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The state of Myanmar found itself in the headlines of most media outlets in the year 2017 for itscrackdown of the Rohingya community residing in the Rakhine district of the country. Thiscrackdown caused major casualty and leading to a mass exodus of Rohingya people to theneighbouring countries. Once again, the state of Myanmar has found itself in the similar positionafter the arrest of two Reuters journalist Wa Lone, 32 and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, for investigating thekillings and breaching the country’s Official Secrets Act. The two journalists were arrested in December 2017.
Previously the duo was denied bail and as the current situation stands they have been sentenced toserve 7 years in prison. After 8 months of detention the journalists are found guilty of possessingconfidential government documents. This case represents a classic example of challenges to thepress’s freedom. The international community like the UN, EU, US, Canada and Australiademands the release of the detainees. The Rohingya community stood in solidarity with the tworeporters and took part in demonstration as protest against the arrest. Reuter’s condemned theverdict and labelled it as a “major step backward” for Myanmar. The pressure from the internationalcommunity demanding the release of the reporters is mounting on the Myanmar government whereas the latter stands firm on its decision.
India hosted its inaugural 2+2 dialogue on 6th and 7th September 2018 in New Delhi. India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held extensive talks with their US counterparts Michael R Pompeo and James Mattis respectively. The main agenda between the two sides were to share perspectives on strengthening the security and strategic ties and discuss issues of bilateral, regional and global areas of interest. Other key issues discussed included – the sanctions imposed by US on Iran and Russia and the impact that will have on India’s trade relations between the two countries. The US led sanctions seek to restrict military purchase from Russia and import of Iranian crude oil, both of which are of significant importance to India and therefore India is seeking a waiver from those sanctions. Apart from that, the H1-B visa issue was also discussed during the 2+2 talks and India has appealed to the US to keep this as a high-priority.
The key takeaway from this dialogue is the signing of the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA), this will facilitate India to obtain critical defence technologies from the US, and access critical communication network to ensure interoperability among the US and the Indian armed forces. This is part of the four foundational agreements as part of the ongoing defence cooperation between India and US. India has already signed the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) in 2002 and the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016. This leaves just one more agreement to be signed which is the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA).
Africa walks into the dawn of progress with China, by its side. Their relationship has strengthened after the two-day summit held at the Forum of China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), on 4 September 2018. The forum was hit by the implementation of an offer of $60 billion that was observed as a gift from China to Africa, in their last summit. President Xi Jinping made a conclusive statement on its “give and take” relationship with Africa focusing solely on building stronger trade-ties, specifically in terms of oil. To which South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa has mentioned that both China and Africa will ensure joint efforts to enhance export trade facilities.
The two-day summit touched broadly upon pushing Africa to the heights of industrialization such that it can row itself out of the rising debt crisis concern, faced by several developing African economies. This will include numerous financial aides and sustainable development projects. Few of the most prominent among them being- ‘Belt and Road Initiative’, providing interest-free loans for its poorest states, the establishment of commercially viable projects with lower investment risks with sustainable cooperation. Primary lookouts being industrial promotion, infrastructure development and scholarships for the African youth.
Critics across the globe have severely quoted China’s funding to be one of their prevalent diplomatic strategies in burdening developing economies with unsustainable debts. Such a strategy is quite feasible to blossom, in a continent that is plagued by constant piracy, terrorism, hunger and poverty. Considering, Djibouti and Zambia which
has already shown signs of unprocurable debt burdens. They also predict the rise of ‘new colonialism’ that will be fuelled by the “Belt and Road Initiative” access. Framing China as the sole economic stakeholder of Africa. Meanwhile, Africa has approved of China’s contribution. They have persistently praised the Chinese financial model that has proved to be far more lucid in comparison to other foreign financing options.
As the African subcontinent toddles into the cradle of industrialization, a slow peak of economic transition is observed with the influx of foreign investments and varied development initiatives that are being incurred by nations across the globe. Nevertheless, the future awaits to see if the African continent can rise to sustain its economic sovereignty beyond foreign economic coercion.
6th September 2018: In a landmark judgement, the Supreme Court of India ruled that gay sex between two consenting adults is no longer a crime.
Officially scrapping Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, Chief Justice Dipak Misra said, “The right to live with dignity has been recognised. Sexual orientation is a natural phenomenon determined by biology and science. Any discrimination on this basis is unconstitutional.”
Section 377 is an archaic law that came into effect in 1861, which criminalised ‘unnatural offences’; punishing anyone who had sexual intercourse ‘against the order of nature’. The verdict read down this 158-year-old colonial law, decriminalising gay sex. However, sex with animals and children will continue to be a punishable offence.
The fight for equality for the LGBT community has been a long, uphill battle. It dates back to 2001, when Naz Foundation and AIDS Bedhbhav Virodh Andolan raised the issue of section 377 in the Delhi High Court, which dismissed the petition. It paved way for the 2009 High Court judgement that decriminalised gay sex, which was overturned by the Supreme Court in 2013, much to the disappointment of the community. Activists claimed that Section 377 violated several articles of the constitution that guarantee equality and the right to life and liberty. The United Nations and other international organisations took a powerful stand against Section 377, urging India to abolish it, and shaped a narrative that supported equal rights.
After a unanimous vote by a four-panel bench headed by the Chief Justice, the LGBT community’s right to freedom and equality is now constitutionally enshrined and legally recognised, ushering a new dawn for civil rights in India. However, this chapter has just begun, and India has a long way to go until we give the LGBT community the same rights that the rest of the population enjoys.