Assassination of Punjab Governor

Last week's international scene was dominated by two major developments; the deepening political crisis in Ivory Coast and the disturbing political developments in Pakistan with the assassination of the Governor of Punjab, Salman Taseer by an elite bodyguard infused with extremist views. These developments raised alarms around the world.

The assassination of the governor of Punjab, Salman Taseer has been viewed as a blow to democracy in Pakistan. Governor Taseer's assassination was the most high profile political assassination in Pakistan since the killing of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in 2007. Taseer was gunned down by one of his own elite guards as he got into his car at the Kohsar Market, a cosmopolitan shopping centre in Islamabad, popular with Westerners and rich Pakistanis.

Governor Taseer had been in the forefront of a campaign against Pakistan's pernicious blasphemy law. He was widely cited when he appealed for the pardon of a Christian woman, Asia Bibi and a friend had said that he was risking his life by speaking out against the blasphemy law.

"I was under huge pressure sure 2 cow down b4 rightist pressure on blasphemy. Refused. Even if I'm the last man standing," he wrote on his Twitter account on December 31.

Earlier, speaking about Fatwa or a religious decree issued against him, Taseer had told the BBC Urdu Service about "these illiterate" clerics.

"They issued fatwas against Benazir (Bhutto) and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (her father, an executed former president), and even the founder of the nation, Muhammad Ali Jinnah. I do not care about them," he had said.

The murder suspect, identified later as Malik Mumtaz Hussein Qadri by the Interior Ministry, has been cited saying, "Salman Taseer is a blasphemer and this is the punishment for a blasphemer." Although Taseer's killing may have been carried out by a solo killer, widespread support for his action suggests the rise of fundamentalist elements in Pakistani politics.

The controversial blasphemy law was fortified in the 1980s by the dictator General Zia-ul-Haq.

The suspicions for the rise of fundamental sentiments were vindicated by a statement by abroad alliance of clergy condoning and lionising the assassin. "No Muslim should attend the funeral, try to pray for Salman Taseer or even express any kind of regret or sympathy over the incident," said Jamaate Ahle Sunnat Pakistan, an organisation that represents the moderate Barelvi sect, the mainstream branch of Islam in the country.

It is evident that the disturbing developments in Pakistan will have a long-term spillover effect, not only on neighbouring Afghanistan, but also on the entire region.

Australia lose Ashes series on home soil

Dominant England claimed their first Ashes series win in Australia in 24 years with their third innings victory over the home team in the final Sydney Test.

On Friday, England wrapped up an innings and 83-run victory on the last day of the fifth Test match played between England and Australia. It was England's first series victory Down Under since Australian was beaten by Mike Gatting's team in 1986-87.

The England team scored their highest-ever score in Australia (of 644) and dismissed hapless Australia for 280 and 281 in the two innings.
 

Political crisis in Ivory Coast

The election in Ivory Coast was held following the peace deal which ended the 2002-2004 civil war. Since then, there is a tug-o-war over the balance of power between the North held by the New Forces insurgents and the South held by the security forces loyal to incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo. Following the election the two rivals both declared themselves as President.

The political crisis in Ivory Coast started following the disputed presidential election held in November 28 which the incumbent President's rival Alassane Ouattara is believed to have won. Although the international community and the UN believed Alassane Ouattara, a technocrat who studied in the USA and spent most of his career abroad, had won the election, President Laurent Gbagbo strengthened his claims to presidency and is still refusing to hand over power. Earlier, the electoral commission had decided that Gbagbo's rival Alassane Ouattara had won the election with 54 percent of the votes before the Constitutional Council annulled a large number of votes from Ouattara's northern stronghold.

With incumbent President Gbagbo refusing to step down, his rival Ouattara set up a government -in-waiting on the grounds of Abidjan's Golf Hotel which serves as his Cabinet Office.

Earlier, the powerful regional group, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and African Union tried to intervene and resolve the situation, but so far they have not been successful.

Analysts say that the political crisis has just commenced and would be a complicated political stalemate given contradictory factors such as nominal constitutional legitimacy, backing of the military and media for incumbent Gbagbo and logistical capacity for the ECOWAS to make a direct military intervention to oust Gbagbo from power.

The latest developments in this affair is that Ouattara is calling for a West African Special Forces operation to remove the incumbent leader from power.

On Thursday, the US said it was barring US citizens from carrying out financial dealings with Gbagbo. Adam Szubin of the US Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control, said the US wanted to "isolate him and his inner circle from the world's financial system and underscore the desire of the international community that he step down".