Syria
“Like many other dictatorships, they use elections to replenish their power.”
President Bashar al-Assad today announced he will run for a fourth term in office in an election that his critics and many Western nations see as nothing but a sham. He will, of course, win in a landslide with all meaningful opposition in exile or having taken up arms. Assad, who took over when his father Hafez died after thirty years in power, has now been president for more than 21 years. A little more info here.
And another good piece here.
Chad
A follow-up to yesterday. The son of slain Chadian President Idriss Deby has been named interim leader. But rebels are already threatening to depose him and it is unclear whether he has the full support of the military. The rebel group, the Front for Change and Concord in Chad, say they are advancing on the capital. The transition was never going to go smoothly but this perfect storm of complications is spreading panic and many are worried the country could descend into all-out war.
AP has a very good report here.
Ethiopia
As mentioned in a previous newsletter, the war in Ethiopia is one of the world’s most brutal and there is growing evidence of genocidal tactics being used.
This Al Jazeera piece is heartbreaking, and this story needs more global attention.