Illegal Migration Plagues E.U. from Within

Isaias-Abiy Axis Crisis Over War Crimes Responsibility

A Weekly Political News Magazine

State Department Celebrates Arab-American Heritage in April

Issue 1848- April- 16/04/2021

A Weekly Political News Magazine

2

Issue 1848- April- 16/04/2021

Sherihan: Egypt’s Comeback Queen Actress

www.majalla.com

Illegal Migration Plagues E.U. from Within

www.majalla.com

Editorial

A Weekly Political News Magazine

www.majalla.com/eng

Editor-in-Chief

Ghassan Charbel A new agreement on migration in the E.U. promises a fresh start on a prolonged challenge that has plagued the continent.

The New Pact on Migration and Asylum includes mechanisms such as borders security and stronger partnerships. In this week’s cover story, Jassim Mohamed writes about European bids to tackle asylum and migration with Turkey in 2016, the controversy surrounding it and recent rapprochement.

Turkey’s economic woes are exacerbating with the continuous lira plummeting and the rising inflation rates, while reported covid19- cases reach highest levels in recent weeks. Turkish opposition attributes the current crises to the AKP government›s incompetency and has called for early elections. Jiwan Soz held an exclusive interview with Gürsel Tekin, the wellknown CHP member of parliament and a former deputy to the CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu about AKP›S of opposition strength and the alleged political strategies it is using to thwart failure, including targeting of opposition figures.

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.

2

16/04/21

Editorial secretary Mostafa El-Dessouki HH Saudi Research and Marketing (UK) Ltd 10th Floor Building 7 Chiswick Business Park 566 Chiswick High Road London W4 5YG Tel : +44 207 831 8181 Fax: +44 207 831 2310

‫الوكيل اإلعالني‬ ،www.alkhaleejiah.com :‫موقع إلكتروني‬ hq@alkhaleejiah.com :‫بريد إلكتروني‬ + 9714 3 914440 :‫ دبي‬،920 000 417 : ‫من داخل اململكة‬ +44 207 404 6950 :‫ لندن‬+00764 537 331 :‫باريس‬ +966 11 441 1444 : ‫ومن مختلف الدول‬

- ‫ طريق مكة‬- ‫ حي املؤتمرات‬- ‫مرخص لها الرياض‬ ‫تقاطع التخصصى‬ +44 207 831 8181 :‫ لندن‬- 4419933 ‫ هاتف‬:‫الرياض‬

A Weekly Political News Magazine

4

16/04/21

A Weekly Political News Magazine

38 Less Exposure to Scams

Issue 1848- April- 16/04/2021

36 Do Covid Masks Impact Children’s

Speech Development ?

24 Ethiopia’s Perilous Propaganda War

28 Dangerous Impasse in Myanmar

52 ”!Iftar Cannon Fire“ !

54 Conquer Your Fear of Dietary Fat 5

16/04/21

48 Sneak Peek Before the Oscars

S

napshot

Egypt Archaeology Tourism A visitor poses for a picture taken by another woman at the Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III at Medinet Habu, on the west bank of the Nile outside Egypt’s southern city of Luxor, on April 10, 2021. Luxor, Egypt )AFP Photos(

6

16/04/21

7

16/04/21

S

napshot

Restrictions Ease, in London People enjoy the Nemesis Inferno ride as Thorpe Park reopens following easing of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions, in London, Britain April 12, 2021. LONDON, , United Kingdom )Reuters Photos(

8

16/04/21

9

16/04/21

A WEEK IN THE MIDDLE EAST SAUDI ARABIA Saudi Arabia said this week it was concerned about Iran’s intention to start enriching uranium to 60% purity and said such a move could not be considered part of a peaceful nuclear programme, Reuters reported.

A foreign ministry statement called on Iran to avoid escalation and engage seriously in talks with global powers about a 2015 nuclear pact. The statement also urged the international community to reach an agreement “with stronger parameters of a longer duration”.

Iran’s announcement about its plan to enrich to 60%, bringing the fissile material closer to the 90% level suitable for a nuclear bomb, came after Tehran accused Israel of sabotaging a key nuclear installation and ahead of the resumption of nuclear talks in Vienna.

IRAQ A drone dropped explosives near U.S. forces stationed at Erbil airport in northern Iraq this week, Kurdish officials said, with no immediate reports of casualties, according to Reuters.

A separate rocket attack killed a Turkish soldier at a military base nearby, the Turkish defence ministry said.

It was the first known attack carried out by an unmanned aerial drone against U.S. forces in Erbil, amid a steady stream of rocket attacks on bases hosting U.S. forces and the embassy in Baghdad that Washington blames on Iran-backed militias.

EGYPT Evergreen Line said this week that it is investigating the scope of an Egyptian court order to detain the Ever Given container ship which got stuck in the Suez Canal last month, according to Reuters.

YEMEN Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement said this week it had fired 17 drones and two ballistic missiles at targets in Saudi Arabia, including Saudi Aramco facilities in Jubail and Jeddah, Reuters reported.

There was no immediate Saudi confirmation. Saudi Aramco, the state oil firm, said when contacted by Reuters that it would respond at the earliest opportunity.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said on Twitter the group’s barrage included 10 Samad-3 drones fired at refineries in the Red Sea city of Jeddah and Jubail in the Eastern Province.

Aramco’s refinery in Jeddah was decommissioned in 2017 but it has a petroleum products distribution plant there that the Houthis have previously targeted.

The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) has made a $916 million compensation claim against the ship’s Japanese owner Shoei Kisen, according to UK Club, one of its insurers.

The SCA has also obtained a court order to detain the ship as discussions over compensation continue. The vessel is currently being held in Great Bitter Lake, which sits between two sections of the canal.

The ship’s operator Evergreen Line said on Monday it was studying the possibility of the ship and cargo on board being treated separately.

10

16/02/٢١

LEBANON Lebanese Prime Minister designate Saad al-Hariri intends to ask Russia for economic assistance during a visit to Moscow later this week, the RIA news agency cited his special representative as saying this week, according to Reuters.

Hariri will seek Moscow’s help restoring the port in Beirut, devastated by a huge chemical explosion last August, and building electric power stations, RIA said.

The explosion killed 200 people and caused billions of dollars worth of damage, further weakening an economy already facing meltdown as a banking crisis sent the value of the Lebanese pound plunging against the U.S. dollar.

Last week, German companies including Hamburg Port Consulting presented a multi-billion-dollar plan to rebuild the port and neighbouring districts, while French container shipping group CMA CGM also said it was pursuing a plan to restore the port.

UAE Lunar exploration company ispace will transport a United Arab Emirates rover to the moon in 2022, the company said this week, as the UAE pushes for rapid expansion in the space exploration business to diversify its economy, according to Reuters.

The UAE is using its space programme to develop its scientific and technological capabilities and reduce its reliance on oil.

The Gulf state’s, and the Arab world’s, first interplanetary probe entered Mars’ orbit in February. It is now sending data about the Martian atmosphere and climate.

The Rashid lunar rover will be designed entirely by Emiratis. The UAE had originally intended to send it into space by 2024.

KUWAIT Kuwait’s ministerial court ordered the pre-trial detention of former prime minister and ruling family member Sheikh Jaber al-Mubarak al-Sabah in a case over the alleged mishandling of military funds, three Kuwaiti newspapers said this week, according to Reuters.

Al Rai and Al Jarida newspapers said Sheikh Jaber and former defence and interior minister Sheikh Khalid al-Jarrah al-Sabah rejected the charges directed against them.

The court denied a request to release Sheikh Khalid, also a senior member of the Gulf Arab state’s ruling family, Al Jarida and Al Qabas newspapers said.

The newspapers said the court also ordered a ban on publishing information about the case based on a request from the defence team. It set the next hearing for April 27.

JORDAN

Jordan’s King Abdullah and former crown prince and half-brother Prince Hamza made their first joint appearance since a rift shook the country, attending a ceremony this week marking 100 years of independence, Reuters reported.

State media showed the monarch and other members of the royal family laying wreaths at the memorial to the unknown soldier and tombs of royalty in the Raghdan palace in Amman.

Hamza pledged allegiance to King Abdullah late on Monday following mediation by the royal family, two days after the military warned him over actions that it said were undermining Jordan’s security and stability.

11

16/02/٢١

IRAN

A WEEK ACROSS THE WORLD

Iran and global pow to rescue the 2015 potentially complic ramp up uranium e Israeli sabotage at Casting a shadow Tuesday announce at 60% purity, a big weapons-grade ma explosion at its ke Calling the move “ and the European move was contrary to efforts to revive the accord abandoned by Was The 2015 agreement sought to make it harder for Iran to develop an sanctions.

INDIA The United Arab Emirates’ envoy to Washington confirmed the Gulf state is mediating between India and Pakistan to help the nuclear-armed rivals reach a “healthy and functional” relationship.

Top intelligence officers from India and Pakistan held secret talks in Dubai in January in a new effort to calm military tension over the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, people with knowledge of the matter had told Reuters.

Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba said in a virtual discussion with Stanford University’s Hoover Institution on Wednesday that the UAE played a role “in bringing Kashmir escalation down and created a ceasefire, hopefully ultimately leading to restoring diplomats and getting the relationship back to a healthy level”.

“They might not sort of become best friends but at least we want to get it to a level where it’s functional, where it’s operational, where they are speaking to each other,” he said.

U.S. The United States this week imposed a broad array of sanctions on Russia, including curbs to its sovereign debt market, to punish it for interfering in last year's U.S. election, cyber-hacking, bullying Ukraine and other alleged "malign" actions.

The U.S. government blacklisted Russian companies, expelled Russian diplomats and barred U.S. banks from buying sovereign bonds from Russia's central bank, national wealth fund and finance ministry. Washington also warned the Kremlin that more penalties were possible though the United States said it did not want to escalate.

Moscow reacted angrily, saying this dangerously raised the temperature between the two countries and called into question a possible summit between the U.S. and Russian leaders.

AFGHANISTAN President Joe Biden’s planned announcement this week of a complete U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan by Sept.

11 aims to close the book on America’s longest war, as critics warn that peace is anything but assured after two decades of fighting.

As officials disclosed Biden’s pullout plans, the U.S. intelligence community renewed deep concerns on Tuesday about the outlook for the U.S.-backed government in Kabul, which is clinging to an eroding stalemate.

“The Afghan government will struggle to hold the Taliban at bay if the coalition withdraws support,” said the U.S. assessment, which was sent to Congress. “Kabul continues to face setbacks on the battlefield, and the Taliban is confident it can achieve military victory.”

Biden plans to announce at the White House on Wednesday that all U.S. troops in Afghanistan will be withdrawn no later than Sept. 11, senior U.S. officials said.

12

16/02/٢١

DENMARK

Denmark this week became the fir COVID-19 vaccine altogether, follo blood clot cases, health authorities The decision will push back the sch vaccination scheme to early August Results of investigations into the b effects," health agency head Soren “Based on an overall consideration the vaccination programme for all The European Union's drug watchd link between the AstraZeneca vacc (CVST), a brain blood clot, but said "much greater" than the risk of mo

wers resumed talks on Thursday 5 nuclear deal in an effort cated by Tehran’s decision to enrichment and what it called a nuclear site. over the Vienna talks, Tehran on ed its decision to enrich uranium g step closer to the 90% that is aterial, in response to an ey Natanz facility on Sunday. “provocative”, the United States parties to the deal warned the shington three years ago. n atomic bomb in return for lifting

rst country to stop using AstraZeneca's owing news of its possible link to very rare s said, according to Reuters. heduled conclusion of Denmark's t from July 25, they said. blood clots "showed real and serious side Brostrom said in a statement. n, we have therefore chosen to continue target groups without this vaccine." dog said last week it had found a possible cine and cerebral venous sinus thrombosis d the risk of dying from COVID-19 was ortality from rare side effects.

ETHIOPIA Sexual violence is being used as a weapon of war in Ethiopia's Tigray, the U.N. aid chief told the Security Council on Thursday, prompting the U.S. envoy to challenge the body's silence, asking: "Do African lives not matter as much as those experiencing conflict in other countries?"

The U.N. official, Mark Lowcock, said the humanitarian crisis in Tigray had deteriorated over the past month with challenges to aid access and people dying of hunger.

He said the world body had not seen any proof that soldiers from neighboring Eritrea - accused of massacres and killings in Tigray - have withdrawn.

LIBYA Greece and Libya have agreed to hold talks on marking out their maritime zones in the Mediterranean, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Wednesday, after a meeting with the president of the Libyan Presidential Council, Mohamed al-Menfi.

In a statement after the meeting, Mitsotakis said the two leaders "agreed on the immediate resumption of talks between Greece and Libya on the delimitation of the maritime zones".

Libya's new unity government took office on March 16, succeeding two warring administrations that had ruled eastern and western regions during a decade of violent chaos since the overthrow of autocratic leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Mitsotakis said Athens aimed to reset relations with Libya, which were soured by the Tripoli government's signing a maritime boundary accord in 2019 with Turkey, Greece's regional rival.

The issue has fed into tensions between Athens and Ankara over territorial and energy issues in the eastern Mediterranean that brought the two NATO allies close to armed conflict last year.

MYANMAR Opponents of Myanmar's junta announced on Friday a national unity government, which includes ousted lawmakers, members of ethnic groups and figures in the anti-coup protest, according to a video statement read out on Public Voice Television.

Last week, Myanmar’s ruling junta freed hundreds of people arrested in its crackdown on protests against the overthrow of the elected government, while businesses in Yangon were shut and streets deserted in a strike called by anti-coup activists.

GERMANY German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged lawmakers this week to approve new powers that would allow her to force coronavirus lockdowns and curfews on areas with high infection rates, saying a majority of Germans were in favour of stricter measures.

"The third wave of the pandemic has our country firmly in its grip," said Merkel, whose speech in parliament was interrupted by heckling from lawmakers of the far-right Alternative for Germany party opposed to lockdowns.

"Intensive care workers are sending one distress call after the other. Who are we to ignore their pleas?" Merkel said.

Her government wants parliament to change the Infection Protection Act to enable federal authorities to enforce restrictions even if regional leaders resist them, hoping to alleviate pressure on intensive care units.

13

16/02/٢١

C

over story

Illegal Migration Plagues E.U. from Within Turkey Continues to Use Migration Card Against Europe Jassim Mohammed - Bonn The shadow of the lack of consensus on how to tackle illegal migration still looms large over the European Union which has shown marked progress otherwise in building consensus on matters such as tackling the Brexit fallout, terrorism and extremism, the coronavirus pandemic and the risks in the eastern Mediterranean.

On March 2021 ,12, the European Commission proposed in Brussels that the 27 European countries should draw up a list of countries from which immigrants originate in order to improve cooperation with them to take back their nationals, who have entered the EU illegally. The Commissioner for Home Affairs of the European Union, Ylva Johansson said that the bloc should intensify pressure on non-EU countries to take

14

16/04/21

back migrants by threatening to change their visa policies.

She said that of out of half a million repatriation decisions in 2019 which are orders issued to migrants to leave the bloc, only between 140,000 and 150,000 people had actually been repatriated.

TURKEY-EU ASYLUM AGREEMENT CONTROVERSY The asylum agreement signed between the European Union and Turkey in 2016 is still the subject of controversy. Some consider it an ineffective agreement and demand its cancellation while others demand that it be amended in order to face the refugee crisis. The agreement stipulates that Ankara will receive political and financial aid in return for dealing with illegal immigrants who seek to enter the countries of the Union through Turkey.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (L) and EU Council President Charles Michel (R) hold a joint news conference after talks with Turkey’s President in Ankara on April 6, 2021. (Getty)

At the time, the agreement actually led to a relatively reduced number of migrants arriving in Europe and Turkey received the largest part of the 6 billion euros (15.7 billion dollars) allocated by the European Union in aid to Ankara under the agreement. Despite this, Ankara says that Brussels has not fulfilled its promises to ease conditions for granting entry visas to Turks and to expand the customs union between Turkey and the European Union.

Although the number of immigrants arriving in Europe has decreased significantly since the signing of the agreement, only 2,740 migrants have been returned to Turkey while European countries have received 28,621 immigrants from Turkey under the agreement, which is less than what had been promised.

The asylum agreement signed between the European Union and Turkey in 2016 is still the subject of controversy. Some consider it an ineffective agreement and demand its cancellation while others demand that it be amended in order to face the refugee crisis. and that its success is measured by the isolation of Europe itself.” Marquardt’s criticism is that that the agreement was reached by governments “without being discussed or passed in parliaments.”

The asylum agreement between Ankara and Brussels was about to collapse in 2020 when thousands of illegal immigrants, most of them from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, gathered on the borders between Turkey and Greece. Ankara opened the borders to those seeking to enter Europe, but the migrant crisis stopped before it blew up, due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

MIGRANTS AS BARGAINING CHIPS Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan uses the agreement to put pressure on the European Union, and has repeatedly threatened to open borders if Europe does not send more money.

The German government’s deputy spokesman, Ulrike Demmer, said on March 2021 ,17 that the two sides adhered to the agreement and implemented it together.

Experts believe that the agreement now needs more funding and to extend to other groups of immigrants in Turkey, according to Sinem Adar, a researcher at the Center for Applied Turkish Studies at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs.

Cornelia Ernst, a member of the European Parliament for the Left Part, believes that the immigrant camps on the Greek islands are “a symbol of violations of basic rights.”

“Future program in this regard should also support the integration processes as most Syrians are likely to prefer to stay in Turkey,” Adar said.

A member of the European Parliament for the Green Party, Erik Marquardt, believes that the asylum agreement with Turkey “neglects human rights

‪Gerald Knau‬ of the European Stability Initiative says that the immigration agreement between Turkey and the European Union will fail if it is not updated or another agreement reached instead.

15

16/04/21

C

over story

In a webinar organized by the Istanbul-based Immigration Research Association, Knau said that the European Union should increase aid to migrants in Turkey and start receiving more of them. ‬‬‬‬‬ If this does not happen, Erdogan believes, Ankara could be tempted to allow migrants to cross its European borders and use that as a bargaining chip.

However, there are those who believe that the agreement will not survive for long, including Bano Butvara of the Evo Institute for Economic Research, who says that Ankara “has embarked on its latest military operations without consulting with its NATO allies, which raised the number of refugees.”

The spokesman adds that in this context, it is not logical to expect the European Union to present Turkey with a blank check. If Europe wants to continue financial support to Turkey, then the latter should not repeat such military operations, he says.

The European Union is seeking to preserve the agreement with Turkey, in order to host approximately four million refugees in Syria.

On April 2021 ,06, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said that the Commission will present a proposal to Turkey soon to ensure the flow of funds to the refugees, adding that Europe wants “much better relations” with Ankara, but it is “still early.”

During a visit to Ankara on April 2021 ,06 to revive bilateral relations, the President of the

The European far-right seeks electoral gains by adopting antiimmigration rhetoric and is questioning the legitimacy of the European Union and its ability to face economic and security challenges.

European Council and President of the European Commission expressed to Turkish President Erdogan their concern about the situation of human rights in Turkey, stressing on the other hand the importance of partnership with it.

ASSESSMENT OF ILLEGAL MIGRATION WITHIN EUROPEAN UNION The issue of illegal immigration has preceded the file of terrorism and extremism within the European Union and it has also come to the attention of the political class and the European street.

Europe is trying to curb immigration, by adopting funding for the voluntary return of migrants and investing in the local economic development of countries at home for migration, especially in West Africa.

As for the waves of migration from Syria and Iraq, it is trying to activate its agreement with Turkey signed in 2016, in order to reduce waves of migration.

16

16/04/21

A man carries a girl at a migrants’ makeshift camp near a bus terminal, as they wait to resume their efforts to enter Europe near Pazarkule border gate in the city of Edirne, northwest Turkey on March 8, 2020 )Getty(

part of a plan that is supposed to end in September 2017, under what is known as the “Refugee Distribution” agreement.

Its aim was to reduce the burden on some member states that showed sympathy with asylum seekers, including Germany, Sweden and Austria, and with countries that forcibly received a large number of refugees, being the gateway to the European Union, including Italy and Greece.

According to the agreement, Germany was to receive 31,443 refugees while France, Spain, Poland, the Netherlands, Romania, Belgium, Sweden, Austria, Portugal and Finland would receive ,4564 ,4646 ,7214 ,9287 ,14931 ,24031 3074 ,3640 ,4469 and 2398, respectively.

The Czechs were obligated to receive 2,978 refugees while Bulgaria, Latvia, Slovenia, Malta and the southern part of Cyprus would receive 133 ,1064 ,631 ,1502 ,1600 and 274 refugees respectively.

If these countries adhere to the numbers, they were expected to receive material support from the European Union’s treasury, with a budget of 780 million euros.

1990: DUBLIN AGREEMENT According to the Dublin Regulation for Refugees which was ratified by 12 member states of the European Union on June 1990 ,15 and entered into force on September 1997 ,1, asylum seekers can apply for asylum in only one country from the European Union. The Agreement stipulates that the asylum seeker in the European Union is subject to fingerprinting according to the Eurodac agreement.

The fingerprints are then included in the data bank and through that their application for asylum can be tracked for duplication if applied in more than one European country. If such a violation is traced, then the asylum-seeker can be returned to the first country in which they took their fingerprints, preventing multiple asylum applications from one person inside Europe.

2015: DIVISIVE DEAL IN MANAGING REFUGEE INFLOW In August 2015, the interior ministers of the European Union approved the redistribution of 160,000 asylum seekers throughout Europe, as

17

16/04/21

2019: FRONTEX CHALLENGE OF CONTROLLING THE UNION’S EXTERNAL BORDERS On October 2019 ,9, the European Union and the Republic of Montenegro signed a cooperation agreement allowing the European Union Border Protection Agency, Frontex, to help Montenegro to manage its common borders with the countries of the Union in order to control immigration and the agreement was approved by the European Commission.

Frontex currently has more than 800 employees and an annual budget of about 450 million euros.

The agency also intends to provide a number of personnel, helicopters, vehicles and equipment to secure the protection of the external borders of the European Union.

On May 2020 ,4, Fabrice Leggeri, Executive Director of Frontex outlined the agency’s interest in combating terrorism and ensuring the safety of citizens on the move and that they need to constantly improve border security without making

P

olitics

life more difficult for legitimate travelers.

EXTREME RIGHT INVESTING IN REFUGEE CRISIS The European far-right seeks electoral gains by adopting anti-immigration rhetoric and is questioning the legitimacy of the European Union and its ability to face economic and security challenges.

The election results in Germany, the Netherlands and Austria gave the extreme right-wing parties hope for their coming to power and reshaping the political scene of the old continent.

In the upcoming Italian elections, the far-right Lega Nord has announced its intention to deport thousands of asylum seekers from Italy, as part of a radical scheme aimed at reshaping Italian asylum policy – an election promise (among other similar controversial assurances) that it hopes will help it to gain power and occupy part of the general political scene in his country.

As part of its electoral program, the party not only talked about stopping immigration, but rather promised its supporters that it would take judicial measures and procedures that make it difficult to obtain approval for asylum applications.

2020: EU PROJECT TO SHARE REFUGEE RECEPTION In a new European Commission project discussed on September 2020 ,23, solidarity will be mandatory between the countries of the Union in the event of pressure as a result of receiving refugees. Any

The issue of illegal immigration has preceded the file of terrorism and extremism within the European Union and it has also come to the attention of the political class and the European street.

member state will also be helped, especially by countries that have always avoided contributing to the process in setting out a “mandatory solidarity mechanism” among the member states of the Union.

This project comes after the continuous refusal of some countries of the Union, such as Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia to receive asylum seekers, which led to the failure of the distribution of quotas to share the burden of refugees as decided after the refugee crisis in 2015. Countries like Greece, Malta and Italy bore the brunt of that crisis.

German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said on July 2020 ,7, during his country’s presidency of the European Union, that it was “shameful” that the European Union had not yet found a solution to receive asylum seekers, after years of immigration crisis.

The minister made this criticism during a meeting

18

16/04/21

A queue of refugees awaits the assistances of Turkish relief organizations in the Pazarkule camp on the border between Turkey and Greece on 15 March 2020.

(Getty)

On April 2021 ,06, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said that the Commission will present a proposal to Turkey soon to ensure the flow of funds to the refugees, adding that Europe wants “much better relations” with Ankara, but it is “still early.” in periods of crisis. This measure is good, but it is not sufficient.

This raises questions about the seriousness of these countries in overcoming the deepening crisis. The proposal of the document and pushing those of the 27 member states of the European Union, which are deeply divided, to agree on it, is the most important and challenging task for the European Commission. of European interior ministers via video link while the 180 migrants on board the humanitarian ship Ocean Viking were eventually allowed to disembark in Sicily after nine days of waiting.

2020: A NEW IMMIGRATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM? On July 2020 ,7, the Commissioner for Home Affairs of the European Union, Ylva Johansson, stated that the plan for the internal division of refugees and reform of the immigration system which was supposed to have been prepared in the last quarter of the same year, faced a considerable opposition and rejection by southern countries.

The Visegrad Group (Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia), which in its position has the support of Vienna, rejects the proposals of the European Commission while Rome and Athens, like the European Parliament, demands that the burden of reception be shared permanently and not

19

16/04/21

The President of the European Commission, von der Leyen, announced on September 2020 ,22, that she intends to cancel the “Dublin System”, which requires that the first country that a migrant enters, consider the asylum application.

It will be replaced with a “new European immigration management system.” She added that the system “will have joint structures around asylum and will have a new strong solidarity mechanism”, which raised some skepticism as a group of EU countries are still sharply divided on this issue.

Important indications about burden-sharing mechanisms in the European Union can be found in the New Pact on Migration and Asylum of 2020.

In this context, member states agreed to establish procedures, in the event of crises in one of the member states facing a large group of asylum seekers, to enable the secondment of employees from other member states to assist that country and to prove its effectiveness in solidarity with that country by mobilizing the existing programs of the European Union more quickly.

I

nterview

Turkish Opposition Insists on Early Elections to Solve Crises Isaias-Abiy Axis Crisis Over War Crimes Responsibility Jiwan Soz – Istanbul

Q: Is it possible that Turkey will hold early elecA prominent figure of the Republican People›s tions? How would alliances be formed?

Party (CHP), the main opposition party in Tur- A: It is obvious that Turkey needs early elections. key, repeated his call for early parliamentary and Looking at the current economic crises and the deadlock with the AKP government›s foreign presidential elections in the country. policy, one can easily say that the Erdogan adGürsel Tekin, the well-known CHP member ministration cannot efficiently govern the counof parliament and a former deputy to the CHP try. As CHP, we are continuously making calls leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, said that the ruling for early elections to end the suffering of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Turkey Turkish people. led by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan “will try to hang on until the end of his term (in 2023),” But I think that Erdogan will try to hang on until stressing that the ruling party and its president the end of his term because he is aware that he “could not get the majority to reelect,” so they and his party could not get a majority for reelection. will avoid early elections.

The Turkish MP, who enjoys wide popularity, spoke to Majalla in an exclusive interview about further issues facing his country. The interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

Regarding election alliances, CHP is already in an alliance with IYI Party (The Good Party). I cannot see any reason to dissolve a partnership that proved its success during the local elec-

20

16/04/21

Photo of Gürsel Tekin, CHP member of parliament and a former deputy to the CHP leader. (Supplied)

tions of 2019.

Q: What about the pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Party (HDP)?

A: On the HDP issue, both CHP and HDP are separate parties without having any alliance. Despite the lack of any alliance, CHP is the only political party that reacts very loudly to the biased approach of the governing alliance of Turkey towards HDP by using the judiciary for the mass detention of its members and to initiate an investigation into the dissolution of the party. I think that the HDP voters are also aware of the CHP’s support.

On the rapprochement between CHP and HDP, I can say that CHP as the main opposition party should have dialogue with every segment of society on common values like democracy, rule of law, secularism and respect for human rights.

“I’m sure that the AKP could not win either the presidency or a majority (even with MHP) in parliament, whether the elections are early or on time.”

A: All the recent public opinion polls made in Turkey show that the governing alliance (AKP and MHP) is below 40 percent and keeps losing the support of the electorate. I›m sure that the AKP could not win either the presidency or a majority (even with MHP) in parliament, whether the elections are early or on time.

Q: Do you believe so much in opinion polls?

A: I›m a politician who is on the streets, talkQ: In your opinion, which party will win in the ing and interacting with electors all the time. forthcoming elections whether they are held So, even without looking at the numbers of the early or on time? opinion polls, I can certainly say that the AKP

21

16/04/21

I

nterview

and MHP alliance has lost the confidence of even their own voters.

Q: Do you think the ruling party can reset Ankara’s foreign relations, particularly with Europe, neighboring countries, the Arab world and Washington?

A: Owing to a deadlock in Turkish foreign policy that was created by Erdogan himself, the AKP government feels very insecure. With their own creation of a foreign policy paradigm, valued loneliness, Erdogan and his fellow government officials are now trying to pull Turkey out of this situation. The efforts to create a dialogue with Egypt, to appoint an ambassador to Israel, to pull back the research ships out of disputed areas of Mediterranean Sea, are examples of that struggle.

But like the Turkish voters, the international community also understands very well how President Erdogan and his policies are unreliable. So, despite all these efforts, I don›t expect that the AKP government could get the international support that it needs very much from Washington, Europe, or anywhere else.

mandate security investigations into first-time Q: A few days ago the parliament passed a bill to public appointees. Does this mean that the ruling party is trying to exclude opposition from state institutions?

“Owing to a deadlock in Turkish foreign policy that was created by Erdogan himself, the AKP government feels very insecure. With their own creation of a foreign policy paradigm, valued loneliness, Erdogan and his fellow government officials are now trying to pull Turkey out of this situation.”

A: The law about security investigation for the public servants was once passed and later struck down by the Constitutional Court. This is the second attempt of the AKP and shows how desperately they want to create a biased system for recruiting public servants. I›m pretty certain that this second law, which is also against the constitution, will meet the same fate as the first one and also be abolished.

Q: Do you think the ruling party will be able to overcome the current economic crisis while Turkish Lira continues to plummet?

A: There is a saying in Turkish which I can trans-

22

16/04/21

Pedestrians pass exchange office›s showing weakened rates for the lira on Istanbul›s Istiklal street, Turkey on 24 March, 2021.

Turkey›s lira lost 10 percent of its value one week after Turkish Pres. Recep Tayyip Erdogan sacked the Central Bank governor by surprise. The currency along with Turkish markets have been rattled since the decision. (Getty)

late roughly as «what they do, is a guarantee of what they will do.» This is true for the economic policies of the AKP governments. After 19 years of ruling, everyone can see the current situation of Turkish Lira, the existing interest rates and the rocket speed rise of inflation in Turkey, all due to the wrong economic policies of AKP governments. The Economy Boss during the early years of AKP rule, Mr. Ali Babacan, is also in the opposition ranks of his own political party, criticizing very harshly the current handling of the Turkish economy by Erdogan.

and journalist Levent Gültekin. Also Turkish mafia leader Alaattin Çakıcı has threatened to kill the head of your party. The question is: Has the mafia become a hidden arm of the state?

A: The existing tolerant and protective policies of AKP government and its alliance partner MHP towards the chiefs of organized crime encouraged such persons to try to interfere with Turkish politics. They even feel free to threaten our party leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu for criticizing government policies.

The assaults on journalists or opposition party members also come from that encouragement given to mafia bosses. This should be seen as the incompetence of the existing ruling coalition to Q: Some Turkish critics were recently attacked, find remedies for the real problems of Turkish such as the prominent politician Selçuk Özdag people.

So I can say that I believe 100% that the AKP cannot overcome the economic shortcomings of Turkey.

23

16/04/21

P

olitics

Ethiopia’s Perilous Propaganda War

Isaias-Abiy Axis Crisis Over War Crimes Responsibility

By Nic Cheeseman Late last month, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed finally admitted the worst-kept secret in Africa: that soldiers from neighboring Eritrea are fighting alongside Ethiopia’s military in the Tigray region of the country.

For the last five months, Abiy’s government has waged a military offensive there against the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which once dominated

Ethiopia’s government and regarded Eritrea as an enemy.

Numerous eyewitness and media reports had documented Eritrean involvement in the war, which erupted less than a year after Abiy won the Nobel Peace Prize for his historic rapprochement with Eritrea. Yet the Ethiopian prime minister had been reluctant to acknowledge Eritrea’s role, both because it would open him up to accusations of compromising Ethiopian sovereignty and because he has gone to great lengths to portray the conflict as a necessary,

24

16/04/21

Eritrea›s President Isaias Afwerki (L) and Ethiopia›s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (R) disembark from an airplane upon arrival at Juba International Airport in Juba on March 4, 2019. (Getty)

proportional, and swiftly resolved military action against a recalcitrant regional government.

Even as he admitted that Eritrean troops had been in Tigray, however, Abiy sought to control the narrative, manipulating the facts to counter unflattering reports from the war and protect his increasingly battered reputation.

On the one hand, he claimed that Eritrea’s soldiers had entered the country only to control the border, securing trenches and other installations that Ethiopian troops had abandoned during the fight. On the other hand, he effectively blamed Eritrean forces for “atrocities … committed in Tigray region” in order to exculpate himself and his army from responsibility for possible crimes against humanity. While the two claims contradicted each other and likely infuriated Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, they had one thing in common: they put distance between Ethiopia’s prime minister and the increasingly horrific reports emanating from Tigray.

For the duration of the war, Abiy’s government has sought to censor any independent or critical coverage of the conflict. And through a combination of Internet blockages, intimidation of aid workers and the media, and restrictions on foreign journalists, it largely succeeded in effecting a news blackout. On the other side of the conflict, the TPLF has had difficulty propagating its own narrative. Several crushing defeats have forced the Tigrayan group to flee its base in the regional capital of Mekelle and adopt guerrilla tactics. TPLF supporters in the diaspora have used social media effectively to try to keep the conflict in the public eye, but the group has no central information agency to provide an alternative to the Ethiopian government’s narrative.

The combination of government censorship and TPLF fragmentation has meant that news of grave human rights abuses and war crimes initially trickled out slowly. Even now, the world’s understanding of what has happened in Tigray is patchy. Journalists and human rights investigators have unearthed strong evidence that both Ethiopian and Eritrean troops have massacred large numbers of civilians.

But these alleged atrocities may be the tip of the iceberg, and their details remain murky. Even in the age of smartphones and social media, Ethiopia’s authoritarian government has exerted remarkable control over the flow of information.

As a result, the two camps and their supporters disagree on even the most basic facts of the conflict. How it started, who is to blame, which country’s troops are involved, the relative strength of the combatants, the opinions of the people of Tigray, and whether any atrocities have been committed (and if so, by whom) are all matters of vigorous dispute.

Such a contested information landscape has profound implications not just for outsiders’ understandings of the war but for the prospects for conflict resolution. After all, those who don’t see eye to eye on how a war began or why

25

16/04/21

Even as he admitted that Eritrean troops had been in Tigray, however, Abiy sought to control the narrative, manipulating the facts to counter unflattering reports from the war and protect his increasingly battered reputation. it is still raging are unlikely to agree on how to end it.

TIGRAY GOES DARK Abiy achieved his near-total news blackout in Tigray through a mix of old and new strategies for controlling information. He blocked mobile phones, landlines, and the Internet, choking off most communication from the region from the earliest days of the conflict. “Overnight,” the journalist Simon Allison reported, “the region went silent and has remained so.”

Abiy’s government later buttressed this strategy with intimidation of the media, threatening and detaining local journalists who sought to investigate the conflict or questioned the blackout. For their part, foreign journalists were told they needed special permits to go to the front lines—permits that many of them were denied. Embarrassed to tell foreign correspondents already in the country that they were being prevented from covering the conflict, the government repeatedly claimed that the necessary permits could not be issued because “the Ethiopian Broadcasting Authority has run out of ink.” When the government realized that foreign journalists were reporting on the situation in Tigray by interviewing Tigrayan refugees who had crossed the border into Sudan, it began attempting to block Tigrayans from using that route out of the country.

Together, the Ethiopian government’s repressive tactics not only prevented firsthand reporting from Tigray but made it impossible for journalists outside the region to speak directly to a sufficient number of people there to publish with confidence about what was happening. As a result, many media organizations pulled their punches, reporting on alleged abuses but failing to substantiate their existence with hard evidence.

PROPAGANDA WAR The news vacuum in Tigray set the scene for a full-

P

olitics

fledged propaganda war. In a speech to parliament soon after the fighting began, Abiy compared himself to Abraham Lincoln and the situation in Tigray to the American Civil War. His government held mass rallies to build support for the war. Meanwhile, the government propaganda machine pumped out positive stories about the conflict—50 a day according to some estimates—for domestic and international audiences. The government even set up a “State of Emergency Fact Check” that sought to undermine criticism of the government, including by spreading disinformation.

Meanwhile, some TPLF sympathizers in the diaspora began to circulate stories—some true, some exaggerated, and some entirely made up—that diverged sharply from the government’s version of events. Activists on social media spread harrowing pictures—some real, some taken from other conflicts—as part of a campaign to demonize Abiy, pressure Western governments to intervene in Tigray, and even push the Nobel committee to rescind Abiy’s prize.

The government responded to these messages by throwing mud in the other direction, in particular by emphasizing the abuses the TPLF committed during its decades in power.

The TPLF dominated Ethiopia’s central government from 1991 until 2018, when Abiy came to power, committing acts of mass repression that Abiy’s government is now using to fan popular resentment of the region. The TPLF has also played into this narrative by apparently committing new atrocities during the current conflict, including playing a role in the massacre of some 600 people from the Amhara community in the town of Mai Kadra.

At the same time that it has sought to demonize the TPLF internally, Abiy’s government has tried to downplay and even conceal the extent of the conflict on the world stage. On November 28 of last year, Abiy declared victory and an end to the conflict, his propaganda trolls pushing hashtags such as #EthiopiaPrevails and #RisingEthiopia on social media. Since then, officials in his government

Abiy effectively blamed Eritrean forces for “atrocities … committed in Tigray region” in order to exculpate himself and his army from responsibility for possible crimes against humanity.

have stopped referring to “Tigray” at all, speaking instead about the “Northern Region” or “Northern Ethiopia.” This attempt to write Tigray out of existence is particularly sinister in light of recent reports that the neighboring Amhara regional government has effectively annexed parts of Tigray, and the growing perception that the interim regional administration led by the Tigrayan Mulu Nega is loyal to Abiy rather than to the Tigrayan people.

In the absence of on-the-ground reporting, human rights bodies and journalists have had to try to piece together a picture of the conflict and its related atrocities like a jigsaw puzzle. Following weeks of speculation and accusations on social media, Amnesty International concluded, based on 41 survivor accounts and satellite imagery, that Eritrean soldiers had massacred hundreds of unarmed civilians in the town of Axum in what “may amount to a crime against humanity.” The BBC likewise unearthed video and other evidence that Ethiopian soldiers executed as many as 73 civilians near the Tigrayan town of Mahbere Dego. Other journalists, drawing on the testimony of doctors, have built up a persuasive body of evidence that both Ethiopian and Eritrean soldiers are using rape as a weapon of war.

These revelations of human rights abuses finally forced Abiy to begrudgingly acknowledge late last month that “reports indicate that atrocities have been committed” and to pledge that any soldiers who raped women would be held accountable. Yet he continues to deny that major

26

16/04/21

A small group of Tigray protesters gather outside of the United Nations (UN) on March ,29 2021 in New York City.

The war-torn northern Ethiopian region has been the location for a conflict between progovernment and local fighters that has resulted in thousands of refugees spilling over the border into Sudan. (Getty)

At the same time that it has sought to demonize the TPLF internally, Abiy’s government has tried to downplay and even conceal the extent of the conflict on the world stage.

massacres have taken place, claiming they are the product of the “propaganda of exaggeration.” His government has also ignored or refuted reports that “soldiers, paramilitaries and insurgents” have killed more than 1,900 civilians in over 150 massacres and that it is deliberately creating famine conditions in the region in order to starve its people into submission. As a result, the perception gap between the two sides endures, even as more evidence of atrocities trickles out.

VANISHING COMMON GROUND Abiy’s efforts to control the news cycle around Tigray, and the propaganda war that has erupted as a result, will only make the crisis harder to resolve in a sustainable way. The two sides now have diametrically opposed narratives of the conflict—narratives that will preclude any shared sense of atonement or responsibility for what has happened. This total disconnect means that one of the most important foundations of a lasting peace—a common understanding of the past—is slipping further away by the day.

In the absence of a negotiated settlement, Abiy will fall back on repression to manage the conflict in Tigray. A cycle of abuses and attempted cover-ups will ensue, with horror stories occasionally appearing in the press. The TPLF likely cannot defeat the Ethiopian government militarily at this point, but it can be a constant thorn in Abiy’s side.

27

16/04/21

Berhane Gebre-Christos, a close confidant of the late Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi who served as foreign spokesman for the TPLF when it was in power, has claimed that TPLF forces have broken the backbone of the Ethiopian military, making Abiy even more dependent on Eritrean troops. This is clearly an exaggeration, but it suggests that the TPLF may try to gradually tarnish Abiy’s image by making him more reliant on Eritrean forces—a position that the prime minister’s rivals can exploit to paint him as a national traitor.

Given these circumstances, Abiy is playing a dangerous game by blaming Eritrean troops for human rights violations in Tigray. Doing so might absolve him of responsibility, but it could also create a major rift with the Eritrean government, especially if Eritrean troops are subjected to an international investigation for crimes against humanity. Indeed, a recent announcement by the government-appointed Ethiopian Human Rights Commission that its investigators have concluded that “Eritrean soldiers killed more than 100 civilians” on Ethiopian territory could prove to be the beginning of the end of the Isaias-Abiy axis.

For all the success he has had in controlling the narrative in Tigray, Abiy is now in a surprisingly vulnerable position.

As long as Eritrean forces help him to maintain military control of Tigray, Abiy will likely be able to maintain political control of Ethiopia. But should Eritrea turn from an ally into an enemy once again, the situation would look very different. Ethiopia’s military would suddenly find itself overstretched, unable to impose order in Tigray, quell growing unrest elsewhere in the country, manage an increasingly fraught border dispute with neighboring Sudan, and face down continuing Egyptian and Sudanese opposition to Ethiopia’s Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. In such a scenario, the TPLF and other anti-Abiy groups within Ethiopia would be emboldened to resist the prime minister. And from there it would be a short step to a wider civil war that threatens not just the survival of Abiy’s government but the stability of the wider region.

This article was originally published on ForeignAffairs.com.

P

olitics

Dangerous Impasse in Myanmar What Can Western Powers Expect from ASEAN?

By Bilahari Kausikan On February 1, the world woke up to find that the Tatmadaw—as Myanmar’s military is called— had launched a coup against the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. A decade-long experiment in constitutional democracy and civilian rule had come to an end. The coup has since sparked daily demonstrations and a growing casualty list, as the military shoots civilians in the streets. These events have recalled the 1988 student demonstrations against military rule, which precipitated a bloody crackdown that killed an estimated 4,000

to 5,000 people.

Then, as now, Western governments felt compelled to punish the Tatmadaw to force it to mend its ways. But the sanctions that the United States and its allies imposed on Myanmar through the 1990s up to the end of the first decade of the 2000s, did nothing to change the junta’s behavior.

They conjured up the illusion of principled action but failed to advance any strategic agenda.

In the wake of the February coup, Western powers must not return to the old script. They should give up any fanciful notion of a quick return to democracy. Instead, they must accept a slow tran-

28

16/04/21

sition back to civilian rule and cooperate with the Tatmadaw, which for all its bloody excesses remains an indispensable institution in Myanmar.

The only peaceful way to guarantee a return to some form of civilian rule may well be to concede to the military’s main goal: the sidelining of the powerful and popular Aung San Suu Kyi. Should Western governments take an aggressive approach to the Tatmadaw, they risk losing the support of key partners, strengthening the stubborn resolve of the military, and causing more bloodshed and instability in the region.

SANCTIONS DON’T WORK

-1 A protester holding a placard expressing her opinion during a peaceful demonstration against the military coup in Myanmar and repression there. Myanmar antimilitary coup protesters gathered at Trafalgar Square as dozens more are killed in the country.

(Getty)

After the February coup, Western governments immediately imposed further sanctions on Myanmar. But sanctions have proved to be a rather blunt instrument. Two decades of sanctions after 1988 achieved very little. Myanmar cannot be isolated because it will always have a backdoor to China, a side door to India, and the support of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which will not shun a neighbor and a member state. Moreover, the military has built a state within a state, largely impervious to both foreign and domestic pressures.

After 1988, ASEAN consistently told Western powers that blanket sanctions of the sort the West deployed against Myanmar would hurt only civilians, not the Tatmadaw, and that isolating Myanmar would erode Western influence in the country.

But Western governments felt obliged to respond in some way to the 1988 massacre. The sanctions served primarily to maintain Western dignity and as a sop to domestic political pressures. A friend of mine, who was advising the foreign minister of a major Western power at the time, told me he had once asked his boss why the government had not heeded ASEAN’s advice. The cynical reply revealed tremendous indifference: “We’ll give this one to the NGOs.” That insouciant attitude is no longer tenable.

Again, the West needs to do something, and again, it has reached for sanctions. But new sanctions on the Tatmadaw serve little practical purpose: the military was already under sanctions over its treatment of the Muslim Rohingya minority, and it can live with more of the same.

A dangerous impasse looms. As the military kills

29

16/04/21

Myanmar cannot be isolated because it will always have a backdoor to China, a side door to India, and the support of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which will not shun a neighbor and a member state. more protesters, the United States and its allies will face growing domestic demands to do more to force the military to change its behavior. The Tatmadaw has clearly miscalculated the extent of popular defiance to the coup. But it will not bow to foreign pressure. If outside powers resort to additional sanctions, they will succeed only in making it more difficult for the Tatmadaw to implement its own plan for the restoration of civilian rule and prolonging the crisis.

NO GOOD OPTIONS Southeast Asia is the epicenter of the U.S.-Chinese rivalry, making both Washington and Beijing wary of taking sweeping actions in Myanmar.

In the 1990s and early 2000s, the United States and its European allies considered Myanmar to be strategically irrelevant and pursued policies that pushed the Tatmadaw toward China. But there is no natural affinity between the Tatmadaw and China.

Since Myanmar won independence in 1948, the Tatmadaw has continually fought insurgencies that were directly or indirectly supported by Beijing. The Tatmadaw distrusts China and has sought to broaden its strategic options by experimenting with constitutional civilian rule and courting democratic countries.

China was as surprised as any other country by the coup. Its attitude toward the State Administration Council—as the military junta calls itself—has been cool. China values stability and predictability, and the situation in Myanmar is now unstable and dangerously unpredictable. Moreover,

P

olitics

Beijing had spent a great deal of effort cultivating the now deposed civilian government. Nevertheless, Chinese leaders are coldly pragmatic. They will go further than the West to accommodate the SAC in order to protect Chinese interests and seek strategic advantage.

Neither China nor the United States wants to inadvertently give the other an advantage in Myanmar. With that in mind, the restoration of “democracy,” as the United States and its European allies understand that protean term, will be strongly resisted by the Tatmadaw and should not be a policy goal. ASEAN will be ambivalent about such an approach because two of its members have communist systems and a third, Thailand, has itself recently undergone a coup. Even the United States’ Indo-Pacific allies and partners in the socalled Quad grouping—Australia, India, and Japan—will be unenthusiastic about an approach that could push the Tatmadaw closer to China.

Instead, the goal should be new elections and a return to some semblance of civilian rule under the military-drafted constitution in which the Tatmadaw had a privileged position.

The restoration of democracy can be retained as a distant ideal. But to stabilize the situation and minimize bloodshed, outside powers should pursue more limited and practical objectives.

The Tatmadaw has said that it will hold new elections after a year and hand over power to whoever wins. That deadline will probably not be kept, and

The restoration of democracy can be retained as a distant ideal. But to stabilize the situation and minimize bloodshed, outside powers should pursue more limited and practical objectives.

elections will not be as “free and fair” as many would like them to be. There are no good options, but the least bad option for outside powers is to encourage the setting of a date for new elections and the return to some version of civilian rule.

This course holds out the possibility of Western goals intersecting with those of the Tatmadaw.

And this approach will win the support of ASEAN, the United States’ Indo-Pacific allies and partners, and even China.

But the price of holding new elections will be high: the jettisoning of a popular and iconic leader. Outside powers and the people of Myanmar must recognize that the Tatmadaw will not work with Aung San Suu Kyi. The military will not allow a civilian government in which she plays any role. Instead, outside powers should focus on guaranteeing her personal safety under any future political arrangement.

THE FALL OF A QUEEN To many in the West, Aung San Suu Kyi was an

30

16/04/21

Myanmar military commander in chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, surrounded by highranking military officials, inspects a warship during a ceremony to mark the Myanmar Navy 72nd anniversary at Irrawaddy Naval Region Command headquarters in Yangon, Myanmar on December 24, 2019. (Getty)

icon of democracy, rising to fame during the antimilitary protests that flared in 1988. The ushering in of civilian rule after 2011 seemed a vindication of her long struggle against the junta. But her saintly image began to darken soon thereafter.

She led her party, the National League for Democracy, imperiously. Her espousal of human rights and democracy never included the Rohingya, the minority group that faced pogroms and ethnic cleansing in 2017. Her attitude toward the Rohingya was no different from that of the Tatmadaw. Her 2019 defense of the Tatmadaw against charges of genocide at the International Criminal Court was immensely popular in Myanmar but only stoked the Tatmadaw’s jealousy and distrust of her.

An expert on Myanmar once quipped that the problem with Myanmar is that it is ruled by a queen and a king, but they are not married to each other. Aung San Suu Kyi and the Tatmadaw are too much alike to make working together comfortable for either of them. Both have a strong sense of entitlement to rule: Aung San Suu Kyi

31

16/04/21

because of her family lineage (she is the daughter of Aung San, widely considered to be the father of modern-day Myanmar) and her personal sacrifices in her long campaign for democracy; the Tatmadaw because it has preserved Myanmar’s territorial integrity in the face of numerous armed insurgencies. That both their claims contain elements of truth makes compromise all the more difficult.

Aung San Suu Kyi’s father founded the Tatmadaw, and she has long understood the military’s central role in the country; she once said that when she was a little girl, she wanted to be a general like her father. But after entering government, she was reluctant to convene the National Defense and Security Council, which is constitutionally the highest executive authority in Myanmar and the formal means through which the Tatmadaw participates in the government, and she tried to amend the constitution so that she could become president. These actions alarmed the generals.

They were convinced that she sought to diminish the role of the Tatmadaw and enhance her own power at its expense. As State Counsellor of Myanmar (a position she held for nearly five years until the coup), Aung San Suu Kyi in effect, if not name, already wielded the authority of the head of state; ultimately, the differences between her and the Tatmadaw were more about power than principle.

Now, the Tatmadaw wants to remove Aung San Suu Kyi from Myanmar’s politics. The criminal charges brought against her after the coup are intended to bar her from holding any office in the future. And they suggest that the Tatmadaw will not accept any solution that entails a return to the status quo before the November 2020 elections.

Herein lies a dilemma. ASEAN and perhaps even some Western governments that now understand that Aung San Suu Kyi, despite her popularity, is no saint might be willing to sideline her. But will the people of Myanmar accept that? They very well may not, and their refusal could prolong the dangerous impasse.

THE CENTRALITY OF THE TATMADAW The Tatmadaw is brutal. It has reportedly killed hundreds of people during the current protests.

But Western governments must understand that

P

olitics

the military is indispensable. Myanmar was under military rule from 1962 to 2011, a long period that saw civilian institutions atrophy and decay.

The processes of rebuilding civilian institutions had only just begun under the pre-coup government, but the new institutions were ineffective and corrupt. Aung San Suu Kyi never paid much attention to the details of governance. If the economy grew, it did so as much despite her government as due to its efforts. Regardless of numerous failings, the Tatmadaw was and remains the best functioning institution in the country. For the foreseeable future, governing Myanmar without some participation from the Tatmadaw is simply not a practical proposition.

Myanmar officially recognizes 135 ethnic minorities. Since independence in 1948, the country has been continually beset by ethnic insurgencies.

Cease-fires in these conflicts have never held for very long. The Tatmadaw’s claim to a political role in Myanmar rests on its record of holding an otherwise fissiparous postcolonial country together. If the Tatmadaw splits or is rendered ineffective, the country will probably fragment.

Instability will spill over its borders. Iraq, Libya, and Syria are sobering examples of what could happen in Myanmar and Southeast Asia without the stabilizing force of the Tatmadaw.

Sadly, encouraging protesters to take to the streets against the military will result in more civilian casualties. The Tatmadaw has been in continuous combat for more than 70 years. In that time, it

Aung San Suu Kyi 2019 defense of the Tatmadaw against charges of genocide at the International Criminal Court was immensely popular in Myanmar but only stoked the Tatmadaw’s jealousy and distrust of her.

has become a state within the state. Even ordinary soldiers and their families live lives far removed from civilians. The military has also instilled a culture of absolute obedience and extreme brutality. If ordered to shoot civilians, soldiers will shoot—as they have done in recent weeks to deadly effect. Horrifying though its behavior may be to others, the Tatmadaw, by its own standards, has so far been relatively restrained in how it has dealt with the protests. It can be far more ruthless; in 1988, after all, it killed thousands of people.

Outside powers can help minimize casualties by not misleading the demonstrators into hoping that their cause will win anything more than gestures of support. Nobody will intervene to fight the Tatmadaw to protect them. A realistic view of the situation in Myanmar will help cool passions and curb the bloodshed.

WAITING GAME For Western democratic governments to be pa-

32

16/04/21

Milk Tea Alliance Indonesia in action during Solidarity for the Myanmar People in front of the ASEAN Secretariat building in Jakarta on March 12,2021. (Getty)

Outside powers can help minimize casualties by not misleading the demonstrators into hoping that their cause will win anything more than gestures of support. Nobody will intervene to fight the Tatmadaw to protect them. nesia has proposed a special leaders’ meeting on Myanmar, which even the junta has reportedly said it will attend if the high-level meeting goes forward.

Realistically, there is not very much that ASEAN—or any country—can do to influence events in Myanmar at present. But ASEAN could prevent things from getting worse. As long as ASEAN gives the appearance of activity and remains engaged with the junta, other countries can let ASEAN take the lead in the name of its centrality in the region. That activity, however insubstantial, could help stave off the domestic pressures tient is politically difficult, particularly in the that might compel Western powers to take impruage of social media, when the pressures of public dent actions. opinion are immediate and constant, fed by real- ASEAN must maintain a delicate balance and time accounts of an unfolding crisis. But no crisis play the long game. Whatever the body says or is ever resolved before it is ripe for resolution. does should be strong enough to maintain its credThe Myanmar crisis is far from ripe. Rather, pre- ibility as a regional arbiter but not so tough as to cipitate or imprudent action could make an even- alienate the Tatmadaw and so foreclose the possitual return to at least a fig leaf of constitutional bility of ASEAN serving a substantive role in the rule in Myanmar even more difficult. Encourag- future when the Tatmadaw feels secure enough to ing demonstrators to hold out the false hope of an relax its grip and needs a ladder to climb down. intervention in their favor will lead only to more Events in Myanmar seem to demand an immedibloodshed. ate response, but action for the sake of action will In this respect, ASEAN can play a construc- only make a bad situation worse. ASEAN needs tive role. The day after the coup in February, its friends and partners in the West to understand Brunei, which currently chairs the association, the complexity of the situation, resist the temptaconsulted other foreign ministers and put to- tion to make unrealistic demands on the associagether a statement in record time. A month later, tion, and muster the political courage to be paBrunei convened an informal, virtual ASEAN tient. foreign ministers’ meeting and put out another statement. Both statements broadly called for a This article was originally published on ForeignAfreturn to constitutional rule in Myanmar. Indo- fairs.com.

33

16/04/21

P

olitics

Afghan Civil Society Needs Voice in Peace Process A Call for Inclusion Samina Ansari Since the beginning of the intra-Afghan peace negotiations, at least 14 journalists and human rights defenders have been killed in targeted attacks. Last week, Shaharzad Akbar, the head of Afghanistan’s Independent Human Rights Commission, stated that the beleaguered Afghan public has still not been informed about the agenda of the talks originally due to begin within days at Istanbul, and now reportedly to begin on April 24. And now U.S. President Joe Biden is set to announce that U.S. forces will leave Afghanistan by September 11, 2021, extending beyond the May 1 withdrawal deadline outlined in

the U.S.-Taliban deal of February 2021, but not by much.

All along, Afghan civil society has been pushed to the margins.

This is not for lack of trying from the beginning of talks last year, but efforts to gain entry to the negotiating table are given new urgency as civil society itself is targeted by a wave of violence with one goal: to silence it.

Talks in Doha last year were hailed as the beginning of the long-sought “intra-Afghan dialogue,” including a multi-layered and inclusive delegation from the government of Afghanistan that — thanks to active lobbying on the part of women’s rights organizations — had taken steps to increase its representativeness. However, as the talks dragged on, the representativeness fell away in favor of speed, even though such sacrifices did not

34

16/04/21

Head of Afghanistan’s Human Rights Commission Shaharzad Akbar gestures during a press conference in Kabul on September ,29 2019. (Getty)

succeed in leading to substantive advancements in the negotiations. The evidence shows that after months of talks in Doha (to say nothing of the years spent just to get to the Doha talks) every great power, along with the United Nations, is again trying to get involved to restart the negotiations in Turkey (the latest in a long line of hosts for Afghan peace talks). The Taliban said earlier this week they weren’t ready to attend, and now the talks have been delayed by a week. Even the baseline of a normal peace negotiation — a ceasefire — appears to be a long way off, with current language among the Afghan government’s partners still fixated on a nebulously defined “reduction of violence.”

Afghan civil society, which was repeatedly promised inclusion in press releases and directives from the coalition powers, has paid the steepest price for the delay of a real ceasefire. Strikingly, even female aid workers giving polio vaccines to Afghan households have been the targets of shootings, to say nothing of journalists, teachers, and members of the judiciary also killed.

And their troubles likely will not subside with the mere end of war. The triumphalist spirit on (deliberate) display by the Taliban makes clear that whatever deal ends up being reached, the group considers itself the clear victor. Those that most benefited from the Taliban’s absence from power are naturally the most unwilling to return under its yoke, particularly the women and youth who gained access to civil liberties and rights under the current Afghan Constitution.

This same constitution is under threat. The ombudsperson of the Afghan government, Ghizaal Haress, notes the Taliban secretly devised their own constitution, which omits any mention of women. “This says a lot about Taliban’s stand on women,” Haress said. The implementation of such a constitution, if the Taliban are to regain power and allowed to do so, has created a lot of fear among Afghan civil society.

The inclusion of civil society representatives in the various talks was their best chance to influence both the Afghan government and the international community as to the real red lines of the wider Afghan public, and especially those who stand to lose most from an end to the republican system. This inclusion is no longer a certainty as no clear role has yet been outlined for any of the delegations supposed to be present at Istanbul.

It is even assumed by some women’s rights activists on the ground that it is precisely because they seek to include matters of justice and protection of rights on the agenda that they are shut out. These topics may be perceived as slowing down the peace process.

It is in this dire context that no less than 1,350 representatives of Afghanistan’s civil society organizations gathered in Kabul in the face of danger and threat of assassination. They were joined online by thousands of members of the global Afghan diaspora. Masood Karokhail, the co-director of Afghanistan Mechanism for Inclusive Peace (AMIP), observed that this is the largest gathering of Afghan civil society in recent memory. Their goals include: pressure on the negotiating teams to include all segments of society in the peace process (notably

35

16/04/21

All along, Afghan civil society has been pushed to the margins. Efforts to gain entry to the negotiating table are given new urgency as civil society itself is targeted by a wave of violence with one goal: to silence it. “direct access” to the table via the AMIP), a complete ceasefire (as opposed to the long-promised and ill-defined “reduction in violence”), continued development efforts with a transitional justice component, and a “responsible, conditioned, and structured” withdrawal of foreign troops that “prioritizes the safety and security of all Afghan people.”

That there was such a large physical gathering at all is historic.

As more and more activists are directly threatened with death, this stunt took undeniable guts. What is more remarkable is their continued and determined faith in the United Nations and their ability to influence the process. They directly appeal to the U.N.’s sensibilities of the day with the U.N.’s own development jargon, citing research that peace processes are more durable with the presence of women and civil society.

The U.N. opted for a “light footprint” during the 2001 Bonn Conference, which delegated its civilian development role to foreign military forces who preferred to focus on military objectives. While the conference laid out a path forward for an inclusive democracy, Afghanistan writ large was comically underrepresented, with leaders representing certain military forces but in no way close to the real composition of Afghan society. The lack of a mechanism for inclusivity meant many of the leaders who took major positions in government could elude actual accountability to the people they are supposed to serve.

At the time of writing, it is unknown whether or not the U.N. has a mechanism for inclusion this time around, or even if the Istanbul talks will happen at all. The U.N. continues to this day to promote inclusivity and development in Afghanistan, having come a long way from the fragmented beginnings of the peacebuilding project in 2001. If it really wants to show how far it has come since then, it must at all costs avoid another Bonn Conference by ensuring the inclusion of the AMIP. To end the war with exactly the same mistake that handicapped it from the start would be comedy of cosmically tragic proportions.

As Masood Karokhail states, “The U.N., as a neutral partner having promised its support to the people of Afghanistan, must keep its promise now that it truly matters.”

This was originally published in The Diplomat.

S

ociety

Do Covid Masks Impact Children’s Speech Development?

New Challenge for Pandemic Generation Alison Bowen Brittany Manning is a Ph.D. student studying how children learn to speak. She is also a mother, wondering how masks might affect her infant daughter’s ability to learn language.

“I’ve been having a lot of these conversations with a lot of moms,” said the Northwestern grad student. “A lot of moms are concerned.”

Manning and other parents are not alone. Speech therapists and those who work with children have been closely monitoring throughout the past year the effect of children learning to form words while living in a world where most adults near them have their mouths covered by masks.

“We know that kids pay attention to the mouth of the person talking with them,” said Elizabeth Norton, an assistant professor of communication sciences and

36

16/04/21

Mother and her little girl talking via video call )Getty(

disorders at Northwestern University.

First, the good news. There are many prepandemic examples of children who cannot see faces who learn to speak just fine. For example, in a home where a mother might often wear a face covering, or for children who are blind.

“Kids are crazy resilient, and the brain is really built to learn language,” Norton said. “Most kids will probably be pretty OK, but we’re not going to know for a while.”

Norton and her colleagues have been studying how the pandemic generally is affecting kids’ language development, and if that changes for children already struggling with learning to talk or who come from families who have to manage Covid19- more, like essential workers or those supervising remote learning.

So far Norton suspects children who may be most affected are those learning two languages — which adds an additional layer to learning — or with parents who are essential workers. For other children, the last year might have meant more time at home with their parents and more opportunities to converse with their family.

Another issue with masks is acoustics, Norton said.

“It’s a little bit harder to hear speech through a mask,” she said. So in general, people should remember to speak a little clearer, and a little louder.

Seeing mouths make words is part of how children learn to speak, but it isn’t the only way; they also take in language through sound and listening to conversations.

Infants are naturally inclined to imitate other people, for example sticking their tongue out if an adult sticks their tongue out.

“Babies come prewired, very ready to start imitating their caregiver,” Norton said. “It’s adorable. So babies are very good at recognizing facial expression.”

For learning language, “sometimes the shape of your mouth can help you tell apart two sounds that sound similar,” Norton added. For children with hearing loss, for example, this can help. “They’re just working a touch harder to figure out exactly what sounds are coming out.

The shape of the mouth can be an extra clue.”

Manning thinks many parents might feel like they are in an experiment nobody signed up for, looking at “how do children develop language with masks?” she said.

As the mom of an -8month-old, Manning is both monitoring her own baby’s milestones and in conversations with other parents concerned about what masks might mean. Although she occasionally hears something from a stranger on the sidewalk about how sad it must be for babies to see people wearing masks, she is herself not overly concerned.

“She’s never known anything different,” she said. Her daughter is babbling and loves clapping and waving, all normal signs, she said. She is reassured by knowing that children are hard-wired to learn language.

“There’s been moments that, even for myself, I’ve just

37

16/04/21

For parents it might be good to ensure some one-on-one time, paying attention (in other words, put down the smartphone). If children are in day care or with a masked caregiver throughout the day, that time with a parent who can speak with them becomes more important.

Emphasize that quality time. had to stop and think about how this could be potentially impacting my daughter and other children,” she said.

“If I’m having that concern, I can imagine parents that know less about language development than I do, this is amplified for them.”

To help children learn despite masks, some use clear masks that show mouths. Others might opt to use face shields.

Karen George, founder of Chicago Speech Therapy, said they have gotten creative, using clear masks for in-person sessions so children can still see their mouths, and also using teletherapy, which has been helpful to allow children to see faces and allow parents to be present and learn tools to help their children in between sessions. They see children anywhere from age 18 months to about 7 years, learning everything from how to speak to articulation.

“Definitely adding masks, that decreases that ability to see the facial expressions in some of those visual cues,” she said, adding that she is not overly concerned, and has not heard many specific concerns from parents.

For parents it might be good to ensure some one-onone time, paying attention (in other words, put down the smartphone). If children are in day care or with a masked caregiver throughout the day, that time with a parent who can speak with them becomes more important. Emphasize that quality time.

“As long as they’re getting other interactions with somebody who’s not wearing a mask, like at home, by and large they’re probably going to be fine,” Norton said.

This article was originally published in the Chicago Tribune.

E

conomy

Less Exposure to Scams Saudi Arabia Fights Financial Fraud with Consumer Awareness Motasem Al Felou - Jeddah From time to time, we hear about victims of financial fraud in the Saudi mainstream media. Fraudsters use different techniques to lure victims who are stripped of their money in conventional and unconventional ways.

“Poor Fernando! He got a call telling him his bank account has been frozen and requesting him to send his personal bank account

details over a WhatsApp link. He lost all that remained from his salary. SR 750 (UDS 200) disappeared from his bank account at the hands of fraudsters,” Khalid, a Jeddahbased accountant at a furniture company, told Majalla.

With thousands of cases reported annually, how is Saudi Arabia reacting against financial fraud? Let’s explore the reasons, type of victims and show the available stats.

38

16/04/21

Victims make a big mistake if they do not report frauds promptly to the bank or the police. Withholding the details of a fraud will give fraudsters more time to hunt for victims. Immediate reporting is critical in preventing criminals from feeling safe or immune. confidential information is used by fraudsters to carry out financial transactions,” he explained.

The Saudi Ministries of Commerce and Finance as well as the Saudi Central Bank always issue statements and produce awareness campaigns so people won’t fall victim to fraudsters. However, the Media and Banking Awareness Committee for Saudi Banks (MBACSB) is more active in terms of awareness campaigns and competitions.

Over the past few years, MBACSB launched several awareness campaigns including “Not on US,” “It’s Old,” “They Abandoned It,” and many more. “Don’t Play Their Game” is the latest in a series of awareness campaigns meant to make people more alert, mindful, and safe to keep their financial information confidential and rebuff fraudsters.

FRAUD IN NUMBERS Senior woman using mobile phone while holding credit card.

(Getty)

?WHO IS INVOLVED

According to the MBACSB statistics, 2613 “Fraudsters exist anytime, anywhere in financial fraud cases were reported in 2018. the world and anyone may be subjected It marks a small increase from the previous to fraudulent action,” Abdulrahman year of 2017 which witnessed 2046 recorded Mohammed, an IT expert in his early forties, cases with a total loss of USD 57 million.

In 2016, there was a spike with 4275 fraud explained to Majalla. cases that cost victims USD 138.6 million.

“Fake apps can be downloaded by victims who give their credit card and debit card numbers and passwords voluntarily. The Some victims are lured to send money to

39

16/04/21

E

conomy

claim a shipment or prize that does not exist!

Others are deceived by fraudsters who call bank customers and claim they are bank employees requesting the victims to disclose their confidential banking information and allow untrustworthy people to carry out financial transactions on behalf of the real bank account owner.

“Fraudsters develop new ways and never stop trying. Technology is making it easier for them to do their job. The extensive use of emails, WhatsApp messages, phone calls and fake apps help those criminals find victims much easier than before,” said the IT expert.

WHO ARE THE VICTIMS ?

“A couple of months ago, my mother’s phone was ringing. She picked up the call and was told she won SR 200,000 in a random competition. She was asked to send her bank details so the prize could be transferred to her bank account,” said Faten, a young lady whose -70year-old mother was on the verge of being a victim.

Fraudsters prefer to prey on old people and those who are unsophisticated. Awareness campaigns are becoming multi-lingual with

Online financial transactions are increasing dramatically, both in volume and value. It is a matter that needs to be addressed properly with more cybersecurity measures and awareness.

more focus on Arabic and English so they achieve higher penetration rates, insofar as around half of the expats in Saudi Arabia are non-Arabs.

Online financial transactions are increasing dramatically, both in volume and value. It is a matter that needs to be addressed properly with more cybersecurity measures and awareness. The real challenge is how to make sure old people, who are less technologyoriented than younger generations, are aware they might be a hot target for fraudsters. This demographic section is included in the Saudi financial systems.

“Older people are being reached through

40

16/04/21

Phishing credit card for information. (Getty)

‘family awareness,’ meaning that educating all family members ensures a better dissemination of campaigns to all demographics,” said Hani Sameer, a content generator with a specialty in financial awareness campaigns, when speaking to Majallah.

AWARENESS AND REPORTING FRAUD When collecting data, government agencies and study centers rely on the cases reported by victims or complainants.

Victims make a big mistake if they do not report frauds promptly to the bank or the

41

16/04/21

police. Withholding the details of a fraud will give fraudsters more time to hunt for victims.

Immediate reporting is critical in preventing criminals from feeling safe or immune.

Fraudsters play on the string of ego. Some victims find it hard to confess they were robbed or deceived because it might hurt their image in front of others.

“Nobody is immune. Fraudsters might contact any of your family members. Being a victim is not a shame. People need to open up and report any fraud attempt. This is the real function of the awareness campaigns,” concluded Hani, the anti-fraud expert.

R

eport

State Department Celebrates Arab-American Heritage in April US-Arab Community Shares Its Prominent Stories and Valuable Contributions Mohammed Ali Salih – Washington For the first time, the US Department of State has declared April 2021 as Arab-American Heritage Month (AAHM) and although few states had followed suit or the Federal Government not taking a similar step, about three million Arab-Americans are celebrating, saying that the State Department’s declaration should be looked at as a step towards a national AAHM. Two years ago, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, an Arab-American Democrat, introduced a bill towards this purpose, but the bill hasn’t moved out of the committee stage.

The State Department’s statement, saying that the group’s contributions to the US “are as old as America itself”, estimated the number of Arab-Americans to be 3.5 million, but another State Department’s website put the figure at 2.1 million. A lower number was declared by the US Census Bureau: 1.7 million, according to the 2010 census, but it is expected that the details of last year’s census will raise the number because, due to the wars, violence, instability

and economic problems in the Middle East during the last two decades, hundreds of thousands of Arabs immigrated to the US. The uncertain size of Arab-Americans doesn’t diminish their contributions, and the State Department’s statements confirm that by saying: “Like their fellow citizens, Americans of Arab heritage are very much a part of the fabric of this nation. And Arab Americans have contributed in every field and profession, many of them, in fact, serve here at the State Department and throughout different branches of government.”

Last week, CNN quoted Samer Khalaf, president of the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), praising the State Department’s decision: “This is a breath of fresh air.

It will give the community a sense of pride and it’s a chance to show what the community is all about, to educate people and dispel stereotypes.”

Maya Berry, executive director of the Arab American Institute (AAI) in Washington, said:

42

16/04/21

Tony Shalhoub poses at the 26th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 2020 ,19 in Los Angeles, California.

(Getty)

“The formality of it coming from an agency at mingling with Muslim-Americans. Because the this level, is fantastic. This month is about shar- Census Bureau doesn’t count religious affiliations, a more reliable source was Pew Research ing our story with our fellow Americans.”

Center in Washington, that estimated, in 2018, According to the Census Bureau, probably that Muslim-Americans numbered almost four half of the group are Lebanese-Americans, fol- million. lowed by Egyptian-Americans, Syrian-Americans, Iraqi-Americans, Moroccan-Americans, Although the two groups work together, particPalestinian-Americans, Jordanian-Americans, ularly in lobbying, voting registration and canand about 25 percent classified themselves as didates’ support, the non-Muslim Arabs tend belonging to more than one origin, or didn’t to have a distinct presence, as recently shown when a report by the University of Denver despecify.

Another reason for the absence of a more ac- scribed Keith Ellison “as the first Muslim Arab curate number of Arab-Americans is their inter- American” to serve in Congress. Later, a cor-

43

16/04/21

R

eport

rection was made that he was the first “Muslim American”; George Kasem, a Christian, was “the first Arab American.”

While about 25 percent of the Arab Americans said they were Muslims, according to a recent report by the Arab American Institute, about 60 percent said they were Christians, and the majority of them were born in the US. Whereas the first generations of Arab immi-

According to the Census Bureau, probably half of the group are Lebanese-Americans, followed

by Egyptian-Americans, SyrianAmericans, Iraqi-Americans, Moroccan-Americans, PalestinianAmericans, Jordanian-Americans,

grants, during the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries, were Christians running away from the rule of the Ottoman Empire, recent war, troubles and economic problems in many Muslim Arab countries increased the Muslim ratio among the Arab immigrants.

Many Arab Americans are considered at the top of notable Americans, in a variety of fields: In science, Ahmed Zewail, Egyptian-American, and winner of the 1999 Nobel Prize in Chemistry; Michael DeBakey, Lebanese-American cardiovascular surgeon; Mohamed Atalla, Egyptian-American, pioneer in silicon semiconductors and security systems; and Charles Elachi, Lebanese-American, former director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California.

In technology, Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple (Syrian biological father); Tony Fadell, manager at Apple Inc. and co-inventor of iPod and iPhone; and Mohamed El-Erian, Chief Economic Advisor at Allianz (Egypt).

In cinema, Mustapha Akkad, film producer and director (Syria); and in radio, Casey Kasem

44

16/04/21

Mohamed Aly El-Erian, Chief Economic Advisor at Allianz. (Getty)

Donna Shalala, University of Miami (Supplied)

(Lebanon), and George Noory (Lebanon).

In acting, Tony Shalhoub, three-time Emmy Award-winner(Lebanon); Danny Thomas, Emmy Award-winner (Lebanon); Marlo Thomas, Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winner (Lebanon); and Rami Malek, Emmy Award and Academy Award-winner (Egypt).

In literature, Khalil Gibran, writer, poet and publisher (Lebanese); William Blatty, known for his 1971 horror novel “The Exorcist” (Lebanon); Mikhail Naimy, member of the New York Pen League (Lebanon); and Ameen Rihani, “father of Arab American literature” (Lebanon).

In politics, James Abdnor, U.S. Senator (Lebanon); John Abizaid, general and ambassador (Lebanon); James Abourezk, U.S. Senator (Lebanon); and Spencer Abraham, U.S. Secretary of Energy (Lebanon).

University professors: Edward Said (Palestine and Lebanon); Clovis Maksoud (Lebanon); Naseer Aruri (Palestine); Ibrahim Abu-Lughod

45

16/04/21

The uncertain size of ArabAmericans doesn’t diminish their contributions, and the State Department’s statements confirm that by saying: “Like their fellow citizens, Americans of Arab heritage are very much a part of the fabric of this nation.”

(Palestine); Samih Farsoun (Palestine); and Rashid Khalidi (Palestine).

University Presidents: Mitch Daniels, Purdue University (Syria); Donna Shalala, University of Miami (Lebanon); Robert Khayat, University of Mississippi (Lebanon); Nido Qubein, High Point University, NC; and David Adamany, Temple University (Lebanon).

A Weekly Political News Magazine

2

Issue 1848- April- 16/04/2021

Sherihan: Egypt’s Comeback Queen Actress

www.majalla.com

A

rt

Sneak Peek Before the Oscars Three Anonymous Oscar Voters Share Their Top-secret Choices in Key Categories Glenn Whipp Oscar voting began last week, meaning we’re one step closer to putting a bow on this neverending awards season. With academy members making their final choices, we asked three from different branches — a writer, producer and actor — to anonymously share their picks and the reasoning behind them.

Their choices were different, but the trio did share a passion for this year’s nominees, a de-

sire to celebrate the strong work and relief that we might soon be seeing movies in theaters again and not on a streaming platform.

WRITER, WOMAN IN HER 40s Picture: This is such a stacked category this year. I would be happy for “Minari,” “Nomadland” or “Sound of Metal” to win. If I’m going by my own standards of what makes a best picture — excellent craft, spectacle and

٤٨

16/04/21

Riz Ahmed as Ruben in “Sound of Metal.”

(TNS)

a deep well of emotion — I think perhaps “Minari” might be the top choice. But it’s not that I didn’t love the other movies nominated.

“Mank” was well made but didn’t feel timely to me. It seemed like it was being made off a playbook from a few years ago. “Judas and the Black Messiah” had tremendous performances but was not as tight as my favorites. “The Trial of the Chicago 7” was fun and again had great performances but felt a bit conscious that it was trying to be an awards movie at times.

And “The Father” was truly moving and had imaginative production design, but I read a review that called it “ruthless,” and that felt exactly right. And I can’t have a ruthless movie win best picture.

Director: This one is a toss-up between “Promising Young Woman” [Emerald Fennell] and “Nomadland” [Chloe Zhao] for me. Both were directed so skillfully and confidently, and both directors have such a distinctive stamp on their work that excites me. I’d love to give it to “Another Round,” but the directing wasn’t what I loved most about that movie. Side note: I wish “Another Round” had gotten more nominations.

Actress: I love all the actresses in this category, and it’s always tough to judge when several actresses are playing real people. But I was so pleasantly shocked by the range of Carey Mulligan’s performance. And Andra Day is such a revelation as Billie Holiday. Frances McDormand is a perennial Oscar favorite and could take it, and I’d be OK with that, but I’d rather someone new get the gold. That’s unfair to Frances’ amazing performance, and I know that. I’m going to go with Carey Mulligan here.

Actor: This is between Riz Ahmed and Anthony Hopkins for me. Both performances were deeply moving and satisfying and had so many layers. I think I’m going to go with Riz, though. That was a role well outside of many of his comfort zones — being a metal drummer and being deaf — and he completely nailed it.

Supporting actress: Maria Bakalova was positively revelatory in “Borat.” I didn’t think anyone could match Sacha Baron Cohen’s energy, but she matches and exceeds it. However, this is Yuh-Jung Youn’s. Her performance as that grandmother was surprising, fun and heart-

٤٩

16/04/21

“I think I’m going to go with Riz, though. That was a role well outside of many of his comfort zones — being a metal drummer and being deaf — and he completely nailed it.” – WRITER, WOMAN IN HER 40s breaking. It knocked me off my feet and was a big part of the reason I loved “Minari” so much.

Supporting actor: It is so bizarre that both Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield are nominated for supporting actor. This for me is between Leslie Odom Jr. and Paul Raci. Leslie really shines in the second half of “One Night in Miami....” He is so amazing at playing Sam Cooke’s frustrations bubbling just below the surface. Paul Raci gave such a heartbreaking and charming performance in “Sound of Metal.” Completely authentic and lived-in. I think I’m going to say Paul Raci, partially because I want to watch him win.

PRODUCER, MAN IN HIS 40s Picture: “Minari.” It’s normally not one I would vote for for picture. But something about it, maybe because I didn’t know anything about it going in ... it felt like a perfect, charming drama about America.

Director: “Nomadland” wasn’t my favorite movie this year, but I think what Chloe Zhao did as a director, to create that thing out of thin air and mix real characters with actors and move around and make a road movie that had a restrained emotion, was superb.

Actress: Andra Day as Billie Holiday ... I started skeptical because Billie Holiday is so wellknown, but she became the character. Viola Davis was solid too. Frances McDormand is always amazing. And it was fun to see Carey Mulligan in that role. But it’s hard to portray a legend, so Andra Day. Actor: Anthony Hopkins was so good in “The

A

rt

Father.” I was completely devastated by that one. As someone who has parents getting older, that one really affected me. It’s a good category, though I thought Chadwick Boseman was terrible in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” I didn’t understand that one. The movie was too

“Minari. It’s normally not one I would vote for for picture.

But something about it, maybe because I didn’t know anything about it going in ... it felt like a perfect, charming drama about America.” – PRODUCER, MAN IN HIS 40s

theatrical and too over-the-top in a way that just wasn’t landing.

Supporting actress: Right when I was watching it, I thought Yuh-Jung Youn is going to be my supporting actress choice. She was just so good.

Supporting actor: I don’t know how they decided supporting for “Judas and the Black Messiah.” I liked them both. I’m voting for Daniel [Kaluuya]. LaKeith Stanfield was really good too, but I thought that was more a lead role. In terms of movies covering that era, I thought that movie was much better by far than “The Trial of the Chicago 7.”

ACTOR, WOMAN IN HER 50s Picture: I adore all these movies and could rank them one way today and a different way tomorrow. I’m leaning toward “Nomadland” for its beauty and the way it captured this woman’s journey of discovery. It felt like something we’ve all been going through in some fashion

٥٠

16/04/21

From left, Steven Yeun, Alan Kim, Yuh-Jung Youn, Yeri Han, and Noel Cho in “Minari,” inspired by writer-director Lee Isaac Chung’s own life.

(TNS)

Frances McDormand in “Nomadland.” (TNS)

the past year.

Director: Chloe Zhao for the reasons I’m voting for “Nomadland” and for the way she blended the fictional narrative and the true stories of the nomads in such a powerful way.

Actress: Frances McDormand has always been an inspiration, and I love all the subtle things she does in “Nomadland.” That last scene of her going through the house just moved me to tears.

Actor: Anthony Hopkins is another inspiration, and there’s nothing sentimental in the way he depicts this man’s descent into dementia. Still through all the bravado, the vulnerability seeps through and breaks your heart. Just astonishing what he does.

Supporting actress: I love “Minari.” Maybe I’ll change my mind and vote for it for best picture! Anyway, Yuh-Jung Youn is so good in that movie, funny and warm and wise. She’s the grandmother I aspire to be someday!

Supporting actor: The whole cast of “The Trial

٥١

16/04/21

“I adore all these movies and could rank them one way today and a different way tomorrow. I’m leaning toward “Nomadland” for its beauty and the way it captured this woman’s journey of discovery.” – ACTOR, WOMAN IN HER 50s. of the Chicago 7” is superb, so I feel like someone should be recognized from that movie. Sacha Baron Cohen really captured the essence of Abbie Hoffman, so he gets my vote.

This was originally published in the Los Angeles Times.

C

ulture

A Ramadan cannon is fired to mark the breaking of the fasting during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan at the compound of the citadel in the Egyptian capital Cairo on April 13, 2021 )Getty(

“Iftar Cannon Fire!”

The Story of a Famous Ramadan Ritual

By Amira Noshokaty

dan Cannon.

After 30 years of absence, Cairo reclaims one of its oldest Ramadan traditions. Last week the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities happily announced the reclaiming of one of Egypt’s dear Ramadan traditions – The Rama-

The Cannon is located at the Square of the Police Museum inside the premises of the Saladin Citadel in Cairo and has undergone years of restoration. Finally, the government has it ready to fire on the first day of Ramadan.

52

16/04/21

An iftar cannon is being fired by families to announce the fast breaking time ahead of the iftar dinner during holy month of Ramadan at Kairouan Governorate in Tunis, Tunisia on May 21, 2020.

Tunisian families are trying to continue the iftar cannon tradition even though there isn’t any mechanism. (Getty)

The Holy Month of Ramadan is cherished by Egyptians who manifest their love and appreciation of Ramadan through the endless rituals and traditions that make it a very unique month of festivities, unmatched by any other country.

“Iftar Cannon Fire!” is a phrase that Egyptians grew up with, meaning that it is time for Iftar and usually the cannon blast is followed by the maghreb prayers.

Lanterns lighting up the sleepless streets, free Rahman banquets, long nights of prayer, praise and sufi chants – all of this festivity starts on the first day of Ramadan after the radio and television announce “Iftar Cannon Fire!”

The idea of using this cannon, started in 865 Hejra during Maghreb prayers in the reign of the Mamluk Sultan Khashqadam. The Sultan was simply having a new cannon test fired and the time coincided with the Maghreb prayers, reads the official website of Cairo Governorate. Since the Egyptians thought the Sultan was celebrating the beginning of the Holy Month, they went to the Sultan’s palace to thank him for the sweet gesture and so the Sultan made it a Ramadan ritual.

53

16/04/21

“Iftar Cannon Fire!” is a phrase that Egyptians grew up with, meaning that it is time for Iftar and usually the cannon blast is followed by the maghreb prayers.

There is another story associated with the beginning of this Ramadan ritual. Word has it that some of Khedive Ismail’s soldiers were cleaning a cannon and it fired coincidently at sunset during the month of Ramadan. The people thought that it was a new ritual to add for Ramadan and were very happy about it. Princess Fatima, daughter of Khedive Ismail, liked the idea and asked that a cannon be fired during Ramadan to signal Iftar, the fasting hours and also during national holidays.

Soon the idea was picked up by Arab countries starting with the Levant and Jerusalem, then Damascus, Baghdad in the late 19th century and later followed by the Gulf States.

H

ealth

Conquer Your Fear of Dietary Fat Here’s Why You Need More Fat in Your Diet Harvard Men’s Health Watch

THE WEIGHTY FACTS ABOUT FAT

For decades, the message was loud and clear: high intake of fat causes weight gain, heart disease, and maybe even cancer.

The solution? Go low-fat. Unfortunately, that often meant consuming more carbs and more sugar.

Today, that advice is considered misguided. Nutritionists now suggest people actually need adequate amounts of fat for optimal health -- but only the right kind.

«The evidence is clear that your body needs a regular intake of good fat,» says Dr. Frank Hu, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard›s T.H. Chan School of Public Health. «Good fat gives your body energy and helps your body absorb vital nutrients.»

Despite what you may think, fat itself does not cause you to gain weight; excess calories lead to weight gain. But many foods high in saturated fat also happen to be high in calories, says Dr. Frank Hu of Harvard›s T.H. Chan School of Public Health. «This is why overindulging in high-calorie fast and processed food, which also happens to be high in saturated fat, refined starch, and sugar, can lead to excess weight.»

DIFFERENT FATS There are two main kinds of fat: saturated and unsaturated.

Saturated fat is in animal products like beef, pork, and dairy

54

16/04/21

products like butter, cream, and cheese. Saturated fat also is a staple in most fast, snack, and processed foods, such as pizza, dairy desserts, bacon, and cookies. If it›s considered junk food, odds are it contains saturated fat.

Unsaturated fat comes in two categories: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Monounsaturated fats are found in avocados, peanuts, peanut butter, and nuts like almonds, hazelnuts, cashews, pistachios, and pecans. High amounts are also in oils, such as olive, peanut, safflower, sunflower, and canola oil.

Polyunsaturated fats include omega6- fatty acids and omega3fatty acids. They also are considered «essential» fats because your body can›t make them, and you have to get them from food. Omega6-s are in oils like soybean, corn, sesame, and canola. They›re also abundant in walnuts, peanuts, and pumpkin seeds. Omega3-s are in canola oil, soybean oil, and walnuts, as well as in fatty fish, like salmon, mackerel, herring, tuna, and trout.

FRIEND AND FOE

Overweight man measuring his waist size with tape measure )Getty(

How does fat help -- and hurt -- your health? Too much saturated fat can raise «bad» LDL cholesterol levels. High blood LDL can lead to plaque buildup in arteries throughout the body, which increases the risk of not only heart attacks and strokes, but also erectile dysfunction and poor leg circulation.

«Cut out saturated fat in your diet, and you can lower your risk for all these problems,» says Dr. Hu. In comparison, consuming monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats helps lower blood pressure and reduce chronic inflammation, which translates to lower cardiovascular risk.

In fact, a report published in the April 2018 issue of the Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism said that replacing just %5 of saturated fat in one›s diet with unsaturated fat was associated with a %17 lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

Research also has found that choosing unsaturated fat over carbohydrates and saturated fat can help lower blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of diabetes (assuming a similar daily caloric intake).

HEALTHY FATS, HEALTHY BRAIN Another benefit of switching fats is that it might help keep your brain healthy. Studies have found a strong association between people who follow the MIND diet and a lower risk of Alzheimer›s disease.

This research-based diet -- the name stands for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay -- advocates eating more of certain foods that are high in unsaturated fat, like nuts, fatty fish, and olive oil.

The diet also stresses cutting down on foods that contain high amounts of saturated fat, such as butter, red meat, pastries, and fried and fast foods.

55

16/04/21

A small but growing body of evidence shows an association of these dietary changes with less depression, agerelated memory loss, and cognitive decline. The connection could be related to unsaturated fat›s ability to dampen chronic inflammation, according to some experts.

A small but growing body of evidence shows an association of these dietary changes with less depression, age-related memory loss, and cognitive decline. The connection could be related to unsaturated fat›s ability to dampen chronic inflammation, according to some experts.

QUALITY MATTERS So how much unsaturated fat is enough? The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025-2020 say the total daily fat (saturated and unsaturated) for men age 60 and older should make up %20 to %35 of their daily calories -- or about 44 to 78 grams of total fat per day. «Of course, most of this should come from good unsaturated fat,» says Dr. Hu. «You should keep saturated fat intake to no more than %10 of total calories.»

Keeping track of percentages and grams, though, can be tricky. A better approach is to focus on quality rather than quantity, according to Dr. Hu. For instance, other diets similar to the MIND diet, like the Mediterranean and DASH diets, also emphasize high amounts of unsaturated fat and limit saturated fat-rich foods.

«Following these types of diets means you don›t have to worry about not getting enough fat or the right kinds,» says Dr. Hu. Another option is to replace saturated fats with healthier fats in your daily diet. For example: Spread avocado, peanut butter, or almond butter on toast instead of butter.

Instead of commercially bottled salad dressing, mix your own from equal parts olive oil and vinegar.

Use oils like olive, peanut, or corn for flavoring and as a substitute for butter whenever you bake or sauté.

Replace red meat with fish and poultry (without skin).

Po

rt

ra

it

Sherihan: Egypt’s Comeback Queen Actress

Majalla Illustration by Ali El-Manzalawi

With one lively advertisement for Vodafone Egypt, actress Sherihan Al-Shalakani has erased the gap of nearly twenty years, with the ad topping Google search engine and social media platforms and becoming a sensational hit on the first day of the holy month.

The advertisement includes several stages of the Egyptian actress, singer and dancer’s life. It starts with the star looking out from a balcony overlooking the Nile at sunset as the music of her famous “Alf Leila w Leila” episode plays – the song ruled the charts in 1985 and moves on to highlight her journey on her Fawazeer Ramadan show which continues to be recalled as one of the most iconic shows aired during Ramadan.

It also portrays how she was able to overcome her tragic car accident followed by years of struggle with cancer.

The 52-year old star hails from a popular showbiz family. Born on 6 December 1964 in Zamalek district in Cairo to Ahmed Abdel-Fattah AlShalakani and the model Awatef Hashem, she is the half-sister of the late popular actor and guitarist Omar Khorshid who achieved tremendous acclaim for his music at a young age. Khorshid supported Sherihan after realizing that she had a passion for performing and helped her to enter the movie business. She has two sisters, Gihan, the widow of late sports anchor Fayez el Zomor, and Howaida, the wife of film director Karim Dhiaa’ Al-Din.

She began her artistic life at the age of four and worked in theater, cinema and television. As a child, Sherihan studied expressive dancing in the French capital, Paris. Then she returned to Egypt and participated in the series “The Miracle” produced for her by her mother.

In 1970, Sherihan presented her first artistic work at the age of six, when her brother, Omar Khorshid, introduced her to Abdel Halim Hafez to act in the movie “A Quarter of a Dozen Bad Guys” with Fouad Al-Muhandis and Shweikar and in another movie called “Cat on fire”. She went on to act in many significant films, the most important of which are “The Virgin and the White Hair”, “Irq Al Balah” (Date Wine (, “Crystal” and “Kesh Malek”.

The Egyptian star married the Moroccan Prince Allal El Fassi, but their marriage did not last long because of the very jealous nature of “El Fassi” which caused her many problems. She is married now to Jordanian businessman Alaa AlKhawaja and has two children with him: Taliya Al Khawaja and Loulwa Al Khawaja.

Sherihan’s life is full of drama, tragedy and pain.

In the eighties, Sherihan filed a case against her father’s family to prove her lineage as her mother married her father with a non-official marriage certificate and her uncle Ali Al-Shalakani refused to admit her lineage to the family and return her inheritance. The judiciary decided to approve her lineage to her father after a longrunning court case. In 1987, Sherihan suffered a personal blow when her mother succumbed to cancer.

On the television screen, Sherihan made her

56

16/04/21

mark as a TV performer with her beautiful voice, dance moves and personality. Children of the eighties and early nineties will remember her hugely popular nightly musical quiz show “Fawazeer Ramadan”, that aired during the holy month of Ramadan for years. It was a longrunning popular show and was eagerly awaited by viewers all over Egypt and the Arab world.

Among the most famous TV shows she presented are “Hagat wa Mehtagat” and “Alf Leila w Leila”.

Sherihan is known for her roles in plays including “Sharea Mohamed Ali”, “Sokk Ala Banatak” and “Alashan Khater Oyounak”. Despite the lack of plays that she performed, they were bound to achieve many successes at the artistic level.

In 1989, the actress was severely hurt in a car accident which led to many serious spinal injuries. In 2002, she was diagnosed with salivary gland cancer, but she showed a rare courage and challenge in facing the most dangerous and rare types of cancer that affects one in 10 million people. She performed several surgeries to remove the gland and her right cheek muscle in France. All this led to her retirement in 2002, but she came out of retirement in 2016 after her treatment and appeared in Tahrir Square during the January 25 revolution until Mubarak stepped down.

Sherihan’s struggles taught her the importance of determination and her loyal fans watched her overcome one challenge after another. Sherihan is still the beautiful artist who stands with strength and confidence.

T

echnology

The World is Going Online Faster Than Ever 3 Ways You Can Do Digital Transformation the Right Way Joel Comm The time for digital transformation is now. Not tomorrow, not next year, but right now. Of course, this will come as no surprise to most business leaders, as Covid-19 has sped

up the digitization of many industries. As important as it is to make your business a digital one quickly, it›s equally important to do it right. Sloppy transitioning does away with many of the benefits that digitization brings along with it, such as increased dynamism or financial resiliency.

58

16/04/21

A study from digital advisory firm Gartner found that while only 42 percent of CEOs have begun the digital transformation of their business, 56 percent of those who have are already seeing a positive impact on their profits.

2. LEARN FROM -- AND EDGE OUT -YOUR COMPETITION.

Digital Transformation of Business man touch on screen for network and communication with Twin tower at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. )(Getty

If you›re looking to make sure that your company makes the leap to digital the right way, here are three key rules to follow:

3. ALWAYS FOCUS ON THE CUSTOMER.

1. LEAD YOUR WAY INTO IT. Make the digital transformation happen to your business; don›t let it come at you from your flank. Research from Organic reports that 62 percent of employees feel there is a lack of leadership direction where digital transformation is concerned. According to cloud-based contact center platform Five9, it is imperative to get all executives on board to outline a successful companywide digital transformation strategy. Create a clear, multiquarter plan for your business with digitization at its core. Identify key sectors that can be transformed and at what rate they could do so. Consult with your team about what corners of your business might be the best places for you to start. By creating an atmosphere of digital leadership, you›ll inspire just the mindset your workers need to pull it off.

59

Not all companies have fully submerged themselves in the digital world, but those that have are already starting to reap the benefits: A study from digital advisory firm Gartner found that while only 42 percent of CEOs have begun the digital transformation of their business, 56 percent of those who have are already seeing a positive impact on their profits. Long story short, you should be able to recognize, partially on the basis of standings alone, which players in your sector are transforming appropriately. Use this knowledge to learn which aspects of the transformation you may want to imitate, but don›t forget to watch industry laggards as well: Those that have transitioned unsuccessfully can teach you just as much about what you shouldn›t do as the success stories teach you about what you should.

16/04/21

According to a study conducted by digital banking software firm CSI, 86 percent of customers expect -- not want, expect -- a seamless digital experience across all platforms when dealing with companies. With numbers like that on the line, the impetus for digital transformation is clear: Your clients are demanding it. Even so, never digitize just for technology›s sake. Make sure that each of your moves comes with a clear benefit to the consumer; if it doesn›t, it›s likely not worth investing your time and energy in. The digital transformation is already here, but the choice is still yours as to how you›ll navigate through it. By following these principles, you can be sure to emerge on the other side of all this with a stronger enterprise than ever before.

This was originally published on The Inc. Magazine.