foreignpolicy--2020-08-26--Transgender and Trapped in Sex-Based Social Distancing

The day Yineth Layevska was finally able to change the name on her identity card , she felt reborn .
When the 38-year-old indigenous transgender woman went out with her friends on the weekends in Panama City , dressed up in high heels , she looked forward to being asked by the security guard at the nightclub door to pull out her national ID card , with her new female name freshly printed on it .
“ I felt more free , ” Layevska said .
But all of that changed with the pandemic .
“ Now , ” the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m afraid to go out.
” In mid-March , when the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases started to rise in Panama , a global hub for transportation , maritime trade , and banking , the country put in place a social distancing measure that no other country has tried : segregating citizens based on sex .
Since then , women have been permitted to go out on Mondays , Wednesdays , and Fridays to perform essential activities , like going to the grocery store , pharmacy , or bank .
Men can do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturdays .
On their assigned days , people can only go out during designated two-hour periods based on whether the last digits of their national ID cards are odd or even .
No one is permitted to go out on Sundays , and a special permit is needed to go out on undesignated days or hours , such as for a medical emergency .
The government envisioned the measure as “ the easiest mechanism ” to enforce social distancing because law enforcement could ostensibly identify men and women based on their physical appearance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what the policy would mean for transgender people , putting the country ’ s transgender residents — numbering at least 1,200 according to transgender organizations like Panamanian Association of Trans People and Trans Men Panama , who stress the number is likely much higher — the vast majority of them transgender women , in a dangerous limbo .
But it offered no guidance about what the policy would mean for transgender people , who number at least 1,200 in Panama , according to transgender organizations like Panamanian Association of Trans People and Trans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number is likely significantly higher .
The vast majority of Panama ’ s transgender residents are women .
The Americas are the most dangerous continents for transgender people , accounting for 86 percent of the world ’ s murders of transgender and gender-diverse people between 2008 and 2019 , led by Brazil , Mexico , and the United States , as documented by the Trans Murder Monitoring project .
In Latin America , Panama is among the least progressive on transgender rights .
Transgender people can ’ t donate blood or legally change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and same-sex marriage is illegal .
The sex-based measures have sparked broad criticism among LGBTQ , human rights , and women ’ s organizations inside Panama and abroad , which saw the rule as discriminatory and further demeaning an already marginalized social group .
Penalties for violating Panama ’ s sex-based restrictions , which remain in effect , are high .
The police have reportedly detained transgender people for hours , forcing them to pay fines of $ 50 or more .
( The average salary in the country is $ 789 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have subjected transgender people to violence and threats .
Between April 1 and July 17 , two Panamanian transgender organizations identified at least 28 complaints of discrimination against transgender people , nearly two-thirds of whom were transgender women .
No matter what day she goes out , Layevska says she is terrified .
If she leaves her house on a day assigned to women—along with thousands of other women with whom she identifies—security guards at the supermarket or bank often don ’ t let her in .
Though her ID card shows her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an “ M ” for male .
She is not a woman , the security guards tell her , with a clear order : Come back on a day assigned for men .
“ That makes me feel so helpless , so angry , ” Layevska said .
Her elderly parents are at higher risk for COVID-19 , so she does the shopping for the family .
“ I ’ m not going out for fun , ” she said .
“ It ’ s about buying essentials.
” If she goes out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Layevska , with her cascade of black hair and skinny jeans , says she faces constant harassment .
Men mock her and catcall .
Guards block her from entering stores .
By the end of May , the country had just over 11,000 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus .
Then , beginning June 1 , the government started loosening restrictions , including the sex-based social distancing measure , to enable some business sectors to resume trade operations and to jump-start economic activity .
( Roughly half of all goods transported by sea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the United States pass through the Panama Canal , which remained open during the shutdown but at reduced capacity . )
By June 9 , confirmed cases had surged to more than 17,000 .
The country went back into lockdown and reimposed its sex-based social distancing policy , among other measures , to prevent transmission , but it was too late .
The brief reopening allowed the virus to spread , especially in poor , crowded urban areas , and adherence to the social distancing rules has lagged ever since .
Panama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alongside Brazil , Peru , and Bahrain .
According to the Panamanian epidemiologist Arturo Rebollón , the sex-based restrictions helped curb the spread of COVID-19 early on because they were a relatively straightforward way of enforcing social distancing , but there was no scientific reason to use biological sex as the basis for it .
Other visual cues , he added , such as a certain colored sticker on people ’ s cars or colored clothing , could have worked just as well while also mitigating the harm to the country ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about gender , it ’ s a gray area , ” he said .
Peru and Colombia only use odd or even ID card digits to restrict people ’ s movements .
The two South American countries briefly tried sex-based social distancing , but they rolled the policies back after public backlash to police harassment and overcrowding in supermarkets on days assigned to women .
Venus Tejada , the director of the Panamanian Association of Trans People and a transgender woman herself , doesn ’ t oppose the sex-based social distancing measures implemented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But she believes the government should state unequivocally that transgender people are allowed to go out on days that correspond to their gender identity .
Her phone rings at all hours with queries from transgender women who say they don ’ t have any food left or that they have been evicted , problems that the social distancing policy has only exacerbated because transgender people don ’ t feel safe going out or seeking help .
Some transgender people , she said , haven ’ t left their homes for weeks or have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because they can ’ t access essential medication .
( 15 percent of transgender women in Panama live with HIV . )
“ Now with the pandemic , we don ’ t exist , ” Tejada said on a video call from her mother ’ s home .
COVID-19 lockdowns forced Tejada to close her beauty salon—her main source of income—and move back with her mother because she couldn ’ t afford to live on her own .
At first , Tejada thought the controversial measure could open up an opportunity to broaden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Many people in Panama and elsewhere aren ’ t aware of the difference between sex , the biological attributes that distinguish men from women , and gender , socially constructed roles and expectations of men and women that influence an individual ’ s concept of themselves .
The Panamanian Association of Trans People reached out to the government and to private security companies to offer training on issues related to transgender rights .
So far , they have been able to train security guards in several supermarket chains across the country .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the organization .
“ They don ’ t know how to deal with us , ” Tejada said .
It took over three months for the government to publicly acknowledge the impact of the social distancing policy on transgender people .
On July 16 , the Ministry of Health finally issued a statement rejecting all types of “ xenophobia , homophobia , transphobia , or discrimination.
” Even still , people must only go out on days corresponding to their biological sex .
After months of public pressure and activism , Tejada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government response .
In the last two weeks , transgender organizations have noticed an increase in abuse complaints .
And as the coronavirus crisis continues and economic insecurity surges , transgender women are growing more desperate .
Many are turning back to the streets and selling sex to get by , Tejada said , estimating that some 90 percent of transgender women in Panama rely on sex work .
Transgender leaders say these women are more exposed to police abuse and arrests , which they link to the uptick in complaints .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ramping up its response , providing transgender women with condoms , lubricant , HIV tests , face masks , gloves , and hand sanitizer .
Despite the uptick in reported abuse complaints and the devastating toll of the COVID-19 pandemic , Layevska says that there has been a silver lining .
“ It has made us more visible as a collective , ” she said .

The day Yineth Layevska was finally able to change the name on her identity card, she felt reborn. When the 38-year-old indigenous transgender woman went out with her friends on the weekends in Panama City, dressed up in high heels, she looked forward to being asked by the security guard at the nightclub door to pull out her national ID card, with her new female name freshly printed on it. “I felt more free,” Layevska said.
The day Yineth Layevska was finally able to change the name on her identity card, she felt reborn. When the 38-year-old indigenous transgender woman went out with her friends on the weekends in Panama City, dressed up in high heels, she looked forward to being asked by the security guard at the nightclub door to pull out her national ID card, with her new female name freshly printed on it. “I felt more free,” Layevska said.
But all of that changed with the pandemic. “Now,” the transgender activist said, “I’m afraid to go out.”
In mid-March, when the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases started to rise in Panama, a global hub for transportation, maritime trade, and banking, the country put in place a social distancing measure that no other country had tried before: segregating citizens based on sex.
Since then, women have been permitted to go out on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays to perform essential activities, like going to the grocery store, pharmacy, or bank. Men can do so on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. On their assigned days, people can only go out during designated two-hour periods based on whether the last digits of their national ID cards are odd or even. No one is permitted to go out on Sundays, and a special permit is needed to go out on undesignated days or hours, such as for a medical emergency.
The government envisioned the measure as “the easiest mechanism” to enforce social distancing because law enforcement could ostensibly identify men and women based on their physical appearance. But it offered no guidance about what the policy would mean for transgender people, who number at least 1,200 in Panama, according to transgender organizations like Panamanian Association of Trans People and Trans Men Panama, which stress that the number is likely significantly higher. The vast majority of Panama’s transgender residents are women.
The Americas are the most dangerous continents for transgender people, accounting for 86 percent of the world’s murders of transgender and gender-diverse people between 2008 and 2019, led by Brazil, Mexico, and the United States, as documented by the Trans Murder Monitoring project. In Latin America, Panama is among the least progressive on transgender rights. Transgender people can’t donate blood or legally change their sex without undergoing sex reassignment surgery, and same-sex marriage is illegal.
The sex-based measures have sparked broad criticism among LGBTQ, human rights, and women’s organizations inside Panama and abroad, which saw the rule as discriminatory and further demeaning an already marginalized social group. Penalties for violating Panama’s sex-based restrictions, which remain in effect, are high. The police have reportedly detained transgender people for hours, forcing them to pay fines of $50 or more. (The average salary in the country is $789.) Police agents and security guards have subjected transgender people to violence and threats. Between April 1 and July 17, two Panamanian transgender organizations identified at least 28 complaints of discrimination against transgender people, nearly two-thirds of whom were transgender women.
No matter what day she goes out, Layevska says she is terrified. If she leaves her house on a day assigned to women—along with thousands of other women with whom she identifies—security guards at the supermarket or bank often don’t let her in. Though her ID card shows her new female name, it still displays an “M” for male. She is not a woman, the security guards tell her, with a clear order: Come back on a day assigned for men. “That makes me feel so helpless, so angry,” Layevska said. Her elderly parents are at higher risk for COVID-19, so she does the shopping for the family. “I’m not going out for fun,” she said. “It’s about buying essentials.”
If she goes out on a day assigned to men, Layevska, with her cascade of black hair and skinny jeans, says she faces constant harassment. Men mock her and catcall. Guards block her from entering stores.
By the end of May, the country had just over 11,000 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus . Then, beginning June 1, the government started loosening restrictions, including the sex-based social distancing measure, to enable some business sectors to resume trade operations and to jump-start economic activity. (Roughly half of all goods transported by sea between Northeast Asia and the East Coast of the United States pass through the Panama Canal, which remained open during the shutdown but at reduced capacity.)
By June 9, confirmed cases had surged to more than 17,000. The country went back into lockdown and reimposed its sex-based social distancing policy, among other measures, to prevent transmission, but it was too late. The brief reopening allowed the virus to spread, especially in poor, crowded urban areas, and adherence to the social distancing rules has lagged ever since. Panama is now one of the world’s worst coronavirus hot spots based on weekly cases per capita , alongside Brazil, Peru, and Bahrain.
According to the Panamanian epidemiologist Arturo Rebollón, the sex-based restrictions helped curb the spread of COVID-19 early on because they were a relatively straightforward way of enforcing social distancing, but there was no scientific reason to use biological sex as the basis for it. Other visual cues, he added, such as a certain colored sticker on people’s cars or colored clothing, could have worked just as well while also mitigating the harm to the country’s transgender residents.
“When you talk about gender, it’s a gray area,” he said. Peru and Colombia only use odd or even ID card digits to restrict people’s movements. The two South American countries briefly tried sex-based social distancing, but they rolled the policies back after public backlash to police harassment and overcrowding in supermarkets on days assigned to women.
Venus Tejada, the director of the Panamanian Association of Trans People and a transgender woman herself, doesn’t oppose the sex-based social distancing measures implemented to curb the spread of COVID-19. But she believes the government should state unequivocally that transgender people are allowed to go out on days that correspond to their gender identity. Her phone rings at all hours with queries from transgender women who say they don’t have any food left or that they have been evicted, problems that the social distancing policy has only exacerbated because transgender people don’t feel safe going out or seeking help. Some transgender people, she said, haven’t left their homes for weeks or have had to interrupt hormone or antiretroviral treatments because they can’t access essential medication. (15 percent of transgender women in Panama live with HIV.)
“Now with the pandemic, we don’t exist,” Tejada said on a video call from her mother’s home. COVID-19 lockdowns forced Tejada to close her beauty salon—her main source of income—and move back with her mother because she couldn’t afford to live on her own.
At first, Tejada thought the controversial measure could open up an opportunity to broaden people’s understanding of gender. Many people in Panama and elsewhere aren’t aware of the difference between sex, the biological attributes that distinguish men from women, and gender, socially constructed roles and expectations of men and women that influence an individual’s concept of themselves. The Panamanian Association of Trans People reached out to the government and to private security companies to offer training on issues related to transgender rights. So far, they have been able to train security guards in several supermarket chains across the country. But the police have been unresponsive, according to the organization. “They don’t know how to deal with us,” Tejada said.
It took over three months for the government to publicly acknowledge the impact of the social distancing policy on transgender people. On July 16, the Ministry of Health finally issued a statement rejecting all types of “xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia, or discrimination.” Even still, people must only go out on days corresponding to their biological sex. After months of public pressure and activism, Tejada says she is “embarrassed” by the government response.
In the last two weeks, transgender organizations have noticed an increase in abuse complaints. And as the coronavirus crisis continues and economic insecurity surges, transgender women are growing more desperate. Many are turning back to the streets and selling sex to get by, Tejada said, estimating that some 90 percent of transgender women in Panama rely on sex work. Transgender leaders say these women are more exposed to police abuse and arrests, which they link to the uptick in complaints. The Panamanian Association of Trans People is ramping up its response, providing transgender women with condoms, lubricant, HIV tests, face masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer.
Despite the uptick in reported abuse complaints and the devastating toll of the COVID-19 pandemic, Layevska says that there has been a silver lining. “It has made us more visible as a collective,” she said.


foreignpolicy--2020-08-26--A Wave of Violence Hits Afghanistan as Hopes for Talks Fade

A Wave of Violence Hits Afghanistan as Hopes for Talks Fade Here is today ’ s Foreign Policy brief : Violence rips across Afghanistan as peace process stalls , Mike Pompeo headlines the second night of the RNC , and two more opposition leaders were arrested in Belarus .
If you would like to receive Morning Brief in your inbox every weekday , please sign up here .
A series of attacks across Afghanistan over the previous few days has left 12 dead and many more wounded , straining an already fragile peace process .
Tuesday ’ s attacks included @ @ @ @ @ @ @ province which was claimed by the Taliban , as well as an attack on a military checkpoint in the Ghor province that is believed to be the work of the Taliban , though the group hasn ’ t claimed responsibility .
Looking for a way out .
Tuesday ’ s attacks raise serious doubts over whether intra-Afghan talks can begin soon .
Talks were supposed to start earlier this month after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani announced his intention to release the final 400 Taliban prisoners needed to meet a major condition of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stalled again after Ghani changed course and decided to withhold the release of 320 prisoners .
Pakistan steps in .
A Taliban delegation met with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Tuesday , who urged the group to seriously explore how to overcome the current impasse and kickstart talks with the Afghan government .
“ Pakistan is eager to see an intra-Afghan dialogue start soon to ensure regional peace and stability , ” Qureshi said in a statement after the meeting .
It was not clear whether Qureshi had pressured the Taliban @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but Pakistan has long been advocating a reduction in violence to open the way for talks .
The meeting was also attended by Lt. Gen. Faiz Hameed , chief of Pakistan ’ s Inter-Services Intelligence ( ISI ) spy agency .
The ISI has historically had strong links to the Taliban , and is believed to maintain some influence over the group .
Prepping for negotiations .
Despite the recent setbacks , the Taliban still seems serious about exploring an end to the conflict .
It was also announced on Tuesday that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20-person negotiating team for the upcoming talks , a sign that the group is still prepared to negotiate with the government .
“ We will be ready for negotiations in the near future , ” lead Taliban negotiator Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai told AP .
Pompeo speaks at the RNC .
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo delivered a speech to the Republican National Convention on Tuesday in support of President Donald Trump ’ s candidacy , a highly unusual move for an office that has traditionally stayed out of domestic politics .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ at party conventions in the past , but it hasn ’ t happened since at least the end of World War II .
Typically , they will book meetings or visits to coincide with the national convention to give them a convenient excuse to avoid the event .
Pompeo ’ s speech represents a clean break from past tradition , and is another sign of the gradual politicization of government institutions under Trump ’ s presidency .
Speaking from Israel , Pompeo praised Trump ’ s diplomatic achievements , including the recent peace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Emirates .
Indian lawyer in court over critical tweets .
Prashant Bhushan , a prominent public interest lawyer from India , was due to be sentenced yesterday over two tweets he posted criticizing the government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi .
In one tweet , Bhushan accused Chief Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde of hypocrisy after he posed with a motorcycle without a mask , despite having put the Supreme Court in lockdown due to coronavirus concerns .
In the other post , he said the Supreme Court ’ s recent activity showed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ India ” under Modi .
The Supreme Court has called the tweets a “ calculated attack on the very foundation of the institution of the judiciary , ” but the case is emblematic of the authoritarian slide India has taken since Modi first assumed power in 2014 .
Foreign Policy collected a series of cases similar to Bhushan ’ s from around the world to demonstrate the global trend of hostility toward online activists .
Bhushan ’ s case has been adjourned until Sep. 10 .
Pompeo pushes Sudan on normalization .
Before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pompeo met with Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok to discuss removing Sudan from the U.S. state sponsor of terrorism list , which would open the way to easing sanctions on the country .
Pompeo also urged Hamdok to normalize his country ’ s relations with Israel .
Shortly after the recent UAE-Israel peace deal was announced , Sudan was rumored to be one of the countries likely to normalize relations with Israel in the near future , though its foreign ministry has forcefully rejected those rumors .
Experts say Navalny likely poisoned .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russian President Vladimir Putin was involved in the suspected poisoning of prominent opposition leader Alexei Navalny .
Navalny fell ill on a flight to Moscow last week after drinking tea at an airport in the city of Tomsk , before slipping into a coma at a local hospital in nearby Omsk after his plane made an emergency landing .
On Monday , German doctors who are treating Navalny said they strongly suspected he had been poisoned by a nerve agent , consistent with past cases of poisoning that have been blamed on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Russia to open an investigation into the incident , but Kremlin authorities have refused , claiming there is insufficient evidence to suggest that Navalny was poisoned .
Opposition leaders arrested in Belarus .
The crackdown in Belarus continued on Tuesday after authorities arrested two leading figures of the country ’ s massive protest movement against longtime President Aleksandr Lukashenko .
Olga Kovalkova and Sergei Dylevsky were part of the National Coordination Council , the body established by exiled opposition leader and presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya to spearhead a transition from Lukashenko ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an investigation into the council shortly after it was formed last week , and Lukashenko has accused it of trying to illegally “ seize power.
” Mladic back in court .
On Tuesday , former Bosnian Serb military commander Ratko Mladic returned to the Hague to appeal a conviction he received in 2017 for genocide and crimes against humanity during the 1990s Yugoslav Wars .
Mladic received a life sentence in 2017 after a court ruled he was ultimately responsible for the Srebrenica massacre and the siege of Sarajevo , among other crimes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several thousand people , mostly Muslims .
Mladic was one of the leading commanders of the Bosnian Serb forces at the time of those atrocities .
Mladic is asking for acquittal or a retrial on nine grounds of appeal , and he is due to address the court today .
A date for the ruling has not been determined , but will likely happen sometime in 2021 .
Creeping propaganda .
Chinese Communist Party propaganda seems to have found its way into some Australian schools .
Textbooks used in at least 11 schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ map depicting China ’ s vast , controversial maritime claims across the South China Sea .
China ’ s claims are highly contested by most countries in the Asia-Pacific region , including Australia , and are the source of much friction .
The textbook doesn ’ t appear to have mentioned the controversy , simply labeling the image a “ map of China.
” The publisher , Cengage Learning Asia , has since recalled the 750 textbooks it sold , but explained that the offense the image caused was unintentional ; it included @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese language , culture , and society .
For more from FP , visit foreignpolicy.com , subscribe here , or sign up for our other newsletters .
Send your tips , comments , questions , or corrections to morningbrief @ foreignpolicy.com .

Here is today’s Foreign Policy brief: Violence rips across Afghanistan as peace process stalls, Mike Pompeo headlines the second night of the RNC, and two more opposition leaders were arrested in Belarus .
Here is today’s Foreign Policy brief: Violence rips across Afghanistan as peace process stalls, Mike Pompeo headlines the second night of the RNC, and two more opposition leaders were arrested in Belarus.
If you would like to receive Morning Brief in your inbox every weekday, please sign up here.
Pressure Is Mounting for Progress in Afghanistan
A series of attacks across Afghanistan over the previous few days has left 12 dead and many more wounded, straining an already fragile peace process. Tuesday’s attacks included a truck bomb in the northern Balkh province which was claimed by the Taliban, as well as an attack on a military checkpoint in the Ghor province that is believed to be the work of the Taliban, though the group hasn’t claimed responsibility.
Looking for a way out. Tuesday’s attacks raise serious doubts over whether intra-Afghan talks can begin soon. Talks were supposed to start earlier this month after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani announced his intention to release the final 400 Taliban prisoners needed to meet a major condition of the February U.S.-Taliban peace agreement. But progress stalled again after Ghani changed course and decided to withhold the release of 320 prisoners.
Pakistan steps in. A Taliban delegation met with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Tuesday, who urged the group to seriously explore how to overcome the current impasse and kickstart talks with the Afghan government. “Pakistan is eager to see an intra-Afghan dialogue start soon to ensure regional peace and stability,” Qureshi said in a statement after the meeting.
It was not clear whether Qureshi had pressured the Taliban to reduce the current wave of violence, but Pakistan has long been advocating a reduction in violence to open the way for talks. The meeting was also attended by Lt. Gen. Faiz Hameed, chief of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) spy agency. The ISI has historically had strong links to the Taliban, and is believed to maintain some influence over the group.
Prepping for negotiations. Despite the recent setbacks, the Taliban still seems serious about exploring an end to the conflict. It was also announced on Tuesday that Taliban chief Mullah Akhunzada has finalized a 20-person negotiating team for the upcoming talks, a sign that the group is still prepared to negotiate with the government. “We will be ready for negotiations in the near future,” lead Taliban negotiator Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai told AP.
What We’re Following Today
Pompeo speaks at the RNC. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo delivered a speech to the Republican National Convention on Tuesday in support of President Donald Trump’s candidacy, a highly unusual move for an office that has traditionally stayed out of domestic politics. Secretaries of State have promoted their bosses at party conventions in the past, but it hasn’t happened since at least the end of World War II. Typically, they will book meetings or visits to coincide with the national convention to give them a convenient excuse to avoid the event.
Pompeo’s speech represents a clean break from past tradition, and is another sign of the gradual politicization of government institutions under Trump’s presidency. Speaking from Israel, Pompeo praised Trump’s diplomatic achievements, including the recent peace deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.
Indian lawyer in court over critical tweets. Prashant Bhushan, a prominent public interest lawyer from India, was due to be sentenced yesterday over two tweets he posted criticizing the government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In one tweet, Bhushan accused Chief Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde of hypocrisy after he posed with a motorcycle without a mask, despite having put the Supreme Court in lockdown due to coronavirus concerns. In the other post, he said the Supreme Court’s recent activity showed “how democracy has been destroyed in India” under Modi.
The Supreme Court has called the tweets a “calculated attack on the very foundation of the institution of the judiciary,” but the case is emblematic of the authoritarian slide India has taken since Modi first assumed power in 2014. Foreign Policy collected a series of cases similar to Bhushan’s from around the world to demonstrate the global trend of hostility toward online activists. Bhushan’s case has been adjourned until Sep. 10.
Pompeo pushes Sudan on normalization. Before giving his speech to the RNC, Pompeo met with Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok to discuss removing Sudan from the U.S. state sponsor of terrorism list, which would open the way to easing sanctions on the country. Pompeo also urged Hamdok to normalize his country’s relations with Israel. Shortly after the recent UAE-Israel peace deal was announced, Sudan was rumored to be one of the countries likely to normalize relations with Israel in the near future, though its foreign ministry has forcefully rejected those rumors.
Keep an Eye On
Experts say Navalny likely poisoned. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied accusations that Russian President Vladimir Putin was involved in the suspected poisoning of prominent opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Navalny fell ill on a flight to Moscow last week after drinking tea at an airport in the city of Tomsk, before slipping into a coma at a local hospital in nearby Omsk after his plane made an emergency landing. On Monday, German doctors who are treating Navalny said they strongly suspected he had been poisoned by a nerve agent, consistent with past cases of poisoning that have been blamed on the Kremlin.
Several national governments have called on Russia to open an investigation into the incident, but Kremlin authorities have refused, claiming there is insufficient evidence to suggest that Navalny was poisoned.
Opposition leaders arrested in Belarus. The crackdown in Belarus continued on Tuesday after authorities arrested two leading figures of the country’s massive protest movement against longtime President Aleksandr Lukashenko. Olga Kovalkova and Sergei Dylevsky were part of the National Coordination Council, the body established by exiled opposition leader and presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya to spearhead a transition from Lukashenko’s unpopular presidency.
Authorities immediately opened an investigation into the council shortly after it was formed last week, and Lukashenko has accused it of trying to illegally “seize power.”
Mladic back in court. On Tuesday, former Bosnian Serb military commander Ratko Mladic returned to the Hague to appeal a conviction he received in 2017 for genocide and crimes against humanity during the 1990s Yugoslav Wars. Mladic received a life sentence in 2017 after a court ruled he was ultimately responsible for the Srebrenica massacre and the siege of Sarajevo, among other crimes, which resulted in the deaths of several thousand people, mostly Muslims. Mladic was one of the leading commanders of the Bosnian Serb forces at the time of those atrocities.
Mladic is asking for acquittal or a retrial on nine grounds of appeal, and he is due to address the court today. A date for the ruling has not been determined, but will likely happen sometime in 2021.
Odds and Ends
Creeping propaganda. Chinese Communist Party propaganda seems to have found its way into some Australian schools. Textbooks used in at least 11 schools in the state of Victoria include a map depicting China’s vast, controversial maritime claims across the South China Sea. China’s claims are highly contested by most countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including Australia, and are the source of much friction. The textbook doesn’t appear to have mentioned the controversy, simply labeling the image a “map of China.”
The publisher, Cengage Learning Asia, has since recalled the 750 textbooks it sold, but explained that the offense the image caused was unintentional; it included the map to suit a course on Chinese language, culture, and society.
That’s it for today.
For more from FP, visit foreignpolicy.com, subscribe here, or sign up for our other newsletters. Send your tips, comments, questions, or corrections to morningbrief@foreignpolicy.com.


foreignpolicy--2020-08-25--Cracking Down on Activists for Their Tweets Isn’t New

Cracking Down on Activists for Their Tweets Isn ’ t New A prominent critic of the Indian government was in court Tuesday after being arrested for posting two tweets that the country ’ s Supreme Court has called a “ calculated attack on the very foundation of the institution of the judiciary.
” The tweets belonged to Prashant Bhushan , a public interest lawyer and activist who has built a career on challenging recent Indian governments and who has emerged as one of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ’ s fiercest critics .
The tweets in question took aim at India @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claims has been turned into a political tool for Modi ’ s government .
Last year , the court settled a decades-old dispute when it allowed Hindus to build a temple at the site of a mosque demolished by a Hindu mob in 1992 , fulfilling one of Modi ’ s key campaign promises .
In one tweet , Bhushan fired straight at the court , claiming that its recent activity showed “ how democracy has been destroyed in India.
” In the other tweet , Bhushan accused Chief Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the judge posing on an expensive motorcycle without a mask and surrounded by people , despite having placed the Supreme Court on lockdown due to coronavirus concerns .
The motorcycle ’ s owner was the son of a local politician belonging to Modi ’ s party .
Bhushan was initially given the opportunity to apologize for his tweets , but he refused to do so .
The Supreme Court has adjourned Bhushan ’ s hearing until Sep. 10 .
Regardless of the outcome of his sentencing hearing , which is ongoing , Bhushan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the issues he has been highlighting : that the Supreme Court is perceived to be siding with the government .
But India is not unique in this regard .
All around the world , proponents of liberal democracy and free speech have found themselves on the defensive—often for posting critical material on social media .
Foreign Policy collected four other prominent cases from the past few years in which activists were targeted , arrested , and in some cases imprisoned for posts their governments considered seditious .
In April 2015 , one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was arrested for posting tweets publicizing alleged cases of torture by authorities .
Nabeel Rajab tweeted images of a recently released prisoner showing scars and wounds that he claimed were evidence of torture .
“ I visited a young man who was just released from prison , ” he wrote .
“ [ T ] he pictures will tell you how they were treated.
” Shortly before his arrest , he tweeted an opinion piece he wrote for the Huffington Post in which he described the brutal tactics used by authorities in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down on a prisonwide protest .
It was the third time Rajab had been arrested for his social media activity .
He was jailed in 2012 after making a post critical of longtime Prime Minister Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and again in 2014 for posting about a former member of the security forces who had joined the Islamic State .
Rajab was sentenced to five years in prison in February 2018 for his latest tweets but was conditionally released this June .
In November 2017 , an American journalist was arrested in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government after allegedly posting tweets about then-President Robert Mugabe .
Martha O ’ Donovan was accused of calling Mugabe a “ selfish & sick man ” from an anonymous Twitter account , as well as posting an image showing the 93-year-old with a catheter .
Prosecutors said she had “ systematically sought to incite political unrest through the expansion , development and use of a sophisticated network of social media platforms as well as running some Twitter accounts.
” Although a Zimbabwean court dismissed O ’ Donovan ’ s case in January @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the country ’ s human rights record hasn ’ t improved .
Mugabe ’ s successor , Emmerson Mnangagwa , has cracked down on thousands of opposition leaders , activists , and journalists in recent months and has refused to let up despite international pressure .
In March , a local district court lawyer in India was arrested on charges of sedition related to tweets he had posted criticizing Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath .
Abdul Hannan was responding to a video showing a speech by Adityanath in which the chief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act and National Register of Citizens , both of which critics charge disproportionately target Muslims .
In the tweet , Hannan called Adityanath a “ terrorist ” and offered free legal services to protesters and urged “ constitution lovers ” to share the tweet .
Hannan ’ s current status is unclear .
Two writers and a lawyer were arrested by Saudi authorities in April after posting tweets praising the activist Abdullah al-Hamid , who died in prison while serving a sentence for his own criticism of the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Sultan al-Ajami , offered his “ condolences to his family , ourselves , the homeland , and humanity for the loss of a great thinker , revolutionary and reformer.
” The tweets have since been removed .
Hamid was a prominent rights activist in Saudi Arabia who was sentenced to 11 years in prison in March 2013 .
He co-founded the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association , a nongovernmental organization that aims to promote human rights in the country and push for democratic reform of its political institutions .
Hamid reportedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coma on April 9 .
Prison authorities denied him medical treatment , and he died on April 24 .

A prominent critic of the Indian government was in court Tuesday after being arrested for posting two tweets that the country’s Supreme Court has called a “calculated attack on the very foundation of the institution of the judiciary.” The tweets belonged to Prashant Bhushan, a public interest lawyer and activist who has built a career on challenging recent Indian governments and who has emerged as one of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s fiercest critics.
A prominent critic of the Indian government was in court Tuesday after being arrested for posting two tweets that the country’s Supreme Court has called a “calculated attack on the very foundation of the institution of the judiciary.” The tweets belonged to Prashant Bhushan, a public interest lawyer and activist who has built a career on challenging recent Indian governments and who has emerged as one of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s fiercest critics.
The tweets in question took aim at India’s Supreme Court, which Bhushan claims has been turned into a political tool for Modi’s government. Last year, the court settled a decades-old dispute when it allowed Hindus to build a temple at the site of a mosque demolished by a Hindu mob in 1992, fulfilling one of Modi’s key campaign promises. In one tweet, Bhushan fired straight at the court, claiming that its recent activity showed “how democracy has been destroyed in India.”
In the other tweet, Bhushan accused Chief Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde of hypocrisy after an image emerged showing the judge posing on an expensive motorcycle without a mask and surrounded by people, despite having placed the Supreme Court on lockdown due to coronavirus concerns. The motorcycle’s owner was the son of a local politician belonging to Modi’s party.
Bhushan was initially given the opportunity to apologize for his tweets, but he refused to do so. The Supreme Court has adjourned Bhushan’s hearing until Sep. 10. Regardless of the outcome of his sentencing hearing, which is ongoing, Bhushan’s case is emblematic of precisely the issues he has been highlighting: that the Supreme Court is perceived to be siding with the government.
But India is not unique in this regard. All around the world, proponents of liberal democracy and free speech have found themselves on the defensive—often for posting critical material on social media. Foreign Policy collected four other prominent cases from the past few years in which activists were targeted, arrested, and in some cases imprisoned for posts their governments considered seditious.
1. Bahrain, April 2015
In April 2015, one of Bahrain’s most prominent rights activists was arrested for posting tweets publicizing alleged cases of torture by authorities. Nabeel Rajab tweeted images of a recently released prisoner showing scars and wounds that he claimed were evidence of torture. “I visited a young man who was just released from prison,” he wrote. “[T]he pictures will tell you how they were treated.” Shortly before his arrest, he tweeted an opinion piece he wrote for the Huffington Post in which he described the brutal tactics used by authorities in the country’s Jaw Prison to crack down on a prisonwide protest.
It was the third time Rajab had been arrested for his social media activity. He was jailed in 2012 after making a post critical of longtime Prime Minister Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and again in 2014 for posting about a former member of the security forces who had joined the Islamic State. Rajab was sentenced to five years in prison in February 2018 for his latest tweets but was conditionally released this June.
2. Zimbabwe, November 2017
In November 2017, an American journalist was arrested in Zimbabwe and charged with attempting to overthrow the government after allegedly posting tweets about then-President Robert Mugabe. Martha O’Donovan was accused of calling Mugabe a “selfish & sick man” from an anonymous Twitter account, as well as posting an image showing the 93-year-old with a catheter. Prosecutors said she had “systematically sought to incite political unrest through the expansion, development and use of a sophisticated network of social media platforms as well as running some Twitter accounts.”
Although a Zimbabwean court dismissed O’Donovan’s case in January 2018 shortly after Mugabe’s ouster, the country’s human rights record hasn’t improved. Mugabe’s successor, Emmerson Mnangagwa, has cracked down on thousands of opposition leaders, activists, and journalists in recent months and has refused to let up despite international pressure.
3. India, March 2020
In March, a local district court lawyer in India was arrested on charges of sedition related to tweets he had posted criticizing Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Abdul Hannan was responding to a video showing a speech by Adityanath in which the chief minister supported baton charges on people protesting the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act and National Register of Citizens, both of which critics charge disproportionately target Muslims.
In the tweet, Hannan called Adityanath a “terrorist” and offered free legal services to protesters and urged “constitution lovers” to share the tweet. Hannan’s current status is unclear.
4. Saudi Arabia, April 2020
Two writers and a lawyer were arrested by Saudi authorities in April after posting tweets praising the activist Abdullah al-Hamid, who died in prison while serving a sentence for his own criticism of the government. In his tweet, the lawyer, Sultan al-Ajami, offered his “condolences to his family, ourselves, the homeland, and humanity for the loss of a great thinker, revolutionary and reformer.” The tweets have since been removed.
Hamid was a prominent rights activist in Saudi Arabia who was sentenced to 11 years in prison in March 2013. He co-founded the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association, a nongovernmental organization that aims to promote human rights in the country and push for democratic reform of its political institutions. Hamid reportedly had a stroke and entered into a coma on April 9. Prison authorities denied him medical treatment, and he died on April 24.


foreignpolicy--2020-08-25--North Korea Doesn’t Trust China to Protect It

When North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Chinese President Xi Jinping met for the first time in March 2018 , the official topics of discussion were predictable : peace , denuclearization , industry , economic development , and deepening North Korea-China relations .
That ’ s unsurprising for two countries that are each other ’ s only formal treaty allies and have been for decades .
But the relationship is far more taut than public displays indicate .
North Korea is happy to have Beijing on its side .
But it ’ s never going to be willing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s hands .
Nowhere is this more important than in denuclearization .
The United States has been able to pressure allies , such as South Korea and Taiwan , out of the possibility of nuclear programs in the past , thanks to offers of protection—whether the ambiguous guarantees to Taiwan or the formal shelter of the U.S. nuclear umbrella offered to Japan and others .
That makes the idea of a Chinese nuclear umbrella over North Korea an attractive and legitimate avenue for denuclearization—but one that Pyongyang itself will never agree to .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Beijing laid the foundation for an enduring alliance when it came to North Korea ’ s aid during the Korean War .
But there are key differences between the North Korea-China alliance and the United States ’ alliances with South Korea and Japan that make the creation of a Chinese nuclear umbrella over the North highly unlikely .
Any offer would directly clash with three critical North Korean concerns in policymaking : adherence to the ideology of juche ( “ self-reliance ” ) , economic entwinement with China , and maintaining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the founder of North Korea , dictated that juche become a guiding principle in North Korean life and policymaking in response to the country ’ s volatile geopolitical environment in the early 1960s .
His son Kim Jong Il , Kim Jong Un ’ s father , further operationalized juche ideology , ensuring its longevity as a centralizing concept .
Juche ideology maintains that North Korea uphold independence and self-reliance in domestic and foreign-policy making , economic development , and military defense .
North Korean leaders viewed independence and self-reliance as increasingly crucial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inconsistent .
When juche was introduced , North Korea was at odds with the Soviet Union and China .
Simultaneously , North Korea was heavily dependent on Chinese and Soviet aid for economic stability and national security .
This was unsettling for North Korean policymakers .
How could North Korea maintain its sovereignty while economically and militarily dependent on those with opposing interests ?
Historically , Chinese empires took a frequent interest in Korean territory .
Modern China ’ s interests have also directly collided with North Korea ’ s on various occasions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
China took operational command during the Korean War , raising tensions between North Korean and Chinese military officers .
China threatened military action against North Korea during the Cultural Revolution .
China reinterpreted its mutual defense treaty with North Korea to relieve itself of the responsibility of defending its neighbor if North Korea attacked first .
China supported sanctions against North Korea .
China isn ’ t an exception to juche—it ’ s one of the key reasons it exists .
Pyongyang fears capricious allies as well as clear adversaries .
Even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with China provides , paradoxically , an additional roadblock to a Chinese nuclear umbrella .
North Korea wants to reprioritize economic development through its byungjin ( “ parallel growth ” ) policy , which balances military and economic development .
Kim Jong Un ’ s visit to an economic and technological development zone in Beijing in January 2019 supports this idea .
North Korea has already shown a predilection toward economic development zones , which are a key component of China ’ s Belt and Road Initiative .
Chinese government officials have long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s unwillingness to follow them in market reforms , so such steps are welcomed by Beijing .
Furthermore , the Observatory of Economic Complexity estimates that in 2018 China accounted for 62.5 percent of North Korea ’ s exports and a staggering 95.7 percent of its imports , making China the country ’ s top trading partner .
China continues to support the North Korean economy despite sanctions and has advocated for the reduction of economic sanctions amid denuclearization talks .
However , a strong economic relationship does not imply North Korean willingness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relationship .
Quite the opposite , in fact : Pyongyang ’ s awareness of its economic dependence makes it even keener to maintain security independence .
North Korea ’ s economic reliance on China is necessitated by sanctions that prevent the development of extensive economic relations with other nations .
A lack of prospects for North Korean trade diversification increases vulnerability to Chinese interference in North Korean affairs .
COVID-19 ’ s impact on the North Korean economy is a strong example of this vulnerability .
North Korea shut its border with China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ January .
As reported by Daily NK , this resulted in a 91.3 percent year-on-year trade reduction with China in March , causing price instability and staple food unavailability .
For North Korea , China ’ s economic influence is doubly concerning as Beijing has previously weaponized economic dependence for political aims , as in its response to South Korea ’ s deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense ( THAAD ) missile defense system .
South Korea agreed to deploy THAAD on land donated by Lotte Group , a South Korean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ objections .
In response , China prevented Lotte operations within its borders and sponsored state-led boycotts on South Korean goods and tourism , costing the South Korean economy an estimated 0.5 percent in GDP .
Finally , North Korea wants to be viewed as an independent sovereign nation with complete control to pursue its national security interests as it sees fit .
Nuclear weapons play a significant role in North Korea ’ s engagement with the international community and in meeting its desire for international recognition .
Prior to becoming a nuclear threat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ initiate communication with the United States often went unanswered .
It was challenging for North Korea to engage a global superpower with opposing interests on the Korean Peninsula when it lacked military force .
Nuclear weapons allowed North Korea to contend with the overwhelming conventional military forces of the United States and South Korea .
They have allowed North Korea to communicate on more equal footing with the United States , South Korea , China , Japan , and Russia .
Despite sanctions and isolation , North Korea has been surprisingly successful at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ international political aims .
In the 1990s , North Korea leveraged its nuclear weapons program to obtain food , energy , and economic aid from the United States , South Korea , Japan , and China .
This was during a time when North Korea was in steep economic decline and faced a severe famine .
Domestically , nuclear weapons are a legitimizing and stabilizing force for the Kim regime .
The Korean People ’ s Army ( KPA ) is the military arm of the North Korean government and one of its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s songun ( “ military-first ” ) policy was implemented to strengthen national resolve and ensure North Korea could contend with its military adversaries .
The successful development of nuclear weapons under Kim Jong Un is the culmination of Kim Jong Il ’ s songun policy .
This legitimizes the Kim regime by showing domestic political players , such as the KPA , the results of long-term national sacrifices .
North Korea doesn ’ t just want to be safe .
It wants to be safe on its own terms—and it will never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own nuclear weapons for the uncertain shelter of a Chinese offer .

When North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Chinese President Xi Jinping met for the first time in March 2018, the official topics of discussion were predictable: peace, denuclearization, industry, economic development, and deepening North Korea-China relations. That’s unsurprising for two countries that are each other’s only formal treaty allies and have been for decades. But the relationship is far more taut than public displays indicate. North Korea is happy to have Beijing on its side. But it’s never going to be willing to put its ultimate security in China’s hands. Nowhere is this more important than in denuclearization. The United States has been able to pressure allies, such as South Korea and Taiwan, out of the possibility of nuclear programs in the past, thanks to offers of protection—whether the ambiguous guarantees to Taiwan or the formal shelter of the U.S. nuclear umbrella offered to Japan and others. That makes the idea of a Chinese nuclear umbrella over North Korea an attractive and legitimate avenue for denuclearization—but one that Pyongyang itself will never agree to.
When North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Chinese President Xi Jinping met for the first time in March 2018, the official topics of discussion were predictable: peace, denuclearization, industry, economic development, and deepening North Korea-China relations. That’s unsurprising for two countries that are each other’s only formal treaty allies and have been for decades. But the relationship is far more taut than public displays indicate. North Korea is happy to have Beijing on its side. But it’s never going to be willing to put its ultimate security in China’s hands. Nowhere is this more important than in denuclearization. The United States has been able to pressure allies, such as South Korea and Taiwan, out of the possibility of nuclear programs in the past, thanks to offers of protection—whether the ambiguous guarantees to Taiwan or the formal shelter of the U.S. nuclear umbrella offered to Japan and others. That makes the idea of a Chinese nuclear umbrella over North Korea an attractive and legitimate avenue for denuclearization—but one that Pyongyang itself will never agree to.
China and North Korea share ideological roots, and Beijing laid the foundation for an enduring alliance when it came to North Korea’s aid during the Korean War. But there are key differences between the North Korea-China alliance and the United States’ alliances with South Korea and Japan that make the creation of a Chinese nuclear umbrella over the North highly unlikely. Any offer would directly clash with three critical North Korean concerns in policymaking: adherence to the ideology of juche (“self-reliance”), economic entwinement with China, and maintaining nuclear leverage.
Kim Il Sung, the founder of North Korea, dictated that juche become a guiding principle in North Korean life and policymaking in response to the country’s volatile geopolitical environment in the early 1960s. His son Kim Jong Il, Kim Jong Un’s father, further operationalized juche ideology, ensuring its longevity as a centralizing concept. Juche ideology maintains that North Korea uphold independence and self-reliance in domestic and foreign-policy making, economic development, and military defense.
North Korean leaders viewed independence and self-reliance as increasingly crucial as their asymmetric relationships with allies remained inconsistent. When juche was introduced, North Korea was at odds with the Soviet Union and China. Simultaneously, North Korea was heavily dependent on Chinese and Soviet aid for economic stability and national security. This was unsettling for North Korean policymakers. How could North Korea maintain its sovereignty while economically and militarily dependent on those with opposing interests?
Historically, Chinese empires took a frequent interest in Korean territory. Modern China’s interests have also directly collided with North Korea’s on various occasions, with heavy consequences for bilateral relations. China took operational command during the Korean War, raising tensions between North Korean and Chinese military officers. China threatened military action against North Korea during the Cultural Revolution. China reinterpreted its mutual defense treaty with North Korea to relieve itself of the responsibility of defending its neighbor if North Korea attacked first. China supported sanctions against North Korea. China isn’t an exception to juche—it’s one of the key reasons it exists. Pyongyang fears capricious allies as well as clear adversaries.
Even North Korea’s strong economic relationship with China provides, paradoxically, an additional roadblock to a Chinese nuclear umbrella.
North Korea wants to reprioritize economic development through its byungjin (“parallel growth”) policy, which balances military and economic development. Kim Jong Un’s visit to an economic and technological development zone in Beijing in January 2019 supports this idea. North Korea has already shown a predilection toward economic development zones, which are a key component of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Chinese government officials have long complained in private of the North’s unwillingness to follow them in market reforms, so such steps are welcomed by Beijing.
Furthermore, the Observatory of Economic Complexity estimates that in 2018 China accounted for 62.5 percent of North Korea’s exports and a staggering 95.7 percent of its imports, making China the country’s top trading partner. China continues to support the North Korean economy despite sanctions and has advocated for the reduction of economic sanctions amid denuclearization talks.
However, a strong economic relationship does not imply North Korean willingness or pliability toward accepting a stronger security relationship. Quite the opposite, in fact: Pyongyang’s awareness of its economic dependence makes it even keener to maintain security independence. North Korea’s economic reliance on China is necessitated by sanctions that prevent the development of extensive economic relations with other nations. A lack of prospects for North Korean trade diversification increases vulnerability to Chinese interference in North Korean affairs.
COVID-19’s impact on the North Korean economy is a strong example of this vulnerability. North Korea shut its border with China in response to the COVID-19 outbreak in January. As reported by Daily NK, this resulted in a 91.3 percent year-on-year trade reduction with China in March, causing price instability and staple food unavailability.
For North Korea, China’s economic influence is doubly concerning as Beijing has previously weaponized economic dependence for political aims, as in its response to South Korea’s deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system. South Korea agreed to deploy THAAD on land donated by Lotte Group, a South Korean multinational company, despite China’s objections. In response, China prevented Lotte operations within its borders and sponsored state-led boycotts on South Korean goods and tourism, costing the South Korean economy an estimated 0.5 percent in GDP.
Finally, North Korea wants to be viewed as an independent sovereign nation with complete control to pursue its national security interests as it sees fit. Nuclear weapons play a significant role in North Korea’s engagement with the international community and in meeting its desire for international recognition.
Prior to becoming a nuclear threat, North Korea’s overtures to initiate communication with the United States often went unanswered. It was challenging for North Korea to engage a global superpower with opposing interests on the Korean Peninsula when it lacked military force. Nuclear weapons allowed North Korea to contend with the overwhelming conventional military forces of the United States and South Korea. They have allowed North Korea to communicate on more equal footing with the United States, South Korea, China, Japan, and Russia.
Despite sanctions and isolation, North Korea has been surprisingly successful at leveraging its nuclear weapons for domestic and international political aims. In the 1990s, North Korea leveraged its nuclear weapons program to obtain food, energy, and economic aid from the United States, South Korea, Japan, and China. This was during a time when North Korea was in steep economic decline and faced a severe famine.
Domestically, nuclear weapons are a legitimizing and stabilizing force for the Kim regime. The Korean People’s Army (KPA) is the military arm of the North Korean government and one of its most powerful institutions. North Korea’s songun (“military-first”) policy was implemented to strengthen national resolve and ensure North Korea could contend with its military adversaries. The successful development of nuclear weapons under Kim Jong Un is the culmination of Kim Jong Il’s songun policy. This legitimizes the Kim regime by showing domestic political players, such as the KPA, the results of long-term national sacrifices. North Korea doesn’t just want to be safe. It wants to be safe on its own terms—and it will never accept swapping the guaranteed clout of its own nuclear weapons for the uncertain shelter of a Chinese offer.


foreignpolicy--2020-08-25--The World Needs to Reopen Borders Before It’s Too Late

The World Needs to Reopen Borders Before It ’ s Too Late Right now , it is hard to imagine a greater threat to the world ’ s well-being than the COVID-19 pandemic .
More than 23 million people have tested positive for the virus—likely just a fraction of the actual spread—and more than 800,000 have died .
The pandemic has battered the global economy , with the World Bank predicting global GDP to drop by more than 5 percent this year , a true worldwide depression far worse than the downturn in 2008 and 2009 .
But COVID-19 is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
An even greater danger today is rising nationalism , which threatens to undermine international cooperation on vital issues including not only global public health but climate change and trade .
And government responses to the pandemic , which have focused on border closings , travel bans , and reshoring the production of medical and other goods , are fueling the narrative that foreign people and foreign goods are a source of danger and vulnerability .
As governments struggle to control the pandemic , they urgently need to shift direction and embrace cooperative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rest of the world .
That includes moving forward more quickly on reopening their borders .
Nearly nine months since the first outbreak in China , international borders remain largely closed .
The U.S.-Canadian border , advertised until now as the world ’ s longest undefended frontier , has been shut to all nonessential travel since March .
Land border crossings are down 97 percent from a year ago .
European nations—including the 26 members of the so-called Schengen Area , which had abolished all controls on travel—closed their borders in March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and have in some cases begun to shut them again .
Britain this month announced a 14-day quarantine requirement for all visitors from France ; this week , France announced it was reciprocating .
Norway has imposed a similar requirement for visitors from Spain and eight other European countries .
The European Union has recommended its members reopen to countries deemed “ epidemiologically safe , ” including China , Japan , and South Korea , but remains closed to most others , including the United States .
Some member states like Poland and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ third countries at all .
In addition to land border restrictions with Canada and Mexico , the United States remains closed to travelers from China , Brazil , Britain , the EU , and Ireland .
China , which has been closed to most foreign visitors since March 28 , this month reopened to those few Europeans who hold Chinese residence or work permits but is otherwise still shut .
Governments should begin immediately to develop plans for safely reopening their borders .
Initial shortages of medical supplies and personal protective equipment have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ industrial production in critical sectors such as medical equipment .
Japan has set aside more than $ 2 billion to lure Japanese companies back from China , including Iris Ohyama , a manufacturer of medical face masks .
Eighty countries and customs territories initially restricted the export of face masks , gloves , and other protective and medical gear .
Most have since eased those measures , but dependence on imports is still widespread : China , for example , continues to supply the bulk of critical pharmaceutical ingredients to the world .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump signed an executive order requiring federal agencies to purchase essential drugs and equipment solely from U.S. manufacturers and promised billions of dollars in government subsidies to bolster domestic production .
In signing the order , Trump said , “ We must never be reliant on a foreign nation for America ’ s medical or other needs.
” Resorting to border controls and measures to boost domestic production was understandable—and in the early stages of the pandemic even laudable .
Since COVID-19 spreads primarily by close personal contact , international travel seeded the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of medical equipment underscored the need for countries to do more to prepare for pandemics , the same way they stockpile relief supplies for earthquakes and other natural disasters .
The restrictions also appealed to worried publics .
In a recent survey that asked Europeans how their opinions had changed during the crisis , 57 percent said they now want stricter border controls , the most popular answer .
In the United States , 78 percent favor border closures and immigration restrictions to fight the virus .
Eight in 10 Canadians want the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closed for at least the rest of this year .
But prudent precautions have given way to a more dangerous message—that the best way for a country to protect itself against the virus is to keep foreigners out and reduce its reliance on foreign goods .
It is unsurprising to see this in the United States , where the Trump administration has used the COVID-19 crisis to bar all asylum claims at the border , shut down immigration processing , and stop most foreign workers from entering the country .
Of greater concern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of nativism by nations still seen as beacons of liberalism .
In Canada , which has done a better job than its southern neighbor in controlling the virus , citizens have become so hostile to the presence of the handful of Americans permitted to enter that some have taken to defacing cars with U.S. license plates .
John Horgan , the premier of the western province of British Columbia , commented in all seriousness that Americans worried about their cars should change their license plates ( which would be illegal ) or “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to condone both xenophobia and vandalism : “ I can ’ t tell people how to respond when they see offshore plates , ” he said .
The international star of the fight against the pandemic is New Zealand , which briefly eradicated the virus and has kept its borders closed to all foreign citizens in the hope of preventing future outbreaks .
It ’ s a frightening reflection of the global debate that an island nation ’ s hermitlike self-isolation has suddenly become a model for enlightened pandemic control .
These leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we saw in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks , it is all too easy to whip up fears about dangerous foreigners .
In the United States , the entire post-9/11 homeland security enterprise was built on the notion that the country could protect itself from the ills of the world by creating a bubble of safety and security .
This delusion has had dire consequences .
What started out as a rational exercise to try to identify and keep out terrorists has turned into an obsession with border walls to shut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ produced cages for migrant children separated from their parents .
The current effort to contain the virus through border controls suffers from the same myopia .
The debate over supply chains needs to move away from the ideal of autarky and recognize that no country can succeed in protecting its citizens by going it alone .
Instead , governments should begin immediately to develop plans for safely reopening their borders .
These plans should be tied closely to health metrics and the expansion of testing and tracing procedures—both to control the virus and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenging but no more so than they were after 9/11 , when new procedures were created at borders and airports to screen for terrorists and other security risks .
In the early stages , this might involve clear benchmarks that would phase in travel and immigration depending on the success of different countries in reducing the spread of the virus ; the EU has moved in this direction with its list of safe countries .
More sophisticated procedures would target individuals rather than broad groups .
Travelers could be required to be tested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as some countries such as Iceland are already doing at airports .
Visitors could also be required to download contact tracing apps in order to track their movements inside the country for the purposes of identifying and stopping new outbreaks , as China requires .
Even if rolled out slowly , and at the expense of new intrusions on privacy by immigration authorities and border police , such initiatives would send the clear message that the current border restrictions are an undesirable temporary measure .
Nor should these be purely national initiatives .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ established common approaches for coordinating public health measures and a gradual reopening of borders and for sharing technologies such as those for testing and tracing .
A good model was the so-called “ smart border ” negotiations between the United States and Canada after 9/11 .
The attacks resulted in only a brief closure of the border , but greater scrutiny of travelers in the aftermath created long delays .
Concern over a disruption of trade and travel quickly led the two governments to complete difficult negotiations that same year to create procedures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowing border flows to begin returning to normal .
Similarly today , a new North American smart border initiative that integrates health and travel is desperately needed .
EU member states , too , should be working toward a common protocol rather than for each country to go its own way .
International discussions should be launched through the G-20 and specialized bodies like the International Civil Aviation Organization .
The debate over supply chains also needs to move away from the ideal of autarky to a resilience-based model that recognizes that no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by going it alone .
European Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan has called for an international initiative to “ facilitate global access to affordable health care products , including for vulnerable countries without appropriate manufacturing capacities.
” This could include the elimination of tariffs and new rules governing import and export restrictions during crises .
Countries also need to cooperate in developing and distributing vaccines—and step off the current path of “ vaccine nationalism , ” where the major economies are competing to see which can protect its own citizens first .
Perhaps most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ messaging .
Reducing the spread of COVID-19 is a global problem , not a national one .
No country will be secure unless the virus can be brought under control everywhere .
The pandemic should become an example of how the world can cooperate to solve a common problem—perhaps setting a model for tackling others such as climate change or the international flow of refugees .
Instead , the pandemic is fast becoming a historical case study in how crises drive countries apart .

Right now, it is hard to imagine a greater threat to the world’s well-being than the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 23 million people have tested positive for the virus—likely just a fraction of the actual spread—and more than 800,000 have died. The pandemic has battered the global economy, with the World Bank predicting global GDP to drop by more than 5 percent this year, a true worldwide depression far worse than the downturn in 2008 and 2009.
Right now, it is hard to imagine a greater threat to the world’s well-being than the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 23 million people have tested positive for the virus—likely just a fraction of the actual spread—and more than 800,000 have died. The pandemic has battered the global economy, with the World Bank predicting global GDP to drop by more than 5 percent this year, a true worldwide depression far worse than the downturn in 2008 and 2009.
But COVID-19 is not the biggest threat the world faces. An even greater danger today is rising nationalism, which threatens to undermine international cooperation on vital issues including not only global public health but climate change and trade. And government responses to the pandemic, which have focused on border closings, travel bans, and reshoring the production of medical and other goods, are fueling the narrative that foreign people and foreign goods are a source of danger and vulnerability. As governments struggle to control the pandemic, they urgently need to shift direction and embrace cooperative responses, rather than building walls to the rest of the world. That includes moving forward more quickly on reopening their borders.
Nearly nine months since the first outbreak in China, international borders remain largely closed. The U.S.-Canadian border, advertised until now as the world’s longest undefended frontier, has been shut to all nonessential travel since March. Land border crossings are down 97 percent from a year ago. European nations—including the 26 members of the so-called Schengen Area, which had abolished all controls on travel—closed their borders in March, partially reopened them this summer, and have in some cases begun to shut them again. Britain this month announced a 14-day quarantine requirement for all visitors from France; this week, France announced it was reciprocating.
Norway has imposed a similar requirement for visitors from Spain and eight other European countries. The European Union has recommended its members reopen to countries deemed “epidemiologically safe,” including China, Japan, and South Korea, but remains closed to most others, including the United States. Some member states like Poland and Hungary have refused to reopen to any third countries at all. In addition to land border restrictions with Canada and Mexico, the United States remains closed to travelers from China, Brazil, Britain, the EU, and Ireland. China, which has been closed to most foreign visitors since March 28, this month reopened to those few Europeans who hold Chinese residence or work permits but is otherwise still shut.
Governments should begin immediately to develop plans for safely reopening their borders.
Initial shortages of medical supplies and personal protective equipment have also spurred countries to try to reshore industrial production in critical sectors such as medical equipment. Japan has set aside more than $2 billion to lure Japanese companies back from China, including Iris Ohyama, a manufacturer of medical face masks. Eighty countries and customs territories initially restricted the export of face masks, gloves, and other protective and medical gear. Most have since eased those measures, but dependence on imports is still widespread: China, for example, continues to supply the bulk of critical pharmaceutical ingredients to the world. But this month, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order requiring federal agencies to purchase essential drugs and equipment solely from U.S. manufacturers and promised billions of dollars in government subsidies to bolster domestic production. In signing the order, Trump said, “We must never be reliant on a foreign nation for America’s medical or other needs.”
Resorting to border controls and measures to boost domestic production was understandable—and in the early stages of the pandemic even laudable. Since COVID-19 spreads primarily by close personal contact, international travel seeded the outbreak across the globe. Initial shortages of medical equipment underscored the need for countries to do more to prepare for pandemics, the same way they stockpile relief supplies for earthquakes and other natural disasters. The restrictions also appealed to worried publics. In a recent survey that asked Europeans how their opinions had changed during the crisis, 57 percent said they now want stricter border controls, the most popular answer. In the United States, 78 percent favor border closures and immigration restrictions to fight the virus. Eight in 10 Canadians want the border with the United States to remain closed for at least the rest of this year.
But prudent precautions have given way to a more dangerous message—that the best way for a country to protect itself against the virus is to keep foreigners out and reduce its reliance on foreign goods. It is unsurprising to see this in the United States, where the Trump administration has used the COVID-19 crisis to bar all asylum claims at the border, shut down immigration processing, and stop most foreign workers from entering the country.
Of greater concern is the embrace of this new form of nativism by nations still seen as beacons of liberalism. In Canada, which has done a better job than its southern neighbor in controlling the virus, citizens have become so hostile to the presence of the handful of Americans permitted to enter that some have taken to defacing cars with U.S. license plates. John Horgan, the premier of the western province of British Columbia, commented in all seriousness that Americans worried about their cars should change their license plates (which would be illegal) or “ride a bike.” He then seemed to condone both xenophobia and vandalism: “I can’t tell people how to respond when they see offshore plates,” he said. The international star of the fight against the pandemic is New Zealand, which briefly eradicated the virus and has kept its borders closed to all foreign citizens in the hope of preventing future outbreaks. It’s a frightening reflection of the global debate that an island nation’s hermitlike self-isolation has suddenly become a model for enlightened pandemic control.
These leaders are playing with fire. Much as we saw in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, it is all too easy to whip up fears about dangerous foreigners. In the United States, the entire post-9/11 homeland security enterprise was built on the notion that the country could protect itself from the ills of the world by creating a bubble of safety and security. This delusion has had dire consequences. What started out as a rational exercise to try to identify and keep out terrorists has turned into an obsession with border walls to shut out those fleeing torture and persecution and produced cages for migrant children separated from their parents. The current effort to contain the virus through border controls suffers from the same myopia.
The debate over supply chains needs to move away from the ideal of autarky and recognize that no country can succeed in protecting its citizens by going it alone.
Instead, governments should begin immediately to develop plans for safely reopening their borders. These plans should be tied closely to health metrics and the expansion of testing and tracing procedures—both to control the virus and reassure citizens. The technical requirements are challenging but no more so than they were after 9/11, when new procedures were created at borders and airports to screen for terrorists and other security risks. In the early stages, this might involve clear benchmarks that would phase in travel and immigration depending on the success of different countries in reducing the spread of the virus; the EU has moved in this direction with its list of safe countries. More sophisticated procedures would target individuals rather than broad groups. Travelers could be required to be tested immediately before departing or on arrival, as some countries such as Iceland are already doing at airports. Visitors could also be required to download contact tracing apps in order to track their movements inside the country for the purposes of identifying and stopping new outbreaks, as China requires. Even if rolled out slowly, and at the expense of new intrusions on privacy by immigration authorities and border police, such initiatives would send the clear message that the current border restrictions are an undesirable temporary measure.
Nor should these be purely national initiatives. Countries should be working closely together to established common approaches for coordinating public health measures and a gradual reopening of borders and for sharing technologies such as those for testing and tracing. A good model was the so-called “smart border” negotiations between the United States and Canada after 9/11. The attacks resulted in only a brief closure of the border, but greater scrutiny of travelers in the aftermath created long delays. Concern over a disruption of trade and travel quickly led the two governments to complete difficult negotiations that same year to create procedures and protocols for enhanced security checks while allowing border flows to begin returning to normal. Similarly today, a new North American smart border initiative that integrates health and travel is desperately needed. EU member states, too, should be working toward a common protocol rather than for each country to go its own way. International discussions should be launched through the G-20 and specialized bodies like the International Civil Aviation Organization.
The debate over supply chains also needs to move away from the ideal of autarky to a resilience-based model that recognizes that no country can succeed in protecting its citizens by going it alone. European Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan has called for an international initiative to “facilitate global access to affordable health care products, including for vulnerable countries without appropriate manufacturing capacities.” This could include the elimination of tariffs and new rules governing import and export restrictions during crises. Countries also need to cooperate in developing and distributing vaccines—and step off the current path of “vaccine nationalism,” where the major economies are competing to see which can protect its own citizens first.
Perhaps most importantly, governments need to change the messaging. Reducing the spread of COVID-19 is a global problem, not a national one. No country will be secure unless the virus can be brought under control everywhere. The pandemic should become an example of how the world can cooperate to solve a common problem—perhaps setting a model for tackling others such as climate change or the international flow of refugees. Instead, the pandemic is fast becoming a historical case study in how crises drive countries apart.