were featured in the report narrating clear and outright testimonies against the accused, which prompted the German authorities to detain him.

“The court in Frankfurt has held four hearings in Alaa’s trial until now. The first hearing was on last January 19, the last one was held on February 3,” said Michal Shammas, a board member of the Syrian Center for Legal Studies and Research and a member of the panel defending prisoners detained over their freedom of expression.

He added to Majalla that “The court has not yet ruled a final verdict on the trial, but it decided it would be made public and attended by media and any people who would like to be present. The decision also included the accusations against Alaa M. who would be tried according to the universal jurisdiction integrated into the German law since 2002.”

Alaa M. is accused of committing atrocities against humanity and participating in torturing more than 19 people, one of whom was tortured to death. In another case of abuse, he is accused of operating on a person without sufficient anesthetic. In addition, he is accused of attempting to deprive opposition detainees of their ability to reproduce. The list of accusations also included soaking the genital of a teenage boy in alcohol and setting him on fire among other torture methods.

In this regard, Shammas said that “Alaa is prosecuted as civilian not a military man. He was a civilian doctor during his internship in military hospitals, where he worked in order to obtain a specialization certificate. In Syria, graduate doctors have to get an internship in military or civilian hospitals.”

He added, “Until now, the trial indicates that this doctor accused of crimes against humanity would receive an aggravated life sentence. This would be harsher than the (sentence of) former Syrian officer

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Alaa M. is accused of committing atrocities against humanity and participating in torturing more than 19 people - one of them was tortured to death.

Anwar Raslan who was sentenced to life in German prison, because Alaa M. violated the medical oath he took at the beginning of his career, and violated his professional and humanitarian duty. Instead of treating people’s injuries and alleviating their pain, he tortured them and killed some of them.”

Raslan, a former Syrian intelligence officer, was also sentenced to life imprisonment in Germany in early January, on charges of torturing detainees in Branch 251 known as «Al-Khatib». Then, the trial of the accused doctor, Alaa M., followed.

Shammas revealed that; «As for the number of victims of the accused doctor, there are 18 cases of torture in which he participated, including two well-known cases: the first case when he poured alcohol on the penis of a -14year-old boy and set it on fire. The second case is that he ran over the head of a patient with epilepsy and also gave him a pill that led to his death later, in addition to other cases that will be revealed successively during the court sessions.»

«Regarding the issuance of the verdict, in principle, given that there are not many witnesses so far, as was the case in Raslan’s trial, I believe that the verdict will be issued before the end of this year, unless new witnesses appear, which is expected, then the sessions will be extended and the verdict will be delayed. The course of this trial appears different from the trial of Anwar Raslan. While Anwar Raslan responded to the accusations in one session, the accused, Alaa Moussa, from the first session until now, has responded to the charges, and we do not know when the accused will finish responding to the charges against him,» he continued.

According to a member of the board of directors of the «Syrian Center for Legal Studies and Research», there are nine witnesses and three personal prosecutors in the case of the trial of the

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olitics

Syrian doctor accused of crimes against humanity, and the hearing of their statements will begin when the accused has finished responding to the charges against him, and also after listening to the statements of the investigators from the police officers who conducted preliminary investigations and heard the statements of the accused after his arrest.

Shammas also called on «Syrian women and men who are reluctant to testify to take the initiative to submit their testimonies or contact the Syrian Center to help them,» considering that silence about holding criminals accountable encourages them to continue committing crimes, as he put it.

He also stressed; «As workers in the judicial track at the Syrian Center for Legal Studies and Research, we are continuing our work in prosecuting all war criminals, whether security officials affiliated with the regime or other armed militias», noting that «we do not target dissidents, and we have repeatedly emphasized that we do not pursue dissidents because they are dissidents, but because they committed serious crimes and must be punished for them. We do not intend to pursue these people. It was not our intention in the first place to pursue Anwar Raslan himself, but he led himself to arrest and testifying.

The testimony of Iyad al-Gharib is what helped us to arrest him, and there are many dissident officers in Europe, and no one has moved against them. We go after criminals, not dissidents.»

As for the trial of other officials accused of war crimes, Shammas revealed that «Another trial will

Until now, the trial indicates that the doctor accused of crimes against humanity would receive an aggravated life sentence.

This would be harsher than the sentence of former Syrian officer, Anwar Raslan, who was sentenced to life in German prison.

start in May or June, and the accused is Muwafaq Ald who belonged to the organization of the socalled Popular Front, the General Command of Ahmed Jibril, as he was responsible for a security checkpoint at the entrance to Yarmouk camp, and he dealt harshly and violently with the people of the camp. He had previously targeted a civilian gathering of the people at the moment they gathered to receive food aid distributed by UNRWA with a mortar shell, which resulted in the injury and death of 30 people. He is being held in Berlin, and he will also be tried there.»

For his part, Shiar Khalil, a Syrian journalist and former detainee of the Assad regime, considered that «The trial of the Syrian doctor is very important, as it reveals that doctors in the Syrian regime were also practicing torture, and therefore this matter did not stop with the officers only, and the evidence is Alaa M. He was killing and torturing detainees instead of treating them, and that is why his trial opens the door for victims who are in Europe to pursue their torturers, and this is a very important matter.”

The journalist who attends the trial sessions of the accused doctor told Majalla that «His trial is a message to the international community that the regime continues to kill and torture detainees, especially since there are hundreds of thousands of detainees in the regime›s prisons so far. Therefore, all Syrians should not forget the issue of those prisoners whose pain the political opposition platforms trade with without offering them anything or contributing to their release.»

The events that accompanied the trial of the accused doctor indicate that the Assad regime seeks to distort any justice process concerning the Syrians.

Its embassy in Berlin intervened in favor of the accused and tried to smuggle him out of German territory, specifically to Syria, to avoid his trial after communication took place between the embassy and Alaa M. In all of this there is more evidence the regime›s attempt to sabotage the course of justice and distort the facts. The trial that began in Koblenz, after which Anwar Raslan was sentenced to life imprisonment, and then began to prosecute this doctor at the Frankfurt Court, are simultaneous and must establish a clear legal structure in Europe to prosecute war criminals in Syria who belong to

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Anwar R, a former Syrian officer of Syrian President Bashar el-Assad›s intelligence agency arrives at the higher regional court of Koblenz before the verdict in his trial for crimes against humanity, including torture and killing in Koblenz, Germany, January 13, 2022. (Thomas Frey/Pool via REUTERS)

all Syrian groups and sects and who are present in different regions of the country, and this is an essential task that falls on the shoulders of Syrian civil society to achieve justice for all victims of the Syrian war,» Shiar Khalil added.

So far, the accused doctor (Alaa M.) denies committing crimes against humanity, however, he acknowledges the existence of torture in the hospitals where he worked, according to what another source mentioned to Majalla, who also stated that the accused admitted the existence of cases of torture in his workplaces in military hospitals in Syria that may later be used as evidence to condemn the Assad regime for committing crimes against humanity.

Although this doctor denied all the charges against him, the German authorities revealed that he was planning to flee to Syria before his arrest with the help of the Syrian embassy in Berlin. This is something that the security authorities relied on to extend his detention for fear of him fleeing again, after they found phone conversations between him and employees of the Assad regime›s embassy in the German capital.

About a week before Alaa M.’s trial, a German court issued a life sentence on a former officer in the Syrian intelligence, Anwar Raslan, who admitted in

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The events that accompanied the trial of the accused doctor indicate that the Assad regime seeks to distort any justice process concerning Syrians. his closing arguments that torture had occurred in Branch 251 known as the “Khatib” branch, which he ran, where he admitted to hearing the voices of torture of detainees after he denied this for a long time. However, he again denied responsibility for these torture operations.

The court drew its verdict from about 100 testimonies, according to lawyers representing the plaintiffs. Several torture survivors stood in the «Khatib» branch, in which Raslan had previously headed the investigation department, and confronted him face to face in a German courtroom.

Raslan defected from the Assad regime in 2013, and then arrived in 2014 to Germany, where he is currently serving a life sentence of life imprisonment without aggravation.

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pinion

The Arab League Stuck in Flawed, Ineffective Role

By Abdelkader Zaoui

The announcement of the delay of the Arab summit scheduled to be held in Algeria in March has revealed the depth of the fundamental political differences that afflict inter-Arab relations.

It once again underscored the weak and fragile joint Arab action institutions and their inability to launch initiatives or submit proposals that would at least curb the differences if they cannot bridge the rifts among conflicting parties.

The weakness and fragility of these institutions, topped by the Arab League (AL), is not new. It dates back to the League’s establishment in the World War II, during which the borders and sovereignty of many world countries were violated.

The main reason behind its formation was to serve as an effective tool to enable its member states to defend the sovereignty of their homelands. It also aimed at securing a peaceful evacuation of the troops deployed by the major powers from their military bases established on Arab territories and providing support to the occupied Arab countries to gain their independence and liberate their lands.

The AL Charter presented this approach in its second Article, which pointed out that the organization was established to bolster relations between and among Arab member states, coordinate political plans to achieve coop32

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eration and protect their independence and sovereignty, and consider the Arab states’ general affairs and interests.

It also listed the possible fields of cooperation in the economic, social, cultural, health and other affairs, while taking into account each country’s internal regulations and conditions.

But the goodwill to establish an effective framework for joint Arab action did not last long although the AL was keen to carry out the tasks entrusted to it in a way that could build up the collective spirit. It helped many Arab peoples gain their independence politically and diplomatically and formed a legal arsenal necessary to open promising prospects for joint cooperation, topped by the 1950 Arab League Treaty of Joint Defense and Economic Cooperation.

Its inability to last long is due to several factors, some of which are linked to the structure of the official Arab regional system and its flaws, while others are associated with the international and regional conditions in which the Arab countries found themselves immersed.

Most of the differences among these counties are due to the greed in the region and attempts to control its natural resources (oil and gas).

The region has also become a battlefield resulting from the conflicting interests of international and regional powers wishing to extend their influ-

ence or impose their hegemony.

The internal Arab factors behind the AL’s weakness and its transformation into a flabby bureaucratic body emerged during the initial consultations to establish it. Some wanted it to serve as a framework for building a comprehensive unity, while others wanted it to be an optional forum for consultation, cooperation, and coordination of stances.

Therefore, this divergence of views was reflected in a set of legal loopholes contained in some of its charter’s main articles, the most important which are those related to the decision-making system and the settlement of disputes.

These articles were formulated in a way that responds to the concerns and reservations expressed by most of the founding states and comes in line with their keenness to maintain their sovereignty and modern independence.

The decision-making system had proven useless when it required a unanimous vote on substantive issues, which according to experiences is impossible to achieve.

In terms of decisions on procedural issues, the AL decided they require a majority vote, and it exempted the member states that voted No to implement them.

Thus, the states’ will overpowers the League’s in a way that makes voting on the decisions pointless.

The articles drafted on dispute settlement procedures are also non-binding, rendering powerless the AL role in settling inter-Arab disputes.

Article 5 of the Charter restricted the League’s intervention in any settlement to the consent of the conflicting parties to resort to it. Therefore, over its 78 years of service, the League has interfered in a very limited number of Arab disputes, due to the reluctance of most Arab countries to refer to it to settle their differences.

The predominance of the territorial trend in all Arab countries made the largest institution of their joint work (AL) just an empty structure. The AL’s successive secretariats did not have the courage to submit proposals to activate it.

They could not even maintain, in some critical disputes, the minimum level of consensus among the member states, creating deep rifts within the Arab body that resulted in two opposite axes.

The first included republic regimes that described themselves as revolutionary and progressive, and the second included other regimes that are mostly hereditary with moderate policies, which the first considered as retro.

This policy of axes has caused a sharp division within the Arab regional system. It was fueled by the Cold War that broke out after the Second World War between the Western and Socialist camps and the variance in Arab stances.

This division contributed to consolidating the image of the Arab world as an open arena that is easy to manipulate and control.

This was evident in the first serious test during the Iraq’s 1990 invasion of Kuwait. The division then developed into a complete fragmentation of the institutions of the Arab regional system, which no longer suffers from its many flaws, but has become paralyzed.

Neither its flaws nor its ineffectiveness helped change its role. All the organizations across the world experience contradictive situations. Some are considered incentives that enable them to overcome their setbacks, while others are considered obstacles that could curb their recovery. A successful organization is the one that knows how to develop the incentives and address the obstacles.

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The AL inability to last long is due to several factors, some of which are linked to the structure of the official Arab regional system, while others are associated with international and regional conditions in which Arab countries found themselves immersed .

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eport

Special Treatment for Blacks

Debate over the Affirmative Action and Diversity in American Universities

By Majalla – Washington

EDWARD BLUM: UNCONSTITUTIONAL

Since a White policeman killed Black George Floyd, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, two years ago, the relations between Whites and Blacks in the US have heated-up, mostly because of the oversized influence of extremists on both sides.

On one side, the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, after succeeding in its awareness campaign about police mistreatment of Blacks, moved to the left, and, using slogans like “Reckoning,” called for reminding the Whites about past slavery and discrimination – to make Whites feel guilty and to gain political points.

On the other side, Whites are divided between liberals and progressives who are calling for “compassion” towards Blacks, because of past slavery and discrimination. On yet another side, conservatives and moderates are calling for opening a new page, instead of dwelling in the ugly past.

The Supreme Court recently declared that it will rule on the constitutionality of Affirmative Action, a government program that started during the 1960’s, and has been mainly about allowing more Black students to enter universities, even if they are not academically qualified, but for the sake of “Diversity.”

The Supreme Court will look into a case between Harvard University and Students for Fair Admission (SFA), a group that spearheaded the Affirmative Action challenges.

In 2002, the Supreme Court relaxed its former support of Affirmative Action, and ruled that race should not be the only factor in accepting Black students’ university applications, but “one of many factors.” But, while the court at that time had a slight liberal majority, now it has a strong conservative majority.

Here are excerpts of the opposing opinions of two men, based upon their tweets, websites and statements to the media: On one side is Edward Blum, President of SFA, and a fellow at the Washington-based conservative American Enterprise Institute (AEI). Since the 1990s, he has been heavily involved in bringing cases to court about Affirmative Action and related issues.

On the other side is Lawrence Bacow, President of Harvard University since 2018, and a strong supporter of Affirmative Action.

Before that, he was the president of Tufts University in Massachusetts, where he also supported the issue.

“Year after year, polls have shown that Americans strongly disapprove race-conscious admissions in universities ...

In a multi-racial, multi-ethnic nation like ours, the university’s admissions bar cannot be raised for some races and ethnic groups, but lowered for others. Our nation cannot remedy past discrimination and racial preferences with new discrimination and different racial preferences...

It would be fitting for the Supreme Court to judge Harvard University on this issue because of the need to have Harvard held up to a national standard …

The Trump administration had supported our challengers in lower courts, but the Biden administration switched that position and told the court it should not accept our challenge …

True, in 2016, the Supreme Court allowed – but with a narrow majority – the University of Texas to use race “as one of other factors.” Fortunately, the dissenters in that case — Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel

Edward Blum, President of SFA, and a fellow at the Washingtonbased conservative American Enterprise Institute (AEI)

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A. Alito, Jr. — remain on the Court, and are now joined by the Trump nominees, Neil M. Gorsuch, Brett M. Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett …

In 2006, Chief Justice Roberts declared, in a similar case, that ‘It is a sordid business, this dividing us up by race’…

That year, and during the following years, the Court, clearly and repeatedly, said that universities ‘must consider whether raceneutral admission practices can achieve their diversity goals.’ In other words, cancelling the race factor might not be a discriminatory action …

Some states, including California, Michigan and Florida, have banned the consideration of race in admissions to public universities. Such measures enjoy substantial political support. In 2020, California voters decisively rejected a proposal to repeal the ban …

Harvard has also allowed racism against Asian-Americans to skew its review of their applications. We have collected plenty of data that showed a contradiction in Harvard’s policy towards Asian students: On one side, it gives strong ratings to Asian American applicants for academic performance.

On the other side, it penalizes them in ratings of personal qualities such as leadership and compassion ...

Actually, we have results of an internal Harvard’s investigation that suggested Asian Americans would be admitted in greater numbers if academic performance were the only criterion for admission — but Harvard kept the results secret …”

LAWRENCE BACOW: FOR THE SAKE OF DIVERSITY “Harvard does not discriminate …

That the Supreme Court accepted to look into this case puts at risk 40 years of legal precedent granting colleges and universities the freedom and flexibility to create diverse campus communities. Considering race as one factor among many in admissions

Lawrence Bacow, President of Harvard University since 2018

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The Affirmative Action is a government program that started during the 1960’s, and has been mainly about allowing more Black students to enter universities, even if they are not academically qualified, but for the sake of “Diversity.” decisions produces a more diverse student body which strengthens the learning environment for all …

To assemble the strongest first-year class, Harvard looks for students who excel beyond academics and who will bring distinctive experiences, perspectives, talents, and interests to the campus …

To find the strongest applicants, 40 admissions officers conduct a time-consuming, whole-person review process in which each applicant is evaluated as a unique individual…

Harvard University has embraced diversity, in all its forms, as a core feature of its educational mission. It considers race flexibly as merely one factor among numerous factors in its holistic admissions process. And it has scrupulously studied and adopted workable race-neutral alternatives...

In 2016, the Supreme Court upheld the limited use of race in student admissions by the University of Texas. The majority opinion written by Justice Anthony M. Kennedy reiterated high-court rulings that diversity justifies some intrusion on the Constitution’s guarantee of equal protection, which generally forbids the government to make decisions based on race…

For decades, colleges and universities have relied on guidance from the Supreme Court that it is acceptable to take race into account as one factor among many in a holistic review of an application…

Their rationale is that racial diversity on campus serves a compelling educational interest. In other words, students learn through encounters with peers who may look different from them …

About the issue of Asian students, true, Harvard University asked a committee to review the situation, and the final results were not published because the review was incomplete and preliminary…

We don’t discriminate against Asian American students. And we don’t penalize them …

In 2018, a U.S. District judge rejected those claims in a ruling for the benefit of Harvard. The judge called the Harvard process ‘imperfect’ but also ‘a very fine admissions program that passes constitutional muster.’ The judge found no persuasive evidence of ‘racial animus or conscious prejudice’ against Asian Americans.

In 2020, a U.S. Court of Appeals upheld the ruling …”

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conomy

The Supply Chain Crisis and the Future of Globalization

Time Governments Reestablished Interconnectedness Instead of Autarky

By Harold James Last year, as the first COVID19- vaccines began to roll out, I predicted in Foreign Affairs that the global economy would come roaring back and eventually usher in a new golden age of globalization. That has not yet happened and indeed more fissures seem likely, including a possible war between Russia and Ukraine and intensifying conflicts between Russia and the West. Geopolitical disputes heighten the shortages

caused by the continuing pandemic. The supply problems have engendered pervasive nervousness and fear. The induced anxiety, translated into politics, has encouraged the belief that countries need to be self-sufficient. Analysts and policymakers have pushed for autarky or at least imagined splitting the world into competing blocs. They see the interconnectedness of globalization as a vulnerability, subjecting countries to powers and forces beyond national control.

But an autarkic world also has clear limits. The notion

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that countries can only become resilient through radical self-sufficiency runs up against the need for complex, niche products. Small communities are not going to produce their own clothes, let alone their computers or automobiles. The persistent supply chain crisis poses serious threats to societies everywhere, but the solution to this problem is not for governments to intervene more forcefully in the interest of securing resources, or to wind back globalization. It is instead to build resilient and diverse supply networks that don’t depend on one source and seek more—not fewer—connections throughout the world.

FROM ‘CHIPAGEDDON’ TO CHRISTMAS TURKEYS

FILE PHOTO: Container trucks, ships and cranes are shown at the Port of Long Beach as supply chain problem continue from Long Beach, California, U.S. November ,22 2021. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo

The original shortages of personal protective equipment, face masks, and ventilators that followed the outbreak of the pandemic were easy to understand. It was also apparent to policymakers that allowing the law of supply and demand to dictate the prices of these goods would be horrendously unjust and inefficient. Those who needed the protection most would be unable to afford this equipment and go unprotected while those who could treat protection as a luxury good could afford to live on islands of complacency.

Then the shortages spread more generally. As the demand for communication devices and data processing equipment shot up, electronic components—notably chips—became so scarce that analysts described the crisis as “chipageddon.” That restricted the ability of a vast range of suppliers to deliver goods ranging from automobiles to washing machines to doggrooming equipment. Elsewhere, the supply of timber for building could not catch up with the demand from construction projects in places that had become more desirable during the pandemic.

Within a few months, the causes of the scarcity had become so complex and so interlocking that it was hard to imagine a way out. Labor shortages, especially of truck drivers, played a part.

So did the absence of shipping containers, which got stuck in the wrong part of the world or held up in enormous queues outside overwhelmed port facilities. Consumers focused on particular scarcities: the British worried that the shortage of drivers would lead to a shortage of carbon dioxide that in turn would limit the capacity of turkey slaughterhouses. Farmers could not sell their turkeys to the abattoirs and consumers believed there would be a shortfall of turkeys for Christmas (the traditional British holiday for gorging on turkeys). New Yorkers faced an equivalent lack of an iconic food—cream cheese—for their bagels.

Consumers react to shortages like these in a predictable manner: they start to hoard as much as they can. They also start to buy inferior substitutes. During the holiday season, many British consumers made multiple purchases of ham, chicken, and duck in case their Christmas turkeys didn’t materialize. They probably did not eat all the alternatives

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Analysts and policymakers have pushed for autarky or at least imagined splitting the world into competing blocs. They see the interconnectedness of globalization as a vulnerability, subjecting countries to powers and forces beyond national control. they had bought and stored away. Tremendous waste occurs as a result. Hoarding is a beggar-thy-neighbor approach to dealing with crises: hoarders may not live better but others will suffer and be relegated to fewer and inferior provisions.

The calculations of producers exactly mirror the anxieties of consumers. If manufacturers are no longer certain that their processes, which are dependent on the timely delivery of parts, can continue to operate smoothly, they need to build up extensive stockpiles. As a result, they need to have larger warehouses and that adds to the pressure on construction and the labor and supplies it demands. All these shifts add substantially to the costs of production, and then get inevitably reflected in higher prices.

Shortages thus have a way of escalating, as supply constraints induce more production problems, and interconnected networks strain and disintegrate. Countries behave in the same way as individuals: they hoard unnecessarily.

One example is the stockpiling of COVID19- vaccines by wealthy countries. These stockpiles accumulate when they could be used somewhere else; large quantities of a potentially life-saving vaccine have been simply wasted after expiring or not being stored properly. The perception of an urgent crisis makes dramatic action even more important—and politically desirable. For example, countries like to compete in boasting how much vaccine they have as a short version of explaining that they are handling the crisis very well.

The scarcities trigger competitions and bidding wars among different countries for the scarce products. They also focus attention on geopolitics. As the supply issues increase, Russia’s control of gas supplies to Europe looks more and more like a danger. China’s rivals see its access to the rare earth materials needed for battery technologies and energy storage—among other purposes—as a competitive threat.

Scarcity makes heightened competition, aggressive action,

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conomy

and ultimately, war more likely.

THE PERIL OF SHORTAGES The COVID19- scarcities and “chipageddon” have intensified global competition. The power that vaccine suppliers can exercise is a reminder of how technology can be used by powerful countries to pursue their own ends. It has intensified the race to dominate cyberspace and cybertechnology.

Governments see victory in these competitions as knocking out their competitors. When the most potentially productive technologies become the subject of a new arms race, many people fall at risk of losing access to these products or of only being able to access inferior and more costly alternatives.

The persistent supply chain crisis poses serious threats to societies everywhere, but the solution to this problem is not for governments to intervene more forcefully in the interest of securing resources, or to wind back globalization.

The closest historical parallels to the focus on supply chain problems come from the repeated experience of states with major wars. There is a mutual relationship between wars and obsessions about safeguarding supply chains: leaders think supply chains can be secured by wars and they embark on wars to protect their supplies. World War I, the conflict that set the twentieth century on course for further violence and disintegration, was driven by countries’ often flawed strategy of blocking trade routes and cutting off energy supplies to starve the other side into submission.

The discussion around how to adapt to scarcity quickly becomes a debate about how to best allocate resources: through experts or technocrats, or through popular and democratic mechanisms. Technocrats bungle. Then the demand for more popular control emerges. In World War I, discontent turned into a revolutionary wave that surged westward from Russia and eastern and central Europe.

A plausible interpretation of the Russian Revolution put forward by the great French historian Marc Ferro showed that the fall of the tsar and the success of Vladimir Lenin’s putsch had nothing to do with the appeal of communist ideology but instead was a response to the grain and housing shortages that the tsarist administration could not fix. In the 1970s, too, the supply shocks of the oil crisis stoked public doubts about the competence of governments. Today’s shortages are having the same effect.

The shortage debate is linked to increased worry about rising prices and inflation. Price increases are the natural response to scarcity and many people—especially poorer consumers— find them very threatening, as the price increases for food and fuel and other daily necessities are far higher than a general rise in prices. Indeed, many official assessments and forecasts

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Employees pack cut meat at the First Capitol Meat Processing plant amid shortages of animal products due to supply chain issues created by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Corydon, Indiana U.S. January 31, 2022. REUTERS/ Amira Karaoud

A customer walks through an aisle at a grocery store in Arlington, Virginia, USA, 25 January 2022.

Prices for consumers in the United States rose seven percent in December, the highest inflation rate in forty years, according to the US Department of Labor. EPA/MICHAEL REYNOLDS

strip out these essential goods as noncore items from the measuring of inflation but they are precisely the prices that most people feel most intensely.

Inflationary surges make the shortages worse by encouraging greater hoarding. The historical analogies from previous eras of shortage—and political turmoil—are clear. In the 1970s, Margaret Thatcher, as a member of Parliament in the opposition in the United Kingdom, noted that prudent housewives were building up reserves of jam and canned vegetables. The most common response from nervous governments to supply problems is to attempt to control prices or subsidize scarce goods. That leads to an intensification, rather than the amelioration, of the supply chain problem.

Pricing face masks or vaccines according to supply and demand would be unjust. But when it comes to turkeys, cream cheese, or washing machines, it is equally apparent that holding down the cost only exacerbates the problem.

The shortages will get worse, as people snap up items that they believe to be scarce and that they see are underpriced.

The producers will restrict their supply. Again, the extreme example of wartime planning tells a striking story. During World War I, many countries held down grain prices to protect urban consumers. The farmers responded by cutting the amounts of grain they sold, instead feeding the additional grain to livestock, pigs, or poultry that they could then sell on a more unregulated market.

THE FOLLY OF AUTARKY It is unclear how long supply chain problems will persist or how long it will take to get ports and the road transportation of goods operating normally. The problem could be over quite

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The solution is to build resilient and diverse supply networks that don’t depend on one source and seek more— not fewer—connections throughout the world. soon—later this year—if governments manage to reestablish interconnectedness. They need to reduce the barriers to mobility built up over the past two years. But if anxious governments continue to seek autarky, the crisis could stretch into 2023, and for much longer. Pushed by scarcity, a resurgence of protectionist or nativist thinking may drive governments to ever more expensive and unpopular solutions that lead to spiraling costs but also discontent, radicalization and violence, and even war.

The roaring economic comeback that I outlined last year will only materialize when governments and policymakers see that even large countries cannot control the surging escalation of scarcity without intensifying connections with the rest of the world. At some point, the realization will set in that the race—by individuals and countries—to stockpile resources produces not only redundancy, confusion, and waste but also destruction and devastation.

This article was originally published by Foreign Affairs.

B

ook Reviews

Memories from Syria

Arab-American Father-Daughter Duo Bring Past Traditions to Vivid Life

By Mohammad Ali Salih – Washington The recent Syrian immigration to the West after the start of the civil war was not the first, although it has been massive in scale, and involved utmost cruelty.

The first wave was during the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, and part of it was due to oppression by the Ottoman Empire. Today, most of the Arab-Americans have their roots in Bilad Al-Sham, or Greater Syria, as was known then. The Immigration Act of 1965 that abolished the quotas opened the way for another wave of Syrians and other Arabs.

Elia Zughaib, the co-author of this book, immigrated about 20 years earlier, obtained a PhD in political science, joined the State Department, worked in many countries until his retirement. The co-author was his daughter, Helen Zughaib, an artist who decorated the book with colorful full-page drawings, almost a third of the book pages.

In the book’s introduction, Helen wrote: “One evening about 10 years ago, after a family dinner filled with my father’s stories of his childhood and youth in Damascus and Lebanon, my mother and I were in the kitchen when she said, “Someday, we ought to record your father telling his stories.”

Elia Zughaib remembered the old days in Syria when the only water supply for the village was the communal water fountain. “Al-Sabaya” (young women) walked to the fountain at sunset, balancing large colorful water jugs on their heads. This walk to

get water had become, over time, a much anticipated social event known as “Mishwar Al-Ayn” (Walk to the Water Fountain).

At the fountain, “Al-Sabaya” showed off their fine dresses, chat and gossip. “Al-Shabab” (young men) also went to the fountain at the same time “to watch and innocently flirt with the young women. Occasionally a young man or woman would muster enough courage to say a word or two to a special person.”

Zughaib remembered his father, a Greek Orthodox, who grew-up during the last years of the Russian Empire that was toppled by the Communist Revolution during World War I. The father was fond of the toppled family of Nicolas II, the last emperor.

Nicolas, his wife and their five children were, first, exiled to Siberia, then, a year later, were shot to death.

Zughaib’s father, strongly believing that the Revolution would fail, and Nicolas would return as an emperor, decided to make money by buying all the Russian rubles he could get his hands on. His plan was that, since the ruble’s value went deep down after

Book: “Stories My Father Told Me” Authors: Elia Zughaib and Helen Zughaib Publisher: Cune Press Print pages: 112 Hardcover: $24

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After 16 days since leaving Beirut for New York, “an exuberant group of us, from Syria, Lebanon and Palestine, stayed up all night to greet with the dawn the Statue of Liberty.”

Book Cover

the Revolution, investors would not be interested in keeping it, and that, when the emperor returned, the ruble’s value would go up.

“He (the father) sold some of the family possessions, cattle, land, jewelry and other family belongings and bought Russian rubles, which, by then, had become almost worthless. All the rubles were stacked in wooden boxes and stored in big closet in Jiddo’s (grandfather) house.”

When all the Russian royal family was killed by the Communists, “the rubles lost all their mystique. Even my father would occasionally laugh at his folly …”

Zughaib remembered summer-time when he and his sister «loved to visit Jiddo and Teta’s (grandmother) house in the mountains. We were free to play in the garden, make new friends and ride on Jiddo’s donkey … To harvest the figs, Jiddo and I would climb the fig tree, fill our basket with ripe figs and then lower it to Teta and my sister.”

But, making raisins, however, was more complicated.

“Teta took bunches of grapes and laid them neatly on white sheets covered with straw … Every day we returned to the vineyards to check on the drying figs and raisins and to moisten the grapes. When it was

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time to return home, we always left with dried figs, raisins and new stories to share with our friends in the city.”

Long before cinemas or television entertained Lebanese children, Zughaib remembered “Sanduk AlFirji” (The Show Box), which was carried on the back of an entertainer. “First he unstrapped the ‘sanduk’ which had six glassed holes. On two sides of the box, there were two small poles attached to a scroll. There were pictures on the scroll as the entertainer moved them, and showed Arab stories, like ‘Antar wa Abla’ and ‘Abu Zayd al-Hilali’. The village children took turns handing him money, then peeked into the box and watched the stories through the holes.”

When Zughaib was growing-up in Lebanon, children were born at home with a midwife assisting. The female members of the family helped the midwife by encouraging the new mother to “bite on a handkerchief,” to stop her screaming … They also made coffee, tea, zhurat and yansoon drinks for the visitors.

As soon as the child was born, the midwife informed the father and menfolk of the successful birth and the sex of the child. This was an occasion to pay and tip the midwife. The size of the gratuity depended on the sex of the child and whether the family had desired a boy or a girl.”

Zugaib’s last two memories were about coming to America: “After a very long wait, permission to travel to America had been granted. Reservations on a ship from Beirut to New York City were made.” His mother “had to be certain that the suitcases packed with gifts for her relatives in America were safe. A large Oriental rug, purchased in Damascus as a gift for her sister, had been wrapped separately and was always kept in her sight.”

Finally, after 16 days since leaving Beirut for New York, “an exuberant group of us, from Syria, Lebanon and Palestine, stayed up all night to greet with the dawn the Statue of Liberty.”

A Weekly Political News Magazine

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Issue 1890- February- 04/02/2022

Boris Johnson: The Conservative PM’s Future is at Stake

www.majalla.com

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Nefertari tomb (Supplied)

What Did Ancient Egyptians Wear in Winter?

Paintings of Mostly Perfect People Didn’t Show Pharaohs’ Cold Weather Style

By Salwa Samir Today’s Egyptians wear heavy clothes to protect themselves from the cold weather that includes snow in some parts of the country. When people see their Egyptian ancestors, whether on the walls of temples or tombs, they appear in the scenes wearing bright summer clothes. Did they witness winter time?

“What was found on the walls of the temples and tombs, does not necessarily reflect the reality on the ground,” Magdy Shaker, the chief archaeologist at the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, told Majalla.

“Ancient Egyptians used to draw themselves beautiful, slim, young, and with harmonious bodies. This doesn’t mean that they were all in good health and

graceful, but there were obese and, of course, there were old and sick people. But they loved to paint a picture of the perfection that they wished for in the other world.”

The ancient Egyptians believed in life after death and resurrection. They believed that the soul recognized them later through their name and titles that were etched in the walls, their mummies, statues and the engravings of their bodies on the walls of the tombs.

That’s why they drew themselves in a perfect way, and the summer clothes help the body look more beautiful than the heavy clothes of winter.

“In today’s wedding ceremonies in winter, you will not find brides wearing wedding dresses made of wool or leather. They do like their ancestors, wearing summer clothes which show the body more beauti-

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Pharaohs Clothing (Supplied)

fully than the heavy clothes.”

Shaker said, however, there are some scenes that show Pharaohs in winter clothes.

“In general, both men and women used to wear clothes made of linen. One layer on hot days and two

What added more warmth for the ancient Egyptians was that their homes were made of mud bricks. The streets were narrow, the houses were close by, and they used to make bread in ovens inside their homes. or three layers on cold days. The plant fiber comes from flax plants that grow abundantly along the banks of the Nile.”

He pointed out that the weather in ancient Egypt was warmer than today. The year was divided into three seasons with each one divided into four months.

“The year started in June. The first season was ‘Akhet,’ the season of the flood, then the second season ‘Peret,’ was the season of agriculture. The third season was ‘Shemu,’ the season of the harvest,” Shaker added.

What added more warmth for the ancient Egyptians was that their homes were made of mud bricks. Some of these houses had two or three floors. The streets were narrow and the houses were close by, and these factors helped them to feel warm in cold weather.

“The ancient Egyptians did not go out at night much in the ancient era,” he said. “They also used to make bread in ovens inside their homes, which made their homes warmer,” he added.

Statue with cloak (Supplied)

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CLOTHING INDUSTRY IN ANCIENT EGYPT

fibers from it by spinning to prepare the threads.

“Ancient Egyptian men used to wear a short garment, known as the ‘kilt,’ which covered the lower part of Clothing is one of the oldest industries practiced by the body. It was suitable for their work outside home the ancient Egyptians and they excelled in its vari- in the fields, in battles, or in temples,” Hussein Abdel ous phases of manufacturing, starting with collecting Basir, Egyptologist and Director of the Museum of the flax for linen, which was the most popular fabric. Antiquities of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, told MaThen came spinning and leaving it in the sun to dry, jalla. cleaning, combining it and extracting the good long “On the contrary, we find that women, especially women of the upper class and nobles, used to wear long dresses. Their clothes had short or long sleeves.”

“The kings of ancient Egypt had their distinctive costumes, which had many royal insignia indicating their lofty position in ancient Egyptian society as representatives of the gods on Earth,” he added.

He added that the clothes of Egyptian queens were characterized by length, beauty, dignity, splendor of fabrics, ingenuity of design, and subtlety of decoration. Their clothes were characterized by multiple layers of dress, if the dress was transparent.

“Some scenes show the uniforms of maids and the modest classes were outfits that tended to be indelicate, transparent, and sometimes short, showing more than they concealed, especially in scenes of banquets,

“Ancient Egyptians used to draw themselves beautiful, slim, young, and with harmonious bodies. This doesn’t mean that they were all in good health and graceful. They loved to paint a picture of the perfection that they wished for in the other world.”

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An example of an ancient Egyptian sock (Supplied)

Tutankhamun’s gloves (Supplied)

Winter clothes (Supplied)

parties and other scenes that related to the other world. He added that regarding their winter attire, they used The working women also wore simple and practical linen, especially in white as a traditional attire for men, while women’s clothes were colorful dresses clothes,” Abdel Basir said. with two straps, and a shawl over it. They forbade themselves some fabrics, such as wool, which were taken from living creatures and believed they were “impure.”

“In Tutankhamun’s tomb of the 18th Dynasty (ruled between 1332 and 1323 BC), many pieces of linenmade winter clothes with many layers were found,” Abdel Basir said.

“Egyptian queen Nefertari, wife of Ramses II, is depicted in some scenes wearing a long white robe over her dress,” he added.

Abdel Basir said that the warm climate of ancient Egypt facilitated the formation of a civilization by the Egyptians.

“On the contrary in Europe, their civilization appeared later than ours because of their cold weather.

The warm weather allowed people to go, work, build, enjoy life and encouraged them to form a civilization,” he said.

“Thanks to the Mediterranean Sea, which helped curb the cold weather of Europe from delving deep into our country and Africa,” he said.

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Hussein Bicar: Philosopher of Plastic Arts Bicar’s Portraits and Oil Paintings Depict Graceful Egyptian Peasants and Nubian Scenes 48

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By Sarah Gamal

Bicar playing Bouzouki at his home in Zamalek, Cairo (From an interview with Hussein Bicar in “Al-Mosawar” magazine dated February 25th 1983).

For more than seventy years, the late genius, Egyptian artist Hussein Bicar, was one of the most prominent faces of the second generation in Egyptian plastic arts varying between brush, calligraphy, color, music, poetry, criticism and children’s drawings. He is also considered one of the most important masters of color and shadow in the Arab world and one of its strongest pillars, as he left his imprint on the plastic movement, with an approach, style, topic, and even a message.

Bicar had a clear insight and good taste. He loved music from his early childhood. He also wrote quatrains and quintuplets filled with wisdom and eloquence. He remained a benefactor throughout his life, and a teacher of many generations.

He was the founder of a journalistic art school and was the first pioneer in Egypt of children’s journalism. He had a simple and clear style that raised the standard of journalistic drawing to a level approaching art. As for his oil paintings, he was distinguished by his high degree of composition, coloring and strength of expression.

He was a delicate, sensitive artist, and a poetic art critic.

Hussein Amin Bicar was born on January 2, 1913, in Alexandria and died on November 16, 2002. He joined the College of Fine Arts in 1928, which was then called the High School of Art. He was 15 years old at the time and was one of the first Egyptian students to enroll.

At the beginning, he learned from foreign professors until 1930, then from Youssef Kamel and Ahmed Sabry. After graduating, he worked in the establishment of the Wax Museum, and completed some works in the decoration of the Museum’s agricultural exhibition.

Afterwards, Bicar moved to Morocco, where he spent three years as a drawing teacher, which was an important stage in his development. It was there that Bicar drew his first illustrations when the Spanish language teacher authored a book to teach the language to students and asked Bicar to translate words into pictures.

In 1944, he drew a set of illustrations for Taha Hussein’s book “The Days,” and when Mustafa Amin saw the drawings, he asked him to leave

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The late genius Egyptian artist Hussein Bicar was one of the most prominent faces of the second generation in Egyptian plastic arts for more than seventy years between brush, calligraphy, color, music, poetry, criticism and children’s drawings. his job to devote himself to Akhbar Al-Youm newspaper as a painter and writer. His new job allowed him to roam the world on short trips, so he traveled to Abyssinia, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Lebanon, Spain and Japan, and his newspaper cartoons expressed a completely new and different style of journalistic illustration. He also wrote hundreds of critical articles.

Bicar’s leadership and uniqueness were evident. He had enormous energy and technical capability since, in addition to his position as a master of portraiture, he composed hundreds of paintings depicting the countryside, Nubia, Upper Egypt, peasant women and national events.

His brushwork was distinguished by its high sensitivity, the balanced distribution of shadows and shapes, the reduction of lines and the expression of the subject directly and permeably. It was as if Bicar’s painting was a brilliant mixture between the depth of the idea and the delicacy of lines, between the clarity of expression and its many aspects and repetitions.

The great plastic artist, Ahmed Nawar, was Hussein Bicar’s closest friend, so Majalla met with him to learn more about Bicar’s art.

Nawar is one of the most prominent contemporary artists who left an influential imprint on the history of Egyptian art. He also held a number of jobs throughout his artistic career: he worked as a professor in the Graphics Department at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Helwan University, and as a professor and the delegated Head of the Graphics Department at the Faculty of Fine

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Arts, Minia University, from 1983 until 1988.

Among the artistic tasks entrusted to Nawar was the development of the Cairo International Biennale since 1988, the establishment of the Cairo International Biennale of Ceramics from 1992, and the establishment of the Egypt International Triennial for Graphic Art since 1993.

Nawar started talking about Bicar saying, “Bicar did not leave us, because his spirit revolves around every place in which he lived, inside or

Bicar’s talent covered a wide range of topics, the most recent of which was his execution of the paintings for the movie “The Eighth Wonder” by Canadian director John Finney.

outside Egypt, and in his works of art hanging in museums or the homes of people who love his art. His spirit hovers in every line, color and space, and, as time passes, the appreciation of works does not conclude, but rather becomes more colorful, deeper and richer. He is an encyclopedic artist, we hear his voice and pulse whenever we contemplate his artistic creativity at a museum or exhibition.”

“Professor Bicar allowed me to approach him at his home and in my gallery exhibitions, and I remember the first article he wrote about an exhibition of mine in 1971 under the title ‘Bombs and Missiles.’ Artistic and human communication continued for decades before he was on his deathbed. A fewlines are not enough to describe Hussein Bicar, he needs volumes,” he said.

Bicar’s role in the field of journalistic fine arts criticism was a pioneering one, which has had a profound positive impact in encouraging new

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Countryside by the late artist Hussein Bicar (1913-2002).

The painting is by the late artist Hussein Bicar (1913-2002) entitled Al Mowa’ad (The Rendezvous).

talent and introducing established artists while spreading aesthetic concepts among the newspaper’s readership.

When asked about Bicar as a critic, Nawar said: “Bicar the critic is considered as an independent school in terms of his vision and also for

his uniqueness in achieving a balanced and just critique with authentic cultural, cognitive and scientific foundations. He always aligns himself with the original artistic value, searching for new artistic expression.”

Bicar loved journalistic work and wanted it to be a gentle and supportive motivation to develop journalistic performance in form and subject. Successive generations were his loyal students and believed in continuity and development along the same path.

“In the journalistic field, he also had achievements in authoring, writing and illustrating for Egyptian magazines and newspapers. He shined in his black ink drawings of topics that expressed the rural environment, as well as people’s lives, customs and traditions,” Nawar explained.

Ahmed Nawar, the great plastic artist, is one of the most prominent contemporary artists who left an influential imprint on the history of Egyptian art.

As for the Egyptian colloquial poetry bearing lofty social and moral values that he used

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The painting is by the late artist Hussein Bicar (1913-2002) entitled “The Rebab Player and the Bird.”

to publish: “Although he is always linked to a works of art mostly drawn in black ink, if we consider his poetic writings, we will discover the unpacking and integration of the idea verbally and graphically into a single visual object indicative of sublime human, religious and moral meanings, as well as environmental and

In the field of color painting, he was known as a portrait painter. He also painted the countryside at the best of times, especially the time of harvest, and he painted the Nubians in various settings.

The painting is by the late artist Hussein Bicar (1913-2002) entitled “Palm Trees and the Mountain in Nubia,” 1978.

natural meanings,” Nawar told Majalla.

Hussein Bicar was subjected to a lot of criticism because of his Baha’i faith. Asked if it played a role in Bicar’s fame, Nawar said, “As a close witness and through my responsibilities to many of the artistic and cultural institutions in Egypt, the announcement in the media about Bicar’s religion may have caused a shock. But it passed like a meteor and vanished, because Hussein Bicar had human values and an overwhelming presence in the conscience of artists and intellectuals.”

In the field of color painting, he was known as a portrait painter. He also painted the countryside at the best of times, especially the time of harvest, and he painted the Nubians in various settings.

“What is striking in most of his artworks is the Ney [an end-blown flute that figures promi-

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Portrait of Sayyed Darwish, 1962, by the late artist Hussein Bicar (1913-20

Countryside by the late artist Hussein Bicar (1913-2002).

A painting by Hussein Bicar from “The Eighth Wonder” documentary film directed

by John Feeney.

nently in Middle Eastern music], with either a man or a woman playing. Some of the works contain a Buzuq [a long-necked fretted lute related to the Greek bouzouki and the Turkish saz], which is a very special instrument. I saw it

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myself in one of my meetings with our teacher at his house.” Nawar explained.

Bicar’s talent covered a wide range of topics, the most recent of which was his execution of the paintings for the movie “The Eighth Wonder” by Canadian director John Finney. The film tells the story of the Temple of Ramses II in Abu Simbel and its rescue from submersion after the construction of the High Dam. The film is a documentary about the relocation of the Temple. Bicar drew 80 paintings that show, moment by moment, how the artists of ancient Egypt created this majestic monument, from preparing the facade of the temple inside the rock until the completion of its last details.

“Bicar’s creativity produced graphics that accompanied the film, and the music that Bicar composed for it, inspired by the pharaonic hymns that priests sang in temples, made the film an immortal and timeless document that transcends generations,” Nawar concluded.

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Boris Johnson: The Conservative PM’s Future is at Stake

By Majalla Illustration by Jeannette Khouri British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a lover of ancient Greek and Latin literature and history, is often fascinated by the fall of the Roman Empire but his government is now threatened by a similar fall, as the New York Times has described it.

Johnson is facing an unprecedented crisis since his triumphant accession to power in July 2019 and is suffering from a collapse in his popularity, according to the results of opinion polls and calls for his resignation. But the coming weeks will be fraught with peril as there is much speculation that Boris Johnson and his wife, Carrie, may be questioned or fined by investigators.

The police are investigating, in particular, a meeting in the PMs official apartment on November 13, 2020, where a popular song by the band ABBA was broadcast celebrating the departure of Dominic Cummings, Johnson’s influential adviser and archenemy of the Prime Minister.

“The public has a right to know whether the prime minister has committed a misdemeanor,” said Angela Rayner, the second-ranking official in the opposition Labour Party. On the other hand, Labour leader Keir Starmer renewed his call for Johnson to resign, arguing that the prime minister was more interested in “saving himself” than he was in the cost of living. Among the Conservatives, some have publicly called for his departure, such as Representative Andrew Mitchell.

Boris Johnson is the Conservative MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip, and has been an MP continuously since 7 May 2015. He currently holds the govern-

ment post of Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, and Minister for the Union. In addition, he is the Leader of the Conservative Party.

Before settling in 10 Downing Street - the official address of the British Prime Minister’s residence Boris Johnson lived a tumultuous life at the heart of events and under the spotlight, whether in politics as deputy, shadow minister, mayor of the capital and minister, or in relation to his personal matters such as marriages, betrayals, divorces and altercations with many women. He was often famous for his embarrassing situations, as some called him a clown because of his many public lapses, his provocative statements, his contradictory stances and his repeated scandals. However, this was at no time enough to stop his ambition, or to prevent the rise in his popularity in some circles, or to hinder his rise to the top of the pyramid of power.

Johnson was born in New York in 1964 and his parents moved to Britain when he was a young child.

He studied in more than one field, including literature at Oxford. He worked as a journalist before entering the political arena and becoming a deputy in the House of Commons as well as Mayor of London.

He is known to be stingy and sharp in his criticism.

Some critics describe him as Britain’s “Trump.”

Johnson’s most important work for him was his book “The Churchill Factor: How One Man Made History,” which was released in 2015 and has sold more than a quarter of a million copies. It was subjected to strong criticism in academic circles, with some describing it as “lazy history,” as it was more like political propaganda rather than an academic text, whose sole purpose seemed to convince British voters that Johnson is the new Churchill.

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After agreeing to a revised Brexit withdrawal agreement with the EU, which replaced the Irish backstop with a new Northern Ireland Protocol, but failing to win parliamentary support for the agreement, Johnson called a snap election for December 2019 in which he led the Conservative Party to victory with 43.6% of the vote, and the party’s largest share of seats since 1987. On 31 January 2020, the United Kingdom withdrew from the EU, entering into a transition period and trade negotiations leading to the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

The COVID-19 pandemic became a major issue of his premiership as the government responded with various emergency powers, introduced measures across society to mitigate its impact, and approved the rollout of a nationwide vaccination program.

Johnson has been criticized for his slow response to the outbreak, including his resistance to introducing lockdown measures.

The “party” crisis brought all of Johnson’s blunders back to the fore, and it became a frequent topic on British tongues in the media, the corridors of politics, and even at family gatherings and social networking sites. Suddenly, everything the prime minister had done became “unforgivable mistakes” for which he must be held accountable by “expelling” him from the government and political life.

Johnson has many achievements in his track record that make his party slow to decide hastily on his fate, and to consider offering him an alternative at this critical time.

This man - Johnson - did not fail in his political life despite all his missteps, but the “party” crisis was a “shambles” for him, while the opposition and local media say that the party is over, and “Johnson’s departure is a matter of time.”

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Foods that Fight Inflammation Load Your Meals with Healthy Foods for Maximum Inflammation-fighting Potential

By Heidi Godman In the fight against chronic inflammation -- a state of persistent activation of the immune system -- your diet is a powerful weapon. Eating healthy foods helps quiet chronic inflammation, and it benefits your health in other ways (like lowering cholesterol levels). Chronic inflammation often is seen with, and may contribute to,

chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cognitive decline.

Where do you find inflammation-fighting foods?

They’re all part of a Mediterranean-style diet, which consists of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, lean proteins, and small amounts of dairy foods and olive oil.

“Plant-based foods provide us with vitamins, min-

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erals, fiber, and phytochemicals--plant chemicals that appear to fight free radicals [molecules that damage cells] and may protect our cells against inflammation, cancer growth, and viruses,” says Kathy McManus, director of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “Fish, nuts, and plant oils contain healthy unsaturated fats, which are good for your blood vessels, heart, and brain.”

Here are some foods that support the quest to keep inflammation in check.

BERRIES Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries may just seem like sweet treats. But berries are also hardworking inflammation fighters.

Berries contain phytochemicals called anthocyanins, which give the fruits their red and purple hues. Anthocyanins have an anti-inflammatory effect on cells and are associated with lower risks of heart disease, cognitive decline, and diabetes.

Fatty fish Fatty fish -- such as salmon, tuna, and sardines -- are abundant sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to reduce cardiovascular disease risk. That benefit might be due to reduced Photo by Timo Volz on Unsplash

Plant-based foods provide us with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals--plant chemicals that appear to fight free radicals [molecules that damage cells] and may protect our cells against inflammation, cancer growth, and viruses. inflammation in the body, especially in the blood vessels (protecting them against the buildup of plaque). Some evidence has found that eating fatty fish is associated with lower levels of Creactive protein, an inflammatory marker in the blood.

LEAFY GREENS Green leafy vegetables -- such as arugula, chard, kale, and spinach -- are loaded with vitamins A, B, C, E, and K, as well as important minerals (iron, magnesium, and potassium) and phytochemicals. Spinach is associated with a reduction in inflammation levels over time, slowed cognitive decline, and reduced risks for coronary artery disease and stroke.

NUTS AND SEEDS Tiny but mighty, nuts and seeds (such as pistachios, almonds, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds) are rich in fiber and other nutrients that help keep your gut bacteria healthy and in turn may help tamp down brain inflammation (see “Shield your memory from decline”). Certain nuts and seeds -- such as walnuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds, and hemp seeds -- are also good sources of omega-3 fatty acids.

TOMATOES Tomatoes get their superpowers from a phytochemical called lycopene. It not only gives to-

Photo by Nadine Primeau on Unsplash

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matoes their vibrant red color, but also appears to help reduce levels of interleukin-6, a protein that causes inflammation. Tomatoes are also associated with reduced risks for developing heart disease and prostate cancer.

WHAT TO EAT To get enough foods that fight inflammation, eat at least two servings of fatty fish per week and at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day (two fruits, three vegetables). It’s okay to enjoy a handful of nuts or seeds each day. And you’ll want to bulk up on fiber sources, such as legumes like beans and lentils (women older than 50 need 21 grams of fiber per day; men need 30 grams per day).

“For the most impact, get the widest variety of plant-based foods possible in each meal. For example, make a big green salad with several kinds

of greens and colorful vegetables, seeds, berries, and a simple dressing of a little olive oil and vinegar,” McManus suggests. “Or cook whole grains such as quinoa or brown rice, and stir in the greens of your choice, beans, and colorful vegetables like carrots, squash, and tomatoes.”

It’s easiest to toss extra plant foods into a meal when you have them on hand. “If produce seems to spoil faster than you can use it, keep it in your freezer, divided into small amounts. That way, you can reach for fruits and vegetables when you need them,” says McManus.

And as much as possible, avoid eating processed foods. They typically contain high amounts of calories, added sugars, unhealthy saturated fats, and salt, and are associated with chronic inflammation.

This article was originally published by Harvard Health Letter.

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Photo by Caroline Attwood on Unsplash

o

pinion

Is Tunisia better off with President Kais Saied? there has been an increase of protest in defiance to covid19- restriction.

Perception is changing as the suspension of parliament is now seen as a power grab, especially since re-writing the constitution should be a parliamentary process where all parties discuss and are involved. A coup, they called it.

Historically, we’ve always seen President Kais Saied is a university that one-person rule never brings professor of constitutional law who about true democracy or sustainable Tunisia also is loved by his students for what he improvement; symbolizes: intelligence and honesty. experienced this with Ben Ali, who These are two things lacking in the was more convincing than President previous parliament and what got him Kais Saied ever was. elected. On 25 July 2021, President Kais Saied announced a state of What brought President Kais Saied emergency, suspended parliament, to power was people’s discontent assumed executive authority and with previous elects; this is because plans to create a new constitution they haven’t brought about any with a vote on that new constitution economic progress, unemployment in July this year. The Tunisian public was soaring. However, President reacted positively at first as he sacked Kais Saied is just re-stating the Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi. same discussion of the constitution They saw President Saied assuming and system of governance not executive power as an opportunity bringing about any real economic to put Tunisia back on track both change. The only major economic politically and economically. When reforms predicted are austerities like democracy for years hasn’t achieved measures aiming to secure IMF loans any economic progress in an ever- and foreign direct investment, which deteriorating economy, people saw will surely worsen the Tunisian president Kais Saied as the one who living conditions and not bring about long-term economic growth. was going to fix it.

Tunisia was one of the first countries to uprise against corruption and authoritarianism. In hope for a fairer and more democratic government where they as people are able to determine their own futures. Yet it has been experiencing a decade filled with challenges and setbacks, as we see today with President Kais Saied.

By Saif Al-Abri

Yet the tide is turning against president Kais Saied. Tunisian parties announced a coalition to counter president Kais Saied, and

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04/02/22

Another reason he got elected is because of the soaring corruption.

Yet the policies adopted by President Kais Saied, who presents himself as

Tunisia›s President Kais Saied gives a speech at the government›s swearing-in ceremony at the Carthage Palace outside the capital Tunis, Tunisia February 2020 ,27. Fethi Belaid/Pool via REUTERS//File Photo

fighting corruption, is bound to breed more significant corruption:

system, questioning the validity of laws and reducing stability.

1. He has established no dialogue with other parties representing other voters regarding policies, and in contrast, he slanders and demonizes them.

All in combination are bound to weaken the legitimacy of the law and increase corruption.

Furthermore, even when the new constitution is established by the 2. Corrupt individuals are being end of the year, I doubt Tunisia›s trialed in untransparent military economic and political system will courts that delegitimize such courts› be any better. Firstly, such a delegitimization and weakening of ruling. the rule of law and constitution 3. The suspension of parliament and established in 2014 is bound to constitutional courts produces an have negative political implications. environment with no accountability Secondly, due to president Kais for neither the president nor the Saied law background, he seems not to have presented any viable solution people surrounding him. to solving the economic condition, 4. Fourthly President Kais Saied which gained him support in the first is constantly attacking the judicial place.

What brought President Kais Saied to power was people’s discontent with previous elects, because they haven’t brought about any economic progress.

However, Saied is just re-stating the same discussion of the constitution without any real economic change .