Week 48: Debaters engage in climate mood against the Swedish state

The Aurora youth movement has sued the Swedish state in public court for not treating the climate crisis as a crisis, something that has become the subject of debate over the past week. Pictured: Fridays For Future demonstration in Stockholm, February 2020. Photo: Frankie Fouganthin. Source: Wikimedia commons.

Of: Amanda Rossling and Karin Sjöstrand

The government's climate policy has been debated over the past week, as well as the youth organization Aurora's lawsuit against the state. The war in Ukraine has continued to be the subject of debate and DN's lead writer wonders if Sweden really supports Ukraine when Ukrainian women are forced into prostitution.  

December 5, 2022, Current debate

Hope for peace in war-torn Ethiopia after ceasefire agreement

For the past two years, the Ethiopian region of Tigray has been plagued by brutal fighting. Now the Ethiopian state and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) have reached a ceasefire. Pictured: A destroyed tank in Edaga Hamus in Tigray, June 2021. Photo: Yan Boechat. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Of: Elianne Kjellman

One of the bloodiest conflicts of the 2000st century has been fought in Ethiopia since November 2020. A solution has seemed far away. But in early November came the surprising announcement that a ceasefire had been reached. Liisa Laakso, Senior Researcher at the Nordic Africa Institute, explains how the friction between the Ethiopian state and the People's Liberation Front in Tigray led to war - and how they have managed to reach a ceasefire.

December 2, 2022, Interview

Week 47: Debater on the scrapping of the one percent target: "Spiritless"

Dropping the one percent target is still the subject of debate on Swedish opinion pages. Photo: Frankie Fouganthin. Source: Wikimedia commons.

Of: Fredrik Govenius

The dropping of Sweden's one percent target for aid has been debated in several Swedish media over the past week. The protests in Iran have continued to be the subject of debate, for example when Ardalan Shekarabi (S) said that Sweden's government should tighten the sanctions against the country.

November 29, 2022, Current debate

The conflict between Rwanda and Congo-Kinshasa - this has happened

Congo-Kinshasa is trying to stop the advance of the M23 rebels, together with UN peacekeeping forces and troops from the East African Community. Photo: MONUSCO Photos. Source: Flickr.

Of: Agnes Durbeej-Hjalt

In recent months, tensions between Congo-Kinshasa and Rwanda have increased. The rebel group M23 has forced hundreds of thousands of civilians to flee in the eastern part of Congo-Kinshasa. Rwanda is accused of its denial of sponsoring the rebels, but the conflict between the countries has roots far back in time.

November 28, 2022, Development magazine explains

Researchers criticize Rwanda's commemoration period: 'Worried about large-scale violence'

According to researcher Gretchen Baldwin, ethnic tensions are maintained in Rwanda during the country's annual commemoration of the 1994 genocide. Pictured: Rwandan President Paul Kagame at the opening of the 28th edition of Kwibuka in April 2022. Source: Flickr.

Of: Agnes Durbeej-Hjalt

After the genocide in 1994, Rwanda has been praised by the outside world for its, above all economic, recovery. But new research shows several disturbing aspects with the country's annual commemoration period. Rwandans are forced to remember the genocide in exactly the ways of thinking that caused the genocide - that one ethnic group is superior to another, according to researcher Gretchen Baldwin. And Hon believes that it is a way for the government to retain power. 

November 25, 2022, Interview

Seven million people have fled Venezuela - but the crisis is deprioritised

Almost as many people have fled from Venezuela as from Ukraine, but the crisis in Venezuela receives considerably less resources from the outside world. Photo: Wilfredor. Source: Wikimedia commons.

Of: Vilma Ellemark

Millions of people have been forced to leave both Venezuela and Ukraine. Even so, only 16 percent of the aid response to Venezuelan refugees and migrants has been funded this year, compared to 71 percent of the response to Ukraine. - I don't think people understand how bad the crisis in Venezuela is, says León Poblete, researcher in economics at Uppsala University.

November 23, 2022, Report

Week 45: Debaters critical of Sweden's NATO negotiations with Turkey

Several debaters are critical of the negotiations between Sweden and Turkey regarding Sweden's NATO application. Photo: NATO. Source: Flickr.

Of: Lilljan Daoud and Matida Jaiteh

The meeting between Turkish President Erdoğan and Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) in Ankara regarding Sweden's NATO application has been hotly debated over the past week. The UN climate conference COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh has drawn sharp criticism against the Egyptian government.

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November 15, 2022, Current debate

"No one is punished for human rights violations in Iran"

Maja Åberg, policy advisor at Amnesty International Sweden, believes that the culture of impunity in Iran means that human rights violations, such as those seen by the regime during the current protests, continue. Photo: Artin Bakhan. Unsplash/Amnesty International Sweden.

Of: Liljan Daoud

The protests in Iran, sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Jhinas Amini in police custody, have spread across the country. By the end of October, 234 people had died in connection with the protests in Iran, according to Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO). The human rights organization Amnesty describes a culture of impunity in the country, where the security forces can kill, torture and abuse - without being punished for it. - The situation in Iran is extremely serious, says Maja Åberg, policy advisor at Amnesty International Sweden.

November 8, 2022, Interview

This is how the Iranian population circumvents the regime's internet blockades

"Woman, life, freedom" have been some of the slogans in the protests after the death of Mahsa Amini in Iran. Now the Iranian population is forced to find creative solutions to circumvent the regime's internet blockades. Photo credit: Stacey MacNaught. Flickr. Photo th: Artin Bakhan. Unsplash.

Of: Jonathan Lamy

To quell the protests after mahsa Aminis death, the Iranian regime restricts the local population's access to the Internet. Several social media platforms are now completely blocked and vthe owners around the blockades are few, but tech company and non-profit organizations work to maintain communication with the outside world. 

November 3, 2022, Development magazine explains

Therefore, China and Taiwan are in conflict - and the United States is involved

Tensions between China and Taiwan have reached new levels after the US state visit to Taiwan in August this year. A Chinese invasion of Taiwan looms, and if the US offers military assistance, this would mean an escalation of the conflict. Pictured: Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the US House of Representatives, and Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen in August 2022. Photo: Makoto Lin. Source: Flickr.

Of: Elianne Kjellman

After US state visit to Taiwan in August, tensions between Taiwan, China and the United States have increased sharply. Many experts fear a Chinese invasion of Taiwan. The subject has recently been mentioned frequently in the media, but the conflict can be difficult to understand. The development magazine explains the historical background to the conflict and US involvement in it.

October 28, 2022, Development magazine explains