CounterVortex weekly headlines
Fatah and Hamas sign unity declaration in Beijing
Meeting in the Chinese capital, senior leaders from Fatah and Hamas as well as 12 other Palestinian factions signed a joint statement, the "Beijing Declaration to End the Division & Strengthen Palestinian National Unity," calling for establishment of an "interim government of national reconciliation" with a focus on post-conflict reconstruction of Gaza. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi described the event as an "historic moment for the cause of Palestine's liberation.” Asserting that "'Palestinians governing Palestine' is the basic principle for the post-conflict governance of Gaza," Wang called for an international peace conference to advance a two-state solution. Israel quickly rejected the agreement, with Foreign Minister Israel Katz saying that Hamas' rule in Gaza "will be crushed."
https://countervortex.org/blog/fatah-and-hamas-sign-unity-declaration-in-beijing/
Continuing fallout of Syria's forgotten war
News of Syria's war often makes it seem like the conflict is in the past. Take the announcement that US officials in Los Angeles had arrested Samir Ousman al-Sheikh, a Syrian military official who ran Adra prison outside Damascus, infamous for torture, and later served as governor of Deir ez-Zor province, where he oversaw a violent crackdown on protesters after the revolt against dictator Bashar al-Assad broke out in 2011. Al-Sheikh was arrested for immigration violations, and has not been charged with war crimes. But the war is ongoing, and rights groups report continuing reprisals and collective punishment against people who oppose (or once opposed) Assad in recaptured areas.
https://countervortex.org/blog/continuing-fallout-of-syrias-forgotten-war/
Arbitrary detentions amid Egypt protest wave
Egyptian security forces have detained 119 people, including at least one child, since the start of the month for participating in anti-government protests, Amnesty International reports. In recent weeks, frustrations over price hikes and power cuts have spurred demonstrations and calls for revolution against the government of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. The arrests have spanned six governorates, with some prominent activists being detained in raids on their homes. Several detainees are in the hands of the elite Supreme State Security Prosecution (SSSP), where they are being investigated on dubious charges that include "joining a terrorist group, publishing false news, and misuse of social media."
https://countervortex.org/blog/arbitrary-detentions-amid-egypt-protest-wave/
UN: over 10 million internally displaced in Sudan
The UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that more than 10 million Sudanese, over 20% of the population, have been displaced from their homes. An estimated 7,794,480 people have been internally displaced since the current Sudan conflict began in April 2023, while a further 2,238,671 have crossed borders into neighboring countries such as Chad, South Sudan and Egypt. Some half of the displaced are from the especially conflicted western region of Darfur. In a statement last month, the IOM warned of an extreme risk of famine in Sudan.
https://countervortex.org/blog/un-over-10-million-internally-displaced-in-sudan/
West Africa: dissidents detained, disappeared
Amnesty International urged Malian authorities to immediately release dissident Youssouf Daba Diawara and 11 other arbitrarily detained opposition politicians. According to the statement, Mali's junta has been arbitrarily holding these political figures solely for exercising their civil rights. Diawara was forced from his car by armed men in Bamako and taken to the Gendarmerie's Criminal Investigations Brigade. He was charged with "opposition to legitimate authority" for participating in a protest against power cuts and inflation. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has also expressed concern over the "disappearance" of activists in neighboring Guinea. Both Mali and Guinea have been led by military juntas since coups d'etat in 2020 and 2021, respectively.
https://countervortex.org/blog/west-africa-dissidents-detained-disappeared/
'Criminalization' of climate protests in Europe
European governments have reacted to a growing wave of direct-action protests by climate activists with heavy-handed policing, effectively criminalizing such campaigns, seeking to dissolve groups, and imposing restrictions on basic rights, Human Rights Watch charges. "This creates serious risks to environmental activism and civil society as a whole and undercuts vital efforts to address the climate crisis," the organization found. The press release was issued the same day a record-breaking sentence was handed down in the United Kingdom, with five Just Stop Oil activists given multi-year prison terms in a case concerning a protest action that disrupted the M25 motorway in London.
https://countervortex.org/blog/criminalization-of-climate-protests-in-europe/
Audio:
Podcast: are we still sleepwalking into fascism?
Trump and MAGA are no longer hiding their intention to instate a dictatorship if they regain power, and the most radical elements of their base are mobilizing to unleash a reign of terror on the local level from coast to coast. The Democrats, however, have regained some momentum since Biden relinquished his candidacy in favor of Kamala Harris—who is certainly compromised, but (at least!) not a fascist. And progressives are organizing against the fascist attack on the grassroots level. But Palestine remains a wedge issue that could divide the progressive camp. In Episode 236 of the CounterVortex podcast, Bill Weinberg continues to look for a way forward. Listen on SoundCloud or via Patreon.
https://countervortex.org/blog/podcast-are-we-still-sleepwalking-into-fascism/
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