The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has reportedly refuse to investigate the alleged use of white phosphorus against Kurds by Turkey, reports The Times, whilst Britain also continues its sales of phosphorus products to Ankara.

“The OPCW has not initiated an investigation regarding recent developments in northern Syria,” a statement sent to The Times from the international body read. Investigators reportedly refused to test tissue samples from injured Kurdish civilians from suspected Turkish white phosphorus attacks.

Meanwhile The Times also revealed that Britain was continuing its phosphorous sales to Turkey despite the latest reports. A British government spokesperson responded by saying “We are monitoring the situation in Syria very closely when assessing export licence applications against our strict licencing criteria. We keep all our defence exports under careful and continual review”.

In an editorial entitled ‘Burning Injustice’, the newspaper went on to say,

“The suspicion is that the OPCW’s reluctance to investigate reflects western hesitancy to embarrass a Nato member at a time when relations with Turkey are strained. But if the West does not respond to Turkey’s use of banned weapons, as it did not when the Syrian regime used them against its own people in 2013, it will further erode respect for international law, guaranteeing that in future conflicts such weapons will be used with impunity.”

Read more from The Times here, here and here.

Photo Credit: SBA73
 

Catalan separatists have protested on the streets of Barcelona during a visit by Spanish King Felipe VI, where they burned effigies of the monarch.

This protest follows weeks of unrest caused by the jailing of Catalan separatists leaders last month. They also come in the lead up to Spain’s second general election of this year. This coming election hopes to resolve the political deadlock Spain has been trapped in.

The three main separatists political parties attended the rallies on Monday whilst Catalan’s administrative government reemphasised to protesters the need to remain civil.
The King, along with his wife, Queen Letizia, and their two daughters attended an award ceremony in which Princess Leonor 14 delivered a speech on her attachment to Catalonia.

"This land, Catalonia, will always hold a special place in my heart,” she told the crowd.

She delivered the speech in Spanish and Catalan.

There was also a smaller demonstration held by regional leaders who wish to keep Spain united.

Read the BBC here.

Syrian Kurds have criticised UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, meeting with Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, where they discussed the resettlement of hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees.

During the meeting between the UN official and Turkey’s president, Erdogan outlined his plans to return an approximate 2 million of the roughly 3.6 million Syrian refugees in Turkey to northeastern Syria. This has fuelled concerns amongst Kurds over a deliberate attempt to shift demographics as these refugees are predominately from northwest Syria.

Kurdish authorities claim that Turkey is deliberately trying to shift demographics in order to claim territory. Luqman Ahmi, a representative of the Kurdish governed region in northeastern Syria, has compared this to Turkey’s occupation of Afrin. He told reporters;

“We have seen Turkey do the same in the Afrin region where over 250,000 people were displaced, and have been forced to leave their homes and properties,”

Ahmi further stated that over “300,000 people have already been displaced” due to Turkish aggression. “They have been left without a place to stay, without food, and in the cold”, he told reporters.

Ahmi insisted;

“If Turkey truly wants to help Syrian refugees, they must [be returned] to their hometown and villages.”

The rights of refugees guarantee “voluntary, safe, and dignified return” under the UN charter. However, Turkey’s attempts to displace Kurdish minorities may undermine this principle. 

According to Nicholas A. Heras, a Middle East security analyst at the Washington-based Center for a New American Security,

“Erdogan wants to rewrite the rules of international law […] If that was allowed to happen, it would set a devastating global precedent.”

Heras also noted that the UN Secretary-General was forced “to pay lip service to Erdogan’s ideas because Turkey is an influential nation”.

Luqman Ahmi stated that whilst he hoped the UN would act to preserve international law, a failure to do so would make the UN “complicit in the crime of demographic change which Turkey is committing”.

Read Kurdistan 24's reporting here.

Anti-government protests have continued in Iraq this weekend, with tens of thousands of demonstrators shutting down the capital of Baghdad and a reported attack on the Iranian embassy in Karbala.

Political rallies staged in the capital and across the south of the country have charged the government with corruption and called for the resignation of Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi. At least 250 protestors have been killed so far in clashes with security forces.

This weekend, demonstrators shut down the main roads of the capital and reportedly clashed once more with security forces close to the heavily fortified Green Zone. In Karbala, dozens of people attacked the Iranian consulate, reports Al Jazeera.

One demonstrator told the AFP,

"We decided to cut the roads as a message to the government that we will keep protesting until the corrupt people and thieves are kicked out and the regime falls”.

See more from the BBC here, The Guardian here and Al Jazeera here.

 

With an upcoming general election in the UK, Scotland’s First Minister and leader of the Scottish National Party, Nicola Sturgeon, told thousands gathered in Glasgow that she would demand a second independence referendum in the next year.

During the rally, Ms Sturgeon insisted on the importance of a large turnout at the upcoming general election. In her speech she stated;

"Over the next few weeks, it is our job to convince everyone we know to come out on December the 12th and send the biggest, loudest most resounding message to Westminster". 
"That it is time for Scotland to choose our own future. It is time for Scotland to be an independent country".
"An independent country that will be the best of friends and family with our neighbours across the British Isles, across Europe and across the world."

The independence rally, which saw thousands in attendance, was criticised by Annie Wells, a Scottish Conservative member of Scottish Parliament for Glasgow, who said,

"While Nicola Sturgeon is banging on about indyref2, I'm out talking to people about the state of their local schools, the drug deaths crisis and violent crime taking over our streets, and the problems at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital".

"Instead of tackling the day-to-day things that Glaswegians care about, Nicola Sturgeon is headlining a nationalist rally".

"So this election is about stopping Nicola Sturgeon from dividing our communities all over again, and only a vote for the Scottish Conservatives will do that."

Read more here. 

<p>China has spoken out against India following the decision to revoke Kashmir’s special status and split the land into two federal territories, both of which will be governed by New Delhi.</p> <p>The land has been split into two; one section for Jammu and Kashmir, and another for Ladakh.</p> <p>Geng Shuang, a spokesman for China’s Foreign Minister, responded to India’s decision with the following statement:</p> <blockquote><p> “The Indian government officially announced the establishment of so called Jammu Kashmir territory and Ladakh Union territory which included some of China’s territory into its administrative jurisdiction,”</p> <p>“China deplores and firmly opposed that. India unilaterally changes its domestic law and administrative divisions, challenging China’s sovereignty and interests. This is awful and void, and this is not effective in any way and will not change the fact that the area is under China’s actual control.” </p></blockquote> <p>India’s foreign Minister, Raveesh Kumar, has responded to China’s statement by saying;&nbsp;</p> <blockquote><p> “We do not expect other countries, including China, to comment on the matters which are internal to India, just as India refrains from commenting on internal issues of other countries”. </p></blockquote> <p>In 1962 India and China went to war over territorial disputes over the land known as Ladakh. China’s condemnation of India’s unilateral decision follows a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping in Tamil Nadu, where both pledged to improve political and economic links with one another.</p> <p>India’s Foreign Minister further claimed that China was illegally occupying parts of Kashmir including Ladakh and was aided by Pakistan, a long-time ally. Pakistan has been routinely criticised by India for fuelling separatism and supporting militants. &nbsp;</p> <p>Pakistan has condemned India’s decision and protests were held throughout&nbsp;Pakistan's controlled areas of Kashmir.</p> <p>India has maintained that by stripping back protections for Kashmir and opening up property rights, they can revitalise the economy in this region and bring an end to the conflict.</p> <p>Read more <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-kashmir/india-china-clash-over…">here</a>.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The US House of Representatives have acknowledged the Armenian genocide and has imposed sanctions on Turkey in response to its assault on Kurdish controlled territories in north-eastern Syria.</p> <p>The Armenian genocide was carried out from 1914-1923 where an approximate 1.5 million Armenians were systematically killed by the Ottoman Empire and subject to expulsion.</p> <p>House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said with respects to the motion that she was honoured to join colleagues "in solemn remembrance of one of the great atrocities of the 20th century: the systematic murder of more than 1.5 million Armenian men, women and children by the Ottoman Empire".</p> <p>Turkey’s foreign minister has responded stating that;</p> <p>"The resolution which has apparently been drafted and issued for domestic consumption is devoid of any historical or legal basis,"</p> <p>He further described the bill as a</p> <blockquote><p> "meaningless political step, its sole addressees are the Armenian lobby and anti-Turkey groups ... The debate on the events that occurred in 1915 belongs to the realm of history, not politics." </p></blockquote> <p>For more information read <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/10/turkey-rejects-resolution-armeni…">here</a>.</p>

<p>Pakistan has denied India use of its airspace for the third time due to “ongoing grave human rights violations” in Indian-administrated Kashmir.</p> <p>Pakistan’s denial of its airspace follows the decision by India to strip the Muslim majority Kashmir of its limited autonomy and impose order through the deployment of the security forces. This continues to be the situation in Kashmir and has lasted over 80 days.</p> <p>In February following a suicide bombing which killed dozens of Indian troops stationed in Kashmir, Pakistan closed its airspace to Indian traffic due to increased tensions. It reopened its skies for civilian traffic in January but refused to requests by Indian President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Modi to use the airspace last month.</p> <p>Whilst it has not been confirmed Pakistani officials have told AFP news agency that Modi wished to use the airspace to travel to Saudi Arabia where he would participate in an investment summit.</p> <p>India has been accused of a number of human rights violations in Kashmir including the detention and torture of civilians as well as imposing a communications blockade which has severed ties from seven million people and the outside world.</p> <p>In a video message Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan defended Kashmiri’s right to self-determination stating:</p> <blockquote><p> "The entire Pakistani nation stands by Kashmiris and will keep on extending them full moral, political and diplomatic support at all international fora ... and this is my solemn pledge to Kashmiris being their ambassador and spokesman" </p></blockquote> <p>Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Foreign Minister stated:</p> <blockquote><p> "Indian Prime Minister wanted to use our airspace but we denied permission in the perspective of black day being observed by Kashmiris today to condemn Indian occupation and ongoing grave human rights violations in Indian-occupied Kashmir” </p></blockquote> <p>In Pakistan-administrated Kashmir, demonstrators took to the streets carrying Pakistan’s flag and demanding India to lift its blockades to parts of the Himalayan region.</p> <p>Demonstrations were held in major cities with protesters waving flags of Pakistan-administered Kashmir and asking India to lift restrictions placed on parts of the Himalayan region.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Read more <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-kashmir-pakistan-airspace/paki…">here</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/10/pakistan-denies-airspace-indian-…">here</a>.</p>

<p>At least five people have died in Iraq as anti-government protests have entered into a second day. The death toll this month has been over 190.</p> <p>Protests began on 1 October and during these earlier protests close to 150 people died due to clashes with the security forces. The government has released a report acknowledging that authorities had used excessive force in responding to these demonstrations.</p> <p>The BBC has stated that the protests continued in Iraq despite the leaders of the protests insisting that demonstrators give the government time to respond to their demands.</p> <p>Hundreds of protesters gathered in Baghdad and Iraq’s southern provinces demanding more jobs, better public service and an end to government corruption. They have also called on the government to resign.</p> <p>Iraq Prime Minister, Prime Minister Abdul Mahdi, is in his first year of governance and has pledged to address the concerns of protest as well as reshuffle his cabinet and deliver on reforms.</p> <p>Despite these promises, Al Jazeera notes a scepticism over establishment figures who are seen to be in the pockets of the US and Iran instead of representing Iraqi’s best interests.</p> <p>According to World Bank statistic, close to three-fifths of Iraq's 40 million people live on less than six dollars a day. This is despite the country holding the world's fifth-largest proven reserves of oil.</p> <p>Read more <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-50195757">here</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/10/killed-iraq-anti-government-prot…">here</a>.</p>

The US House of Representatives is set to vote next week on a resolution to commemorate the Armenian genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire.

Turkey has opposed the move, with its embassy saying in a statement “Turkey opposes all legislative steps and other official acts that try to render judgment on its history,” adding that the resolution would undermine reconciliation efforts between Turks and Armenians.

The issue of whether the US should recognise the Armenian genocide has been the subject of a diplomatic battle for years.

Former US president Barack Obama pledged to recognise the genocide when first running for president, but never did so in office, although he described it in 2016 as “first mass atrocity of the 20th century”.

“While the State Department does not generally comment on pending legislation, our policy on this issue is clear: The United States recognizes the Meds Yeghern was one of the worst mass atrocities of the 20th century,” a State Department spokesperson said.

See more from the Wall Street Journal.

<p>US President Donald Trump has lifted sanctions on Turkey in response to a ceasefire in Kurdish controlled northern Syria; he claims the ceasefire is permanent.</p> <p>This decision withdrawal of troops from Northern Syria and a subsequent attack from Turkey on Kurdish controlled region. President Trump faced widespread opposition, including from senior officials from his own party.</p> <p>During a White House speech, the President described the cease fire negotiated by Vice President Mike Pence as a “major breakthrough”.</p> <p>He further stated</p> <blockquote><p> “Countless lives are now being saved as a result of our negotiation with Turkey, an outcome reached without spilling one drop of American blood: no injuries, nobody shot, nobody killed,” </p></blockquote> <p>President Trump further claimed he would be meeting with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan soon.</p> <p>In response to this decision, Chuck Schumer, Senate Democratic leader, stated:</p> <blockquote><p> “Three weeks after first announcing the troop withdrawal, the president does not seem to have a clear strategy for securing the enduring defeat of ISIS and fixing the mess he’s created in Syria”.&nbsp; </p></blockquote> <p>Trump has defended his decision stating; “let someone else fight over this long, bloodstained sand”.</p> <p>Read more <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-syria-security-trump/trump-says-turk…">here</a></p>

<p>In a landmark decision, the Wiyot Tribe will regain the majority of an island off Northern California which they had lost to colonial settlers in a massacre in 1860.</p> <p>In 1860 the Wiyot tribe was massacred as women, children and elders were slaughtered as the tribesmen were gathering supplies. The remaining 600 members of the tribe have since then continued to fight for their land.</p> <p>In 2000 the tribe was forced to sell art and fry bread as well as take donations to but the eastern tip of the island. It was purchased for&nbsp; $106,000. A few years later, the city of Eureka gave the tribe a bit more land. This Monday, the city finally signed over the largest deed of land, over&nbsp; 8,000,00 square meters of land. This handover land was not purchased this time.</p> <p>Over the centuries, Native American tribes have lost millions of acres of land through broken treaties with the US.</p> <p>Tribal administrator, Michelle Vasse, said in response to this transfer;</p> <blockquote><p> "It's a really good example of resilience because Wiyot people never gave up the dream" </p></blockquote> <p>Read more <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/10/native-american-tribe-regains-is…">here</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/oct/21/california-city-returns…">here</a>.</p>

<p>HRW has released a statement yesterday calling for the Japanese government to hold Myanmar accountable for the atrocities committed against Rohingya and other ethnic minorities, as well as to discourage investment that will benefit Myanmar’s military, the Tatmadaw. &nbsp;</p> <p>In 2018, the UN accused Myanmar of genocide in response to a brutal ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya people in 2017. This forced over 740,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh. Over a million reside in overcrowded camps in Bangladesh whilst another 600,000 remain in Myanmar, confined to camps and villages.</p> <p><strong>Read more here:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tamilguardian.com/content/un-report-accuses-myanmar-committ…">UN report accuses Myanmar of committing genocide against Rohingya</a></strong></p> <p>In August 2019, a UN Fact-Finding Mission released a report on the Tatmadaw’s control over the country’s economy and noted that its main businesses had generated a great deal of revenue and influence by supporting the ““the Tatmadaw’s autonomy from elected civilian oversight and provid[ing] financial support for the Tatmadaw’s operations with their wide array of international human rights and humanitarian law violations.”</p> <p>HRW maintains that Japanese investors should following the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, which asserts that businesses should respect human rights and avoid contributing or enabling them.</p> <p>In October 2019, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met in Tokyo with Myanmar’s military commander-in-chief, Sr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, who the maintains should be investigated for “genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes” against the Rohingya and other ethnic minorities in Myanmar.</p> <p>HRW notes that during this meeting Abe advised Hlaing to address allegations of human rights abuses and take up proposals listed in “the government’s discredited International Commission of Enquiry but ignored international efforts to address accountability”.</p> <p>Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch has described Japan’s response as “pitifully reluctant”.</p> <p>“Encouraging foreign investment while ignoring human rights will only embolden the Myanmar government and military to further whitewash the heinous acts committed against the Rohingya […] Not only have military commanders evaded justice for their widespread crimes but they have done so while sabotaging the country’s economic and democratic growth.”</p> <p>Read HRW full statement here.</p>

<p>Following Turkey’s invasion of the Kurdish regions of Northern Syria, the UK has seized its sale of arms.</p> <p>Since 2014, the UK has supplied £1.1 billion worth of arms to Turkey, weapons which may have been used in Syria.</p> <p>The decision follows sharp criticism from both the UK Labour and Green party for the government’s initial reluctance to condemn Turkey’s actions during the EU foreign affairs council on Monday.&nbsp;</p> <p>Dominic Raab, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, told condemned Turkey’s actions stating;</p> <blockquote><p> <em>“This is not the action we expected from an ally. It is reckless. It is counterproductive and plays straight into the hands of Russia, and indeed the Assad regime,”</em> </p></blockquote> <p>Andrew Smith, from the Campaign Against Arms Trade, whilst supporting this decision said;</p> <blockquote><p> “This should also mark a turning point in UK foreign policy in Turkey […] In 2018 Turkish forces bombed Afrin and it made no difference to arms sales or military collaboration. If this move is to be more than symbolic then there can be no return to business as usual. It’s time that the rights of Kurdish people were finally put ahead of arms company profits.” </p></blockquote> <p>Read more <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/oct/15/uk-suspends-arms-exports-…">here</a> and <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-50056358">here.</a></p>