News
ORG Website
On Monday 13th July, a new version of ORG's website went live. This has involved a reorganisation of the content to better highlight ORG's current work programmes, at the same time as introducing technical upgrades to improve the functionality of the site. The work was undertaken by Christian Nolle (cnolle.net) and supervised on behalf of ORG's Communications Manager, Vera Evertz. Comments, and notifications of broken links etc. should be sent to vera.evertz@oxfordresearchgroup.org.uk
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Programme Updates
Moving Towards Sustainable Security
UK Policy Group
At the start of July the sustainable security programme’s UK Policy Group met for the fourth time. David Broucher, the London representative of Independent Diplomat and former British Ambassador to the Czech Republic, was welcomed at the meeting and has joined the UKPG in place of Edward Mason. The UK Policy Group is designed to specifically address the policy implications for the UK of the sustainable security analysis and of our regional consultations in particular. At this meeting the group heard from Tony Lloyd MP, who outlined the Labour party’s developing foreign and security policies. Representatives from each of the three major UK political parties have now attended UKPG meetings. The outcomes from the first three sustainable security consultations and the implications for UK policy have also been discussed. The group will meet again in October to formulate a strategy for influencing policy in the run up to and aftermath of next year’s general election.
Recording Casualties in Armed Conflict
A special RCAC fundraising event, aimed at doctors, is being organised for September (download PDF flyer here). A presentation and discussion will be led by John Sloboda, FBA, (Oxford Research Group, Iraq Body Count) and Madelyn Hicks, MD, MRCPsych (King’s College London), with a guest contribution from Dr Suppiah Ratneswaren, author of a recent report on the plight of civilians in the Sri-Lankan conflict. They will introduce a new initiative to ensure that the death of every individual killed in armed conflict is publicly documented, and how the skills, insights, values and generosity of the medical profession can support it. Please circulate details among your medical contacts.
Human Security and the Middle East
Gabrielle Rifkind hosted a dinner on July 7th 2009 for a distinguished group of senior journalists, academics, policy makers and representatives from the military. The meeting experimented with creating a virtual roundtable by making a Skype connection with one of the candidates for the Afghani presidential elections, Ashraf Ghani, in Kabul. Afterwards, we also connected with Gianni Picco in New York, who was UN Assistant Secretary General and played a crucial role in the Geneva agreements on the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan, and who remains a wise analyst of the region
The dinner provided a forum for exploring current challenges and opportunities in Afghanistan, and gave a view of Ashraf Ghani’s electoral campaign. The main question explored during the course of the dinner was how far the elections will be free and fair and what would be at stake if they were flawed. The analysis was that, should the latter happen, the insurgency would deepen. Some specialists around the table explained that the current insurgency in Afghanistan is being read as a movement for social justice against a corrupt government.
ORG in the Media
ORG Executive Director, John Sloboda, was interviewed by Eddie Mayer (BBC Radio 4, PM) on 13th July regarding the difficulties of getting accurate casualty figures from Afghanistan.
The politics of security: beyond militarism. Paul Rogers.
Australia.To
At last, the "war on terror" is over. Joseph A. Kechinian
Gulf News
Paul Rogers also writes a weekly global security column for openDemocracy.
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