Politics

Somalia and Ethiopia

"Against the Islamists, Peace Is Impossible"

Somalia's government and Ethiopian troops drove out the Council of Islamic Courts late last year, but the government is now struggling with a growing insurgency. In this interview, Wolfgang Heinrich, expert on northeast African affairs, says the West used the wrong strategy
Islamic Funds

Shares Overseen by Sharia

On the international financial markets one can now find "Islamic finance" and investments which conform to Sharia law. Matilda Jordanova-Duda looks at what makes them different
Portrait Ramzan Kadyrov

The Idi Amin of the Caucasus?

Effective March 2, 2007, Chechnya has a new president who grew up amidst the extreme violence of a ten-year-long civil war and who is known today for his dubious economic and political machinations. By Marcus Bensmann
The EU's Common Asylum Policy

Rights on the Edge

One gets the impression that the aim of the EU's common asylum policy is not to protect refugees, but to protect Europe from refugees, says Karl Kopp in his commentary
Impending Taliban Offensive this Spring

"Psychological Warfare"

For weeks now, Taliban spokesmen have been hinting that a massive new offensive is planned for the beginning of spring. A large portion of the Afghan population takes the Taliban's saber rattling very seriously. By Ratbil Shamel
Opposition Candidates in Nigeria Blacklisted

War against Corruption or Election Rigging?

With less than a hundred days to go before the presidential and parliamentary elections in Nigeria, an atmosphere of uncertainty and confusion has enveloped Africa's most populated nation. Ibrahim Sani reports
International Genocide Trial

Ruling on Serbia Individualizes the Blame

The UN's highest court cleared Serbia of direct responsibility for genocide in Bosnia during the 1992-95 war. Benjamin Pargan comments that Serbia now has less excuses to hand over war crimes criminals
Interview with Albin Eser

"Belgrade Has to Accept the Co-Responsibility"

For the first time, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has declared the Srebrenica massacre a genocide. An interview with Albin Eser, Director Emeritus of Germany's Max Planck Institute for International Criminal Law
By Alain-Xavier Wurst
China's Involvement in Sudan

Criticism of the Red Giant

While China and Sudan have been celebrating record levels of trade, there's increasing unhappiness among the people of Sudan about China's role in the country. Human rights activists criticise China's behaviour in the Darfur conflict and elsewhere. By Marc Engelhardt
Middle East Quartet Meeting in Germany

No Tangible Progress, But Important Signals

The Arab states are to be involved more strongly in revitalising the peace process in the Middle East in future. That is the outcome of the meeting of the "Middle East Quartet" in Berlin this week. Rainer Sollich comments
The Kurdish Issue in Turkey

Limits to the Policy of Assimilation

Around 20 percent of the Turkish population is Kurdish. Since the time of Atatürk, in spite of the size of this minority, the Turkish state has followed a policy towards them of assimilation or "Turkification." Mesut Yagin reports
Conflict in Southern Thailand

A Policy of Small Steps to Reconciliation

Because the country's interim government has not yet been able to bring the conflict under control, the situation in the mainly Muslim southern provinces of Thailand remains critical. Now Malaysia has offered to help establish peace in the turbulent region. Nicola Glass reports