csmonitor--2020-04-16--How leaders use emergency powers to target journalists, critics

Health concerns were on artist Danai Ussama ’ s mind when he returned to Thailand last month from a trip to Spain .
He noticed that he and his fellow passengers did not go through medical checks after arriving at Bangkok ’ s airport , and thought it worth noting on his Facebook page .
The airport authorities denied it , lodged a complaint with police , and he was arrested at his gallery in Phuket for violating the Computer Crime Act by allegedly posting false information – an offense punishable by up to five years ' imprisonment and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told The Associated Press that his Facebook post , though public , was really meant just for a small circle of 40 to 50 people .
Instead it went viral .
He believes the government is afraid its opponents would use his observation as proof it was failing the fight against the coronavirus , and acted against him as a warning to others .
As governments across the world enact emergency measures to keep people at home and stave off the pandemic , some are unhappy about having their missteps publicized .
Others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ silence critics and tighten control .
“ COVID-19 poses significant threats to government and regime security as it has the potential to expose poor governance and lack of transparency on issues that affect every citizen in a given country , ” said Aim Sinpeng , an assistant professor of political science at the University of Sydney .
“ As the pandemic is a global issue and is constantly on the news around the world , governments have a harder time controlling messages to the public without exposing how little/how much they do in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she said in an email interview .
In Cambodia , where Prime Minister Hun Sen has been in power for 35 years , human rights group LICADHO has documented 24 cases of people being detained for sharing information about the coronavirus .
They include four supporters of the dissolved opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party .
Human Rights Watch also reported the arrest and questioning of a 14-year-old who expressed fears on social media about rumors of positive COVID-19 cases at her school and in her province .
The group withheld more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ privacy .
Hungary ’ s Prime Minister Viktor Orban may have been the most adroit at exploiting the health crisis .
His country ’ s Parliament granted him the power to rule indefinitely by decree , unencumbered by existing laws or judicial or parliamentary restraints .
One aspect of the law ostensibly passed to cope with the coronavirus calls for prison terms of up to five years for those convicted of spreading falsehoods or distorted facts during the emergency .
“ The global health problems caused by COVID-19 require effective measures to protect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” acknowledged Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatovic .
“ This includes combating disinformation that may cause panic and social unrest.
” But she said , `` regrettably some governments are using this imperative as a pretext to introduce disproportionate restrictions to press freedom .
This is a counterproductive approach that must stop .
Particularly in times of crisis , we need to protect our precious liberties and rights.
” Lawmakers in the Philippines last month passed special legislation giving President Rodrigo Duterte emergency powers .
Mr. Duterte , already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that has left thousands dead , has been fiercely belligerent toward critics .
The new law makes “ spreading false information regarding the COVID-19 crisis on social media and other platforms ” a criminal offense punishable by up to two months in jail and fines of up to $ 19,500 .
At least two reporters have been charged by police with spreading false information about the crisis .
“ It is feared that Duterte will use his increased authority to quell dissent and further pounce on [ his ] political enemies , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political science at the University of the Philippines .
Egypt expelled a correspondent for the British newspaper The Guardian over a report citing a study that challenged the official count of coronavirus cases .
Iraq suspended the operations of the Reuters news agency for three months and imposed a fine of about $ 20,800 for reporting that the actual number of infections and deaths was vastly more than the government acknowledged .
Reuters stood by its story .
In Serbia , police briefly detained journalist Ana Lalic , who wrote about a lack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conditions at a large hospital complex .
The clinical center said her article “ disturbed the public and hurt the image of the health organization.
” The government also closed its daily coronavirus news conferences for journalists , asking them to send their questions by email .
It said it 's meant to stop the spread of the virus but rights groups and independent media decried it as a form of censorship .
A state of emergency invoked in late March gives Thailand ’ s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha extraordinary powers to fight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ More than a dozen people in Thailand are reported to have been arrested on charges related to spreading coronavirus misinformation .
Thailand ’ s top public health experts deserve credit for their sincere efforts to counter misinformation , said Joel Selway , an associate professor of political science at Brigham Young University , who has published a book on politics and health policy in developing countries .
“ This doesn ’ t mean that the Prayuth-led government would not also take advantage of this to crush political opponents , ” he added .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ contest the charge against him , admits to regrets over writing his Facebook post about his airport arrival .
“ If I had known that I would be in so much trouble like this , I wouldn ’ t have written it.
” he said .
“ I have never been arrested nor gone to court before .
I was handcuffed and slept overnight in a police station cell .
I was devastated , actually .
It affects my family and myself .
“ But deep down inside , I would have wanted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was reported by The Associated Press .
AP correspondents Pablo Gorondi in Budapest , Hungary ; Dusan Stojanovic in Belgrade , Serbia ; Sopheng Cheang in Phnom Penh , Cambodia ; Busaba Sivasomboon in Bangkok , and Jim Gomez in Manila , Philippines , contributed to this report .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

Health concerns were on artist Danai Ussama’s mind when he returned to Thailand last month from a trip to Spain. He noticed that he and his fellow passengers did not go through medical checks after arriving at Bangkok’s airport, and thought it worth noting on his Facebook page.
The airport authorities denied it, lodged a complaint with police, and he was arrested at his gallery in Phuket for violating the Computer Crime Act by allegedly posting false information – an offense punishable by up to five years' imprisonment and a fine of $3,000.
Mr. Danai told The Associated Press that his Facebook post, though public, was really meant just for a small circle of 40 to 50 people. Instead it went viral.
He believes the government is afraid its opponents would use his observation as proof it was failing the fight against the coronavirus, and acted against him as a warning to others.
As governments across the world enact emergency measures to keep people at home and stave off the pandemic, some are unhappy about having their missteps publicized. Others are taking advantage of the crisis to silence critics and tighten control.
“COVID-19 poses significant threats to government and regime security as it has the potential to expose poor governance and lack of transparency on issues that affect every citizen in a given country,” said Aim Sinpeng, an assistant professor of political science at the University of Sydney.
“As the pandemic is a global issue and is constantly on the news around the world, governments have a harder time controlling messages to the public without exposing how little/how much they do in comparison to other countries around the world,” she said in an email interview.
In Cambodia, where Prime Minister Hun Sen has been in power for 35 years, human rights group LICADHO has documented 24 cases of people being detained for sharing information about the coronavirus.
They include four supporters of the dissolved opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party.
Human Rights Watch also reported the arrest and questioning of a 14-year-old who expressed fears on social media about rumors of positive COVID-19 cases at her school and in her province. The group withheld more details to safeguard the girl’s privacy.
Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban may have been the most adroit at exploiting the health crisis.
His country’s Parliament granted him the power to rule indefinitely by decree, unencumbered by existing laws or judicial or parliamentary restraints. One aspect of the law ostensibly passed to cope with the coronavirus calls for prison terms of up to five years for those convicted of spreading falsehoods or distorted facts during the emergency.
“The global health problems caused by COVID-19 require effective measures to protect people’s health and lives,” acknowledged Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatovic. “This includes combating disinformation that may cause panic and social unrest.”
But she said, "regrettably some governments are using this imperative as a pretext to introduce disproportionate restrictions to press freedom. This is a counterproductive approach that must stop. Particularly in times of crisis, we need to protect our precious liberties and rights.”
Lawmakers in the Philippines last month passed special legislation giving President Rodrigo Duterte emergency powers.
Mr. Duterte, already criticized for a brutal war on drugs that has left thousands dead, has been fiercely belligerent toward critics. The new law makes “spreading false information regarding the COVID-19 crisis on social media and other platforms” a criminal offense punishable by up to two months in jail and fines of up to $19,500.
At least two reporters have been charged by police with spreading false information about the crisis.
“It is feared that Duterte will use his increased authority to quell dissent and further pounce on [his] political enemies,” said Aries Arugay, associate professor of political science at the University of the Philippines.
Egypt expelled a correspondent for the British newspaper The Guardian over a report citing a study that challenged the official count of coronavirus cases. Iraq suspended the operations of the Reuters news agency for three months and imposed a fine of about $20,800 for reporting that the actual number of infections and deaths was vastly more than the government acknowledged. Reuters stood by its story.
In Serbia, police briefly detained journalist Ana Lalic, who wrote about a lack of protective equipment and “chaotic” conditions at a large hospital complex. The clinical center said her article “disturbed the public and hurt the image of the health organization.”
The government also closed its daily coronavirus news conferences for journalists, asking them to send their questions by email. It said it's meant to stop the spread of the virus but rights groups and independent media decried it as a form of censorship.
A state of emergency invoked in late March gives Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha extraordinary powers to fight COVID-19, including censoring the media.
More than a dozen people in Thailand are reported to have been arrested on charges related to spreading coronavirus misinformation.
Thailand’s top public health experts deserve credit for their sincere efforts to counter misinformation, said Joel Selway, an associate professor of political science at Brigham Young University, who has published a book on politics and health policy in developing countries.
“This doesn’t mean that the Prayuth-led government would not also take advantage of this to crush political opponents,” he added.
Artist Danai, who said he will contest the charge against him, admits to regrets over writing his Facebook post about his airport arrival.
“If I had known that I would be in so much trouble like this, I wouldn’t have written it.” he said. “I have never been arrested nor gone to court before. I was handcuffed and slept overnight in a police station cell. I was devastated, actually. It affects my family and myself.
“But deep down inside, I would have wanted to write it anyway.”
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP correspondents Pablo Gorondi in Budapest, Hungary; Dusan Stojanovic in Belgrade, Serbia; Sopheng Cheang in Phnom Penh, Cambodia; Busaba Sivasomboon in Bangkok, and Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines, contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-05-18--Why five Iranian fuel tankers are bound for Venezuela

Five Iranian tankers likely carrying at least $ 45.5 million worth of gasoline and similar products are now sailing to Venezuela , part of a wider deal between the two United States-sanctioned nations amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington .
The tankers ' voyage came after Venezuela 's socialist leader Nicolás Maduro already turned to Iran for help in flying in chemicals needed at an aging refinery amid a gasoline shortage , a symptom of the wider economic and political chaos gripping Latin America 's one-time largest oil producer .
For Iran , the tankers may represent a way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theocracy and put its own pressure on the U.S. , which under President Donald Trump has pursued maximalist campaigns against both nations .
But the strategy invites the chance of a renewed confrontation between the Islamic Republic and America both in the Persian Gulf , which saw a series of escalating incidents often involving the oil industry last year , and wider afield .
“ This is like a new one for everyone , ” said Capt .
Ranjith Raja , an analyst who tracks oil shipments by sea at the data firm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We have n't seen anything like this before.
” All the vessels involved belong to Iranian state-owned or state-linked companies , flying under the Iranian flag .
Since a pressure campaign on Iranian vessels began , notably with the temporary seizure of an Iranian tanker last year by Gibraltar , the country 's ships have been unable to fly flags of convenience of other nations , a common practice in international shipping .
The ships all appear to have been loaded from the Persian Gulf Star Refinery near Bandar Abbas , Iran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
The ships then traveled around the Arabian Peninsula and through the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean Sea , according to data collected from the ship 's Automatic Identification System , or AIS , which acts as a tracking beacon .
One of the vessels , the Clavel , listed its AIS destination as Caracas beginning on May 12 , according to log data from ship-tracking website MarineTraffic.com .
The vessel later changed its destination as “ TO ORDER ” two days later , though the ship remains on a route that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and be in position to sail on to Venezuela .
Another tanker , the Forest , changed its AIS destination to “ S .
AMERICA TO ORDER ” on May 14 .
Three others – the Faxon , the Fortune , and the Petunia – all appear on routes that could take them to Venezuela .
Given the crushing U.S. sanctions imposed on Iran , also-sanctioned Venezuela appears to be the country that would have nothing to lose from accepting the shipments .
Mr. Raja said Refinitiv had no data on any Iranian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before .
TankerTrackers.com , a website focused on the oil trade at sea , first reported the ships likely were heading to Venezuela .
The capacity of the five ships is some 175,000 metric tons .
On the open market , the gasoline and product carried within them would be worth at least $ 45.5 million , though Iran likely reached a discounted , non-cash deal with Caracas given the circumstances the two nations face , Mr. Raja said .
As news about the tankers grew , an Iranian news agency called Nour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country 's Supreme National Security Council , published an item on its website on early Saturday trying to link a U.S. military exercise in the Caribbean to the tankers .
That council includes members of Iran 's civilian government , its military and its paramilitary , hard-line Revolutionary Guard .
“ If the United States , like pirates , intends to create insecurity on international highways , it will take a dangerous risk that will certainly not go unnoticed , ” the agency warned in its brief report .
The Nour item , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agencies in Iran , follows a pattern by Tehran of issuing veiled threats through such reports even as officials do n't directly acknowledge them .
Quoted by a website affiliated to Iranian state television , Cabinet spokesman Ali Rabiei on Saturday said he did not have any information on the ships .
“ We have to sell our oil and we have access to its paths , ” Mr. Rabiei said .
“ Iran and Venezuela are two independent nations that have had trade with each other and they will in the future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late Sunday , when Iran 's Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres saying the U.S. “ piracy ” threatened the “ disruption of Iran ’ s fuel transmission to Venezuela . ''
Abbas Araghchi , Iran ’ s deputy foreign minister , issued a similar warning to the Swiss ambassador in Tehran , who looks out for American interests there .
It remains unclear how the U.S. will respond to the tankers .
On Thursday , the U.S. Treasury , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advisory warning the maritime industry of illegal shipping and sanctions-dodging tactics by countries including Iran .
The advisory repeated an earlier promise of up to $ 15 million for information disrupting the Guard 's finances .
It also warned anyone “ knowingly engaged in a significant transaction for the purchase , acquisition , sale , transport , or marketing of petroleum ” faced U.S. sanctions .
U.S. Army Maj .
Rob Lodewick , a Pentagon spokesman , declined to comment on the Iranian vessels .
He referred questions to the State Department , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senior official in the Trump administration told Reuters on Thursday the United States was considering measures it could take in response to Iran 's shipment of fuel to Venezuela .
Venezuela is in desperate need of gasoline and other refined fuel products to keep the country functioning amid an economic collapse under socialist President Maduro .
Venezuela produces crude oil but its infrastructure has been crippled during the economic crisis .
A Venezuelan official said last month that Venezuela had received refining materials via plane from Iran to help it start a unit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is necessary to produce gasoline .
Analysts already have been warning about the growing chance for a renewed confrontation between the U.S. and Iran , whose government downplayed and then struggled for weeks with the coronavirus pandemic .
In April , the U.S. accused Iran of conducting “ dangerous and harassing ” maneuvers near American warships in the northern Persian Gulf .
Iran also had been suspected of briefly seizing a Hong Kong-flagged oil tanker just before that .
Iran seized ships last summer and the U.S. accuses it of attacking tankers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump unilaterally withdrawing America from Tehran ’ s nuclear deal with world powers in 2018 .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP writers Nasser Karimi and Amir Vahdat in Tehran , Iran , and Joshua Goodman in Miami contributed to this report .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

Five Iranian tankers likely carrying at least $45.5 million worth of gasoline and similar products are now sailing to Venezuela, part of a wider deal between the two United States-sanctioned nations amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington.
The tankers' voyage came after Venezuela's socialist leader Nicolás Maduro already turned to Iran for help in flying in chemicals needed at an aging refinery amid a gasoline shortage, a symptom of the wider economic and political chaos gripping Latin America's one-time largest oil producer.
For Iran, the tankers may represent a way to bring money into its cash-starved Shiite theocracy and put its own pressure on the U.S., which under President Donald Trump has pursued maximalist campaigns against both nations.
But the strategy invites the chance of a renewed confrontation between the Islamic Republic and America both in the Persian Gulf, which saw a series of escalating incidents often involving the oil industry last year, and wider afield.
“This is like a new one for everyone,” said Capt. Ranjith Raja, an analyst who tracks oil shipments by sea at the data firm Refinitiv, of the gasoline shipments. “We haven't seen anything like this before.”
All the vessels involved belong to Iranian state-owned or state-linked companies, flying under the Iranian flag. Since a pressure campaign on Iranian vessels began, notably with the temporary seizure of an Iranian tanker last year by Gibraltar, the country's ships have been unable to fly flags of convenience of other nations, a common practice in international shipping.
The ships all appear to have been loaded from the Persian Gulf Star Refinery near Bandar Abbas, Iran, which makes gasoline, Mr. Raja said. The ships then traveled around the Arabian Peninsula and through the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean Sea, according to data collected from the ship's Automatic Identification System, or AIS, which acts as a tracking beacon.
One of the vessels, the Clavel, listed its AIS destination as Caracas beginning on May 12, according to log data from ship-tracking website MarineTraffic.com. The vessel later changed its destination as “TO ORDER” two days later, though the ship remains on a route that will see it leave the Mediterranean Sea and be in position to sail on to Venezuela.
Another tanker, the Forest, changed its AIS destination to “S. AMERICA TO ORDER” on May 14.
Three others – the Faxon, the Fortune, and the Petunia – all appear on routes that could take them to Venezuela. Given the crushing U.S. sanctions imposed on Iran, also-sanctioned Venezuela appears to be the country that would have nothing to lose from accepting the shipments. Mr. Raja said Refinitiv had no data on any Iranian gasoline shipment ever going to South America before.
TankerTrackers.com, a website focused on the oil trade at sea, first reported the ships likely were heading to Venezuela.
The capacity of the five ships is some 175,000 metric tons. On the open market, the gasoline and product carried within them would be worth at least $45.5 million, though Iran likely reached a discounted, non-cash deal with Caracas given the circumstances the two nations face, Mr. Raja said.
As news about the tankers grew, an Iranian news agency called Nour, believed to have ties to the country's Supreme National Security Council, published an item on its website on early Saturday trying to link a U.S. military exercise in the Caribbean to the tankers. That council includes members of Iran's civilian government, its military and its paramilitary, hard-line Revolutionary Guard.
“If the United States, like pirates, intends to create insecurity on international highways, it will take a dangerous risk that will certainly not go unnoticed,” the agency warned in its brief report.
The Nour item, later picked up by other semiofficial news agencies in Iran, follows a pattern by Tehran of issuing veiled threats through such reports even as officials don't directly acknowledge them.
Quoted by a website affiliated to Iranian state television, Cabinet spokesman Ali Rabiei on Saturday said he did not have any information on the ships.
“We have to sell our oil and we have access to its paths,” Mr. Rabiei said. “Iran and Venezuela are two independent nations that have had trade with each other and they will in the future."
But that all changed on late Sunday, when Iran's Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres saying the U.S. “piracy” threatened the “disruption of Iran’s fuel transmission to Venezuela." Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, issued a similar warning to the Swiss ambassador in Tehran, who looks out for American interests there.
It remains unclear how the U.S. will respond to the tankers. On Thursday, the U.S. Treasury, State Department and Coast Guard issued an advisory warning the maritime industry of illegal shipping and sanctions-dodging tactics by countries including Iran.
The advisory repeated an earlier promise of up to $15 million for information disrupting the Guard's finances. It also warned anyone “knowingly engaged in a significant transaction for the purchase, acquisition, sale, transport, or marketing of petroleum” faced U.S. sanctions.
U.S. Army Maj. Rob Lodewick, a Pentagon spokesman, declined to comment on the Iranian vessels. He referred questions to the State Department, which did not immediately respond.
A senior official in the Trump administration told Reuters on Thursday the United States was considering measures it could take in response to Iran's shipment of fuel to Venezuela.
Venezuela is in desperate need of gasoline and other refined fuel products to keep the country functioning amid an economic collapse under socialist President Maduro. Venezuela produces crude oil but its infrastructure has been crippled during the economic crisis. A Venezuelan official said last month that Venezuela had received refining materials via plane from Iran to help it start a unit at the 310,000 barrel-per-day Cardon refinery, which is necessary to produce gasoline.
Analysts already have been warning about the growing chance for a renewed confrontation between the U.S. and Iran, whose government downplayed and then struggled for weeks with the coronavirus pandemic.
In April, the U.S. accused Iran of conducting “dangerous and harassing” maneuvers near American warships in the northern Persian Gulf. Iran also had been suspected of briefly seizing a Hong Kong-flagged oil tanker just before that.
Iran seized ships last summer and the U.S. accuses it of attacking tankers in the region amid tensions over Mr. Trump unilaterally withdrawing America from Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers in 2018.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writers Nasser Karimi and Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, and Joshua Goodman in Miami contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-03-27--Eating in: How to transform pantry staples into comfort food

A well-stocked pantry is one way to ward off the uncertainty of events beyond our control , be it a spring blizzard or global pandemic .
But what to do with those pantry staples once you ’ ve returned from the grocery store laden with bags of flour , cans of beans , peanut butter , and enough rice to last you until 2022 ?
[ Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall . ]
This is not to make light of the new coronavirus , which has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grocery stores around the world .
But once you ’ ve organized your basement pantry bunker by alphabetical order , now is the time to actually get cooking .
Here are a few ideas to get you started – plus a pantry-staple muffin recipe to sweeten your days in isolation .
Stock up on fresh vegetables and fruit Every time you make a grocery run , pick up a few more .
Squashes , potatoes , onions , and carrots all have a long shelf life when stored in a cool , dry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ salads , soups , and stews .
Baby spinach and kale also will last for more than a week in your fridge .
Tip : Adding a paper towel in with the greens will absorb any excess moisture .
Freeze “ buy 1 , get 1 free ” cartons of fresh fruit to add to smoothies , and throw in a handful of fresh greens .
Same for overripe bananas .
Just before they turn to mush on your counter , toss them – peel and all – into the freezer until needed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an airtight container in the fridge .
Use a squeeze to brighten your teas and cooked vegetables .
Spoon canned fruit as a topping for ice cream or bake them into a simple cobbler .
I ’ ve found that staple items in the international aisle are often less expensive than American name-brand goods .
There ’ s also a good chance these aisles aren ’ t as heavily picked over .
Be adventurous : Take home an unfamiliar ingredient and see if you can find a recipe for it online .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in many African , Asian , and Caribbean dishes , is a pantry staple that will last up to three years on your shelf .
A half cup will make your fruit smoothie even creamier .
Study the structure of recipes , then innovate Now is the time to be fearless .
You may even invent a new favorite recipe in the process .
When you are left with chickpeas , sun-dried tomatoes , and capers , you ’ d be surprised how well they warm together in a pan with some olive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ olives for the capers .
You could even toss in a can of tuna .
Sprinkle with your favorite seasonings .
Settle it all next to a bed of greens for lunch .
This recipe has made the rounds online over the past decade .
Plenty of home cooks share their own special twist for this easy homemade bread that requires only flour , yeast , salt , and water .
( You can find the Monitor ’ s version here . )
The trick is the long rise time – 12 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the use of a cast-iron Dutch oven .
It ’ s simple enough that young children can make it , and it will fill your home with warmth from the oven and a comforting aroma as it bakes .
Want to brush up on your knife skills or take your cooking to the next level ?
Pass some time by signing up for an online cooking class , and many are now being offered for free .
If you are dreaming of turning the children clinging to your sides into mini sous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has moved its entire archive of “ kid-tested and kid-approved ” recipes outside of its paywall , including kitchen experiments and activities .
ChopChop , a cooking magazine geared toward children , offers a free email newsletter with featured recipes .
Two staples we always have in stock at home are peanut butter and bananas and this recipe for flourless muffins comes together in minutes .
They not only will help use up those five extra jars of peanut butter and three bunches of bananas you bought , but they also will pass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that ’ s a true sign of comfort .
1 cup peanut butter ( or nut butter of your choice ) 1 .
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. and grease your muffin tin .
2 .
Place all the ingredients except the chocolate chips into the bowl of a food processor or blender and mix until smooth .
4 .
Spoon the batter into the greased muffin tin , filling each cup about 3/4 full .
5 .
Bake for 10 minutes for mini-muffins or 15 minutes for full-sized muffins .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ muffin tin , then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely .
They are delicious warm , too !
[ Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall . ]

A well-stocked pantry is one way to ward off the uncertainty of events beyond our control, be it a spring blizzard or global pandemic. But what to do with those pantry staples once you’ve returned from the grocery store laden with bags of flour, cans of beans, peanut butter, and enough rice to last you until 2022?
[Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.]
This is not to make light of the new coronavirus, which has spurred a frenzy of stockpile shopping at grocery stores around the world. But once you’ve organized your basement pantry bunker by alphabetical order, now is the time to actually get cooking. Here are a few ideas to get you started – plus a pantry-staple muffin recipe to sweeten your days in isolation.
Why We Wrote This During times of crisis, cooking for those you love offers comfort. A longtime Monitor editor and enthusiastic cook offers a primer on how to use your pantry to get through hard times.
Stock up on fresh vegetables and fruit
Every time you make a grocery run, pick up a few more. Squashes, potatoes, onions, and carrots all have a long shelf life when stored in a cool, dry place. Roast them to add to salads, soups, and stews. Baby spinach and kale also will last for more than a week in your fridge. Tip: Adding a paper towel in with the greens will absorb any excess moisture.
Freeze “buy 1, get 1 free” cartons of fresh fruit to add to smoothies, and throw in a handful of fresh greens. Same for overripe bananas. Just before they turn to mush on your counter, toss them – peel and all – into the freezer until needed.
Lemons and limes will last longer in an airtight container in the fridge. Use a squeeze to brighten your teas and cooked vegetables. Spoon canned fruit as a topping for ice cream or bake them into a simple cobbler.
Discover the grocery store’s international aisle
I’ve found that staple items in the international aisle are often less expensive than American name-brand goods. There’s also a good chance these aisles aren’t as heavily picked over. Be adventurous: Take home an unfamiliar ingredient and see if you can find a recipe for it online. Coconut milk, used as a base in many African, Asian, and Caribbean dishes, is a pantry staple that will last up to three years on your shelf. A half cup will make your fruit smoothie even creamier.
Study the structure of recipes, then innovate
Now is the time to be fearless. You may even invent a new favorite recipe in the process. When you are left with chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, and capers, you’d be surprised how well they warm together in a pan with some olive oil and garlic. Or swap in olives for the capers. You could even toss in a can of tuna. Sprinkle with your favorite seasonings. Settle it all next to a bed of greens for lunch.
Search for no-knead bread recipe online
This recipe has made the rounds online over the past decade. Plenty of home cooks share their own special twist for this easy homemade bread that requires only flour, yeast, salt, and water. (You can find the Monitor’s version here.) The trick is the long rise time – 12 to 19 hours depending on the recipe – and the use of a cast-iron Dutch oven. It’s simple enough that young children can make it, and it will fill your home with warmth from the oven and a comforting aroma as it bakes.
Learn something new
Want to brush up on your knife skills or take your cooking to the next level? Pass some time by signing up for an online cooking class, and many are now being offered for free. If you are dreaming of turning the children clinging to your sides into mini sous chefs, America’s Test Kitchen has moved its entire archive of “kid-tested and kid-approved” recipes outside of its paywall, including kitchen experiments and activities. ChopChop, a cooking magazine geared toward children, offers a free email newsletter with featured recipes.
Two staples we always have in stock at home are peanut butter and bananas and this recipe for flourless muffins comes together in minutes. They not only will help use up those five extra jars of peanut butter and three bunches of bananas you bought, but they also will pass both the kid- and teen-approval test – and that’s a true sign of comfort.
Banana peanut butter chocolate chip muffins
Makes 24 mini or 12 regular muffins
1 cup peanut butter (or nut butter of your choice)
2 ripe medium-sized bananas
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons sugar (or maple syrup or honey)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. and grease your muffin tin.
2. Place all the ingredients except the chocolate chips into the bowl of a food processor or blender and mix until smooth.
3. Stir in chocolate chips by hand.
4. Spoon the batter into the greased muffin tin, filling each cup about 3/4 full.
5. Bake for 10 minutes for mini-muffins or 15 minutes for full-sized muffins. Let cool for 2 minutes in the muffin tin, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. They are delicious warm, too!
[Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.]


csmonitor--2020-05-26--How a DIY nation has made it this far

How a DIY nation has made it this far

“ The world turned away from us and ultimately it was a blessing , ” says Hassan Mohamed Ali , minister of planning and national development .
Somaliland ’ s approach has major limitations .
Yet it also poses a question : What if a poor country was left to develop on its own , without the world ’ s help ?
Could it manage ?
Might it even thrive ?
Yet it ’ s also stable and peaceful .
And the global system that could grant Somaliland recognition is itself in trouble , with once taken-for-granted norms shaken by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now a worldwide pandemic .
Some governments , including the Trump administration , are arguing for steep cuts to aid spending .
That seems poised to continue , as COVID-19 crises demand more attention at home .
Three decades ago , in the midst of Somalia ’ s civil war , Somaliland declared independence .
But without international recognition , it has been locked out of most foreign aid , and remains deeply impoverished .
The first question is easier : it ’ s in the Horn of Africa .
The second is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the world , Somaliland is an autonomous region of Somalia .
In the eyes of Somaliland ’ s residents , though , it ’ s a country : a democracy with its own currency and passport .
Hassan Mohamed Ali is asked the same question about his homeland so often that he has it printed on the back of his business card .
“ Where in the world is Somaliland ?
” the text reads , beside a map showing the location of the self-declared state in the Horn of Africa .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ minister of planning and national development for a country that technically doesn ’ t exist .
Most people don ’ t even know where to find you .
But Mr. Ali knows that Somaliland ’ s anonymity also gives it certain advantages .
His nation , which peeled off from Somalia during its civil war in 1991 , is unrecognized but stable ; poor but peaceful .
It has somehow cobbled together a functioning state , with a democratic government , international borders , and its own currency and passport .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was a blessing , ” says Mr. Ali .
“ We didn ’ t have help , so we were forced to develop our own homegrown system.
” For three decades , Somaliland has been locked out of a club that confers countries ’ ultimate necessities : diplomatic legitimacy , and with it , money .
If recognized , the nation could apply for World Bank loans .
It could benefit from bilateral aid agreements , and take a seat at the United Nations .
Without a doubt , being unacknowledged has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years .
But today the global system is in disrepute , with once taken-for-granted norms shaken by rising nationalism , go-it-alone leaders , and now a worldwide pandemic .
Some Western governments , including the Trump administration , are arguing for steep cuts to aid spending .
That trend seems all but sure to continue , now that developed countries are focusing their resources on COVID-19 crises at home .
While Somaliland goes it alone , neighboring Somalia offers a stark illustration of a world where foreign assistance falls short , often seeming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as locals ’ needs .
Although pumped full of foreign aid , foreign expertise , and foreign guns , Somalia ’ s government can barely control its capital city .
Powerful militias govern much of its territory , and the country is near the bottom of global rankings for almost every measure of the quality of life .
While most experts find that aid does boost growth , it also creates powerful entanglements and obligations from which poorer countries struggle to free themselves .
“ There ’ s no free lunch in this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mohamed Abdi Gedo , director of the Diaspora Department at Somaliland ’ s Ministry of Foreign Affairs .
“ Everyone has an interest behind the money they give.
” But Somaliland ’ s story offers up another possible model .
What if a poor country was left to develop on its own , without the world ’ s help ?
Could it manage ?
Might it even thrive ?
Somaliland didn ’ t exactly intend to go it alone .
When it declared independence from Somalia in 1991 , its leaders thought international @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proved themselves in all the ways poor countries were “ supposed to.
” They held democratic elections ; disarmed rebel groups still roaming the countryside ; and set up a government that collected taxes , patrolled the borders , and printed its own currency .
And they built it all , quite literally , from rubble .
The government in Mogadishu had violently suppressed the region ’ s fight for autonomy in the late 1980s ; estimates of how many people were killed range as high as 200,000 .
Most of its capital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president , Siad Barre , tried to bomb the north of his country into submission .
Some 750,000 Somalilanders fled their homes during the war .
The current deputy minister of foreign affairs , Liban Yousuf Osman , was among them .
He was just 5 years old when his family returned to Hargeisa in 1991 , and remembers it through the eyes of a child : a “ city of stumps ” and “ ghost houses , ” where he and his friends played elaborate games of hide and seek , trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But slowly , it was rebuilt .
Flung across a diaspora that stretched from neighboring Ethiopia to the United States , the Middle East , and Australia , Somalilanders began to return home .
They opened glossy blue-windowed storefronts , reconstructed neighborhoods , erected new mosques .
“ Immediately after the war there was no aid , no foreign investment , ” says Guleid Ahmed Jama , a lawyer and founder of the Human Rights Center , a Hargeisa-based human rights watchdog .
“ That means that the citizens were the ones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the start .
It was their money , their investment.
” There was just one hitch : The rest of the world refused to acknowledge Somaliland ’ s existence .
There are many reasons , but they boil down to one : “ The world today is extremely afraid of countries breaking in two , ” says Maria Gaheir , co-founder of the Center for Policy Analysis , a Hargeisa-based think tank focused on democracy and human rights .
The last big wave of new countries in the world came with the break-up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1990s .
But since then , the world – bolstered by international bodies like the United Nations – has been nearly unified in its opposition to the formation of new states .
Only five have been recognized in the last 25 years .
In Africa , the argument against recognizing Somaliland is that it will open the floodgates , encouraging secessionist groups from Senegal to Tanzania to make their own cases for independence .
For the rest of the world , meanwhile , the argument is even simpler : Somalia says Somaliland is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Somalia ’ s strategic location in the Gulf of Aden , other countries are inclined to respect its wishes .
And so Somaliland carries on , “ a reality in every aspect except recognition , ” says Mr. Osman , the deputy for foreign affairs .
“ We have our territory .
We have our government .
We have our independence .
The only thing we don ’ t have is the world ’ s acknowledgement.
” In the center of Hargeisa , in a plaza where men while away hours drinking earthy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of khat , a local narcotic , and taxis idle waiting for customers , stands an old Somali fighter plane mounted on a tall pedestal .
Thirty years ago , this plane was part of the fleet that bombed Hargeisa into submission .
Today , it hovers above a city that , since then , has managed something few other countries in the region have : peace .
And for that alone , many Somalilanders argue , they deserve the world ’ s recognition .
But the value would also be deeply practical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exist , it can ’ t get loans for big development projects from financial institutions like the International Monetary Fund .
It can ’ t sign bilateral aid agreements – the kinds that exist between two countries – because it isn ’ t , according to most of the world , a country at all .
That leaves Somaliland deeply impoverished .
Its government estimates that in 2017 , gross domestic product was about $ 675 per person , which would make it among the 15 poorest countries in the world .
Its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ roaming its streets and scrubby countryside .
( Picture a typical sheep whose head has been dipped in a pot of ink . )
Those are exported by the millions to Saudi Arabia during the annual Hajj pilgrimage .
Some money still squeaks in .
Major aid organizations often fund Somaliland via their Somalia projects , quietly navigating the politics on both sides .
A Somaliland development fund channels money from the British , Danish , and Dutch governments .
But even adjusted for population – Somalia has about three times the population @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a year in total aid to Somaliland is a fraction of the $ 2 billion allocated to Somalia in 2018 .
As a result , its beige countryside is remarkably empty of the handwritten , rusting signboards from international charities that stand at attention in villages across Africa , announcing another successful project to dig wells , fund schools , or supply hospitals .
To fill that gap , Somaliland has leaned heavily on its diaspora .
Remittances account for more than half the GDP , according to a 2012 United Nations estimate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estimates that there are only three recognized countries– Tonga , Kyrgyzstan , and Haiti – where remittances account for 30 % or more of GDP .
One of the world ’ s largest money transfer services , WorldRemit , was founded by a Somalilander , and a dozen different companies advertise their services on billboards across the capital , as ubiquitous as a New York Starbucks .
“ Here remittances are much more important than foreign aid .
We depend on them , ” says Mr. Gedo , of the diaspora department .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ so their aid is more than money .
With international organizations , you never know when the funding will end .
But your uncle abroad will never abandon you.
” The proverbial “ uncle abroad ” has been responsible for much of Somaliland ’ s development over the last three decades , says Yousef Hussein , who leads a small nongovernmental organization called Garoodi , which supports a village near Hargeisa called Salahley .
That ’ s possible in large part because Somali society puts strong emphasis on a person ’ s ties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community networks called clans .
“ In the West , you buy insurance , ” he says .
“ Here our clan is our insurance policy.
” Like many communities , Salahley was leveled by the war .
When residents returned in the 1990s , its primary school was crumpled tin roofs and piles of rubble .
There was no functioning hospital .
The roads in and out of the village were gashes of dirt , which turned to muddy sinkholes whenever it rained .
And so the community turned to relatives in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asking for help rebuilding what they had lost .
In 2000 , a group of Salahley residents and their relatives abroad formed a small organization , which they called Garoodi for the name of a livestock-grazing area near the village .
Garoodi rebuilt the L-shaped concrete school , and installed a dormitory so that children of nomadic families could stop missing half the year .
And then , for the next 18 years , they also paid the salaries of the teachers who worked there .
After the school came the hospital , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to town .
In each case , Garoodi organized funds from its members abroad – first via a Yahoo group , and later , on the chat messaging platform WhatsApp .
The set-up is intentionally simple , says Abdiasis Geddi , Garoodi ’ s secretary and an accountant who lives near Boston .
Donors abroad can see what ’ s happening in Somaliland in real time – from cellphone photos of flooded roads , collapsed roofs , or shriveled crops – and send money directly to the organization ’ s bank account .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Garoodi can respond to a disaster within days , or sometimes hours .
“ A lot of international aid is wasted on things we don ’ t need , ” says Mr. Ali , the minister of planning and national development .
“ The diaspora knows the country much better than aid organizations.
” Garoodi charges its members in the diaspora a small annual fee , and does occasional funding drives for specific projects .
“ In Somaliland , after people start a project with their own initiative , then sometimes government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Mr. Hussein says .
In the case of the school , for instance , government now pays teachers ’ salaries .
It sends a doctor from Hargeisa to see hospital patients three times a week .
The road construction project is now being assisted by government as well .
But there are also major limitations to relying on personal charity for development .
For one , it depends on strong ties to the diaspora , something that Mr. Geddi says becomes more difficult with each passing year , as emigrants die and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives abroad , take over as breadwinners .
And perhaps most importantly , much like foreign aid funders , Somaliland ’ s diaspora has things it likes to fund – and things it doesn ’ t .
“ Most diaspora aid goes to very non-controversial projects , orphanages , schools , and wells , ” says Ms. Gaheir , of the Center for Policy Analysis .
“ It ’ s much harder if you want money to end something like domestic violence , or support human rights.
” And that , she says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Somaliland can develop on its own .
“ Of course when money comes from the outside , it complicates things .
But it ’ s naive to say we ’ d rather be poor and independent , ” says Jama Musse Jama , a commentator and organizer of the Hargeisa International Book Fair .
“ We are touching the ceiling of what we can do with our current funding .
And you can ’ t run a country on national pride.
” To get beyond its current impasse , he says , Somaliland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ World Bank and IMF funding , as well as much larger donations from other countries – and a place in the global community of nations .
The nation , he says , has reached a pivot point .
More than 70 % of Somalilanders are under age 30 , according to World Health Organization estimates .
That means they don ’ t remember a time before the nation ’ s independence , or the horrific violence its older residents endured .
“ My brother was killed in front of me during the war @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peace , ” Mr. Jama says .
“ But for young people , peace is all they know , and what they ’ re saying now is that it ’ s not enough .
We also need jobs .
We also need development.
” Nusmila Lohani contributed reporting from Boston , and Asma Dhamac contributed reporting from Hargeisa .

“The world turned away from us and ultimately it was a blessing,” says Hassan Mohamed Ali, minister of planning and national development.
Somaliland’s approach has major limitations. Yet it also poses a question: What if a poor country was left to develop on its own, without the world’s help? Could it manage? Might it even thrive?
Yet it’s also stable and peaceful. And the global system that could grant Somaliland recognition is itself in trouble, with once taken-for-granted norms shaken by rising nationalism, go-it-alone leaders, and now a worldwide pandemic. Some governments, including the Trump administration, are arguing for steep cuts to aid spending. That seems poised to continue, as COVID-19 crises demand more attention at home.
Three decades ago, in the midst of Somalia’s civil war, Somaliland declared independence. But without international recognition, it has been locked out of most foreign aid, and remains deeply impoverished.
“Going it alone” may mean one thing to nationalist leaders aiming to buck the international status quo. But for leaders of self-declared states that yearn for global recognition, the path to self-sufficiency looks very different. Part 8 in our global series “Navigating Uncertainty.”
The first question is easier: it’s in the Horn of Africa. The second is trickier. In the eyes of most of the world, Somaliland is an autonomous region of Somalia. In the eyes of Somaliland’s residents, though, it’s a country: a democracy with its own currency and passport.
Hassan Mohamed Ali is asked the same question about his homeland so often that he has it printed on the back of his business card.
“Where in the world is Somaliland?” the text reads, beside a map showing the location of the self-declared state in the Horn of Africa.
That is the trouble with being the minister of planning and national development for a country that technically doesn’t exist. Most people don’t even know where to find you.
Why We Wrote This “Going it alone” may mean one thing to nationalist leaders aiming to buck the international status quo. But for leaders of self-declared states that yearn for global recognition, the path to self-sufficiency looks very different. Part 8 in our global series “Navigating Uncertainty.”
But Mr. Ali knows that Somaliland’s anonymity also gives it certain advantages. His nation, which peeled off from Somalia during its civil war in 1991, is unrecognized but stable; poor but peaceful. It has somehow cobbled together a functioning state, with a democratic government, international borders, and its own currency and passport.
“The world turned away from us and ultimately it was a blessing,” says Mr. Ali. “We didn’t have help, so we were forced to develop our own homegrown system.”
Ryan Lenora Brown/The Christian Science Monitor View caption Hide caption Hassan Mohamed Ali, Somaliland's Minister of Planning and National Development, says Somaliland's lack of international recognition has been a blessing in disguise for its development. “We didn’t have help [from the global community], so we were forced to develop our own homegrown system," he says.
For three decades, Somaliland has been locked out of a club that confers countries’ ultimate necessities: diplomatic legitimacy, and with it, money. If recognized, the nation could apply for World Bank loans. It could benefit from bilateral aid agreements, and take a seat at the United Nations. Without a doubt, being unacknowledged has cost the territory during its crucial early years.
But today the global system is in disrepute, with once taken-for-granted norms shaken by rising nationalism, go-it-alone leaders, and now a worldwide pandemic. Some Western governments, including the Trump administration, are arguing for steep cuts to aid spending. That trend seems all but sure to continue, now that developed countries are focusing their resources on COVID-19 crises at home.
While Somaliland goes it alone, neighboring Somalia offers a stark illustration of a world where foreign assistance falls short, often seeming driven as much by donors’ interests as locals’ needs. Although pumped full of foreign aid, foreign expertise, and foreign guns, Somalia’s government can barely control its capital city. Powerful militias govern much of its territory, and the country is near the bottom of global rankings for almost every measure of the quality of life.
While most experts find that aid does boost growth, it also creates powerful entanglements and obligations from which poorer countries struggle to free themselves. “There’s no free lunch in this world,” says Sa’ad Mohamed Abdi Gedo, director of the Diaspora Department at Somaliland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “Everyone has an interest behind the money they give.”
But Somaliland’s story offers up another possible model. What if a poor country was left to develop on its own, without the world’s help? Could it manage? Might it even thrive?
Plan versus reality
Somaliland didn’t exactly intend to go it alone. When it declared independence from Somalia in 1991, its leaders thought international recognition would soon follow.
They quickly proved themselves in all the ways poor countries were “supposed to.” They held democratic elections; disarmed rebel groups still roaming the countryside; and set up a government that collected taxes, patrolled the borders, and printed its own currency.
And they built it all, quite literally, from rubble. The government in Mogadishu had violently suppressed the region’s fight for autonomy in the late 1980s; estimates of how many people were killed range as high as 200,000. Most of its capital city was destroyed as Somalia’s president, Siad Barre, tried to bomb the north of his country into submission.
Some 750,000 Somalilanders fled their homes during the war. The current deputy minister of foreign affairs, Liban Yousuf Osman, was among them. He was just 5 years old when his family returned to Hargeisa in 1991, and remembers it through the eyes of a child: a “city of stumps” and “ghost houses,” where he and his friends played elaborate games of hide and seek, trying to avoid the land mines still inside.
But slowly, it was rebuilt. Flung across a diaspora that stretched from neighboring Ethiopia to the United States, the Middle East, and Australia, Somalilanders began to return home. They opened glossy blue-windowed storefronts, reconstructed neighborhoods, erected new mosques.
“Immediately after the war there was no aid, no foreign investment,” says Guleid Ahmed Jama, a lawyer and founder of the Human Rights Center, a Hargeisa-based human rights watchdog. “That means that the citizens were the ones in charge of building their country from the start. It was their money, their investment.”
There was just one hitch: The rest of the world refused to acknowledge Somaliland’s existence.
There are many reasons, but they boil down to one: “The world today is extremely afraid of countries breaking in two,” says Maria Gaheir, co-founder of the Center for Policy Analysis, a Hargeisa-based think tank focused on democracy and human rights. The last big wave of new countries in the world came with the break-up of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s. But since then, the world – bolstered by international bodies like the United Nations – has been nearly unified in its opposition to the formation of new states. Only five have been recognized in the last 25 years.
Jacob Turcotte/Staff
In Africa, the argument against recognizing Somaliland is that it will open the floodgates, encouraging secessionist groups from Senegal to Tanzania to make their own cases for independence. For the rest of the world, meanwhile, the argument is even simpler: Somalia says Somaliland is part of it. And because of Somalia’s strategic location in the Gulf of Aden, other countries are inclined to respect its wishes.
And so Somaliland carries on, “a reality in every aspect except recognition,” says Mr. Osman, the deputy for foreign affairs. “We have our territory. We have our government. We have our independence. The only thing we don’t have is the world’s acknowledgement.”
Turn to the “uncle abroad”
In the center of Hargeisa, in a plaza where men while away hours drinking earthy camel milk tea and chewing thick bundles of khat, a local narcotic, and taxis idle waiting for customers, stands an old Somali fighter plane mounted on a tall pedestal. Thirty years ago, this plane was part of the fleet that bombed Hargeisa into submission.
Today, it hovers above a city that, since then, has managed something few other countries in the region have: peace. And for that alone, many Somalilanders argue, they deserve the world’s recognition.
But the value would also be deeply practical. Because Somaliland doesn’t technically exist, it can’t get loans for big development projects from financial institutions like the International Monetary Fund. It can’t sign bilateral aid agreements – the kinds that exist between two countries – because it isn’t, according to most of the world, a country at all.
Ryan Lenora Brown/The Christian Science Monitor View caption Hide caption Children study in Salahley, near the Somaliland capital of Hargeisa. The school was constructed by an NGO called Garoodi, which receives money from the diaspora. “Growing up, education conditions were very difficult for us,” says Mustafa Ismail Jama, the school’s principal. “So we wanted it to be different for our children.”
That leaves Somaliland deeply impoverished. Its government estimates that in 2017, gross domestic product was about $675 per person, which would make it among the 15 poorest countries in the world. Its economy relies heavily on the black-headed sheep roaming its streets and scrubby countryside. (Picture a typical sheep whose head has been dipped in a pot of ink.) Those are exported by the millions to Saudi Arabia during the annual Hajj pilgrimage.
Some money still squeaks in. Major aid organizations often fund Somaliland via their Somalia projects, quietly navigating the politics on both sides. A Somaliland development fund channels money from the British, Danish, and Dutch governments.
But even adjusted for population – Somalia has about three times the population of Somaliland – the $150 million a year in total aid to Somaliland is a fraction of the $2 billion allocated to Somalia in 2018.
As a result, its beige countryside is remarkably empty of the handwritten, rusting signboards from international charities that stand at attention in villages across Africa, announcing another successful project to dig wells, fund schools, or supply hospitals.
To fill that gap, Somaliland has leaned heavily on its diaspora.
Remittances account for more than half the GDP, according to a 2012 United Nations estimate. By comparison, the World Bank estimates that there are only three recognized countries– Tonga, Kyrgyzstan, and Haiti – where remittances account for 30% or more of GDP. One of the world’s largest money transfer services, WorldRemit, was founded by a Somalilander, and a dozen different companies advertise their services on billboards across the capital, as ubiquitous as a New York Starbucks.
“Here remittances are much more important than foreign aid. We depend on them,” says Mr. Gedo, of the diaspora department. “The diaspora knows our struggles, so their aid is more than money. With international organizations, you never know when the funding will end. But your uncle abroad will never abandon you.”
The proverbial “uncle abroad” has been responsible for much of Somaliland’s development over the last three decades, says Yousef Hussein, who leads a small nongovernmental organization called Garoodi, which supports a village near Hargeisa called Salahley.
That’s possible in large part because Somali society puts strong emphasis on a person’s ties to others, and particularly to extended community networks called clans.
“In the West, you buy insurance,” he says. “Here our clan is our insurance policy.”
Ryan Lenora Brown/The Christian Science Monitor View caption Hide caption Yousef Hussein, chair of the Somaliland NGO Garoodi, waves to a worker building a road between the capital, Hargeisa, and Salahley, 50 miles south. Garoodi organized and paid for parts of this road using money raised from the diaspora, a common funding model here.
Like many communities, Salahley was leveled by the war. When residents returned in the 1990s, its primary school was crumpled tin roofs and piles of rubble. There was no functioning hospital. The roads in and out of the village were gashes of dirt, which turned to muddy sinkholes whenever it rained.
And so the community turned to relatives in London and Boston and Abu Dhabi, asking for help rebuilding what they had lost.
In 2000, a group of Salahley residents and their relatives abroad formed a small organization, which they called Garoodi for the name of a livestock-grazing area near the village.
Garoodi rebuilt the L-shaped concrete school, and installed a dormitory so that children of nomadic families could stop missing half the year. And then, for the next 18 years, they also paid the salaries of the teachers who worked there.
After the school came the hospital, and after the hospital, the road to town. In each case, Garoodi organized funds from its members abroad – first via a Yahoo group, and later, on the chat messaging platform WhatsApp.
The set-up is intentionally simple, says Abdiasis Geddi, Garoodi’s secretary and an accountant who lives near Boston. Donors abroad can see what’s happening in Somaliland in real time – from cellphone photos of flooded roads, collapsed roofs, or shriveled crops – and send money directly to the organization’s bank account.
This means that unlike larger aid groups, Garoodi can respond to a disaster within days, or sometimes hours.
“A lot of international aid is wasted on things we don’t need,” says Mr. Ali, the minister of planning and national development. “The diaspora knows the country much better than aid organizations.”
Garoodi charges its members in the diaspora a small annual fee, and does occasional funding drives for specific projects.
“In Somaliland, after people start a project with their own initiative, then sometimes government comes in to assist further on,” Mr. Hussein says. In the case of the school, for instance, government now pays teachers’ salaries. It sends a doctor from Hargeisa to see hospital patients three times a week. The road construction project is now being assisted by government as well.
But there are also major limitations to relying on personal charity for development.
For one, it depends on strong ties to the diaspora, something that Mr. Geddi says becomes more difficult with each passing year, as emigrants die and their children, who have spent their lives abroad, take over as breadwinners.
And perhaps most importantly, much like foreign aid funders, Somaliland’s diaspora has things it likes to fund – and things it doesn’t.
“Most diaspora aid goes to very non-controversial projects, orphanages, schools, and wells,” says Ms. Gaheir, of the Center for Policy Analysis. “It’s much harder if you want money to end something like domestic violence, or support human rights.”
And that, she says, puts real limitations on how far Somaliland can develop on its own.
“Of course when money comes from the outside, it complicates things. But it’s naive to say we’d rather be poor and independent,” says Jama Musse Jama, a commentator and organizer of the Hargeisa International Book Fair. “We are touching the ceiling of what we can do with our current funding. And you can’t run a country on national pride.”
To get beyond its current impasse, he says, Somaliland needs international recognition. That would unlock World Bank and IMF funding, as well as much larger donations from other countries – and a place in the global community of nations.
The nation, he says, has reached a pivot point. More than 70% of Somalilanders are under age 30, according to World Health Organization estimates. That means they don’t remember a time before the nation’s independence, or the horrific violence its older residents endured.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
“My brother was killed in front of me during the war, so I know the price of peace,” Mr. Jama says. “But for young people, peace is all they know, and what they’re saying now is that it’s not enough. We also need jobs. We also need development.”
Nusmila Lohani contributed reporting from Boston, and Asma Dhamac contributed reporting from Hargeisa.


csmonitor--2020-06-02--‘Brand activism’: Should companies weigh in on racism?

As thousands of protesters take to the streets in response to police killings of black people , companies are wading into the national conversation but taking care to get their messaging right .
Netflix 's normally lighthearted Twitter account took on a more somber tone on Saturday : `` To be silent is to be complicit .
Black lives matter .
We have a platform , and we have a duty to our Black members , employees , creators , and talent to speak up . ''
That got retweeted over 216,000 times and `` liked '' over a million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of many corporate brands that have turned to social media to voice concerns over racial injustice after the death of George Floyd , a handcuffed black man who pleaded for air as a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee against Mr. Floyd 's neck for several minutes .
At the same time , companies must consider whether it makes sense for them to weigh in , especially on an issue as sensitive as race .
`` It 's brand activism , '' said Alexander Chernev , a professor of marketing at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` It 's not surprising .
But companies have to think very carefully before they take a stand on these issues . ''
There are plenty of examples of brands speaking out forcefully on social media , particularly in industries where cultural awareness is crucial .
WarnerMedia , which is owned by AT & T and includes brands like HBO and TBS , changed their handles to # BlackLivesMatter and all posted the same James Baldwin quote : `` Neither love nor terror makes one blind : indifference makes one blind .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to black with the Black Lives Matter hashtag .
Media giant ViacomCBS tweeted `` Black Lives Matter .
Black Culture Matters .
Black Communities Matter , '' and on Monday announced that its cable properties like MTV and Comedy Central will go dark for 8 minutes and 46 seconds to honor Mr. Floyd .
Nike , which famously took on the racial injustice issue head-on with its ad campaign featuring former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick , revealed a new video ad on Friday that bore the words : `` For once , do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a twist on its `` Do it '' motto , urged viewers not to `` pretend there 's not a problem in America . ''
But some companies that offered up statements of support were called out on their own track records on race .
L'Oreal , one of the world 's biggest cosmetics companies , tweeted Monday : `` Speaking out is worth it , '' and pledged a `` commitment '' to the NAACP .
That drew swift criticism online from those who see the company 's business model and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Likewise , Amazon 's tweet urging the end of `` the inequitable and brutal treatment of black people '' received backlash from followers , who questioned the company 's own commitment during the coronavirus pandemic in which employees have been complaining about unsafe working conditions .
Other companies have kept their messages broad .
For instance , The Walt Disney Co. and its brands , like Marvel , Star Wars , and Pixar , all posted the same statement on Twitter about standing for inclusion and with the black community .
Starbucks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ black men in one of its Philadelphia stores were arrested for not ordering anything , simply said it will stand in solidarity with black partners , customers , and communities : `` We will not be bystanders . ''
Brand experts say corporate America needs to go beyond statements and outline what they plan to do to combat racism .
`` Expressing solidarity with the Black Lives Movement is the right message , but everyone is jumping in on that bandwagon , '' said Allen Adamson , co-founder and managing partner of Metaforce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Just saying you are standing with them is nice but probably is n't going to be meaningful for them or for the brand .
It can be seen as opportunistic . ''
Wendy Liebmann , founder and CEO of WSL Strategic Retail , agrees , saying there is no reason to make a public statement unless the company actually has a concrete plan to help resolve the issue of racism .
She praised Peloton 's Twitter pledge to donate $ 500,000 to the NAACP legal defense fund as an example .
Jeans giant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its statements with money , committing $ 100,000 to its longstanding partner ACLU .
YouTube pledged $ 1 million to support efforts addressing social injustice .
And semiconductor chip manufacturer Intel is pledging $ 1 million to address social justice and racism .
Some of the most moving statements so far have come from corporate executives who are black .
Marvin Ellison , president and CEO of home improvement chain Lowe 's tweeted a statement about growing up in the Jim Crow South and the company 's zero tolerance for racism , discrimination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Financial Officer Mark Mason repeated Mr. Floyd 's words `` I ca n't breathe '' in an emotional corporate blog post .
And Jide Zeitlin , chairman and CEO of Kate Spade , Coach , and Stuart Weitzman parent Tapestry Inc. , who along with Mr. Ellison is one of only a handful of black CEOs of Fortune 500 companies , noted in a heartfelt LinkedIn post to his employees that some of Tapestry 's stores had been damaged during the protests but he said his focus quickly turned to the looters after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What was going through their minds as they acted ?
Has our society truly left them with little to lose and few other ways to force the rest of us to come to the negotiating table ? ''
he wrote .
`` We can replace our windows and handbags , but we can not bring back George Floyd , Ahmaud Arbery , Breonna Taylor , Eric Garner , Trayvon Martin , Emmett Till , and too many others .
Each of these black lives matter . ''
This story was reported by The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

As thousands of protesters take to the streets in response to police killings of black people, companies are wading into the national conversation but taking care to get their messaging right.
Netflix's normally lighthearted Twitter account took on a more somber tone on Saturday: "To be silent is to be complicit. Black lives matter. We have a platform, and we have a duty to our Black members, employees, creators, and talent to speak up." That got retweeted over 216,000 times and "liked" over a million times.
The streaming service is just one of many corporate brands that have turned to social media to voice concerns over racial injustice after the death of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who pleaded for air as a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee against Mr. Floyd's neck for several minutes.
At the same time, companies must consider whether it makes sense for them to weigh in, especially on an issue as sensitive as race.
"It's brand activism," said Alexander Chernev, a professor of marketing at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. "It's not surprising. But companies have to think very carefully before they take a stand on these issues."
There are plenty of examples of brands speaking out forcefully on social media, particularly in industries where cultural awareness is crucial. WarnerMedia, which is owned by AT&T and includes brands like HBO and TBS, changed their handles to #BlackLivesMatter and all posted the same James Baldwin quote: "Neither love nor terror makes one blind: indifference makes one blind."
Twitter changed its iconic profile image to black with the Black Lives Matter hashtag. Media giant ViacomCBS tweeted "Black Lives Matter. Black Culture Matters. Black Communities Matter," and on Monday announced that its cable properties like MTV and Comedy Central will go dark for 8 minutes and 46 seconds to honor Mr. Floyd.
Nike, which famously took on the racial injustice issue head-on with its ad campaign featuring former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, revealed a new video ad on Friday that bore the words: "For once, don't do it." The ad, a twist on its "Do it" motto, urged viewers not to "pretend there's not a problem in America."
But some companies that offered up statements of support were called out on their own track records on race. L'Oreal, one of the world's biggest cosmetics companies, tweeted Monday: "Speaking out is worth it," and pledged a "commitment" to the NAACP. That drew swift criticism online from those who see the company's business model and advertising as focused on white consumers.
Likewise, Amazon's tweet urging the end of "the inequitable and brutal treatment of black people" received backlash from followers, who questioned the company's own commitment during the coronavirus pandemic in which employees have been complaining about unsafe working conditions.
Other companies have kept their messages broad. For instance, The Walt Disney Co. and its brands, like Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar, all posted the same statement on Twitter about standing for inclusion and with the black community. Starbucks, which took heat in 2018 when two black men in one of its Philadelphia stores were arrested for not ordering anything, simply said it will stand in solidarity with black partners, customers, and communities: "We will not be bystanders."
Brand experts say corporate America needs to go beyond statements and outline what they plan to do to combat racism.
"Expressing solidarity with the Black Lives Movement is the right message, but everyone is jumping in on that bandwagon," said Allen Adamson, co-founder and managing partner of Metaforce a marketing and product consultancy. "Just saying you are standing with them is nice but probably isn't going to be meaningful for them or for the brand. It can be seen as opportunistic."
Wendy Liebmann, founder and CEO of WSL Strategic Retail, agrees, saying there is no reason to make a public statement unless the company actually has a concrete plan to help resolve the issue of racism. She praised Peloton's Twitter pledge to donate $500,000 to the NAACP legal defense fund as an example.
Jeans giant Levi Strauss & Co. is also backing its statements with money, committing $100,000 to its longstanding partner ACLU. YouTube pledged $1 million to support efforts addressing social injustice. And semiconductor chip manufacturer Intel is pledging $1 million to address social justice and racism.
Some of the most moving statements so far have come from corporate executives who are black.
Marvin Ellison, president and CEO of home improvement chain Lowe's tweeted a statement about growing up in the Jim Crow South and the company's zero tolerance for racism, discrimination, and hate. Citigroup's Chief Financial Officer Mark Mason repeated Mr. Floyd's words "I can't breathe" in an emotional corporate blog post.
And Jide Zeitlin, chairman and CEO of Kate Spade, Coach, and Stuart Weitzman parent Tapestry Inc., who along with Mr. Ellison is one of only a handful of black CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, noted in a heartfelt LinkedIn post to his employees that some of Tapestry's stores had been damaged during the protests but he said his focus quickly turned to the looters after determining his staff was safe.
"What was going through their minds as they acted? Has our society truly left them with little to lose and few other ways to force the rest of us to come to the negotiating table?" he wrote. "We can replace our windows and handbags, but we cannot bring back George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin, Emmett Till, and too many others. Each of these black lives matter."
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
This story was reported by The Associated Press.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-05-28--New security laws blur line between Hong Kong and mainland China

China officially ratified a plan Thursday to write a national security law for Hong Kong that exerts Beijing 's broader , new control over the semi-autonomous territory in a bid to prevent a return of the months of often-violent protests last year .
The Beijing-backed Hong Kong government sought to assure its citizens that the law would not infringe on their freedoms , while the pro-democracy opposition described the move as the end of the core values that set the former British colony apart from the rest of China .
“ From now on , Hong Kong is nothing but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pro-democracy lawmaker Claudia Mo said .
China 's ceremonial legislature , ending a one-week annual session curtailed because of the coronavirus , approved a decision by the ruling Communist Party to impose national security laws on Hong Kong .
The body 's standing committee , a smaller group with decision-making power , is charged with developing the specific laws against secession , subversion , terrorism , and foreign interference in Hong Kong 's affairs .
No timetable has been announced , but they could be enacted at one of its next meetings in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a definitive end to China ’ s more low-key approach to Hong Kong over the large-scale protests last year , said Cornell University China expert Allen Carlson .
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam , who has come under fire for her handling of the protests , said the decision was welcome because of the difficulty her government faces in passing national security legislation on its own .
The city 's constitution requires it to enact such a law , but successive governments have been unable or unwilling to because of opposition .
Ms. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laws would “ sanction an extremely small minority of criminals who threaten national security ” and “ not affect the legitimate rights and freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong residents.
” Japan joined the United States and other democracies that have criticized the move .
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Japan is deeply concerned about the decision “ amid strong concerns expressed by the international community and the people of Hong Kong.
” Ahead of the decision , U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo notified Congress on Wednesday that the Trump administration no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mainland China , setting the stage for the possible withdrawal of preferential trade and financial treatment that the U.S. gives to the former British colony .
Pro-Beijing lawmakers said Hong Kong would retain its high degree of autonomy under the “ one-country , two systems '' framework that has governed the territory since Britain returned it to China in 1997 .
“ We truly believe that this decision made by the National People ’ s Congress would not harm the rights and freedom that Hong Kong people enjoy , '' pro-Beijing lawmaker Martin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the issue of violence and riot and let citizens return to a peaceful and stable life . ''
As China 's orderly 3,000-member Congress rubber-stamped the move in Beijing , Hong Kong 's legislature was taking on another bill that would criminalize insulting or abusing the Chinese national anthem in a raucous session in which three pro-democracy lawmakers were ejected and proceedings halted for about five hours .
This comes after thousands of protesters shouted pro-democracy slogans and insults at police in across Hong Kong on Wednesday .
In the Central business district @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disperse before they shot pepper balls at the crowd and searched several people .
More than 50 people in the Causeway Bay shopping district were rounded up and made to sit outside a shopping mall , while riot police with pepper spray patrolled and warned journalists to stop filming .
According to Facebook posts by the Hong Kong police force , 360 people were arrested on charges including unauthorized assembly , driving slowly , and possession of items that could be used for unlawful purposes , such as gasoline bombs .
The bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abuse the Chinese national anthem , “ March of the Volunteers ” in semi-autonomous Hong Kong .
Those guilty of the offense would face up to three years in prison and a fine of $ 6,450 .
Opponents of the bill say it is a blow to freedom of expression in the city , while Beijing officials say it will foster a patriotic spirit and socialist values .
“ Western democracies all have laws to protect their national flags , national anthems and emblems .
Any insulting acts toward these symbols would also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tse said in the first day of legislative debate .
Pro-democracy lawmaker Charles Mok disagreed , saying the legislation would not help gain the respect of people and was an excuse to control freedom , speech , and ideas of people .
“ We oppose the second reading of the national anthem bill , not because we don ’ t respect the national anthem .
The national anthem is a symbol of the country 's dignity .
If it wants to be respected , then let this government first respect the rights and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr. Mok said .
The legislature ’ s president , Andrew Leung , suspended Thursday 's meeting shortly after it began and ejected Eddie Chu for holding up a sarcastic sign about a pro-Beijing lawmaker that read “ Best Chairperson , Starry Lee.
” A second pro-democracy lawmaker was thrown out for yelling after the meeting resumed , and then a third after rushing forward with a large plastic bottle in a cloth bag that spilled its brownish contents on the floor in front of the president 's raised dais .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop this national anthem law getting passed by this legislature , which is basically controlled by the Chinese Communist Party , because the law is just another way of putting pressure on Hong Kong people , ” Mr. Chu said outside the chamber .
He said the legislature ’ s president had objected to his placard calling Ms. Lee an “ illegal chairperson ” during Wednesday ’ s first day of debate , so he made a new one that called her the best chairperson instead .
Ms. Lee was recently elected chair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anthem bill to the full legislature for consideration .
Her election , which the pro-democracy opposition contends was illegal , ended a months-long filibuster that had prevented the committee from acting on the bill and other legislation .
After the meeting restarted , pro-democracy lawmaker Ray Chan started yelling , and Mr. Leung ordered him ejected , too .
Then a rushing Ted Hui kicked the cloth bag toward the president 's dais after security officers grabbed him and it fell from his hands .
Members left the chamber , security guards sprayed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the carpet .
Then firefighters in full protective gear entered and appeared to take samples from the floor using swabs .
The meeting did n't resume until 4 p.m. Mr. Hui later described the contents as a rotten plant , and said he wanted Mr. Leung to feel and smell the rotting of “ one country , two systems ” and Hong Kong ’ s civilization .
“ I wanted him to taste it , unfortunately it [ fell ] on the ground because I was hit by security guards , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong applauded Mr. Pompeo 's announcement in a separate news conference .
Sanctions or the freezing of Hong Kong ’ s special economic status would “ let Beijing know it is a must to completely withdraw and stop the implementation of the national security law , ” said Mr. Wong , who rose to prominence as a student leader during pro-democracy demonstrations in 2014 .
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said ahead of Mr. Pompeo 's announcement that China would take necessary steps to fight back against any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s affairs.
” This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Mr. Moritsugu reported from Beijing .
News assistant Nadia Lam in Hong Kong contributed .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

China officially ratified a plan Thursday to write a national security law for Hong Kong that exerts Beijing's broader, new control over the semi-autonomous territory in a bid to prevent a return of the months of often-violent protests last year.
The Beijing-backed Hong Kong government sought to assure its citizens that the law would not infringe on their freedoms, while the pro-democracy opposition described the move as the end of the core values that set the former British colony apart from the rest of China.
“From now on, Hong Kong is nothing but just another mainland Chinese city,” pro-democracy lawmaker Claudia Mo said.
China's ceremonial legislature, ending a one-week annual session curtailed because of the coronavirus, approved a decision by the ruling Communist Party to impose national security laws on Hong Kong.
The body's standing committee, a smaller group with decision-making power, is charged with developing the specific laws against secession, subversion, terrorism, and foreign interference in Hong Kong's affairs. No timetable has been announced, but they could be enacted at one of its next meetings in June and August.
The move marks a definitive end to China’s more low-key approach to Hong Kong over the large-scale protests last year, said Cornell University China expert Allen Carlson.
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam, who has come under fire for her handling of the protests, said the decision was welcome because of the difficulty her government faces in passing national security legislation on its own. The city's constitution requires it to enact such a law, but successive governments have been unable or unwilling to because of opposition.
Ms. Lam said in a statement that new laws would “sanction an extremely small minority of criminals who threaten national security” and “not affect the legitimate rights and freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong residents.”
Japan joined the United States and other democracies that have criticized the move. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Japan is deeply concerned about the decision “amid strong concerns expressed by the international community and the people of Hong Kong.”
Ahead of the decision, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo notified Congress on Wednesday that the Trump administration no longer regards Hong Kong as autonomous from mainland China, setting the stage for the possible withdrawal of preferential trade and financial treatment that the U.S. gives to the former British colony.
Pro-Beijing lawmakers said Hong Kong would retain its high degree of autonomy under the “one-country, two systems" framework that has governed the territory since Britain returned it to China in 1997.
“We truly believe that this decision made by the National People’s Congress would not harm the rights and freedom that Hong Kong people enjoy," pro-Beijing lawmaker Martin Liao said. “It could solve the issue of violence and riot and let citizens return to a peaceful and stable life."
As China's orderly 3,000-member Congress rubber-stamped the move in Beijing, Hong Kong's legislature was taking on another bill that would criminalize insulting or abusing the Chinese national anthem in a raucous session in which three pro-democracy lawmakers were ejected and proceedings halted for about five hours.
This comes after thousands of protesters shouted pro-democracy slogans and insults at police in across Hong Kong on Wednesday.
In the Central business district, police raised flags warning protesters to disperse before they shot pepper balls at the crowd and searched several people. More than 50 people in the Causeway Bay shopping district were rounded up and made to sit outside a shopping mall, while riot police with pepper spray patrolled and warned journalists to stop filming.
According to Facebook posts by the Hong Kong police force, 360 people were arrested on charges including unauthorized assembly, driving slowly, and possession of items that could be used for unlawful purposes, such as gasoline bombs.
The bill would make it illegal to insult or abuse the Chinese national anthem, “March of the Volunteers” in semi-autonomous Hong Kong. Those guilty of the offense would face up to three years in prison and a fine of $6,450.
Opponents of the bill say it is a blow to freedom of expression in the city, while Beijing officials say it will foster a patriotic spirit and socialist values.
“Western democracies all have laws to protect their national flags, national anthems and emblems. Any insulting acts toward these symbols would also be criminal,” pro-Beijing lawmaker Tony Tse said in the first day of legislative debate.
Pro-democracy lawmaker Charles Mok disagreed, saying the legislation would not help gain the respect of people and was an excuse to control freedom, speech, and ideas of people.
“We oppose the second reading of the national anthem bill, not because we don’t respect the national anthem. The national anthem is a symbol of the country's dignity. If it wants to be respected, then let this government first respect the rights and freedoms of its people first," Mr. Mok said.
The legislature’s president, Andrew Leung, suspended Thursday's meeting shortly after it began and ejected Eddie Chu for holding up a sarcastic sign about a pro-Beijing lawmaker that read “Best Chairperson, Starry Lee.”
A second pro-democracy lawmaker was thrown out for yelling after the meeting resumed, and then a third after rushing forward with a large plastic bottle in a cloth bag that spilled its brownish contents on the floor in front of the president's raised dais.
“We have wanted to use any method to stop this national anthem law getting passed by this legislature, which is basically controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, because the law is just another way of putting pressure on Hong Kong people,” Mr. Chu said outside the chamber.
He said the legislature’s president had objected to his placard calling Ms. Lee an “illegal chairperson” during Wednesday’s first day of debate, so he made a new one that called her the best chairperson instead.
Ms. Lee was recently elected chair of a key committee that sent the anthem bill to the full legislature for consideration. Her election, which the pro-democracy opposition contends was illegal, ended a months-long filibuster that had prevented the committee from acting on the bill and other legislation.
After the meeting restarted, pro-democracy lawmaker Ray Chan started yelling, and Mr. Leung ordered him ejected, too. Then a rushing Ted Hui kicked the cloth bag toward the president's dais after security officers grabbed him and it fell from his hands.
Members left the chamber, security guards sprayed disinfectant and cleaning workers arrived to wipe the carpet. Then firefighters in full protective gear entered and appeared to take samples from the floor using swabs. The meeting didn't resume until 4 p.m.
Mr. Hui later described the contents as a rotten plant, and said he wanted Mr. Leung to feel and smell the rotting of “one country, two systems” and Hong Kong’s civilization. “I wanted him to taste it, unfortunately it [fell] on the ground because I was hit by security guards,” he said.
As the action unfolded, Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong applauded Mr. Pompeo's announcement in a separate news conference.
Sanctions or the freezing of Hong Kong’s special economic status would “let Beijing know it is a must to completely withdraw and stop the implementation of the national security law,” said Mr. Wong, who rose to prominence as a student leader during pro-democracy demonstrations in 2014.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said ahead of Mr. Pompeo's announcement that China would take necessary steps to fight back against any “erroneous foreign interference in Hong Kong’s affairs.”
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
This story was reported by The Associated Press. Mr. Moritsugu reported from Beijing. News assistant Nadia Lam in Hong Kong contributed.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.