The following media round up on international and foreign policy issues from around the world for the period of 30 December to 05 January 2025.
Guernica 37 will provide weekly media updates from the International Criminal Court, European Court of Human Rights, United Nations, European Union and other sources. Should you wish to contribute or submit a media summary, opinion piece or blog, please send to Ned Vucijak at nenadv@guernica37.com for consideration.
4 January 2025
Guatemala and Salvador forces join UN-backed mission to combat gang violence in Haiti
Guatemala and El Salvador sent soldiers to Haiti to join the Multinational Security Support (MSS), as part of its mission to assist in the fight against gang-related violence. In October 2023, the UN Security Council authorised a one-year MSS mission, headed by Kenya, to support the Haitian government in reestablishing law and order in response to escalating civil unrest and gang violence that has persisted since 2018. The UNSC, which renewed the MSS’ mandate in September 2024, has called on Member States and regional organisations to contribute personnel, equipment, and financial and logistical support to meet the Mission’s urgent needs.
In 2024, the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) released an investigative report on a massacre, with 207 known executions, carried out by the criminal gang in Port-au-Prince between 6 and 11 December 2024. The UN offices recorded a total of 5,350 people killed in 2024, with a total of 17,000 deaths and injuries since the Wharf Jérémie gang has been active in Port-au-Prince since 2022.
4 January 2025
Malaysia turns away two boats with nearly 300 Rohingya refugees after dozens landed on island
Malaysian authorities have turned away two boats carrying nearly 300 people believed to be Muslim Rohingya refugees who were found to have entered the country illegally. There were no details regarding where the refugees came from, but many Rohingya living in refugee camps in Bangladesh have been lured by traffickers to leave to seek a better life elsewhere Bangladesh hosts more than 1 million Rohingya refugees who fled ethnic and religious violence in Myanmar. Malaysia is a popular destination because of its dominant Malay Muslim population.
Many Rohingya fled a brutal counterinsurgency campaign in 2017 by Myanmar’s security forces, who were accused of committing mass rapes and killings. While Malaysia has accepted Rohingya in the past on humanitarian grounds, the country has tried to limit numbers because of fears of a mass influx of people arriving on boats.
3 January 2025
Iran summons Italian ambassador over arrest of Iranian wanted by US
Iran’s foreign ministry summoned the Italian ambassador over the detention of an Iranian national, wanted by the United States for his alleged role in a deadly drone strike against U.S. forces, Iranian state media reported. The summons came a day after a similar move by Italy over Iran’s arrest of Italian reporter Cecilia Sala, who was seised in Tehran on 19 December while working under a journalist visa.
An Iranian foreign ministry official “urged Italy to reject America's hostage policy – which is contrary to international law, particularly human rights – and provide for Mr. (Mohammad) Abedini's release as soon as possible and prevent damage to bilateral ties”, state media reported. The Iranian embassy in Rome stated that Sala was being given all the humanitarian care necessary, and for the first time, linked her case to that of Abedini. Iran indicated that Sala had been arrested for “violating the laws of the Islamic Republic”, without giving any further information.
2 January 2025
New UN Security Council members take their seats
Five elected members of the Security Council have officially begun their two-year terms. The incoming members are Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama and Somalia, which were selected to serve by the UN General Assembly last June.
The outgoing members are Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland. There are 10 elected members of the Council who serve alongside the five permanent members – China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
30 December 2024
UN Special Procedures call for Israel to face immediate accountability and consequences for systemic violations of international law
Special Rapporteurs and Independent Experts, including the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, the Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, and the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, highlighted Israel’s long history of disregard for international law, including crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocidal acts.
Citing Israel’s most egregious violations, the experts highlighted crimes against humanity including murder, torture, sexual violence, and repeated forced displacement amounting to forcible transfer, war crimes encompassing indiscriminate attacks on civilians and civilian objects, including objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population and educational institutions and cultural heritage, the use of starvation as a weapon of war, the targeting of healthcare workers and health facilities, attacks on humanitarian workers, arbitrary restrictions on access to humanitarian aid, and attacks on journalists, collective punishment and perfidy.
30 December 2024
Sudan rejects IPC famine report backed by UN
Sudanese government officials rejected the latest UN-backed famine analysis by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). The Foreign Ministry of Sudan stated it “categorically rejects the IPC’s description of the situation in Sudan as a famine.” The military-dominated government accused the IPC’s analysis of being speculative, and complained of a lack of field data. The government also said the IPC should have consulted a government team before publication.
The IPC published the latest projections regarding the country’s food insecurity on 24 December 2024. According to the report, approximately 24.6 million people in Sudan will likely experience high levels of acute food insecurity between December 2024 and May 2025.