Foreign Digest: Burma, China, Macedonia and Afghanistan

Burma and China persecute Muslims

            In addition to Burma, which persecutes Muslims, Muslims are also being persecuted in western China by the Communist Chinese.  Both the Burmese and Chinese governments have committed gross human rights violations.           

Macedonia: name change approval

            The Macedonian Parliament approved constitutional amendments to change the Slavic Balkan State’s name to “North Macedonia.”  The approval comes after the defeat earlier this month of a referendum to change the name from the “Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.”  The referendum was supported overwhelmingly, but by less than the necessary turnout threshold.   The Russian Federation had been interfering in Macedonian politics by urging a boycott of the vote.

Macedonia had reached an accord on its name change with Greece, which had opposed the name “Macedonia” because of fear of the potential separatism of its neighboring province of Macedonia.  The dispute over the name had prevented Macedonian admission to the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.  Russia opposes Macedonian integration with the West.

Afghanistan: parliamentary elections

            Four million Afghans voted in parliamentary elections today, despite much violence committed by the Taliban, including assassinations and attacks on polling places, in addition to other assassinations and terrorist attacks.  The results are not yet available, but the courage of the Afghan people is exemplary. 

           The Islamist Taliban regime had led most of Afghanistan since 1995 and hosted al-Qaeda, the Islamist terrorists, who were responsible for the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks.  The Taliban were overthrown afterward by a coalition led by the United States, but have continued to try to return to power, despite the ongoing American-led NATO mission in support of the Afghan government.