New infoportal for journalists Eurostep launched a new website in May. At DevWire.eu, the umbrella organisation of European non-governmental development activists provides information for journalists from all over the world. Envisaged by its operators as a one-stop shop, the portal is to feature press releases, a news ticker and other up-to-the-minute information as well as background briefings on development issues. (cir)

Happy in jail In mid-May, Somali pirates were put on trial before a European court for the first time. In early January, the five defendants had attempted to seize a vessel sailing under the flag of the Dutch Antilles. Picked up by the Danish navy, they were later extradited to the Netherlands. According to media reports, the five Somalis are “delighted” to be in custody in Europe and plan to apply for asylum. One 38-year-old defendant reportedly intends to use the time in prison to get occupational qualifications.

The Dutch Justice Department is facing a dilemma: trials of this sort may encourage people living in poverty in Somalia to deliberately try to be arrested for piracy as a way of reaching the West. Geert-Jan Knoops, a professor of international criminal law, told the Algemeen Dagblad: “After serving their sentence, they probably cannot be deported because the situation in Somalia is considered too dangerous.” The future looks less pleasant for Abde Wale Abdul Kadhir Muse. He is the first alleged pirate to go on trial before a US court. If convicted, he faces a possible life sentence.

31-year-old Osman told Süddeutsche Zeitung: “I know it is a criminal offence, but when you are hungry, have no work and no food, and you have been living for so long in a country at war, you take a risk and do things that are wrong.” (cir)

Women gain seats in Kuwait’s legislature In Kuweit’s parliamentary elections in mid-May, four female candidates won seats for the first time. In all, 50 seats were contested by a total of 210 candidates, 16 of whom were women. The right to vote in the Gulf state was not extended to women until 2005. At the last elections only a few months ago, female candidates failed to wrest a single seat from their male counterparts. They had a second chance after the Emir of Kuweit suspended the legislature because of a standoff between MPs and the government over corruption allegations and called a new election. Out of a population of nearly three million, only 385,000 Kuwaitis were eligible to vote. Tribal representatives, who are regarded as moderate, form a particularly strong bloc in the new parliament, occupying around half of the seats. The losers in the election were the radical Islamists, who saw ten of their 21 mandates go to others. The Shiite minority has nine MPs in the parliament, five of whom are considered extremists. (cir)

Subsidies boost the big firms Big European companies are the ones to profit most from EU agricultural subsidies. That is evident in new data the European Commission published in late April. As the non-profit organisation farmsubsidy.org notes, the biggest beneficiary was the Italian sugar company Italia Zuc­cheri, which received ­€ 140 million. Another 180 Italian companies received more than € 1 million each. All summed up, the EU pays € 37 billion in agricultural subsidies to European farm businesses. Germany has so far refused to publish the names of recipients. However, Germany’s Federal Ministry for Agriculture recently agreed to publish them in June, in order to avoid tensions with the Commission. Farm-subsidy expenditure for Germany amounted to € 5.4 billion last year. Member states are required to publish such data, but there are no specfic rules defining how they must do so. Only Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Rumania, Slovenia and Britain prepare their data transparently, says farmsubsidy.org. (cir)

UN to inquire alleged Gaza war crimes The UN Human Rights Council has commissioned a team of four to investigate claims of war crimes during the Gaza war last winter. Richard Goldstone, a Jewish lawyer from South Africa, will head the team. He specialises in war-crime prosecution. The team plans to conduct public hearings from June on. As well as investigating alleged war crimes on the Israeli side, the commission will also look into claims that Hamas targeted rockets on civilian areas in southern Israel. Should Israel deny the team access to the Gaza strip, the team plans to go there via Egypt.

In April, a medical commission confirmed violations of international humanitarian law and human rights during Israel’s military campaign. Five specialists investigated the medical implications of the military offensive from 29 January to 5 February and documented the findings in 44 witness statements. The commission found, in particular, that medical supplies had been delayed or prevented from reaching injured persons. In addition, it accused Israel of attacking medical facilities as well as rescue teams at work. Various civil-society organisations had called for that investigation, and after the findings were made public, they insisted on a full international investigation of all violations of international law by all parties involved in the conflict. Despite the January ceasefire, there were more attacks by militant Palestinians in May as well as Israeli bombing strikes on Gaza. (cir)

Wrong approach The policies currently in force to control the supply of cocaine are futile. This is the conclusion of a recent study by the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP). One reason for failure, it is argued, is that policymakers focus too much on the countries of origin.

Measures, however, are only said to be likely to affect the prices consumers pay for the drug if they are enforced close to the retail market. Cocaine is much more expensive at the end of the supply chain. In Germany, one kilogramme costs around € 80.000, whereas it is traded for only € 1.200 in Colombia. End-consumer prices are high because of the risks involved in illegal marketing, but not because of scant supply. As the scholars argue, it would not even be noticed on the European market if Colombia or Peru managed to reduce the cocaine supply domestically.

Drug-control policies aim to reduce supply and drive up the price. The idea is that high prices will limit demand. In Europe, most cocaine is imported through Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands. According to the SWP, these EU members are not doing enough border controls to restrict supply, and smugglers can easily bypass customs officers.

While the US primarily focuses on the destruction of crops to root out supply, the EU wants to convince coca farmers of growing alternative products. According to the SPW experts, however, control of supply does not, in itself, constitute a sensible drug policy. (cir)