By Naveed Qazi | Editor, Globe Upfront On 25 September 2017, a binding independence referendum will take place in Iraqi Kurdistan that was initially planned in 2014. This development has been criticised by Turkey, Iraq and Iran as these three neighbours have always looked down upon their aspirations for freedom. They deem the referendum causing a ‘greater conflict’ and ‘destabilisation’ in the region. A majority of five million Iraqi Kurds voting for independence is widely expected. Kurds always wanted a nation of their own, ever since the end of First World War. For this cause, no one can deny that they have given epitome of sacrifices. When colonial powers redrew the maps in Middle East, the Kurdish people faced a miserable brunt because the land they belonged to was divided into Turkey, Iran, Syria and Iraq. In each of their retaliations throughout recent history, they had been beaten because of a stronger military opponent. Now, this is a historic time for the Kurdish peop...

By Naveed Qazi |  Editor, GlobeUpfront  C olombian government has signed a historic peace deal with FARC rebels, on November 24, 2016, the largest insurgency group that had waged a war for over fifty-two years in the country.  This has happened as a revised drafted agreement between the government and the rebels because of a referendum in October 2016 that was rejected by the narrowest of margins by the people (50.2% said no, 49.8% said yes). Many FARC dominated areas, interestingly, had voted for the peace deal. It indicates that people in these regions are suffering in the war, and want a better future. The UN Secretary General, European Union, US Government and the Pope have backed the peace agreement. However, people like former Vice President of Colombia, Francesco Santos think otherwise. He believes that making a peace deal with rebels holding guns is wrong and they should be convicted on shorter, if not longer jail terms. There are also extremis...

By Naveed Qazi | Editor, Globe Upfront After Uhuru Kenyatta, from Jubilee Party of Kenya, won the 2017 General Election on 8th August this year, the opposition party leader, Raila Odinga from National Super Alliance has charged the electoral commission of a ‘computer generated fraud’ where hackers have influenced the winning result by login into the account of a senior electoral commission official. To counter the claims, the EU delegation recently passed out a statement that there had been no such manipulation at the central and local level, and has urged the people to accept the election result. Kenya's election commission had also commented about a hacking attempt that failed, and election observers have said they saw no signs of interference with the voting. Analysts are also discussing whether these moves by the opposition party leaders are just gimmicks to stay in the limelight and heighten chaos post election results. Young voters have dominated the scene of Kenyan polit...

Source: Internet By Naveed Qazi | Editor, Globe Upfront S ince the capture of Mosul by the Iraqi state in July 2017, the city has been left with over 5000 destroyed buildings including mosques, schools and hospitals.  The bloody campaign finally came to an end after nine months of intense fighting that killed thousands of Iraqis and displaced millions of residents. Many observers of the war claim that there are still chances of increased suicide attacks in the city. Many other small Iraqi cities remain under control of the Islamic State.  However, the fall of Mosul signifies the biggest loss for the Islamic State in terms of territorial area. But they are still inspiring people to join their ranks, which the Iraqi government calls a challenge. Right now, the country faces big challenges in restoring electricity and rebuilding destroyed hospitals, schools, homes and bridges, which were wrecked in the ground combat and by the airstrikes, a...

By Naveed Qazi | Editor, Globe Upfront I t has been around one year since 2016 when Aung San Suu Kyi led National League for Democracy (NLD) has been posted with power.  Widely regarded as a champion of human rights and a celebrated political prisoner, she has now come under the scanner for her cold shoulder to a UN fact finding mission to investigate the ongoing human rights abuses by security forces in the Rakhine state against the Rohingya Muslim minorities. Aung Sang Suu Kyi denied visas to members of an investigative mission, endorsed by the UN Human Rights Council, earlier this year. Many think that it will be very hard even for Suu Kyi to reverse this decision in a country where military power occupies a crucial role. The military still controls important quarters of the national assembly including budget formations, resistance to constitutional changes and clearing ordinances without approval of the cabinet. The leader had been under house ar...