#MP Switzerland

[llovinghome]

[dortman]

I am 0% Swiss but today I am 100% Swiss

[herawell]

.

[aroundtheworldmp3]

Churches around the world

Solothurn, Switzerland Rome, Italy Trvava, Slovakia Ernakulam, India Hanoi, Vietnam Seyðisfjörður, Iceland Washington, USA Sainte Anne de Beaupré, Canada Belfast, Ireland Uppsala, Sweden Mexico City, Mexico Barcelona, Spain

[jaybird1306]

Last month, England and Wales took the first step towards legalising assisted dying (a separate bill is under consideration in Scotland, while Northern Ireland is described as “left behind” on the issue). After a five hour debate in Parliament, MPs voted by 330 to 275 in favour of the The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. As it stands, the bill would allow terminally ill adults with an expected six months left to live to end their own lives. They would have to make two separate declarations, signed by either themselves or a proxy (who can be someone who has known them for two years or someone of “good standing” in the community), and their eligibility would have to be confirmed by two doctors and a High Court judge.

The vote to approve this bill is being presented by supporters of the right to assisted death as a victory for dignity, compassion and bodily autonomy. The ultimate in the right to choose. And on these bases you might assume that I am one of those people. After all, I do believe in bodily autonomy. I hope it goes without saying that I believe in dignity and compassion in death as in life. And, of course, I believe fervently in the right to choose what happens to your own body.

But rather than these beliefs leading me to support this bill, they are in fact the reason that I have my doubts. Let me explain.

Like most good liberals, when I historically thought at all about assisted dying I considered myself to be in favour of it — although admittedly without having thought through any of the details. There is no doubt whatsoever that current end of life care leaves far too many people suffering a painful and undignified end. There is also no doubt that some people, out of fear of such an end, have ended their lives earlier than they might otherwise have chosen to, while they still had the ability to travel to Dignitas in Switzerland. Family members have faced the choice of letting their loved one travel and die alone in a foreign country, or to go with them and face the risk of prosecution on their return. None of this is humane. And legalising assisted dying seems like an obvious way to address these issues. That, in any case, was what I historically thought.

But a few years ago, doubts were introduced in my mind when I was a judge on the Royal Society of Literature’s Christopher Bland Prize. One of the books submitted to us was a memoir by Alastair Santhouse, a consultant neuropsychiatrist at The Maudsley Hospital in London. The book, Head First: A Psychiatrist’s Stories of Mind and Body, didn’t make the shortlist in the end, but it did make a lasting impact on me, most notably on my opinion of assisted dying.

Santhouse opens his section on the topic by recounting his first experience of a practice he was later to discover was so common it had a name: “granny dumping.” That is, the depositing of an unwanted elderly relative (the name suggests usually a female relative — we’ll come back to this) at a hospital over Christmas. The elderly woman in question here was brought in by her son and daughter-in-law who told Santhouse, “She just isn't right,” before leaving and turning off their phones. On her own, the woman, now in tears, told Santhouse there was nothing wrong with her. “They just don’t want me over Christmas.”

This episode may shock you as it did me. The thought of doing such a thing to my own mother causes me physical pain in my stomach and a lump in my throat. I simply cannot bear it. But, says Santhouse, the medical profession quickly disabused him of his “notions of people always behaving honourably or having respect for the elderly.” And it is his decades of experience, his repeated witnessing of this lack of honour and respect for older people, that makes him so implacably opposed to assisted dying.

While some may have taken a calm and rational choice to end their lives, there are an unquantifiable number of people who may be pressured or coerced into doing so. […] As they approach the end of their lives, people feeling unwell and scared can experience a pressure, spoken or implied, to let their families collect the inheritance that they would otherwise not get if they had to pay for medical or nursing home fees. They may also feel a pressure to release their families from the burden of caring for them. Vulnerable, frightened patients may only feel loved, accepted and valued by their families if they take the decision to end their lives by assisted suicide. — Santhouse (2021) pp. 206-7

As my parents have aged I too have witnessed some of this lack of honour and respect for older people in action. For example the time an impatient male carer made my strong, capable, fiercely independent mother cry when she was, in the immediate aftermath of a hip operation, feeling none of those things. I have also seen how quickly someone who is strong, capable and fiercely independent can suddenly become scared, uncertain and vulnerable when they lose their independence, even if, as with my mother, it was only temporary. It is far from unbelievable that someone in this state could be quite easily coerced into agreeing to end their own life. Rather, it is frighteningly believable. Indeed I personally know of at least one case where someone felt pressured (to my knowledge never overtly vocalised, but as Santhouse points out, this pressure does not need to be spoken to be felt) into arranging their own death, before at the last minute changing their mind. How many others have simply gone through with it?

Well, according to a recent report on assisted dying, “mercy killings” and failed suicide pacts, that is a question for which we do not have an answer and nor are we likely to get one any time soon. Written by the think-tank “The Other Half, the “Safeguarding women in assisted dying” report notes the “secrecy” that is “built into the latest assisted dying proposals in the UK.”

This is also true of countries thought to be exemplars like Oregon and the Australian states. In Oregon, death certificates do not include a note of assisted dying. All provider information on assisted deaths is deleted after the annual report is prepared. This simple data report does not, and would not, reveal the kind of abuses we fear here. In Canada, there are stories now emerging of families who have tried to prevent their relative being given MAID [medical assistance in dying] —as they believe they are not terminally ill. Families cannot get access to medical records to understand if their relative was coerced. The state protects itself and those who are involved in delivering death. — The Other Half (2024)

The abuse the authors of this report in particular fear is state-delivered domestic homicide — and not without good reason. Although the UK inexplicably only started including over 75s in domestic abuse statistics in 2020, we know that elder abuse is far from uncommon. We also know that women live more years than men in ill health, and that having a disability doubles a woman’s risk of being domestically abused. The law in England and Wales has also recently recognised suicide as an outcome of domestic abuse (indeed, data suggests it may be more common even than homicide) and has outlawed the “rough sex defence” through which men who killed their sexual partner via strangulation achieved leniency in prosecution and sentencing.

We cannot claim therefore to be ignorant of the clear vulnerabilities women face, nor of capacity of violent men to exploit the law to justify their abuse. And yet despite this knowledge, the potential for these laws to be used in the furtherance of violence against women has been shamefully absent from the assisted dying debate.

And not just here in Britain. The report highlights that most countries that have legalised assisted dying don’t even consider domestic abuse in their safeguards (which are mostly concerned with will beneficiaries), let alone collect or publish any data on the issue. Meanwhile, assisted dying campaigners in the UK have championed two male mercy killers with a history of domestic violence, one of whom had previously been imprisoned for bludgeoning his second wife with a mallet.

The result of this data gap on domestic abuse and assisted dying is that it’s hard to quantify exactly how widespread the problem is. We do have some indications, however. We know that in Canada, women “seem 2 times more likely to seek MAID track 2—which allows for those with non ‘reasonably foreseeable’ deaths to die” — that is, women who are not terminally ill. We know in Belgium that women dominate the figures of those given “psychiatric euthanasia.” Why are these psychologically troubled women so much more likely to seek death than their male counterparts? The data is silent on this issue, and the states in question seem in no hurry to uncover the reason behind the sex discrepancy.

In the Bill as it currently stands in England and Wales, assisted death for the mentally unwell would not be an immediate issue, since the law would apply only to terminally ill patients — but the example of countries that have gone before us shows how easily and quickly the concept of “terminal illness” can be and has been stretched.

…it is estimated that now 3 per cent of Belgian and Dutch assisted deaths are for psychiatric disorder. Psychiatric illness is not usually terminal and suicidal impulses are often part of the illness itself. To have a state-sanctioned way for such people to end their lives should be a cause of concern for everyone.

One study showed that 50 per cent of Dutch psychiatric patients asking to die had a personality disorder* (a very unstable diagnosis with symptoms sensitive to social pressures), a figure similar to that in Belgium. Twenty per cent had never been hospitalized because of mental health problems (which calls into question how severe they are) and, in 56 per cent of cases, loneliness and social isolation was thought to be an important factor. This in turn raises the question as to whether assisted suicide is being used instead of proper social and mental health care. Perhaps the most troubling statistic in the study was that in 12 per cent of cases in the Netherlands, the three assessors had not agreed unanimously on the decision, and yet the assisted death went ahead anyway. — Santhouse (2021) p. 209

This final statistic is echoed in a finding from The Other Half report, which notes that in Western Australia, guidance states that “feeling a burden” is meant to be a red flag for assessors determining a patient’s eligibility. But despite “more than a third of those approved reporting they felt a burden, Western Australian medics decided that everyone who applied for VAD was eligible in acting voluntarily and not being subject to coercion in 2023-24.” Which, to say the least, stretches credulity; as the authors of the report put it: “It is startling that despite the prevalence of domestic and elder abuse in Australia, the assisted dying safeguards for these picked up absolutely no one at all.”

Well, quite.

Santhouse also raises concerns about safeguarding, noting that “as the experienced expert who would be asked to undertake [safeguarding] assessments,” their presence is “no reassurance whatsoever.” It is, he writes, “extremely difficult to truly know someone's motives, including the motives in someone asking for assisted dying. This is particularly the case where the individual concerned is frightened, vulnerable or wants to please others, and do what they believe others want them to do.”

Source: The Other Half (2024)

[Image description: an excerpt from The Other Half, "The 2006 killing of Mandy Horne in Shetland was widely reported as a Romeo and Juliet, mercy killing by her husband - Mandy had MS. Both died so there was no investigation. Only through Mandy's father and a curious Times journalist was it later revealed to be a very violent murder and suicide by Mandy's husband: he's also killed their pets. The night before she died, Mandy had asked friends to stay because she was scared of her husband."]

But despite the failure of states that have legalised assisted dying to collect data on its intersection with domestic violence, we are not entirely without pertinent evidence. By combing through “news reporting, inquest findings, sentencing remarks and court of appeal judgements where killings and attempted killings were said by a judge, coroner or defence to be part of a mercy killing, or (failed) suicide pact,” The Other Half report authors have identified and reviewed more than 100 “mercy killings” and “failed suicide pacts” — and they make for sobering reading.

The Other Half’s research revealed that “at least 5 UK men per year violently kill women who are disabled, elderly or infirm, under the guise of mercy killings.” Eighty-eight per cent of the killers were male, overwhelmingly husbands and sons, and the killings were extremely violent, involving “cutting women’s throats, bludgeoning them, shooting them, or using stabbing, suffocation and strangulation.” One woman was thrown off a balcony by her son. Another was strangled with her dressing-gown cord by her husband. Many women had their throat slit. “Overkill,” the authors found, was frequent. Meanwhile, men are “overwhelmingly the survivors of ‘failed suicide pacts’.”

Having my throat slit, or being strangled with my dressing gown cord, or being thrown off a balcony does not sound particularly merciful to me, and whether or not you wish to die, it is hard to imagine anyone choosing to die in such a violent manner. But the vast majority of these women did not ever express a wish to die at all, let alone to die violently. 78% of them were not even terminally ill, being simply “disabled or elderly and infirm.” The report identified an increase in a woman’s care needs as a trigger for a mercy killing.

The majority of these men were let off with suspended sentences and sympathy from judges who repeatedly spoke of the “exceptional” nature of these strikingly similar cases (the report found that the few women who engage in “mercy killing” generally get a life sentence), with “very limited data, if any, data [being] collected by the state on these deaths, and no learning or curiosity.” One man let off with a suspended sentence had written the joint suicide note himself with no input from his wife; another had a history of domestic violence against his dead wife. And, let’s not forget, these lenient sentences all took place in a context where assisted dying is illegal. It’s also worth pointing out that this analysis would not have been possible if these mercy killings had taken place under the auspices of the new bill, because none of the information would be publicly available.

Source: The Other Half (2024)

[Image description: excerpt from The Other Half, The judicial safeguard: even criminal court judges are not able to spot patterns in so called mercy killings. Selected judicial remarks to mercy and failed suicide pact killers. "This is indeed an exceptional case" - Scotland husband smothered wife who'd returned home from hospital. "A tragedy for you...exceptional in the experiences of this court. You were under immense emotional pressure...you acted out of love." - Husband wrote his wife's suicide note then cut her throat. Suspended sentence. "I conclude the mental torment engendered by the impossible situation in which you found yourself must have been intolerable." - Husband strangled wife after she had broken her vertebrae and had been unable to look after him. Suspended sentence. "[The judge] decided to suspend the sentence due to the 'exceptional' circumstances" - Father helped his daughter take an overdose then suffocated her. She had been receiving (poor) inpatient mental health care in hospital. Suspended sentence. "It was, in part, an act which you believed to be one of mercy." - Husband knocked his wife out with a dumbbell then slit her throat. She had dementia. Suspended sentence. "the defendant was not coping with the strain of being the principle carer...I accept at the time he did believe he was doing what he believed to be an act of mercy." - Husband smothered wife with clingfilm. She had Parkinsons and had recently has a fall. Suspended sentence. "the case was exceptional and jail would not be appropriate" -Husband gave his wife an overdose of antidepressants and suffocated her in a plastic bag. "I accept in killing your wife you were doing so because you felt this was the only way to limit or prevent her suffering." - Husband pushed his wife down the stairs and then strangled her. She had dementia. Suspended sentence. "The taking of a life is always a grave crime, but the exceptional circumstances of this case require the court to show compassion." - Husband cut his wife's throat after her dementia worsened. Suspended sentence. "indeed true love...an exceptional case" - Husband attempted to bludgeon his wife to death with a hammer. Suspended sentence. "a most unusual and very sad case" - Husband struck his wife with an iron pole, then smothered her as she sat in bed. Suspended sentence. "You were convinced that she was suffering and it was more than you could bear." - Son threw his mother off a balcony as she was receiving end of life care. Suspended sentence.]

But what about all the people who are not coerced, you may be thinking at this point. Don’t they have a right to bodily autonomy? Don’t they have the right to choose?

To this I have two points, the first of which is that rights in a democracy must be balanced and the right of one person to willingly choose to end his life must be weighed against the right of another person to choose to continue with hers. Nothing about the debate so far, nor the bill in question, makes me at all confident that this balance has even been considered, much less achieved. As Sarah Ditum noted in her excellent piece in The Times, published shortly before the vote took place:

But for legislation that relies on the principle of informed consent, there seems to be a strange haste to get it on the books without fully investigating its implications. The full text of the bill was published last Tuesday; MPs will vote on its second reading less than two weeks from today. This is not ideal, particularly when the issue is as consequential, ethically and practically, as medically administered death.[…] Before taking a neutral stance on a bill, the government should scrutinise it, including producing an impact assessment and a legal issues memorandum. These are supposed to be made available one month before the second reading, but as they don’t currently exist and the second reading is less than a month away anyway, that isn’t going to happen. — Ditum (2024)

Beyond this lack of proper scrutiny is the question of whether the state of care for those living with illness, whether terminal or not, gives people a meaningful choice to make. Certainly, the Health Secretary Wes Streeting doesn’t think it does, leading to his voting against the bill. Neither, apparently, does the Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) programme in Australia, if the pamphlet cited by The Other Half is anything to go by, featuring as it does this family quote: “The voluntary assisted dying process was really the first time that any medical and allied health practitioners had given such understanding and empathy to my sister's suffering, and that was such a relief.”

And, sure, you could read this as approbation of the VAD programme. Or you could read it as an indictment on the care system.

For his part, Santhouse says his experience is that when people are asking to die, “they are commonly communicating something different.”

They are asking for help to live. They are saying that they can't see how they can cope with the problems that they have, and are asking for help in finding a way through the seemingly impossible difficulties that lie ahead. To take their request at face value, and to whisk them over to the nearest assisted dying clinic, is to abrogate our responsibilities to the patient. — Santhouse (2024), p.210

If people are not making a free choice, if people are choosing death not because they want to die but because we have failed so abjectly to make living bearable for those who need care, what does that say about us as a society?

Similarly, as the Other Half notes in its examination of female suicidality in response to domestic violence, it “is impossible not to imagine a scenario that a woman in abusive situations would find it easier to access NHS assisted dying than support to create new life away from her abuser.” Certainly, assisting her death would be cheaper, a concern which was also raised by Santhouse, who fears that legalising assisted dying would make it “far easier to give up on people once the going gets tough.”

Advocates for assisted dying often rebut concerns about the morality or ethics of assisted dying by pointing to the strong public support that their position holds. And it’s true: my opinion is, as they say, unpopular: a poll conducted by Opinium earlier this year on behalf of pressure group Dignity in Dying found that 75% of the British public supports assisted dying.

But how many of the British public really understand the implications of how this works in practice? How many of them are thinking about the violence of the mercy killings we are asked to sympathise with, or the ease with which vulnerable people can be coerced into unwillingly ending their own lives? I ask, because when you poll British people who are more likely to have a good grasp of how assisted dying might work out in reality, the support drops rather precipitously.

A recent survey by the British Medical Association found that 50% of doctors were in favour of the legalisation of assisted dying, which is already a substantial drop from the position of the general public. The difference was even more pronounced when considering only palliative care doctors, that is, the doctors who are most likely to have direct experience of the realities for the patients involved (how good care can change their attitude to life; how vulnerable to coercion patients might be). Among these doctors, 76% were against a change in the law — almost the exact inverse of the opinion of the general public.

Where we go from here is unclear. The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is now at the committee stage, where it will hopefully receive some of the scrutiny that has to date been sorely lacking —although given parliamentary timetabling restrictions this is by no means guaranteed. In the meantime, social and palliative care continues to be underfunded and under-resourced. And some men will continue to violently kill some women, and the state will continue to allow most of them to get away with it.

In a weird coincidence, shortly after I wrote this piece a friend of mine told me about the Christmas care package that had been sent by Age UK to her mother and aunt:

[Image description: A collection of gifts that includes slippers, a blanket, shortbread biscuits, a box of Celebrations chocolates, other unidentifiable edible or wearable treats.]

Age UK apparently sends these packages out to people on benefits with age-related health problems, and it’s such a brilliantly practical and caring idea I was inspired to set up a monthly donation to the charity.

Here’s why you should too: ageing is a feminist issue. Older women are poorer (thanks to the pay and pensions gap) and more frail and in poorer health (thanks to the health data and treatment gap) than older men. They are also more likely, thanks to sex differences in unpaid care (see Invisible Women for stats on this), to have spent their life taking care of other people. So, this Christmas, instead of “granny dumping,” let’s return the favour and make sure older women are taken care of themselves as they have taken care of all of us.

The link to donate again is here.

[eatthaimarket]

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[tobacconist]

Marmite

Marmite /ˈmɑːrmaɪt/ :- is a mineral with the chemical formula of [error displaying symbols] generally found in the form of a thick, black, tar-like paste, soluble in water; with a 'distinctive, salty, powerful flavour and heady aroma'⁽¹⁾.

It is chemically similar to other petroleum products such as bitumen and tarmacadam, but is found exclusively within the British Isles; especially in the North of England (although similar substances such as Vegemite & Cenovis have long been mined in Australia, New Zealand & parts of Switzerland, however they are internationally recognised as being inferior in quality). The oldest and largest English mines still in operation are Black Sally's Alley in Burton-on-Trent, East Staffordshire ,& Old Worty Grist in Trubbington Lees, Lancashire⁽²⁾.

Scientists disagree about how it is formed, although it is known to occur in seams alongside coal and shale. It is used as food, being very nutritious, and traditionally as fuel, as an adhesive, and in cosmetics - aswell as having numerous other industrial uses. It is estimated that the export of crude marmite constitutes 69% of the UKs annual GDP, refined marmite exports estimated at almost 420%, however because so much of Britains marmite is sold illegally on the black market⁽³⁾, it is hard to truly verify these figures. Archaeologists⁽ʷʰᵒˀ̣⁾ suggest that some of these mines may date back to the early iron age, with evidence of ancient celts using the substance as medicine, and in early religious rites. Certain modern Neopagan writers have attributed psychedelic properties to the drug, causing some conservative MPs in the 70s to unsuccessfuly call for its prohibition⁽ᶜⁱᵗᵃᵗⁱᵒⁿ ⁿᵉᵉᵈᵉᵈ⁾. The use, and abuse, of marmite has been the cause of much division of opinion in British society. It has been called a unique cultural phenomenon.

⁽¹⁾ this is quoted directly from the current sept2023 wikipedia page for marmite ⁽²⁾ i made these up teehee. the real locations are top-secret ⁽³⁾ come see yer aunt ethel. thruppence a jar. thats a bargain, mind

[transthadymacdermot]

WIP intro: This Happy Consitution

Genre: historical fiction, gothic fiction, political drama, with some vague fantasy elements

POV: third person limited, multiple povs

Status: third draft

Setting: 1807-1810, mostly in the UK but also there's various scenes in other places such as the Arctic and Switzerland

Themes: ambition / duty / morality / honour / corruption

Ernst Leitner is an ambitious and promising young doctor fresh from medical school who, while studying a mysterious new type of whale in the Arctic, discovers a new chemical compound which can be used to bring the dead back to life. After the death of his partner, which he was partially responsible for, he devotes himself in whole to figuring out how to use the compound, and heads to England, where he finds the famous and influential politician the Duke of Tateley willing to support his endeavour in return for personal medical care. Ernst accepts, and with the help of his partner, Deirdre, and her flatmates Colette and Oliver, eventually does achieve the monumental task of Raising The Dead.

Things almost immediately go sour, however, when Ernst's recklessness leads to Oliver's death, and Oliver turns out to be implicated in a political scandal that gets worse and worse the longer you look at it. Now Tateley's scheming friends are very interested in Ernst's life, as well, and when he ends up being accused of the crime, he begins to wonder if there's anyone in his life who he can truly trust.

Characters: (there’s A Lot More Than This, so just know I’m including only the Most Important ones)

Doctor Ernst Johann Leitner: ambitious young doctor, who is mainly motivated by how much he really does just want to stop all the horrors he sees around him. It’s him who discovers the death-defying chemical. he/him

Owen "Tuck" Graves: a transmasc American whaler and journalist hiding out from his parents in London. Ernst's best friend, and a good friend of Colette. he/him

Colette Pernet: French Jewish acrobat, who lives with her father and owns the flat Deirdre and Oliver also live in. She's looking out to protect those she cares about, and them only. she/her

Deirdre Weston: Ernst's (eventual) partner, and Colette's best friend. Finds herself frequently being something of a Cassandra. she/her

Oliver Harris, esq: the youngest son of a wealthy family, who has been thrown out by his mother to fend for himself. He wants to get elected to Parliament, and aids Ernst when Ernst promises to introduce him to Tateley to further his career. he/him

Edmund Arthur Joseph William Achreton, 6th Duke of Tateley: Whig Leader of the Opposition, who has an undefined (due to the time period) chronic illness. He's Ernst's aristocratic patron. he/him

Helene Marie-Anne Adrienne Achreton, 6th Duchess of Tateley: Tateley's wife, she's practically the queen of high society. She's also a naturalist, and very interested in Ernst's work. she/her

Timothy Seymour MP: a mysterious and absurdly private member of Tateley's party who may or may not be manipulating everyone for his own ends. he/him

Lavinia "Vinney" Moore: A society lady, Tateley's best friend since childhood. She's always up to date on all the gossip. she/her

Richard Jepson MP: an advanced radical member of Tateley's party, who is also his very good friend. He finds himself frequently and unwillingly at the centre of various scandals. he/him

[beardedmrbean]

With 144 votes "in favor", 52 "against", the parliament finally revoked the concession of Rosenets port from the Russian company Lukoil by adopting the second reading of changes to the Control Law on the implementation of restrictive measures in view of Russia's actions destabilizing the situation in Ukraine.

After the vote in the first reading, with 136 votes "in favor" and 60 "against", the parliament decided to immediately start the discussion of the second reading of the amendments to the Law on the control of the implementation of restrictive measures in view of the actions of Russia, destabilizing the situation in Ukraine. This happened after the chairperson of the meeting, Rositsa Kirova, refused to interpret a statement by Tsoncho Ganev from "Vazrazhdane" that their group will have proposals between the first and second readings and therefore they want a certain period between the two readings.

Hamid Hamid's attempt to start the second reading of the report was blocked by "Vazrazhdane" MPs who besieged the parliamentary rostrum in an attempt to stop the discussion of the bill. Screams, personal attacks and insults once again blocked the work of the parliament.

On the sidelines of the National Assembly, there was a reaction from "Vazrazhdane" after the decision for the Rosenets port concession to be considered for a second reading as early as today.

Kostadin Kostadinov - chairman of "Vazrazhdane": "We have witnessed yet another violation of the law. Even the right to vote is no longer there. The rulebook was brutally violated, the ruling triple coalition reads the rulebook and the laws like the devil is the gospel. They decided that they can vote on the bill in two readings. We will appeal to the Constitutional Court. The decision is very express. We cannot make proposals on the text before it has been adopted in the first reading. Here a covert operation was carried out, a coup d'état as the referendum was rejected."

"Lawsuits will be filed by 'Lukoil' that the concession contract is broken, for lost profits, for the recovery of the improvements made at the Rosenets port. We will pay, not Kiril Petkov and Mustafa Karadayi. This is an American order. This company is registered in Switzerland. 'Lukoil' can work without a problem in the Netherlands and Belgium, but in Bulgaria it cannot. 'Lukoil' will not lose. We will lose," added Kostadinov.

In addition, the deputies approved the provision of 100 armored personnel carriers from the reserves of the Ministry of the Interior in support of Ukraine. 148 MPs voted "in favor" and 52 from the political groups of BSP and "Vazrazhdane" voted "against".

The draft decision on the additional provision of military-technical support to Ukraine is the third of the ten additional items included in the agenda. Its examination did not begin until 4:00 p.m.

Two days ago, the parliamentary committee on defense approved Bulgaria to provide 100 armored personnel carriers from the reserves of the Ministry of the Interior in support of Ukraine.

Then it became clear that the Ministry of the Interior does not agree with directly negotiating with the Ukrainian side for the handover of the machines. The Ministry of Defense explained that this is the better option, because the handover procedure would be shorter, and besides, the Ministry of Defense is not currently interested in accepting the APCs, because no headquarters was planned for them.

Ivaylo Mirchev from WCC-DB explained that for the last 16 months, Ukraine has purchased weapons for 5 billion leva from Bulgaria, which is one of the countries that helped Ukraine the least.

About 35 countries have helped and continue to help with military equipment.

The Bulgarian Socialist Party asked the Minister of the Interior and the Minister of Defense to appear in the plenary hall to explain the state of the weapons and what compensation Bulgaria will receive at the expense of the donations from the European Peace Mechanism and whether the two ministries (the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Defense) have found the form and the way for the APCs to reach Ukraine.

Hristo Gadjev from GERB-SDS explained that there are written opinions submitted a month ago, which the deputies can familiarize themselves with in order to understand what the technical specifications are and where they are located.

Georgi Svilenski from BSP replied to Hristo Gadjev that the draft decision was submitted on July 13, and the Defense Committee met on July 19. According to him, it remains unclear how much the military aid costs and how much the maintenance will cost.

"With this decision, we can present to Ukraine equipment from the Military History Museum, cannons from Slatina and Geo Milev," comments Svilensky.

Ivaylo Mirchev from WCC-DB "recommended" to Svilenski that "BSP should board Buzludzha and send the flying saucer if they want."

"You can visit all the museums in Bulgaria, but give the flying saucer to Putin," Mirchev replied.

"Mr. Mirchev, you are so incompetent that I regret that I mentioned your name," replied Borislav Gutsanov from BSP angrily.

Hristo Gadjev from GERB explained that the museum exhibits have been breached and cannot be used and when a draft for the ratification of an international agreement between the governments of Bulgaria and Ukraine on the provision of armored vehicles is submitted, all the parameters of the international agreement will be seen.

Andrey Chorbanov from "There Is Such a People" asked if the APCs could not be used for heavy-duty vehicles in conditions and situations in which all-terrain vehicles should be used, although he was clear that Bulgaria would send the military aid.

"I propose to equip and mobilize all young Ukrainians in our country. According to the rules of war, they are deserters from the front. We must help defend Ukraine by sending these people to the front," Chorbanov said.

Part of the reasons for the provision of armored transport equipment with the armament available for it, as well as spare parts for its service to Ukraine, are that in the last 25 years, the maintenance and storage of the equipment in question require significant financial costs from the budget. Also, the technique in question would hardly be applicable in the performance of the main tasks of the National Gendarmerie Service. For these reasons, a large part of this equipment has been declared obsolete for the needs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, but it can be a serious support to Ukraine.

The draft decision was submitted by MPs Boyko Borissov, Ivaylo Mirchev, Delyan Peevski, Desislava Atanasova, Atanas Atanasov, Hristo Gadjev, Kiril Petkov and Mustafa Karadayi.

[head-post]

Puigdemont issues new warning to Sánchez

Catalonia’s JxCat party would never be anyone’s political hostage, its leader Carles Puigdemont warned in a direct message to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

Puigdemont demanded on Saturday that the prime minister honour all agreements reached in order to have enough parliamentary support to remain in power. The former Catalan president said he and his party were ready to “bear political and personal costs” if the coalition government of the PSOE and the Sumar platform fell.

The [political] carrots that they put in front of us or could have put in front of us do not deceive us, nor do they interest us. We want deeds and fulfilment and see things happen and are done differently.

Puigdemont’s new warnings were accompanied by his demand that Sánchez face a vote of no confidence in parliament. November marked the first anniversary of the agreement signed between the PSOE and JxCat, which promised support for Sánchez in exchange for Madrid’s full compliance.

Seven MPs from JxCat in Madrid, another seven from the ERC, as well as the votes of the two main Basque pro-independence parties, the PNV and EH Bildu, are needed to keep the government in place until the end of the current term in 2027. Puigdemont’s statements also threaten the approval of the 2025 national budget, which JxCat rejected last summer, as it allegedly does not include Catalonia’s interests.

Let no one think that we will not maintain our position.

Sánchez has repeatedly said he has no intention of calling an early election if he loses the support of JxCat and the ERC. However, in an attempt to defuse tensions, the PSOE will meet again with JxCat representatives in Switzerland this week.

The list of unfulfilled promises includes, as Puigdemont recalled, devolving powers over migration policy and creating an autonomous tax levying system similar to that of the Basque Country and Navarre.

The pledges also include making Catalan one of the official languages of the Spanish parliament and EU institutions. Although the Sánchez government has so far failed to make Catalan the official language of the EU, partly due to opposition from the bloc’s other partners, Spain has renewed diplomatic efforts to achieve the goal in recent weeks.

Read more HERE

[lighthousenewsnetwork]

A new island has mysteriously popped up in the Channel between Britain and France. The island is all stone, rising 500 feet, creating a wall around the interior—a sight reminiscent of Lord of the Rings (which was filmed in New Zealand, so think of the Kiwis as you gaze across the choppy seas of mythology). Satellites cannot see what lies within the island's interior, except for more craggy and black stone. "A strange shining red light... like a warning of something soon to come," said one rock-ologist (possibly a lost song by the B52s). The island has been nicknamed "Brexit," serving as a symbolic barrier between Britain and Europe. Some experts believe that if it remains unexplored, unclassified, and left to exist, it may become a lingering concern for the MPs who continue to debate Britain's mightiness, the greatness of Churchill, the love for their queen, and why Avalon shouldn't reduce itself to being just another European country. Meanwhile, as Russia amasses its army along all its borders... A spokesperson for all things islands stated, "Remember this... during the years when Britain was an empire, a tiny Austrian man with a funny mustache dropped V2 rockets on the heart of that empire. And all the Brits could do was fly Spitfires at the rockets... planes with propellers versus falling bombs that go BOOM! They lost America... how can they be trusted with the future?" The island known as Brexit still stands, silent and forbidding, much like Arnold Böcklin's painting "Isle of the Dead" (Böcklin being Swiss). Switzerland knows a thing or two about staying firm and strong amidst the sea of Europe, holding all the Nazi money, enduring for 500 years, even when the continent is at war around it and all the Humpty Dumpty's are falling down... https://lighthousenewsnetwork.com/a-new-island-rises-between-britain-and-europe/?feed_id=11091&_unique_id=674c7bf9b5eeb

[eurocioleaders]

Healthcare Innovations: European Biotech and Pharma Companies Pioneering Breakthroughs

In healthcare, European biotech and pharmaceutical companies have long been recognized as leaders in innovation, consistently pushing the boundaries of medical science to develop innovative therapies and technologies. Their contributions have not only transformed the treatment but have also significantly impacted patient outcomes worldwide. From personalized medicine to breakthroughs in rare disease treatments, European companies are at the forefront of healthcare innovation, pioneering solutions that address some of the most pressing challenges facing modern medicine.

Advancements in Personalized Medicine

Personalized medicine, often referred to as precision medicine, represents a paradigm shift in healthcare, moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach to treatment and towards therapies tailored to individual patients’ genetic makeup, lifestyle, and environmental factors. European biotech and pharmaceutical companies have been instrumental in driving this transformation, developing innovative therapies that target specific genetic mutations and biomarkers associated with various diseases.

Roche, one of the leading biotech companies in Europe, has made significant strides in the field of personalized medicine with drugs like Herceptin and Perjeta, which are designed to treat breast cancer patients with HER2-positive tumors. These targeted therapies have demonstrated remarkable efficacy in clinical trials, improving survival rates and reducing the risk of disease recurrence. Similarly, Novartis’ CAR-T cell therapy, Kymriah, represents a groundbreaking approach to cancer treatment, harnessing the patient’s immune system to target and destroy cancer cells with precision.

Breakthroughs in Rare Disease Therapies

Rare diseases, characterized by their low prevalence and often devastating impact on patients’ lives, have historically been neglected by the pharmaceutical industry due to the limited commercial potential of developing treatments for small patient populations. However, European biotech companies have stepped up to address this unmet medical need, pioneering innovative therapies for rare and orphan diseases.

BioMarin Pharmaceutical, headquartered in Switzerland, is a prime example of a European company making significant strides in rare disease therapeutics. Their enzyme replacement therapy, Naglazyme, has transformed the lives of individuals with mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS VI), a rare genetic disorder characterized by the buildup of certain sugars in the body. By replenishing the deficient enzyme, Naglazyme helps alleviate symptoms and improve quality of life for patients living with this debilitating condition.

Revolutionizing Drug Delivery Systems

In addition to developing novel therapeutics, European biotech companies are also revolutionizing drug delivery systems to enhance the efficacy, safety, and convenience of treatments. Traditional methods of drug administration, such as oral tablets or injections, often pose challenges in terms of patient compliance and drug stability. However, advancements in drug delivery technologies are addressing these limitations, offering innovative solutions that improve patient outcomes and quality of life.

Novo Nordisk, a Danish pharmaceutical company specializing in diabetes care, has been at the forefront of developing innovative drug delivery devices that streamline insulin administration for patients with diabetes. Their FlexTouch insulin pen, equipped with features like dose memory and adjustable dose settings, offers greater convenience and precision compared to traditional insulin syringes, enhancing patient adherence to treatment regimens and optimizing glycemic control.

Harnessing the Power of Biotechnology

Biotechnology, which involves the manipulation of living organisms or their systems to develop products and technologies, has emerged as a powerful tool in drug discovery and development. European biotech companies are leveraging cutting-edge biotechnologies to create next-generation medicines with unprecedented precision and efficacy, targeting a wide range of diseases including cancer, autoimmune disorders, and infectious diseases.

Genmab, a Danish biotechnology company, is renowned for its expertise in monoclonal antibody technology, a cornerstone of modern biopharmaceutical research. Their flagship product, Darzalex, is the first FDA-approved monoclonal antibody for the treatment of multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer. By targeting a specific protein expressed on the surface of cancer cells, Darzalex helps activate the patient’s immune system to recognize and eliminate malignant cells, offering new hope for patients with this aggressive disease.

[aroundtheworldmp3]

Switzerland, 1985

[yurideification]

eu4 MP going well so far

(transcript under the cut)

TO THE PEOPLE OF TRINACRIA

Read this carefully as it may save your life or the life of a relative or friend. In the next few days, some or all of the cities named on the reverse side will be destroyed by Swiss artillery. These cities contain military installations and workshops or factories which produce military goods. We are determined to destroy all of the tools of the military clique which they are using to prolong this useless war. But, unfortunately, bombs have no eyes. So, in accordance with Switzerland’s humanitarian policies, the Swiss Corps of Military Engineers, which does not wish to injure innocent people, now gives you warning to evacuate the cities named and save your lives. Switzerland is not fighting the Roman people but is fighting the military clique which has enslaved the Italian Peninsula. The peace which Switzerland will bring will free the people from the oppression of the military clique and mean the emergence of a new and better Trinacria. You can restore peace by demanding new and good leaders who will end the war. We cannot promise that only these cities will be among those attacked but some or all of them will be, so heed this warning and evacuate these cities immediately.

ROME

MILAN

PISA

MODENA

NAPOLI

PALERMO

SALUZZO

FLORENCE

[simonloweblog]

"Making Britain great again"

On July 4th, the UK Labour party was elected with a thumping overall majority of 158, so the new PM, Sir Keir Starmer has an opportunity to act radically to arrest the ongoing decline in Britain which is one of the only things that pretty much every section of British society agrees is happening. He managed to win the election in spite of only offering scant details of what he would do in government if he won.

If he and his Cabinet believe that they can "make the UK great again" by only tinkering around the edges he is sadly mistaken and  Brits will be sadly disappointed. Increasing workers' pay and improving conditions and social benefits when the treasury has no money in the kitty will not work and planning to fund those additional benefits by increasing taxes on the rich, the top 1% of whom already fund 28% of all government tax revenue, is just part of the old Labour playbook that has never worked. Relying on a substantial increase in productivity as the universal panacea is equally delusional when unions continue to press for and succeed in obtaining shorter working hours, longer holidays, allowances and higher benefits for their members. Over the past 50 years there have only been a handful of years when UK productivity has exceeded 2.5% p.a. What this government needs to do is

" to boldly go where no man has ever gone before".

I herewith outline an 11 point plan that might provide a platform for change that could alter the pathway from one of continuing decline to one of restoration and improvement.

1. The Class system.

Make no mistake that in spite of some changes since the war, the British class system still thrives in the UK and remains an obstacle to bringing it firmly into the 21st Century of equal opportunity; so immediate action is needed to:

a. Finally deliver major reform of the House of Lords. It is no longer acceptable for either of the two major parties to pack the Chamber with old discarded MPs and cronies to ensure that the Upper house passes the government of the day's legislation. It's very name is archaic and harks back to a time of inequality instead of an era that is supposed to encourage the very opposite.

b. Abolish the entire "gong system". the time has come to get rid of OBEs, MBEs and CBEs that bestow rewards in the name of the British Empire that government seems to forget no longer exists. 

The king should replace them all with a new reward called "The Medal of Merit".

2. Welfare & taxation:

a. Instead of levying stealth taxes on the middle classes such as taxing independent schools by way of VAT and planning to levy non-Doms with inheritance taxes on assets that have no connection to the UK they should instead concentrate on:

b. Ceasing to boast about an unemployment rate of 4.1%  which is completely misleading when there are over 9m* people aged between 16-64 that are economically inactive, who are not working and not seeking work.

3. Healthcare:

Tackling the massive waste in the NHS would save hundreds of millions of pounds. They should start by appointing a cross-party committee to agree a comprehensive ovehaul of the system and study countries like Spain and Switzerland whose health systems deliver better healthcare at approx. the same percentage cost of GDP as in the UK.

4. The Social Divide

Finally do something about the huge divide and disparity between the North and South. Osborne's "Northern Powerhouse" and Boris Johnson's "Levelling Up" policies never got off the ground and if British society is to come together, regenerating the North and creating a truly United Kingdom has to be a top priority. That includes "leveling up" in Wales and Scotland as well and devolving more power to the regions. Brexit happened because Northerners voted for it and were and remain fed up of being the poor relations of their southern Masters.

5. Europe

The last Tory government well and truly screwed up Brexit. Whereas I have no desire to be reunited with Germany with its increasingly popular AFD, nor with France who are moving to the Right with Marine Le Penn waiting in the wings, but the Government needs to renegotiate the hideous trade deal that Boris surrendered to in his haste to "get Brexit done". Where there is a will there is a way.

6. Pay

The massive inequality of pay between different skills and industries needs addressing. Junior doctors cannot be asked to work often 80 hours a week for an average of £43k a year after studying for 8 years whilst train drivers pick up an average of £65k a year. 

We are living in cloud cuckoo land if we expect to attract the best minds and brains when we pay our MPs £91k a year and our PM  £167k and then create a scandal when they accept gifts from rich donors looking for political favours. An urgent review of pay structures in a number of sectors must be a priority to resetting the way our citizens are rewarded. In that vein let's start that process by raising some money for example by taxing those with a title; say £50k a year for those wanting to hang into their Knighthoods or Damehoods; £100k a year for a Lordship or Baronet. £150k a year for a Marquess, Earl and Viscount and 250k a year for a Duke. That would raise circa a billion a year until all those with a title either give them up or die. That in itself would accelerate the demise of the class system in the UK and start to pivot towards the future as opposed to clinging onto a social structure that harks back to a long-lost society that should have ended with the demise of the British Empire.

7. Productivity. 

To pay for desperately needed new infrastructure, better Healthcare, Education and affordable housing every government has spouted the same mantra for decades, namely that they will achieve that objective through increases in productivity, but for years their efforts to do so have rarely been successful for anything other than for a short time. AI and Robotics are two of the obvious solutions and the government needs to make a meaningful commitment and investment into that sector and other 21st century technologies. The new Chancellor recently announced the establishment of a British Wealth Fund and will invest £7.9b into it. Give me a break! Norway's wealth find has over $1.3 Trillion in its coffers. If we want to be a world player we are going to have to up the ante considerably. The government should create tax free zones in the regions and match private investment £ for £ as well as launch a " productivity bond" for citizens to invest in for the future of their children and grandchildren.

8. Major infrastructure projects and military procurement.

Over the past x decades Britain has been hopeless at managing major infrastructure & innovation projects such as TSR2, HS2, the NHS computer system not to mention military procurement all of which have the common bond of going massively over budget alongside suffering from substantial delays in delivery. We need to get professional non-government personnel to run these so that the country gets real value for money and projects are delivered on time.

9. Foreign policy. The armed forces. 

The UK 2024 defense budget is £57b. Apart from the fact that almost every senior member of the armed forces agrees that we could no longer mount any kind of overseas military operation we have two of the world's most expensive pieces of military hardware, namely two aircraft carriers that cost billions, one of which is almost permanently in dock  being repaired and  neither of which have the planes to make them effective because the navy can't afford to buy them. Britain finally needs to accept that it is no longer a world power and simply cannot afford to pretend to be one because it cannot afford to spend the money to be one.

Please note that prior to a French invasion in 1797 that lasted two days, Britain was last invaded in 1066. Unlike the Continent the Island of Great Britain is pretty safe from invasion. The government should cut the defense budget and divert £30b+ a year into health and education which would be of tangible benefit to the British people. Spain's defense budget is €22b viz. Britain's of £57b and life for Spanish citizens has improved exponentially over the past few decades whereas by comparison Britain's for the average citizen has faltered. The UK should remain a nuclear power and needs c £100b to modernise its Trident fleet. This should be funded by a special long term "defense bond"

10."Education Education Education"

…..was Tony Blair's mantra. Whereas more students obtain a University degree today than ever before nobody is going to claim that Britain's education system is any longer the envy of the world nor that it delivers many of the skills needed for a modern economy. As per the NHS, Education is plagued by paperwork and bureaucracy. Successive governments have for decades failed to provide a clear vision and sustainable education policies. On average there has been a new secretary of state for Education every 1.5 years over the past 30 years. Burdensome student debt, a plethora of graduates who can't find decent paying jobs with skill sets that are inappropriate for the modern economy are part of a system that needs to be radically overhauled. Again, this can only be achieved through cross-party consensus.

11. Housing.

...has been the bain of all political parties since the second world war. Everyone acknowledges the problem but no-one has fixed it. The government has declared that their target is to build 1.5m new homes within the 5 years but haven't spelt out how they plan to achieve that. Legislation to free up brown and green belt land will not suffice. In addition, they will need to:

a. Remove the current restrictions on parents giving children more than £3k a year as a tax-free gift. This needs to be substantially increased; I suggest the allowance be increased to £25k a year.

b. Developers obviously seek to maximize profits when building houses and they make little on low-cost housing. They should be given tax free allowances on all houses delivered under a pre-agreed price to boost affordable housing projects.

c. Stamp duty should be exempted for all new houses under £x.

d. Local authorities should be empowered to overrule all "nimby" objections to new housing schemes provided that they conform to current building regulations and guidelines.

e. Banks need to be "encouraged" to make loans available to 1st time buyers at cost alongside long -term fixed loans as is the norm in the USA thus allowing buyers to plan their finances by having a stable fixed cost component which is likely to be their largest financial commitment and annual expense.

(*Some reasons why people might be economically inactive include: Long-term illness, Students, People who look after family or a home, People with disabilities, and early retired)

[sa7abnews]

Will Burhan's assassination attempt derail Sudan Geneva talks?

New Post has been published on https://sa7ab.info/2024/08/06/will-burhans-assassination-attempt-derail-sudan-geneva-talks/

Will Burhan's assassination attempt derail Sudan Geneva talks?

The assassination attempt on the commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has raised questions about who was behind it, what its goals were, and to what extent it could impact Sudan’s war – especially with US-led peace talks in Geneva around the corner.

If they go ahead, the upcoming negotiations, which will be hosted by both Switzerland and Saudi Arabia on 14 August, will be the first major effort in months to get the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to sit together.

Since the war erupted in Sudan more than a year and three months ago, bringing the country close to collapse, there have been multiple mediation attempts, the most prominent of which were the Jeddah negotiations which took place early into the war.

However, while positive steps were agreed upon at Jeddah, they were not implemented, and the two warring parties have not returned to direct negotiations a second time, despite many attempts by external parties to bring this about.

The RSF accepted the US invitation to the August talks soon after they were proposed, with the army tentatively and conditionally following suit on 30 July – shortly before the failed attempt on Burhan’s life, after which the army leader said he would not be attending.

The attack took place at a graduation ceremony at the Gebeit army base, about 100 km (62 miles) from the army’s de facto capital Port Sudan in Sudan’s Red Sea state.

It was carried out by two drones and left five dead, including a colonel, as well as a number of injured according to an army statement, although the death toll is believed to have risen since then.

Burhan’s bodyguards managed to evacuate him unscathed, and he later insisted on completing the graduation ceremony and gave a speech vowing not to lay his weapons down until the country was cleansed of “rebels and mercenaries”.

The army chief stressed last Wednesday that “the battle with the enemy is ongoing” and pledged not to surrender or negotiate with them.

He also reiterated that he welcomed peace negotiations provided they involved all segments of the people as well as the armed movements participating in the battle. However he conditioned his participation in talks on mediating actors recognising the Sudanese government’s sovereignty over Sudan, and that the RSF implement what was agreed in the Jeddah negotiations by leaving civilians’ homes.

Some see the Sudanese government’s reluctance to accept the invitation to the talks as being due to a perceived lack of seriousness from the US after it failed to pressure the RSF to implement measures agreed in the Jeddah talks.

However, political analyst and editor of the Al-Intibaha newspaper, Bakhari Bashir, told Al Jazeera that he believes the Sudanese government may alter its position and ultimately accept the US invitation, with both sides making concessions.

Strikingly, neither Burhan’s address nor the army’s statement explicitly accused any party of being responsible for the Gebeit attack, including the RSF. The RSF itself has remained silent about the incident and has not claimed responsibility, contrary to how it has acted on previous occasions.

However, many are drawing links between the assassination attempt and the US call for the two warring parties to attend face-to-face negotiations in Switzerland, which aim to secure a ceasefire deal, facilitate the passage of humanitarian aid, and protect civilians.

Some see the incident as sending a message to Burhan not to attend the negotiations, while others see it as a means of pressuring him to go.

Assassination attempt on Burhan

Ex-MP Ahmed Al-Tayeb Al-Makabrabi told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, The New Arab’s Arabic-language sister edition, that the RSF had announced on day one of the war that it was seeking to kill Burhan.

He noted that the most recent attempt was preceded by several others, including with drones that attacked the city of Ad Damar in River Nile State a few days ago.

Makabrabi alleged that the RSF is intent on carrying out its plan with help from the countries providing it with intelligence, advanced weaponry, and technical support to operate it. Moreover, the Sudanese state and army leadership know this and also believe that the RSF does not in reality want peace, or a ceasefire, nor do the countries and organisations sponsoring the negotiations, the MP claimed.

Egypt, the UAE, the African Union, and the UN are due to attend the talks as observers.

Makabrabi added that the response of the sponsoring and mediating countries – silence and a failure to condemn the assassination attempt – shows that their goal is not a ceasefire or achieving peace in the country.

Kamal Boulad is a member of the General Secretariat of the Coordination of Civil Democratic Forces, also known as Taqaddum – the largest anti-war coalition in Sudan. He considered the incident to be “a repercussion of war”, but acknowledged that it would “further complicate the already complex military and political reality”.

This is because it occurred in Gebeit in Red Sea State, which has come to be the de facto centre of the government and army during the war.

“What is most significant about the incident is it targeted the army commander at a time all attention was focussed on the military and RSF delegations attending the Geneva negotiations – to stop the war and save lives from severe famine, which is what all Sudanese, who have tasted the bitterness of war, wish for […] except for the Islamist elements which support the war.”

According to Boulad, this group “is using the war to exert political leverage to push for its return to power, whatever the losses for the Sudanese people, in terms of lives lost, and of infrastructure, which has been devastated and sent the country back decades”.

Boulad continued: “Wherever the two drones came from and whatever the motive, we must focus on what is most important: stopping this pointless war, returning to negotiations, sparing the Sudanese more bloodshed, and listening to the voice of human conscience”.

Osman Abdul Rahman Suleyman, the official spokesman for Tamazuj, one of the movements that signed the Juba peace agreement with the government in 2020, rejected claims the RSF was responsible for the Gebeit attack, attributing it instead to internal disputes within the army.

He said the assassination attempt would likely affect ongoing work to bring the military and the RSF together in Geneva under US sponsorship and might delay the army confirming it would participate.

Suleyman believes the main goal of the incident was to hinder the negotiations. But even if Burhan agreed to attend talks, he said, this wouldn’t be enough, “unless Burhan makes the courageous decision to get rid of the influence of the Islamist movement, an arm of the former regime within the army”.

El Tahir Sati, chief editor of Al-Youm al-Tali newspaper, said that the drone attack wasn’t only an assassination attempt against Burhan, but also a message that nowhere is safe.

He explained that the attack in Red Sea State, one of the safest states and why the government had transferred its headquarters to its capital Port Sudan, reflected this.

“If the government is unable to secure its headquarters, what about other neighbouring states where the RSF militia is spread out?”

Sati thinks the RSF are the primary beneficiaries from what happened “because the incident achieved a huge media goal for it, which isn’t easy to do, even if it didn’t end with Burhan’s assassination”.

He concluded that “the most important message” for Burhan is that even though you head the Sovereign Council, and lead the army, “you’re still not safe or far from the RSF’s line of fire”, and he hoped that Burhan would absorb the message and address this issue by putting an end to the RSF both militarily and politically.  

Meanwhile, regarding the talks, political science professor Munzoul Assal, believes they represent the most serious step the US has taken to date in its engagement with the war in Sudan.

He believes this is due to the US desire to achieve success on a foreign policy issue before the upcoming presidential elections, and Sudan is one of the arenas for such a breakthrough – in the form of a ceasefire – which the US is targeting.

He also thinks that the dangers of Sudan’s war continuing for neighbouring countries, including US allies in the region, is a decisive factor in the US move.

There are reasons to be hopeful of success, the most important being US sponsorship, but Assal anticipated the negotiations wouldn’t be easy “because the issues are very complex, and the longer the war continues, the more complicated and entrenched the parties’ positions become”.

This is an edited translation from our Arabic edition with additional reporting. To read the original article click here.

Translated by Rose Chacko

This article is taken from our Arabic sister publication, Al-Araby Al Jadeed and mirrors the source’s original editorial guidelines and reporting policies. Any requests for correction or comment will be forwarded to the original authors and editors.

Have questions or comments? Email us at: info@alaraby.co.uk