By Rafiqul Islam
DHAKA, Aug 28 2024 – Immediately after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5, 2024, following weeks of deadly demonstrations staged by students, people carried out attacks on the houses and temples of the Hindu community in Dacope of Khulna, about 225 kilometres from Dhaka. They particularly attacked and vandalized the houses of minorities believed to be involved in the politics of the ousted Awami League government.

At least 11 Hindu houses in Dacope were attacked and vandalized, with attackers claiming these were acts of political revenge.

But, in Dacope, local Muslim and Hindu students and the community soon joined together to guard the houses and temples of the minorities so that they would no longer be victimized due to the political changeover.

Beginning in mid-June 2024, peaceful student protests in Bangladesh turned violent, resulting in hundreds of people killed, including at least 32 children, and thousands injured. The protests were the result of the reinstatement of a quota system for the distribution of civil service positions.

The government resigned in response to the protests, and a civilian interim government took its place.

In other areas too, attacks were carried out on the offices of the Awami League (AL) and residences and establishments of the AL leaders and temples, churches and houses of minority communities across Bangladesh during unrest.

Nur Nabin Robin, a resident of Chattogram City, said many people from minority communities, including Hindus, Buddhist and ethnic people, live in the port city in harmony.

But when the Sheikh Hasina government fell on August 5, people of the minority communities began to feel insecure in Chattogram since attacks on minorities were reportedly being carried out in different parts of the country, he said.

“So, we patrolled in the city for two to three nights in groups and guarded the temples and houses of the minorities so that none could attack them. We also asked them to call us via mobile phone if they can sense any clue of attack on them,” Robin told IPS.

Their concerns were exacerbated because most police stations across the country ceased operating after the fall of the previous government.

General students and even madrasa students came forward to protect the houses and places of worship as the leaders of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement asked supporters to guard temples and churches, responding to concerns voiced over reports of attacks on minority groups.

Jasim Uddin, a resident of Kuliarchar in Kishoreganj, told IPS that after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government, mobs torched and vandalized houses of many AL leaders in his locality, but members of the Hindu community remained safe during the political turmoil as local people voluntarily safeguarded their temples and properties.

While national monuments and government buildings in the capital, Dhaka, were looted, there were no reports of attacks on temples or churches there during the recent political turmoil.

In Dhaka, Muslim students were found guarding the Dhakeshwari National Temple, a Hindu place of worship. A Muslim was spotted offering prayers in front of Dhakeswari temple so nobody would attack the temple.

Professor Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser to the interim government of Bangladesh, visited Dhakeshwari National Temple on August 13, 2024, to express his solidarity with the Hindu community. During his visit, he called upon the minorities to keep patience and remain united.

Yunus condemned the attacks on minority communities in the country as “heinous.”

Religious harmony is the long tradition of Banglalees, while people from different religions—Islam, Hindu, Buddhist, Christian—have been living together from generation to generation.

“Over 90 percent people in Bangladesh do not believe in communalism. Attacks were carried out on minorities due to political reason or gaining personal interest. Those who carried out looting and vandalism were not involved in the student movement,” adviser to interim government Syeda Rizwana Hasan told a function recently in Dhaka.

She said madrasa students had safeguarded temples in many places of Bangladesh, which showed an example of the country’s religious harmony.

Barrister Sara Hossain, the honorary executive director of the Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), said once miscreants carry out any attack on minorities, all should protect them.

CONCERN REMAINS

Following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government, there was chaos across the country, with law enforcement officials retreating in many places for fear of retaliation.

According to a report of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) of the United Nations released on August 16, 2024, attacks were conducted against minorities, including Hindus, especially in the days immediately after the change of government.

The OHCHR report recognized the role of the student organizations and other ordinary people who were forming groups to protect the minorities.

It details some of the attacks against minorities, including Hindus, especially in the days immediately after the change of government. On August 5 and 6, Hindu houses and properties were reportedly attacked, vandalized and looted in 27 districts. A number of places of worship were also damaged, including an ISKCON temple in Meherpur, Khulna division, which was vandalized and set on fire.

On August 5 and 6, Hindu houses and properties were reportedly attacked, vandalized and looted in 27 districts, while many temples were also damaged, including an ISKCON temple in Meherpur, Khulna division, which was vandalized and set on fire.

The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC) claimed that around 200-300 Hindu homes and businesses were vandalized since August 5 last while 15-20 Hindu temples were damaged.

IPS UN Bureau Report

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By Ghulam Isaczai
BAGHDAD, Iraq, Aug 28 2024 – Climate change and water scarcity pose significant threats to Iraq’s stability, prosperity, and the well-being of its people. The environmental challenges facing the nation are complex and interconnected, requiring a comprehensive and coordinated response.

In Iraq, the United Nations Country Team (UNCT), under my leadership, has been at the forefront of addressing these critical issues, working tirelessly to build a more sustainable and resilient future for all Iraqis.

Through the Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO), we aim to leverage the diverse expertise and resources of different UN agencies, fostering a coordinated and integrated approach to development challenges.

Through this collaborative model, we can maximize our impact and deliver holistic solutions to tackle the interconnected web of factors that contribute to climate change and water scarcity.

This includes not only mitigating the immediate effects of these environmental threats but also addressing their underlying causes, such as unsustainable water management practices and overreliance on fossil fuels.

United Nations Resident Coordinator in Iraq Ghulam Isaczai visiting a water project site. Credit: UN in Iraq

The UN in Iraq has made a lasting impact in Iraq through a number of key initiatives. These include:

1) Forging climate resilience

Iraq is highly vulnerable to climate change impacts, including rising temperatures, droughts, and desertification severely impacting agricultural productivity and social stability. To address this, the UNCT, in cooperation with the Iraqi Government, organized Iraq’s first Climate Conference in Basra in 2023. This event resulted in the “Basra Declaration” with key government commitments and initiatives like an afforestation campaign, aimed at enhancing Iraq’s climate resilience.

These efforts led to increased national and international awareness and cooperation on climate issues, establishing a framework for future environmental and policy planning, including the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC).

The Basra Declaration aims at strengthening Iraq’s institutional, technical, and financial capacities to tackle climate change by mainstreaming medium- to long-term adaptation strategies into national and local planning.

2) Advancing water security

Iraq suffers from a critical water crisis due to reduced rainfall and over-utilization of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. These challenges are exacerbated by inefficient water management and agricultural practices.

Last year, Iraq was the first country in the Middle East to join the UN Water Convention, underscoring the country’s commitment to boosting regional cooperation and ensuring equitable water use, essential for the stability and prosperity of the region.

In alignment with these national objectives, the RCO is leading a ‘Water Task Force’ that brings together UN agencies in Iraq to enhance water governance, boost agricultural resilience, and improve sustainable water usage.

For instance, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) are working together to integrate traditional knowledge with modern technology, optimizing water use for agriculture—an essential step for bolstering Iraq’s food security.

Meanwhile in the Sinjar district, a United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) initiative, funded by the Italian government is transforming local water access, in-line with the need to ensuring safe water for all Iraqis. Similarly, in Ninewa Governorate, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) installed water desalination systems in seven villages, significantly improving living conditions.

3) Preserving the Mesopotamian Marshes

The Mesopotamian Marshes, a unique ecosystem and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are threatened by climate change, pollution, and unsustainable water management practices, leading to severe ecological and human impacts.

The RCO coordinated efforts across UN agencies to conserve the marshes by developing environmental strategies, supporting afforestation projects and facilitating community-based adaptation plans to improve the livelihoods of local communities.

For example, the World Food Programme (WFP) is undertaking afforestation projects in both southern Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, aligning with the government objective of planting five million trees by 2029. These efforts are directly contributing to the national climate change strategy through the Local Adaptation Plan, focusing on areas most impacted by climate change.

Furthermore, the UN has led legislative advancements in natural resource management, including the adoption of the Environmental Strategy and the National Sustainable Land Management Strategy and Action Plan, which are crucial for agriculture and marshland conservation.

These initiatives have helped restore ecological balance, supported local livelihoods, and bolstered the marshlands’ resilience to environmental pressures, thereby securing their status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

4) Developing renewable energy policies

Iraq’s heavy reliance on fossil fuels not only constrains its economic stability but also contributes to substantial greenhouse gas emissions. The country has significant potential for renewable energy development but faces challenges in attracting investment and developing necessary infrastructure.

To address this gap, the UN facilitated the revision and adoption of Iraq’s Renewable Energy Law, a pivotal move towards boosting renewable energy investment and development. The revised Renewable Energy Law has created a more favourable environment for renewable energy investment.

Similarly, an initiative by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is supporting Iraq’s shift away from oil-dependence, through the NAP – which outlines efforts to reduce emissions and prepare for the effects of climate change. The UN is also assisting Iraq develop its NDCs for 2025, which is the country’s commitment to reduce emissions and adapt to climate change as part of the Paris Agreement.

These efforts have opened avenues for increased investment in renewable energy, promoting sustainable economic growth and reducing the country’s carbon footprint.

A sustainable and resilient future for Iraq

The collective work of the UN in Iraq has set the country on a promising trajectory towards climate sustainability and resilience. Our upcoming United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for 2025-2029 will outline our efforts to help Iraq mitigate and adapt to climate change, manage water resources sustainably, and protect its unique environmental and cultural heritage.

As we look to the future, the UN in Iraq remains committed to supporting the government and people of Iraq in their pursuit of a sustainable and resilient future.

Ghulam Isaczai is United Nations Resident Coordinator in Iraq. To learn more about the work of the UN in Iraq visit iraq.un.org.

IPS UN Bureau

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By Jomo Kwame Sundaram and Siti Maisarah Zainurin
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Aug 28 2024 – Oxfam expects the world’s first trillionaire within a decade and poverty to end in 229 years! The wealth of the world’s five richest men has more than doubled from 2020, as 4.8 billion people became poorer.

Jomo Kwame Sundaram

The 2024 Oxfam report entitled Inequality Inc. warned, “We’re witnessing the beginnings of a decade of division” as billions cope with the “pandemic, inflation and war, while billionaires’ fortunes boom”.

“This inequality is no accident; the billionaire class is ensuring corporations deliver more wealth to them at the expense of everyone else”, noted Oxfam International’s Amitabh Behar.

Driving inequality
Summarising the report, Tanupriya Singh noted gaps between rich and poor, and between wealthy nations and developing countries had grown again for the first time in the 21st century as the super-rich became much richer.

The Global North has 69% of all wealth worldwide and 74% of billionaire riches. Oxfam notes contemporary wealth concentration began with colonialism and empire.

Since then, “neo-colonial relationships with the Global South persist, perpetuating economic imbalances and rigging the economic rules in favour of rich nations”.

The report notes, “economies across the Global South are locked into exporting primary commodities, from copper to coffee, for use by monopolistic industries in the Global North, perpetuating a colonial-style ‘extractivist’ model”.

Siti Maisarah Zainurin

Inequalities within rich nations have grown, with marginalised communities worse off, giving rise to rival ethno-populisms and vicious identity politics.

Seventy per cent of the world’s largest corporations have a billionaire as principal shareholder or chief executive. These firms are worth over $10 trillion, which exceeds the total output of Latin America and Africa.

The incomes of the rich have grown much faster than for most others. Hence, the top 1% of shareholders own 43% of financial assets worldwide – half in Asia, 48% in the Middle East, and 47% in Europe.

Between mid-2022 and mid-2023, 148 of the world’s largest corporations made $1.8 trillion in profits. Meanwhile, 82% of 96 large corporations’ profits went to shareholders via stock buybacks and dividends.

Only 0.4% of the world’s largest companies have agreed to pay minimum wages to those contributing to their profits. Unsurprisingly, the poorer half of the world earned only 8.5% of world income in 2022.

The wages of almost 800 million workers have not kept up with inflation. In 2022 and 2023, they lost $1.5 trillion, equivalent to an average of 25 days of lost wages per employee.

In addition to income inequality, the 2024 Oxfam Report noted workers face mounting challenges due to stressful workplace conditions.

The gap between the incomes of the ultra-rich and workers is so huge that a female health or social worker would need 1,200 years to earn what a Fortune 100 company CEO makes annually!

Besides lower wages for women, unpaid care work subsidises the world economy by at least $10.8 trillion yearly, thrice what Oxfam terms ‘tech industry’.

Monopoly power
Oxfam notes that monopoly power has worsened world inequality. Thus, a few corporations influence and even control national economies, governments, laws, and policies in their own interest.

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) study found monopoly power responsible for 76% of the fall in the labour share of US manufacturing income.

Behar noted, “Monopolies harm innovation and crush workers and smaller businesses. The world hasn’t forgotten how pharma monopolies deprived millions of people of COVID-19 vaccines, creating a racist vaccine apartheid while minting a new club of billionaires”.

Between 1995 and 2015, 60 pharmaceutical companies merged into ten Big Pharma giants. Although innovation is typically subsidised with public funds, pharmaceutical monopolies price-gouge with impunity.

Oxfam notes the Ambani fortune in India comes from monopolies in many sectors enabled by the Modi regime. Ambani’s son’s recent extravagant wedding celebrations flaunted extreme wealth concentration worldwide.

The 2021 Oxfam report estimated that “an unskilled worker would need 10,000 years to earn what Ambani made in an hour during the pandemic and three years to earn what he made in a second”.

Unsurprisingly, the 2023 Oxfam Report noted, “India’s richest 1% own around 40% of the country’s wealth, while over 200 million people continue to live in poverty”.

Fiscal subordination
Corporations have increased their value through a “sustained and highly effective war on taxation … depriving the public of critical resources”.

As many corporations increased their profits, the average corporate tax rate dropped from 23% to 17% between 1975 and 2019. Meanwhile, around a trillion dollars went into tax havens in 2022 alone.

Of course, falling corporate tax rates are also due to “the broader neoliberal agenda promoted by corporations and their wealthy owners, often alongside Global North countries and international institutions such as the World Bank”.

Meanwhile, pressures for fiscal austerity have grown as government tax revenue has declined relatively for decades. High government indebtedness with corporate tax evasion and avoidance have exacerbated austerity policies.

Underfunded public services have adversely affected consumers and employees, especially health and social protection. Higher interest rates have worsened debt crises in developing nations.

With governments fiscally constrained from sustaining public services, privatisation advocates have become more influential, gaining greater control of public resources by various means.

Private corporations profit from discounted public asset sales, public-private partnerships and government contracts to deliver public policies and programmes.

“Major development agencies and institutions… have found common ground with investors by embracing approaches that ‘de-risk’ such arrangements by shifting financial risk from the private to the public sector”, the report states.

Access to essential public services should be universal. Insisting on private profit-making considerations deprives marginalised communities of access, worsening inequalities.

Siti Maisarah Zainurin will join a Malaysian government research institute after completing work at Khazanah Research Institute.

IPS UN Bureau

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