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The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”. Its monitoring was restricted by the parties and security considerations*. The overall situation at and around Donetsk airport remained tense. The SMM observed a significant increase in ceasefire violations in areas east and north of Mariupol, particularly in the wider area of Starohnativka.

The situation continues to be volatile at and around the destroyed “Donetsk People’s Republic” (“DPR”)-controlled Donetsk airport (9km north-west of Donetsk). Between 13:00 and 18:00hrs, the SMM, from its position at the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) observation post at Donetsk railway station (“DPR”-controlled, 8km north-west of Donetsk) heard a total of 14 explosions consistent with mortar or artillery impacts, two incidents of sporadic small arms fire and one airburst 2-7km north, north-east, west and north-west of its position.

The security situation remains calm in Mariupol, however there was a significant increase in ceasefire violations in areas east and north of the city, particularly in the area of government-controlled Starohnativka (51km south of Donetsk). The SMM followed up on reports from a “DPR” member on heavy shelling on 9 August in and around “DPR”-controlled Styla (34km south of Donetsk). In “DPR”-controlled Starobesheve (32km south-east of Donetsk), a representative of the city hospital told the SMM that three “DPR” members had been killed and an unspecified number of civilians had been wounded in the shelling. The SMM also monitored the situation near “DPR”-controlled Styla and observed no military activity, but it could not enter the village due to security concerns. In government-controlled Mykolaivka (39km south-south-west of Donetsk) between 14:40 and 15:25hrs, the SMM heard a total of 11 explosions including two explosions assessed as incoming 82mm mortar rounds and a few bursts of small-arms and light-weapons (SALW) including heavy machine gun (HMG) and grenade launcher fire 2km north and 2-3km east of the village.

A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer at the JCCC headquarters in Soledar informed the SMM of the attack in Starohnativka with heavy weapons over the reporting period. According to the interlocutor, 400 armed persons attacked Ukrainian Armed Forces positions and in response the Ukrainian Armed Forces was forced to use heavy weapons prohibited according to Minsk.

In government-controlled Dzerzhynsk (58km north of Donetsk) the SMM visited three sites shelled on 8 August, based on a report from a Ukrainian Armed Forces representative at the JCCC in Dzerzhynsk. The SMM conducted crater analysis and concluded that they had been caused by 152mm calibre artillery from a south-south-easterly direction. Between 10:35 and 10:55hrs, the SMM heard four incoming mortar rounds and two bursts of machine-gun fire.

In government-controlled Sopyne (16km east of Mariupol), at 08:00hrs, the SMM heard sporadic SALW fire 4km north-east of its position, consistent with the direction of “DPR”-controlled Sakhanka (24km north-east of Mariupol). Later at 09:58hrs, the SMM heard one undetermined explosion in the area of Shyrokyne. The SMM visited government-controlled Lebedynske (16km east of Mariupol), where the resident in the village informed the SMM of shelling on 9 August. The SMM analysed three out of ten craters at the outskirts of the village and concluded that they were caused by 120mm mortars fired from an easterly direction. Between 14:28 and 15:11hrs the SMM heard a total of 22 explosions east of its position and a round of heavy-machine gun (HMG) fire and one burst of a 33mm anti-aircraft gun. In government-controlled Vodiane (24km north of Mariupol), at 17:05hrs, the SMM heard sounds consistent with SALW fire in the distance to the east of its position.

In government-controlled Trokhizbenka (33km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard ten explosions of artillery north of its location.

In government-controlled Troitske (69km west of Luhansk) the SMM followed up on information from a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer about alleged shelling on 9 August. At two sites, the SMM analyzed a total of eight craters and assessed them to have been caused by artillery gun (122mm) fire originating from the east and north-east.

In government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska (16km north-east of Luhansk), a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer at the JCCC showed the SMM a crater which he said was a result of shelling during the night of 8 August. The SMM analyzed the crater and assessed it to have been caused by 120mm mortar from a south-westerly direction.

The SMM revisited two Ukrainian Armed Forces heavy weapons holding area whose locations comply with the respective withdrawal lines. At the first area the SMM observed that all previously recorded weapons were again missing as during the previous visit on 24 July (see SMM Daily Report 24 July). At the second area, 17 howitzers were missing and the serial numbers of one of the present 11 howitzers did not match the number recorded during last SMM visit (see SMM Daily Report 24 July). The SMM also revisited two “DPR” heavy weapons holding areas, whose locations comply with the respective withdrawal lines. At the first “DPR” area, the SMM verified that all previously registered weapons were present. At the second “DPR” area six previously registered self-propelled howitzers 122mm (Gvozdika) were missing.

The SMM observed the following weapons in areas that are non-compliant with the Minsk withdrawal lines: in a government-controlled area, one main battle tank (MBT), and one tank (T-64, 125mm calibre).

On 8 August, at Kulykove Pole in Odessa, the SMM monitored the weekly demonstration and commemoration of victims of 2 May 2014 events attended by 50 anti-Maidan activists, mostly middle aged to elderly women and the counter-demonstration attended by 15 pro-Maidan activists, mostly men of different ages. Seventy police officers formed a line around the anti-Maidan group, separating them from the pro-Maidan group. There were verbal exchanges but no physical contact between the groups and the gatherings ended peacefully.

On 8 August, in Kyiv the SMM monitored a public protest on Independence Square (the Maidan). The gathering consisted of approximately 20 middle-aged males and females who were holding Ukrainian, Georgian and Chechen flags and displaying banners expressing their concerns about Russian policies in Ukraine and in Chechnya. No police officers were present. The gathering ended peacefully.

The SMM continued to monitor the situation in Kharkiv, Dnepropetrovsk, Kherson, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Chernivtsi.

*Restrictions on SMM monitoring, access and freedom of movement:

The SMM is restrained in fulfilling its monitoring functions by restrictions imposed by third parties and security considerations, including the presence – and lack of information on the whereabouts – of mines, and damaged infrastructure. The security situation in Donbas is fluid and unpredictable and the ceasefire does not hold everywhere. Self-imposed restrictions on movement into high-risk areas have impinged on SMM patrolling activities, particularly in areas not controlled by the government. Most areas along the Ukraine-Russian Federation international border, particularly those controlled by the “LPR”, have ordinarily been placed off limits to the SMM. 

Denied access:

-   The SMM was prevented from passing a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint near government-controlled Zolote (60km north-west of Luhansk).The SMM left the checkpoint due to nervous signalling of a soldier.

-   At a checkpoint near government-controlled Troitske (Popasna area) (69km north-west of Luhansk), a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer denied the SMM passage.

Delay:

-   At a checkpoint in “LPR”-controlled Donetskyi (40km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM was allowed to proceed after 20 minutes, having made a call to the relevant “LPR” member.

For a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table.

Related Stories

• Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 19:30 (Kyiv time), 9 August 2015
• Spot Report by the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM): OSCE vehicles in Donetsk city damaged by fire
• Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 19:30 (Kyiv time), 7 August 2015

Das Verbot der Todesstrafe gehört zum Kern des europäischen Verständnisses von Menschenrechten und ist eine der Prioritäten auswärtiger Menschenrechtspolitik. Seit mehreren Jahrzehnten weist der globale Trend in Richtung universelle Abschaffung der Todesstrafe. In Asien bleibt sie allerdings weitverbreitet und in letzter Zeit sind die asiatischen Demokratien Indien, Indonesien, Pakistan und Taiwan wieder dazu übergegangen, Menschen hinzurichten. Fördern ließe sich die Abschaffung durch Unterstützung lokaler zivilgesellschaftlicher und politischer Akteure, die sich gegen die Todesstrafe engagieren, sowie durch Seminare mit Richtern und Staatsanwälten über das Thema. Ein Schwerpunkt der Menschenrechtspolitik sollte auf Indien, Südkorea und Taiwan liegen, da dort die Chancen für eine Abschaffung am besten sind.

BELGRADE, 11 August 2015 - The current escalation of violence in eastern Ukraine is alarming and against the spirit of the Minsk Agreements, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Serbia’s Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić said today following reports of fighting in several areas in the Donetsk region. He reminded all sides of their responsibility to adhere to the ceasefire and prevent further civilian casualties.

The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) today reported that there was a significant increase of ceasefire violations yesterday in areas east and north of Mariupol. The area in and around Starohnativka is of particular concern at the moment.

SMM monitors were again fired upon this afternoon in eastern Ukraine.

“Security and freedom of movement is crucial for the SMM to fulfill its mandate,” said Dačić. “Once again, I strongly condemn any incidents or actions that hamper the SMM’s work,” he said. Inviolability of SMM property should be fully ensured, Dačić stated, and condemned the incident in which four armoured SMM vehicles were destroyed in a fire in Donetsk on Sunday.

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• Today's agreement on withdrawal of weapons gives boost to the whole process, says OSCE CiO Dacic after meeting with the Trilateral Contact Group in Minsk
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A montenegrói nyelv és írás hivatalos használatba vételéről nyújtott be hivatalos kérelmet Verbász községnek a Montenegrói Nemzeti Tanács.

Le 1er août 2015, sur la base aérienne de Niamey au Niger, a eu lieu une relève d’avion ravitailleur de type C135 et de son équipage.

Der nordkoreanische Machthaber Kim Jong-un hat seine Teilnahme an der chinesischen Gedenkfeier zum 70. Jahrestag des Sieges im Zweiten Weltkrieg im September 2015 abgesagt. Da er schon seine Reise zu den Moskauer Festlichkeiten im Mai nicht angetreten hatte, lässt das erste Treffen mit Chinas Präsident Xi Jinping weiter auf sich warten, und das, obwohl dieser schon zwei Jahre im Amt ist. Offenbar haben die chinesisch-nordkoreanischen Beziehungen, die sich seit dem dritten Nukleartest vom 12. Februar 2013 kontinuierlich verschlechterten, einen historischen Tiefpunkt erreicht. Irritiert sind viele chinesische Beobachter zudem von den brutalen innenpolitischen Säuberungen in Nordkorea. So wurde im Dezember 2013 der langjährige China-Verbindungsmann Jang Song-thaek binnen drei Tagen seines Amtes enthoben und zum Tode verurteilt. Verteidigungsminister Hyon Yong-chol wurde im April 2015 abgesetzt und hingerichtet – ein Schicksal, das auch zahlreiche andere Vertreter der nordkoreanischen Führungselite ereilte. Diese Ereignisse wurden vom chinesischen Außenministerium eher vorsichtig als »innenpolitische Angelegenheiten Nordkoreas« bezeichnet oder oftmals – selbst bei direkter Nachfrage – nicht weiter kommentiert. Chinesische Wissenschaftler hingegen äußern in Fachzeitschriften zurückhaltende Kritik an Chinas Nordkoreapolitik. Der Blick in diese Medien macht deutlich, dass viele Experten eine härtere Linie in der chinesischen Außenpolitik gegenüber Nordkorea befürworten.

Un jihadiste proche de Mokhtar Belmokhtar, du groupe islamiste Al Marabitoune, a revendiqué mardi l'attaque d'un hôtel de Sévaré, dans le centre du Mali, qui a fait au moins 13 morts vendredi.

En juillet 2015, le colonel Olivier a pris la relève du capitaine de vaisseau Yann, devenant ainsi le numéro 2 des opérations du CJTF-OIR1. Ils nous expliquent le quotidien du NR, le représentant national français au Koweït pour l’opération Chammal et adjoint opération à l’état-major de la coalition pour l’opération Inherent Resolve.

VIENNA, 11 August 2015 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today condemned the recent killing of journalist Rasim Aliyev in Azerbaijan, following a letter she wrote to the President of Azerbaijan, calling on the authorities to ensure journalists’ safety and reverse the rapidly deteriorating media freedom situation in the country.

According to reports, Aliyev, a freelance reporter and chairman of the media monitoring group the Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety in Azerbaijan, was brutally beaten by a group of people in Baku on 8 August. He suffered multiple injuries and died in hospital on 9 August.

“This latest tragic incident once again proves it is high time that the authorities heed the warnings of international organizations and the calls of civil society to engage in meaningful dialogue and stop denying the seriousness of the situation,” Mijatović wrote in a letter today to the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev.

The Representative noted President Aliyev’s condemnation of the act and his calling for an investigation. Mijatović said she raised the issue of intimidation and imprisonment of journalists and members of the media in Azerbaijan numerous times during the past year, including the issue of impunity from prosecution of assailants.

“Unfortunately, almost nothing has been done,” Mijatović wrote in her letter to the President. “The latest tragic death of Rasim Aliyev is the ultimate reminder to all of us that the vicious circle has to be broken and something has to be done.”

More than ten members of the media, including journalists, bloggers and social media activists, are in prison or in pre-trial detention today in Azerbaijan. They include:

• Khadija Ismayilova, a reporter for Radio Azadliq, on charges of inciting a person to commit suicide, illegal business dealings and abuse of power;
• Rasul Jafarov, a free expression and free media advocate and human rights defender, on charges of embezzlement, illegal entrepreneurship, tax evasion, abuse of power;
• Seymur Hazi, a columnist for the newspaper Azadliq, on a charge of hooliganism;
• Omar Mamedov and Abdul Abilov, bloggers, on charges of illegal storage and sale of drugs;
• Parviz Hashimli, a journalist, on charges of smuggling and illegal storage and sale of firearms;
• Nijat Aliyev, editor-in-chief of the azadxeber.az news website, on various charges, including drug possession and inciting hatred;
• Rashad Ramazanov, an independent blogger, on charges of illegal storage and sale of drugs.

The Representative also pointed to the fact that the perpetrators are still at large in the cases of Elmar Huseynov, the founder and editor of the independent weekly news magazine Monitor who was killed in 2005, and Rafiq Taghi, writer and newspaper columnist who died after being stabbed by an attacker in 2011.

The Representative reiterated her offer to assist Azerbaijan in much-needed improvements to media freedom and safety of journalists.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom.

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Un centre spécialisé dans le sprint existe en Côte d'Ivoire, à Yamoussoukro. Le pays compte bien y former une nouvelle génération de champions ivoiriens. Reportage.

Viele Medien hatten die Geschichte schon weitergereicht, als Journalisten mit besseren Dubai-Kenntnissen auffiel, dass der Vorfall sich 1996 ereignet…

A mai napon, 2015. augusztus 11-én, kedden helyi idő szerint 9 óra 38 perckor lezuhant az Amerikai Légierő egyik F-16-osa Németországban, Creussen település (Bajorország) közelében. A vadászbombázó egy erdőbe zuhant, pilótája katapultált, könnyebb sérülésekkel kórházba szállították.

The car is important for our personal mobility; it gives you freedom and independence. In rural areas and small towns a car is necessary to be able to get around, whereas people living in cities often do not own a car as their mobility is orientated towards walking, biking or public transport within the urban environment. The following blog post explores how our choice of place to live influences our personal mobility, especially the difference between car owners and users of public transport, and our orientation towards the urban or rural.  Many of the observations are based on my personal experience as a non-car owner, which are linked to my research interests in mobility and politics of sustainable mobility.

Currently, new students across Europe are moving away from home and looking for accommodation near their universities. Roskilde University (RUC) is located 24 min by train from Copenhagen central station, although there are halls of residence available next to RUC most students prefer to live in Copenhagen because the capital offers lots of opportunities e.g. cafes, bars and shops. Some students even think the train journey from Copenhagen to RUC is too long or too expensive instead their personal mobility is orientated towards their local neighbourhood instead of their place of education.  (Please note most RUC students do come to university, my comments refer to a small minority). After graduation, some RUC students move to Roskilde[i] to live with their families because the town gives them a better quality of life compared to central Copenhagen. Throughout our lives we have different life style preferences, different use of infrastructure changes together with these stages and the choices we make about which life style we want.

Living in Roskilde; I have always seen myself as having a broad mobility horizon, yet not owning a car does limit my mobility.  I often take the train to Copenhagen to use cultural opportunities available in the capital and to visit friends. Crucially the public infrastructure mainly feed traffic between the capital and surrounding towns instead of connecting urban and rural areas. Consequently, I have neglected exploring the rural area west of Roskilde[ii], partly because it is not well connected by public transport – typical 1 bus per hour or 1 bus every 2 hour. Interestingly, when I was living in Leeds (the UK) I would often take the bus to Ilkley and go hiking in the Ilkley moors[iii], something I have missed whilst living in Roskilde for the past 3 years.  Thus I have certain mobility biases, which are shaped by my interests, social network and lack of car-ownership!

This spring a friend invited me to a fruit wine festival in Falster, which is a 2 hour drive from Roskilde. The farm can only be reached by car. In Australia, the USA or Germany people travel for several hours to watch a football match or visit friends/family. The size of Denmark makes it possible to reach most corners within a 5 hour drive, but in most countries non-car owners are restricted by availability of public transport, which mainly connects the territorial core and urban areas because it is not economic sustainable to run public transport is rural areas. Hence, due to my non-car ownership I had missed out tasting some amazing apple ciders!

It can be challenging to visit a friend if you do not have a car, unless the friend lives in an urban area with good access to public transport. It takes 24 min by car from Roskilde to visit a friend, who lives 26 km away in a small town in the rural area of Zealand (the same distance to Copenhagen city centre) yet by public transport it takes either 45 min or 1h 14 min depending on which route you take, just as there is only one connection an hour and only during the day.  It can take just as long to reach friends living in suburbs near Copenhagen, yet there are more connections, which makes it more accessible. Interestingly, the main climbing wall in Copenhagen is located on Refshaleøen, which is an island in central Copenhagen, yet there is limited public transport after 6pm. By comparison the climbing club in Hvalsø, south west of Roskilde, is accessible by hourly train from Roskilde. Thus, urban areas have pockets which are inaccessible by public transport.

The above three examples tie into the ongoing Danish political debate about rural versus urban (udkantsdanmark), which essentially is about the economic core versus economic periphery. The debate has mainly focused on housing market and investment in transport infrastructure. Our choice of living is structured by our work place, income, social network, children’s day care facilities and accessible infrastructure. Yet we have agency to choose where we live, our preference for a rural, village, town, suburban or city life style influence our choice of place to call home. Importantly, an urban/city dweller can still enjoy nature and a rural dweller still enjoys the cultural attractions of the city. Life is not static, as a student you have different preferences compared to a family, a single person or a pensioner, so it is natural to move between city, suburban and rural living. Indeed I know several people who have made the transition between city and rural lives successfully. Each type of life style and stage in your life require access to infrastructure, and our patterns of mobility will be affected by our choice of place to live. Here the question of car ownership and availability of public transport is important for us as individuals, yet our personal mobility is also influenced by political priorities in relation to investment in road infrastructure versus public transport.

(I would like to thank fellow kayaking enthusiast E.B. for inspiration and challenging my urban non-car ownership life style)

[i] http://www.visitroskilde.dk/roskilde-lejre/turist and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roskilde

[ii] Skjoldungelandet (Sagnlandet, Boserup skov og Bognæs), several local microbreweries

[iii] http://www.ilkleymoor.org/

The post Personal mobility – life without a car appeared first on Ideas on Europe.

A Bruxelles, lors d’une conférence de presse ce 11 août en fin de matinée, la Commission européenne a évoqué un accord technique autour du troisième plan d’aide à la Grèce mais prévient qu’il n’y a pas encore d'accord politique. A Athènes, on assure avoir reçu « un financement d'environ 85 milliards d'euros » sur trois ans en échange d'une liste d'ajustements budgétaires et de réformes diverses.

Un détachement de 15 spécialistes de la section d'intervention NRBC (nucléaire radiologique bactériologique et chimique) de l'escadron de sécurité incendie et sauvetage de la base aérienne 120 de Cazaux a participé, du 13 au 31 juillet 2015, à l'exercice NRBC « Precise Response 2015 » organisé sur le site de Suffield au Canada. 

KYIV, 11 August 2015 – Ambassador Vaidotas Verba, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine, and Kalman Mizsei, Head of the EU Advisory Mission for Civilian Security Sector Reform Ukraine (EUAM Ukraine), signed a memorandum of co-operation to support Ukraine in the fields of security and justice sector reform.

The document formalizes agreements to support Ukraine in ensuring legislative and governance reforms are transparent and inclusive; judicial reforms are in line with international standards and best practice; and that police reforms are comprehensive and enjoy public support.

To that end the two sides, among other things, agreed to regularly exchange information; organize joint events, including training courses and information campaigns; and to co-operate in developing and implementing programs for sustainable institutional and capacity building in security and justice sector reform.

“Jointly we can do more to help Ukrainians in building a professional and human rights-oriented law enforcement system, and transparent and effective justice,” said Ambassador Vaidotas Verba, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine. “The OSCE’s experience in developing educational and training capacities in those areas reinforce the EUAM’s expertise in providing a strategic advice for reforms and institutional development.”

“For us, OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine is a natural partner. Our partnership has been built on the positive experience of work from the past year”, said Kalman Mizsei, the Head of EUAM. “Our joint efforts will work towards building up the sustainable Ukrainian security services delivering the rule of law and law enforcement, enhancing their legitimacy in all areas and communities of Ukraine and thus in increasing public confidence and trust, in full respect for human rights,” added the Head of EUAM.

Background

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine was established in 1999 to plan, implement and monitor projects to help the country enhance its security and stability, develop its legislation, institutions, and practices in line with democratic standards. The goal is to support the country in adapting legislation, structures, and processes to the requirements of a modern democracy built on a secure environment for its people. The projects are planned in response to requests by Ukrainian partners, including governmental and non-governmental institutions.

EUAM is an unarmed, non-executive civilian mission with an initial mandate of two years. The Mission aims to strengthen and support the reform of the civilian security sector in Ukraine and thus contributes to the planning and implementation of those reforms. EUAM was deployed in Ukraine by the deсision of the EU Council on  July 22, 2014 on the invitation of the Ukrainian government to support, advise and mentor the relevant Ukrainian state agencies on civilian security sector reform, including rule of law and law enforcement.

Related Stories

• Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 19:30 (Kyiv time), 9 August 2015
• Spot Report by the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM): OSCE vehicles in Donetsk city damaged by fire
• Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 19:30 (Kyiv time), 7 August 2015