PAK REOPENS SUPPLY LINES FOLLOWING U.S. APOLOGY
An indirect apology by U.S. Secretary of State Clinton over the mistaken killing of 24 Pakistani soldiers by a U.S. airstrike last November has paved the way for the reopening of critical NATO supply lines in Pakistan. As of July 6, supply trucks are again crossing the border. America’s initial refusal to issue an apology for the incident, which it first blamed on a communication error on the Pakistani side, had led to a tense seven month stand-off between both countries that included heated diplomatic exchanges and a freeze on U.S. military payments to Pakistan. In response, Pakistan demanded a transit fee of $5,000 per truck, up from its previous rate of $250, forcing the U.S. to use a more expensive, alternative Central Asian route for transporting supplies to Afghanistan.. The U.S. responded warmly to Pakistan’s change of heart, with President Obama promising to honor payments to Pakistan under the Coalition Support Fund that were withheld during the diplomatic impasse. Despite the breakthrough, contentious issues such as U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan’s tribal areas and Islamabad’s unwillingness to forcefully confront terror networks remain major outstanding irritants in the relationship. (BBC News July 4 2012; Foreign Policy July 3 2012)
[Editor’s Note: Clinton’s apology came in a telephone conversation with Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar on July 3. There is some debate as to whether Clinton’s statement constituted a full apology. The State Department released a statement from Clinton which read in part: “We are sorry for the losses suffered by the Pakistani military.” The exact language, it is worth noting, carries no admission of guilt.]
POLITICAL PRISONERS RELEASED IN MYANMAR
In another sign of Myanmar’s political transformation, the country’s government granted amnesty to 20 political prisoners this week as part of a presidential pardon that has been described in the official media as an effort to promote national peace and reconciliation. The move comes against the backdrop of sweeping political reforms over the past two years that have eased government control in the once totalitarian state. The reforms began after the release of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest in 2010 and gathered momentum after the military junta allowed elections that placed opposition parties in Myanmar’s parliament alongside a nominally civilian leadership. Further changes are expected in the form of economic liberalization and a cabinet reshuffle that will remove those opposed to change from positions of power, with hardliner Vice President and former General Tin Aung Myint Oo already confirmed to have resigned from his post. Despite evidence of a more tolerant political climate, hundreds of political activists remain imprisoned in Myanmar according to human rights groups and opposition leaders such as Ms. Suu Kyi. Western governments have eliminated many of the sanctions previously levied on the country, stating the release of all political prisoners as one of the remaining conditions to be met before the sanctions regime can be dismantled entirely. (The Wall Street Journal July 4 2012; BBC News July 3 2012)
SRI LANKAN MEDIA UNDER GOV ATTACK
Police in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo raided an office shared by two news agencies on charges that they were guilty of damaging national reputation and committing libel. The establishments targeted were the independent Sri Lanka Mirror and Sri Lanka X News, the mouthpiece of the country’s main opposition United National Party. A government statement later confirmed that the Colombo police sealed the jointly-used office after arresting nine employees and seizing documents and equipment belonging to the outlets. The move comes amidst fears of growing restrictions on freedom of press and civil liberties by the national government despite the lifting of a state of emergency by Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa in the aftermath of the country’s civil war in 2009. The chorus of civil liberties groups calling the raid a ploy to stifle independent press in the country has been joined by Western nations like the U.S., which issued a statement asking the government to cease “harassing” the media. Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Gaini Peiris claims Sri Lanka’s media is far from restricted and that the two news agencies were targeted for persistently violating the law in spite of several warnings from the government. Activists counter that the government is guilty committing grave human rights violations and indulging in corrupt and nepotistic practices. (Agence France Presse July 4 2012; Times of India June 30 2012)
CRUCIAL INDIAN NAVAL BASE TARGETED BY HACKERS
The Indian Navy confirmed reports that its military computer facilities at the crucial Eastern Command, home to both of India’s nuclear submarines, came under a cyber-attack that attempted to transfer classified information. A Board of Inquiry has been commissioned to investigate the attacks, which are believed to have originated on USB drives. The sophisticated nature of the malware has made it difficult to learn the origin, scale, and nature of attacks, and it remains uncertain whether any data from India’s nuclear submarine program was extracted. Though an analysis found the data transfer was being made to Internet Protocol addresses in China, some experts caution that this falls far short of definitive proof as IP addresses can be “masked” from third sites. The malware discovered at Eastern Command is only one incident in a series of cyber –attacks that have targeted high profile Indian government and defense internet infrastructure, often allegedly at the behest of Chinese hackers. The most recent development, however, is particularly worrying for the Indian defense establishment as the Navy’s Eastern Command serves as the hub for development of the nuclear submarines program and is an important component in strategic planning against China. (Security and Defence Agenda July 5 2012)