The arrests took place in eight provinces starting from October 2, with 27 suspects apprehended on Friday. According to Aswin Siregar, the spokesperson for Densus 88, those arrested are believed to have links to banned extremist groups and were allegedly planning to disrupt next year’s election, writes the AP.

Indonesia, as the world’s third-largest democracy and the most populous Muslim-majority nation, is preparing for simultaneous legislative and presidential elections on February 14. The country has a history of conducting free and largely peaceful elections since the downfall of dictator Suharto in 1998.

Siregar revealed that the arrested individuals conveyed to investigators during interrogations their intent to “attack security forces to thwart or disrupt next year’s election.” He emphasized that they aimed to establish a caliphate under Sharia law in a secular nation, which goes against the principles of democracy and elections.

During the operations, the police seized various weapons and equipment, including an assault rifle, magazines, ammunition rounds, a pistol, airsoft guns, and blades used in the group’s military-style training.

Among the arrested suspects, 19 are suspected to be members of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), an al-Qaida-linked group known for past attacks, such as the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people, mostly foreign tourists.

Approximately 40 others are believed to have connections with a homegrown militant outfit affiliated with the Islamic State, referred to as Jemaah Anshorut Daulah (JAD). Some of the individuals admitted to being part of an unstructured extremist cell.

JI was banned by an Indonesian court in 2008 and has faced significant weakening due to ongoing crackdowns on militants by the country’s counterterrorism police, with support from the United States and Australia.

JAD was banned by an Indonesian court in 2018 and listed as a terrorist group by the United States in 2017.

JAD was responsible for several deadly suicide bombings in Indonesia, including a series of suicide attacks in 2018 in Surabaya, the country’s second-largest city, where two families, including 9- and 12-year-old girls, carried out bombings at churches and a police station, resulting in 13 deaths.

Indonesia has been combating militancy since the 2002 Bali bombings carried out by JI. In recent times, attacks by militants targeting foreigners have been replaced by smaller, less lethal incidents, often directed at government institutions, police, anti-terrorism forces, and individuals considered infidels, inspired by Islamic State group attacks abroad.

The post Indonesian police arrest 59 suspects over alleged plot to disrupt 2024 elections first appeared on The Postcolonial.

Parliament is set to ratify the nation’s 30th prime minister on Tuesday, following a three-month stalemate since the May elections. Chonlanan Srikaew, leader of Pheu Thai, revealed that the coalition partners had agreed to propose real estate magnate Srettha Thavisin as the forthcoming leader, writes the AP.

Despite placing second in the national election, Pheu Thai was handed an opportunity to create a government after the conservative unelected Senate repeatedly obstructed the surprise victor, the progressive Move Forward Party. Both chambers of Parliament collectively cast votes for the prime minister, under the constitution established during military rule, designed to safeguard the conservative military-backed governance.

Numerous Senate members, appointed by the Prayuth-led military administration, opposed Move Forward’s Pita Limjaroenrat as a prime ministerial candidate due to his party’s advocacy for reform of a law that criminalizes criticism of Thailand’s royal family. Critics contend that this law, which carries a maximum imprisonment term of 15 years, has been misused for political gain. Aligned with the military, Senators view themselves as protectors of traditional royalist values.

Consequently, Pheu Thai excluded Move Forward from its coalition, asserting that the party’s call for reforming the royal defamation law rendered it unfeasible to gather sufficient backing from other parties and the Senate for the approval of a new prime minister.

With 314 seats in the 500-member House of Representatives, the Pheu Thai-led coalition requires some support from the Senate to secure a majority in the combined parliamentary vote.

The Move Forward Party has asserted its refusal to back any prime ministerial nominee from a coalition that includes factions from the outgoing military-backed government.

On Monday, Pheu Thai unveiled its coalition, encompassing two military-affiliated parties — Palang Pracharath with 40 seats and United Thai Nation with 36 seats. Both maintain connections to Prayuth, who has maintained his grip on power since leading a military coup in 2014.

Pheu Thai, linked to ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, a billionaire populist ousted by a 2006 military coup, joins a series of parties associated with him. The coup triggered years of upheaval, polarizing a predominantly impoverished rural majority in the north supporting Thaksin against royalists, the military, and urban supporters.

Critics have lambasted Pheu Thai for deviating from its pre-election commitment to avoid collaboration with pro-military factions.

Thaksin and his daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra announced his plan to return to Thailand on Tuesday, ahead of Parliament’s vote, marking an end to his self-imposed exile to evade politically charged prison sentences.

Paetongtarn, a pivotal Pheu Thai figure, extended apologies on Sunday to those dismayed by the party’s decision to align with pro-military parties. She attributed the move to the necessity of lacking an overwhelming victory in the May polls.

Chonlanan, Pheu Thai’s leader, affirmed on Monday that the decision was reached due to the party and its coalition partners recognizing the urgent need to address the country’s challenges, including economic improvement and ending political divisions.

“Although there are parties from the outgoing government in the coalition, all parties will work with Pheu Thai with efficiency and serve the best interests of the public,” he said according to the AP. “The coalition parties will use this chance as a beginning to build love, harmony and reconciliation of the people in the country, and will work together to create prosperity for the country and the people into the future.”

He disclosed that the coalition had agreed to back Pheu Thai’s objectives of bolstering the economy, raising the minimum wage, discontinuing mandatory conscription, supporting the ongoing legalization of medical marijuana, and pursuing constitutional amendments for a “more democratic” nation while leaving the royal defamation law untouched.

The post Thailand’s new government to include pro-military parties first appeared on The Postcolonial.

Greenland’s parliamentary elections ended on last Tuesday with a historical result. The present leading government party Siumut was left without decisive influence to form a new government, as the left-wing environmentalist party Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA) claimed victory and formed a joint majority of seats in parliament with centre party Naleraq.

Over half of those eligible to vote (27,079 Greenlanders out of 41,126 eligible votes) took a stance on election day where harsh weather conditions made it hard to reach voting booths. Greenlanders’ relationship to nature was essentially the decisive, hot topic influencing the election’s outcome.

Since Greenland gained autonomy from Denmark and formed its parliamentary system in 1979, Siumut has dominated the island politics apart from one exception. Now, IAs 34-year-old leader Múte Bourup Egede will be in charge of forming a new government, which he will lead for the next four years.

At a time when Greenland has received great attention from the international superpowers, the election result is likely going to have a far wider impact globally than usually. Many may remember how former US president Donald Trump tried to purchase Greenland from Denmark, that controls the islands foreign affairs and defence policies.

Mining for profit cancelled

Mining was one of the pressing issues in the elections, as IA and Naleraq were against mining for profit, whereas Siumut was more supportive of it. Anticipating this, Siumut replaced their chairman and head of Greenland’s government Kim Kielsen by Erik Jensen already last year, ensuring that the power shift would not have any effect on government. In essence, an extraordinary call to a new election was called because of a conflict regarding a mining project in Kuannersuit, in Greenland’s southern edge. Siumut’s pro stance to the project created disagreements on mining certificates within the government and ultimately, this made the Demokraatit party step out of their coalition in government leaving behind Siumut and Nunnata Qitornai, who only represent 11 mandates out of 31 in Greenland’s parliament.

Mining in Kuannersuit originally sparked concern among environmentalists as the mining could harm the area, which is already heavily impacted by global warming. The potential of large economic revenue, that could contribute to independence from Denmark, the mining project quickly became one of the primary topics during the elections. In the days following the elections, vice chairman of Siumut Vivian Motzfeldt told Danish broadcaster DR, that the mining project most likely cost her party the elections.

The outcome had an instant impact on international investors. The Australian-Chinese mining company Greenland Minerals A/S stocks fell about 44 percent in value just a day after the election.

A vote for the Danish realm

Despite the rare outcome, the Greenland elections recorded the ever lowest voting count to date, with 27,079 voters. These voters were named as ‘the worlds most important voters’ by Danish newspaper Weekendavisen’s editor-in-chief Martin Krasnik. According to him, Greenland has chosen a continued development of the Danish realm by the cost of delaying independence. This is a pragmatic decision that will cement Greenland and Denmark’s position when negotiating initiatives between USA, Russia and China in the arctic region the coming years.

According to some of the latest news, Russia is attempting to claim 70 percent of the Arctic Ocean seabed. This represents an area of around 800,000 square kilometres, touching the likes of Greenland/Denmark, Canada, Norway, Russia and the United States. The claim has been formally sent to relevant international institutions, and will be examined by the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf by 2022.

Sovereignty of the seabed gives the winner exclusive access to potential natural resources such as oil and gas. However, Russia’s claim does not include the seabed in areas north of Alaska where the US has shown interest for years.

In terms of defence policies, the arctic region is receiving a lot of attention from global superpowers. In October last year a Chinese icebreaker sailed unannounced into Greenland’s territorial waters, according to Reuters.

Because Denmark oversees all defence policies in Greenland, the growing international attention to the area led Denmark to invest 1,5 billion Danish Kroner in February to strengthen defence and add more high-tech based surveillance in the Arctic and North Atlantic region. The investment included a Greenlandic military education the island has never seen before.

Greenland is now finding itself in the centre of global geopolitical games, surrounded by the world’s superpowers competing for emerging sea routes through the arctic due to global warming, and accessibility to rare minerals and defence politics.

The post The Global Impact of Greenland’s Elections Result first appeared on The Postcolonial.

It is official. Greenland’s parliament voted in favour for a new election, Tuesday night this week. The date of the election is set for 6^th of April, reports Ritzau.

The last election was held in 2018 providing the present government a place in power until 2022. But turmoil within the leading party Siumut and disagreements on mining certificates has weakened the government.

Last week, the party Demokraatit stepped out of coalition in government leaving Siumut and Nunnata Qitornai, who only represents 11 mandates out of 31 in Greenland’s parliament, reports public broadcaster KNR.

This led the opposition consisting of parties Inuit Ataqatigiit, Demokraatit, Partii Naleraq and Atassut to advocate for a new election through a press release send on Monday this week.

The biggest party in Greenland and leader of the coalition Siumut had its own internal struggle back in early December 2020, as the head of Greenland’s government Kim Kielsen lost his chairmanship in the party to Erik Jensen, who called for political change.

This year’s election can prove crucial for Greenland’s future, as the massive island disrupts a clear sea route from Russia to Canada that gets exposed for natural resources due to climate change.

Greenland’s new diplomatic role can potentially fulfill a growing wish from the population on getting independence from Denmark, who still controls Greenland’s international affairs.

Mining for independence

Relying on large economic subsidies from Denmark, Greenland spots their mineral reserves as a huge force to sustain the country’s finances. Greenland gained its self-rule in 2009 from Denmark, which ultimately left the high valued minerals to the country.

But mining some of these resources might put the environment at risk. A proposed mine in Kuannersuit in Greenland’s southern edge sparked concern among environmentalists as the mining could harm the area, which is already impacted by global warming, writes AFP.

Rising temperatures has retreated sea ice, making it difficult for hunters and their dogsleds to maintain traditional ways.

‘Economic development requires a broader base, and mining and tourism are the potential pillars in such a process’

Torben Andersen

Greenland’s Economic Council

With retreating sea ice new possibilities emerge due to better access for mining rare earth minerals. This has attracted international attention, with foreign countries wanting to buy Greenland’s natural resources including 17 metals used for high-tech devices.

Siumut was in favor of the mining project until new chairman Mr. Jensen adopted a more reserved line when put into power back in November.

Frustrated by Siumuts lacking standing on the mining project the right-wing Demokraatit party left the coalition, illustrating the new political landscape in the country.

‘We are at a pivotal moment with a new generation at the head of Siumut and the Kvanefjeld [Kuannersuit] project is creating tension,’ Mikaa Mered, professor of geopolitics at the Paris Institute of Political Studies, says to AFP.

Mining alone would probably not be enough for Greenland to be fully self-sufficient. But it will add a huge chunk of the overall finances, Torben Andersen economics professor at the University of Aarhus told AFP.

‘Economic development requires a broader base, and mining and tourism are the potential pillars in such a process,’ says Mr. Andersen, who also chairs Greenland’s Economic Council.

More Danish military action

Denmark’s prime minister Mette Frederiksen and the government has not made any comment or statement on Greenland’s new election. They do not interfere with Greenland’s national affairs, for the most part.

But Denmark does control military activities and foreign affairs on behalf of Greenland.

And more international attention to the arctic has made Denmark act, as Russian and Chinese vessels are exploring the region.

‘We have seen growing foreign activities in the Arctic and North Atlantic. Therefore, we need better surveillance and presence in the area’

Trine Bramsen

Danish minister of defense

A Chinese icebreaker sailed unannounced into Greenland’s territorial waters in October last year, according to Reuters.

The growing importance of the arctic has led Denmark to invest 1,5 billion Danish Kroner on Thursday last week to strengthen defense and add more high-tech based surveillance in the Arctic and North Atlantic region.

‘We have seen growing foreign activities in the Arctic and North Atlantic. Therefore, we need better surveillance and presence in the area. Not to escalate conflict, but because we must take these threats seriously. This initiative will happen in close partnership between Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland,’ said Danish minister of defense Trine Bramsen about the investment.

No comment from any Greenlandic party of Faroe Islands officials were featured in the press release published by the Danish ministry of defense.

‘I am looking forward to see Naalakkersuisut [Greenland’s government] continue the dialogue with the danish government on the implementation of the Arctic capacity package. We already agreed that our companies and capacities, like Air Greenland and Asiaq, will be used for the task, said Mr. Kielsen shortly before the new election was called this week.

The post The Arctic battle first appeared on The Postcolonial.