Table of Contents
De/Cypher Data Dive 📈
ASIA View
Written by Amogh Rai, Research Director, ASIA
Senator Nathalie Goulet of France, head of the Investigation Committee of Jihadists and Foreign Fighters in 2022, wrote a book on terror financing, the book was in French and we present a few ideas from the book.
The excerpt from Nathalie Goulet's book (Abécédaire du financement du terrorisme) contains information on various topics related to arms procurement, terrorism, and the use of 3-D printed weapons. It discusses the proliferation of conflicts worldwide and how it has fuelled the growth of the mainstream weapons market, with French arms exports reaching record highs in recent years. The rise of armed ultra-left groups in the US and their potential impact on strategy in Europe is also highlighted.
Additionally, the book touches on the threat posed by 3-D printed weapons, citing examples of individuals using homemade guns in attacks and the increasing number of such weapons being seized. It emphasizes the need for international cooperation to combat arms trafficking and prevent the illicit trade of small arms and light weapons to terrorists.
The book also mentions specific cases of arms trafficking, such as weapons from Libya reaching various regions and terrorist organizations benefiting from these activities. It underscores the importance of addressing the link between arms trafficking and terrorism, as well as the need for sustained efforts to tackle these threats.
In the book, Senator Goulet discusses arms procurement in Asia, highlighting various aspects of the arms trade and its impact on regional and global security. It mentions the surge in arms imports to Europe and the increasing dominance of the US in the global arms trade. The document also touches on French exports reaching record levels in recent years, indicating the significant role played by Asian countries in the international arms market.
Specific cases are cited, such as the illicit trafficking of ammunition in Ukraine and the proliferation of conflicts in the region leading to an increase in weapons circulation. The knowledge base also discusses the link between arms trafficking and terrorism, citing examples of weapons from conflict zones like Libya reaching various countries and terrorist organizations benefiting from these activities.
The book highlights the need for international cooperation to combat arms trafficking and prevent the illicit trade of small arms and light weapons to terrorists. It mentions the establishment of support hubs for internal security and border management in Moldova by the EU as part of efforts to address firearms trafficking and terrorism prevention and also highlights the six vulnerable hotspots.
- Foreign Volunteers: Foreign volunteers fighting in conflicts may facilitate arms trafficking by either returning home with weapons acquired on foreign soil or by engaging in arms trafficking with their home countries.
- Moldovan Border Concerns: Arms trafficking across the Moldovan border is highlighted as a particular concern, with the likelihood that not all weapons will remain in good hands.
- 3-D Printed Weapons: The book discusses the rise of 3-D printed weaponry in criminal and extremist circles, emphasizing the potential for these weapons to be used in terrorist activities and the challenges they pose regarding detection and regulation.
- Conflict Zones: Arms trafficking from conflict zones, such as the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, is noted as a source of weapons that could find their way into the hands of organized crime groups and extremist movements.
- Darknet: The trade in weapons on the darknet is mentioned as an issue encompassing arms trafficking, Bitcoin transactions, and the use of anonymized networks like Tor to facilitate illicit arms sales.
- Artisanal Workshops: The existence of regional artisanal workshops, some dating back to historical conflicts like the Spanish Civil War, is highlighted as a source of illicit arms production that continues to operate in regions like Africa and Asia.
The rise in terror incidences all over the world require a closer scrutiny into the arms network, and needs closer cooperation between countries, and multilateral organisations.
Af-Pak De/Cypher
1 April, 2024
Top Stories📜 this week
Coalition eyes two-thirds majority in tomorrow’s Senate polls
In the run-up to tomorrow's Senate elections, Pakistan's ruling coalition of PML-N and PPP hopes to secure a two-thirds majority in the upper house of parliament, which could include 64 senators out of 96. Meanwhile, the PTI is expected to maintain its position as the largest party, but this may not impede the coalition's legislative agenda. Polling could be delayed due to issues with the oaths of KP Assembly MPAs. Read more: Dawn
Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari elected uncontested on NA-207 seat
Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari enters parliamentary politics uncontested, winning the NA-207 seat vacated by her father, Asif Ali Zardari, and becoming an MNA for the first time. Her victory comes after the PPP recognized her as the country's First Lady following Zardari's election as Pakistan's 14th President. Read more: The News International
Pakistan attaches high importance to its ties with US: PM Shehbaz responds to President Biden’s letter
PM Shehbaz Sharif emphasized Pakistan's significant ties with the US, highlighting cooperation in energy, climate, agriculture, health, and education sectors in response to President Biden's letter. Pakistan aims to collaborate with the US for global peace, stability, and regional progress, following Biden's pledge to support the new government. Read more: The Business Recorder
Pakistan wants to enhance bilateral cooperation with Russia: PM Shehbaz
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif emphasized Pakistan's desire to expand bilateral cooperation with Russia, with a focus on energy, trade, and investment. During a meeting with Russian Ambassador Albert P. Khorev, discussions included promptly convening the 9th session of the Inter-governmental Commission and inviting President Putin to Pakistan on an official visit. Read more: Minute Mirror
Chinese investigators arrive to join probe into Besham suicide attack
Chinese investigators have arrived in Pakistan to help with the investigation into a suicide attack that killed five Chinese nationals. The attack, the third against Chinese interests in a week, took place near a dam site. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi briefed the investigators on the ongoing investigation, seeking to address security concerns in light of China's significant investments in Pakistan's infrastructure projects through the Belt and Road Initiative. Read more: The Express Tribune
Security forces eliminate four terrorists in DI Khan
Security forces in Dera Ismail Khan district carried out an operation that resulted in the deaths of four terrorists identified as Mustafa, Qismatullah, and Islam ud Din. Weapons, ammunition, and explosives were recovered from the terrorists, with ongoing efforts to sanitize the area. Read more: Dunya News
51 PTI supporters convicted in May 9 violence case
An ATC in Gujarat sentenced 51 PTI workers to five years in prison for attacking the Gujranwala Cantonment during protests following Imran Khan's arrest on May 9, 2023. The convicted activists, who had been detained since their arrest, faced charges of rioting with a deadly weapon and obstructing public servants. Khan and Qureshi are among those named in the case. Read more: Dawn
Saudi Fund for Development signs agreements to fund two hydropower projects in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir
The Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) has signed agreements to finance two hydropower projects in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, adding 70 megawatts to Pakistan's grid. The Shounter project costs $66 million for 48 megawatts, while the Jagran-4 project costs $41 million for 22 MW. Pakistan's SIFC facilitated, with the goal of attracting foreign investment. Read more: Arab News PK
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor 🛣️- A Revision
Written By Priyanka Garodia
The recent attack on Chinese engineers working on a hydropower dam in Dasu, Pakistan is in line with a series of terror attacks happening in the Balochistan region of Pakistan over increased Chinese presence. The construction of the dam was part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) - the ‘economic peg’ between China and Pakistan as a part of the former’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The CPEC intends to establish regional connectivity, economic growth and sustainable development in the region. The project, initially estimated to cost $42 billion, has seen investment up to $65 billion till 2022. It connects Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Punjab Balochistan, Sindh and Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir to Xinjiang in China.
While once an important element of China’s economic vision for the region, the CPEC has been shadowed by multiple problems.
- Firstly, the Karakoram region is geographically difficult to navigate given its closure due to snow for 4 months. This would mean an additional expenditure for constructing a tunnel through the mountain pass.
- Secondly, Baluchistan has seen increasing Sinophobia in the region. The security situation in Gwadar is highly volatile with the local people seeing the influx of Chinese people as a threat to their identity and right to the area.
- Thirdly, the CPEC has raised multiple environmental concerns in Pakistan given the energy-heavy nature of the project. Numerous environmental-impact assessments believe that the project will cause serious problems for Pakistan including an increase in smog, greenhouse gas emissions and pollution levels.
While these concerns have been mulled over by Beijing and Islamabad, there have been routine security concerns in the region including repeated suicide bombings targeting Chinese personnel in the region. The increasing Sinophobia has been attributed to the feeling of colonization by a foreign people and the alleged illegal activities the Chinese carry out in the region. Allegations of illegal copper and gold extraction with no local, national or international supervision are seen as one of the many reasons radical Islamic groups have begun to target the CPEC sites.
One of the responses of the Pakistani state to the increased security problems for the Chinese has been the introduction of the Special Security Division (SSD) in 2016. Comprising over 15000 armed personnel, the SSD is responsible for the security of the CPEC group. However, the Chinese believe this to be insufficient and have time and again pushed for the presence of Chinese Private Security Companies (PSCs) to operate in the region. Given its history with the presence of PSCs of other states in Pakistan, Islamabad is firm on its stance of not allowing foreign security providers to operate in the country. An expectation of this was the allowing of three PSCs from China - the Frontier Service Group, the China Overseas Security Group, and the Hanwei International Security Service to function in Pakistan. While the intelligence is Chinese, the ‘gun-holding members’ of these PSCs are Pakistani nationals.
Security Implications
Pakistan is an important geostrategic ally of China. It neighbours India and is a gateway to the West Asian countries. The increasing attacks on Chinese people are proving to be a huge concern for Pakistan on account of its economic dependence on China. A possible revision of China’s plans for CPEC. Beijing has increasingly begun to realize that the security problems related to CPEC will not abate. China’s reliance on Pakistan as a military ally seems to be weakening as well.
Shifting Youth Perspectives on Gender🚻 in Pakistan
Summarized by De/Cypher Team
Contrary to global advancements in gender equality, Pakistan's recent developments paint a distinct picture. Although female employment has marginally risen, younger Pakistani women appear to hold more sexist views than previous generations. The country's female labor force participation remains lower than the global average, with women facing considerable constraints on mobility and decision-making.
A World Bank research paper highlights a concerning trend: many young Pakistani women accept intimate partner violence and believe men deserve greater job opportunities. In the absence of panel data, it remains unclear if younger Pakistanis are becoming more sexist, as noted by researcher Alice Evans.
Evans proposes several potential factors contributing to this potential rise in patriarchy. These factors include strengthened religious laws, institutions, and madrasahs, the influence of Wahhabism, and a possible backlash against women entering the workforce. Read more: GGD
Bangladesh De/Cypher
1 April, 2024
Top Stories📜 this week
Beijing, Dhaka enjoy profound political trust: Xi Jinping
Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized Beijing and Dhaka's strong political trust, as well as their fruitful cooperation in a variety of sectors. He congratulated Bangladesh on its Independence Day, highlighting the country's commitment to progress and achievement over the previous 53 years. Read more: Prothom Alo
BNP leaders don't buy many Indian sarees: Rizvi responds to PM Hasina's remarks
Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, the BNP's Senior Joint Secretary General, responded to PM Sheikh Hasina's remarks about burning Indian sarees by stating that BNP leaders do not buy many Indian sarees. Rizvi criticized media coverage of the boycott of Indian products and emphasized the movement's long history of opposition to what he sees as India's aggressive expansionist policies. Read more: TBS
Khaleda Zia's health deteriorates, taken to hospital
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was rushed to Evercare Hospital as her health deteriorated, arriving at 2:55 a.m. on Monday 1st April after leaving her Gulshan home. She has battled a variety of diseases, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, and diabetes. This comes after her earlier hospitalization on March 13, when her jail sentence was suspended for another six months, allowing her to receive treatment at home but prohibiting her from traveling abroad. Read more: The Daily Star
Hijacked ship: 23 sailors unlikely to be released before Eid
23 Bangladeshi sailors on board the MV Abdullah, who have been held by Somali pirates for 19 days, may not be released before Eid. Efforts are ongoing, but chances are slim and the process could take a month. Conversations with pirates continue, and food and water are running low. Read more: Dhaka Tribune
Bangladesh prepares to send home more Myanmar regime troops in April
Bangladesh is finalizing a deal to return 179 regime troops from Myanmar, who fled following a defeat in Rakhine. This swap, scheduled for early April, includes a BGP officer connected to the 2017 Rohingya genocide. The regime intends to return them in exchange for 200 Bangladeshis detained in regime prisons. Read more: TBS
ADB to boost climate action co-op
Environment Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury stated that Bangladesh requires resources to combat climate change, and ADB plans to increase cooperation. The government has allocated $3.5 billion of the $9 billion required for climate action. In a meeting with ADB Vice President Fatima Yasmin, Saber emphasized the importance of monetizing adaptation and combating transboundary air pollution. Yasmin reaffirmed the ADB's commitment to projects such as the Delta Plan, pledging $2 billion out of $9.8 billion for Bangladesh's sustainable development. Read more: The Business Post
Mosque for hijra, transgender community opens
Bangladesh's transgender hijra community has a new mosque that provides discrimination-free worship. The government donated the structure near Mymensingh after expelling the community from another mosque. Despite being legally recognized as a third gender since 2013, hijra continue to face prejudice and lack of acceptance. The Dakshin Char Kalibari Masjid for the Third Gender is a watershed moment for the community, offering a safe space for prayer and belonging. Read more: The Daily Observer
Asia Should Take the Lead on Global Health🏥
Summarized by De/Cypher Team; Published in Foreign Policy
Asian countries, home to 60% of the global population, are playing an increasingly crucial role in global health governance, challenging the historical dominance of Western powers in this realm. The region's political, economic, and cultural diversity has resulted in varying health outcomes and different national health systems. Despite these differences, many Asian countries are uniting to address shared health challenges, fostering regional solidarity through research collaborations and resource sharing.
The COVID-19 pandemic has further underscored the importance of collaboration, leading to increased cooperation in disaster preparedness, pathogen surveillance, and health promotion strategies. Asian countries are also innovating in health care delivery, financing, and digital health solutions, such as medical tourism, pharmaceutical production, and improving the quality of generic medications.
However, challenges remain, western countries political agendas historically influenced global health, emphasizing controlling diseases for economic productivity and colonial ruling class protection. Postcolonial aid favored wealthy donor priorities, benefiting the pharmaceutical industry. Today, high-income countries target Asian markets for healthcare products, neglecting to curb the global trade of harmful substances like tobacco and processed foods, fueling non-communicable disease epidemics. Despite this, some Asian countries prioritize affordable healthcare through tax funding and social insurance, emphasizing primary care and health promotion. Read more: FP
Asia Headlines Quick Recap 🌏
Indian Navy rescues Iranian fishing vessel hijacked by pirates
The Indian Navy said it had freed a hijacked Iranian fishing vessel from nine armed pirates in the Arabian Sea on Friday, rescuing its crew unharmed.
The fishing vessel, Al-Kambar 786, was southwest of the Yemeni island of Socotra on March 28 when it was reported to have been boarded by pirates, according to a statement from the navy late on Friday. Read more: Arab News
Will China’s fourth aircraft carrier steer towards troubled waters in Asia and challenge the US Navy?
China’s fourth aircraft carrier is expected to help expand its maritime presence in Asia, but a lack of naval combat experience and insufficient supply bases in the region could hamper its power projection. While the mainland Chinese military’s focus for its aircraft carrier deployment is likely Taiwan, it could also engage in sabre-rattling measures in the South China Sea, security analysts say. During a legislative session in Beijing earlier this month, Yuan Huazhi, the political commissar of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, said China would unveil its fourth aircraft carrier soon. Read more: SCMP
10 die, 12 injured in rain-related incidents in KP: PDMA
According to report released by Provincial Disaster Management Authority today, 10 people including 8 children are dead and 12 injured in Peshawar along with three houses were completely damaged while twenty-four partially damaged due to building collapses in Peshawar, Nowshera, Bajaur, Shangla, Mansehra, Bannu, Mohmand, Mardan and North Waziristan. Read more: Ary News
Israeli delegation to visit Cairo on Sunday to resume hostage swap talks
An Israeli delegation, including members of Mossad, Shin Bet, and Aman, will travel to Cairo on Sunday to negotiate a hostage swap with Hamas. Egypt seeks proposals from Tel Aviv. Netanyahu confirms Israel's participation in negotiations for a swap and ceasefire. Following a brief pause last year, Qatar, Egypt, and the United States are pushing for a deal. Read more: Andalou Ajansi
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