27/01/2025

MONDAY | JAN 27, 2025

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Afghans with special US visas stranded after aid pause

Cambodia approves law

punishing genocide denial PHNOM PENH:

Cambodia’s government approved a draft law that will jail for five years anyone denying atrocities, including genocide, committed by the Khmer Rouge, a spokesman said. The ultra-Maoist movement led by “Brother Number One” Pol Pot wiped out about two million people through starvation, torture, forced labour, and mass executions during its 1975-79 rule. The draft law – which aims to prevent a repeat of the Khmer Rouge’s crimes and to provide justice for victims – was approved during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Hun Manet on Friday, said government spokesman Pen Bona. The Bill stipulates “the prosecution of any individual” who denies or condones the atrocities committed under the Khmer Rouge. Its definition of atrocities includes genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, which a UN-backed court prosecuted top Khmer Rouge leaders nine years ago. Under the seven-article Bill, people who “deny the truth of the bitter past” will be jailed between one and five years and could face fines of US$2,500 (RM10,945) to US$125,000 (RM547,250). The draft Bill, which comes months before the 50th anniversary of the Khmer Rouge takeover of Cambodia in mid-April, will be sent to parliament soon for approval, Pen Bona said. It was made at the request of influential former leader Hun Sen who in May claimed that some politicians still refused to recognise the Khmer Rouge’s genocide and called on the government to punish them by law. The law would replace a similar Bill, also initiated by Hun Sen and enacted in 2013, that bans statements denying crimes by the Khmer Rouge and carries a sentence of up to two years in jail. Rights groups have accused Hun Sen, who ruled Cambodia for nearly four decades, of using the legal system to crush opposition. Hun Sen, himself a former Khmer Rouge cadre, stepped down in 2023 and handed the premiership to his eldest son, Hun Manet. A UN-backed tribunal found two top Khmer Rouge leaders guilty of genocide in 2018. – AFP parliament impeached Yoon on Dec 14, making him the second conservative president to be impeached in the country. Yoon rescinded his martial law after about six hours after lawmakers from the main opposition party, confronting soldiers in parliament, voted down the decree. Soldiers with rifles were seen entering parliament during the confrontation. – Reuters

o Suspension not intentional, says rights advocate

a review of efficiencies and consistency with his “America First” foreign policy. Experts and advocacy groups say the foreign aid pause has led to chaos in US and international aid operations and halted nutrition, health, vaccination and other programmes. The order also triggered a suspension by the State Department of funds for groups that help Afghans with Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) to find housing, schools and jobs in the US. Trump promised an immigration crackdown during his reelection campaign. VanDiver said he does not believe that the flight suspension was intentional. “We think it was a mistake,” he said. He said he hoped the administration would grant exemptions to the orders for Afghans

approved for SIVs because they worked for the US government during the war that ended in the final US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021. “They fought alongside us. They bled alongside us,” said VanDiver, who added that tens of thousands of other Afghans are waiting for SIV applications to be processed. The White House and State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Reports by the UN mission in Afghanistan say the Afghan authorities have detained, tortured and killed former soldiers and officials of the previous US-backed government. The current government issued a general amnesty for former troops and government officials and denies the allegations. The flight suspension has stranded more than 40,000 Afghans, including SIV holders who have been

waiting to fly to the US from visa processing centres in Qatar and Albania, said VanDiver and the US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. That number also includes Afghans approved for SIVs who have been waiting in Afghanistan and Pakistan to be put on US-funded flights to the Doha and Tirana processing centres to receive their visas, they said. Nearly 200,000 Afghans have been resettled in the US on SIVs or as refugees since the chaotic 2021 US withdrawal. In a separate executive order signed hours after his inauguration on Monday, Trump suspended all US refugee resettlement programmes. That order resulted in hundreds of refugees losing their seats on flights, including family members of active duty Afghan-American military personnel, former soldiers and unaccompanied children. – Reuters

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump’s foreign aid pause has forced a suspension of flights for more than 40,000 Afghans approved for special US visas. Most of those stranded are in Afghanistan and the rest are in Pakistan, Qatar and Albania, said Shawn VanDiver, head of #AfghanEvac, the main coalition of veterans and advocacy groups working with the US government to evacuate and resettle Afghans who worked for the United States during the 20-year war. The stoppage was triggered by Trump’s order to halt foreign development aid for 90 days pending

Prabowo guest of honour at Republic Day parade NEW DELHI: Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto looked on as guest of honour at India’s annual military and cultural parade in New Delhi held to mark the country’s 76th Republic Day on Sunday. Republic Day marks the adoption of India’s post-independence

constitution in 1950 with the parade being held at a revamped colonial-era boulevard that also hosts important government buildings. “May this occasion strengthen our efforts towards preserving the ideals of our Constitution and working towards a stronger and prosperous India,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said yesterday on X. The annual show is a colourful and tightly choreographed spectacle featuring the country’s missile systems, fighter jet fly pasts, motorcycle stunts and floats representing different Indian states. An Indonesian military marching contingent also took part in the celebrations. The event coincided with Prabowo’s two-day state visit to India, his first to the country since becoming president last year. Indonesia was the guest nation at India’s first Republic Day, Modi said on Saturday, adding that it was a matter of “great pride” to have the country part of the parade again.

President Droupadi Murmu (second from left), Prabowo and Modi arrive to attend the parade yesterday. – AFPPIC

would send “a high-level defence delegation” soon. India’s arms exports were worth US$2.63 billion (RM11.51 billion) last year, a 30-fold increase over a decade. – AFP

defence sector, we have decided we would work together on defence manufacturing and supply chain,” Modi said in a joint press statement on Saturday. Prabowo said his administration

India and Indonesia signed a series of agreements on cooperation on health, maritime security, digital technology with both leaders calling each other “brother”. “To increase cooperation in the

South Korea prosecutors indict President Yoon for insurrection SEOUL: South Korea’s prosecutors indicted President Yoon Suk Yeol yesterday on charges of leading an insurrection with his short-lived imposition of martial law on Dec 3, the main opposition party said. “The punishment of the ringleader of insurrection now begins finally.” The indictment was also reported by South Korean media. Under criminal investigation, he has been in custody since becoming the first sitting president to be arrested on Jan 15.

Constitutional Court hearing last week in his impeachment trial that he never intended to fully impose martial law but had only meant the measures as a warning to break political deadlock. In parallel with his criminal process, the top court will determine whether to remove Yoon from office or reinstate his presidential powers, with 180 days to decide. South Korea’s opposition-led

Anti-corruption investigators last week recommended charging the jailed Yoon, who was impeached by parliament and suspended from his duties over the incident. Yoon’s lawyers had urged the prosecutors to release him from what they call illegal custody.

Insurrection is one of the few criminal charges from which a South Korean president does not have immunity. It is punishable by life imprisonment or death, although South Korea has not executed anyone in decades. Yoon and his lawyers argued at a

“The prosecution has decided to indict Yoon Suk Yeol, who is facing charges of being a ringleader of insurrection,” Democratic Party spokesman Han Min-soo told a press conference.