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The Security Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) today for another year until 31May 2024, retaining its core tasks.

Unanimously adopting resolution 2682 (2023) (to be issued as document S/RES/2682(2023)) the Council requested that the SecretaryGenerals Special Representative for Iraq and UNAMI prioritize the provision of advice, support, and assistance to the Government and people of Iraq on advancing inclusive, political dialogue and national and community-level reconciliation, considering civil society input, with the full, equal and meaningful participation of women.

The 15-nation organ also requested the Special Representative and UNAMI to further advise and assist the Government of Iraq in strengthening electoral preparation and processes to ensure free and fair elections; the implementation of constitutional provisions, as well as on the development of processes acceptable to the Government of Iraq to resolve disputed internal boundaries; and progress on security sector reform.

The Council also requested the Special Representative and UNAMI to promote, support, and facilitate, in coordination with the Government of Iraq, the timely, voluntary and dignified return or local integration of internally displaced persons and displaced Iraqis in Syria; the coordination of programmes to improve Iraqs capacity to provide effective essential civil and social services; and efforts on economic reform and capacity-building.

The Mission was also asked to promote accountability and the protection of human rights, and judicial and legal reform; approach gender mainstreaming as a cross-cutting issue throughout its mandate, including by consulting with diverse womens civil society groups; and note the importance of treating children affected by armed conflict primarily as victims.

Further terms of the text requested the Secretary-General to conduct and provide the Security Council, no later than 31March 2024, with an independent strategic review of UNAMI, in consultation with the Government of Iraq, assessing current threats to Iraqs peace and security, as well as the continued relevance of UNAMIs tasks and priorities.

The meeting began at 10:09a.m. and ended at 10:11a.m.

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Security Council Authorizes One-Year Mandate Extension of United ... - United Nations

ANKARA: Turkiyes President Recep Tayyip Erdogan unveiled his new Cabinet on Saturday night during his inauguration ceremony, with the appointments providing some indication on the direction the new government is heading on the economy and foreign policy.

The fact that the new vice-president, Cevdet Yilmaz, has a background in economic governance may be an indication that the economy will be a priority as Erdogan embarks on his third decade at the helm of the nation.

Mehmet Simsek, an advocate of investor-friendly and orthodox economic policies, and viewed positively by the financial markets, was named as treasury and finance minister.

Simsek, a former economy chief and deputy prime minister between 2009 and 2018, will be responsible for restoring the confidence of the markets post-elections.

In his previous post, he urged for tighter monetary policy but was replaced by Berat Albayrak, Erdogans son-in-law.

Whether his presence in the cabinet will see a departure from the current unorthodox economic policies, with its low interest rates, remains to be seen. But his appointment is already an important signal to the markets that there will be some changes.

Rather than an abrupt shift in economic policy, gradual steps are expected to be taken in an environment where the lira is sliding to record lows against the dollar.

In his post-election speech, Erdogan said: We are designing an economy focused on investment and employment, with a finance management team that has a global reputation.

Turkiyes economy expanded 4 percent in the first quarter of the year, remaining just above expectations.

Soner Cagaptay, senior fellow at The Washington Institute, told Arab News: If he is also given some independence to adjust ultra-low interest rates, the Turkish economy can make a comeback. But I expect first a devaluation of the lira, which will make Turkiye very cheap for the tourists and affordable for the exports.

If Simsek is given enough flexibility, the markets will believe that he has the mandate to (do) what he has to do for restoring the Turkish economy, said Cagaptay.

With reserves diminishing, some changes in economic governance in the short term are inevitable.

But how substantial and sustainable these changes will be in a centralized decision-making structure remain uncertain and depends on the new roadmap announced.

Experts believe that if Erdogan insists on keeping interest rates low rather than taking austerity measures ahead of local elections that are 10 months away, Simseks appointment would not result in much change to economic policy.

According to Wolfango Piccoli, co-president of London-based Teneo Intelligence, Simseks return would result in a partial re-adjustment of Turkiyes current economic policy, while a dramatic U-turn embracing an outright conventional monetary policy approach remains unlikely.

It is also unclear for how long Erdogan may tolerate a more pragmatic stance on the economic front, given the priority he assigns to the March 2024 local elections, said Piccoli.

In the meantime, former intelligence chief Hakan Fidan joined the cabinet as the new foreign minister. Fidan is known for initiating rapprochement with multiple countries, especially Egypt and those in the Gulf.

He is highly respected in Washington and he is seen as a reliable counterpart, said Cagaptay.

He had been also handling key international portfolios, especially Syria and Russia policies. His appointment is really significant. He is now in the drivers seat.

Cagaptay expects the new cabinet to be friendlier toward Western nations and less antagonistic with regional countries.

In late April, Fidan attended a meeting with his Russian, Iranian and Syrian counterparts in Moscow as part of a rapprochement process with the Bashar Assad regime.

Last year, the handshake between Erdogan and Egypts President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on the sidelines of the World Cup in Qatar, was also believed to be the result of meetings between the two sides intelligence organizations and foreign ministries.

According to Cagaptay, Erdogan wants top-notch experts on economic and foreign policy, so that he can focus on domestic areas which require almost daily macro-management, including social issues and drafting a new charter.

That he has saved parliamentary seats while forming his cabinet tells us he wants to quickly get to a referendum-triggering legislative majority, he added.

Meanwhile, although Turkiye has already started the process of normalizing ties with Syria and the Assad regime through several high-level meetings under Russian mediation, the Turkish military presence in northern Syria is not expected to end soon.

But new moves for facilitating the safe return of Syrian refugees to their homeland might be taken to fulfil the pledges made by Erdogan during his reelection campaign.

The counterterrorism campaigns in northern Iraq and Syria are also set to continue in the light of the composition of the new cabinet.

Dalia Ziada, director of the Cairo-based MEEM Center for Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean Studies, believes that Fidan is the right man for the job at this particular time with Turkiye rising as a key regional player.

He holds all the important cards and knows by practice the behind-the-scenes issues in Turkiyes foreign policy, she told Arab News.

Fidan enjoys a deep understanding of the situation in the hotspots of the Middle East, ranging from Libya to Sudan and Syria, and he is the only Turkish official to continue to be part of the four-way meetings in Moscow that brought together senior officials from Turkiye, Syria, Russia and Iran in the past few months, Ziada said.

According to Ziada, tangible progress on Turkiyes foreign policy in Syria and the mediating role of Turkiye in the Russia-Ukraine conflict can be expected in the short run with Fidans active role in the foreign policy apparatus.

As Fidan has been the behind-the-curtains architect of the rapprochement in the past two years to fix broken ties with Egypt and Arab Gulf countries, Ziada thinks that his appointment may accelerate the reconciliation process between Turkiye and the North African country.

This will consequently lead to mitigating the civil conflicts in Libya, facilitating the political solution process, and may eventually bring Libya to elections sooner than we think, she said.

El-Sisi and Erdogan have agreed on the immediate start of upgrading diplomatic relations, exchanging ambassadors, Egypts presidency said in a statement last Monday.

Ziada added that Fidans background could enhance Turkiyes relationship with the Arab Gulf countries.

I wont be surprised to see Fidan being involved in talks between Arab Gulf countries and Iran in the near future. In reverse, this will be reflected positively on Turkiye by increasing Gulf countries investments and thus enhancing the struggling Turkish economy, she said.

Fidan is expected to be Turkiyes winning horse on the chessboards of the Middle East, the Eastern Mediterranean, and the Black Sea.

Yasar Guler, the countrys chief of general staff, was appointed as the defense minister in the renewed cabinet.

Although not announced yet, presidential spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin is expected to be named as the new intelligence chief.

The governor of the central bank has not been announced yet but the name of Hafize Gaye Erkan has come up.

Erkan holds a doctorate from Princeton University, worked for many financial institutions in the US, including Goldman Sachs as a financial services executive, and is the former president of First Republic Bank.

Over the past four years, Turkiye has seen four governors at the helm of the central bank.

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Iraq and Syria to reopen Semalka border crossing after 3 week closure - Arab News

As a kid growing up in South Portlands Ferry Village, Sgt. Jason Swiger was a constant presence on the little playground across the street from his house on School Street.

He and his siblings played cars in the park, lining up popsicle sticks to make roads. They went down the short slide in his yellow Tonka truck and played baseball on the grass. They climbed trees and played hide-and-seek, manhunt and tag. As a teenager, Swiger would climb to the highest point on the playground and jump off, uninhibited by fear.

Later, home on leave before a deployment with the 82nd Airborne Division of the Army, he climbed again to the top of the playground.

He sat there for the longest time just watching the kids play. He was making sure everything was good and making sure his park was good, said Jennifer Kirk, a friend of the Swiger family who grew up a few doors down.

Swiger, a paratrooper known for his generosity and larger-than-life personality, was 24 when he was killed in action by a suicide bomber in Baqubah, Iraq, on March 25, 2007. He and three other soldiers had left the protection of their Humvee to hand out candy to children after their convoy stopped.

Swiger died as he lived: extending his hand in friendship.

Sixteen years after his death, Kirk pushed the city to replace the worn-out playground and name the park for Swiger to ensure he and his sacrifice are not forgotten. The city spent just over $92,000 through a Community Development Block Grant and matching city funds to install a new playground.

I think that would be a beautiful way to keep his memory alive and highlight the joy that park brought to his childhood, Swigers widow, Alanna, wrote to the City Council before the unanimous vote to name the park for him.

Last week, the city officially opened the new playground at the Sgt. Jason W. Swiger Memorial Park, where a plaque reminds people to always extend your hand in friendship. Swigers family and friends gathered at the ribbon cutting to celebrate and share stories about the little boy with a wide smile who grew up to be their hero.

HE HAD NO FEAR

Rebecka Swiger Mendoza cant look at the park without thinking of her younger brother and the countless hours they spent playing there.

We were always playing from sunrise to sunset, she said. My mom would say, When the streetlights come on, you come in.'

It seemed like the six Swiger children, their cousins and friends were always there at the park, first climbing all over the original wooden playground, then later on the new playground installed after their mother helped raise money to pay for it by making and selling a neighborhood cookbook.

Swigers mother, grandmother and aunt were a constant presence, too. They sat on the front porch of the family duplex to watch all the neighborhood kids play, handing out Band-aids, popsicles or a warning to behave as needed.

Swiger was always running around and constantly played pranks on his friends and family. He was an eloquent writer who wrote stories, poems and kept a journal. He was a talented artist and covered his schoolwork with drawings. He loved listening to music and sang karaoke with his mom and sister at the Amvets in Westbrook.

There wasnt a kid in the neighborhood who didnt want to play with Jason, said his cousin, Dawn Swiger Maietta. Jason made everyone feel welcome.

He was also a daredevil. One time he climbed to the top of a 60-foot pine tree at the edge of the park, nearly giving their mother a heart attack as she watched him make his way back down, his sister said. As a teenager, he jumped trains and rode them to Old Orchard Beach.

Jason was always looking out for the underdog, Mendoza said. He would pick the person who would normally be picked last to make them know they belonged.

When Swiger was 9, he went to visit an uncle, Carl McAfee, who had served two tours in Vietnam as an Army paratrooper. From his uncles backyard near an Army base, Swiger watched paratroopers drop from training planes.

He got to see them parachuting and said, Thats what I want to do, And that was it, Mendoza said. He had no fear.

Swiger enlisted in the Army at 17, before graduating from South Portland High School. His mother, Valorie, agreed to sign for him so he could enlist early. He was so proud of his military service that he wore his uniform when he went back to the high school to talk to students and teachers.

Swiger, who had married Alanna the year before, was on his third tour in Iraq in 2007 and traveling through Dayala Province between two U.S. camps when the convoy stopped. He got out to hand out candy when a motorcyclist approached and blew himself up. Swiger and three other soldiers were killed.

The devastating news was delivered to the Swiger family in Maine by Swigers young widow, who lived in North Carolina.

He gave his all to the country, not just his life, Mendoza said. It was something he loved and wanted to do from the bottom of his heart. He wanted to be in the military. That was his life.

After his death, hundreds of yellow ribbons were hung around the city. More than 400 mourners holding small American flags and wearing yellow ribbon pins packed the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception for his funeral.

HES STILL ALIVE WITHIN US

It was a nightmare that you dont wake up from. It still hurts every day, Mendoza said. When you lose someone like that, you dont get to say goodbye.

Mendoza and Maietta say they think about him every day, telling so many stories to their children that they feel like they knew him. Maiettas daughter, Jaelynn, is named for him.

He is even more present in Mendozas mind on Memorial Day and in summer when the family gathers for cookouts. That time of year was always special for her and her brother because they both had July birthdays and liked to climb to the top of the playground to watch fireworks.

Hes still alive within us, Mendoza said. Memories just flood right in.

When Kirk told the Swiger family about the idea to fix the playground it was falling apart and unsafe, she said and name the park for Swiger, they were immediately on board. Streets around the city are named for people killed in action in Vietnam. But nothing was named for Swiger, and Kirk wanted to make sure his memory stays alive even after those who knew him are gone.

Maietta said seeing the playground dedicated to her cousin brings tears of joy.

If he were still here and he knew this was happening, it would be an honor for him, she said.

For Mendoza, driving through her old neighborhood feels like coming home and she knows her brother would love to see kids still playing in the space where they made so many memories together.

Any kid that goes to play there from here on out should feel special because Im pretty sure hes still there sometimes, she said.

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South Portland dedicates park to paratrooper killed in Iraq 16 years ... - Press Herald

F.A. works as a teacher in the Karrada district of Baghdad, and says her brother almost ended her life following a verbal argument over the way she wore her hijab. He had choked her, she asserts, and the marks of his hands are still on her neck. According to the teacher, she repeatedly reached out to the community police to report the mistreatment she had experienced and request her brother be kept away from her due to the abuse he subjects her to. Eventually, she received the following response: "We are fasting, go solve things amongst yourselves, why dont you?", or more accurately, "We are not inclined to listen to your complaint".

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Iraq has witnessed a sharp increase in cases of violence against women an increase that was especially pronounced during the past year. Social media platforms have been inundated with images, videos, and content reflecting womens anger and dissatisfaction with the situation, along with comments expressing their outcry and rejection of the hostile behaviors and domestic violence they are being subjected to. In most cases, it has been noted that authorities suddenly become involved and investigate the circumstances only after the case starts receiving wide media attention.

Established by the Iraqi Ministry of Interior in 2008, the community police in Iraq was tasked with the main role of supporting families, resolving social altercations, and protecting human rights, vulnerable groups, and minorities. It was initially considered a progressive step towards supporting and assisting women, and this has been the case in many instances. However, the harsh reality remains that many women in Iraq continue to live in tragic conditions.

Through photos of the torture and psychological exhaustion evident on their faces and bodies, Iraqi women share messages laden with sorrow and anger amongst themselves. Whether to share the burden of their suffering, seek help, or curse out their abusers, many women seem to share their stories in search of a little consolation or assistance. However, even that aspiration is not always achievable in light of the authorities inaction and failure to protect them as first-class citizens.

In this regard, the Head of Cyber Monitoring at the Community Police of al-Najaf Province, Asmaa al-Talqani, says, "The role of the community police is to resolve issues in a friendly and educational manner, without the need to resort to police stations or the judiciary. This helps to alleviate the burden caused by the daily and continuous influx of reports received by the police. We engage directly with the complainant as soon as we receive the necessary information."

Al-Talqani discusses the challenges they face that impede their work, with the most prominent ones being the tribal nature of Iraqi society and the difficult mindset of the local community. This necessitates "communicating with them for days, solely to persuade them to refrain from harming or even killing the runaway girl, for example."

Many cases have occurred where community police returned girls to their families, such as the case of Tayiba al-Ali. Community police and the local police personally communicated with her family after she informed them that she would be killed by her own family. The authorities obligated the family to sign a pledge to not harm her. Tribal parties also intervened in an attempt to calm the situation. However, the case ended tragically with Tayiba being strangled to death three days later, on February 2nd.

According to al-Talqani, "We have limited powers, and when we encounter cases where individuals refuse to return, we hand them over to the judiciary, and they are then referred to the shelters and homes in the province. However, we cannot forcibly take abused girls against their families' will, as we don't have any legal provisions that align with such action."

She adds, "Our mission is to contain the situation and prevent it from escalating. We provide guidance to parents regarding psychological support and how to deal with victims of domestic violence and extortion, within the limits of our authority. Then we follow up on the case using our own methods, and we are serious about our work. However, there is no work that is free from problems and pressures. There may be minor failures, but women should not hesitate to file reports and complaints or contact us."

There will be no full rights for an individual without them realizing their need for those rights themselves, and without government institutions focusing on granting those rights. Social security cannot be provided to a victim who lives in fear in her own home more than she fears strangers in the streets. A woman may receive hits and kicks, but she cannot make a call or file a complaint seeking refuge for herself. The possibilities here are limited and unsafe, as they are subject to certain powers and conditions. Obedience and silence are the absolute necessity for women to stay alive. This is how this society has built its walls around women, making them completely helpless and powerless over time.

A study on violence against women in Iraq, published on the United Nations Women website, indicated that the absence of a deterrent law to protect women and girls from domestic violence, weak law enforcement institutions, and the proliferation of weapons outside the scope of state control, are all factors that have led to the escalation of violence against women and girls.

In the same judicial study, the investigation found that court decisions tend to be lenient in some of the penalties imposed on perpetrators of domestic violence crimes, and most of these cases end in reconciliation.

M.A., a teacher at the University of Basra, says she called the community police line several times after hearing her neighbor's screams, and she received the following response: "You think we don't have any work to do besides you?" Then the line was disconnected. Two days later, in the same area in Basra province, a banner was put up in mourning of H.A., her 20-year-old neighbor whom she used to occasionally run into by chance when she'd return from university. She says, "No one spoke about her death, and we didn't know the cause."

"The circumstances of death here are mysterious and ambiguous most times, but the features of death are the same on women's faces. Sometimes, when a woman tries to file a complaint against an abusive father or brother, she may be met with religious advice and preaching, as if the community police have suddenly become the morality police," says A.J., a 23-year-old student at the College of Arts in Baghdad. She explains how she reported her father's threats to kill her, and her report was met with these words: "It's just an angry outburst; do not be afraid. These problems happen within families."

For her part, Nourhan, a 19-year-old student at a Baghdad high school, provided us with information and pictures she had stored in the past years about an attempted assault by her younger brother. She would repeat, "He's a monster, not a brother." She spoke of several attempts to report the abuse, but she would hesitate when picking up the phone. Every time she wanted to speak up about what happened, she would get scared and back down, like any other girl who sees the conditions of women and hears about their fates when facing the perpetrator or facing death.

Nour's testimony ends with a bitter smile and a derisive joke, the kind that a person rarely forgets, "If something happens to me, seek justice for me, reclaim my rights, and don't remain silent," as if seeking justice and reclaiming rights after death will produce a result. But if the girl reclaims her rights, will she reclaim her life?

Basma al-Zaidi, the Director of the Women's Affairs Section in the Community Police within the Baghdad Police Directorate, says that "the community police's performance and tasks are humanitarian missions aimed at preserving human rights and promoting civil peace within its authorized powers."

She recounts that during her work in the Women's Affairs Section, she encountered many success stories of battered and abused women who had run away. However, "there are some cases that require days or months to be resolved completely. We try to convey to people that the solutions provided by the community police are friendly and reconciliatory, and that our work is based on the principle of restorative justice between the parties, rather than engaging in conflict and dispute and exacerbating the situation."

As for the reports and appeals received via the hotline, she says, "We do our part by responding to the reports immediately, and if the case needs to be referred to another institution, we also guide and direct the informant to the judiciary within our knowledge and capabilities. We have units and patrols that work on a daily and regular basis to reduce the cases of running away and suicide that have been prevalent among women and teenagers recently. We encourage a culture of reporting cases of violence and are confident that we will do our best and everything in our power."

In a conversation with Iraqi researcher Janan al-Jabri, she focused on mentioning the basics, which is that when we call something a person's right, we mean that society should protect it by law enforcement, education, and upbringing. So how come the relevant authorities are unable to provide full assistance due to the lack of fair laws that enable them to perform these tasks? When it comes to a battered or fleeing woman, the authorities she sought help from might return her to her family, like what had happened last month as reported in the media when the community police returned four abused girls to their homes fearing tribal retribution after obtaining written commitments from their families to not harm them, regardless of the consequences the fleeing women might face upon their return. Where should women turn to in such cases? What are the alternatives?

The community police mentions that they monitor these cases upon their return, but there are reservations due to the confidentiality of their work, and sharing the details of these cases without the consent of the families is not allowed. They also address the ethical aspects of their work, which require them to adopt a certain methodology that has to be near-hidden from the public eye. For example, we asked a group of young people working in the medical field about cases of suicide or abuse that reach hospitals and what actions and procedures they take in turn. The collective response was, "Most of the girls who attempted suicide refuse to have their parents and families with them in the hospital room. They just scream and cry most of the time, and the abusers are often the ones accompanying them. Therefore, we only treat them. As for reporting, it doesn't help because we are harmed, and the patient is harmed even more. Her life may even be in danger."

One nurse mentioned that she once tried to file a report about a married woman who was brutally abused in a bloody and horrific way, with blue bruises on her face along with jaw fractures, but she didn't complete the report out of fear of legal accountability and violating the patient's privacy.

After a long conversation with a member of the division who receives the reports, he stated, "There are what we call empty reports that take up time from police work when they do not deserve it. We are asked to sort out these reports so that we can focus on the urgent tasks. There are cases when we try to call those who filed the reports, but their devices are either off or busy. What can we do in such situations?"

He adds, "We know that blame will always be placed on us under all circumstances, while the real delay and incompetence is not in our system or the police's response, but rather in the government system that is still revising drafts laws without passing any of them to advance or progress our work".

These are endless narratives about the realities experienced by women in every part of the country, some of which are recorded in memoirs and others shared as anecdotes. The reality remains as it is between the testimonies of victims and the discussions among personnel in security and government institutions. How can we obtain our rights and address these cases without waiting for a response from a call that may see our lives end before we can hang up, or even fail to make the call in the first place?

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A broken shield for women? Community policing in Iraq fails the ... - Raseef22

Summary

The United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Daesh/Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant is reporting for the tenth time to the Security Council, marking new key outcomes towards the fulfilment of its mandate in respect of accountability for core international crimes committed by Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as Daesh).

Following previously reported investigative achievements, the Team successfully launched new lines of inquiry on the development and use of biological and chemical weapons, the destruction of cultural and religious heritage and the crimes committed against various communities of Iraq. The Team has started to be engaged in building criminal case files with its Iraqi counterparts investigative judges, prosecutors and forensic and law enforcement experts against Daesh/ISIL perpetrators who escaped from Iraq and are residing in third States.

The Team, confident in the future adoption of a domestic legal framework to prosecute Daesh/ISIL members for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, is aiming to work with the Iraqi judiciary on key evidence and leads that could support charges related to core international crimes.

The Team will continue to share its expertise and knowledge with relevant jurisdictions, within and beyond Iraq, to hold Daesh/ISIL members accountable for such crimes.

The major evidence-digitization project led by the Team is continuously being implemented and UNITAD is assisting its counterparts in the digitization of records at several courts in Baghdad, Tikrit, Anbar, Ninawa, Kirkuk, Tazah Khurmatu and Erbil. This support includes the provision of training on the management of key evidence, as well as on the physical archiving of records.

The Team is highly dedicated to uninterruptedly providing its expertise, information, and equipment to Iraqi counterparts, in particular in the framework of its digitization project.

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Tenth report of the Special Adviser and Head of the United Nations ... - ReliefWeb