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Incidents of Anti-Shiism in October 2015

October 2015

There was a significant increase in Shia deaths as well as injuries this month compared to the statistics from September. To our surprise there were no recorded arrests or detentions that targeted Shia for their religious beliefs, but four Shia have gone missing in Bahrain.  There were nearly 450 Shia deaths, and over 300 injuries this month. The figures average out to more than 14 Shia deaths per day, and more than 10 injuries per day. This month coincides with the first month of the Islamic calendar, Muharram, when Shia mourn the death of Imam Hussein during this month. On the tenth day of Muharram, otherwise known as Ashura, Shia remember the Battle of Karbala, and mourn the death of Imam Hussein as well as his followers. As a result, Shia are targeted on Ashura and the days leading up to it. Almost all of the countries listed in this report are repeat offenders, but the attacks in Bangladesh, Denmark, and Iran are new to the list.

Overview

This report will analyze the data compiled on Shia deaths, injuries, and arrests that occurred between October 1st and October 31st. The data for this report was gathered from a variety of different sources. The most well-known incidents of anti-Shiism were retrieved and reported to Shia Rights Watch by eyewitnesses. Each incident is thoroughly evaluated for both authenticity and relevance. For an incident to be included in this report it has to show clear intent to target Shia Muslims on the basis of religious beliefs. The subsequent sections will present and analyze the data gathered by Shia Rights Watch for October.Shia Rights Watch_October 1

Where have Shia Muslims been targeted?

In October, Shia Muslims were victims in 13 countries: Iraq, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iran, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Denmark, India, and Indonesia. There were a total of 446 Shia deaths, 320 injuries, and 4 abductions this month.

Iraq

Iraq, Baghdad more specifically, is still the most dangerous place to be Shia as it continues to top the deaths and injuries for the tenth time in a row. Iraq was the target of Ashura attacks like other countries in the report this month, but also had almost daily attacks. 44% of all the attacks in Iraq were bombings, 46% were a combination of methods, and 35 Shia died from mortar attack. The Shia deaths in Iraq have more than doubled from September, and the amount of Shia injured from attacks has only decreased slightly. This could be attributed to one of our news sources in Baghdad ceasing their updates on October 2, 2015.

Pakistan

Pakistan was making great strides in tackling anti-Shiism in recent months, but was hit multiple times as Ashura became closer. There were still the usual terrorist shootings against Shia throughout the month, but the major attacks occurred in Quetta, Balochistan, and Jacobabad. These three bombings took the lives of 42 Shia and injured 63 Shia. Shia Rights Watch condemns the brutal acts committed by the terrorists, and urges the Pakistani government to continue the positive work it has done so far.

Saudi Arabia

An ISIS gunman fired upon a Shia mosque, and killed 5 Shia while injuring 9 more. He had planned to explode himself but was stopped before he could detonate his explosive belt. Beside members of terrorist groups, the Saudi regime is also guilty of anti-Shiism since they raided homes in Awwamiya with troops using rocket propelled grenades and gasoline bombs.

Shia Rights Watch_October 2

Iran

Two Iranian Shia were shot dead in Iran during Ashura commemoration. It took place in Dezful which is a province with a Sunni population which could explain the anti-Shia act. It is surprising that an attack like this could occur in a country that is generally commonly thought to be the homeland for Shia Muslims.

Bangladesh

ISIS in Bangladesh planted 3 bombs in the old town area of Dhaka, when 20,000 Shia would be gathered there for Ashura. One Shia died, and 80 Shia were injured as a result of the attack.

Syria

Nubl and Zahra saw a missile attack as well as a bombing this month which combined for tow Shia deaths and more than a dozen Shia injuries. There are also reports of ISIS executing a Shia boy with a tank. This is the first time a tank has been utilized to execute a Shia this year, and is an example of how mundane the activity of killing is for ISIS that they have to be creative in their murderous rampage. The numbers recorded from Syria are the bare minimum, because it is difficult to get information in or out of the war torn country. It is especially difficult in Shia towns that are surrounded by ISIS or Al Nusra Front.

Shia Rights Watch_October 3

Nigeria

Thugs attacked Shia worshippers on their way to Ashura with knives, cutlasses, and iron rods. 32 people were injured and the attackers went on to demolish Shia mosques and Shia homes in Gangre. Nigeria is not always included in every report, but events such as this show that it is going strong there even if it is not always reported. Shia Rights Watch condemns the actions of these terrorists.

Denmark

During Ashura Shia procession in Copenhagen, a armed man fired into the crowd, no one was reported dead or injured as a result. This is the first time that Denmark is included on the monthly anti-Shiism report.

 Bahrain

Throughout the month, there were multiple reports of security forces taking down Ashura banners by force, and clashing with protestors. There were also reports of the regime using terrorist militias to target human rights activists and religious figures. Four Shia from the Darwish family, Mohammad, Qasim, Ibrahim, Ismail, were abducted by a quasi-military group this month, and have not been heard from since.

Several injured as result of clash between protesters and government forces following troop attempt to bring down Ashura banners; forces used bullets, gas to disperse protestors.

Increased torture and assault on prisoners of conscience in conjunction with day of Ashura, including slapping of faces, being forced to stand for long periods of time, having cold water were also reported.

Shia Rights Watch_October 4

Afghanistan

                ISIS targeted a Shia Ashura gathering in Kabul which resulted in the death of one person and the wounding of 3 others.  Shia of Afghanistan have very low profile  due to fear associated with being Shia Muslims, yet they  have been target of anti-Shiism for long time and in Muharram such human rights violations increases in this country as it does in other countries.

Egypt

Salafi groups in Cairo threaten to kill Shia Muslims for celebrating Ashura, and called for the closing of Shia mosques on the sacred day. Egyptian authorities also warn of arrest for commemorating Ashura. It is alarming that the Egyptian government is not to too far off in their message from the terrorist groups in Egypt, and Shia Rights Watch condemns these messages.

Indonesia

The Mayor of Bogor denounced Shia as heretics and decided to ban Shia from celebrating the Muslim holy day of Ashura. The ban did not apply to Sunnis and the hate speech violates Indonesia’s Constitution. It is disappointing to see a government official making anti-Shia statements, and there needs to be a leader who is willing to stand up for Shia in Indonesia.

India

Hundreds of Shia traveled to Jahangir Chowk from Shaheed Gunk for Muharram, and were met with tear gas deployed by paramilitary forces. Muharram processions were banned in Srinagar since the Kashmir dispute in the late 80s, and Shia Rights Watch urges the Indian authorities to make peace with their Muslim neighbors.

Shia Rights Watch_October 5

Conclusion

                Anti-Shiism is spreading and on the rise in many countries. It is up to the international community and everyday individuals to oust the prejudice and misinformation when the governments of these countries cannot bring themselves to do so. Shia Rights Watch condemns the acts committed against Shia Muslims around the world, and urges the authorities to take action and protect this minority in their home lands.

Illicit financial flows, HR, and Post 2015 Development Agenda

On October 29th, Shia Rights Watch attended the United Nation’s Office of the High Commissioner’s event on Illicit Financial Flows, Human Rights and the Post-2015 Development Agenda. The crux of this event was to disseminate information and spur dialogue about UN efforts to significantly reduce illicit financial flows by 2030. This presentation included numerous high-level UN personnel as well as representatives from dozens of NGOs.

The reduction of illicit financial flows is a key element of reducing terrorism and anti-Shiism. Illicit financial flows through activities such as the arms trade and the drug trade have funded terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and ISIS which routinely attack Shia Muslims. International illicit financial networks have allowed for these groups to draw from multiple sources to fund their attacks and their dissemination of anti-Shia rhetoric.

Illicit financial flows also weaken the responses of governments with anti-Shia violence within their borders. Mr. Juan Pablo Bohoslasvky, the UN Independent Expert on foreign debt and human rights, spoke about a report that shows a strong positive relationship between the amount of illicit financial flows and the amount of corruption within a country. The more rampant illicit financial flows are in a country, the more corrupt that government will be. This corruption will, for example, slow the responsiveness of a country’s government to shootings and bombings that occur.

Shia Rights Watch repeatedly criticize the responsiveness to numerous countries to anti-Shia violence in their territory and those countries have long records of both corruption and illicit financial flows. Last month the United Nations adopted the 2015 Sustainable Development Goals as a part of the Post-2015 development agenda, and a large aspect of this agenda is the reduction of these illicit financial flows. Cracking down on the arms trade, the drug trade, tax dodging, and other unethical practices will be the most effective way that the international community can combat terrorism at its formation.

Shia Weekly News #39

Saudi Arabia

On Tuesday October 27th an Ismaili Mosque was bombed, killing one person and injuring at least a dozen others in the southern Saudi town of Najran. This ISIS perpetrated attack occurred days after an ISIS gunman killed five people and injured nine others during an Ashura event in the eastern Saudi city of Saihat.

Muharram has been one of the deadliest times to be a Shia Muslim as terrorist groups use the gatherings this month as an opportunity to initiate attacks against the worshippers. Despite the regularity of these attacks, Shia worshippers continue to stand strong and not let this ever present threat of violence interfere with their worship.

Shia Rights Watch stands with the victims of this senseless violence and calls for greater protection for Shia Muslims in Saudi Arabia and around the world.

Iraq

Over this past week in Iraq, roughly 62 Shia Muslims were killed in bombings and shootings around the country. These bombings during Muharram targeted groups of Shia Muslims in Baghdad in Markets and at Shrines. One of the larger attacks occurred on Monday.

On Monday October 26th a man wearing a suicide belt detonated himself near a tent serving refreshments to Shia pilgrims in Baghdad. The pilgrims at the time were commemorating the death of Imam Hussein in the city when this attack occurred. According to early estimates, between three and seven people were killed with at least 19 injured.

No organization has yet to claim responsibility for the attack but many of the attacks against Shia Muslims during Muharram have been claimed by ISIS. Shia Rights Watch condemns the actions of the group or groups that orchestrated this attack and calls for greater work to be done to ensure that religious gatherings are safe spaces for worshipers.

Jordan

Jordanian Sheikh Abu Qatada has recently published an article that denounces Shia Muslims and calls them filthy. Published in “Al Risalah”, a magazine that is produced by Jabhat Al-Nusra, the Al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria, Qatada continues to spread hatred of Shia Muslims.

This magazine is a major propaganda tool for Al-Qaeda to attract foreign fighters to the group. Calling Shia Muslims heretics and enemies, Qatada vows that their movement will dominate every land and wipe every religion off the face of the earth.

It is this hate speech that incites violence against Shia Muslims. These are the roots of the terrorist attacks that the world witnesses every day against Shia Muslims and other religious minorities. Shia Rights Watch strongly condemns the actions of Abu Qatada.

Shia Weekly News #38: Muharram Breaking News

Bangladesh

On the morning of Saturday October 24th bombers disguised as Shia mourners detonated themselves at a Shia gathering in the Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh. The bomb which was detonated in Hossaini Dalan area of Old Dhaka killed a boy and injured over 100 others. Shia gatherers were preparing for a procession called Tajia Michhil on Nazimuddin Road. There were five bombers and three of the five bombs were detonated.

No group has claimed responsibility but security cameras were present at the gathering so an investigation is currently ongoing to identify the assailants and establish the source of this violence. Shia Rights Watch condemns the horrific actions taken by these assailants against innocent Shia Muslims at a solem event. Bangladesh and Indonesia are not countries were anti-Shiism gets global attention but it is important that these actions are condemned in order that the do not target other communities of Shia.

Indonesia

The commemoration of Ashura was banned in the town of Bogor in West Java. Mayor Bima Arya of Bogor defended his decision to ban the commemoration by saying this was necessary to “keep order and security in the city”. This decision has come under fire from human rights groups stating that this is a violation of the religious expression of Shia Muslims.

In addition to this prohibition, a group in West Java called the West Java Ahlus Sunnah Defenders (PAS) spread banners around the town stating “Shia is a threat to NKRI (Unitary Nation of the Republic of Indonesia)”.

Shia Rights Watch condemns the actions of both the Bogor town administration for banning the practice of Ashura and PAS for the dissemination of anti-Shia rhetoric. It is important that a nation as diverse as Indonesia work to promote tolerance and understanding.

Saudi Arabia

On Sunday October 25th Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court rejected an appeal against the death against Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr whose involvement in pro-democracy protests led to his arrest in 2012. This comes after a long trial that has involved numerous irregularities and an outcry from the international community. At this point, the only domestic remedy for Sheikh Nimr now rests with King Salman who has the authority to issue a pardon.

Sheikh Nimr and six other Shia, including his nephew Ali al-Nimr, are scheduled to be executed and their bodies will be put on public display. International outcry over these death sentences have come from both the East and the West. British Prime Minister David Cameron has worked to intervene in Ali al-Nimr’s case but the kingdom remains defiant.

Shia Rights Watch calls on the international community to urge that King Salman pardon and release Sheikh Nimr, Ali Nimr, and all prisoners of conscience immediately. The international community cannot stand by while a country with a seat on the UN Human Rights Council completely disregards due process and the rule of law in order to punish religious minorities that demand equal rights.

Muharram Breaking News: Suicide Bomber Kills 16 in Pakistan

Shia Ashura ritual attacked in Pakistan province of Sindh killing at least 16 and wounded 30 people.

A police official told journalists that the procession was targeted by a suicide bomber. Pakistani government claims they secured the area with more than 10,000 extra police officers yet the suicide bomber could explode the bomb in the middle of the ritual gathering.

Ashura marks the anniversary of the death of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson Hussain, who was murdered along with his family at the battle of Karbala.  Every year hundreds of Shia are killed at Ashura gathering in different counties.

Shia Rights Watch has sent letters to all embassies before the beginning of the Muharram urging governments to secure Muharam gatherings. Yet Shia Muslims of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq and Pakistan has already reported killings and bombing during Ashura rituals.

 

Shia Weekly News #37

Week of 10/18/15

Pakistan

In a deadly incident this week, 10 Shia Muslims were killed and 20 were wounded in the town of Bhaag in the Baluchistan province of Pakistan. On Thursday October 22nd, a bomb was detonated at a Shia mosque while dozens of mosque goers were present. Of the 10 Shia Muslims were killed, six of them were children. This wave of violence occurred during the month of Muharram, where Shia Muslims commemorate the death of Imam Hussain, the grandson of the prophet Muhammad.

Mosque bombings, while a periodic occurrence in Pakistan, had subsided during the last two to three months but this incident could signal a deadly resurgence of violence against the minority group.

Iran

On October 16th, yet another attack occurred against Shia mourners at Ashura gatherings. Two young men were killed in a drive by shooting at an Ashura festival in the south-western province of Khuzestan around 11pm. Hossein Karimi Yeganeh (28), and Bahmn Rezaie (25) were shot and killed by the assailants, and two others were injured.

No group has yet to claim responsibility for this attack but it came hours after a deadly shooting in Qatif City in Saudi Arabia where five Shia mourners were killed. The attack in Qatif City was claimed by the Islamic State and it is possible that there is a connection between the two events. Shia Rights Watch will continue to follow updates from these incidents and will provide any information that emerges.

Saudi Arabia

On Friday, October 21, 2015, anti-Shia committed yet another atrocity when a gunman affiliated with the group shot and killed five Shia at a Muharram gathering in the Saihat area of Qatif City. After shooting the mourners, the assailant was shot and killed by Saudi police. Later, a group calling itself the Islamic State-Bahrain state would claim responsibility for the attack. The group stated that one of their soldiers attacked Shia infidels and that “infidels would not be safe in the island of Muhammad”.

Shia Muslims have been a regular target of ISIS as they are deemed as heretics or infidels by the extremist group. Bombings, shootings, and hateful propaganda have been disseminating throughout the Middle East by the group. Shia Rights Watch strongly condemns this deplorable action by the group and will continue to track its anti-Shiism to expose it to the international community. Unfortunately, until the international community comes together to combat these actions, these events will continue.

Bahrain

On Tuesday October 21st, Bahraini Security Forces launched a fierce crackdown on Shia mourners during Ashura festivals. Bahraini security forces were spotted pulling down Ashura banners, claiming that they were erected in “undesignated areas”. In response to these actions, Shia mourners began protesting the security forces, to which the security forces responded by firing buckshots at the crowd in an attempt to disperse them.

Shia Rights Watch condemns the actions of the Bahraini Security forces as a violation of the freedom of expression and the freedom of religion of the Shia majority. The month of Muharram is a solemn moment for Shia Muslims and they should be able to commemorate such a moment without fear of obstruction.

Iraq

Regular bombings have continued throughout Shia neighborhoods in Iraq, leading to the death of at least 48 Shia and the injury of at least 30. Most of these attacks have come through IEDs in Shia areas of Baghdad. The largest such attack occurred on October 20th when IEDs accompanied by gunfire killed 12 Shia Muslims in Baghdad. No group has taken responsibility for these attacks but the attacks a apart of a series of attacks against Shia Muslims in the country, many of which have been perpetrated by ISIS.

India

In Srinagar, the capital of Kashmir, hundreds of Shia mourners were shot with tear gas when their procession was interrupted by Indian authorities. Shia mourners were restricted from the Jahangir Chowk area and once they were there, authorities fired teargas shells at them. Indian authorities stated that they took these actions because they didn’t want to incite protests by Shia mourners over the death of a Kashmiri trucker who was killed in a bomb attack.

Shia Rights Watch condemns the restriction of the free movement and free expression of Shia mourners. As the world’s largest democratic country, there needs to be greater respect for the expression of religious minorities.

Indonesia

In Indonesia, a country with a violent history of anti-Shiism, has witnessed a flaring of this hatred this week. A compound hosting at least 30 asylum seekers from Afghanistan in the town of Yogyakarta was stormed by an anti-Shia mob. The asylum seekers decorated they compound they were staying in with Ashura banners to commemorate the death of Imam Hussain and once the anti-Shia group heard about this, dozens of men stored the compound. Once the group entered the compound they ordered the group to leave the neighborhood because they were “proselytizing Shiite teachings”.

Officers in the area were deployed to evacuate the group from this situation where the asylum seekers spent the night at a police station.

Shia Rights Watch condemns the hateful action of this anti-Shia group and urges the local Yogyakarta authorities to work to promote tolerance of both refugees and religious minorities. This country’s anti-Shia history has been a stain on this emerging nation and more needs to be done to promote pluralism throughout the country.

Muharram Breaking News- Attack to Shia Rituals in Iran

Iranian men beat their chest during the Ashura commemorations that mark the killing of Imam Hussein -one of Shiite Islam's most revered figures- on November 4, 2014, in the Iranian capital Tehran. Ashura commemorates the killing of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammed, by the army of the Caliph Yazid in 680 AD, the formative event in Shiite Islam. AFP PHOTO/ATTA KENARE

 

Two killed and two other injured due to a shooting at a Shia mosque in Iran on Friday October 16th. According to local authorities two masked individuals shut and killed Muharram attendees at the mosque. The gunmen opened fire from a moving car as the worshippers were commemorating Muharram.

The shooting took place in Deszul area of Khuzestan Province. Although Iran is a Shia populated country, Deszul has mixed population of Shia and non-Shia. No one was arrested yet but authorities promised investigating the matter.

Muharram commemorations have always been attacked mostly in non-Shia Islamic states. Iran is a Shia state and it is expected that Shia have more freedom to participate in their rituals. SRW urges the authorities to speed up the investigations and secure Muharram programs.

 

 

UNDP Building inclusive and peaceful societies through women’s participation and leadership: good practices from the field

On October 16th Shia Rights Watch attended the UNDP event entitled “Building Inclusive and Peaceful Societies through Women’s participation and Leadership” at the UN headquarters in New York. Marking the 15th anniversary of UN Resolution 1325, the panel of guests at this event spoke about the progress of women’s inclusion into post conflict peacebuilding efforts.

While progress has been made in the inclusion of women in peacebuilding in the last 15 years, challenges remain in ensuring that this is meaningful participation. After two round of political instability in Kyrgyzstan in 2005 and 2010, efforts to involvement have had nominal success but large gaps still remain between men and women. Women in Kyrgyzstan are largely excluded from public life and it has been hard to overcome this gap do to the responsibilities women hold both at home and in the agricultural sector. One way that NGOs and other stakeholders have been working to increase the influence of women in society is by disseminating images of women participating in politics through mediums that women consume a great deal of such as soap operas.

In Libya, the effort to include women has been incomplete as well. A female human rights activist who was a part of the UN mediated peace process in the country. The activist stated while women were involved in the peace process, they remained excluded at many major points. This essentially rendered their participation ineffective. The activist finished by stating that resolution 1325 has been ineffective for Libyan women and more emphasis needs to be put on meaningful participation for women.

This conversation is an important one for post conflict societies to be having. With qualitative and quantitate data showing a strong and positive relationship between women’s inclusion in peace processes and the effectiveness of those peace process, improving women’s access will have a large effect going forward. As Shia communities around the world work with their states to move past horrendous conflicts, it is important that women from both sides of these hostilities are involved early and often throughout transition periods.

Shia Weekly News #36

Week of 10/11/15

Bahrain

On October 13th, Bahraini Security Forces were spotted removing Ashura banners in the villages of Shahrkan, Al-Malkiya, Sehla, Bu Quwah and Isa Town. In twitter posts that emerged from Bahraini activists, pictures show members of the security forces in the streets with the flags and banners in their hands. This is just the latest form of discrimination displayed by the Bahraini government against the Shia majority in the country. While many Shia activists remained imprisoned, the Bahraini government works to add insult to injury by interfering with the religious expression of this community. The removal of these flags and banners without proper reasoning is a restriction of the expression of religion for Shia Muslims.

Actions by the Bahraini government have become regular occurrences during Muharram as in 2014 Bahraini security forces interrupted a service in a Shia mosque by throwing multiple tear gas canisters inside. This attack was captured on video and posted on YouTube by Shia Rights Watch. The United States Department of State has been notified about the attack last year and is currently investigating it. Shia Rights Watch condemns the limitations placed by the Bahraini government on the free expression of Shia Muslims within their country.

Arms sales by the United States and Western Europe to Bahrain have been a concern for human rights activists for years now and it seems as if the campaign to halt these sales is gaining steam. In the United States, a petition that calls for the government to ban arms sales to Bahrain has gained about 15,000 signatures. The petition entitled “No Weapons For Bahrain” was created by Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain, RootsAction.org Code Pink, and World Beyond War. The petition request that some weapons not be sold and delivered to the Kingdom of Bahrain until certain human rights benchmarks are met.

While the United States Department of State has the power to halt weapons sales to countries if they have a questionable human rights record, many have complained that other interests have been allowed to take precedence over human rights in the country. Shia Rights Watch supports this petition and calls for the halt of arms sales to Bahrain until significant human rights improvements are implemented.

In Bahrain, yet another violation to the right to a fair trial has been revealed as Sheikh Salman was denied the ability to meet with his lawyers. Sheikh Ali Salman is a Shia opposition leader who has been detained for his role in peaceful protests. Since he has been in prison the court and prison administration officials are not allowing him to send or receive notes from his lawyers before his trial. In addition to this, the administration officials have refused to respect the confidentiality between Sheikh Salman and his legal team.

In his own words Sheikh Salman stated “I am a prisoner of conscience who has been denied self-defense and my lawyers have been denied the right to present argument and evidence”. The tampering in the legal defense created an unfair balance between the state and the defendant. This is a clear violation of due process and in turn Shia Rights Watch urges that Sheikh Salman be released immediately.

Sheikh Ali Salman was sentenced to four years of prison last June and he is currently appealing his case.

Update- in an update from Sheikh Ali Salman’s trial in Bahrain, news has emerged that Mohsin Alalwi, a member of the Sheikh’s legal defense team, was removed from the courtroom during proceedings. According to those present at the time of the removal, the Sheikh’s defense panel began to complain before the court about the denial of confidentiality between the Sheikh and themselves. In his statement before the judge Sheikh Salman stated “the international community has looked at my case and the world has disapproved the malicious and politicized charges against me”. In addition he vowed to continue to fight for democracy and freedom by saying “I will continue my peaceful political activism until democracy is achieved. This is my national duty and that brings me to find solutions for the crisis through dialogue”.

Saudi Arabia

On October 5th dozens of Saudi clerics released a statement that praised ISIS by calling them “holy warriors” who are “defending” the Arab country. Also they stated that ISIS should be trusted because should they fall it would mean the fall of “one Sunni country after the other”.

This statement made by the Saudi clerics led to quick condemnation by high level UN officials. Adama Dieng, the UN Secretary General’s special adviser on the prevention of genocide and Jennifer Welsh, the UN special adviser on the responsibility to protect issued a statement that condemned the statement issued by the Saudi clerics and expressed their alarm in the rise of rhetoric that that has been used to incite violence.

Their statement said “such rhetoric can aggravate the already extremely volatile situation in Syria by drawing religiously motivated fighters to join all parties to the conflict, thus escalating the risk of violence against religious communities”

Unfortunately Shia Muslims have been the victims of much of this violence provoking speech. In Iraq and Syria, Shia Muslims are facing nearly daily bombings and that can be traced back to the words of clerics that call them dogs and infidels.

Advancing Women’s Peace and Security: Thailand’s Mission to the UN

On October 15th, Shia Rights Watch attended Thailand’s Mission to the UN’s event entitled “Advancing Women’s Peace and Security” at the UN Headquarters in New York. At this event, the panelists spoke about the importance of the impact that women have on peace processes.

Data, both quantitative and qualitative were employed to see how women impact these peace processes. A growing body of evidence shows that when women are involved heavily throughout the peace process, states are less likely to experience an increasing and continuing conflict. When you measure the presence of women in all forms at peace agreements, there is a positive impact on the duration of peace. Including women in the peace process increased the probability of success at least 20% in the first two years.

During peace processes, women are more likely to speak about human needs. These needs include protection for children, the elderly, stigmatized groups, etc. In a focus group, women would rank the needs of children much higher than men in the group. In addition to this, women would prioritize things such as affordability of goods and the availability of jobs. Lastly, this focus group was able to determine that when women are empowered in discussions determining the setup of a nation, the social safety net is increased by 50%.

The statements presented at this event were enlightening and provided a glimpse into the intricacies of peace processes. While this is important for the countries overcoming traumatic periods, it is even more important for ethnic and religious minorities that are seeking greater protection in the states they are living in.

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