Want to keep up to date on the SSR field? Once a week, the CSG’s Security Sector Reform Resource Centre project posts pertinent news articles, reports, projects, and event updates on SSR over the past week. Click here to sign-up and have the SSR Weekly News Roundup delivered straight to your inbox every week!
Security Sector Reform Resource Centre
Publication Announcement – CSG Insight No. 5: Policing Engendered Security Sector Reform
The Centre for Security Governance has just published its latest CSG Insight, “Policing Engendered Security Sector Reform” written by Heather Murphy. This article explores the various measures of gender sensitive police reform and argues that a multifaceted approach is required if police are to successfully undergo a gender sensitive reform process.
Publication Summary — Gender, Security and SSR in Lebanon
Margarita Yakovenko discusses a recent report by International Alert exploring the perception by Lebanese citizens of security institutions and security threats in the state. This summary highlights the most important issues brought up in the report concerning the link between gender and security.
News
Obama warns Iran its fighters in Iraq must answer to Baghdad
U.S. President Obama stated Iranian fighters who have joined the Iran-backed Shi’ite militias must respect Iraq’s sovereignty by answering to the government in Baghdad in the ongoing battle against the Islamic State. — Jeff Mason, Reuters
Buhari Must Begin With Overhauling Entire Security System-Okechukwu
In an interview with Naij.com, National Coordinator of the Network on Police Reform in Nigeria (NOPRIN) Nwanguman Okechukwu discusses his organization’s agenda and the need for Nigerian President-elect Buhari to overhaul the country’s security system. — Lucky Vincent, Naij.com
Bangsamoro law will also result in disarmament of other armed groups
A Philippine’s government official stated the peace agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberiation Front (MILF), together with the establishment of the Bangsamoro region will pave the way for disarmament. — Elizabeth E. Escano and Albert F. Arcilla, BusinessWorld Online
Citing Political Pressure, 5,000 Burundians Flee to Rwanda
The UNHCR stated some 5,800 Burundians have crossed into Rwanda in the past few weeks fearing violence ahead of upcoming elections in Burundi. — Rodney Muhumuza, AP.
U.S. blacklists Yemen’s Saleh and Houthi rebel leader
The U.S. announced it will impose sanctions on top figures in Yemen’s Houthi rebellion, including the son of former president Ali Abdullah Salleh. — AFP
Houthis condemn UN resolution on Yemen
Yemen’s Houthi group have condemned the UN Security Council’s recently passed resolution imposing an arms embargo on the group. — Al Jazeera
Change and Reform: We’ll ‘Raise Fists’ in face of those Isolating Us in Military Appointments
Lebanon’s Change and Reform parliamentary bloc called for an end to ‘unlawful’ military appointments, arguing it presented an attempt to ‘isolate’ the bloc. — Naharnet
Peacebuilding Evaluation Consortium: Proving the Effectiveness of Global Peacebuilding
The Peacebuilding Evaluation Consortium recently announced a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York for a research project focused on the question: “Does peacebuilding work?”. The Consortium says this grant will allow experts “to advance new methodologies for measuring peace, and create a dynamic community around issues of learning and evaluation.” — Alliance for Peacebuilding
Amnesty Says Bahrain Reforms Don’t End Rights Violations
In a recent report, Amnesty International highlighted how the Bahrain government’s reforms have failed to end serious human rights violations in the country.— Adam Schrik, AP
Two presidential candidates in Sudanese elections announce their withdrawal from race
Two Sudanese presidential candidates dropped out of the presidential election in protest of what they allege as serious violations committed by the National Electoral Commission. — Sudan Tribune
Iraq: ISIS Escapees Describe Systematic Rape
Human Rights Watch has revealed major human rights violations committed by extremist group Islamic State, including reports of systematic rape and widespread sexual violence. — Human Rights Watch
PM Announces New Canadian Military Contribution in Ukraine
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has announced the Government of Canada will provide military resources to help train and build the capacity of Ukrainian forces. — Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper
In Washington, UN chief calls for immediate ceasefire by all parties in Yemen
During a visit to Washington, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed concern over intensifying conflict in Yemen, and called for an immediate ceasefire to prevent further deterioration and humanitarian disaster.— UN News Centre
Disarmament of PKK in upcoming months unlikely, says Deputy PM Akdogan
Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister Yalçın Akdoğan stated it was “highly unlikely” that the PKK would hold a congress to discuss disarmament in the coming months, and criticized the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) for meeting with PKK figures. — Merve Aydogan, Daily Sabah
Fehim Tastekin discusses recent clashes between Turkish and PKK forces and the implications of recent events for a government-PKK ceasefire and possible PKK disarmament process. — Fehim Tastekin, Al Monitor
Analysis
Kenya’s Own Worst Enemy: Al Shabab Isn’t the Real Problem
Paul Hidalgo argues the endemic corruption and abuse within the Kenyan government has resulted in marginalization, disillusionment and radicalization, which in turn has fuelled extremism and attacks as illustrated by tragic events in Garissa. — Paul Hidalgo, Foreign Affairs
Divided Nation, United Military: The Burmese Government as Junta Par Excellence
Matthew Koo discusses the authoritarian nature of Myanmar’s government despite repeated promises of reform by President Thein Sein since 2011. He further argues continued the dominance of the military in civilian affairs in the country because it has become “securely institutionalised” as both a military organisation and a government. — Matthew Koo, American Diplomacy
Boots on the ground: The foreign volunteers training anti-ISIS fighters
Euan McKirdy discusses the phenomenon of foreign volunteers from the U.S. military and elsewhere training Kurdish government troops and militias in Iraq and Syria in the fight against Islamic State forces. — Euan McKirdy, CNN
In Iraq, battle to oust Islamic State outstrips needed political reforms
Howard LaFranchi discusses ongoing political challenges, and the lack of meaningful reform in Iraq amid ongoing fighting with Islamic State forces in the country. — Howard LaFranchi, Christian Science Monitor
Why Counterinsurgency Doesn’t Work: The Problem is the Strategy, Not the Execution
James F. Jeffrey responds to recent arguments about the U.S.’s flawed counterinsurgency strategies in Iraq, arguing centrally that the problem lies not with US strategy, but with the very idea of counterinsurgency as a potentially successful strategy. — James F. Jeffrey, Foreign Affairs
Yemen war fuels Iraqi sectarianism
Adnan Abu Zeed discusses how Operation Decisive Storm in the ongoing conflict in Yemen is exacerbating sectarian tensions in Iraq. — Adnan Abu Zeed, Al Monitor
There Can Never Be a Humanitarian Component to Military Action
Stephen Cornish, Executive Director of Médecins Sans Frontières discusses the fundamental incompatibility between humanitarian action and the use of military force in combat. — Stephen Cornish, Guardian
Sudan Expert: International community enabled South Sudanese corruption
In an interview with Al Jazeera America, Sudan expert Alex de Waal discusses how the U.S. and their international allies empowered the SPLA to separate from Khartoum, while simultaneously ignoring the human rights abuses and corruption that eventually contributed to ongoing humanitarian crisis and conflict in South Sudan. — Al Jazeera America
The Algeria Alternative: Why Algiers Defends Order at Home – But Not Abroad
Geoff D. Porter discusses the current social and political situation in Algeria, a country which from the outside appears as a bulwark of stability in a region rife with conflict and instability. — Geoff D. Porter, Foreign Affairs
Now the election is over, will Sudanese get back to real business?
Peter Fabricius discusses recent elections in Sudan, which resulted in the continued rule of President Omar al-Bashir’s National Congress Party (NCP) and its implications for the future of ongoing dialogue between the government and opposition parties. — Peter Fabricius, ISS Today
Fight Boko Haram by aiding Cameroon
Alexander Powell discusses how increased U.S. support to Cameroon could help stop the expansion of militant group Boko Haram and contribute to the group’s defeat. — Alexander Powell, War on the Rocks
Is Boko Haram a Roving Bandit?
Kyle Beardsley and Kristian Skrede Gelditsch discuss two upcoming publications concerning the implications of armed group’s geo-spatial patterns for conflict management and peacekeeping. The article focuses on Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram and serves to assess whether they are in fact ‘roving bandits’. — Kyle Beardsley and Kristian Skrede Gelditsch, Political Violence at a Glance
Publications
‘Our job is to shoot, slaughter and kill’: Boko Haram’s reign of terror in north east Nigeria
In this recent Amnesty International publication, the right’s group discusses the tactics of Islamist militant group Boko Haram and the devastation and suffering they have inflicted on communities in north eastern Nigeria. — Amnesty International
Elections in Burundi: Moment of Truth
This recent Crisis Group report discusses possible violence and instability ahead of Burundi’s presidential elections. — International Crisis Group
The roots of Mali’s conflict: Moving beyond the 2012 crisis
In this recent Clingendael publication, Grégory Chauzal and Thibault Van Damme discuss the roots of conflict in Mali, and its implications for stability and international involvement in the region. — Grégory Chauzal and Thibault Van Damme, Clingendael
Letter to President Obama regarding the visit of Iraqi Prime Minister Hayder al-Abadi
Human Rights Watch has issued a letter to U.S. President Obama ahead of Iraqi Prime Minister al-Abadi’s visit to Washington. In the letter the group calls for the President to raise the reported human rights abuses with the Prime Minister both in private meetings and public events. — Human Rights Watch
The Egyptian Armed Forces and the Remaking of an Economic Empire
Shana Marshall discusses the state of Egypt’s armed forces since the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak in 2011 and Mohamed Morsi in 2013, arguing that current political overreach and internal rivalries threaten long-term military control. — Shana Marshall, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Visit the Centre for