International Polity - Current Affairs for March, 2016

Htin Kyaw, a confidante of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, was sworn in on March 30, 2016 as Myanmar’s President, ushering in the first democratically elected government into office after decades of military rule.

• Htin Kyaw will be remembered as the first civilian president of Myanmar and the head of its first government to be elected in free and fair elections.
• According to reports. Suu Kyi will hold the following portfolios- Foreign Affairs, President Office, Education and Electricity and Energy.

China has just launched the first cybersecurity public organisation for safeguarding national cybersecurity and guiding internet firms in performing their duties. CyberSecurity Association of China comprises academic institutes, individuals as well as internet companies. This includes Tencent and Qihu 360.

New Zealand on Thursday, 24th March 2016 voted in favour of retaining the flag of the country, preliminary results of the referendum showcased. The current flag features the United Kingdom’s Union Jack in the corner and 4 red stars in the Southern Cross formation. This indicates New Zealand’s location within the South Pacific. Alternate design matches the current flag yet ditches the British Union Jack in favour of the fern which is a national symbol. Close to 1.2 million million people voted to retain the flag while around 900,000 people voted for the alternative. Government appointed panel showcased a list of 4 designs for New Zealand’s new national flag.

President of the Maldives, Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has ratified the amendment to the Act on the Prohibition of Terrorism for empowering authorities to prepare a list of suspected terrorist organisations. Maldives National Defence Force will also monitor these organisations under the order of the National Security Council.

China on 21st March 2016 agreed to a request of Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli to construct a strategic railway link between the two nations through Tibet to reduce the total dependence of the country on India. The two sides signed close to 10 agreements including an important landmark transit trade deal.

Tibetan exiles across the globe voted to elect nominees for post of Sikyong or prime minister and the members of the parliament in exile. Men and women sought to elect one of 2 prime ministerial contenders namely incumbent Lobsang Sangay and Penpa Tsering, the Tibetan parliament speaker. The Dalai Lama did not vote. In India, voting took place in Dehradun Delhi, Darjeeling and Bylakuppe. Voters will also elect 45 members of the parliament in exile and results will be declared on April 27.

Turkey and the EU have reached a controversial deal to stop the flow of refugees to the latter continent in return for political and financial concessions for Ankara. Turkey’s PM Ahmet Davutoglu and EU President Donald Tusk confirmed the agreement which came into force after three rounds of talks. Accord aims to close main route by which million people came to the Aegean Sea to Greece in the last year before moving North to Germany and Sweden. As per the agreement. Ankara will take back all refugees and others including Syrians who crossed over to Greece illegally across the sea. EU will take thousands of Syrian refugees directly from Turkey and reward it with money, early visa free travel and faster progress in EU membership talks.

Myanmar’s parliament has elected its first non military president to the post since the army took over in a coup in the 1960s. Kyaw was nominated by the National Lague for Democracy party last week an voted into the presidency by parliament. Suu Kyi barred from the presidency because she has sons who are foreign nationals, has made it clear she is “above the president” and Kyaw will act as a proxy.

Sri Lankan Parliament on 9th March 2016 adopted a unanimous resolution to convert itself into a Constituent Assembly. The resolution has undergone numerous changes since it was amended by Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and Joint Opposition along with SLPF. The resolution was introduced by PM Ranil Wickremsinghe in January. Amendments did not affect the original tone of the resolution.

3 time PM Sher Bahadur Deuba has been elected as the new president of the Nepali Congress, in what is the country’s largest democratic party’s success in a run off poll. He was elected Nepali Congress chief during 13th National General Convention after 79 year old Koirala’s post fell vacant following his demise. His contenders included Ram Chandra Puadel, the acting president of the party while Situala dropped from the race. This is Mr. Deuba’s third attempt for a party post.

On Super Tuesday elections, the biggest day of any primary campaign, Trump and Clinton beat their respective rivals ahead of the presidential elections in November by winning 7 out of a total of 11 races in the different states. Trump won in Virginia, Arkansas, Alabama, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Vermont and Georgia, while Clinton won in Massachusetts, Texas, Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia and Virginia.

US has deployed elite counter terrorism unit Delta Force for covert operations in Iraq for killing or capturing high ranking IS operatives and gathering intelligence as per a media report. Group has set up safe houses, established informant networks and coordinated operations with Iraqi and Peshmerga units. Special Op forces have used the same strategy in previous deployments to combat zones.

Foreign Minister Hashim Thaci was on 26th February 2016 elected as president of Kosovo by MP amid protests. He succeeds Atifete Jahjaga as head of state after winning the required simple majority in voting held in Pristina. Thaci was a guerrilla leader during a conflict that led to Kosovo, mainly ethnic Albanian province declaring independence from Serbia.

Japan has signed an agreement to supply defence equipment and technology to Philippines, the first such defence pact with Japan in a region where US allies have been concerned regarding security. This accord serves as a framework for transfer of defence equipment and technology and details being settled in further talks. Japan and Philippines have expressed alarm over the assertive behaviour in disputed waters.