Current Affairs 9 June 2021 – IAS Current Affairs

Current Affairs 9 June 2021  focuses on Prelims-Mains perspective. Major events are :

1. BRICS Rejects Bloc Politics : China
2. Rengma Nagas Demand Autonomous Council
3. UN Secretary General Appointment

Prelims

1. I-Familia3
2. Operation Pangea XIV

BRICS Rejects Bloc Politics : China

Source : The Hindu
GS II : Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate

Why in News ?

China said that BRICS countries pursue openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation, and reject bloc politics and ideological confrontation.

Key Facts

• BRICS countries, as emerging markets and developing countries, are indeed different from a few developed countries in their attitude towards multilateralism and multilateral cooperation.

Rengma Nagas Demand Autonomous Council

Source : The Hindu
GS II : Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation
GS I : Indian Society

Why in News ?

Rengma Nagas in Assam have written to demanding an autonomous district council amid a decision by the Central and the State governments to upgrade the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) into a territorial council.

Key Facts

• What is the demand ?
  • Rengma Naga Peoples’ Council (RNPC) in the memorandum that the Rengmas were the first tribal people in Assam to have encountered the British in 1839.
  • The existing Rengma Hills was eliminated from the political map of the State and replaced with that of Mikir Hills (now Karbi Anglong) in 1951.
  • During the  Burmese invasions of Assam in 1816 and 1819, it was the Rengmas who gave shelter to the Ahom refugees.
  • Rengma Hills was partitioned in 1963 between Assam and Nagaland at the time of creation of Nagaland State and the Karbis, who were known as Mikirs till 1976, were the indigeneous tribal people of Mikir Hills.
  • Rengma Hills and Mikir Hills were two separate entities till 1951.
  • Karbis have no history in the Rengma Hills.
  • People who are presently living in Rengma Hills are from Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya.
  • They speak different dialects and do not know Karbi language of Karbi Anglong. 
• Issues Raised 
  • More than 3,000 Rengma Nagas were forced to relocate to relief camps in 2013 after several people were killed in a series of attacks following a call given by a Karbi insurgent group.

Autonomous District Council

• Sixth Schedule, the four states Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram contain the Tribal Areas which are technically different from the Scheduled Areas.
• Provision has been made for the creation of the District Councils and regional councils for the exercise of the certain legislative and judicial powers.
• Governor may by public notification has the authority to modify divide the boundaries.

UN Secretary General Appointment

Source : Indian Express
GS II : Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate

Why in News ?

United Nations Security Council formally approved Secretary-General António Guterres for a second term.

• Thus assuring that the former Prime Minister of Portugal retains the top job for five more years starting January 1, 2022.

Key Facts

• The recommendation will now go to the 193-member General Assembly, which is expected to make the appointment.
• He becoming the ninth UN chief since the international body’s founding in 1945.
• While there are no term limits applicable to this post, no Secretary-General has so far served more than two terms.

UN Secretary General Appointment

• Secretary-General is appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council.
• Secretary-General’s selection is therefore subject to the veto of any of the five permanent members of the Security Council.
• Any five vetoed appointments
  • US used this power to deny Egypt’s Boutros-Ghali a second term in 1997.
  • China did the same in 1981 for denying Austria’s Waldheim a third term.
• What is the power of elected members ?
  • 10 elected non-permanent members of the Security Council of which do not have veto powers.
  • At the same time their backing is crucial as a candidate requires at least nine out of 15 votes to be recommended for the top job.
  • India is currently a part.
• Resolution adopted by the General Assembly in 2015
  • To make appointment open and transparent allowing member states for the first time to see basic information about all candidates including their resumes, and to question them at open sessions.

Issues with the appointment

• It lacks transparency.
• Issues due to the permanent Security Council members veto power.
• Also their secret negotiations over candidates.
• It is difficult for the chief to balance the interests of other large funders and powerful member states as well.

UN Secretary-General Responsibility

• Act and perform such other functions as are entrusted to them by the Security Council, General Assembly, Economic and Social Council and other United Nations organs.
• Office oversees peacekeeping missions and appoints the undersecretary in charge of that department.
• Worldwide travel intended to keep the Secretary-General in touch with the peoples of the UN member states

PRELIMS

I-Familia

• Interpol has launched a new global database named I-Familia.
• It aims to identify missing persons through family DNA and help the police solve cold cases in member countries.
• global database for identifying missing persons based on international DNA kinship matching.
• Family members must give their consent for their data to be used for international searching.

Operation Pangea XIV

• Operation Pangea XIV targeting the sale of counterfeit and illicit medicines and medical products.
• This operation was coordinated by INTERPOL involved police, customs and health regulatory authorities from 92 countries.
• 113,020 web links including websites and online marketplaces being closed down or removed.
• First operation was in 2008. 

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